Chapter 324 - Giving The Right Answers (Patreon)

Author's note: Writing continues to be hard to pull off. I'm going to continue getting out as many chapters as I can, but I've paused Patreon payments for August and will likely do it for September as well.

On the plus side, my brother and I've finished the addition to his shop. The sawmill we're going to be using for doing the next project's here, so hopefully in a couple weeks we'll actually have the new roof finished too.

Thanks for reading,

Draith

***Magelord

Instead of answering me, the woman looks to the side at some invisible display. I’d seen Ari do similar on occasion, though she was less obvious about it.

The monster who was wearing the face of the half-skeletal Eve Primera mumbled to herself, ignoring me. “Hmm. Stasis was lifted… Magus Protectus Percival… Head of Maintenance did peruse records… oh, a new Head of Maintenance was approved. How… boring.”

While she was doing that, my attention shifted to the runes about the room, analyzing them. They were, in a word, crude.

Not the enchanting work. That was top notch. Highly intricate throughout. It was the underlying design that was lacking. As if they hadn’t benefited from the last twenty thousand years of spell development. It was interesting, but more importantly, it was highly flawed.

Considering the muttering of the monstrous woman in front of me, that’d matter soon, I figured.

“A new player. Not George, but not alien either. Almost depressingly human.” Eve didn’t look at me throughout, waving at invisible words. “Might make things interesting again. Should we test them? I suppose we should. After a proper introduction.”

Eve straightened, affecting a more regal posture. Then she waved her hand. The runework reacted to the gesture, sending a spell spiraling inward. I flicked a hand, sending a bit of silver dust across the runework, causing most of whatever she’d tried to do to discharge in a flash of blue light.

I’d been hoping for something a bit subtler.

“Greetings mortal,” Eve said, either not noticing the failure of her spell or deciding to ignore it. “I have chosen to bless you with an audience with your esteemed goddess. You may bow.”

Figuring it was in my interest to play along, at least for the moment, I did as she suggested.

“Excellent.” Eve clapped her hands before clearing her throat. “Oh no. Do over.” With her words she sent another surge through the enchantment. Once more, it discharged harmlessly before she introduced herself once more.

Was starting to suspect she couldn’t see everything through her flesh-puppet.

“Greetings mortal, I’m divinely impressed with… no, no, no…”

Another flash, another introduction, and another bow followed.

It took her six attempts to be satisfied with her introduction.

“Greetings mortal, the seven-faced goddess has deigned to grant you an audience. You may bow.”

This time when I stood, she kept from making a mistake.

“So, mortal, why have you sought me out?”

After the farce she’d pulled with her introduction, I knew better than to point out that she’d summoned me. Otherwise I might be stuck longer than the city’d been locked in stasis before we finished a single conversation. “I was hoping to leave the city.”

We stared at each other silently for several seconds before Eve nodded. Her eyes flicked to the side, then she let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. Can you give me a minute. I’m afraid your whole planet’s been cut off from my network for a few years.”

“Right. Go ahead.”

I spent fifteen minutes waiting for her as she continued muttering to herself. Again, I studied the runework. Was pretty sure she’d been trying to wipe my short term memory with that trick. Good thing I’d spent so much of my time since I landed on Ro’an studying spellcraft and enchanting.

“How the hell did you get so many commendations?” Eve demanded, glaring at me.

It took me a second to register that she was actually talking to me. Seemed she’d dropped the goddess bit. “Was no walk in the park, I’ll say that much.”

“You might not be George, but you certainly talk like a Head of Maintenance,” Eve said, leaning back in her chair. “But I don’t want vagaries. I need specifics. There shouldn’t be a way for someone with such a weak foundation to qualify for Head of Maintenance.”

“Hey, it’s your System.” I’d picked up that much from George’s memories. Eve’s team had built and refined most of the underlying mechanics Ro’an was built on. “I just fixed stuff.”

Eve pinched the section of her nose that still had flesh with her bone hand, flinching as she pinched herself. She glared at the offending hand for several seconds before returning her attention to me. “You are… not what I was expecting. But I suppose you could be worth something, eventually. Assuming you don’t die to the ‘gaunts, of course.”

“If you’re not going to help, you mind if we call an end to this meeting?”

“You’re not going anywhere until I know exactly what my System’s been up to. You will answer my questions, unless you want me to come turn that ball of mud you call a planet into ashes.”

I’d been seriously considering slipping free of the enchantment and escaping, but her threat brought me up short. I didn’t know if she had the personal capacity for such a thing. But I did know that she wouldn’t need much. With Ro’an unshielded, all she’d need to do would be to grab a big rock and drop it on us. There was a chance pockets of Ro’an would survive even that, but…

“Okay, what did you want to know?”

***Magelord

Eve kept me there for nearly twelve hours. Not all that time was devoted to answering questions. Sometimes she’d get distracted and start muttering to herself. At others, the crimson flame in her undead socket would dim, as if she was occupied elsewhere.

At several points she attempted to wipe my memory only to ask her questions again from a ‘different’ starting point. Probably would’ve been an effective tactic if I hadn’t sabotaged the runework. As it was, it made it much easier to give her all the right answers.

Well, the right answers from my perspective.

With some inference, her questions were even somewhat informative at times. Especially when she went off on tangents. “You locals have mangled our language beyond reason. Though given the timeframes involved, I suppose I should be grateful it’s not worse. Linguistic drift always increases when you don’t have even a state of semi-immortals ruling over the people.”

“Semi-immortals?” I asked, not really expecting an answer. She tended to ignore my questions.

“A true immortal is only possible in theory. Eternity is a very long time. My dear friend claimed we were as immortal as anyone was going to get, yet George still… anyway, not important.” Eve shook her head vehemently enough the remaining braided hair smacked against both the dress and half dress and the skeletal body on the other side. “Let’s try this again. This time perhaps with more of a lilt?”

She did try more of a lilt. I still responded the same way.

I suspected my lack of variety was getting to her, because the next few questioning periods had longer and longer stretches where her eye dimmed.

Eventually her eye regained its full luster as Eve considered me. “George, you’ve had your fun. You’re right, I made some horrible decisions. Now will you please drop the act.”

I couldn’t keep my face still at the accusation, going so far as to glance over my shoulder in case he really was playing some sort of trick on the both of us. “George?” I asked, since she hadn’t said anything about him during this period of questioning. We’d been through it so many times, I’d almost forgotten to act surprised.

Instead of answering, she simply glared at me while tapping her cheek with her skeletal hand. “Darn. You’re really not him, are you? Guess he never was much of one for elaborate ploys. Have you ever had your best friend stop talking to you after you messed up?”

“Kinda,” I said, thinking of how I’d let slip I wasn’t really Perth to Nexxa. “My sister.”

“I’d give everything to have George back…” Eve said, gaze dimming again for a minute.

The memories of George warred with her actions since I’d been ushered into the room. To my annoyance—despite what she’d done to the seven Eves—there was some sympathy for her loss.

Not enough to forget what she’d done, but it was there.

“Well, I suppose there’s nothing for it. Thank you for being patient with me,” Eve said, giving me half of a winning smile. “Not that I gave you much choice. I suppose I should send you off properly… one last time should do it, I think.”

“One last time?”

“Ah, right. You’ve forgotten… almost a shame. Wonder if George…” She shook her head then suddenly perked up, leaning forward. “But George is the past. You’re the future! A new Head of Maintenance! And a class-1 citizen. Oh, I have so many hopes for you, young Percival. You might be just what I need to break up the monotony. Who knows, if you live long enough, maybe I’ll have a new friend. Wouldn’t that be exciting?”

Before I could respond, she clapped her hands, causing the enchantment to flash as she attempted to erase my memory yet again.

Not a great way to make friends, in my opinion. But maybe that was just me.

“Greetings Head of Maintenance Percival,” Eve said, taking a rather novel approach. Wouldn’t have guessed that playing the serious and respected equal was in her wheelhouse. “I’m afraid we don’t have much time to talk. There are a great many tasks for you to complete. I would send assistance, however the war for our species existence requires the bulk of my attention. However, I have ensured your System has been properly updated with the latest profiles on our enemies and I have provided several locations where you may find the parts you need to complete the repairs to Ro’an. Know that your efforts are critical to our survival.”

It was… honestly, if her whole memory wipe shtick had worked, I probably would’ve swallowed it line and sinker.

“There are a great many things we must content with, yet with your help, we shall prevail.” With her hands on either side of the throne, Eve pushed to her feet, stepping down towards me.

I took an half step back in surprise before I caught myself. Twelve hours, dozens of introductions, and it was the first time she’d moved from the throne.

Eve walked right up to me, lifting her skeletal hand up to press under my chin. I felt her especially poignant aura then. One that was so similar to Keeper's I wouldn’t have been shocked to find him standing behind me. “Accept my blessing, Percival, Head of Maintenance.”

Even if I wanted to respond, her aura kept me from speaking.

Her energy washed over me, at least two of my hearts stopping, the sudden loss of their beating making the others louder in my ears. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for my regeneration to kick in and restore those two hearts. Was good it did. Having them stop had felt like getting smacked in the chest by a six foot chunk of steel tube.

“You know, there’s something about you.” As she was speaking circled around me, her skeletal foot clicking. “If I'm not mistaken, your soul is older than mine. How very curious. Perhaps that… no matter. I have faith in you, Percival.”

She returned to her throne and I was able to breathe again, her aura receding. Not that I needed to breathe as a hydra-soul. Not really. Well not for several hours anyways but it would get uncomfortable after the first fifteen minutes. I pushed the thought to the side. I was just distracting myself. Having my hearts stop had been terrifying.

Right. Needed a way to cut down on the effect of aura. Even as Eve leaned back in her throne, still affecting her dignified role, I started contemplating ways to fortify against it. Considering her aura was similar to Keeper’s, I should be able to test anything I came up with on the devil once I got home.

Thankfully, it felt like my audience with Eve was finally drawing to a close. “Now, I’m afraid I must take my leave of you, though I do have one last request before I go.”

“Fire away.”

Her braid laid still against the flesh side of her head as she brought her hands together in her lap. “Take care of this vessel. It would be an awful waste if I had to fashion a new one each time I needed to contact you.”

I didn’t have any idea what that would even take. Nor was I sure I’d want to. Still, there was no reason to let her know. “Right. Will do.”

“Very well. Then I take my leave of you.” Eve slumped over in her chair, the flame in her left eye flickering out and disappearing.

“Right… now more importantly…” I trailed off as I looked around the room. The enchantment trapping me in place was still active and the ornate door behind me was sealed shut. “How the rift do I get out of this room?”