For the Record

Seeing the dumbfounded look on my face, the paladin quickly continues.

“I mean, Lady Epione told Pearl that we should keep an eye on you, and we all seem to get along pretty well, at least when you’re not trying to eat us, or whatever that was,” she mutters the last part.

I have no words for the inanity leaving Izahne’s mouth, but I still manage to force out a, “You… uh. What?”

“Come on then, what’s the harm?” Omorth says with a sheepish grin, “We even talked Pips into it.”

The healer meanwhile is busy scowling, but she still nods.

“There is no way in any or all of the hells that I’m sharing my experience with any of you,” I snap. Are they out of their minds!?

(Probably, but that’s par for the course too,) Nyx says, and I’m getting the impression she’s right.

“Think about it though. All that time spent slaying weak mobs in dungeons or on quests is better spent fighting dungeon bosses with a full party, you know?” Abaris offers, a ray of sunshine in a sea of bone-headed bleating and pleading. “Dungeon bosses offer significant experience, often more than all the mobs combined – at least in lower level dungeons. Even dividing it six ways, you’d make headway compared to solo delving. Besides, most dungeon bosses are much too powerful to challenge alone! And that’s not even taking into account the additional experience rewards for clearing the dungeon!”

Oh. Huh. Is that a thing?

Nyx sighs for the eleventy-bajillionth time. (Yes, that is a thing. Also that’s not a real number.)

Alright, good thing I don’t care. How screwed am I if I let these weirdos follow me around? Is getting talked at all day and night the worst they’re gonna do, you think?

(Probably, unless they decide to treat you like a monster and kill you. Well, or you flake out and attack them again. I’d recommend against doing that, it’s gonna be very bad for your life expectancy,) she says with a dismissive wave.

Fair enough.

“So you’re all on board with this then?” I ask.

They nod. Some more curtly than others (still looking at you, ‘Pips’).

“What exactly are you expecting? I’m not following orders.”

Izahne shrugs. “Be a member of the party. Pretty much it just means to keep in mind that doing things that benefit the party also benefit you, and we all do the same. We work together, grow together, get stronger together. It’s much easier and safer that way, for all of us.”

That’s… not a bad arrangement, actually.

Nyx chuckles. (Charisma is always something they’re strong with. They say the Class chooses the Ascendant, you know.)

Great, that makes no sense. I… guess I don’t actually have a reason not to. At least not now.

I take a breath and then say, “I guess I’ll go along with this, for now. But I might change my mind later!”

***

Fifteen minutes of gorging myself on the souls of goblins and slimes later, I finally get the message I was waiting for.

[Soul Thirst has been temporarily sated.]

I let out a satisfied sigh. “Finally!”

“You good then?” Izahne asks as she pats a hand on the back of my shoulder. It’s still going to take some time to get used to that.

(At least you didn’t ask –)

“Why do you keep doing that?” I ask.

(I should have expected that!) she says, dragging one hand down her face.

She looks startled for a moment, and then… bashful? What? “Should I not do that?”

I give her a confused look. “Most humans, or uh. Indras? Eldras? Whatever. Most uhhhh are at least a little hesitant about touching me. Terrifying ghost monster that literally eats souls, you know?”

The paladin gives me one more pat on the back and says, “Yes, I get it. You’re terrifying. But, we’re also a party now. Oh, speaking of…”

[Izahne (Paladin) has invited you to the party: Holy Sapphire Hares.]

[Will you accept the invitation? Yes/No]

“Uh. What the hells kind of name is that? Is this a joke? Are you literally making a joke?” I ask.

Izahne actually laughs at that. “No, haha, it’s completely serious. You see, the sapphire hare is the symbol Themis uses – at least this incarnation of Themis? So it makes complete sense! We strive for justice and order, and so we –“

“I don’t care about any of that. Whatever.” I hit yes, and suddenly I have a lot more awareness of the humans (and human-like races, fine) around me. Like how Pearl’s stamina is surprisingly limited, and nearing exhaustion as we speak. “You, uh,” I gesture at her, “or someone should probably carry her or something, she’s about to drop.”

Of course, she chooses that moment to take out a bottle with a colorfully-printed label, pop the top, and chug the entire thing before letting out a satisfied sigh. And, her stamina just, refills itself. What just –

(Potions, idiot. Adventurers often use potions as a quick pick-me-up. That one was obviously a branded stamina potion,) my ever-so-helpful Assistant informs me.

I see. “Uh, nevermind I guess.”

“Don’t worry, Pips just does that,” Omorth says.

(You really have no excuse, you know? You’ve been exposed to potions before, like the ones Mimir was brew –)

“Anyway,” I interrupt, “I don’t care. If there’s monsters again, does that mean the boss has uhh, rematerialized or whatever?”

“Definitely, but we’re all still worn out from our earlier run and need to restock supplies. We should have our equipment checked as well,” Izahne answers.

I sigh. “So no dungeon boss hunt today?”

Abaris chuckles and says, “I’m afraid not. We also need to check in with the academy and record our victory, as well as your addition to our party. Our grading is based on party participation and interaction, after all. Say, we could probably make a recommendation…”

Izahne lights up with delight. “That’s an EXCELLENT idea! If we all put in a good word for you, you could attend the academy, and we could –“

“Absolutely not,” I flatly reject her.

“B-but why!? Learning is another great way to get stronger!” she pouts.

Meanwhile, Elobahn has been consistently hovering outside my range of vision, hands never leaving his weapons; It’s good to know that our trust level is mutual.

“Why should I? Even if I pretend to trust all of you, being around a large number of humans, or whatever-they-are’s, it’ll only take one proud idiot who thinks they have something to prove and I’m being attacked as a monster. And of course then I’ll fight back and eat their stupid soul, and then the whole academy will label me a threat and purge me en masse. Why even bother? You said one reason to join a party to begin with was to get stronger more safely. This doesn’t sound safe at all!”

“I hate to say it, but I agree with it,” Pearl begrudgingly mumbles.

Abaris nods in agreement, while Omorth sighs and nods as well. Elobahn says nothing, because of course he does.

“Besides, most things I could learn I can learn on my own. Nobody taught me my Skills, they either unlocked with my Class or I unlocked them myself by using them,” I argue.

Izahne scowls for a moment, then takes a deep breath and centers herself. “You can still learn faster. Like how you have a priest class, but don’t actually have any priest Skills, let alone spells.”

I furrow my brow. “Wait, is that a thing?”

“You have mana sight, right?” she asks.

I nod in response and she levels a pointed glance toward the healer, who sighs.

“Omorth, would you?” Pearl asks. The large eldra nods and responds by drawing a short sword from his thigh and cutting a long, shallow wound in his forearm.

“Now, watch what I do,” she continues.

I focus my senses on her, Omorth, and the wound. As I watch, I see the healer draw mana from her core to her hands and then shape it into an unexpectedly simple pattern. She then projects the pattern onto Omorth’s arm while saying, “Lesser Restore Vitality.” And, his wound closes.

“There, now you try.” She waves a hand toward the barbarian again, who obediently cuts his arm again and holds it toward me.

The scent of his blood is almost overwhelming, but at the same time feels distant…

(You’re in a party. It means you recognize him as a non-hostile, so of course your more aggressive instincts are muted toward him,) Nyx offers.

That’s actually good to know. Also, interesting. Anyway, I instinctually draw mana from myself in the same way I draw mana from others with Consume… wait, that’s vitality, not mana… well, whatever. I focus the vitality into the pattern Pearl used before, and will it forward onto the wound while saying, “Lesser Restore Vitality.” The wound snaps shut much faster than for the healer, but I –

[Available Skill: Blood Pact used for the first time!]

[Blood Pact added to Skills!]

The large eldra looks confused for a moment, and then I get another message.

[Omorth (Barbarian) has rejected your Blood Pact!]

“What did you do!?” Abaris shouts, interposing his small body between us. “That wasn’t Lesser Restore Vitality! That wasn’t even a spell!”

I… have no idea.