Biyu was playing a cheerful tune on her reed flute as they traveled down the road. Traveling with Lady Chelsea had a number of benefits. First, people paid more attention to Lady Chelsea than the tattered masked stranger with her. When they did notice her, they merely gave her a dismissive look then proceeded to overlook her as some vassal servant of the kindly Knight. That did not stop Biyu from having to greet the few Lords of the Land whose lands they passed through. Most of them were surprised when she introduced herself as a member of the Lostlakes and Elderwoods branches of the Kimmel noble family, and they were obsequious enough that Biyu was glad when she could excuse herself. Lady Chelsea was always giving her a reproving look afterwards, but the Knight did not confront her on whatever was bothering her.

Soon they would reach Trade Town. It was in the next fortress hold over, at the end of the Flatwoods domain. In Trade Town they could get supplies, and Biyu would escort Anya while the woman selected a new wardrobe for her more fitting her station despite Biyu's disinterest.

May and Biyu had other purchases to make. One of them was due to Anya making a fuss about her and May sharing a tent together. She had made innuendo laden remarks about her bedding down with another woman. When Biyu attempted to resolve the issue by bedding down next to Anton, Lady Chelsea had joined Anya in yelling at her. Biyu was not entirely sure what the issue had been, but sleeping with Anton had been comforting. Something about Anton was a male even if they were not 'compatible', and how a dignified noble, something Biyu made no pretense to be, should not sleep under the open sky. Biyu pushed the thoughts from her mind, feeling weary just thinking about it.

As they rounded a bend, there appeared a village. It was a small one, a handful building, a meeting hall, and a few standard traveler services that were uncommon in roadside villages. It was an unfortunate fact that there were no towns west of Trade Town. There was not enough wealth to attract tradesmen and merchants. Trade Town had a Mason Guild, Healer Guild or Temple, the Road Builder Guild, a group that called themselves a Beast Guild who likely had not a single Transcendent (which made their calling themselves a Guild pretentious) who were well known for breeding fine animals, and lesser trade associations that were local to the town. There was also a nearby fort of the Order of Flaming Axes. Biyu rather liked the Order, based on just their reputation. Their standard had flown in a few of the villages, and the one who had challenged them on the road had been polite as well as diligent.

Entering the village, Biyu saw a man and a woman standing beside one another with worried looks while facing a Knight of the Flaming Axes. The Knight for his part was listening to the couple with a mixture of annoyance and understanding.

"I understand, but it's not my duty to find missing youths. It has been a single night. At his age, I hung out at night and shirked my duty plenty of times. My Knight smacked me about quite a bit for it too." He gave a smile. "If he's missing after tonight, then I'll go look for…" He trailed off as Biyu and May walked past, his eyes tracking them before looking at the rest of their entourage.

Lady Chelsea, giving Biyu a scowl, road up to couple and the Knight on Anton's back. Astride the giant armored reptile, she sat at the shoulder's of a tall man, and they had to crane up their heads to look at her. She signaled their band to stop, and the wagons dutiful pulled into the village and off the road. It was an Imperial offense obstruct paved roads without cause.

The woman latched onto Lady Chelsea's leg, after seeing her arms, armor, and the symbol of a circle of stone on her breast. "You are a Knight?" she asked desperately. "I can't reward you much, but will you find Abel for me? Please? This useless Knight just stands there saying he's too much of a pussy!"

The Knight's sympathy disappeared immediately at that. "Please do so, so these two will leave me the Hells alone," he spat out. He turned his full attention to Biyu, who was still as shabby, masked, and unusual as usual. He seemed to be deliberating with himself.

"She is my companion," Lady Chelsea said with exasperation, while giving Biyu an annoyed look. Well, that was fair. It had happened at almost every village now, usually with a cowed youth valiantly trying to look brave as he challenged a child who was obviously better armed than him.

May looked to Biyu, who gave a little shrug. "We have plenty of time to make it to the North-South Road before winter. We can take a day to look for the youth, but we should keep an eye on time." Then, to the pleading woman, "Give us a description and last known location?"

Lady Chelsea frowned at May, who had taken over the conversation from her.

They listened as the woman described the boy as a brown haired, brown eyed youth of fifteen winters who had been getting restless lately. There were no marriage prospects, and he had been trying to get his parents to send him with a merchant caravan to find a wife. Typically, it was girls who joined a caravan under the eye of a matchmaker, who was commissioned to find a husband. Most boys typically went to work for the Lord of the Land, Fortress Lord, or March Lord's land until a caravan came through, and try to broker a wife through the matchmaker to take to his home village. After he had wages enough to buy or build a house for his wife, of course.

They had last seen the boy throwing a fit before stalking through a 'small' wood to the west. Lady Chelsea gave them a smile as she said, "Fortunately I have my small companion here, who is a fine tracker." That was met with a mixed response, but the couple was thrilled to have a tracker look for him. Even if they were uncouth, uncivilized, and possibly even a savage. The looks of the villagers became a little darker looking at Biyu, and Lady Chelsea herself looked unhappy with the response.

Entering the woods, Biyu started by stringing her bow and checking her armor. Lady Chelsea's face showed her disapproval, but again she held her tongue. Biyu put on a helmet, her mask snugly fit in place, and May did the same. Biyu gave May her strung bow as she began looking for traces of the youth. It had not recently rained, and the woods did not attract many villagers. She found a worn path that she assumed the boy had made. It led to a small depression that would be hidden in every direction.

Lady Chelsea and May headed forward to peak over the surrounding rise, but Biyu gripped May's arm and rapidly shook her head. She pointed to her nose, and took in a breath. Her companions did the same, and smelled what Biyu had. A disgusting smell, like rotting meat. Moving forward slowly, signaling for the other two to stay back, Biyu peeked into the dip. There was the corpse of the boy they had been sent to find. Standing over it was what looked like a small pygmy goat tearing at the flesh of the body.

Grimacing, Biyu fell back. She moved to her tiptoes and whispered into May's ear, "Goblins." May made a hand gesture, and Lady Chelsea gritted her teeth.

With that they fell back further, to stand in a tight circle. All three checked their surroundings for more Goblins as they conversed.

"We should get the Flaming Axes Knight," said May. "He can burn the bodies."

Biyu was frowning, looking back at the depression even though she could not see anything. "No weapon. Doubt there are many of them. Might be the only one."

Lady Chelsea shook her head. "You're being too optimistic. It takes a lot of Goblins for them to become weapon using. May can go inform the village to set up a defense. I can go fight them."

"I am immune to poison. You are not. If you are bit…" Something occurred to her then, and she was frowning deeply.

"I'm too hard for them to bite. I have a body of stone." Lady Chelsea gave a tight-lipped smile. "May," she began, but the commoner cut her off.

"I am Oath sworn as Master's sword and shield," she said firmly. "I can't leave her to fight alone." Biting her lip, May considered. She went through the fact sheet merchant guards got about dealing with Goblins. "Most fighters can deal with three Goblins without a problem," she began. Lady Chelsea gave a nod to that, patiently waiting for the woman to reach her point. She had been taught the same information. May considered Biyu. "I think between the two of us, we could deal with seven or eight if we are smart about it. Their venom is bad, and their blood… some say that's worse. Not sure a hard body will help with that, Lady Chelsea."

"I can offer Lily May protection. [Poison Immunity] is one of my techniques. I cannot offer true immunity, but it will help."

"Okay, Master. Lady Chelsea, can you please go inform your Knights?"

Lady Chelsea gritted her teeth. "I'm a Knight-Errant. I am supposed to face dangerous trials and defeat Monsters and Goblins."

Biyu empowered May with a blessing encapsulating her [Poison Immunity]. A bit of her mana was siphoned away. She included a little bit of enhancement for May as well. Nowhere near her own investment, but it would help keep her fit in the encounter.

May opened her mouth to reply to Lady Chelsea, but she lifted a hand. "I try to be friendly, Lily May, but there is a limit to how much I'm willing to put up with from a commoner."

May's mouth closed for a moment, her usual cheerful expression wipes away and replaced with polite deference. When she spoke, it was firm and definitive. "Yes, Lady Chelsea."

Biyu frowned at May, then at Lady Chelsea. "She is my retainer. She speaks with my authority. If she asks you to do something, then I too ask you."

"And who are you to ask me this?" Lady Chelsea challenge. She gave a smile. "Are you a noble, to whom I must bend an ear, Lady Biyu?"

Biyu considered this, ignoring Lady Chelsea's provocation. "May is an experienced merchant guard who would be a decorated sergeant in any army. I trust her judgment. My affinity is poison, the best choice for facing the most poisonous creatures we know of. I can protect myself and May. You are a trained Knight whose duty is to defend the people.

"Goblins are near a village, and they must be informed. Your Knights will need leadership to defend the town. The Flaming Axes Knight should be advised by a peer. Once May delivers the message, she can do nothing. Once you deliver the message, you will take command."

"Then come back with me, and form a plan with the Knights," Lady Chelsea challenged. "There is no need for you to risk an assault against unknown numbers."

Biyu and May considered. May said to Biyu, "You only saw one. There will be more. Lone Goblins are extremely rare. We can't guess their current numbers, except it's probably less than fifty."

Biyu considered that. "Lady Chelsea, will you inform the village? May and I will act as pickets until you return. The village should be informed, and you have a duty to them and your Knights. We will await orders, but I ask that May and I be the vanguard."

Frowning, Lady Chelsea started to disagree, but she stopped when she realized that Biyu was right. "Very well, Lady Biyu. Engage only if they move towards the village."

"May I scout them actively?" Biyu asked.

"Explain?"

"I will kill that one while hidden, and see how many show up to investigate the body."

Grimacing, Lady Chelsea considered. "How will you do that?"

"I can use my bow from the tree. They are unlikely to find me. Goblins are not known to climb trees."

With a sigh, Lady Chelsea nodded. "Very well. Be safe, and make sure May is safe too. May Lord Ambition grant you glory, may Lord Charity shield you, may Lady Merit smile upon your skills."

They both gave her a fist to chest salute, and repeated the war prayer. They watched the noisy Lady Chelsea leave, her armor rattling, before Biyu helped May into a tree. Once they had worked their way high up, she took her bow and tied it carefully to her back. Climbing along the tree limbs, she worked her way carefully over the dip.

Once she could see into the dip from a sturdy branch, she freed her bow from her back. Hanging it from the branch with a short length of twine, she also secured herself to the branch. Turning back to the Goblin, she saw that it had finished feasting and was crouched over the corpse, protecting its meal. There was still no sign of another one.

She looked at the body of the young man whose life was cut short. It was unfair. He had not had the opportunity to live a full life. Killed by a creature that in every story and historical record did nothing but destroy. They were a plague, created by Gillas in a bid to usurp the Troll people from Vraa. So much death and destruction, whole marches decimated, all because of these creatures. She looked upon the body as she aimed, and she said a silent prayer to no god in particular, that she be able to visit retribution upon the Goblins in the boy's stead for his senseless death. With the release of the arrow, something in the world twisted just a little.

The Goblin died, the arrow taking it in the eye and killing it instantly and granting her its soul. There were rustles of sound from all directions, a moment of panicked movement before caution kicked in. All around the depression she began to see movements, and she counted hidden enemies. That stopped when she saw the body of the boy, mangled and half-eaten with a missing foot and half a skeletal arm, twitch and shudder.

Biyu felt her stomach drop as the dead rose up. The face, confused if she could read the mostly stripped skull, twisted into rage at the sight of the dead Goblin. With a gurgle that should have been a scream, the ghoul clawed at the corpse. The blood of the Goblin burned the dead hand, but it either did not notice or care. It was only when the Goblins came to investigate that it stopped ravaging the corpse and in its anger attacked the Goblins.

In a nearby tree she could hear May gasp. The creature had quickly limped from the depression to attack the Goblins where May could see. The Goblin it attacked was overwhelmed, its throat ripped out, and the jaw of the ghoul bubbled and melted as it was sprayed with blood. Staggering on barely usable legs, the raging corpse was tackled by three Goblins. They attempted to kill the corpse while he madly savaged them. Biyu felt herself claim another soul, the ghoul's previous victim. Her heart raced. Only when she or her agents killed someone was she supposed to claim the soul.

More Goblins came, and there was a melee as the Goblins grabbed and bit and tore at the ghoul, while it thrashed and struggled to attack them. Biyu counted the Goblins, even as she felt another soul captured. With the captured soul, she felt a taint against her souls like a slick of thick foul water. She wondered if Goblins were so poisonous that they would make her very soul sick. Trying her [Heal Self] to rid herself of the feeling, she kept her eyes on the struggle below her.

The body was torn apart viciously by the Goblins. Limbs were tossed aside, and bite wounds festered even though the flesh was dead. They began to eat the remains, and the corpse could no longer struggle. There was no soul when the corpse stopped, and Biyu said a quick prayer in relief. The prayer ended when one of the Goblin corpses struggled to its feet and lunged for a living companion.

It was a powerful vengeful spirit, not a ghoul. A powerful curse spirit. Had her prayer to the gods been answered in this way? There were no tales of a vengeful spirit raised by the gods. Necromancy was forbidden, so no known god of necromancy, the undead, or even death was known to have Ascended. Her stomach dropped. Was she a god of death? That made no sense to her. Pulling her mind away from useless thoughts, she aimed at the Goblins. Three were dead by her last count, and she had only counted five more Goblins.

She killed another Goblin, putting an arrow into its chest. She took her time to aim, and used the wrathful spirit as a distraction, so the Goblins would not notice her. At her count, it was unlikely they were smart enough to associate arrows with an archer. It was known that if a single Goblin saw you, they all saw you. Evidence suggested that Goblins got smarter as their numbers grew. A single Goblin was a rabid dog. A dozen were a pack of wolves. It was said that when a Goblin King raised an army, they forged their own tools and marched to war in formation. Numbers under fifty rarely used any weapons at all other than their poisonous bite.

There was a crash in the woods, and Biyu saw that Lady Chelsea had returned with the Knight of the Flaming Axes in tow. They came upon the melee, the Goblins apparently attacking one of their own, while the maddened beast bit its companions.

"Wrathful spirit," Biyu shouted, and a Goblin heard her. Its eyes turned up to the tree in time for her arrow to find its eye and kill it. "I counted 8 total. Five deceased, three living." With the capture of the soul, she felt her vision starting to wobble, like something within herself was building up. Part of her wondered if she was pushing against a threshold of power, but this was not her first. The feeling was wrong. It had to be something else. It never made her sick before. Was it the walking corpse? The Goblins? She forced herself to focus, even as the world started to spin around her.

Lady Chelsea stormed into the melee, and a nearby Goblin went for her. She struck it down with a blow of her mace. The remaining two Goblins went after the moving corpse, which had shredded arms that bled, and joints turned the wrong way.

"I want one alive," Biyu called out. Lady Chelsea, too busy fighting to answer, stomped down a Goblin under her foot, then defended the body from attacks by the undead Goblin. It withdrew its attacks when she interfered, hissing at her angrily while stalking the pinned Goblin. For Lady Chelsea's part, she menaced it with her mace. There was little point destroying the body, not when there were plenty of corpses for it to possess. Turning from the prey it would have to fight for, it went after the other Goblin that was licking its wounds. The two struggled and fought to the death. Another soul was claimed, and her bow slipped from her grip to dangle from the twine she had tied it with. Biyu slumped into the rope binding her to the branch, her breathing feeling labored. Like she was suffocating despite the lack of damage to her body.

Seeing her become listless, May dropped from her own tree and ran towards hers. The dead Goblin came towards Biyu as she struggled to control her own body, looking up at her. The goat-like face was watching her, the square iris rolling too much to be how it saw. It was trying to say something, but the corpse's throat was no longer fit to speak. May arrived, and with a smash of her shield, she sent the undead careening across the ground away from them. The corpse laid still, but the Knight of Flaming Axes torched it to be sure.

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"Stop," Biyu wheezed, yelling as loud as she could manage to be heard from the tree. "Rites. Lady Chelsea, the rites."

Staring at her dumbfounded, a Goblin still snarling and struggling from beneath her foot, the Knight threw up a hand to the Heavens, her head rolled back, and she performed the Calling of the Deceased. A body rose up, a different one, but it did not attack. It looked upon Lady Chelsea as she finished the Call. The Eulogy was just the recitation of the boy's name and a quick repetition of what his mother told them so she could move onto the Final Words, the prayers to commend a spirit to judgment. The broken body of the Goblin stumbled as the words were said, and it remained as if entranced listening to Lady Chelsea. Finally, Lady Chelsea decreed the Lighting of the Pyre.

At those words the Knight of the Flaming Axes threw a ball of fire at the standing corpse. The face relaxed in what Biyu guessed was a peaceful smile as the body burned and collapsed, smoke roiling into the air to guide the spirit to judgment. In moments the corpse was ashes and the flame flickered out, burning no further than the Knight commanded.

Biyu caught a flash of color, like rust, in the corner of her eye and made a shout that was little more than a cry to alert the warriors below her. May turned, her sword ready while her eyes took in the frothing Goblin. She met its attack with her shield, and followed through with a cut of her sword. It was a brief, vicious struggle. The creature bled from wounds, while she had to lower herself to bring the little monster in range. After a few strikes and a block that left a sizzling line along her shield and damage to her sword, she ran the creature through and kicked it off.

Once she confirmed the Goblin had been slain, May climbed up Biyu's tree as she curled in pain, the tether keeping her in the tree creaking as she moved. She broke through to a new level of power, but the disgusting sheen of slimy oil over her soul felt even worse as the bounds of her mana pool expanded. Her techniques guttered and fizzled, and her vision blacks out into a haze of snow and a roaring in her ears.

May was saying something, but Biyu could not make out the words. She could barely make out her retainer. May was in the tree, on the branch she hung from, and was looking with worry. She had fallen off the branch, and was now dangling. After the breakthrough, it felt like the skein on her soul had leeched in, and her whole body was aching while her senses spun. It was too much and she passed out.

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May looked at the dead Goblins. Lady Chelsea had caught Biyu when May cut her free of the tree and taken her back to Anya for healing. The Knight of the Flaming Axes was burning the bodies of the Goblins before they could poison the land. The Knight came up behind her, having finished a nearby corpse. "Will she be fine?" he asked her.

May frowned. "I don't know what's wrong with her. Anya, our Healer, should be able to help her." She gave the Knight a glance. "Should we bundle the boy to bring back?"

The Knight nodded his head. "We can bundle it into an effigy for his memorial. The parents will be glad for a chance to say goodbye." He had used his ax to collect the remains of the boy big enough to bag. It was pitted and scarred from when he tried to use it to collect the toxic bodies of the Goblins to burn together. He had soon given that up, and just burned them where they laid.

"I thought Lost Souls didn't come back that quickly," May said.

"Three days is a rule of thumb. Not always true." He glanced at her. "She demanded funerary rites, didn't she?"

Giving a nod, May opened a sack for the body to be collected into. "She did. I think she worried the Lost Soul was that boy, getting revenge on the Goblins. She likes peasants, I think. I've heard of her going fishing with children, and teaching boys how to use a sword. Making sure the boy got peace would've been important to her."

"The mask?" asked the Knight.

"A blessing that's a curse."

"The bow? The woodcraft?"

"Trained by a Sacred Beast. I understood it demanded its Elves to give her things. She's not an Elf-friend though. They hated her."

The man sighed. "I'll let it go. None of that is illegal, just… morally dubiousness. In the future, call them trophies. Better yet, get rid of it all."

"I think I'd rather she have that bow," said May. "Got to say, loved seeing Goblins drop-dead with no idea she was there, and not a damn way to reach us if they did. Didn't have to do a thing myself, either."

The man snorted. "You have the sword work down, from what I saw. Just that small bit and I could tell you're a professional. Why don't you become a Knight?"

"I'm sworn to her. She's a Transcendent, if you didn't guess. Makes it kind of scary she ended up that way without being touched."

The Knight frowned. "You hear stories about bad advancements, and this was the kind of experience a fresh recruit might take a Step, but… I've never seen it, and I never heard it from someone who did." He glanced at the only remaining living Goblin. It snarled at them, its body clamped to the earth. "Also, why would she want that thing?"

Looking at the Goblin, which they were keeping an eye on in addition to clearing up and watching for stragglers, May said, "She's poison affinity. Goblins are the epitome of poison."

The Knight scowled the same way the other Knights had on learning she was poison affinity. He asked nothing more as he finished burning the bodies. When they were done, and Lady Chelsea came to collect the Goblin, they took the sack full of the boy and returned to the village.

The Knight sighed. "I should have gone looking for the kid, but who expects Goblins this far east without warning? Can't say I understand how they got this far. Thank you, Lady Chelsea."

Lady Chelsea gave a companionable salute. May made sure she had Lady Biyu's bow, and followed the Knights to the village. She would get a room for the night as part of her reward.

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When May checked on Lady Biyu in her sick bed the next morning, she walked in on Anya and Lady Biyu glaring at each other.

"You are not going to get bitten by that thing, let alone play with its blood! That's insane!"

"I am poison affinity, and Goblins have the strongest poisons Humans know of," Lady Biyu said.

"I still don't know why you collapsed yesterday. Lady Biyu, try to understand, I am not going to let you kill yourself."

"This will not kill me. I will use small amounts, and you will be there to help me." She considered a moment, then tried, "I trust you to help me."

Instead of being flattered, Anya was livid. Her face turned red, and for a moment May wondered if she would have to defend Lady Biyu from the woman. Swallowing it down, Anya said, "I am not that easily manipulated, Lady Biyu. Please don't insult me like that in the future." Lady Biyu's mask went placid, but she bowed to her apology.

Turning to her, Anya demanded, "Talk some sense into this twit, will you?"

Giving Anya a commiserating smile that only left her sighing and rubbing her temples, she turned to Lady Biyu. "Master, what happened? I am your sword sworn. I need to understand why…" She swept her hand at her.

Lady Biyu looked at Anya, who lifted a brow. "The vows of my Guild require me to keep medical confidences unless requested by the patient. I will not be leaving."

Lady Biyu deflated. "I prayed to the gods to allow me to take revenge for that child before the vengeful spirit rose. I think… I think my prayers were answered."

Anya looked skeptical, but May felt a sinking feeling. "You think you accidentally did necromancy?"

"I felt my prayer being answered. After that, as the Goblins died I felt… like I was covered in oily filth. Not my body but… my soul."

"So, you…" Anya began to ask. She glanced at May, who looked back at her curiously, then to Lady Biyu. Deciding May could be trusted, she asked, "You think because your prayer was answered, you were for some reason affected by the corruption of the Goblins?"

Lady Biyu gave a small nod. "I should ask my Master about it."

"The Great Ruby Eyed Serpent?" May asked. Lady Biyu gave another nod.

May gave a shrug. "That explains why you wanted that Lost Soul sent on its way."

"If its soul corruption, I wouldn't be able to find any sign of it. That's a bit beyond what Healers deal with," Anya grumbled. She tapped her fingers. "Lady Chelsea wants to put the Goblin down, and so do the villagers. Their thankful, but this is pushing it. Can you give up on it now, and wait until later? There will always be more Goblins."

"If I get the poisons now, I will have them the next time I get into a fight. It will be an advantage."

Anya looked annoyed. "Fine. If you won't see sense, then I'll at least demand caution. You will not touch that thing until your back to full health. Dammit, until you can honestly tell me your master says it's fine, I won't let you have your way. Can I trust you to tell me the truth?"

Lady Biyu swallowed noticeably. She assumed the question was rhetorical, but she answered, "Yes. I will keep secrets, but I do not like to lie."

"I should demand more concessions, if you want it this much, but frankly my biggest concern is you don't die."

"Because you want me for protection."

"That factors in, but even if it didn't, I'd want to protect my companion." She took a deep breath. "But… is this what it will be like, Lady Biyu? Throwing yourself into danger at the drop of a hat?"

"I took no risk," Biyu said.

"The bandits?"

"There were Knights. I am Transcendent. The mage died first. I ensured he was dead. I will take risks, but not needlessly."

Anya was not mollified. "You will fully heal before taking another dose, or whatever it is you will do. The smallest dose you can get something useful out of. I will be present, and you will fully heal before each part. You will use the smallest doses that are effective. Am I understood?"

"Yes."

Anya scowled, and it wasn't pretty. "Yes Healer. I think this is stupid, but you aren't wrong that with a poison Path, you should do things like this." She shrugged. "One of things that makes my Guild different from Temple Healers is that we study anatomy, physiology, and other subjects to better understand the body. It makes our techniques more powerful. I assume you have something similar? A knowledge technique?"

"I can reproduce and become immune to poisons I have been exposed to. It works best if it is ingested or injected the way it is normally used."

"Then as your personal Healer, I command you to rest for now."

"May I commune with my god?"

"I suppose so. May, can we speak?" May straightened up at being addressed.

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"What is your relationship with Biyu, exactly?" Anya asked as Biyu closed her eyes and prayed for Shishi to speak with her.

Are you ready for more lessons, my adorable disciple? Shishi asked as Biyu found herself in her Master's swamp. Shishi appeared in her Great Ruby Eyed Serpent form, looking down on her as she lazed in the water.

"I am unsure Master. I have killed… the Elf, six bandits, two more bandits, and… seven or eight Goblins? I lost count. Do Goblins count individually, or as a group?"

One mind, many bodies and many souls. You have reached the threshold, disciple. Shall we begin the lesson?

Shaking her head, Biyu said, "I am not well right now, Master. I am currently recovering from illness. Can you tell me, do eating Goblins make demons sick?"

Ah! That is their corruption, my dear disciple. When Gillas twisted the Goblins in his bid to subvert the Trolls to his will, he ruined them. You should know this. Poisoned bodies, minds and souls. The thrice damned.

"Ah. There is something else."

Oh?

"I said a prayer that I could avenge a boy who was killed. I think my prayer was answered. Either he or another Lost Soul rose up as a vengeful spirit to possess dead bodies and kill the Goblins."

Yet you have their souls?

"I do."

There was silence for a while, as Shishi contemplated. I think, my disciple, you have touched upon your domain. Did you feel your spirit stir?

"It might. I felt something. It felt more like when a god answers than when I work a blessing."

You made a wish, and it came true, Shishi said. See if you can do this again.

"That is necromancy."

Child, you are a demon. The next thing I teach you, besides accessing your Hell, shall be the creation of thralls. A demon is fundamentally a necromancer. There is no practical difference, so long as you understand that a necromancer is not necessarily a demon.

Biyu looked down at her hands, moving her fingers as she thought.

Do you regret accepting?

Biyu shook her head. "I can survive. Fight. I have gained a companion. Someone seeks to marry me, though it is for her own selfish reason. I travel with a Knight, and I see so much of the world. Those I have slain, the souls I have taken, none are likely to have been worthy of the Heavens."

That is good. If you do not desire lessons, Disciple, have you any more questions?

"Is it safe for me to take the poisons of the Goblins?"

Oh, no, it is not! They are caustic, and barely qualify as poison. Their bite will arrest your healing. Natural and magical, nothing will save you from it. [Poison Immunity] will eventually neutralize it, but it will take time. The smaller the bite, the safer, but the less likely [Poison] will be able to absorb it. You may need many bites before it will work, unless you take a dangerous risk. Then there is the blood. Apply it to your skin, and it will burn it away. It is safer, though, for you can easily apply just a little over and over until you know it.

Giving a bow, Biyu thanked her Master for her instruction.

Come soon, and learn more about being a god. It is important. Also, explore this possible new skill of yours. Find the restless dead, and try to offer them power once you know their motives. Do be careful, for some may turn against you. Make allies. Form a cult. She paused a moment. Do come and visit Indu. She is not beyond your reach, should you only seek to enter my Hell.

"I will, Master. Will she be angry with me, if she learns I married?"

She may. You should still come and see her. Take care, my adorable disciple. She faded from Biyu's senses.

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May and Anya were quietly talking to the side when Biyu sat up again. She gave a stretch, and then felt reflexively at her face. Her mask was still in place.

"Ah, you're back. What did your master say?" Anya asked.

"I will be well soon. It is related to the corruption. My Master has heard of others receiving it." None of that was a lie, just a convenient lack of information.

Anya lifted an exquisite brow. May glanced between them. "I'm gonna go see if Alan wants to spar. I'm not back up to snuff after my injuries." She stood up, stretched, and left.

Waiting for May to leave, Anya asked Biyu, "Lady Biyu, did you ask about the Goblin poisons as well?"

Nodding, Biyu said, "Start with a bit of blood to burn my skin. We can easily control the amount, and unlike the bite it will not prevent healing magic from working on me. Once I have absorbed it, then we need to be careful. Minimal amounts, if we can. My immunity will burn it away, but too much can still kill me."

"Great. You have a plan." She sighed. "… if you need time to commune with your Master, and don't want to let others know about it, then you can use me for cover. We will say that the two of us are spending time together, and May is our chaperone."

Anya fell back onto the bed, laying out next to Biyu. After a moment, she asked, "We are alone, aren't we?"

"Yes."

Getting back up to her feet, she gave Biyu a bow. "I'll leave you to rest, Lady Biyu." She paused. "About Trade Town. For helping you with the Goblin, I hope you will reciprocate. I would like you to escort me properly."

Biyu pressed her lips together. "After I get new clothes?"

Anya shook her head. "Throughout. The last time I was there, the nobles were vying for my attention. Making your position clear from the outset will simplify things. You may need to hurt someone." Anya actually smiled at that.

Biyu did not like that smile, but she gave a nod. "I will not kill them."

"Even if they deserve it?"

"Would any do so in Lady Chelsea's presence? But, if it is to defend you, then I may."

"Perhaps not. A girl can hope." Her smile was vindictive as she left the room with a little wave.

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Biyu gave her condolences to the couple, and offered to allow them to see the final Goblin suffer. The couple thanked her, but forewent the execution. Instead, it was a private affair. May was with her, of course, as was Anya. Lady Chelsea stood watch, to ensure the Goblin did not gain its freedom and rampage. The Knight of the Flaming Axes had agreed to a request to help, even though he was obviously against it.

Biyu set up a shallow dish made of glass. Anya had provided it from her own collection, tools used with her less magical skills, and Biyu began by instructing the Knight to remove the arm. Cut free, they hung it to bleed into the glass. The Goblin, still living, screamed and cried, but the wound was cauterized so it was in no danger of death. The burned hair and flesh smelled better than the Goblin's natural odor. Once the limb had been bled, Biyu dripped a few drops onto the skin of her wrist.

The pain was immediate, and Biyu squirmed in pain. She used both her [Poison Immunity] and [Heal Self] as her skin reddened, blistered, and tore open to leave raw pink flesh open to the air. Anya offered her own contribution, but neither had anything to soften the pain of her flesh melting. She checked [Poison] to distract herself from the pain of open wounds, her eyes just noticing blood welling up from the wound. That had not been enough, and the wound was starting to close.

Pain flamed up as she applied a little more while Anya chastised her. So it went, feeling the information collect while she collected a trail of scars down her arm. Anya had May take away the blood to force her to slow down, even though she wanted to complete this quickly so she could stop hurting herself.

When she was finally done, the [Poison] no longer collecting any more from the chemical as it ruined her flesh. Lady Chelsea was watching her with an unimpressed look. Anya was slightly panting with a sheen of sweat on her forehead, her prolonged use of healing taxing her. May was a little anxious.

"Are you well?" asked Lady Chelsea.

"I need a moment. Did the Knight of the Flaming Axes leave?"

"Indeed. You spent about an hour burning your arm."

Biyu carefully stretched. Her body was a little stiff from sitting in place that long, but that was all. However, keeping to Anya's demands, she chose to break for a proper meal and a longer rest. Anya could obviously also use a break. They had a light lunch together, and Biyu enjoyed the pork stew and water. At Anya's insistence, she also ate fruit, but it was a little too much for her.

Then it was time for the venom from its bite. The Goblin angrily hissed at them, and fought its chains. Biyu provided her hand, keeping just out of its reach, and the Goblin snapped at her. She moved a little closer, and it bit in deep and shook its head savagely, giving her a terrible wound. The pain seared through her body, lighting up her whole body in moments. Anya glowed with a faint light a shade between blue and green as she tried to support her, while Biyu leaned heavily on [Poison Immunity].

Parts of her body that rarely suffered injury cramped and burned, and she could feel the mass of her muscles tighten and cramp. She felt herself enter shock, an almost clinical view of her pain overcoming her as she lost control of her body. As she went out, she felt the explosion of power fill her as the Goblin died. Shuddering on the ground, with Anya redoubling her efforts while Lady Chelsea and May both rushed to help her, she lost consciousness once more. Her last act was to use her growing mana stores to reinforce her body and fight the poison.

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Chelsea was there when Biyu awoke. She was reading one of Anya's romances. It was a little strange that the woman who claimed to only love women read a steamy story like this.

"Water," Biyu asked.

"I'm impressed you thought this was a good idea, seeing how you nearly died," Lady Chelsea said sardonically. She got the water, ladling some into a wooden cup. "You should thank Anya and May when you see them. They cleaned you up. It was one hell of a mess." She shook her head. "They gave you a full bath while you were unconscious. I had to help move you, and I still feel like taking a bath. I've already taken two."

"Thank you," Biyu said.

"That was stupid."

"No, it was not."

"Yes, it was. You should have waited until you were more Steps along. Collected weaker poisons first. What you did was reckless."

"I survived."

Taking a deep breath Chelsea opened her mouth to lecture further.

"Lady Chelsea," Biyu preempted. "The risk was worthwhile. It advances my power. My protection against poison is much greater. Finally, it was my choice."

Chelsea clamped her mouth shut, and she said nothing more as she went to the door and opened it to call for Anya. She remained in the room while Anya checked Biyu. She looked ragged, and she lacked her usual friendly smile.

May came in for a moment, just to see her. She was sweaty, and told her that the Knights had been practicing with her.

When they were gone, and Chelsea was once more alone with Biyu. There was silence as they waited for each other to speak first. "Are you going to constantly throw yourself into needlessly dangerous situations?"

"We take our opportunities where we can," Biyu said. It was a quote, though she could not place it. "I will accept I underestimated the risk."

"You can live a long life, and you can make opportunities. This could have waited until you were stronger. There will always be Goblins somewhere."

Biyu was annoyed. "Your Grandfather going to war was safe? It was easy?"

Chelsea almost replied, but she thought it over instead. Being a Knight was a dangerous job. Learning techniques could be dangerous. It was said in the old days that training to be a Knight could be lethal. Time and experience had led to training that reduced the risk so that it took effort for an Initiate to kill themselves by accident. Some schools of techniques relied on what were colloquial called 'libraries'. Techniques that collected and utilized information to manipulate techniques. Such techniques were empowered with knowledge. Biyu, now, would be able to use poisons that could do what Goblins did or worse. She would also be able to protect herself from many more poisons than she could have before.

Lady Biyu was sullen. "It was dangerous to keep the Goblin in the village. You should have killed it instead, if safety was the only concern."

Chelsea barked a laugh, and shook her head.

"The Knights took turns guarding it," Chelsea said. "And it was worth it for you in the end. Still, I do not like it. You shouldn't have to risk so much for power."

"If it were easy to be a god, would it be worth it?"

"Is that what you want?" Chelsea asked.

"I do not know," Biyu admitted. "I want to have a life."

"You have one."

"I did not. I may not be very good at having one."

Chelsea did not press. In Trade Town was the Treasure Hunters. She wondered how many questions about the strange woman they could answer, and how many more she would have afterwards.