I awoke the next morning feeling stiff and my neck and shoulder in mild discomfort but I also felt very satisfied.

I was back to my normal self having reverted back to my regular self sometime after we had fallen asleep.

"How do you feel?" Iser asked me in a very satisfied voice.

"Stiff, sore, and my neck aches." I said then I rolled over and straddled him.

"And very satisfied." I said with a smile then licked him on the snoot.

"And how did you find your partner last night?" I asked.

"Eager… willing… demanding… pleasurable." He said, then did his best approximation of kissing me on the lips.

"Breakfast?" He asked.

"Yes… ugg then Seekers… fuck me…" I said grumpily.

We headed downstairs and found the rest of the party already eating.

"Morning, how did everyone sleep?" I asked.

"Sleeping in a real bed is nice." Root said, then gave me an odd look.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"Yeah why?" I said.

"You have a few spots on your neck?" He said quietly.

I felt around and found what he was talking about.

"Oh…. That's embarrassing…" I said just as quietly then I concentrated on my shaping and smoothed out the marks.

"Ok… that's really unfair… I would love to hide spots after a particularly intense night…" Lluvia said.

"Don't you tell me stories about how you could use your ability to hide in all sorts of crazy ways?" Turnip asked, this left Lluvia a bit embarrassed about her own escapades.

"I… don't want to pry but back in my Merc days I occasionally heard stories of Kobolts nature…. How did you?" He asked, embarrassed by the question.

"I ranked up my shaping ability and we will leave it at that." I said.

I could see the gears turning in everyone's heads and they sort of processed that.

"Wait, you can do that!?" Turnip said.

"I could transform my limbs, why not the rest…" I said.

Iser seemed equally as embarrassed by the conversation.

"What was the weirdest change?" Turnip asked.

"Hands down the jaw and face…" I said with a bit of a shiver.

"Wait, you took it that far?" She asked in quiet astonishment.

"And the best part?" She asked quietly.

"Having a tail was fun and interesting." I said.

"By the way Root I have been meaning to ask you a question. Do you think this ability could be used on others?" I asked.

"Maybe? Have you tried it on mundane objects yet? Actually thinking about it I hope you tried that before altering yourself…" he asked then said.

"I tested on small objects but it required quite a bit of mana at the time." I said.

"Then maybe… in a way it reminds me of healing if far more complex. At least I got that impression after the bomb…" He said.

We continued to chat and eat until we were approached by a familiar looking Elf.

"Ah Nicole and friends, I am happy to see you returned to town." He said.

"By the way we never did get your name." I said in reply.

"Apologies for the oversight, my name is Seeker Jared." Seeker Jared said.

"So if you Nicole don't mind answering additional questions in a more comfortable setting." He said.

I let out a long sign…

"This is going to take a while and a lot of additional information…" I said quietly.

Everyone started to get up.

"Apologies again for the misunderstanding but we will only need to speak with her." Seeker Jared said.

Everyone paused at that remark.

"That would seem like a very poor idea for her safety." Root said.

"She has already publicly admitted to the destruction of a dungeon core. By all rights she should have been executed on the spot. However, there are extenuating circumstances that need to be investigated." He said.

"Root thank you for trying to protect me but we knew this could be a possibility… they are even willing to listen." I said.

"We have at that… you have already provided some evidence that you were compelled by an outside force. I will even provide reassurance that she will be safe from my hand." He said reluctantly.

Root looked at Orlo.

"He is telling the truth." Orlo confirmed for the group.

I intentionally started to play with my metal band we received from the dungeon. I just hope Root got the message.

The group was tense, hell the entire dining area was tense.

Root looked around at the rest of the party, I could see reticence in everyone's expression. This could however buy a level of autonomy and influence in a situation that would normally only bring accusation and persecution.

"Against our better judgment we're going along with this." He said for the group. The only other option might turn into a bloodbath.

I got up and started to follow the Seeker without complaint. We didn't go far, only down a small corridor that led to a private room.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

In the room was a couch, a table a chair and a writing desk. It even had its own hearth and one of the other 3 Seekers was tending a small fire in it.

"Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. Unfortunately you are correct this is no doubt going to take some time." The Seeker said.

He then closed the door behind me and I could feel the smallest bit of magic emanate from him.

"Interesting barrier… sound protection?" I asked.

"You are certainly skilled in magic if you picked up that from a half completed barrier." He said.

"Not specifically magic but a mixture of physics and operational security." I replied.

That took him off balance a bit I suspect because some of that didn't actually translate.

"I take it the last part was in your own tongue?" He asked.

"It was, and it is called English, the language that is." I said.

I did have one advantage here for keeping them off balance. The information in my head was most likely worth nations.

There was a minute of thoughtful hesitation before finally the lead Seeker, Seeker Jared finally said something.

"Seeing as you have already admitted to the crime I see little reason to hesitate in carrying out the execution. Seeker Hopper, please draw your weapon." He said, indicating the 3rd Seeker in the room a Bun by the looks of him.

This didn't just take me aback but the 3 other Seekers as well.

"Umm Sir is that entirely appropriate for the current situation?" Asked Seeker Alser, the Cervine.

"The law is very clear in this regard. There is no tolerance for destruction of a core. They are too critical in the maintenance of the empire to allow for any leeway." He said.

Ok Root was right again this was a very very bad idea.

"Umm can we have some discussion, again I was unaware of the law at that time." I said in a panic.

"That is a lie." He said.

Oh fuck he was right part of me had forgotten the conversation before destroying the core.

I used my ability to sort of fold space around me and exit the room. Or well I tried and smacked right into the door.

"It is of no use to run, movement abilities cannot leave this room. This can be far less painful if you cooperate." He said.

The other three Seekers also seemed to be at a loss. No doubt this was unusual even for them.

"The information and technology I am aware of is centuries ahead of any other nation's." I said in a panic.

"Then that makes you an even larger potential threat to the Empire's security. That threat must now be removed before it can be exploited by others." Seeker Jared said and drew his sword.

"Seeker Alser, Seeker Har'chr please hold the prisoner." Seeker Jared said.

I felt strong arms quickly grasp both of my arms and pull. I tried to pull away but they were strong.

There was no way I could fight this and I could not come up with a way to escape.

"Death by being run through the heart. Just like you did to the core of the dungeon you killed. Does the prisoner have any last words?" He asked.

I had one way I might be able to survive this and it was going to absolutely suck even if I did somehow live. I began to use my shaping ability to rearrange my internal organs and leave a void where my heart was.

"You said I would be safe from your hand!" I said in a panic.

"That was before you informed me of that kind of threat you posed. I will ask again… any last words." Seeker Jared said.

"You are a Zealot and a murder. Let those here bear witness and remember the truth." I said in as commanding of a voice as I possibly could.

That actually made him pause for a moment.

"Most have begged, you really are different. For what little assurance you will now find these words I am sorry." He said.

Then I felt his sword slide into my chest.

At first it felt ice cold then it switched to an intense and hot pain as panic took over. I could feel a warm rivulet of blood dripping down my chest underneath my clothes. I felt the pain of fractured ribs and sternum.

I coughed up quite a bit of blood which also jostled the sword. Fuck I was almost certain one of my lungs was cut as well. I was pretty sure I still managed to get my heart out of the way at least.

I numbly reached for the blade protruding out of my chest, slicing my fingers in the process. I was numb to the pain by this point almost completely in shock. I fell to my knees wheezing as blood was pooling on my lungs.

The other Seekers were also shocked I could tell. They knew what they just did was wrong.

He left the sword stabbed through my chest. No doubt as a symbol to represent my 'crime'.

The door opened behind me and all hell broke loose.

In as loud of a voice as I could muster. Which was not much more than a whisper, I said.

"Please Stop all of you… killing each other isn't going to change anything… Seekers, you have your duty." I said, eyeing the other three.

"She is right… for what little worth you now find my words… you should say your goodbyes." Seeker Jared said, Root having pinned him up against the wall.

"Root please…. I don't…. I don't have long." I said as tears ran down my face.

He rushed over to me.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… fuck… we failed." He said, his own tears dripping onto me.

"I want this to be among friends only." I whispered, my eyes getting heavy.

The Seekers took that time to leave, everyone crowded around.

"Fuck what do we do!" Turnip nearly screamed at Root.

"You can start by telling me that they are gone." I said in a slightly stronger voice.

That had everyone freeze in shock.

"Are they gone? Please close the door." I said it was getting harder to talk.

"I…. Yes?" Turnip said in confusion.

"Well that didn't go the way I was expecting it to go.” I whispered.

"She should be dead already, isn't that correct?" Iser asked.

"Umm yes?" Root answered more as a confused question looking at me.

"Still need the sword removed please… bleeding into lung." I said still in a whisper.

Root worked on guiding the sword out of my chest. In terms of odd feelings this one was now number one on my list.

"You clever bitch." He told me as he used his ability to insure I wasn't being cut any worse than I already was.

"What? What is it? What did she do?" Iser asked.

"I'll let her tell you in just a moment." He said as he removed the last few inches.

"Root… I'm going to need to let the blood drain from my lungs, blood potion now…" I wheezed.

Iser helped me drink the potion, and I felt its effects in seconds.

Root then helped slowly heal up the spots except for the slice in my chest and lung. Instead I turn both areas into sort of a small hole to help drain the blood in my lungs. I then had to get on my hands and knees, both of which were shaking and let a thin stream of sticky blood leak out of my chest. I didn't realize until the end that both Turnip and Root were on either side of me helping me stay lifted.

During that process I had to drink yet another blood potion before finally feeling some of that pressure relax. I was still in bad shape but I didn't think I would suffocate on my own blood at least. Root then helped me heal up the last of the cuts.

I let myself rest for a moment with Lluvia's legs acting as a pillow of sorts.

"That was stupider on my part than the big bomb…" I whispered.

"Yes it was… but we all agreed even reluctantly" Turnip said with tears in her eyes.

Then I looked down at the pool of my blood.

"It looks like a murder scene." I commented quietly.

"That's because it was." Orlo said, clearly very frustrated.

"Alright here is the plan I will go and get some blankets to wrap the 'body' in. Orlo can you talk to the Inn keeper and let them know that the 'bodies' friends will be removing the 'body' for a proper burial." Root said.

"Yay I've always wanted to be luggage." I whispered.

"Don’t make us laugh, you’re supposed to be dead." Root said quietly.

I let the realization of what just happened come crashing down on me again.

"I should be dead… I was run through with a fucking sword just a moment ago." I said starting to shake.

I felt Iser pull me into a hug. It was very warm and felt reassuring. I could feel tears streaming down my face and my breathing became ragged.

"I've been a fucking idiot… repeatedly… I'm only alive because of you all… thank you." I said to my friends while crying.

"It is ok you are safe now." Iser said while holding me.

"Alright let's get her out of here quickly. And remember everyone be furious and grieving." Root said.

"I can do furious right now…" Lluvia said and everyone agreed with that statement.