After waking up Lupie and Nul, Sam stood up. A quick message through their party chat filled her companions in on the situation.
The three of them strode over to stand over Banta. The Bovalin woman was writhing on the compacted grass, clutching her head in agony. Milky white foam was bubbling from her mouth. Some of the foam was tinged with the bright crimson of blood, as though she had been lung-shot. Her dark eyes were wide in panic and pain; streaks of blood were flowing from her eyes, matching the ones coming from her ears as her body continued to spasm.
Touching Banta with a mana thread, Sam got a sense of her life force; it was like her bones were being crushed and her organs pulped. “I bet it’s the weight of her armor,” Sam mused. She figured with a ninety percent reduction in stats; the woman couldn’t be much more powerful than level twelve to twenty and was now wearing armor made for and evolved being.
Watching Banta, not sure what to do, Sam went over the conversation they had just had. She realized something and blurted, “Contractions!” When Lupie gave her a questioning look, Sam explained, “She uses contractions when she speaks. People from this planet rarely, if ever, use contractions during conversation; most don’t even use compound words. Banta here,” Sam gestured to the convulsing Bovalin, “uses contractions just like I do.”
“She is from out-world,” Nul said.
Curious if her theory was correct and wondering if her skill would tell her Sam identified Banta, hoping her weakened state would allow the Identify skill to garner more information. It did.
Name: Banta Carlis (Oath Breaker), Level 119 [12]
Class: Infiltrator
Origin: P5O12VSCA (Beltor 2)
Faction: Corpestin
Affinities: Lust, Mind
“You’re an off-world spy!” Sam exclaimed incredulously. “And one of your affinities is lust! That’s convenient for a spy without morals, I bet! But seriously, why take the chance with the mental…whatever it was you did to me?”
Sam was so confused now she was at a complete loss for what to do. Should she kill the woman before she got her strength back, or should she just leave her here to her fate? Leaving her was a massive gamble as Banta would undoubtedly seek them out again, only this time with no oath to hold her back. Sam sighed in frustration; at least she would have several days to think about it.
There were still a couple of things bothering Sam, so she asked her companions, “Is it possible for a beneficial mental spell or skill not to be considered an attack even if it is being used for nefarious reasons? And why didn’t the safe zone dismiss itself or warn me when I was attacked?”
“Maybe it is a passive skill she cannot turn off? Also, if you do not consider yourself as being attacked, then the System will not register it as one.” Lupie provided helpfully. Then she asked, “Did you invite her into the safe zone, or did she come in on her own?”
“I invited her…” Sam said after thinking for a second. Then it dawned on her, “So, you are saying safe zones work on vampire rules? If someone in the safe zone invites a stranger in, it negates the negative effects for that person even if they become hostile?”
“Yes, although I do not know what vampires have to do with it,” Lupie confirmed, “How else do you think people can spar and train inside safe zones? If every hostile act dispels the safe zone, then no one would be able to train at the rest stops while traveling or even inside a city.”
“I admit I haven’t really considered it,” Sam said, “I learn something new every day, I guess.” Still, she wondered how Lupie knew about it when she didn’t.
Nul sent Sam a view of one of its messages, confirming some of what they discussed.
‘Bing’ You have resisted Comradery. As this is a passive skill, you have been granted immunity to its effects until you leave the area of effect [AOE] of the skill.
"Thanks, Nul, that answers a lot. I bet it is normally beneficial for people of her same level, but the influence of the skill is probably multiplied for the non-evolved like us," Sam said, thinking aloud. She turned her attention back to Banta.
The spy or infiltrator, as they now knew her to be, had stopped writhing on the ground and was now staring at Sam with pure hatred in her eyes. Sam asked, “Who are you really? And what could you possibly want with me?”
Banta spit a crimson glob at Sam, which struck a shield construct and slid off.
“I guess that’s a start,” Sam said dryly. She hated to admit it, but having the upper hand for a change felt good. Still, she couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable and thought, “This new reality has changed me. I would have never stood over a suffering person and questioned them without offering aid in my former life.” She heaved a mental sigh, “Of course, I never had so many people trying to murder me either…I guess it’s up to me to decide exactly how far I will let myself go. It just seems like this place is constantly forcing me to bend what I used to consider my fixed moral values. I feel like I am becoming morally…flexible as of late.”
With that in mind, she addressed Banta again, “Let me explain some things to you. I am not—” She caught herself and corrected, “Was not your enemy, so whatever trick you were trying to play was pointless from the start.” She threw up her hands, “I mean, come on! I released you from that stupid trap, didn’t I? Why would I have done that if I just wanted you dead?” With her short rant finished, Sam paused, waiting for a reply.
Banta spat again and shouted, “I will never speak to a spy of the Alessia Clan! No illusion spell could hide your reaction when I mentioned your name, Cara! What you took is rightfully ours! There are more of us here than you know! The others will find you and end you!” She panted for a second, seeing the surprise in Sam’s expression, then continued even louder than before, “Oh, don’t pretend to be surprised! Do you take me for a fool? As if anyone else on this pathetic planet could have even come close to vaporizing my lover!” She choked at the mention of Cypress but pushed through, “You want to know where we crashed, don’t you? You probably released me, hoping I would lead you to our ship! Well, you will never get the location of the crash site from me! I will die before telling you anything, you Alessia whore! Do what you will to me, but when my faction finds you, they will burn you as they did your brothers and sisters!” She spat yet again.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Staring at the obviously delusional woman, all Sam could think was, “Damn, she really likes to spit.” She collected herself and responded to Banta’s insane rant, “I am none of the things you mentioned. Besides being from another world, like yourself, I have no connection to you or Cara other than knowing her daughter. Also, you and Cypress, seriously? The bitch tried to suck out all my blood through my tongue while penetrating my chest with her tail like a freaking psycho—"
“She was my lover, you worm!” Banta shouted in rage, cutting Sam off. Her armor disappeared, likely into a storage item, and she leaped to her feet, an enormous axe appearing in her hands as she swung down in an overhead chop.
Sam watched Banta in bemusement. In her weakened state, it seemed, to Sam, like the Bovalin was moving in slow motion.
Before the axe even reached her shield, Nul said, “Void bolt,” and a bullet of crackling black energy struck Banta between the eyes, imploding. The implosion took the woman’s face and a good portion of her frontal lobe with it in a splash of gore.
“Nul!” Sam snapped, but it was too late. The damage had been done; Banta was dead.
Sam didn’t know what to say. Banta had attacked; Nul had reacted to protect them. Before she could process what had just happened, a notification flashed in the corner of her vision, providing a welcome distraction.
Your party has defeated Infiltrator; Banta Carlis (Oath Breaker) [Level 119]. Bonus experience earned for defeating an enemy at least 60 levels above your own.
Race Human/Voidling Hybrid has leveled to Level 52, with 7 free stat points received.
Class Arcane Pathfinder has leveled to Level 54, with 10 free stat points received.
Race Human/Voidling Hybrid has leveled to Level 53, with 7 free stat points received.
Class Arcane Pathfinder has leveled to Level 55, with 10 free stat points received.
Race Human/Voidling Hybrid has leveled to Level 54, with 7 free stat points received.
Class Arcane Pathfinder has leveled to Level 56, with 10 free stat points received.
Almost in a daze, Sam thought, “So her weakened state didn’t affect the experience distribution. That makes sense if it was only suppressed and not removed entirely.”
Still staring at the dead woman, Sam tried to feel…something, anything. But try as she might, she couldn’t feel remorse for Banta. “What have I become?” She asked herself, “Am I so callous now the violent death of a sapient life form right in front of my eyes doesn’t even register with my emotions?” She knew Banta intended to kill her and probably her friends too, maybe not initially, but judging from the look of pure hatred on her face moments ago, it was apparent she had decided to murder them at some point. Sam truly hoped it was that knowledge that was keeping her from feeling empathy for the woman they had just killed and not something else festering inside her. Still, she couldn’t be sure, and that, more than anything, was what bothered her.
Lupie must have sensed Sam’s unease because she took Sam’s hand in her own, lacing their fingers together, saying nothing. That simple gesture comforted Sam more than she thought would be possible. Looking at Lupie’s beautiful face marred by a worried expression, Sam felt resolve growing inside her. Banta caused her own death. Sam and her companions had done nothing but release the woman after fighting her lover for their very lives. The Bovalin woman decided to break her oath and try to kill them. Sam hated that the woman forced them to make the choice, but when protecting her friends, she would always side with them so long as their actions were justified.
Sam pulled Lupie into a side hug and told the little slime perched on her head, “Thank you, Nul. You did the right thing.”
The silence following Sam’s statement was broken when Lupie whispered, “Can we eat her?”
The question was asked in such an innocent way Sam couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief at what she was about to say. Shaking her head, Sam said, “Sure…you and Nul can, but I think I'll sit this out…" Still, she couldn’t help but think, “I wonder if she tastes like beef? No! Stop it, Sam; you will not eat a sapient life form you conversed with only moments ago!”
Using a thread, Sam looted Banta.
Bovalin; Infiltrator [Banta] Level 119 Items:
136 Platinum; 10776-Gold; 6540-Silver; 22641-Copper; Bovalin Heart; Ivory Horn x 2; Full set of Steel Armor [Common]; Stud of Greater Storage; 38kg of Bovalin Meat; Potion of Desire x 7; Full Health Potion x 5; Full Mana Potion x 1.
“What is up with these e-grades being so freaking rich? Did they rob a bank or a platinum mine?” Sam had a sneaking suspicion that was precisely what they had done, but it was probably a caravan, not a bank or mine. She also suspected the three of them had been working together for a while, considering how hurt Banta was over Cypress’s banishment. She could only wonder how they had ended up in the ground, though, and figured it would have either been a lover’s quarrel, a betrayal, or someone they had wronged. “Maybe Cara knows…” Sam thought.
She had caught the Stud of Greater Storage out of instinct when it appeared in front of her and winced. Pocketing the golden item, Sam wasn’t sure she wanted to know where it had been on Banta’s body… “Like brother, like sister I guess.”
Looking at the Bovalin meat in her inventory, Sam realized her loot skill operated on intent for some items. She had wanted meat from Banta for Lupie, and so she received it. “I bet I could have got her hide too if I had focused on it hard enough. I'm not sure what I would do with it, though. I wonder…does the System withhold some things if I specifically try and loot something it doesn’t consider standard? Like a price for the extra energy for synthesis? I’m certain that Banta's armor wasn’t common quality a minute ago. Did the System remove the enchantment because I wanted something it didn’t intend to provide? If so, that’s a steep price to pay for a meal.” Deciding to experiment with her skill the next chance she had, Sam dismissed her thoughts.
Using their party interface, Sam transferred the Bovalin meat to Lupie's storage ring. Lupie squealed excitedly and rushed to the fire before turning and running back a few steps. She bounced on her toes and shouted, “I need spices!”
“Aww, she’s becoming civilized!” Sam thought with a touch of pride.
***
Sam decided she was done with people for a while when she awoke the following morning. She thought about it at length, tossing around the idea of trying to backtrack and find Nara, but ultimately decided against it. Nara was a queen and had her own quest to fulfill, plus she had Cara and Parish with her. Her worry over their survival had dissipated; thinking back on the fight, she realized Cara's energy had felt much more robust to her senses than the priest's. Nara and Parish had survived; Sam was sure of it. She was also sure she didn't fit into their plans now and would likely hinder them in their quest when her priorities eventually conflicted with theirs.
With those thoughts in mind, Sam consulted with Lupie and Nul, who decided they would spend some time exploring the Beastlands. Exploration was something Sam knew her soul needed. It wasn't just that it was part of her class driving her to seek new places and adventures. Her desire for exploration had always been ingrained in her; the System had only made it official with her class.
Sam knew it was the right decision when she felt like a weight was lifted from her shoulders as soon as they agreed to wander the hills of the grassy landscape with neither purpose nor destination. Sure, there were factions on this planet that were actively hunting them, hell-bent on murdering them for no other reason than they didn’t like their origins. But according to what Sam knew, the church had limited operational freedom in the Beastlands, making it the safest place on the planet for them at the moment.
After breaking camp and setting off in a random direction, Sam hummed as she rode on Lupie’s back. The feeling of the giant wolf’s shoulders undulating beneath her was barely noticeable through the comfortable saddle of blood Lupie formed for her to ride on. Sam took comfort in the scenery as they traveled at a leisurely pace. Waist-high grass ranging in color from green to brown waved in the constant wind of the plains. It looked like a living sea set against the clear sky. Unseen critters skittered away from them; the parting grass was the only indication of their presence.
Feelings of contentment and happiness washed over Sam, and leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around Lupie’s thick neck. Burying her face into the Bloodmorph’s soft crimson fur, Sam spoke from her heart, “I love you, Lupie. You’re the best.”
Lupie let out a deep, contented rumble at the words, and Sam felt the giant blood monster stand a little taller, her gait switching from a causal walk to a prance.