I’M ALIVE!
*PSHHHHhhhhhh*
...phew, I somehow survived that night, somehow.
8 hours of Trying to focus on Gannor ripping me to shreds while trying to incarcerate the pink as it spread like wildfire...really didn’t go well for the most part.
I lost a lot of things that night, like my pride for being able to completely resist and also for taking control
...
..
.
I lost a lot of things, PUT I SOMEHOW SITLL REMAIN PURE...ish.
Though that night taught me something extremely useful; if I focus too much on a single part, I lose control over the others, even if they maintain focused, it’s like I’ve given instructions and they carry it out.
Extremely useful when wanting to maintain an Aura...but when trying to not give in to Thalia’s physical entrapments...it did not help save me.
Looking at my left hand, I can almost feel the heat emanating from it.
Plunging it into the snow I begin bashing my head into some more snow to rid all the thoughts from my mind.
Only one more night, only more chance does she have, only one more time do I have to resist.
And I have a day to sort this Split Mind out
...
..
.
“CINDYYYYYYY” I run screaming to her house, passing Rodna who’s combing the ruffly hair of her son on the snowy street.
Barging into the house, Cindy comes walking lethargically out of the bedroom, yawning.
“Ah, wondered when you’d get back...you recovered yet?”
Oh phew, thought she was talking about me being at Thalia’s then (somehow nobody knows...well Husky knows me and Thalia have k-ki-done something but that’s it).
“Yep, I’m ready for slightly less hellish training please”
“Oh” Her eyes go wide before she bows apologetically a few times “Sorry sorry sorry but I had to do that”
I cock my head, not quite understand WHY she had to do that.
“Explain?”
“Well what’s your Split Mind, how many can you split into?”
“5”
Her eyes widen “Oh my!”
“Well I can barely handle 2 at the minute, so what’s the point of being able to do 5?”
“Because you’re able to. It’s hard to learn how to sustain your split mind, but to the further split your mind beyond your natural capabilities....it takes a lot, lot more work...trust me, I had to start with the ability of 2” She begins pacing around joyfully, happy that he plan seemed to have worked I guess.
“Wait, so i’ve basically unlocked the potential to do 5 I just need to learn it?”
“Exactly. Most Auramancers learn to split their mind into 2 first and then have the long and hard trek to unlocking their mind to be able to split it into more. I forced you to begin by splitting your mind into numerous parts”
“Sweet, so a huge advantage?”
“If you can control them”
I actually give Cindy a hug for helping me have such an amazing advantage (forgetting but not quite forgiving all the hell she put me through).
“So how many parts can you split your mind into?” I’m actually curious, since she said she started at 2.
“12”
...
..
.
“Did you say 12?” Excuse me what?
“Yes, it’s taken me...a very long time to get to that point”
12...that means she can have 11 auras on while fighting...that’s INSANE!
I just stand speechless for a couple of minutes while trying to absorb the hidden badassery that is Cindy.
“Right, stop flabbergasting and let’s get to work, for I’m not done with you yet!
And so Hell 2.0 begins I believe...
She takes me out the Southern gates, stops me at the gate.
“Now I’m going to the forest’s edge, and I want you to make your way to me”
“What’s the catch?” I squint my eyes, awaiting something so hellish that it will most likely kill me.
“You are not allowed to step into any of my auras...and if you do, you will die”
“DIE?” Not surprised whatsoever “How?”
She produces a small ball of red light “This rage bolt will kill you”
Rage bolt...cool, but I’m going to die if it hits me?
“But how will I know I’m in you aura?” Abort, stupid question, figured out why.
“Because firstly your aura will dissipate and you will also get a rage bolt to the face”
I did just figure that out...oh no, I don’t like this.
In all honesty, not as hellish as I thought...but then again this is Cindy I’m talking about, she will surely turn this into hell one way or another...
She walks over to the edge of the forest and then signals for me to come.
*step*
...
..
.
I’m dead.
Opening my eyes to a well built wooden roof, I get off of my furs (still by the fireplace and makeshift grill) and head back to the southern gate.
So...I need to see auras...so Auratic sight?
Makes sense to me I guess.
Sitting down at the edge of the gate, I start to ponder how I’ll be able to get Auratic sight.
One of the more logical explanations would be to somehow enhance my eyes with an aura but I don’t know how that would give me auratic sight...
Ok, let’s think what Auratic sight could be:
It’s enhanced vision which allows you to see auras...but only auras?
She did mention it’s different to Mana sight so I should be able to only see auras.
So since I already know auras can be naturally made, there may not be any mana signature so there has to be some other form of signature...
Wait, she mentioned something about a personal rune when using bound auras...so maybe her auras would have something similar?
Right, that information doesn’t help...hmm what could I do to learn what her aura signature is
...
..
.
I hate my life.
Ok, so now I know I’m standing outside her auras, so I have to keep close concentration on the air around me, how my body feels as well any other physical/psychological changes around me.
*Step*
No perceptible difference.
*Step*
I died again, BUT...I think I felt something.
It felt almost like walking through an extremely weak barrier, not enough to hinder me in any way, but just enough to make me know it’s there...
So is that it?
Going out and testing that once more, sure enough there’s that strange little barrier before I get a rage bolt for 200 damage (not that bad, but I feel like she’s downsized it quite a lot).
This time, I use my hands to slowly push forward, inch by inch, till it encounters that barrier.
Then using a stick, I mark the ground where I feel the barrier.
After about ten minutes, I’ve made it around three steps past the gate...which is hell of a journey...even if I’ve still got half a kilometre to go...
Although my hands in front of me were working quite well, I do finally screw up on my fourth step and end up dying again.
It seems like Cindy is making sure I would be level 1 by the end of her training no matter what (all that hard work, gone).
Alright, this time instead of using my hands...let’s try creating an aura of calm and using that...
Standing 3 and a bit metres away, I calm myself and create the aura, taking a tentative step forward.
A rage bolt hits my face
...
..
.
Oh cmon!
So that meant my aura touched hers...but I didn’t feel it...maybe it’s because 3 metres is too far a distance for me to sense it? Do I need to get closer?
Alright, try 3: I need to get a personal aura...
And one that increases my sensitivity so I’ll be able to feel the aura ‘barriers’ better...
Sitting down, I close my eyes.
I have to make my body more sensitive...so I grab some snow and in small drops place them on my crossed legs, shoulders and arms.
I put 52 pellets of snow, so I should be able to feel 52 different areas of cold.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Though right now all I feel is a large mass of cold spreading everywhere.
Focus on my shoulders first.
There are two pellets per shoulder, try to imagine both are separate.
Jeesh reminds me of biology class when our lab partners poked us with 1-3 toothpicks while our eyes were closed and have us guess how many they used.
Apparently closeness makes a difference whether we can differentiate them...
So maybe I’m doing this wrong.
Instead of trying to feel everything separately, I should just focus on being able to feel anything, no matter how light it is.
Opening my eyes, I wave over to Cindy, gesturing for her to come over.
Thankfully she does, and I suspect it’s because I have a plan to learn this ‘Auratic sight’
“What do you want me to do?”
“How small and unfeelable can you make that rage bolt?” I ask her.
“You won’t ever feel it touching you”
Perfect. I guess...
“Alright, so I want you to touch me with a rage bolt as lightly as you can and unless I tell you that I felt it, do another. Though stop when I’m on the verge of death please”
She nods and I sit down, preparing myself for a most odd experience...
Immediately I try to close off my other senses; ignoring the taste, the smell, the sound of the wind...only feel it as it passes over my smooth skin.
Feel Kal, feel it; forget the feeling of the wind and try to distinguish something foreign touching you...
“Kal honey, take a little break will you please?”
Huh?
I open my eyes to dimly see Cindy sitting in front of me, looking rather worried.
“What’s wrong?” I do notice it’s sunset ALREADY? (jeesh time flies fast).
“You’re on the verge of death”
Huh? Oh, yeah...I did ask her to do that.
Checking my health, I’m on 5 hp.
Wow, it took her what seems like a few hours to only do 165 bolts (I’m assuming).
“How many times did you do it?”
“4023”
...
..
.
Excuse me what?
“H-how?” That doesn’t make sense; I’d be dead a hundred times over?!?
“I made sure you were out of combat when you were low health, allowing you to recover over and over again. But you haven’t said that you’ve felt it, even once”
Really? Gee I’m bad at this.
“Wow, seems like this isn’t working...but why?” I say aloud, wondering why I wasn’t able to feel anything.
“The bolts were extremely light, plus you have natural interference such as the wind...so don’t blame yourself for not being able to do it in your first go” Cindy explains logically before giving me a squeezing hug and heading off to home.
Wait shouldn’t I be going with her back to my furs...or shouldn’t she at least be believing me to be doing that?
...
..
.
Does she know about Thalia?!
Well they are only two houses apart, but still! I swear I made sure I wasn’t followed/seen at any point through the night or the day, unless the Orc spoke, but I’ve never heard him speak before and there’d be no reason for him to speak to Cindy would there??
I’m confused and/or worried, not quite sure yet.
But if Cindy knows, why would that make a difference to anything?
You know what, I’m not going to try get into the minds of women; I’m just going to try and do some writing and learn Delven...along with possible things Missy might like BUT also to pay off the last part of my promise as a TRUE NORD!
Storming into Thalia’s, I then meekly go to bed, to see Thalia already waiting, thankfully still clothed, but the furs are way too little for my own bleeding eyes.
She doesn’t exist, she isn’t there.
Unequipping (NEVER UNDRESSING, EVER) I lie down and the frontal spooning begins once again.
“Do you want to continue where we left off last time?” Her tongue coils around my ear as her hands begin to guide mine.
“NO no, no I’m fine, just need some rest tonight” Breathe, don’t give in, for Missy’s sake.
But it’s kind of hard not to when all I can feel is her warmth, wrapped around me, pulsating against mine sending hot shivers down my spin-NO shake the feeling away, SHAKE IT AWAY!
I can’t control the feelings, the pink that’s rising in my mind, only through Gannor. But even then, thanks to last night, even thinking of him and his sharp sexy-NO NO STOP POLLUTING MY PURE MIND!
I have to get rid of them, not simply maintain them and incarcerate them
...
..
.
I need to feel nothing!!! Oh my lord that’s a great idea!
Like what I was doing for hours outdoors, if I end up feeling nothing, I can survive this; I can ignore it all!
Ok, close my eyes, don’t smell the sweet, fruity scent that’s coming off her warm sk-DAMMIT NO. I smell nothing; nose is useless, nothing but tasteless air. NOTHING at all.
Good, only a small scent left, not enough to annoy me thought, that’s good.
Now sounds.
Block my ears, don’t hear the small soft pant’s that are but inches away and are extremely s-THEY don’t exist, for I hear nothing. I only hear nothing.
...
..
.
OK...I DO still hear the pants, but I’m ignoring the m the best that I can. It’s my exertion, only me. Nothing to do with Thalia...of course...totally...
Now for the hardest part, touch...
Although I can feel her radiating heat, it’s not real, I can’t feel any of it.
Imagine an invisible barrier between me, a mildly warm blankey, not one that radiates heat, that moves and squirts, rubbing against my legs NO, the blanket doesn’t move, encasing me in a warm cocoon.
I feel like it’s working...oh wait...that’s just Thalia hugging me further in, oh no, OH NO.
My arms feel nothing, their dead, no nerves, nothing.
I can’t feel them, I CAN’T FEEL ANYTHING.
Just a small warmth, from my blankey...just a small warmth, with no texture...
Calm Kal, calm...mmm there we go, wrapped in something, unable to feel anything but a dull sort of warmth.
Direct all feelings to my eyes, imagine only being able to see, unable to feel, hear, or smell anything. Only seeing.
Focus on her black eyes, her deep red tattoos, on her charcoal grey skin...but don’t feel anything.
Though, no matter how hard I’m trying, I can still feel something, not warmth, but a strange...oh it’s her.
I can feel her, but not the heat of her skin, but rather like the feeling one gets after a tight hug.
But she’s not doing hugging me(well she is but I feel it all over)...she’s just looking into my eyes (and I’m looking slightly away from them), why can I almost feel this strange lingering feeling hovering millimetres from my skin?
...
..
.
“Thalia” I ask her with a serious look on my face.
“Kal” She echoes with an oddly serious tone, one I’ve never heard her use...ever...maybe I’m right?
“Is that your aura?”
“Mmm, good job” SHE DOESN’T EVEN DENY IT!
Forcefully removing myself from her grasp to which she lets go easily, I stand up, turn around and flee from the house, re-equipping.
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!
Sprinting two doors down, I kick at the door (almost breaking my foot, ow!) before opening it angrily.
“CINDYYYY” I roar and she appears from the bedroom with a raised eyebrow. “EXPLAIN”
I want explanations, I feel like I’ve been played around in more ways than one, duped and fooled with without my knowing it for longer than I thought!
SOMETHING IS UP and I want to know what it has to do with me!
Cindy raises her other eyebrow, slightly confused for a second as she’s still waking up herself.
Thalia bursts in, wearing black furs...that cover her entire body (WAIT SHE HAD NON SEDUCTIVE CLOTHING ALL THIS TIME!?!).
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON BUT I’VE GOT AN INKLING THAT I’M BEING SCREWED WITH.
“Cindy, he’s finally noticed” Thalia pants while recuperating her breath.
“Really? Well that’s great” Cindy looks happy.
“WAIT a second; just what is going on?” I’m so confused! I Noticed Thalia has an aura and it seems to me like these 2 are conspiring!?!
“Kal honey, sit down, I think I should’ve told you about this a little while ago”
“No you shouldn’t have the whole point was that he didn’t know” Thalia chips in, almost looking down at Cindy.
Oh that’s odd, I never thought Thalia was in charge of this, much less seemingly more in power than Cindy?
Pretty dumbstruck, mind boggled and just downright confused, I sit down, in small hopes that I’ll get some reasonable explanation that won’t make me hate them both.
“Right, where should we start?” Cindy looks at Thalia, who thinks for a few seconds.
“Remember when you first said you wanted to become a warrior?” Thalia asks me.
“Yeah,...but how do you know about that?”
“Cindy told me literally just after it happened”
“Wait, so while I was in Rodna’s house, you talked to Thalia about it?” I look at Cindy and she nods. What, why? “Why”
“Well simply because, both of us had agreed that you definitely needed protection” Thalia answers still with that serious tone, all playfulness gone. It’s bizarre.
“So that’s why Cindy gave me a room?”
“Yep, plus you are super cute so I wanted you anyways!” Cindy does try to pinch my cheeks, but I move away from her motherly advances.
“Cindy” Thalia looks at Cindy, stopping her from fooling around.
“Wait, so Cindy’s obviously protecting me, what’s your part in this?”
“Well as you know, I have an aura...can you guess why?”
“Erm...” Wait I thought I’m doing the questioning here!? I hate it when people do this...ermm, oh yeah! “You’re and Berzauraker!”
“Hah” Thalia chuckles lightly “Do I look like I could go berserk?”
“You’re an Auramancer?” That makes much more sense and she nods to that “So how does that make a difference, Cindy was the one who trained me”
“Wrong” Both of them say simultaneously
...
..
.
Huh? How, what? I don’t understand? Or maybe I think I do actually...
“Your training began your first night in Glacia” Thalia begins, looking into my eyes.
...Oh because I was at Thalia’s?
Seeing my realisation she continues speaking.
“I began training you to sense auras-”
“By subjecting me to them?” I cut in. I mean that makes a little sense, how I had a hard time resisting her...though to be honest even without an aura it would be hard to resist her.
“Yes, I made sure to keep you encompassed in a weak aura of desire, allowing you to get used to it as well as slowly training your mind to cope with multiple tasks”
“So reading and writing while resisting you!?” Why does everything have to be a deep plot around me?!
“Exactly and luckily you didn’t have much difficulty, so I decided to up the ante a little bit more each time” This time she flashed her predatory grin.
Oh My LORD, it’s just like Cindy’s quadruple cooking method! It got worse each time!!
BOTH of them are sneaky, cunning women!
“B-but why would that protect me?”
“It didn’t. But what it did do is make your training to be an Auramancer easier...or that’s what it should of done” She gives a guilting look towards Cindy, who looks down slightly in shame.
“So it wasn’t Cindy who was trying to make me into an Auramancer? It was you?” My mind is hurting, why has Thalia suddenly become some mastermind to this almost month-long plan on making me an Auramancer from day 1.
“Partially, Cindy initially agreed, but she took matters into her own hand and after you’d accepted to be a Berzauraker that was that...” Cindy, red-faced, looks down at the table. Wow, this is strange, seeing Thalia overpower Cindy so much.
“Wait wait, but why did you decide for me to be an Auramancer in the first place? Was it because it was safer for me to be a support? And how did you even know I could become one?”
“You answered the first question, as to the second one... Remember both of us can see auras, well all 3 of us now, and we could see yours quite clearly from the beginning”
But I didn’t ha-oh...my Radiating charm!? But that wasn’t active...or is it always slightly active no matter what?
“DO I have an aura active on me right now?”
“Yes, albeit a very weak one”
OML, no wonder people stare at me, I’ve constantly got Radiating Charm (albeit very weakly) on. That’s not good!
“So just by seeing my aura you thought that I could become an Auramancer?”
“Yes, but we weren’t sure till you actively made it stronger” Cindy finally talks
...
..
.
OH...that explains holy mother of god that explains some things: It explains why she began the training quite literally straight after seeing that (ignoring the whole overprotecting part of the day) and possibly why she actually allowed me to become a Berzauraker (because I proved that I could handle myself and that I wanted to, more importantly I guess).
... “So I was being tricked by the both of you, so that I would become and Auramancer for my own protection?”
“Yes” Thalia confirms.
...Should I be mad? I’ve gotten an extremely cool class and so many bonuses, even if yes I did not get a choice and this was all planned for me (well most of it)...it still benefitted me in the long run AND they were thinking about me...which is actually quite nice of them.
“I...don’t think I’m mad at you...just a little confused by the fact that all that’s happened between us” I point at both of them “Was all planned in a way...”
Thalia nods, but I also catch her lick her lips “I wouldn’t say everything was part of the plan...it just sort of worked out with it”
Oh...so at least that was...not planned...by both of them at least (I’m pretty sure Thalia had it all planned out without Cindy’s knowledge... did she?).
“Cindy did you know about that?”
“Yes” She looks down guiltily...You knew about it and didn’t do anything?
“Wait, so what was the plan for you to sneakily train me if it wasn’t that?” I turn back to Thalia, who’s still grinning saucily (I actually like that better than her serious tone and face to be honest...scary).
“Well, I was originally going to get you into alchemy, but seems like you got yourself into a teensy bit of debt and well I couldn’t not use that to my advantage” She gives me a most predatory grin *shiver*.
Really?! I feel so used (even if I’ve known it for a long while)!
“B-but what about the whole...” I point to my title.
“Well what can I say, I’m quite the sucker to cute young girls”
That’s kind of creepy! And she mentioned girl?
“Ho-”
“Oh c’mon darling, if Linda can tell you’re a girl, neither me nor Cindy would have a problem...
“How long have you known?” I look at Cindy, perplexed.
“First look” She guiltily admits.
OH NO WONDER I’VE BEEN TREATED IN SUCH AN ODD FASHION SINCE DAY ONE.
AND IT’S SCARIER THAT THALIA KNOWS I’M A GIRL YET STILL HAS SUCH ADVANCES, NEVER CROSSED MY MIND!
I’m actually just mindboggled...just how many people in the village know I’m a girl (although I’m sure pretty much all of them suspect in the least)?
Also, how old are both of them? (From what I take it, Thalia actually said Cindy’s older than Linda?! But I thought Cindy’s human...why are there so many questions??? Aaaaaaaaaaaaah).
“So sorry for doing so, but we told you are reasons and hope that you can truly forgive us, please” Thalia apologizes sincerely and really, I can’t be too mad at them...I did get some cool stuff in the end.
Huuu, guess I can forgive them...but I do have to get a couple of answers from them soon, especially about as to who they both really are (something about them feels very off now, especially now that I know both are somehow related to one another...).
“Alright, forgiven...on one condition”
“Sure, just be gentle” Thalia coyly smiles, biting her finger.
DAMMIT NO, STOP, IT’S EVEN CREEPEIR NOW THAT I KNOW YOU KNWO I’M A GIRL EVEN IF I’M REALLY NOT WHICH IS SUCH A BIZARRE FEELING AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO THINK!
“Cindy” Thalia’s smile turns into a pout “Tell me what you are”
I mean, it is probably the best question I have, since honestly don’t know what to ask for...my mind isn’t exactly working right now.
“I’m a Barbarian” She answers with a little hesitation...
That’s not right, she must be lying...but at the same time I have a feeling she’s not...maybe a half truth? But what does that mean? Why does one question always lead to more!?
I look unamused and untrusting towards Cindy.
“Some things can’t be answered darling” Thalia distracts me, letting Cindy free from my untrusting gaze.
...I guess people can have their secrets...for now (don’t really like people having secrets from me, especially if I want to trust them).
“Fine, fine have your secrets...but no more playing around with me, I’m not a little girl, I’m a warrior...ess”
Both nod and Thalia stands up ready to leave.
“Oh Kal, don’t tell anyone about this, and not about me and Thalia either” Cindy encases my hands in hers.
“I promise” Huh...so these two are secretly friends? Or allies? Or something else? And no one in the village knows about this? And Cindy’s not willing to tell me her race, or be completely truthful about it?
I do love my conspiracy theories and something definitely smells like some strange conspiracy of some sort between these two.
“So is it fine to use my auras in public?” I ask as Cindy lets go of my hands.
“Yes, people know about me being a Berzauraker”
But they don’t know about Thalia...hmm, CONSIPIRACY DETECTED 100 PERCENTO!
Lady Luck, you have a really strange plan for me don’t you.
“Darling, don’t keep me waiting” Thalia calls from the door, sending me a wink before disappearing...
Ah, I haven’t repayed my debt yet...dammit.
Following after her I pass by Rodna, who waves at me and completely ignores Thalia
...
..
.
B-but both of them talk all the time...Rodna didn’t even glance her way!?
It must be an Aura or some strange Dark elf ability (probably that to be honest)...that is extremely odd and fascinating.
I’ll have to add that to my list of things to ask about so that I may learn who these two strange yet linked individuals are...since I’ve been thrown into whatever they’re up to (more like I’m the centrepiece of it) so knowing and trusting them is paramount.
But before that...I’ve got one last night of battle...