Novels2Search
Lament of the Lost
Chapter 104: Choice

Chapter 104: Choice

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Name: Korra Grey

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 27

1st Array: Slave

Master: None

Sigils: 97 - ○○○○○○

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WEAVES: 1ST ARRAY (6/6)

Eleaden Standard Language (General): ............. 20 glyphs - ⦿⦿

Indomitable Will (Slave): ...................................... 111 glyphs - ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿

Thrifty Drinker (General): ........................................3 glyphs - ⦿

Equilibrium (General): ............................................. 7 glyphs - ⦿

Hunger Fortitude (General): .................................. 6 glyphs - ⦿

Spatial Domain (General): ..................................... 13 glyphs -⦿⦿

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THRIFTY DRINKER

General Weave

3 glyphs - ⦿

⦿

In a time when every little sip of water counts,

you can survive on less throughout the droughts.

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HUNGER FORTITUDE

General Weave

6 glyphs - ⦿

⦿

With hunger striking,

you find it less biting.

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I may not have been able to spend coins wastefully, but neither of the two weaves seemed helpful to me anymore. Thanks to the old man, I was now employed. So, getting food here in Castiana was a matter of keeping that job and finding a stall or tavern not selling at exorbitant prices. Something my little guide helped me with on the way back to City Hall, which we lengthened by walking down the Crooked Streed past Scoresby's Goods & Wares for me to get a better sense of the city before I relieved Ria of her services.

Eight hours of guiding me, 10 coppers an hour.

Granted, it took a pretty big chunk out of my current budget, but knowing that I'd be making ten times more than her tomorrow put her earnings in a whole new light. Not to mention that I would be working in the safety of the stables while she risked her life on the city streets. It seemed a bit unfair, to say the least.

Of course, I told Enola as much.

Sadly, all the receptionist could do was take note of my complaint and make sure it reached the ears of her superiors. Sure, the chances of it making a difference were slim. Sometimes, though, it did take that one step to change things - even if by just a bit.

'So, the weaves. High time to make a decision, take that step.'

Yet, just as I feared, picking a replacement for those two weaves was not easy at all. Even after staring at my options for hours, I was nowhere near making a decision.

Although, in part, my new room was to blame.

'Yes, I had my own room.'

After making my way back to Scoresby's Goods & Wares, which was a feat I was proud of, the old couple showed me the place they had prepared for me. Instead of the small, dark, former broom closet I was expecting, they led me to an amazing undercroft room.

A bit embarrassingly, I didn't manage to keep my emotions in check and tearfully thanked them.

I couldn't help it. The room was several times larger than my cell, dry compared to the cellar, and the large window was letting in the warm sunlight that made the cold darkness of the morgue just a bad memory.

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The moss in Esulmor may have been soft, but it couldn't compare to the bed and blankets I immediately snuggled into. Not even the small downside of the noise coming through the window from the street outside could ruin my thrill of the room. After all, in the forest I was falling asleep to the sounds of the night creatures, as silence there was a thing unheard of. Nothing could beat the morgue in that regard - but the same could be said for the coziness of this room, MY room.

Besides the bed, I had at my disposal a wardrobe, a chest, two shelves, a table, a chair, and a small cast-iron stove in case it gets cold, all straight out of a medieval fairy tale.

If I were to change anything to make it perfect, it would just be adding a few flower pots.

'Shit! Shit, shit, SHIT! I don't deserve this.'

If only the room wasn't so perfect - maybe then the guilt wouldn't eat away at me so much. A naive thought, for sure. After all they had done for me, it would gall me not to tell the Scoresbys how much danger I was putting them in by staying here, even if they housed me in the outhouse. My only solace was knowing that somewhere out there was a city guard watching my tail, and another one keeping an eye on those two incredibly kind people.

Strange as it was, I also found in this guilt the motivation to push forward. The sooner I became stronger, the more self-reliant, the sooner I could get out of Scoresby's hair. And I was on my way there. First step? Done. I had a job. Step two? 'Decide on fucking weaves.'

There were so many, though.

Some weren't worth a second thought; others were kind of meh, neither bad nor good. And a few General weaves made me question the Lattice itself - and myself, too. Seriously, why would anyone have and take a weave like [Pissing Maiden] or [Naturally Naked]? Likewise, there were some General weaves that gave me the same shivers as my Slave Array weaves.

Only someone insane would choose [Slave's Will] or [Subject of Master]. Nor was I going to put [Malleable Body] or [Mistress of Mutations] in my Grid. I'd rather pick a weave like [Big Tits] than that. Alas, and understandably, no matter how hard I searched the rune sky of Grid Forge, I found no such weave among those available to me.

In fact, surprisingly, despite there being dozens, maybe even hundreds of weaves, I only found a few worth considering. One of them being the one whose runes were carved on my chest by the shitty Fae.

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NEVER-DYING

General Weave

0 glyphs - ⦿

⦿

You are far from most for whom an untimely death entails a somewhat inconvenient life impact,

for you can always find a new way to die later as long as your body or your brain is intact.

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Taking this weave might have sounded dumb at first. After all, thanks to the runes, I "enjoyed" the effects of the first circle, even without the weave itself. It was because of the runes I was still here and got to see the morgue. Yet I couldn't help but wonder about the other circles of the weave.

Rayden and Marcus claimed that the runes left by the Fae were never as simple as they first appeared, that my ability to overcome death was unheard of in people of my strength. Without a doubt, [Never-Dying] was an excellent weave to have - one, however, that would make me play into the Fae's hands, making me their dutiful puppet.

The reason I was still hesitant to take the weave.

Funnily enough, my reasons for hesitating over my second choice weren't all that different. If I were to choose [Beast], I might as well become a puppet of my instincts, of that feral savagery dwelling within me. Yet, after everything that happened, I wasn't stupid to think I could pretend the beast inside me didn't exist. It was there, always ready to pounce or save my ass, whether I liked it or not.

'Still...'

Perhaps it would be wiser to explore my body's other capabilities before taking the plunge and take weaves like [Flight] or [Poison Empress's Tail] instead.

Or I could go an even safer route and choose [Bear Strength] and [Feline Nimbleness].

'Why the fuck is it so hard?' I almost screamed out loud, frustrated with myself, blaming that deranged asshole for making me like this - this indecisive. He was the one who took everything away from me, my free will, and denied me of any choice for so long.

'Get your shit together, Korra! He's not here to make decisions for you anymore.' I reminded myself, biting down on my lower lip. 'The choice is mine to make, mine alone.'

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FLIGHT

General Weave

0 glyphs - ⦿

⦿

Some are bound to walk the earth all their lives, dream of flying, but only see the skies with their eyes,

you broke out of those bonds, and dream no longer as the heights above you are yours to raise.

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TAIL OF POISON EMPRESS

General Weave

0 glyphs - ⦿

⦿

Death awaits everyone, but for some, it comes earlier in the form of a blazing orange cloud,

may your prey find solace in knowing that the sweet scent is something in which to be proud.

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Beast

General Weave

0 glyphs - ⦿

⦿

No matter what anyone says or claims, the beast dwells in the hearts of all,

a simple truth worth admitting rather than seeking ignorance leading to a fall.

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