Chapter 65

Prompts blared as her heart beat loudly in her ears. The world was too bright. Her nose and lungs felt raw and burning.

"Get back! Everyone get back, I don't want to hurt you!" She cried, the panic driving, everything in her world was... pain.

Disjointed memories and feelings of terrifying distance existed like puzzle pieces she was slowly putting together as the realization hit her like a bucket of cold water that she was reasoning and thinking like herself again.

But what the fuck had happened?

"Riley, you'd never hurt me. We're right here; breathe through it," Tobias' words dripped with caution and concern.

"You don't know that! I wanted to! You were... food..." She wailed, as a familiar voice drifted on a breeze.

You are still you. I am still watching, have kept you safe, and helped you back towards balance. I will never let a packmate suffer alone again. Without your heart, your greatest strength, I would have failed.

"Grimm? Grimm!" She sputtered.

"Are we out?" Riley scanned around, panic pushing her from ragged thought to thought.

She could feel the forest, if not see much of it. Prompts were burying her vision, but she wasn't about to send anyone away.

Something had occurred. Something major had shifted inside, and her soul still resonated with the dark energies she had touched.

"Riley?" Tobias prompted.

Unbidden, a familiar box from her first day populated at the forefront of the maze of boxes existing ephemeral before her eyes. It glowed at its edges as if demanding her attention.

A terrifying and tragic magical event led your soul to be reforged with that of a celestial of greater power and a true enemy of greater shadow, leading to your rebirth in magic, opening your spirit to new paths of progression ordained by the Fates.

"True enemy of greater shadow, no shit," She muttered as Tobias watched warily from a distance.

“Tell me what’s going on!” He demanded, confusion danced in his eyes.

"Let's just give her a minute. She's obviously been through a lot." Cid cautioned setting a hand on his shoulder.

Tobias growled. "Ok, Riley, but remember, I'm here for you,"

Taking a deep breath, Riley pulled at her prompts.

You have encountered an orlag event! Your path has more forks than an old lady's silverware drawer! Placed in an impossible situation, you did the impossible and saved the day, but at what cost?

You have been afflicted with the debuff Crippling Self Doubt. Now, afraid of your nature as much as your magic, finding the will to cast and pull at a power you fear is tainted will make casting and progression more difficult.

Your experience gains have been halved.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

This debuff has no countdown timer. Resolve the conflict within to return to your normal progression rate.

You have been granted the buff Celestial Blessing. In a moment of darkest chaos, you reached out for the light. This action has shaped your soul and enabled a divine being to bring you back into balance. You have been granted a bonus to progression in all holy magics!

You have absorbed a soul and incorporated the energy into your own, triggering evolution paths in the magic.

Level Up!

You have reached level 2-5!

Analyze is currently at 10% of level 2-6

Righteous Flame has evolved to Holy Inferno

Damage and area of effect have increased

Burn, baby, burn!

Holy Inferno is currently at 10% of level 2-6

Veil has evolved to Shadow Shroud.

Shadow Shroud, Active, Chaos- A further evolution of your veiled ability, you and those in your party become undetectable to all those at or below your current level. Stealth is augmented by thirty percent. All footsteps are muffled.

Passive effect- you have a natural proclivity towards stealth and illusion.

Now you see me, now you don't!

Chaos Cracker is currently at 10% of level 2-6

You have unlocked a new ability: Mana Vampire!

Mana Vampire, Active, Chaos- A terrible and tragic event caused seeds of a True Enemy to blossom within your soul, granting you the ability to feed off the magic of another. Warning, feasting too deeply will lead to the consumption of their soul, obliterating them from existence!

It's just another Mana Monday!

Mana vampire is currently at 10% of Level 2-6

Healing Halo has evolved to Divine Intervention.

Divine Intervention, Active, Holy- You now have the ability to cure major wounds and diseases.

Are you there, God? It's me, Riley.

Your Plant Whisperer ability is now at 10% of Level 2-6

"I ate somebody's soul." She said to herself as the last of her prompts was addressed.

Memories of what the Erkrandir had done to her echoed like a damning jury.

Trembling, she looked towards Tobias.

"If you aren't afraid of me, I could really use a hug right now," She whined, shaking as he approached.

Tobias took her up unflinchingly within his arms and held her close.

"I'm a bad thing. I'm a monster. We're supposed to kill monsters," Riley whimpered.

"No, you aren't. You're no monster," Tobias countered.

"I..." Riley choked on her mental words, "I ate his soul." She whispered conspiratorially.

"You what!?!" Tobias stopped petting, going stiff.

"The bad sand that covered me whispered and woke something up. I was so hungry, and it was like, I could see his spirit, and it was food. You were food too, I don't know how it happened, but all I was, was hunger and drive and it was awful," Riley shuddered as part of her wanted to throw up.

"But I'm not food now?" Tobias asked, never letting her go.

"I cried out for Grimm. He helped me rebalance my soul or something. I don't get it, but it all happened somehow," She quaked, every part of her numb and tingling from guilt.

"Grimm?" Cid interjected into the strange drama unfolding.

"Her guardian celestial. I don't know much about it, but it's partly how she ended up here," he replied as Cid ran his fingers through his hair.

"By the dead Gods, she's a strange one," He whispered under his breath.

"I heard that!" She snapped before recoiling in fear as if anger itself would let some sleeping demon within her out to play.

"So in the depths of a deeper darkness than you've ever felt, instead of losing yourself to it completely, you called out for help and saved us all the while, and you're worried about being a monster?" Tobias asked, turning a dagger of logic on her.

"It wasn't like that! You can't look over the fact I just nommed someone out of existence! That's inside of me!" She screamed, flattening her ears, pressing against his chest.

"There's a monster in all of us, but we either control it, or it controls us. Iskaros chose one path; you chose another, from what I can see. You aren't attacking us now, and you didn't then," Cid replied.

"But what if it happens again? How can I use my magic knowing it can happen again?" Riley struggled.

"You count on me and your allies like Grimm to see you through. We haven't faced a day alone since we were introduced, Riley, and I'm convinced I never want to know another day without you," Tobias said his conviction firm.

Cid wiped at his eyes before trudging off towards the woods.

"Even now?" Riley trembled.

"Especially now," Tobias replied.