[Pierce Successful]
[Successful Use: 25/100]
[Qi -250]
[Karma -10]
[Aura of Suppression Successful]
[Successful Use: 35/100]
[Con. Qi -90]
[Karma -900]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,588/23,883,377]
[Current Qi: 332,907/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,533,508/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,597,021]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
Everyone shouts, the guests at the short tables nearly rising to their feet in sync while the servants, most standing around the edge of the room if not actively tending to a guest all turn and start shuffling and hopping around.
But not everyone is coming towards me.
I'm still trying to process the fact that they've got Spa Qi in jelly form in such large quantities, that they prepped it, so I think it's forgivable that I don't immediately register why one of my forelegs is pinning the pupper corpse to the floor through the top of its skull, splitting one of the spikes that grew out of it.
-It grew horns?-
I bank the body, get up, walk up to the closest wall, park my ass, and stare at it. Doggo dead? I can eat or investigate the body later. Banked, we're good. Surrounded by creepy hopping corpses? Weird, but they're not a threat. Getting dragged to an un-tea party where they serve jellied Qi? I'm slowly coming around to it.
They're dead, so what need have they for food? Outside I got sucked before out-sucking my attacker. This whole area was made from splashes of Superior Essence, Qi, and hungry Kisandera. 'Kay. But how and why did they do a ceremony? Why are they all in ceremonial clothes? Or at least the formal stuff. Were they below Golden Rivers this whole time?
-What is going on...?-
I ignore the servants hopping up to me, still trying to process what happened. I passed my trial, by eating, slept, woke up in a bubble, and found a dog. Dog tried to eat me --. No, there was another dog. And cart pullers. What happened to the cart pullers?
When I look up I'm being held in the arms of a servant who is kneeling to the two people on the dais. The man still looks amused, like I told a joke or his friends set up a prank and I'm part of it. Would be nice if someone told me. I flinch as I look towards she of the chandelier hair. Her hands are up, curled into claws, her teeth are bared and she's grinding them, eyes wide, fac almost looking flushed around all the white makeup caked on it.
Why are they wearing white makeup when they're already corpse pale?
[Corpse Breath]
[Qi -10]
[Karma -10]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,588/23,883,374]
[Current Qi: 332,897/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,533,498/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
-Who does this creature belong to?- the corpse queen death rasps, her voice sounding like silk sliding across dry leaves. Or feels like it.
I'm sorry, her breath did what? Did her breath just count as an attack? Just her breathing on me? Fack. Do I offer her some mint? ... Do I have mint?
-I was lead here by a dog. I think I killed it,- I mumble. -Did your breath do damage 'cause of the jelly?-
Too. Many. Questions. I stare, brain fried, and notice that she's looking around in confusion. She looks to her right, but not at the figure sitting there. To her left, but she's not looking at any of the guests or servants. She moves her hair, some beads, a couple of dangling chains, and what looks like a woven metal hairnet away from both sides of her head, revealing tiny white-washed ears. She painted her ears?
[Corpse Breath]
[Qi -10]
[Karma -10]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,588/23,883,372]
[Current Qi: 332,887/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,533,488/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
-Did anyone else hear a voice in its song?-
I'm not singing. I'm not in the mood. Thought my regular speech sounded like buzzing. Do I smell toast? Would I recognize it if I did? I feel like I should feel like I'm having a stroke...
-I'm not singing right now. Too confused. I'm speaking,- I raise a leg and wave it at her, watching as she recoils and watches my leg like I'm signing something.
Nope. Just waving. I sigh and flap my wings, turning away, not that it matters. Ultravision... Yay... I need a nap.
The lady corpse gestures, just a side to side with her hand, and the servants to either side of me grab the edge of one wing in each hand and lift, spreading four of my wings. So I slap at their legs with the last pair. And another pair of servants shuffles over.
It finally occurs to me that maybe being held in place by a group of moving corpses who find my extremities fascinating during a feast might not be the best thing in the worlds.
-Oy!- I shout, squirming and thrashing, hoping that they don't pull. If they do I'm torching everything. -Am I touching your faces? Stop touching my wings!-
I kick my legs, imagining kangaroo boxing someone in the face, slowly coming out of my what the fack? funk 'caused by this latest series of nonsense. I was tested and almost forcefully exiled from existence by a hair model that survived a run-in with a succubus when he was a kid, woke up into a bubble of hunger and failure to find hungry dogs and an army of corpses playing tea party, and now I'm being presented like a new table runner. The fuck is this life?
[Corpse Breath]
[Qi -10]
[Karma -10]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,588/23,883,369]
[Current Qi: 332,877/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,533,478/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
-How is it still alive?- the woman points at me, startling the man seated beside her who was in the middle of reaching out a hand like he was going to range pet me.
-"It" your pasty face,- I grumble, kicking weakly. I'm too tired to take offense.
I get to see the servants exchange looks while the seated man moves a little further onto the edge of his chair, slowly moving closer in weird floaty fashion. Eventually the woman looks away, staring at one of the differently dressed people that were sitting at the low tables, their robes black and thin like all the other guests instead of thick and embroidered like the --. Is this a birthday party? Or a wedding? What were they doing?
The fuck? While the woman stares at the black robed corpse silently, and it stares back -- are they sending? Privately? Rude. -- the man on the dais keeps moving, a seated march that takes him off of his chair even though he remains seated. What the fuck is this nonsense? He looks ridiculous sitting on air and nonchalantly marching across the area while pretending to pay attention to the woman and her advisor? Her lover? Who dis bish, who dat shit, and what the fuck is he doing now?
I get to watch as he slow marches down the stairs, still in a perfect seated position while not facing me, the servants holding me casually watching him but not expressing any surprise. The fuck is going on? Eventually the woman and the advisor both look less statue-y, the "stealth" walker somehow gliding back up the stairs, without using his feet, until he's seated back on his chair, the woman and advisor turning to him as he continues to watch "them" in interest.
-Seriously?- I cast around, wondering why there's such a subdued response to this nonsense. -Everyone going to pretend the guy on the big chair isn't up to random silliness?-
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
I wasn't sure if they could understand me. Until they all exchange looks and look at the man on the chair who avoids eye contact with everybody. These motherfuckers.... What's the point of all of this? No one's trying to mind suck me, and they can all see me, and why'd dude try to shed aggro by feeding me?
-Just tell me how to leave, and I'll leave you to your dumbassery!- I shout, thrashing and flailing, trying to pull free without tearing anything.
The high lady stares at me, hand flicking side to side in another silent command, and I feel my scales and hair bristling. Now what? A servant comes over, holding up a fancy jelly. For me.
Are they really trying to hand feed me right now. I reach out, accept the jelly, then splat it against the side of one of the bastards holding my wings before thrashing to get loose. And no one does anything. Everyone just watches me as the jelly just sticks to the servants cold flesh. If they were warm it'd probably melt and slide off. But they're cold and dead.
I go limp. Did I really wake up? Or am I still in a post god-thing food coma having a weird dream from eating something funky right before bed?
I get hauled up, the assholes holding me up looking very shiny, and marched up the stairs. I should probably be concerned, but if all else fails I've got a nice cluster of bomb fridges around me, and I'm too frazzled not to do something stupid. I sigh and cast my vision around, trying to see if everyone went back to the party only to see the black robed figures in groups around the room while the servants are in groups around the perimeter. I really did crash the party, eh? I want to share the moment until I realize that at one point in time the dog was kited to me while I was having a severe brain fart.
When I look up there's a servant holding a dish of sliced Qi jelly standing next to her funereal birthday anniversary party queen. She in turn picks up a piece and holds it out to me. Is she really trying to hand feed me? I feel like my eyes narrow and things make sense now. They want to feed me? They want me to eat the weird jelly? M'kay.
[Mesmerize Unsuccessful]
[Successful Use: 3/100]
[Qi -10]
[Karma 100]
[Aura of Suppression Successful]
[Successful Use: 36/100]
[Con. Qi -90]
[Karma -900]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,498/23,883,169]
[Current Qi: 332,867/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,532,678/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,597,021]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
The room lights up, not in the emperor's autumn, not in the stained glass galaxy, but in a simple, clear summer day in the backyard. A manicured lawn, pruned trees, level ground, clear blue sky. Artificial nature. Gross.
But the others disagree based on how they're all looking up like they expect to see a sun. Missy in charge looks up, hand raised like she's checking for rain, and everyone just waits. I pull free -- finally! -- with very little resistance, the servants all staring straight up even though I'm pretty sure mesmerize is just an essence dump like the "purification" of my spa experience manager. But what the frick kinda essence dump gives you an empty summer picnic?
Everyone, myself included, focuses on the seated lady as she hikes up her robes enough to reveal her cloth booted feet. She pulls off her little slippers, -- but she's wearing boots? Oh! Her socks are huge! -- then her little boot socks, revealing pale feet. I'm surprised her toenails are so well trimmed, but she probably gets pedicures. She holds her foot out, wiggling her toes, and I wonder if the illusion of trimmed grass is so strong she can feel it with her foot in the air.
Weirdo. I casually get in a very quiet, very subtle game of tug of war with the tray bearer who, despite having a blank face, has very expressive, hairless eyebrows. Wait. Where's his eyebrows? I keep a grip on the tray while looking around to see that another difference between men and women are the men don't paint on their eyebrows. Even the women hiding as men have eyebrows painted on. ... M'kay...
Attention back on the tray I use my middle legs to swipe a jelly each, letting go of the tray to eyebrow cursing.
[Golden Jelly (Low) x2]
[Qi +10 x2]
[Karma +10 x2]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,498/23,883,174]
[Current Qi: 332,887/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,532,698/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
I make my way back down the steps before I get to see her royal majesty maybe? whine, kicking her bare feet while pointing at me and pouting to the tray servant. I stop to stare at her -- is she really throwing a temper tantrum? -- when the birthday boy casually long steps over, picking me up in one arm before sitting down. When he moved while holding me it felt less like he was walking or jumping and more like the chair was where he was standing on the stairs. The frick? Kinda explains how he did his air chair march.
No. I shake my head. That doesn't make sense and it not making sense doesn't help explain any other nonsense! Fack, this place is getting to me! I look around to see the lady holding a jelly out to me again.
[Golden Jelly (Low)]
[Qi +10]
[Karma +10]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,498/23,883,177]
[Current Qi: 332,897/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,532,708/107,275,977]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
While I'm trying to figure out if I should just eat everything missy is kicking her feet again, both arms held out to the side where we're sitting. The man smiles, casually handing me over, and she's still kicking her feet while smiling as she hugs me. Holy shit. I brace myself for the chaos and everyone starts moving. Back to their places. The black robed figures hop back to sit down at their tables, the servants shuffle back to the walls or tables to continue catering, and missy grins while the seated prince keeps fluffing one of my wings.
[Qi Drained]
[Qi -100]
[Karma 10]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,498/23,883,179]
[Current Qi: 332,797/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,532,718/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,597,021]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
Ack! Bitch! I thought she was going to nuzzle me! Bitch just bit me! Why the fuck does she have fangs?! What is this?!
Devour
[Feeding Successful]
[Qi 1000]
[Karma 10]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,677/23,883,577]
[Current Qi: 333,047/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,534,308/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,597,021]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
-You don't eat me! I eat you!- I pull free.
[Barrier Successful]
[Successful Use: 22/100]
[Qi -10]
[Karma -5]
[Aura of Suppression Successful]
[Successful Use: 37/100]
[Con. Qi -90]
[Karma -900]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,841,408/23,882,953]
[Current Qi: 332,787/5,850,300]
[Current Karma: 95,531,813/107,275,977]
[Max Will: 9,597,021]
[Mortal Wallet: 10E,26K,228P,154R,179Da,155De,105k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1199Di,126Co,10526St]
I fly to the center of the room with the full intention of destroying everything. She fucking bit me! I turn to look at her, noting she's slumped on the ground instead of sitting in the chair, staring up at me like she's still trying to process that I bit her back. The man sitting next to her doesn't look like he's going to come after me, staring at her as he is, but his abilities are weird. As for the servant next to her --.
-Woodcock?-
The servant that had the tray, he of the dancing bald eyebrows, now has eyebrows. And it's the same thief with the frickin' friendship bracelets! What is going on here?
And I'm not the only one who notices his "transformation". A few of the servants start hopping towards him, the lady still looking at me from her spot on the ground while the little lord stares at her, and Woodcock looks flustered. He's still got the tray, but he let it slip out of one hand, all the jelly falling to the ground, but he's still got a decent shield or weapon if he needs it.
-*The frick is going on?*- I jab at him and he starts before glaring around the room.
He dodges around the weird swipes of the other corpse servants before jumping up and snatching me. How the frick did he jump so --. Oh, right. Cultivator. He pulled the same shit when I ran from him the first time. Kinda figured he just climbed the building. Well, shit.
He hauls ass across the room, dodging but not exchanging blows with anyone. The officials all just watch, leaving the task of subduing Woodcock to the servants who in turn are apparently trying to follow the not leaping rule. So was the jelly thrower Woodcock? Why'd he transform?
"Some massive thing came down and destroyed the city." He's still on the run, why's he wasting breath talking? "Afterwards a strange aura brought hungry spirits by. That lady? This all started with her."
How long did that frickin' dog drag me? I know I was trying to figure out if the dog was smart or not, but I'm not that dumb, am I? I know I have a skewed sense of time, what with the whole bank bug thing, but this is ridiculous!
He keeps talking. People were trapped, then the trapped people started disappearing. That's when the spirits started showing up. Apparently the people who disappeared were fed on, charmed, then put into servitude. The black robed figures? Outside ghosts that showed up become her guests.
"Whatever you did broke her control over me."
-*How?*- I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but this is ridiculous!
Wait. I drained her. Is she just channeling a charming skill through a bite? She didn't have enough energy to keep control on him?
"I was the last person to go, so I guess that's why I was the first person no longer under her spell."
-*So if I go back and do the same thing again more people will be released?*- Another problem I can fix with eating? Do tell...
"Wait." He comes to a full stop. "That's a great idea!"