Azrael

She was standing on the airship, watching as Violet walked into the guard station with the man covered in a strange outfit from her point of view. She never really understood why mammals loved to wear the skins of other animals or even the clothes created from plants, but it didn’t matter to her.

She looked out over the humans standing on the walls. Her scan ability was telling her that they were not some weak pushovers. They were on an average level with the wolves, or even stronger than the bug scouts she first ate. She wondered what they might taste like. Azrael smiled a big goofy smile, thinking about all the tasty mammals and bugs in her home garden.

She missed the garden. She wished she was back there now but felt pride in helping Violet on her missions. The mushroom thought for a second that maybe she would get to eat some new treats while on this mission. A fungus's life was simple compared to all these people running around. All she wanted to do was grow and spread.

Then she began to daydream about being back in her lovely, moist garden.

A few days before leaving on the airship.

Azrael wakes up and begins to wall the expansive underground cave system that Violet had created for her. As she walks, she looks out over the mesmerizing sight: rows upon rows of luminescent purple mushrooms stretching as far as the eye can see. The soft glow emanating from the fungi casts an ethereal light, painting the cavern walls with hues of violet and indigo. Each mushroom seems to pulse with life, adding to the enchanting ambiance of the subterranean landscape.

A notification flashed in front of Azrael’s eyes.

System Notification: Experience gain

You have successfully devoured the corpse of Scorpion Knight

Azrael smiled again, her strange mix of a shark and whale mouth. At that moment she chose to check her character sheet. She gave the system the mental command to open the main page. The blue-coloured character sheet opened before her eyes.

Name

Azrael

Species/Race

Violet Webcap

Class

Mushroom Reaper

Subclass

Farmer

Level

30

Attributes:

Strength

12

Dexterity

10

Constitution

20

Intelligence

15

Wisdom

13

Charisma (VMs)

20

Charisma (Other Races)

5

Abilities:

Mushroom Reaper (Scion named: Azrael) has been unlocked.

They will harvest and farm your VMs.

Farmer Class: manages farms, ranches, greenhouses, nurseries, and

other agricultural production organizations.

Inquisitor: Act as detectives who investigate crimes both mundane and

supernatural. Inquisitors are often driven by zeal and plagued with suspicion.

Provides: The inquisitor hunts down your enemies within and outside your

domain. Heretics must burn. Bonus in interrogating and finding spies.

Devouring Maw: This skill, reveals itself as a horrifying ability of some

monstrous creatures, enabling the user to release a gaping maw-filled

with black power that can swallow enemies whole. The creature's jaws open uncontrollably when it is provoked, pulling its victim into a whirling vortex of abyssal energy where they are devoured whole. The creature traps its victims inside its strange stomach, where they must endure its corrosive digestive fluids and unceasing darkness until they either meet their horrible end or are saved by courageous explorers. The terrifying reminder of the dangerous depths of the dungeons and the insatiable appetite of the indwellers is provided by the Devouring Maw.

She was happy and closed out the menu.

In this otherworldly setting, two figures emerge into Azrael’s view. Thall and Vela, adorned in simple yet sturdy attire suited for their underground environment, carry baskets and gardening tools as they traverse the labyrinthine paths between the mushroom beds. Their silhouettes are illuminated by the gentle radiance of the fungi, creating a striking contrast against the shadowy depths of the cave.

As Thall and Vela move gracefully through the cavern, their presence seems almost harmonious with the natural rhythm of the underground world. The soft echo of their footsteps reverberates off the stone walls, blending seamlessly with the faint hum of the fungal network that thrives beneath the earth. With each step, Azrael watches as they become more attuned to the subtle nuances of their surroundings, their movements guided by an innate understanding of the delicate balance that sustains life in the depths.

The smaller VMs wave at the pair as they place a pile of mushrooms for the two humans to collect. Together, Thall and Vela approach a particularly vibrant patch of mushrooms, their colours pulsating with an intensity that captivates the senses. With practiced precision, they begin to load their baskets. The smaller VMs, under Azael’s ever-watchful eye, carefully plucked them from the rich soil and placed them gently in front of the humans. As they work, a sense of reverence fills the air, as if they are participating in a sacred ritual passed down through generations of Mycan farmers.

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At this moment, amidst the quiet beauty of the underground cavern, Thall and Vela embody the timeless connection between humans and the natural world they call home. With each mushroom they harvest, they pay homage to the rhythms of life that have sustained their new community; their actions are a testament to the profound bond between humanity and the earth.

That was when Azrael was snapped out of her daydream by these loud-yelling humans in front of her. Maybe I will get to eat something fresh today, she thought.

Violet

"I understand your confusion,” my father said.

“I am Violet. Your daughter. From Vancouver. You know, back on Earth.”

“Violet. It seems you've experienced something quite extraordinary.”

I just stared at him for a second, through my mechanical eyes. Not saying a word, letting the seconds tick by.

Finally, I said, “You died when I was five. You left me and Mom alone.”

“You really are, Violet, aren’t you? I haven’t heard anyone else ever talk about the other world.”

I watched as he looked my robotic, mana-powered body up and down. Then he reached out his arms and said, “Can I have a hug?”

I nodded yes. The man, my father, walked forward, wrapped his arms around my metal frame, and hugged me.

He looked me in the eyes and asked, “How did you end up here?”

“Hey, I asked you first,” I responded. I was feeling so happy that I wasn’t able to cry. I felt like I needed to hold back a mix of tears. Joy and sadness are all in one.

Is this what the Huntress meant in our deal? She didn’t promise specifically that she would bring me to my mom, did she? Everything seemed to blur together. The blood and death from my battles to protect the temple. The pain of leaving my mom and my old life behind. How the hell am I supposed to deal with all of this? How is anyone?

He let me go of the world's longest hug and smiled. “I guess you are right. I can’t argue with you now that you can look me in the eye.”

I hugged him again by pulling myself into his chest. I said, “I never thought I would see you again. You died so long ago. Mom and I lived a whole life without you in it. And now. And now, I find you here of all places.”

I could feel his hand running through the few organic parts of my body—my red hair—that I was able to summon and develop. I hoped that one day I might make a whole new body, something like the Borg.

One night, we were watching old science fiction movies, and we watched Star Trek. They had these half-humans and half-robots. I used to think it was a bit of cheese, but now I hope to make a body like that if I can’t make it back to Earth.

“It is going to be okay, Vi; you made it here somehow. This is one of the safest places in Mors. As for how I got here, I have no idea. One day I was on the job site, walking, and then the world went black. I then woke up outside a bar here in Gun, and let’s just say the first few years were hard.”

My hands wrapped around his leather jacket. I pulled him close, the top of my head pressing into his chest.

“Did you even try to get back?” I screamed at him.

“Of course.”

I cut him off. “Why the hell are you here? You should have been at home. If you were at home, I wouldn’t have been working at that coffee shop. I wouldn’t have been working at the veterinarian's office. I wouldn’t have been walking down that alley. I wouldn’t have died alone. Cold and alone.”

My fist slammed into his chest in a hammer-fist strike.

“Why weren’t you there?” I cried and screamed all at once.

He whispered, “If I could have been there, I would have been, Noodle. I tried and tried, but nothing. It was all that I could do to get by. I am sorry.”

We both fell to our knees, his arms wrapped around me.

That was when I heard Azrael’s voice on the other side of the door, banging, “Violet, are you alright?” I loved her whale voice. It caused me and my dad to laugh.

This was going to be an interesting conversation.

“Yeah, Azrael,” I called back, “just fighting with my dad.”

Nightmare

As the doll scion delves deeper into the murky depths of the swamp, Nightmare becomes a beacon of determination amidst the encroaching darkness. With her porcelain features illuminated by the flickering beams of the lantern in her hand, her heart was an unwavering bastion in the night.

Each step forward is met with a palpable sense of apprehension, as the oppressive silence of the swamp weighs heavy. Normally, Nightmare loved her trips in the swamp, but this was something else. Every shadow seems to pulse with hidden threats, and the tangled maze of roots and vines becomes an endless labyrinth of uncertainty.

As the night wears on, tensions among the humans that Nightmare left behind continue to mount, threatening to boil over into hysteria. Every rustle of leaves and every distant whisper of wind sends shivers of fear down their spines, as the fear of what lurks in the shadows grows ever more potent.

But Nightmare’s calm demeanour is a source of strength in the face of adversity. She sent out all her minions to search for the missing girl.

With each passing moment, the search becomes more frantic as the realization dawns that time is running out. Yet, despite the mounting pressure and the ever-present threat of danger, the search party refuses to yield to despair.

Finally, Nightmare arrives at the edge of her boundary, her porcelain features etched with a mixture of relief and disbelief as she beholds Emily standing before her. The doll's mind whirls with questions, her thoughts racing faster than ever before. How had Emily managed to venture this deep into the treacherous swamp, far beyond the confines of safety? It seemed inconceivable, impossible even, for a mere child to navigate through the labyrinthine maze of mud and water, let alone evade the traps and minions Nightmare had set in place to protect her domain.

Yet, there Emily stood, her small frame trembling with exhaustion and fear, but alive and miraculously unharmed. Nightmare's heart swells with a strange mixture of pride and concern as she approaches the child, her movements careful and deliberate. She reaches out a hand, her fingers trembling ever so slightly as they brush against Emily's cheek, a silent gesture of reassurance in the face of uncertainty.

As Emily recounts her harrowing journey through the swamp, Nightmare listens with rapt attention, her mind struggling to comprehend the sheer resilience and courage displayed by the young girl. Each obstacle overcome, each danger faced head-on, serves as a testament to Emily's indomitable spirit, a spirit that somehow led her safely into the heart of Nightmare's domain.

And as the realization dawns upon Nightmare, a newfound sense of respect and admiration blossoms within her porcelain heart. In Emily, she sees not just a lost child in need of rescue but a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer bound by the unbreakable bonds of courage and determination.

But that thought soon escaped Nightmare as the truth of reality unfolded before her.

Emily began to float a foot about the ground. Her long blonde hair hangs in front of her face.

The white dress that was matted in mud began to move as if she were in a hurricane, but there wasn’t a wind to have.

Then, as Emily begins to speak, her voice sends a shiver down Nightmare's spine, for it is not the innocent, childlike tone she had expected. Instead, the words that spill from Emily's lips carry the weight of ages, echoing with a timbre that is both haunting and familiar. It is the voice of an old man, weathered by time and burdened by the weight of untold secrets.

“I have found you, a little puppet of the Huntress. You are in the city. You are here. I am going to come for you. I am thirsty. I will rip these walls down, as I should have done to your old city.”

Nightmare's porcelain features contort with confusion and unease as she listens to the words that pour forth from Emily's mouth, her mind struggling to comprehend the inexplicable phenomenon unfolding before her. How could this be possible? How could the voice of an old man emanate from the lips of a young child?

With each passing moment, the realization dawns upon Nightmare that there is something far more sinister at play than she had ever dared to imagine. The swamp, with its dark and mysterious depths, holds secrets far older and more malevolent than she could have ever fathomed within its water. And in Emily, she sees not just a lost child but a vessel—a vessel through which ancient forces may speak and wield their influence upon the world.

As Emily continues to speak, her voice growing stronger and more commanding with each passing word, Nightmare feels a chill settle in the depths of her porcelain heart.

"Beware the shadows, for within them, the pack prowls. As the moon rises, their hunger grows, and they shall feast upon the unsuspecting. Hearken to the howl of the alpha, for it signals your doom. The teeth of the wolf gleam in the moonlight, sharp and hungry, waiting to rend flesh from bone. Dare to stray from the path, and you will become prey to their insatiable hunger. For in the realm of the wolves, there is no mercy, only the relentless pursuit of their quarry. So heed this warning, lest you find yourself lost in the jaws of the pack, swallowed whole by the darkness that lurks within."

As the echoes of the old man's voice faded into the darkness, Nightmare scooped up the girl and rushed to warn the others.