Complete Private ✪ Stokbon Putting the Fun in Funeral

[Chrys]

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❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

Narrowing his amber eyes at her, more like through her, Chrys pondered on the words she left him. They were certainly wise and even reeked of maturity, but was that even in question? She was a necromancer with her own domain and army. Of course she had to have some semblance of wisdom and maturity to navigate through the intricacies of politics and control lest she get swallowed by every minute concern.

Still, it must help that she looked the way she did. That thought made him turn to Alice. But maybe that’s also intentional? An eyebrow raised without his consent. He shifted his gaze back toward Lucia, lifting the edge of his glass close to his lips. Was she also undead? He wondered if that would make it easier for her to control the others. But why would that even be possible? Nah, she’s too hot to be undead.

❝ Frog’s skin? ❞

The question slithered out of his mouth before he could rein it in, analyze it first. If he was hunting down Alice, and he knew what she was, or at least thought he knew what she was, then he would probably go after the brain, no? That should be the weakest point of the undead, if the plethora of zombie movies had taught him anything, but apparently, that wasn’t true with Alice.

Chrys wondered if that was just the way of the undead in this world, but his money was on Alice being special. After all, those guys out there wouldn’t just be skulls and bones, right? They would also look…normal. Alive. Or maybe that was intentional as well. More would fear an army that looked like they were already gone, and thus would be harder to make gone again, than just a couple of guys, dudes susceptible to a bonk on the head.

❝ Can the others do the same? Or just her? We passed a couple of other…undead on the way here, though they didn’t seem as…complex as Alice. ❞

When Chrys turned to Alice again, there was no longer fear in him. His eyes were studying her now, impressed with her creation, with how she functioned, lived. It must’ve taken Lucia a great deal of effort, not to mention time and resources, to come up with all that. It certainly didn’t sound like basic necromancy, though he wasn’t quite sure what that would even be. A self-repairing undead, to say the least, would be a formidable foe in any setting, a most useful ally. Alice didn’t seem to mind her current predicament, her status, the very essence of her existence as well. Truly a magnificent specimen to have beside another.

❝ Are you saying Alice has assimilated you before? To keep you safe? But you’re not undead, are you? She can…un-assimilate someone she’s already assimilated? ❞

That curiosity was now more important to him than figuring out whether he should consider Alice a human or not. To be fair, he didn’t really want to answer that question anyway. Just thinking about it made him uncomfortable. For one, she was right there. In that same tent with them. Second, although he’d rather not refer to her himself as a parasite, he wasn’t exactly an expert in necromancy. Sentimentality is the enemy of success.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

"Frog's skin." Lucia reiterated. "Frogs can breath through their skin that allows for Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide permeation. This means, our Alice here, who might need more oxygen to support larger muscle groups, could assimilate your average frog, isolate what's responsible for making it work that way, and incorporate it into herself. This is her true purpose for assimilating things, while having more biomass to compress is great, her core objective is to find these unique features of different things to evolve further. In this way, once she possesses the greatest features of everything, don't you think she'll be qualified as a raid boss?" Lucia proposed.

Of course, during Lucia's explanation, Alice was already mid-shift. From frog's skin to other creatures like a whale's thick hide, ant's chitinous exoskeleton and many others as she clenched a tiny fist and relaxed it. For her, this was what she was built for.

Though the topic about revival was different. Lucia exhaled a sigh, playing with Alice's hair briefly as she considered how to respond. After all, Lucia's skeletons were mundane certainly, defeating them wouldn't take much effort at all really. Those undead however were largely laborers, even the ones who were knights didn't need that much foresight. As powerful as they might be if turned loose, they weren't pivotal keystones of the undead society she had been developing. Her heroes on the other hand, they were important cornerstones that did have similar contingencies of their own.

"Complex..."

How to explain though...

She stepped towards Chrys, for a moment swinging an arm up across his shoulders in the way you might lean on an old buddy at a bar. Though she smelled pleasantly of Grape and Lavender, she raised her opposite arm to guide his gaze through the tent's entryway. If his gaze followed her gesture, he'd find her pointing to the dug out where the knights were still training. Trading blows and practicing their technique.

"The one with Elf ears."

She made sure he'd find the exact one among the numerous knights at work but it wouldn't be hard. The elven undead she pointed out had long white hair and though her armor was thick, it didn't interfere with mobility. The elven knight thrust a spear chaotically warding off her compatriots who sparred against her but despite being out numbered they couldn't get close. Even if they dodged the spear in her hands, a specter like ghost would slip from her upper body to parry and thrust her own spear to create space again before fusing back together.

"My head knight Sylvanas is a good example. A simple knight, none of the same complexity as Alice, no extra biomass, no assimilation properties... Just as hard to kill. Unlike a normal entity, her Spirit or Soul isn't anchored to her body. Her corpse is animated as a Death Knight, her Soul as a Banshee, the same person, but two autonomous entities. If you cut off her head, the body will repair to match the spirit, if you extinguish her soul, the spirit will recondense to match the body. Even if you manage to strike them both, if the injuries don't overlap they will never be harmful let alone fatal."

Lucia explained her Head Knight's nature before sliding away from Chrys with a pat on the shoulder. Returning to her chair, she reached for her glass as she sat, continuing on while casually waving a hand as if she'd just said something trivial.

"I put a lot of effort into making Heroes for the Undead. The further I can push and develop them, the nicer my retirement plan will be so to speak. On the other side, when I'm old and gray and feel like I'm at the end of my rope, I'll stick myself in here and stack up some deaths until I can be an undead with them. Until that day comes, I need to do a lot of research to know just what kind of undead would suit me best... Something like a vampire, something classy hopefully... But that means having benchmarks, one of which is Alice, though I've not made much progress on her theoretical brother though to have any comparison."

Lucia explained her possibly heretical plan casually. For some, living in the now, playing a game, and having fun was the priority but Lucia saw potential, an eternal existence even if this wasn't a real world, she saw the possibility to not fizzle out quietly in the night of old age. Even if it meant being trapped in the game, what did being trapped matter if she was too old to function in reality

Of course, Lucia casually touched on plans for making Alice a brother for another purpose. Her plans for that venture not quite prepared, there were a lot of pieces still missing and things that needed to be ironed out before she got to work on that monster but for now, Lucia made gradual steps out of sight from civilization as she always did.

Though when he asked about Alice's potential, Lucia could only let out a smooth chuckle. "Of course, where did you think those gold coins she pays you with comes from?" Lucia asked before gesturing towards Alice with an open hand.

The small girl lagged again as usual, but once she recognized Lucia's gesture, she raised her own little hand over Lucia's until her palm split letting coins clatter into Lucia's hand one by one. Once she had a fist full of coins, Lucia casually set them down on her reading table for Chrys to scrutinize.

"As for me... No, I've never been inside her if that's what you're asking. Something like that is the same as experiencing Ego death which is still a death. It works in the reverse though." She spoke grabbing Alice's hand, in the familiar sick display of the girl's form melting though, Alice's hand would gradually sink into Lucia's fusing at the wrist until their hands disappeared completely.

"There was a time that she was my armor in a literal sense, the eyes on the back of my head even." She would explain, bringing a fingertip to her own cheek where one of Alice's eyes would open as if in response to the gesture. It would blink but recede quickly when Lucia pulled her hand back until they were separated once more. Clenching and unclenching her hand, Lucia relaxed once more and continued. "I don't recommend her spitting up living things though. They don't come out 'right' after being completely assimilated. Alice despite her best efforts doesn't really understand what 'life' really is, so while it might come out with a beating heart and a functioning brain, I'm not really sure you could consider it alive. It's missing a 'spark' so to speak."

 

[Chrys]

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❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

Chrys simply stared at Alice, absorbing everything Lucia had said. Most of it faintly resembled something he had learned in high school. During science class. When they were made to dissect frogs. He frowned at the memory, remembering how he didn’t actually do that. It was someone else, another classmate, who offered to deal with his specimen. That girl was as crazy as she was cute.

That very thought made him shift his gaze toward Lucia, and an eyebrow raised at the coincidence. Chrys simply nodded as an answer to her question, though he was uncertain of the actual possibility. He was not sure what actually made for a raid boss, how they were made or born. He did not know much to say no, but he could hope that if that was a goal they shared, Lucia and Alice, then he wouldn’t be the idiot who told them no.

Before he knew it, Lucia was inches from him, smelling of things he would enjoy in his mouth, fruits and tea. After stealing a glimpse of her face, a closer look of her skin, he turned to where she was pointing, squinting as he tried to zero in on those elven ears. Interesting...

❝ A regenerating duality of body and spirit… Have you tried doing that to a living person? Or do they all end up undead? ❞

Chrys frowned, a touch of sadness when she left his side. His frown remained when Lucia revealed her retirement plan of becoming undead. You would stay here? In this world? What about… He wanted to ask those questions but realized something he forgot to confirm: Was she even Starcalled? Or was she something else? Either way, she seemed to have already made her choice. It was not his place to argue.

His place was to observe, and in a way scrutinize, and scrutinize, he did, though mostly just the coins that were presented to him. Chrys had no intention to offend his host. He did not have a death wish. When he looked up, however, he was a bit surprised to see that Lucia was assimilating Alice. Then again, he realized he shouldn’t have been surprised at all.

❝ That actually makes more sense. ❞

She needed to be in control. Like all puppet masters should. It was less of a risk pulling the strings of one’s puppet than allowing the same puppet, with sentience but a lack of understanding of the finer details of life, especially human life, to pull hers. Pinocchio would accidentally strangle Gepetto.

❝ A spark? Something other than a soul? Have you, uhm, do you know the Magical Institute of Theory? ❞

Chrys had encountered several folks who were involved with that faction. While he preferred the much simpler life of an adventurer, far from the social expectations that came with being a knight or the physical struggles of an explorer, he could see the allure in knowing things. Perhaps, they had members who knew things like this as well, things that Lucia knows and has yet to know, things like how to deal with missing sparks and the like. Then again, some theories have yet to find their application.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

"A living person? No, no dear I couldn't torture someone with that kind of existence." She explained but if Chrys seemed confused, she'd crane her neck to one side puzzled by his confusion but explain regardless. "Imagine, if I animated your body, the skin, meat and bones and make it into an autonomous entity separate from 'you' but still fundamentally you. Then, suppose I pulled your soul from your body to do the same, writing off how that might be torture in and of itself. What would be left of 'you' if the meat of your body and spirit of your soul are turned into separate entities? Assuming anything was left of 'you' you would be left in a quasi conscious state screaming in silence unable to move or feel trapped in your own body forced to watch your life being lived by another you that was once part of what made 'you' you."

She let that imagery roll around without any more explanation. It worked for undead because Lucia didn't have to fear that kind of cruelty with undead, there was no spark or ego in the dead to be concerned about.

Of course, that wasn't to say it couldn't be done...

It was all theoretical but it wasn't outside of Lucia's wheel house after all of her time experimenting with magic and it's subtle potential for evolution. She believed it to have some stringent requirements but it wasn't impossible.

"Now, I'm not saying it can't be done, just that my power as a Necromancer, Heretical Mage and Saintess isn't best to achieve it. I could certainly teach people, but it requires some fundamental building blocks; a strong body for one, a powerful soul to match it and some kind of energy, magical or otherwise to galvanize the refinement process of both of them and create a chain between them. In this way, you refine your body and soul into shells with partial autonomy and when separation becomes necessary 'you' exist as some type of semi-ascended being that exists somewhere in the space between one point and the next."

She punctuated her little lecture with a sip of wine glancing at Chrys from over the glass. Experimentation after all was her hobby in this game. For her who played it as a strategy game developing core technologies were always a bigger priority then starting fights with flora and fauna.

Though hearing Chrys talk about the spark with uncertainty Lucia nodded along. It was a concept she found interesting even if it wasn't something terribly relevant to her own studies. It was something she came across purely by chance, something that she found curious but merely left it at that as it didn't have much to do with undead since Lucia wasn't in the business of making homunculi or facsimiles of life.

"Different from a soul, yes. It's what makes a soul uniquely 'you' and a body uniquely 'you'. It is that 'something' that you lose when you die, where it goes and how to retrieve it I can't say but without it, your body doesn't function without necromancy and your soul will move on or wither into a ghost without it. Necromancy you can say in a sense is the practice of replacing 'that' in corpses and souls with magic to create undead as we know them."

Though when he brought up the magical institute Lucia's brow furrowed in discomfort. Her face scrunched as if she'd swallowed something bitter. It made her glance at her glass and set it down, even pushing it away before reluctantly sighing. The institute... That was a name that brought the particular face of a certain person to her mind. The kind who ranted and raved and put on big explosive shows of self-aggrandizement with magic that shined brightly and comically.

The memory made Lucia visibly cringe. She remembered the woman inviting people to the institute and Lucia, seeing the type who acted as their emissary, immediately formed opinions of the place as an institute where people just studied bigger more colorful explosions or some other elemental equivalent of performative display.

Was it an effective display despite it's flashiness?
It very well could have been.
Did that matter to Lucia?
Unfortunately it did not.

For Lucia who enjoyed employing magic in subtle and refined ways, who preferred to use it with a muted pride and a disciplined hand, it was hard to see the institute as a place that would appreciate her methods and style.

She tried her best to tidy her expression before answering with a dry tone.

"I can't say the institute is the place for me dear. And as interesting as the identity of this 'spark' may be, it's not really super imperative to my work. Just a nugget I found out as a result of tests on Alice's capabilities in an effort to build my benchmark. As I said before the more pressing matter is how to get started and build her brother before she gets too far ahead of him. If there were anything currently bogging down my research it's unfortunately that... But you didn't come for my research did you?~"

She teased cracking her charming smile once more. As curious as Chrys was about Alice and her own plans after all, he was a man that didn't seem to have much of a stake in them outside of Alice's well being as far as Lucia knew. She wasn't sure what made him so curious about everything else.

 

[Chrys]

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❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

There was disappointment instead of confusion plastered all over his face. He had thought that it would be somewhat interesting for the concept to also be applied to living things, but Lucia had a point: It would be, in practice, torture. In theory, two things sharing one existence would be very efficient, wouldn’t it? Twice the amount of chores done. Twice the productivity. Twice the headache, apparently.

Chrys heaved a sigh in defeat, only for an eyebrow to raise at what Lucia had said next. Was it really possible? Given the theoretical requirements she had listed, maybe it was. He made a mental note to consult that associate of his from the Magical Institute of Theory. If he ever got the itch to further his curiosity on the matter post-Lucia. He had a feeling he wouldn’t. Not unless she was around.

❝ Hmm, that’s interesting. I always thought they were one and the same, but that makes— Are you all right, Lucia? ❞

Chrys tilted his head to one side, the confusion now taking over. Something seemed to have changed her demeanor, something he had said? All he did was ask questions. Maybe one of those queries shouldn’t have left his thoughts. Was it the Institute?

Fortunately for him, she seemed to have gotten herself back together. For a lack of a better term. Chrys heaved a sigh of relief, trying to do so discreetly but failing. He eased up in his seat, took another sip of his drink, and exhaled deeply. The last thing he wanted was to offend a necromancer while still in their domain.

❝ No, I’m sorry. I simply wanted to make sure Alice was…all right. ❞

Chrys omitted the part where he had thought Alice was being enslaved, exploited, and all that other political stuff he’d rather not delve into right then and there. It seemed he was wrong. Both parties were okay with their situation, and he was not of any moral high ground to pursue anything that would sour their relations. Besides, he was not in the state of mind, and body, to shelter another orphan. She’ll be fine. She’ll have a brother apparently.

❝ …but now that I’m here, I can’t say my curiosity didn’t get the better of me. I hope we get to continue our relations, business and…otherwise. ❞

Chrys smirked at that last bit. Lucia was the opposite of everything he thought Alice’s Owner would be. To her credit, as much as she was knowledgeable about her field, she was also somewhat playful. Very human. Not your stereotypical emo, goth, whatever. Or maybe he just wasn’t that knowledgeable in those fields, stereotypes. This seems like a good place to learn more as any.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

"One in the same, no... Most just don't have the need to differentiate that 'spark' from the soul. Normally using just the soul or the body is enough but, well, like I said, I have a retirement plan in mind for when I'm old and grey." Lucia explained with a chuckle. Though when asked if she was okay the thought of that woman made her sigh again. "Once upon a time someone invited me and others to the institute. Called themselves a grand witch something or another... Haaaa... The 'chaos' types aren't for me dear. All that wacky zany bouncing off the wall style isn't for me. Just remembering it is draining." She sighed as if it were burdensome.

Though when he mentioned Alice Lucia glanced down at her patting her head in an effort to be reassuring. Alice herself remained largely stoic, there was no need for her to talk or think when Lucia was around, it was easier if Lucia just said and made the decisions instead, but she did glance up between them as Lucia patted her and her gaze listed from one to the other when her name was mentioned.

"Alice is doing well. Even if she started as more of a parasite, at the end of her journey she'll be a good Undead Queen. An Apex predator and the peak of physical potential for Undead kind. Though I put a lot of pressure on her, it's only because I believe in her potential."

Though when talking about continuing business relations Lucia nodded. Contacts usually ended up being her most useful resource. Having people to support in events and quests with her summons tended to be her normal MO.

"Well of course. Whether it's leading a small campaign with the knights, playing the role of support, teaching magic, building a core or just adapting an Archtype, I do quite well." She offered even as she tried to sit back down. Though whether or not Chrys himself needed any of those services was up in the air. Even if he didn't he might know others that did.

 

[Chrys]

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❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

A grand witch? Chrys’ eyebrow shot up without even waiting for his brain to process the information. He’s had encounters with “grand” folks before, people with equal titles, some made-up, others earned, but never a grand witch. At least none he could remember.

So why did that sound…familiar? And why did a blurry face come to mind?

Chrys shook his head, attempting to chase the strange thought away. He succeeded. With a smile, he shrugged, agreeing to Lucia’s sentiment.

❝ You and me both. Chaos can hardly be dependable. I prefer stability over spontaneity. ❞

Chrys raised his glass, now close to being empty, toward Lucia. The thought that that would’ve made him seem boring didn’t even cross his mind. Years ago, it would’ve. He’d feel a pang of insecurity at being viewed as less exciting than the version of him in his mind. These days, after Song, he never felt that way ever again.

He was who he was. Out there, in the real world, or at least the world he came from, he had made a good stable life for himself and those he loved. Here, he had tried to do the same. Unfortunately for him, his attempts have been less successful. At least not as a tavern and funeral parlor owner.

Chrys has had better luck as an adventurer. At least based on his rank that was true. His many successful adventures would agree to that idea, though the lost companions may prove to the contrary. Still, he’s had better days, and these days, things were a little slow, boring. If not for this encounter with Lucia, all thanks to Alice, he might have died in his establishment finally.

But he digressed.

❝ Wouldn’t she become much harder for you to control if she turned into an Undead Queen? Like a teenager would rebel against their parents, so to speak. ❞

Chrys smirked at the reference, liking his own wandering thought. A part of him didn’t doubt Lucia’s control over Alice. Could be an actual thing. May just be some sort of gratitude effect on the inevitable Undead Queen’s part. Either way, they had influenced each other’s lives (or unlives?) so much, it’d be hard to violate that trust, that pact.

The other part of him has seen the opposite. Brothers turning on brothers for a crown. Sisters leaving each other for different pursuits. Best friends becoming strangers over time. Such things were simply inevitable. Nothing is ever constant but change.

❝ I’m glad you feel the same way. This could be the start of a very beautiful friendship. I’ll lend you my strength if you lend me your wisdom. Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me. I’ll always have time, and aid, for you, Lucia. ❞

Chrys offered her a nod and finally finished his drink, eyes never leaving her face. He knew she would make a most powerful ally, one that he would have to aspire to as much as keep watch on. This army of hers would no doubt attract all sorts of eyes as well, eyes that might prove to reignite the fire within him. This should be very interesting.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

"Tell me about it."

Lucia exhaled an exaggerated and overly dramatic sigh, flashed a charming smile. Indeed those overly chaotic for the sake of being loud and proud weren't for Lucia. Those few who were chaotic because their codes were unique, deeply personal and elusive were more to Lucia's taste. At least those types she appreciated, even if spontaneous, even if they were liars, they were commendable for adhering to their own code regardless of any external rulesets they might break in the process.

The question about Alice's potential betrayal though was amusing. Even as Lucia lifted her glass to tap Chrys's in an effort to be sociable Lucia shook her head drawing her glass back as she reached out to Alice's head affectionately.

"No, Alice won't betray me at least. It's something that you, and even I could never really understand in truth. But she could never--" "Alice will not betray her Owner... Alice... was not made blind and forced to stumble through the darkness for meaning... Alice exists for a purpose... A reason... To answer a question for Alice's Owner... This is Alice's purpose... This is why Alice exists..."

Alice was firm in her assertion. It made Lucia's smile mellow slightly as the small girl made such a firm and staunch stand. It was why Lucia said Alice's dedication and loyalty was something normal people couldn't understand. Human beings were born with nothing and developed dreams and ambitions among other things that led to betrayals.

But Alice was born with purpose.

Ambitions and dreams were relevant in the face of the meaning given to her by the destiny foisted upon her by Lucia by creating her. There was no greater goal then fulfilling the reason for her creation and seeing the experiment that brought her into being completed. Before that happened, Alice would always feel pressured and always feel desperate because she felt that every second she wasn't complete was another second she was failing.

"So she says."

Lucia teased as she glanced back to Chrys. Among all of her undead, Alice was certainly the one Lucia feared the least. The most concerning one was probably still Emerson at this point but that was another story.

Though unfortunately it seemed he didn't have a purpose for seeing her. It made sense, he came for Alice after all. Even if Lucia laid out the services she provided like a restaurant menu it would be hard to suddenly decide on a particular need out of the blue unless it was someone already stressed by a problem.

It was a shame though, it showed on her face that she was a little disappointed. She didn't often get to play the role of teacher or help build a archtype core, though it was rarely the reason people needed her, those types of consultations were always her favorite.

"Of course of course dear. There's plenty of opportunities should you ever need a hand. Though if there's nothing else I can help you with at the moment, I can at the very least have Emerson send you out if you need."

Lucia offered somewhat cryptically, a touch of mature mischief in her smile as she made the offer if he wanted help getting back to where ever he needed to be if he was already in a rush to go.

 

[Chrys]

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❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

Chrys narrowed his eyes toward Alice as she expressed utmost loyalty to Lucia. He had his doubts, sure, as he never really fully trusts anything. At least not 100%. But he had his hopes as well. As long as she’s fine, as long as a friend has made their decision, he has no problem letting them be.

❝ All right, then. I believe you. ❞

Chrys smiled, giving Alice a nod. There was no point in changing her mind, no real motivation for him to argue against her belief. He was a stranger here. He had no firsthand experience of what their relationship was, what they’ve gone through together. He can only imagine the things they’ve experienced as Owner and Corpse Collector. He decided not to.

❝ Emerson? Is he… He’s not going to harm me, is he? ❞

Alice had mentioned him earlier, and considering Chrys had no rapport with him, none whatsoever, his concern was justified. In fact, his concerns returned to him all at once. He remembered the way Alice looked before, after she transformed into her true form. Was Emerson like that? Was he worse?

❝ I have faith that you consider me a more useful ally than just another corpse, Lucia. Hehe. Should I ask for some sort of reassurance? I feel like I should. ❞

Chrys gulped. At the end of the day, he was not yet a corpse but he could very well be if they chose to make him one. After all, he was one man in their domain, a fly in their web. He could put up a fight, of course, take as many of them as he could if need be, though he hoped he didn’t need to get violent. He’d rather stay allies with her, even if he was feeling his time was getting shorter by the day. At the very least, my list of contacts should make me useful enough.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

"Faith is an important facet of everything after all." She nodded along in answer to his comment on believing. Particularly as a saintess for Lucia who had met a goddess from time to time it made sense. Though with Alice, she knew the girl well at least, provided there was no bizarre Akira 'become one with owner for perfection' thought Alice would never turn on her. And that thought would not cross Alice's mind with how strong Lucia's self-hatred was.

On the talk of hurting though Lucia couldn't help chuckling. Chrys was perhaps the most suspicious person she'd met when it came to her intentions and ability. While people normally were alarmed or freaked out by undead, normally her presence would calm them enough to have a normal discussion and by the end things would be more relaxed. With Chrys though it seemed every foreign element made him jumpy.

"She wouldn't. Emmerson's a bit peculiar but I wouldn't trust anyone else with transportation more. Isn't that right?" Lucia explained casually over her glass. As tipped it back though the response came from the side of the tent.

"Mais Miss, ain't no trouble. I can take 'im back to his place, no problem."

The voice was raspy, withered but feminine. It came from the side of Lucia's tent, a Wraith made from viscous smoke solidified. Head wrapped in bandage as if it were a burn victim with no eye or breath holes. Fog billowed from between the wrap like wild chaotic hair while braided bandage hung down here or there with hooks at the end resembling even more hair. She wore a navel officer's uniform with a long and heavy overcoat that was largely complete except a dozens of holes punched through here and there and a peg leg carved from a whale's horn.

The wraith was reclined, a sloppy posture, a lazy demeanor, a bottle of liquor matching the one that had poured Chrys's drink earlier that it occasionally brought up to moisten the bandage around the mouth until it was time to go.

Lucia took one glance to the familiar wraith before her eyes listed back to Chrys. "I don't have anyone that moves faster then Emerson at least." Lucia explained again though if he didn't want to take the ride back, she wouldn't force it. It was an offer since the walk out to her camp was probably not the most exciting.

 

[Chrys]

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❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

Chrys heaved a sigh of relief, if only momentarily. Lucia had no reason to harm him. It was simply his overactive imagination that fed him the unnecessary doubt. On the battlefield, whether in this world or his own, his often downplayed overthinking allowed him to survive horrible things, made him the Stalwart Defender that stood against more malicious and massive monstrosities. But this was not a battlefield, and there were no malicious and massive monstrosities in front of him. Hopefully.

❝ She? ❞

Chrys raised an eyebrow, caught surprised at the nonchalant revelation. Ever since he heard the name, he had thought Emerson was a man. Or at least what passed as a man for an undead. He had met someone with the same name before, he faintly remembered, a tinkerer who was most definitely a man. Names aren’t really bound to any gender, though… He had also met someone who shared his name, but she was not like him in any way, shape, or form.

❝ That…won’t be necessary. I wouldn’t want to impose on you and your…friends any further, Lucia. I’ll get back home on my own. ❞

Chrys frowned at the sight of Emerson, more at the thought that she might have been listening much earlier in their conversation. More than that? The realization that she had poured his drink made him even more embarrassed at his, well, lack of consideration. He had been thinking ill of this creature when she did not deserve it. At least she didn’t deserve it from the likes of him.

❝ Is that a naval uniform? Officer or pirate? I’ve had my fair share of encounters with both. ❞

Chrys beamed with pride. Whether fighting with or against either or both, he had admired men who braved the depths and vastness of oceans for their fearlessness and courage. Women more so. Could just be because he was a geomancer, rarely setting off on ships and the oceans, and the grass always seems greener on the other side of things. Could also just be too much Viking-related media. Either way, he had a newfound respect for the wraith woman, even if much of it was from his own guilt.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

"Mmm, I prefer 'privateer', though we don' see much a' the sea no more. Now me an' the boys, we surf the dirt more than the deep. Ain't so bad, though. Havin' them knights up front makes shootin' real fun-- like fish in a barrel, cher."

The wraith's cackle was raspy, dry despite the liquor. One could feel the immense restraint being exercised to reel the madness in it. The way her hands twitched holding the bottle, the way her shoulders shook as she laughed. You could almost feel the parched nature of a crazed animal kept on a tight leash, the type that it had resigned itself to after testing for too long, the type that caused it to turn to alcohol because there was a shortage of violence to fish for.

She didn't get to unwind too far though.

Just as the demented nature of the wraith began to grow too flagrant, it stiffened. A pointed look from Lucia was all it took for her to gradually lean back into the lazy and subdued posture once more. Soon the derangement drowned beneath boredom once again.

"Aye aye, no transportation duty today it is... Buncha buzzkills, all o' y'all."

Lucia could only exhale a sigh seeing the wraith pouring more expensive liquor onto it's bandage in a desperate attempt to stave off pent up aggression.

"Then in that case I won't keep you if you have pressing matters to attend. If you ever find yourself needing a hand though do sent a message, with Emerson I'm never really far from anywhere."

Lucia offered once she was certain the Wraith settled back down. She tried her best to see him off cordially. Though it was unfortunate there was no work, she did try to be a gracious host tilt he end.

 

[Chrys]

《⋯《 ⋯ ❖ ⋯ 》⋯》

❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

Chrys turned his head, almost instinctively, toward the wraith, the revelation of a well-storied past drawing him in like a moth to flame. Why he was surprised to hear her have a full life before her transformation, it never dawned on him. The only thing that mattered to him at that moment in time was satisfying his curiosity. She was a privateer?!

❝ You…and the boys? You were all alive before this? ❞

This was his life now. After most of his crew had gone, the random stories he could scrounge up from others kept him here in this world. That and it was less hectic compared to his own, with little stress and debilitating need to do this or that, get this or that. It may change soon, however, but for now, he preferred playing the supporting character to everyone else’s stories.

Speaking of someone else’s story…

Chrys slowly got up from his seat after finishing his drink. He didn’t seem like he was in a rush to go anywhere, go away, but he felt like he might be overstaying his welcome. Lucia might have other business to attend to, with others, undead or otherwise. Sad amber eyes on his glass, he offered her and Alice a warm smile, mustered through one more like it.

❝ Oh, no other pressing matters to attend for me… I’m mostly…retired these days, but I wouldn’t want to keep you when you might be needed elsewhere. By someone else. This was quite the pleasure, however. ❞

Chrys thought about bending to one knee but decided that might be too much. He also thought about offering Lucia a courtly bow, but again, too much? In the end, he resolved to just nod toward her, still wearing the same weak smile that brought about the bittersweet arrival of yet another ending. Then a concerning thought broke that feeling.

❝ Wait, you’re not… You’re not going to have me stalked or spied on by…her, are you? ❞

Chrys gulped. He would understand if she did. It would be a pretty logical move by someone who had her own undead army, her own undead domain. Despite their exchanges of niceties, loyalties, and such, he was still a stranger to her, a businessman just met.

He could understand her need to make sure that he would not be going around, screaming against undead monsters, and plotting with likeminded fools to march on this place to purge it for some unknown god’s crusade. He wouldn’t, mostly because that sounds like a hell of a lot of work for no actual gain, and that fact that was only known to him made her contingency sting.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The wraith hesitated to answer the question briefly. Emerson was the one kept on the tightest leash after all. She glanced to Lucia uncertain, but Lucia's response was a 3 fingered gesture, a subtle sign but enough for the wraith to know what could be said.

"Aye, dat's right. 'Cept the li'l one theree. Rest of us? Brought back by the Miss fo' one reason or 'nother. The knight, she's her Commander. The assassin's playin' butler. And me... The Miss wanted the Dreadnoughtilus."

The wraith offered casting a few weary glances Lucia's way to make sure it hadn't stepped out of the boundaries. When there was no reaction from Lucia though the wraith loosened up.

"But if y'ain't needin' me no more, I'ma go catch me a li'l shut-eye, yeah?"

Seeing as Chrys didn't mind the walk back and it wouldn't get a chance to cut loose the Emerson wouldn't tempt fate by bothering Lucia. She turned through the furniture she sat on falling through into the ground with a splash. The sounds of water and surf could be heard as she fell through the ground but it soon faded once she was gone from sight.

Lucia meanwhile dragged a hand through her own hair, though the wraith was gone from sight, they weren't ever really far from her.

"A pleasure indeed, I'm just glad if it wasn't awkward. I'm still not the most adept at small talk sad to say." Lucia explained with a sigh. It was part of that socially awkward reality bleeding into the game, but there wasn't much that could be done. She wasn't awkward enough for it to be interesting and wasn't normal enough to not be burdened by it sadly. "If you are retired though, I'd recommend finding a project. Something big and grandiose to occupy your time... In a world like this there's just so much time after all."

Perhaps a bit overly cryptic at the end, Lucia tried her best to offer advice since he seemed to be struggling with purpose. Particularly in Lucia's eyes who saw 'retirement' as something entirely different. Her own retirement would only start when she was older and gray, after a life of laying the foundation in game and in reality she'd log in one final time and UI lock herself before transitioning into an undead to ensure she could continue her work eternally.

Though when he talked about spies and all of that silliness though she couldn't help a weary and bitter smile in answer. It wasn't the first time people had been largely suspicious of her possibly backstabbing or betraying them but it was funny being so open about the suspicion.

"By Emerson? No, I have someone better for things like that." Not the best opener, but she continued with a dry tone. "I don't think I have much of a need to spy on anyone do I? I'm a religious figure from a publicly approved religion and a Duchess who was even a part of Astor's party when he was still adventuring. I don't think I could be more sanctioned then I already am."

Lucia confessed with a weary laugh. Sure she might not be a well known entity to the public but a big reaction wouldn't be able to occur without those figures who did know her noticing. From there all it would take is a brief exchange of messages to sort out the details of any accidents or mishaps.

"You'll be fine. Try not to lose sleep over it." She added in an effort to be reassuring.

 

[Chrys]

《⋯《 ⋯ ❖ ⋯ 》⋯》

❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

Chrys raised an eyebrow at the exchange, not really picking up on the unspoken conversation between Wraith and Owner but more curious about the hesitation. Did they think he was going to remember stuff like that after this encounter? I mean, I am a fudging lawyer. Oh, right. Anyway, that curiosity was short-lived, immediately replaced by a better one, the succeeding question he directed at Lucia as soon as Emerson dipped.

❝ The Dreadnoughtilus? ❞

Chrys’ brain immediately went to two things: the battleship from his homeland, HMS Dreadnought, and the fictional submarine from an ex-girlfriend’s homeland’s literature, the Nautilus. Heh, naughty-luce... Get it? Her name was Lucy. Make those three things, even though that third thought was extremely irrelevant. Oi, that’s bloody rude, innit? Stupid sexy writer.

Speaking of sexy…

❝ It’s fine. It’s not a big deal. I’m sure I wasn’t that great either. A little rusty, at the very least. ❞

Chrys offered her a warm smile, relating full well to her statement. He, too, hasn’t been great at small talk ever since… Well, he was never really great at small talk. Most of the time, he was too focused on the task at hand. Out there, where he had come from, he was paid by the hour, so to speak, and here, most employers weren’t as lackadaisical about their spending. After all, why would an unfortunate law-abiding citizen waste a single piece of gold with him asking about their dog?

There were a few times when he made for an interesting conversation, but those were extremely far and very, well, few in between, often spent with friends he’d made for longer than a cup of tea. He had a feeling he’d improve with Lucia, and maybe her with him, but that would take some time. And perhaps some shared trauma. For now, for their first meeting, this was enough.

❝ Yeah, sounds about right. I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks again, Lucia. ❞

With a nod, Chrys made his final farewell, bidding them both, and anything else that might be listening out of his view, his final adieu. At least for now that was true. Things might inevitable change for the next few days. He was sure they’d definitely meet again.

As he turned around for the exit, Chrys felt some semblance of pride in having kept himself from mentioning his two failed businesses in this world, technically big and grandiose projects that ultimately failed. They started out well, but due to his dwindling interest and several losses, well, they were what they were.

Time takes its toll on anything and everything, not just wounds or people. What was then may not be a few hours from now. Yet for some reason, Chrys felt a resounding confidence that this meeting was very fruitful. Only time can truly tell, however, and if he’s learned anything about time, it’s that—

❝ Oh, right, do you have a wagon I can borrow? ❞

—time does go faster when you're traveling on wheels.


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Lucia nodded along casually with the name. It had been a long and arduous adventure tracking it down after all, it was something she took some pride in and at the same time kept a bit close to the chest.

"The Dreadnoughtilus, yes. A legendary warship you could say, captained by an almost mythological folk-hero; Captain Luthor Harken. It's a story you might have heard from villages along the coasts here In Stokbon-- It is a long and somewhat... dirty story though. It might be better for you to look into it on your own and let us fill in the gaps rather then explain from the start."

She offered with a dry tone. Largely because it was a tale that came from a variety of perspectives. Depending on what your source was, the tale of the Dreadnoughtilus and Luthor Harken changed drastically. It was better to do some legwork before coming into the project Lucia had been trying to work her way through since Astorea became the player's kingdom.

Though when he seemed fine with her weakness for small talk she was a touch relieved. It was burdensome for her, those real life parts coming through in a game where she should have been her more ideal self. Luckily she seemed to do okay once again at least.

Asking for a wagon though, Lucia could only chuckle in answer. This was the reason she wanted to offer Emerson's services, it was simply faster then a wagon but if this was what the man needed, Lucia wouldn't try to judge his journey. "Alice, would you take care of it?" Lucia asked patting the small girl who had been stoically observing the conversation as it gradually drifted away from her. When it came back to her her head tilted briefly before she nodded.

"Mm... Alice will bring one... 130's wagon is new enough..."

The small girl formulated her plan and reached out to grab Chrys's arm to pull him along towards the tent's exit. Lucia would walk to the doorway with them, leaning against one post as she watched Alice pull Chrys through the undead camp looking through different piles of antiques until she found a good enough wagon for Chrys to take.

 

[Chrys]

《⋯《 ⋯ ❖ ⋯ 》⋯》

❰ Adventurers Guild ❱

Lucia’s place

Chrys took every tiny bit of information he could, knowing full well that it was all to satiate a personal curiosity. He’s been on a ship before, a seafaring vessel, and on it, he had faced the wrath of gods, a monstrosity he wouldn’t wish for even an enemy to face. So this Dreadnoughtilus thing? Absolute cinema. For him at least.

❝ Luthor Harken? Sounds like a good place to start. ❞

Stokbon was Chrys’ territory, so to speak. It was one of the two cities where he founded his businesses, one on each, both now in terrible states. If real life hadn’t troubled him as much, perhaps he could’ve given them the attention they needed. Alas, real life doesn’t really ask for anyone’s permission to screw anyone over. Besides, Chrys will manage. He has to.

❝ Again, thank you, Lucia. I’ll be off. ❞

With Alice leading him by the hand, Chrys smiled, forgetting for now the horror that she had become in his establishment not too long ago. The nightmare might resurface, but for now, it was a faint memory, slowly descending deep into the recesses of his mind.

As they browsed through the antiques, encountering other helpful undead, he found his fears no longer substantiated. They were half-remembered emotions, sinking in the quicksand of his gratitude.

At the end of the day, they were just like him. Oi, let’s not go that bloody far, bruv. I don’t stink like a corpse, yeah? He didn’t, not at the moment at least, but everyone ends up stinking like that at one point in their lives. Horrible ending. Chrys’ time will come. Wait, what?

《 《 The End 》 》

Spoiler

Chrys will return