Despite the constant warning signals I was receiving from my new skill, as far as I could tell there was nothing out there. However, rather than put
at ease, this observation just made
more nervous.
Long after the others had gone to sleep, tucked away safe in their tents, I stayed up, watching out in the darkness surrounding us. The torchlights illuminating our camp as a few other guards who had drawn the short shift played cards to pass the ti. Despite the light-hearted atmosphere, I could tell that nearly everyone in the camp was in danger, those still awake most of all. Over ti I had realized that [protective instincts] could be applied to anyone I was interested in monitoring, but dealing with too many beca an overwhelming task. The feelings of heightened danger and anxiety appearing all around
did nothing to help, and only put
in a bad mood.
After a while of testing out my new skill, investing additional points into it as needed, I ca to the realization that whatever it was that was threatening us was in so way fixated on . Whoever drew near
was marked with an increasingly dangerous aura, sothing that forced
to an isolated area of the camp away from as many people I could, while still able to monitor the situation.
That was my plan at least, but a certain girl seed intent on foiling my plan by unwittingly putting herself in harms way. At so point in the night, after shivering on the ground, Marcella had drawn up the courage to look for
herself. Knowing that I had been willing to barter with her rights earlier today, she seed intent on pushing her luck for more.
"Keaton, could I have a blanket?"
Both the danger that she was in and the banality of her concerns were sothing that annoyed
to no end, watching her half-heartedly as I paid far more attention towards catching whatever was out there than dealing with a stuck-up prisoner who had already forgotten that this treatnt was part of her punishnt.
Her puppy-dog eyes watching
like I would have to be the cruelest of persons to refuse her such a simple request.
"Just a few days ago you cut
in half," I spoke sharply, snapping her out of whatever delusions she was holding onto. Seeing her stumble over her words as she tried to justify herself, as much to
as to herself.
"I only want a blanket." She finally collected herself, putting on a stern expression as she turned the accusation back on , so of her adventurous spirit already beginning to as revive as she gathered her courage, apparently already having forgotten what her current situation was.
I could tell the danger she was in was increasing by the second, whatever it was that was out there was oddly fixated on , and here Marcella was, making herself into the biggest target possible while demanding things of , her master. My eyes sharpening to a point as I decided on giving her a bit of scare, both for her own good, and as a way of reminding her of her position.
"I told you before, I'm not giving you anything for free. If you want sothing, you'll have to earn it. Coming here so late at night and asking for favor, it couldn't be that you intend to seduce
for it?" I asked an-spiritedly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her next to . Intentionally misreading her intentions as an excuse to tease her, sowhat enjoying the panic my actions had caused.
Marcella's face was now rigid with fear, the blood draining visibly as she watched
take her actions in a direction she clearly didn't intend, frightening her even more when she realized that if I truly wanted her she had no way to refuse .
"Keaton..! T-that's not what I ant, I'm sorry. I won't ask for a blanket. I-I'll leave now." Struggling in vain to pry my iron like fingers from her wrist.
"What else could you possibly have had in mind?" I said while closing around her in an embrace, whispering into her ear like the devil she thought I was.
"I-I only ant to do so work for you."
"So late at night?" My breath running down her neck.
"No! N-Not like that, I only ant the kind of work you had
do this evening. I wanted to see if you could let
do sothing else... anything else. Please... anything else but this. " Marcella was now almost at the verge of a breakdown, stifling her tears as she spoke. The reality that she was a slave was beginning to set in, forcing her to realize just how vulnerable she truly was.
Seeing her get to this point, I felt satisfied enough. Even if I wanted to teach her a lesson, I didn't want her spirit totally collapsing on . I liked that part of her after all.
"Willing to do anything?" I asked her, letting out sothing of a chuckle, loosening my grip on her arm.
She nodded gratefully, taking my cue to escape the current situation.
"If you have anything that is... otherwise I don't mind sleeping on the ground, i-it's really no problem."
Bidding her to wait, I retrieved a small vial of my blood that I had stored within my inventory, a dilute solution that I had Cal help with, mixing it with herbs to preserve the vitality. Of course I already knew what the 'side-effects' were, but it would be endlessly entertaining to watch Marcella struggle with it.
"I may have sothing for you... there's a new potion Cal and I have developed. Drink this nightly, describe the effects to ... and sothing can be done about your sleeping arrangents."
"What kind of potion?" She eyed it wearily, hesitating sowhat about drinking sothing she didn't know.
"If we told you what it was then that would defeat the point, the effects need to be clear and obvious, otherwise who would buy it just off the words of a slave? If you're worried about the effects, I'm told it's quite beneficial to the body." Urging her to drink as I passed along the vial.
Her cheeks flushing shortly after.
"Anything yet?"
She shook her head, flustered. But her pride preventing her from admitting the state her body was in after having just imbibed a rather potent aphrodisiac.
Summoning out a blanket, I threw it over to her. "You've earned it, so go find sowhere to sleep and leave
be."
Wanting to be alone for the mont, at least until I could discover what was causing my skill to scream danger at . Still on the look out in case anything popped up at the last second, I watched as Marcella disappeared back into the camp, heading in the direction of Tammy and Belle's tent. The danger she was in waning with every step she took away from . All of the collective danger I was feeling in the camp disappearing the mont I was alone as the faint touch of wind and feathers soundlessly caressed my back.
I couldn't help but feeling that I was no longer alone, and my suspicions confird not a second later as a long tongue flickered over my shoulder before coming to rest there, the slimy cold touch feeling sowhat disgusting against my neck. A rancid sll like a corpse emanating from the appendage, like whatever's creature this was had just feasted on rotting flesh.
My response slowed by the unexpected sequence of events, I couldn't help but turning my head reluctantly, afraid of what I would see.
My eyes greeted by an unbelievable sight; beady eyes peering out from a crow-headed mask made of stitched leather, a long tongue like an ant-eaters retracting back through an opening in the beak.
"I was wondering when she'd leave... too bad I didn'tssssss have to eat her." The crow-like abomination said with lisp. It's body covered by black feathers.
Keaton's stat window
Spoiler
Keaton Pel Level 9 Attributes STR15DEX17CON75INT11WIS10CHA14Equipped Status Points:0Skill Points:6Class:Adventurer lvl 25, Guardian lvl 1Skills:Physical Boost MAX, Inventory lvl 3, Soft Steps MAX, Protective Instincts MAXAvailable Adventurer lvl 25Physical Boost MAX, Inventory lvl 3, Soft Steps MAXAlchemist lvl 17Identification MAX, Cultivation MAXArcher lvl 1Aim lvl 1Assassin lvl 1Stealth lvl 1Barbarian lvl 1Instinct lvl 1Blacksmith lvl 3Blacksmithing lvl 1Brutalist lvl 1Crushing Blows lvl 1Commoner lvl 4Lesser Stamina lvl 1Cook lvl 4Cooking lvl 1Farr lvl 3Farming lvl 1Fighter lvl 4Fighting Sense lvl 1Guardian lvl 1Protective Instincts MAXLeatherworker lvl 3Leatherworking lvl 1Pathfinder lvl 10Navigation MAX, Quick Steps MAXPhysician lvl 3Anatomy MAXPoisoner lvl 1Poison Constitution lvl 1Potter lvl 3Sculpting lvl 1Rogue lvl 1Dagger Mastery lvl 1Swordsman lvl 20Sword Mastery MAX, Sword Edge lvl 5, Sword Aura lvl 1Spearman lvl 3Spear Mastery lvl 1Steward lvl 3Managent lvl 1Tailor lvl 3Tailoring lvl 1Tornter lvl 1Intimidation Aura lvl 1[collapse]
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