“You won't get away with cheap tricks like those, Elena.” Lorena replied, her tone not faltering in the slightest.
“No...” the woman in question whispered. “A new Halve... how long has it been? I know! Inform His Excellency Perculis! He'll vouch for .”
What the fuck.
“Perculis is dead,” I told her. “Everyone knows that.”
A few seconds of silence followed my words. Lorena never took her eyes off of Elena.
“What...?” her voice was barely a whisper that she almost choked on. “His Excellency Perculis... dead?”
“Don't act like you don't know,” I retorted. “Who are you, anyway?”
“I was... born in 54.780, Photem's Third Era, Fifth Age of E'er. My na is Elena Pazh'Khun” she quickly said, looking at each of us. “I was going to join Her Excellency Yulianna. We're supposed to track down an Ijir'en that threatens a Jorrksuuv nest near Koluum.”
“That happened over two thousand years ago,” Lapia scoffed. “Don't lie!”
“I'm not!” the woman insisted, her eyes going everywhere. “Please, these are trumped-up charges!” her eyes found mine and her face turned pleading, “Your Excellency, please! I have not done what these people claim. I swear!”
“You tried to kill barely twenty minutes ago,” I argued, arching my eyebrows. “Now you try to pull nas out of nowhere... seems really suspicious to . Nas, I must add, of people either dead or out of reach.”
“If she's telling the truth, that ans she's three thousand five hundred and twenty years old,” Lapia muttered, squinting at the woman still on the ground.
“I have proof!” the woman insisted, slowly bringing her right hand to her ear where the storage item was. “I... where's my earring? No... there are docunts that prove my identity... please...”
I looked at Alyssa. She was staring at the woman with a raised scaly eyebrow. Her eyes t mine and I gestured for her to follow as I stepped away.
We walked to an empty spot behind so bushes.
“Did you see any signs of mind control?” I asked her in a low voice, glancing at the panicking woman.
“No, her mind was broken,” the Luzo shook her head. “A mind-controlling spell or curse can't do that.”
I nodded. “What do they do? Do people beco like puppets?”
“Not really,” she replied, looking up at . She sighed and scratched her left horn. “How do I explain this? A person rembers everything they did when they were under such effects. That's why they are questioned after lifting the mind control. It's more like... an inescapable suggestion... they don't change drastically, but new ideas are slowly added to their minds? Mind controlling people is a really difficult thing to do because people are deeply in tune with their minds after integrating their second class. The mind is not so easily influenced.”
“Okay, got it,” I muttered with a sigh. Then, I closed in on her, “You see, I spoke Abyssal and she kind of broke down. Cried blood and all.”
Alyssa's eyes widened to their limit at my words.
“I... see,” she nodded, looking at in deep thought. “Maybe you erased her mory?”
“Wouldn't that erase her classes, too?” I asked, thinking of the class-mory thing.
“Not... really,” she slowly replied, squinting her eyes as she thought about what I said. “Classes rest in the unconscious' dormant mory as you should already know. That's deeper than mind control. Surface mories can be altered if you damage the brain's frontal cortex. I repaired the damage, so... maybe you broke everything, returning her mind to two thousand years ago.”
I stared at her for a few seconds.
“Can that happen?” I asked, a little skeptical. “Are there any monsters that can erase mories?”
She nodded, a complicated expression on her face.
“There are a few,” she confird. “So can steal mories, others can erase them, others copy them. So can add fake mories, and people think them illusions or hallucinations. Sotis they believe the new mories to be theirs, mostly young Chasers or inexperienced ones, and things can get really complicated. Classes are never involved in these events, otherwise the monster would gain them. There is one monster, however, that can go that deep,” she bit her lips for a second, her scaly brows knitting together. “The Mind Flayer. They guard Blood Fiends' nests. Extended exposure may result in class loss. They're incredibly dangerous.”
“Holy hell,” I whispered. “So, we could say Abyssal can erase mories? That'd explain her reaction. She was calling 'Halve scum' a while ago.”
“Hmm,” she thought for a second. “No, I think Abyssal breaks the mind, which is what I healed. There was no brain damage, however. Other than a small concussion at the back of her head.”
“Yeah, she hit a tree after I used Intimidate Prey,” I nodded.
“What's that?” she perked up, looking at . “You used Intimidate Prey?”
I nodded.
“And she didn't jump to fight you?” she asked, an understanding spark in her eyes.
“No, she didn't,” I confird with a nod. “She actually told to kill her.”
“I see...” she muttered with a smile. “If she was capable of speech after receiving your Intimidate Prey, then she definitely had sothing else on her mind that prevented your warcry from working. Thing is... she won't rember because you broke her mind.”
“Also, trees weren't uprooted and flattened,” I pointed out. “Maybe I subconsciously held back?”
She giggled.
“No, Natasha,” she shook her head. “Trees have stronger roots around here. I assu you refer to your encounter with the 'ik?” I nodded and she continued, “Those were young trees. Riverfield is not as old as Lakeview, so trees are harder to cut down, or moved, around older cities as they absorb E'er with ti.”
“Ah, okay,” I nodded again, it wasn't that far-fetched. “So, she was probably mind controlled, but we won't know... and we can't get info from her... because I erased her mories?”
“Most likely,” she replied with a nod. “I'd suggest you don't speak Abyssal when dealing with sentient beings unless you're absolutely sure they have no important information.”
I let out a long sigh.
“Looks like I fucked up,” I muttered, scratching my left ear.
“In a way, yes,” she whispered, bringing her right hand to my face. “But it's alright. There are fates worse than death, and this isn't one of them.”
We returned to the others and I let out a long sigh again.
Lost the biggest lead, I thought. Fuck dead.
“So,” I began, showing Elena the earring. “I have your storage item. We'll have a talk back at Lakeview.”
The woman nodded, a little relieved. Lorena produced so rope and tied the Elf's hands behind her back. The rest of the watchers assud formation and our group mounted up.
Lorena guided Elena, the Tigea pushing the Elf's back. Nino, the Cleric boy, followed behind Zenno, the Watcher Cleric.
On the way, I looked at the sky and let out an annoyed snort.
What a waste of ti.
I focused back on the path and kept quiet as we circled around the town through the forest, avoiding the lake of the shore. We ca to the road that followed all the way to Mountroad, then we turned towards Lakeview.
The town's entrance was pretty basic. A wall of stone so twenty ters high. A big door opened to let the Watchers inside, and we followed.
The streets were simple cobblestone, the buildings wood. It was pretty cozy for a vacation. The dungeon was a kiloter to the east, just outside the city. We took our sweet ti clearing it, I mostly observed how everyone fought when we went there.
As we moved further into the town, we ca to the Watchers office. We left our mounts on the rest post next to the building and went in after the Captain. The woman guided us to a small room, and Alyssa the only ones interested in what the woman had to say. Lapia didn't give a single fuck, Yolin was satisfied with the healing, Pokora declined, Bonte chose to stay out, and Bromisnar joined the catboy.
I stood next to a wall, Alyssa on the other side of the room. A low table had Elena and Lorena staring at each other. The Elf had her hands tied behind her back still, and her face was patient.
“So, Elena,” Lorena began. “You claim to have no recollection of the events leading up to the attempt at Lady Natasha's life. Is-”
“Don't call a Halve by na, young woman!” Elena berated the Captain. “How dare you!”
“I gave her permission,” I comnted, checking my silver nails.
I had stored my armor, the leather garnts the only thing on my body. And underwear, obviously.
The Elf nodded at my words.
“Your Excellency,” she called to . “May I hear your na?”
“Natasha Novak,” I replied, a little bored. “Call by na.”
She gulped.
“Could you... please check my storage item for docunts that prove my identity?” Elena asked with a fair amount of respect.
I checked the item, but had a hard ti identifying which items were docunts, and which weren't. So, I pulled out one by one. Naturally, I went for items that weren't blatant weapons or armors, so anything resembling written docunts.
A book titled 'Anatomy of the Penis, How to Please Any Species' materialized in my free hand.
Okay?
I put it in my storage for the ti being. If I put it back into the earring, I'd lose track of the items. Next, a book titled '200 Positions to Conquer a Man in a Single Night', ca out.
Mhm... Saw this one in Riverfield.
I stored it and pulled another. 'Incelf: Myth or Reality? A study of High Libido in the Long Lived'. I used every point of strength available to not laugh. The following books were similar, all sex or romance related.
Noticing the three waited for made speed the process.
“What am I looking for?” I asked after 'The ABC's of Vaginal Pleasure'.
A world where won are sexually liberated must have more information than a backwards Planet like Earth, I thought, squinting at the book.
“A thin plaque, Your Excellency,” she muttered quietly with a bit of sha. She had eyed the books I pulled out. Maybe I was exposing her.
I nodded and searched for the thing. I ca across three items that resembled plaques and pulled them out.
They were credit card-sized plaques in various colors and materials. The first was black, the second was golden with a very beautiful 'H' carved on it, and the last one was a white tal.
I read the black one first. 'Honored Guest of Paar'khan Ladies Orgy House for Single Won' was stamped on it, probably E'eral Obsidian by the feel of it. The words were clean, crisp, and incredibly legible. I was surprised by the text being in Common.
I smirked at the item and put it back.
The golden plaque had 'Proof of Ownership of Halven Items – Issued by Her Excellency Yulianna Kavun'. It had a little text on the back:
'To any who it may concern: Elena Pazh'Khun is permitted to carry weapons and armor of Halven origin. You are not allowed to take these away. I, Yulianna Kavun, shall know of the theft of such items and will pursue you with deadly consequences to your entire family and organizations. No questions asked.
If one of my kin cos across this ssage, I vouch for Elena. She has served well for a thousand years. Greetings, my kin.'
I stared at the plaque for a few seconds.
I should get one of these. But how could she know? Is there a mark or sothing? I wondered as I glanced at the Elf.
“Recognize this?” I asked her, waving the plaque.
She shook her head.
Figures. She rembers going to et Yulianna, not having joined her for... a thousand years.
I read the last plaque. 'Proof of Identity – Elena Pazh'Khun. Faeton Elf born in the tenth day, seventh month, 54.780, Photem's Third Era, Fifth Age of E'er. Red hair, turquoise eyes, ehelen skin.'
Next to the color na was a small dot that showed it. I glanced at the Elf and back to the plaque. Everything was in order. The 'ehelen' color was caral, I noticed.
I nodded and walked to the table, then put everything in front of the woman.
“Checks out,” I confird.
Lorena scowled.
“Her mind was broken,” Alyssa joined the conversation, looking at Lorena. “I healed her after Natasha dealt with her. I suspect she lost her mories due to an unfortunate strike. I'm sure you noticed her head bleeding.”
Elena looked at Alyssa, then at . She smiled and nodded to herself.
What? Got a gaydar? I wondered, squinting at the Elf.
Lorena let out a long sigh that turned into a groan.
“Alright,” she went over the plaques and scratched her head for a bit. “This got complicated. Lady Alyssa, was there any trace of mind control?”
The Luzo nodded, looking at the table.
“ and Natsha concluded there was enough evidence to point in that direction,” she said. “Her mind was beyond repair, and her... extre change in attitude would be explained by loss of mory.”
“About that,” Elena spoke up. “Could you tell what year it is? You said Perculis died... how long ago was that?”
“Three hundred years ago, Perculis passed away of old age,” Lorena inford her. She produced a pocket watch and continued, “It is the twenty... second day of the fourth month, year 1980 Yiama's Era, Fifth Age of E'er.”
Elena's face paled.
“So the Domi Elf's words were true...” she muttered. “I... can't rember more than a thousand years of my life. How... why? Where is Her Excellency Yulianna?”
“In Makah,” Alyssa replied. “She left Leks after Perculis death. No one has reported any findings about her.”
“Nilenna is looking for her,” I supplied. “So... just wait?”
Elena's face turned pained, then she closed her eyes and tears began pouring out.
This is the result of wanting dead, I thought, staring at the suffering woman. I was a little angry I lost the lead, but at the sa ti conflicted at making her lose two thousand years worth of mories.
I sighed. But the most I felt was pity for the woman. Probably used against her will to try and kill a Protector, the kind she apparently was pretty close to.
Good thing I didn't kill her, I thought. Still, Yulianna may want to say sothing about it. How do I even contact other Halves? How did Nilenna find ?
I shook my head. That was a problem for another ti.
Reviews
All reviews (0)