“Truly?” Agna’s words came out in a mixture of awe and disbelief. “You’ve already rid us of that… monster?”
“Vistaal was going to hurt Kyrah,” I stopped my pacing and replied as calmly as I could. “I was only trying to protect her.”
“After all these years, she’s finally dead.” Agna seemed stunned as she dropped onto one of the rough pelts. She’d spoken so softly that I almost couldn’t hear her, yet there was a deep sense of anguish etched on her face.
“Who did she take from you?” The source of Agna’s pain became all too obvious as I sat down beside her.
“My son.” She never glanced up from between her feet as she whispered her reply. “And my mate.”
“She stole them from me and left me with nothing.” Tiny droplets of water fell from Agna’s face and landed on the coarse fur that lined the floor.
“Tell me that you made her suffer.” Agna’s face was streaked with tears when she finally looked back at me with her red-rimmed eyes. “Promise me that she knew pain before you killed her.”
I recalled the perplexed look on the Nér-vrogan’s face as my sword impaled her. “She did. Vistaal saw her end coming before she died.”
“For that alone, I would follow you to the ends of the Earth, Ashíel.” She let out a deep breath as a profound sense of relief washed over her. “The souls of my loved ones can rest now that they’ve been avenged.”
As powerful as Agna’s grief was, I knew that she wasn’t alone in her agony. Although the Nér-vrogan held sway over a large swath of territory, their depravities weren’t even constrained by those vast borders. Every day they claimed new victims; an endless parade of misery and death wreaked upon the innocent. A feeling of absolute outrage rose up inside me at the thought of their unchecked abuses, and I recognized the true source of my anger. I’d inherited a great deal from Dreya, and for the first time in many years, I was proud of the gifts my divine mother had given me.
“Vistaal is only the first.” I allowed my rage to flow out freely, illuminating the small cavern with a dim green light. “Before I’m through with them, the Nér-vrogan will know what it feels like to be prey.”
“We still have to reach the Free Lands.” I let the light slowly fade from my eyes when I spoke again. “There’s a long way to go, so we should probably get some sleep.”
“Does she do that often?” I overheard Agna’s faint whisper as I bundled myself up in my lone blanket.
“No,” Kyrah’s unease was clear in her soft reply. “But even once was more than enough for me.”
16
Although I tried to pretend nothing had happened, I couldn’t help but notice both my companions repeatedly glancing my way as we got ready the next morning, and I could only hope that their ‘admiration’ would diminish over time. I was barely comfortable with the idea of having real friends; the mere thought that they might be followers of mine was extremely discomforting.
After packing up our belongings, Agna resumed leading us northwards. As we ventured farther into goblin territory, the surrounding forest grew extremely dense, more so than any other we’d passed through, and it seemed as if we were quite well-hidden as we traveled among its thick layers of foliage. The illusion of safety abruptly vanished when a crude arrow shot out from a clump of brush, taking Kyrah in the shoulder.
Even though our enemies were concealed among the foliage, Agna charged forward, rushing towards the location where the arrow had come from. Despite my concern for Kyrah, I knew we had to win the battle before I could tend to her injury. Yet rather than follow after Agna, I remained where I was and launched an entirely different kind of assault against our foes.
While the dense cover hid them well, it offered no protection against what I had planned—in fact, it only made them more vulnerable to my counterattack. With a quick series of motions, I cast Blaze and flung a ball of burning hot fire directly into the center of their shelter.
The dry tinder that littered the forest floor instantly burst into flames, and the sound of crackling wood mingled with screams of agony as several goblins rushed out to escape the fires. The first few died beneath the slashing cuts of Agna’s scimitar, while I launched shafts infused with both Swarm and Elemental Arrow to take out the rest of them. Although we’d put a quick end to the goblin menace, the flames I’d set in motion were rapidly growing into a conflagration, one we needed to escape before it consumed us. Fortunately, Kyrah’s wound didn’t appear to be quite as bad as I’d feared, and Agna helped me carry her a safe distance away before I stopped to tend to her injury.
“I’m sorry about that,” I said, wincing at the dark arrow embedded in her flesh. “I didn’t realize that the Reflection Spell had expired.”
Casting magic was still fairly new to me, and I simply wasn’t used to all its requirements. Kyrah would have been unharmed if it hadn’t been for my stupid mistake, and I felt as if I’d completely failed her.
“You can apologize all you want after you heal me,” Kyrah managed to joke through her clenched teeth.
Despite her attempt at humor, all I could do was nod back as I reached for my healing crystals. I’d been able to tend Agna’s wound with my own magic, but Kyrah’s injury seemed a bit worse than that, and I wasn’t quite sure my talent was up to the task.
Agna helped hold her steady while I prepared to remove the shaft, and Kyrah swallowed hard as she braced for the pain. Looking her in the eye while I gripped the arrow, I held Kyrah’s gaze as I yanked it free. Her face went deathly pale as she endured a wave of excruciating agony, and Kyrah slumped into unconsciousness when it proved too much for her to bear. Although it was obviously a traumatic experience, I was grateful she no longer had to endure the pain. Quickly pressing one of my red crystals against the torn flesh caused her mangled skin to knit itself back together, and I was relieved to see Kyrah’s cheeks flush with color once again.
“Take some of these,” I said, passing Agna a handful of healing crystals and potions. “You may need them if you get hurt, and I can’t reach you in time. Use the potions for lesser wounds; the crystals are much more powerful.”
“I can’t take these from y—” Agna began to protest before I abruptly cut her off.
“They’re not just for you to use on yourself, Agna,” I reminded her. “You may also need to heal Kyrah or me if one of us is injured.”
With a nod, Agna slipped the crystals and potions I’d given her into one of her belt pouches. Considering the near-complete absence of such magic from her world, I could only imagine how it must have felt for her to possess such powerful objects, yet I had no regrets about handing them over to her. We’d been fortunate so far, but had I been incapacitated or unable to reach either of them quickly enough, Agna or Kyrah might have perished without them. As soon as Kyrah regained consciousness, she too would receive her own supply of healing magic, and we’d all be safer for it.
After waiting for some time, it became apparent that Kyrah was in no hurry to awaken, so Agna and I made a rough sling from a few sturdy branches and one of our blankets before trundling her through the forest. Dragging Kyrah along slowed our progress considerably, and we barely managed to reach the shelter of another one of Agna’s hidden retreats before the forest became pitch dark. Only after I’d settled Kyrah in beneath a layer of covers did I notice the faint outline of the dark circles under her eyes, and I finally realized why she’d been sleeping for so long. Healing magic often came with a price, typically a severe case of exhaustion, but in Kyrah’s case, the cost was something quite different.
“I’m going to have to feed her when she wakes up,” I noted, trying to prepare Agna for what I knew would come next. “So far, that’s been a somewhat… intense experience for both of us. You’re going to have to allow us some privacy when the time comes.”
Although I hadn’t exactly disclosed what that meant, Agna clearly recognized the implication of my words. She only nodded in response, of course, but even though Agna said nothing, the sli
ght arching of her brow told me that she understood what I’d left unsaid.
Once I’d placed my traps around us, I finally allowed myself to rest and have something to eat before getting ready for bed. Considering Kyrah’s condition, I decided to lay down next to her, ensuring that I’d be right there at her side the moment she woke. Even though she was unconscious, with Scar gone and no fire to warm me, I think I needed her company more than she needed mine. Despite the comfort of her presence, sleep still managed to elude me, and I sought the diversion of my notifications to pass the time.
Experience gained – You have gained 165 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 165 XP.
With a quick glance at my sheet, I discovered that the seven goblins we’d killed left me less than 800 XP away from gaining a level; the first I’d actually get to ‘see,’ so to speak. Dreya had explained the process to me, and I felt a powerful sense of anticipation at the prospect of experiencing it for myself. The idea of observing one’s own advancement had always seemed so strange, but now that it was actually happening, I was overcome with a profound sense of accomplishment. It would’ve been helpful to have her there to guide me through it, but I only had my own misplaced bitterness to blame for Dreya’s absence. The thought certainly put a damper on my enthusiasm, so I closed the window and pulled my blankets around me as I tried to fall asleep.
Kyrah still lay beside me, but through her slightly parted lips, I could see the sharp points of her long canines—although she remained unconscious, her hunger had obviously returned. With all she’d been through, I knew she needed to rest, so I simply rolled up my sleeve and gently guided Kyrah’s mouth towards my forearm. I wasn’t sure if she would be able to feed while she slept, but I felt the slight pressure of her biting down on me the moment I pressed her lips against my skin.
I braced myself for the heat that I knew would follow, but it never came—I definitely felt something, it just wasn’t the strong desire that had been there before. Unlike the previous occasions, there was only a sense of affection, and our encounter had a far more… nurturing quality than it had before. I wasn’t the only one who had a very different experience; although Kyrah wrapped her arms around me, it was only to hold on to me while she fed.
As Kyrah drank, I held her in return, stroking her hair as I tried to soothe her. The stark difference in the nature of our interaction was almost overwhelming. Without the prior complications and concerns over whether or not I was influencing her somehow, I found myself truly enjoying it this time. When Kyrah finally pulled away and rested her head against my shoulder, I let out a contented sigh, knowing that I’d been able to give her what she’d needed with no strings attached.
“That wasn’t what I expected.” Having completely overlooked her presence nearby, I startled at Agna’s words. “Nér-vrogan cullings tend to be either violent or… abusive, yet what I just saw was more like feeding a babe than anything else.”
“Perhaps it is.” I couldn’t really say for sure, but her description seemed accurate enough. “Not only do we care for each other very much, but as you know, Kyrah is only half Nér-vrogan.”
“I know you wanted to be left alone, and I didn’t mean to intrude, but I’m glad to have witnessed that.” Agna’s eyes drifted between us when she responded. “I think I finally understand how different she is.”
“Kyrah is quite special,” I replied, still running my fingers through her hair as she slept. “Just like you are. I don’t think we all came together by accident.”
Although I wasn’t ready to accept their opinion of me as some sort of savior, I couldn’t deny that meeting the two of them was obviously more than just fortuitous. Vistaal would have killed Kyrah had I not been there to intervene, and Agna’s connection to that horrible Nér-vrogan ‘Lady’ was no coincidence either. Both of them had benefitted from the death of that ghastly woman, just as I’d benefitted from having them as my companions.
“I’m beginning to realize that as well,” Agna whispered back to me.
We spoke no more as each of us tried to fall asleep. With a quick glance at Kyrah, I was happy to see that the strained look had been banished from her face. Even more than that, I felt a tremendous sense of relief at finally being able to feed her without invoking any of the powerful emotions that had come over us before.
I’d heard all the stories of Dreya’s early days, and she’d been surprisingly honest with me about some of their aspects. Although the tales that commonly circulated were somewhat… sanitized, she’d told me just how distressing her early relationships had been. I never truly understood why they’d been so troubling for her; the thought of having someone fall madly in love with you seemed like a dream come true to me. It wasn’t until later that I began to understand her difficulty somewhat better, and only after I’d experienced it myself that I really grasped the issue.
It was a terribly empty feeling to not know whether the love you felt was actually shared or had simply been forced on another. While I didn’t know if there would ever be something more than friendship between Kyrah and me, whatever the bounds of our relationship were, I needed to know that they were real. With the uncomfortable issue of our interaction apparently resolved, I was able to drift off more easily, knowing that Kyrah was sleeping soundly beside me fully recovered from her ordeal.
Agna and I both rose shortly after dawn, but we allowed Kyrah to sleep while we ate and made ready for the path ahead. When she finally woke, Kyrah glanced about in confusion, obviously unsure of how she’d wound up swaddled in blankets inside a cave. The subject of her midnight feeding would have to wait until we had a moment alone, so I relayed an abbreviated version of the events that had occurred for her.
“Keep these with you at all times,” I finished by passing her a bundle of healing potions and crystals. “You’ll need them if you’re hurt, and I can’t get to you.”
Unlike Agna, Kyrah accepted my gift without any protest; her recent injury likely having some influence in that regard. With the crystals taken care of, and our conversation about Kyrah’s feeding temporarily delayed, there was only one more uncomfortable subject I had to deal with that morning.
“Agna,” not knowing how she’d respond, I braced myself for almost anything. “After our fight, I salvaged some of the armor from your fallen companions. I intended to use it to protect Kyrah, but I’m not sure how you might feel about that.”
I’d not only forgotten to keep Reflection in place, but in the aftermath of that battle, I had completely overlooked the sections of armor I’d packed away. Kyrah’s injury had been a stark reminder of both those failures, and after correcting the first of them, I sought to address the other.
“The orcs you killed were friends of mine, Ashíel, and I mourn their loss,” she responded, and I couldn’t help but cringe a little at her words. “But they fell in combat against a worthy foe, and I see nothing wrong with you taking advantage of the spoils of battle.”
“Thank you,” I sighed, feeling the tension flow out of my shoulders.
Agna did more than just allow Kyrah to wear the armor of her former associates; she actually helped me fasten all its pieces in place. Although Kyrah squirmed uncomfortably at the unfamiliar feel of the rough leather, once we had the last section on her, we finished the rest of our preparations and Agna began leading us through the dense forest.
After the prior day’s ambush, Agna scouted our path much more carefully, taking time to ensure that we weren’t attacked again. Although the pace was almost excruciatingly slow, we weren’t exactly in a hurry, and I appreciated her added concern. When we stopped for lunch, Agna excused herself for a moment, and I took the opportunity to inform Kyrah of how I’d fed her the previous night.
“So, it wasn’t like before?” She seemed to be both relieved and disappointed at the same time, a feeling I completely understood.
“No,” I replied. “And I don’t think it was because you were sleeping either. I’ve chang
ed a lot since the last time; I think that may have allowed me to gain some control over myself. At least, that’s what I hope it is.”
‘I’ve changed a lot’ was a real fucking understatement. Between the disclosure of my hidden Quest and the sudden appearance of my personal sheets and all the other attributes I’d inherited from Dreya, almost everything about me was now different. Not the least of which was my acceptance of her as my mother once again, although that little epiphany had come far too late.
Agna emerged from the forest before Kyrah could respond, forestalling any further discussion of the matter. Glancing at us sideways as we sat together, Agna’s suspicion was readily apparent. I wondered what exactly was on her mind, and in typical Agna style, she didn’t keep me in suspense.
“I understand she doesn’t eat much,” Agna began, motioning towards Kyrah. “But I’ve seen you eating and drinking for days now, yet you’ve never needed to relieve yourself.”
I hadn’t even realized that, but Agna wasn’t quite finished with me.
“Not only that, but if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you’d taken a bath and had your clothes washed just this morning.” She eyed me up and down as she spoke.
“Yet you still insist that you’re not special,” Agna’s tone was more akin to an accusation than any conclusion.
Both of them glared at me, their eyes daring me to contradict Agna’s pointed words, but I couldn’t. One quick glance at my gear was all it took to confirm what she’d said. Although I was certain I wasn’t who they thought I was, Agna had uncovered yet another aspect of my inheritance from Dreya, one I hadn’t noticed or even thought possible. Only the Deathless shared the traits Agna had picked up on, but those few people had all received their powers by coming here from some other world. Both Insleí and I were natives to this planet; there was simply no way for me to acquire those powers—yet somehow, I still had.
Second Skin: Wayward: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 7) Page 15