Chapter 84: Chapter 83: An Avatar speaks with the party

For sometime Jack found he was floating in the black void of his mind, when he was dragged back to his senses when he was slapped hard. He found himself lying down looking up at a very cross Kelsey. The Sheepkin goddess was glaring at him and she asked "What exactly do you think you are doing?"

Pushing himself up, he found his mind hurt as if something had been ripped out from it. Frowning, Jack replied "I had to stop a ritual that was going to let an insane being gain her powers back and pose a threat to my Users and the world."

"Well that is a reason. Still what you did, it sent waves of power across the world. It even affected the dreamscape. I haven't had the chance to take a look down at the world, but that kind of power will cause the rest of the gods to come seeking the source. I could tell you possessed quite the power within you, but I didn't know you could do that!"

"That power wasn't mine. It was left to me by Maya, the woman I love. Unfortunately, I used up the last of it to stop the ritual."

"Who is this Maya?" Kelsey said, making a chair and sitting on it.

"Perhaps you would know her as the Great One." Jack said.

Looking shocked, Kelsey said "You are the Great Ones lover? She lent you her power?"

"Yes. Though I can't remember our entire relationship."

"Do you know where she has gone?"

Jack shook his head.  "No, she said she was going to the void while I slept. I don't know if she ever came back or where she is now."

"That is a shame, there are things happening in the world that need to be checked out. That explains the massive surge of power at the end of your dreams. However before that you still did several other things around the world."

"What do you mean?"

"Short burst of power emerged from you, it transformed some things around the world. You will need to speak to Eramis to get more accurate on what you did." Kelsey said, then rubbed her horns in frustration."I'm going to need to make a report to her. Please sit down and tell me everything that happened."

"I'm sorry Kelsey. I really don't have time, I need to wake up and find out what happened with my Users. They need me." Jack said and tried to force himself awake.

"If you forgot, this is my realm. You leave when I let you leave." Kelsey said annoyed. "Now sit!" She waved her hand and the couch appeared. Jack frowned and walked towards Kelsey.

"Kelsey, I need to go. I will explain everything later, so please let me out." Jack said looking down at the dream goddess.

"Alright, I will cover for you if they come asking me questions. But you need to sleep soon and tell me everything. Plus you need to rub my feet again."

"Much obliged Kelsey, you are the best."

Kelsey waved her hand and he found himself sinking down into his body, and then he found himself awake and hanging over Riley's shoulder. Noticing that Jack was moving on her shoulder, she put him down and helped him stand. "Jack, you are awake. Are you yourself?"

"I am. Whatever attempted controlling me is not here at the moment."

Veronica upon seeing Jack up, dashed forward and wrapped her arms around him. "My Lord, you have returned to us."

Patting the paladin on her head, Jack took a look around and saw they were in a forest, in the far distance he could make out plumes of black smoke rising up into the sky. "How long was I asleep?"

Stepping past them, Telvin said "It's been nearly half a day she's been hauling you around like a sack of shit." From his tone, Jack could tell Telvin was annoyed with him.

Some branches broke, and Jack looked over at Megan who walked at him angrily. She was giving him a glare that sent shivers down his spine. "You said you would help us. Yet what help did you provide? You just fell asleep the moment we need you the most. Because of you Alexia is dead." Megan reared back and slapped Jack.

Feeling the stinging on his cheek, Jack felt alarm wash over him and he reached out towards Alexia only to feel the connection between them severed as if she no longer existed. Immense pain of loss enveloped him, and he struggled to remain standing. He had lost his first user, and looking down at Megan, he found he had no words to say to her that would express how sorrowful he felt.

Before he could apologize to her, Riley went to Megan and pulled her into her large arms and hugged Megan. A few seconds later, Jack heard Megan start to cry. From the front Yukali came walking and said "I found a place we should be able to camp safely for the night ahead."

Following the dragonkin woman, Jack found every step he took the gnawing emptiness of the loss of Alexia pushed him deeper into the ground. It was as if he was sinking and about to drown in the weight of grief. In a numb fashion when they got to the clearing, he took out some tents and helped to set them up. The first one he finished Megan crawled into and when he finished with the others he made a move to enter Megan's tent to speak with her but Riley stopped him.

"She needs time alone to grieve. When she wants to speak with you, I will let you know."

Nodding, Jack then took a look around the camp at the others. Lady Niadas was no longer wearing a pink outfit, having altered it out for some brown trousers and a shirt she must have borrowed from Telvin. She was currently staring at a fire that Riley was starting to make to prepare food.

Sitting on an old log, she noticed Jack's gaze and waved for him to sit down next to her. He did so, feeling the old log was a bit damp. Lady Niadas was silent for a long time before saying "I see now I was acting like a fool. In my eye I viewed my brother as the monster that stalked my nightmares. Yet he was also a victim of this Luxurian. Feasibly, if I had put aside my fear and reached out and supported him, perhaps none of this needed to happen."

Staring into the fire Riley had got going, Jack sighed and said "The past cannot be rewritten, what is done cannot be unchanged. What we can do now is live for the future."

"You are right, but these regrets I have will haunt me for the rest of my life I suspect. Still I will take what I learned and aim to make my future actions better." She was quiet for a moment and then said "I must apologize to you Sir Jack. I took advantage of you when I made that contract. In my efforts to distance myself from my brother, I became way too much like him. When we get back not only will you get that property, I will give you my absolute support. If you wish I will take an oath to do so."

"No, that will be unnecessary." Jack said. "I can feel your sincerity, just keep in mind the lessons you learned here."

"I will. You can call me by my first name Irene if you wish." 

"Very well Irene." Jack stood and walked over to Telvin who was leaning against a tree and looking out into the woods. He glanced at Jack as he approached and said "What? You are going to give me some sage advice? Save it for someone who cares."

Looking at the Half-elf, he could feel something different about him. "What happened to you?"

"Besides you abandoning us?" Telvin looked a bit annoyed then said "That bitch nearly killed Riley right in front of me. I lost complete control of my rage for the very first time. I blacked out, only to find out that I got my ass handed to me. If you weren't lying around, I could have used your assistance."

"I am deeply sorry. I lost complete control of my body. It was as if I was becoming her puppet. The only thing I could do was force myself asleep and hope I could help you out while I was dreaming." Jack said, then looked at Telvin, "There is something different about you, how is your curse doing?"

Taking a deep breath Telvin shook his head "It's not good, it's like a cracked bottle now. I'm constantly having to push it back down. I need to get to my Uncle and figure out the reason for this curse as fast as possible." Telvin was silent for a moment and then said "I still don't like you fell asleep, but I know the feeling of being controlled by something you don't like. Don't let it happen again, though, or I will beat the shit out of you."

"Understood. Telvin, you are the second person I chose to become a User. I will help you as much as I am able to deal with this curse."

"Sure. Just as you helped Alexia to an early grave?" Telvin went silent for a moment and then said "I'm sorry that was a low blow. It would really help if you managed to find more information about this goddess Tellus Mater."

"I will ask Eramis next time I see her." Jack said and Telvin nodded in thanks.

Walking forward he went to the other side of the camp where Yukali was sitting against a tree with a pained expression. "How are you doing?" Jack asked.

"Got a few sore ribs, but Maetrin managed to patch me up somewhat." The dragonkin said rubbing her stomach. "Still feels like I was struck by a mountain battering me."

Jack nodded and then said "Want to tell me why you killed Lord Attomas?"

She took a deep breath and coughed in pain and then looked at Jack. "Not really, but since your Users filled me in on who and what you are, you deserve to know the truth of it."

"Lord Attomas was more than troubled, madness flowed through his veins. It only grew worse as he got older. He could only stand touching monsterkin women as he regarded them as not hiding the truth of being monsters. Lord Attomas staunchly believed that in the end we all are monsters, just most people hide the proof beneath the surface."

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She stopped for a minute and said "He would wake up screaming, tearing at his flesh sure that he would find evidence of himself being a monster. When I was two, I met my father for the very first time. For the next sixteen years I served him, saw how he treated my siblings, witnessed how he used blood magic to affect people."

"I knew he would seek me when I came to maturity like so many of his daughters. So I had to make sure I took birth control, for I had no desire to give birth to one of his children. The things he whispered to me as he took my virginity still haunts me to this day, it will haunt the others as well. It is possible he was a puppet of this being, even so, he was the true monster for us that lived with him. I am glad I ran my sword through his heart, may he burn in hell for what he did." Yukali spat into the ground.

"You signed a contract with Lady Niadas?"

"Paranoia and fear ruled Lord Attomas when madness did not. Countless people including his sister hired assassins to kill him. He developed a sixth sense towards these things and he spotted attempts miles away. I knew they would all fail, he needed to be surprised. What better way to surprise him, then for him to be killed by his most loyal dog."

"When I learned of this expedition, I approached Lady Niadas with my plan, and she agreed to my conditions. Lord Attomas had bound every servant of his, except me to a blood contract. Perhaps he trusted me the most for some reason."

"What did you get her to agree to?" Jack asked.

Yukali looked at Jack and said "He handled his children and servant's worse than most treat their slaves. Do you know what he did with his male children? Blood sacrifices for the most and the lucky ones would become eunuchs. I got her to agree to take care of them, all of them to receive a stipend from Lord Attomas gold. They wouldn't get the right to inherit, but they would be cared for."

"What do you plan to do now?"

"Now that I am free from his grasp, I wish to find my own way in the world. I am also interested in becoming one of your Users." 

Jack thought for a minute and said "I will have to consider your offer."

Yukali nodded, and Jack walked over to Maetrin who was looking after Princess Falaen who was tied up with a gag and looking wildly about. "How is she doing?"

"Aside from some injuries from your battle with her, the curse within her blood has flared up. In addition it appears as if some sort of soul parasite has gotten on her soul."

"I think something similar has gotten on my soul as well. Can you extract it?"

Maetrin shook his head. "It's beyond my god's capability and my powers. I would suggest you make a class that deals with souls. That or find a specialist. The only places you might be able to find one are in the capital or empire."

"Is there nothing you can do?"

"There is one thing we can do. If we get a slave collar, we can seal most of her soul away. It would at least give her some semblance of thought back, and at the very least seal the parasite from doing more damage."

Frowning Jack said "I don't like the idea of using slave collars, yet I like the thought of her being controlled even less. Where could we get one?"

"Most towns have at least one, just in case they need to use it on a criminal. You could get it with Jadai's help or Lady Niadas I'm sure we can convince them to sell it to us."

Looking at his map, Jack saw they should make it to a nearby town by tomorrow. "So how are you doing Maetrin?"

"Alright. I managed to not get attacked like the others, so while you were out, I spent most of my time patching them up. Luckily Jadai woke up soon after we had transported to the surface. Look, I know you did what you had to do, I don't blame you."

Glancing over, Jack saw Jadai speaking with Alice and the pregnant monsterkin. "Did you wish to speak with her?" Maetrin nodded at the Princess who glared at Jack.

Shaking his head, Jack stood and said "Let me know if you need anything."

"Will do."

Walking over he greeted Alice and Jadai, and said "I did not get the chance to learn your name?"

The Plant woman nodded and said "I would think since you're a god, you should know my name."

"I am a system to be more correct, but I could look at your name, but I would rather you tell me yourself."

She laughed and said "I am Nicca an Alarunekin."

"I know it was rather stressful, how are you doing?" Jack glanced towards her stomach.

"I am doing alright. My baby is as well, I am not due for three more weeks."

"That is good to hear."

Jack looked at Alice and said "I am saddened by the loss of your son."

The ogrekin woman weakly looked up and said "Thank you for your sympathy. It just makes me relieved that the man who caused his death is dead now as well."

"Indeed. We should reach a town by tomorrow, so we should be able to get you to a coach so you don't need to walk much more."

The pair of women nodded, and Jadai looked at Jack and said "May I speak with you for a moment?"

Nodding, Jack followed Jadai out of the camp, and to a nearby stream where Jadai splashed water onto his face and then looked at Jack. "I failed my family. Not only did I not stop my brother, I failed to aid my sister when she required my help the most. I always believed that I should put my life on the line for others, never relying on anyone."

"Yet that has failed me in the end. Maetrin suggested I get a contract from you. Had I done so, maybe I would have been able to prevent my brother from causing the damage he has done." Jadai looked a bit lost and then said "Please grant me a contract."

Placing his hand on Jadai's back, Jack said "I will do so, when we arrive at the town tomorrow. Your heart is still troubled, and you need time to clear your thoughts."

Jadai nodded and Jack walked back into the camp. Riley was beginning to cook, and Jack went down next to her and said "Do you need help with anything?"

The orc woman shook her head and replied "No, but thank you for asking. Tell me, were you the one who called that crystal goddess to call down the power that destroyed the mountain?"

"In a sense yes. To be more accurate a lover of mine left me some power to help the world. It is gone, so I can't use it anymore."

"That is good. That ritual needed to be stopped." Riley placed some food into a pot and put it on a branch over the fire. "I am sorry for the loss of Alexia. I had come to consider her a friend."

"I am as well."

Riley patted his shoulder and said "That I can see. You should speak with your paladin. I suspect she has much to speak with you about."

Jack nodded and stood up and saw Veronica look at him and go inside a tent. He followed her and went inside as well.

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