Vigor Mortis

Chapter 40: Family of Lies

Vita, come on. The mists arent getting any thicker.

Penelope waits impatiently on a ramshackle, swaying rope bridge hanging over the deadly abyss. I, meanwhile, have my feet planted firmly on the ground like a sane person. I am, against all of my rational instincts, attempting to stop being a sane person and join her on the bridge. Its not going well.

While my memory of the Mistwatcher fucking annihilating part of the island we live on is somewhat oddly colored by the matching joy of finally being free of my shell, as the days passed that joy began to feel a lot less raw while the fear well, the fear only got worse.

I-Im getting there! Just give me a bit!

Youre not even within twenty feet of the edge! Come on, already!

She says that like its easy! I almost died thrice over the last time I went to the edge! My mind keeps flashing back to Gladra saying Im likely to die of thirst before splatting across one of the Mistwatchers freaky eyeballs. Assuming the Mistwatcher doesnt kill me itself on the way!

I try in vain to approach the edge a few more times before Penelope eventually lets out a groan.

I cant believe Im doing this. Penta! Get her over here!

The slime obeys, jerking my body forward. I shriek internally as Im forced across, barely resisting my horrible urge to rip Pentas soul to shreds and flee from the edge. Penta reaches the bridge, grabbing firmly onto the ropes then looking straight up as she staggers slowly across. I mentally thank her, reigning in those murderous instincts. Were not over the edge, no siree! Were just having a walk and staring at the sky! We can just ignore the fact that Im no longer sensing any small animals burrowed beneath us. That doesnt mean anything.

Our tense, blind stroll takes far too long. Soon I can sense the souls of Litias residents, and sure enough well over half of them have a goopy black tagalong. A lot of the souls here are crazy strong, with the Nawra souls piloting the bodies in various stages of growth. Hrm maybe I can free enough powerful people to just fight Remus down? That would be risky. If I free someone and they turn out to be traumatized or an otherwise shitty actor, it could blow the whole operation. Ideally, we use the poison to get almost everyone at once. I dont know if thats possible, but well definitely be trying to find a way.

A rather large soul with a slime tagalong approaches us as we near what I hope is the end of this definitely-not-an-abyssal-rope-bridge. The human soul has an acrid smell to it, but the scent wafts from a core of calm white that feels pleasantly cool. I could probably see what they physically look like from here, but neither Penta or I are inclined to stop staring at the sky until we reach land. Even my souls eye is pointed straight up; while it doesnt see in the same way my eyes do, its sensitivity to souls is so high I can vaguely make out the shapes of people Im looking at. Though the soul-sight is just an enhancement of my normal soul sense (which I still have), it is in many ways almost the reverse of it: theres no distance limit in whatever direction Im pointing my eye at, but the extra sensitivity is blocked by objects. Helpfully, I can often tell the vague position of those objects based on how I dont see souls where they are, instead seeing soulless things as silhouettes. I dont understand how it works yet, but the important thing right now is that Im less than inclined to witness how far I still have to walk.

Hey, kids! a hissy voice shouts at us. This aint a travelers rest stop! Get off our bridge! If ya need an inn, Grassdeep is six hours starboard down the road!

Were well aware! Penelope shouts back. Is Remus still here? Were with him.

Remus? the acrid-souled person snaps. The hell do ya want with him?

Well tell him when we see him! He knows us! Penelope and Vita!

I dont hear a response and Penelope keeps walking, so I assume that satisfied them for now. Penta follows as I return to trying to distract myself from all the invisible Mistwatcher tendrils pouring up out of the below and trying not to scream whenever one passes close to me. The tendrils ignore me, at least, which makes sense. Theyve always been there, and while I could feel the one that touched me back when Rosco was tragically and brutally slain I could never see them until now. Even suspended over the edge, the mists protect me from the fullness of that godly creatures gaze.

Eventually, blessedly, we make it back onto land. I collapse to the ground as Penta relinquishes control of the body to me, hands and knees on the ground.

Dont got legs for the sky, do ya kid? that hissy voice asks, amused.

I look up with my meat-eyes, glowering at the powerful, slime-infested person above me. The person with the white, bitter soul is surprisingly short, only a few inches taller than me. They wear a huge jacket with a comically oversized collar, covering the lower half of their face. Though its a simple dun material, there doesnt seem to be a single inch of space without some kind of pocket. From their salt-and-pepper bowl cut and partially covered face, I cant tell their gender but I can guess that theyre about Remuss age. Their soul isnt much weaker than him either, but I can probably kill the slime. It feels new, still being mostly sticky-black rather than taking on the traits of the host.

If you could sense the kind of shit this body can, you wouldnt wanna look down either, I answer, glowering up at them.

They raise an eyebrow. I dont have time to explain before I spot Remus running towards us.

Vita! Penelope! he calls to us, smiling broadly. What are you two doing here? I thought I told you to stay in Skyhope!

Despite our insubordination, he seems quite happy to see us.

Security got obsessively tight because of Hiverock, Penelope half-lies. Templars were everywhere. We thought it wise we meet you here before something unexpected caused suspicion.

Ah, damn, Remus curses. Well, good thinking. And good timing, actually! We were going to set out to retrieve you soon anyway. This saves us a trip! How have the two of you been faring? Any trouble on the road?

Ive been doing all right, pops! I answer, injecting as much cheerfulness into the statement as I can. Part of the road was fucking exploded up port from here. Just a whole chunk of the goddamn island was gone. Didnt have much trouble going around, though.

Saw that, the short hissy person comments. It was a perception event. No idea what caused it. Maybe some moronic metal merchant with more money than sense?

I hope not. Metal is precious enough without fools losing it, Remus says firmly. Though the debris didnt reach Litia, and thats what matters. Anyway... Vita, Penelope, this is Seong. They were formally on my hunter team, before the others retired. Seong, Penelope and Vita are my hunter trainees. Theyre a lot like us in other ways as well, so I hope you all get along.

Now ah understand, Seong nods. Sgood to meet you two, then. These gals are how well find the others?

Correct, Remus says, smiling. Vitas scouting talent lets her sense things through objects. With her help, we can hopefully track down the rest of our kin and rescue them from the forest.

Ive been working on my range the whole way over, pops! I brag, saluting. I can feel things even further away, plus more if theres nothing in the way!

Oh, thats wonderful, Vita!

To my surprise, Remus pulls me in for a one-armed hug, not unlike Lyn and Rowan often do. I guess that makes sense. He thinks Im his daughter. Thinking about that, I feel a pit growing in my stomach.

What role did Seong play on your hunter team? Penelope asks Remus curiously, fishing for information.

Ranged combatant and poison expert, Remus explains. Its a pain in the ass getting field rations from anything they kill, but no one is better to have against a monster outside your weight class.

Poison expert. Fuck. Its a good thing Penelope asked, well probably need to kill that Nawra before we try anything. We cant risk Remus getting suspicious here, though. Maybe I can get them alone?

Ta be honest, ahm not fully confident ah can perform up to mah hosts full skill level yet, Seong whispers to us. Ah believe ahll be able to perform adequately enough ta reach the forest depth ya last saw our brethren, though.

Youll do fine, Seong! Remus insists. Come on, Vita, Penelope. We should introduce you to the others!

Are um are they all my siblings? I ask hesitantly. I feel at least twenty other slimes around the village, which seems like a lot of kids to make in less than a month. There could be even more out working the fields, Litia is pretty darn large.

Siblings, nieces, nephews, etcetera, Remus answers. Weve been spreading as fast as we can, which is easy enough with Litias overabundance of food.

Penta steals control just long enough to prevent me from shuddering. Nawra are terrifying.

Are you planning to spread to Skyhope through the grain gate? Penelope wonders out loud, hand on her chin. I hope you havent sent anyone through, yet. Now would be a dangerous time to expand.

Grain gate? I ask.

Litia supplies a fair percentage of Skyhopes grain and produce, Vita, Penelope explains. Its position as an independent island makes it one of the safest places on Verdantop against monster attacks. When Valka acquired the territory, they invested a significant amount of metal into making a high-output dimensional gate between Skyhope and Valka so that the goods can be transported quickly and safely.

What! I protest indignantly. Why the hell didnt we just take that here, then?

Penelope rolls her eyes.

Its too small. We could get through it, but our hosts are far too large to fit. Leaving them behind would obviously not turn out well for us.

Oh, so its kind of like a larger Everfull, but still not big enough for a person. They can probably pour wheat grain and other things through, but not big stuff. Obviously, I dont make the comparison out loud. Im a bit worried about Nawra using that as an escape route and infiltrating the city that way, but by now the Templars probably have a deathtrap waiting for any of them that try it. As awful as the Templars involvement is for me personally, its a good thing we warned them.

I dont have any plans for the grain gate, actually, Remus says. Other than continuing to use it for its intended purpose, anyway.

Penelope raises an eyebrow.

Really?

Of course! Expanding to Skyhope would not only be a fools errand, but it would endanger us all. We just need somewhere we can live as a people. Somewhere safe. Litia is perfect because its isolated enough and important enough to protect us if the worst should come to pass. Once we save everyone we can find, we can hide them all here. If were somehow found out well, they cant wipe out a place like Litia lightly.

Penelope and I ever so briefly share a look, no doubt thinking back on how Gladra had been casually considering melting this place. Unfortunately, Remus seems to catch that.

Whats the matter, you two? Do you disagree?

Penelope, thankfully, is on the ball.

Not entirely, but from my perspective as a noble I have some important caveats to add. The council resents Litia for possessing both economic importance and relative independence. They may very well authorize a purge in order to solve what they consider two problems, food shortage be damned.

Remus scowls.

Thats utterly insane.

I Penelope takes a deep breath and sighs. Well. I suppose I dont entirely disagree. If our objective is safety, though, we should slowly start to make concessions regarding Litias independence. That will make the council very happy, and reduce the likelihood of detailed investigations occurring here.

Mmm thank you for the advice. You seem to have calmed down considerably from when I last saw you, Penelope. Its good to see.

You were right, Penelope tells him. Your plan is our best hope. It just took me a while to see that.

Remus smiles, clearly quite pleased. The way Penelope so fluidly and naturally lies is kind of creepy. Im more than happy to let her keep doing most of the talking.

Litia is constructed so most of its buildings are near the bridge entrance, with the farmland radiating out and away. Its therefore not a terribly long walk to the village proper, despite the impressive size of the island. Thats kind of weird to think about. Verdantop is the name of our big island, but Litia is still part of Verdantop, right? Or is it not? Eh, Ill ask Penta or Penelope later. Soon enough we make it to the village, and Remus sends Seong to gather the other notable slimed folk, taking us all somewhere in town where we can talk freely.

Only three new faces join us in Seongs house: a stocky, tan woman who looks to be in her mid-forties, a thin woman covered in tattoos who seems to be a bit over Lyns age, and a young, brown-haired boy who okay, he technically looks a little older than I do. But younger than I actually am! The boy and the stocky older woman appear to be related; they both have brown hair, brown eyes, and round faces. While the woman grins boisterously, however, the boy has a hollow expression on his face.

You brought Melik? Remus asks the older woman, raising an eyebrow.

Yes, she confirms. I followed your advice. Hes one of us now.

Remus smiles.

I see. Im glad. Vita, Penelope, meet Taline and her son, Melik. Taline was part of my old team, like Seong. Our defensive expert and scout. The young lady here is Theodora, Litias most powerful metamancer.

The lady with the tattoos, Theodora, nods her head politely, not saying a word. Wispy, tall, and pale-skinned on any part of her body not covered in drawings, she has an almost ethereal look about her. Her slime is one of the largest-souled here, just after Remuss, and her hosts soul is a hard, blue ball with jagged, lightning-shaped patches of red glowing around it.

The mother and son pair, meanwhile, each have souls that feel like rushing air, a gale-force wind blowing towards their centers. The sons soul is small and flecked with black, while the mothers is large, yellow, and smells of fermenting grain.

So, Vita, you can sense our kin in everyone here? Remus asks to confirm.

Yep, I lie smoothly. You and the Taline lady even have a second in ya, pops. Youve been splitting fast!

He chuckles, nodding.

Indeed. So then, we can start detailing our immediate plans although first I want to ask you, Taline, why bring Melik? Surely youre not suggesting we bring him to the forest with us.

Watcher forbid it! she answers, laughing. No, nothing of the sort. Hes young and new. But I want him to learn and see what were doing here. Just to watch, so hell be better prepared in the future.

The young boy says nothing, but Remus nods in understanding.

I see. Laudable. Well then, to begin

The meeting starts proper. I tune out from most of it; I have my own problems to think about. Here to help him, Remus has a learned mage, wholl be able to detect the Everfull if I try to use it. A poison expert, who might be able to notice if we slip them something. A woman whose power I dont know, but could be any sort of potential threat since Remus introduced her as a scout. Then, finally, the wild card. Her kid. Melik, whose ass I just covered hard.

Because unlike what his infected mom just claimed, he doesnt have a Nawra in him.