Chapter 167 – Matters of Blood

Deirdee

It was late evening by the time they reached the place where they hid their boat. By then, Deirdee was absolutely exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. The sad reality, however, was that she probably would need to spend the night in Phosi's cave as they wouldn't be back before midnight by the earliest, and she didn't want to disturb the sleep of the others. That and she didn't want to intrude more than necessary. She could tell Ireela wasn’t happy about all the random people the girls were bringing in without notice.

‘Phosi,’ she turned towards her companion after they set off, having made a decision, ‘Mind if I move in with you?’

The sconryoll looked at her, surprised.

‘That’s a new one,’ she rasped. ‘Why? You Serrated Blades have some vow against enjoying mortal comforts that you are still upholding for no reason?’

‘No,’ Deirdee shook her head and explained her reservations.

‘Huh, someone with actual tact. Such a rarity these days. In this case, I don't mind. My cave is plenty big for two people, and I’ll help you with getting a proper bed and other furniture there. Do bear in mind that winter is slowly coming and we won’t have time to properly element-proof it, which is the first step here. So I imagine we will both need to rely on Ireela’s hospitality for the next few months.’

That took Deirdee aback.

‘Wait… you too?’ she asked.

Phosi let out a raspy laugh.

‘I understand your confusion, sister, but yes. Me too. My body functions best in certain physical conditions, and being outside of those has a detrimental effect on me. In other words, I am affected by the weather just like you squishies are. Of course, it works on me in a different way, and it takes a while for the effects to manifest, but once they do, they are just as bad, if not worse, as they would be for you. I don’t expect you to know that, given how obscure we Sconryolls are, but we only form in certain areas of the world, and Ror-Bhyk isn't one of them. So to my horror, I will actually need to get myself actual clothes.’

That reminded Deirdee that Phosi was, technically speaking, naked.

‘Won’t they dissolve?’

In response, the Sconryoll grabbed her arm.

‘Are you dissolving?’ she asked with a smile.

‘Guess not.’

‘I don’t mind you asking those things, by the way. Like I said, my kind isn't well known, and even if it was, I couldn't expect fleshies to expect how I function. This form is solid, for the lack of a better term, and only turns into acid when I stop maintaining that aspect. It is limiting in the worst possible ways and somewhat uncomfortable, but sometimes being able to interact with the physical world is well worth it.’

‘Why not move South for the winter then? I don’t think you should force yourself to stay in a place you won’t thrive in.’

Phosi muttered something under her breath.

‘What was that?’

‘I am tired of being lonely all the time,’ she repeated louder and visibly ashamed of the admission. ‘I spent the past five hundred years with Nyx being pretty much my only company. I sometimes snuck into cities, but as annoying as people are, it just made me lonelier when I left.’

Is she seriously opening up to me? Or is this just another set of barriers she has around her? Could there really be just a scared soul underneath all that bluster?

‘And what was left of you once your grafted identity was stripped?’ R’as-T'uar asked.

Nothing. Just a scared girl, unsure who she was or what her place in the world was. I still don’t have answers to those questions. I thought I found my place as a dancer, but… I am not sure whether that is what I am. I liked doing it, but it is not what I am.

‘Your profession was your entire identity previously, so it is natural for you to gravitate towards that initially. You are slowly outgrowing that, though. But don't rush it. It may take years for you to get a good feeling of who and what you are, and to achieve that, you must start doing various things.’

Like crafting magitek weapons. Or fixing them. I am curious what effect my magical limitations will have on this.

‘About that, my child. Could you tell me more about them? Are they something you have actually experienced, or is this something you have been told was the case? The reason I am asking is that when you were making a deal with Ereshkigal, she couldn't actually detect anything wrong with you in that regard.’

That gave Deirdee a pause.

I always had issues using magical items, she finally explained. Ones I have not seen “normal” Sanguine experience. This was a common observation among the Blades.

‘Interesting. Has any member of your “order” been able to use runes?’

Not that I know of, but if they did, they likely would have kept that secret.

‘Never reveal a potential advantage?’

Yes. Many of us were also afraid that, should any of us flaunt magical prowess too much, we would end up having a fatal accident due to the constant atmosphere of paranoia being maintained among my people.

‘A magic-wielding assassin would be too much of an advantage?’

Yes. Our society hangs in a precarious balance, and maintaining it is one of the few things everyone, the Blood included, agrees on. More than once, I have been tasked with removing someone who threatened to upset it. Or that's what the Vicars claimed at least.

‘And you never questioned that.’

Not at the time, no. We were taught to never question the orders from the Vicars. So, like a good soldier, I didn't.

‘I understand. I will be honest here, the person you were sickens me to the core, or rather, the person the Blood made and forced you to be. Now that you are free of that monster’s influence… I am happy to guide you on your journey of self-discovery. And to help with that, let me send you something.’

A rune appeared in her lap.

Item: Rune of [Diamond Shard]

Class: Magical - Crystal Arcana

Rarity: Extremely Rare

Durability: 10/10

Description: Allows the user to learn the [Diamond Shard] Spell. Casting the spell without sufficient knowledge of [Crystal Arcana] may lower its effectiveness and/or cause it to fail

Spell Effect: Creates a sharp diamond spike that can be used as a cutting implement or offensively. The spike lasts for one minute (affected by Crystal Arcana proficiency) or until used up/broken.

Cost to learn: 3 Perk Points

Crystal Arcana? she asked, staring at the rune in disbelief. Where did you get that?

‘The Crystal and I… we share a connection. And he is as interested in your predicament as I am. Your condition represents a certain aberration of the natural order, and that's the one thing he can’t stand. So, he is happy to dedicate resources to figuring this out.’

But why go to all this effort just for me?

‘Because you and your species have been a victim of that psychopath for far too long. So, if we can help you, maybe we will be able to help others should they break free. Now tell me: can you learn this rune?’

For three perk points.

There was a palpable stunned silence coming through the mind link.

Lord R’as-T'uar?

‘I am sorry, my child. It is just… I was not expecting that. This spell, if learned from a rune, normally costs a single perk point.’

Three times as much… By the gods…

‘I have no idea what the Blood did to cause this. The Crystal and I, we hoped that using a spell from outside the ones offered by us, the Gods of Dwynveia, would be easier for you. Guess not. Still, this gives us some direction for further research. Thank you, my child. You can keep a rune, though I imagine mostly as a keepsake.’

Rage rising inside of her, Deirdee activated it, and knowledge of the spell flooded her mind.

No. I am done playing by the rules set by that monster. I might not be as strong a mage as my friends, but I will learn every piece of magic I can just to spite that motherfucker.

‘Then, my child,’ there was joyful determination in R’as-T'uar’s voice,’ my brother and I will spare no effort in making you the least likely archmage Dwynevia has ever seen.

‘Most… disturbing,’ Phosi remarked after Deirdee summarised her chat with R’as-T'uar. ‘But, yes. I agree. Becoming an archmage just to spite the Blood is a worthy goal.’

‘You really think so?’

‘Deirdee,’ Phosi began with a smile,’ I am a literal embodiment of vengeance. So if there is anything I understand on an instinctive level, it is spite.’

That does make sense.

‘How are you dealing with it?’ she asked, slightly shifting the topic. ‘I mean… being like that. You were human before, and now you are something else.’

‘An elf, actually. As for your question… Remember - I died five hundred years ago. I have had a lot of time to come to terms with being what I am. In fact, I barely remember what it is like to have been mortal.’

‘That’s sad.’

‘Is it now, Deirdee? People change. As I understand, you, Sanguine, are immortal. Do you honestly think you will be the same person as you are now in a few centuries?’

‘I am not much of a person right now, but you are right, I guess.’

‘At the core, I am still Phosi Vaan Lohren. It is just the outer layers that have changed. The same will happen to you, sister. It is just that I initially had no control over the direction of those changes.’

‘I can relate. I was created to fulfil a purpose, and I embraced it. Once that fell apart… I had nothing. A blank slate, as Lord R’as-T'uar put it.’

Phosi grew sad at that.

‘Is this common among your order?’

‘Outwardly? Yes. This is an approach encouraged among the “normal” Sanguine in general. Inwardly… who knows? You have seen Caeileera. My brother also seemingly wanted something that wasn’t the agony that was our hollow existence. I am not sure why he never tried to leave. Maybe he didn't want to abandon me.’

‘So it is not Lilyth whom you actually blame for his death.’

Why is she making me admit it?

Tears began to flow down Deirdee's face.

Please don’t make me admit it.

‘No,’ she whimpered.

They spent most of the remaining journey reminiscing. Phosi talked about her long-dead family, and Deirdee told the stories of her previous missions.

‘Now that I think about it, you called Ren “descendant of Shinji”,’ Deirdee began after they finished laughing about a wedding Phosi attended where the groom ended up running away with the bride’s uncle during the reception. ‘Why?’

‘The Yamaoka bloodline was founded by a man called Shinji,’ the sconryoll explained. ‘He was a Terran who was into elves for some reason, and he actually married Gareena - my great great aunt’s first cousin twice removed. According to the stories, Shinji thought she was a great catch, given that her being part of the great house of Vaan Lohren. What he didn't realise was that the woman was not exactly well situated within and was one of what the family elders called “livestock children”. Basically, sons and daughters of impoverished Vaan Lohrens, whose only purpose was to be sold to wealthy commoners interested in increasing their family status. In turn, the petitioner’s wealth would flow back to the family one way or another. Some parents, of course, resisted, but they would all inevitably and invariably find themselves cut off from what little access to the family resources they had.’

Deirdee covered her mouth in horror.

‘What can I say? Even if I weren’t what I am, I would not be terribly torn about my family’s doom, though Vaan Lohrens were hardly isolated in the practice. At any rate, back then, Shinji Yamaoka was just a wealthy merchant, so he was a perfect target for the scheme. What the elders of that particular family branch didn't realise was that the man was marrying for love, or maybe lust, and not status. I will need to run this one by Lilyth, but as I understand, at some point, Terrans outgrew both the idea of Nobility and treating people as commodities. So, when Shinji discovered that particular secret, let's just say he didn't take it well. By then, he and Gareena had been married for a few years, had children of their own, and, by all accounts, were happy together. Shortly afterwards, Vaan Lohren family elders began to suffer from accidents, which I understand is how the Yamaoka Clan started to become what it is today.'

‘Wait… your house was wiped out by the Yamaokas?’ Deirdee couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Phosi gave her an unsure shake of her head.

‘Partially. Most of the house died during the Fall, Yamaokas killed some of it afterwards, and the rest just died out. There are probably some remnants scattered here and there, but House Vaan Lohren is no more.’

‘I am shocked you are willing to spend time with Ren then.’

‘Why wouldn't I be? She is not responsible for what happened to me or my family. And given how, if not for my parents’ love, I well could have been one of the “livestock”, why would I hold a grudge against the Yamaokas? Especially, since some of my female cousins did confide that they envied me and how they were praying for the clan to pay them a visit. And before you ask - no, my parents weren't killed by them. This is not something I wish to discuss, but I can assure you that as far as ending the practice went, the Yamaokas took care to identify actual bad actors.’

Phosi wanted to say something more, but suddenly she winced in pain. Deirdee instinctively looked around for threats. There was a party of travellers camping not that far away from the river, but that was that.

‘What's going on?’ she whispered.

They weren't that far away from Mer-Cas then, a handful of kilometres at most. There shouldn't have been any threats around them. And what could have hurt Phosi of all people?

‘Magic,’ Phosi said through gritted teeth and then let out a breath of relief. ‘Someone was using Light Arcana.’

She eyed the party on the shore.

Deirdee felt blood drain from her face. Only one group could reliably access it.

The Church of Light.