Book Three – Chapter Two – Part Five – Blissful Days Won’t Ever Last

“Okay, I’m done!" Momo hollered. Servi turned around and saw a damp Singi walking towards her. Her pink hair stuck wetly to her forehead and neck, but the important thing, her tail, was so shiny and soft looking. She was dressed in her adventuring gear, sans her bag and sword.

“Okay. I see your tail is looking good,” Servi held out Momo’s bag, and she smiled.

“Thanks! Grampy said a Singi will only have the one tail they’re born with, so we need to treat it with the respect it deserves. The same thing with our ears. We only ever get the two,” as if on cue, two pink ears playfully twitched as if they had played some kind of practical joke.

“In that case, we should’ve stopped by and bathed at the first lake. I’m sure we could’ve found a nice area.”

Momo frowned. “I know, but I didn’t want to be a bother. But once one of us learns Create Water, we don’t need to worry about that.”

Servi gently smiled. “You’ll never be a bother. If we need to stop so you can clean your tail, then that’s no problem at all.”

I’ll never be a bother….

Momo’s face lit up with happiness, and she almost dropped her beloved bag. “Thanks, Servy! Tomorrow, can we stop by so I can wash my tail?”

Servi smiled and watched as Momo hooked the bag around her shoulder. Then she handed grandpa’s dear sword to her best friend. “Of course. Now, it’s time for me to clean up.”

With her backpack gripped tightly in her hand, Servi playfully waved to Momo as she took up her spot leaning against the tree. Servi, meanwhile, made her way through the thick copse of trees and found the same area where Momo bathed at.

What are you going to do? Itarr asked as she closely listened to the chirping birds.  Their high-pitched songs dazzled and stole her attention for a few long moments.

Servi took out some clothes and hung them on a nearby branch as she used her ring to strip naked. Being blessed in the chest department, Servi wasn’t lacking when it came to what some considered to be the symbol of femininity.

“I guess I’ll just relax in the water,” she replied. Testing the lake with the tip of her toes, Servi made a startling discovery. “Can True Immortality prevented me from freezing via water?”

I’m not sure what ‘via’ means, but if you’re asking if you can’t get cold, then yes. Any type of discomfort will be negated. If you want to feel the water, I can certainly allow it.

“Hmm," hummed the black-haired girl as she descended further into the water. Since she had longer legs than Momo, the water only covered the top of her rear. She crouched down and ducked her head underwater.

“Yeah. Seems like I can breathe—well, I don’t need to breathe, so I guess this test was kinda pointless,” Servi said underwater. Perhaps it was True Immortality at work, but Servi could see pretty clearly. Or maybe that had to do with the sheer clarity of the water.

As far as she could tell, the bottom of this lake was just a bottom of a lake. Other than dirt and some seaweed and some shells and rocks, nothing special stood out.

But I could use this to do some good. Like, if someone went missing in a big lake or ocean, I can just walk around down here and find them.

The water against her skin didn’t feel all that different. Instead of feeling a cold sensation, she felt something closer to what she perceived as ‘normal room temperature.’ She imagined that if she jumped into a tub that was far too hot, the water would be ‘normalized’ the moment it touched her skin, and what she was currently feeling will be what she feels then.

Standing back up, she shook her head. The wet strands of black hair smacked against her ears as tiny water droplets flew across the lake and disturbed its calm surface.

“I wonder…” Servi imagined a small funnel floated nearby. Then she imagined water being poured in reverse, flowing upward from the small hole up through the big hole. Suddenly, something clicked inside her mind, and Servi felt her ring turn cold. She quickly looked down and saw her thighs, and that that was incredibly odd because just a moment ago, her seductive upper legs were obfuscated by the lake water.

Panicking, Servi immediately imagined the same funnel. But instead of water flowing upwards in reverse, it was flowing down like normal. After a moment or two, she felt the room temperature-like sensation cover her thighs, crotch, and it stopped right above her butt.

Having fun?

“Kinda. If I can absorb water and fire, I wonder if I can absorb wind and air?”

I would say so. But it would be more difficult. Water is an object you can imagine getting tighter and tighter until it disappears, but wind and air are invisible. But I believe in you!

“Thanks! I love you.”

And I love you too!

Servi spent the next two or three minutes lightly shuffling through the water. Being so blue and clear, she almost felt bad because she disturbed the stillness of its surface with her body.

Is someone so ugly and covered in death, like me, allowed to be here? It’s peaceful and beautiful, with birds singing and chirping the whole time. But the moment I get in, they all stop. It’s like they know what I am…. Maybe I’m overreacting.

Servi? Itarr’s voice interrupted Servi’s thinking.

“Yeah?”

Are you getting out?

“I guess. Wait… Is that meat?” Servi sniffed the air, and the smallest particles of cook chicken managed to reach her.

Perhaps Momo cooked lunch? We did only have that hardtack for breakfast.

Servi smiled. Then she frowned when she knew that her blissful friendship had the chance to be broken and fractured in less than a week. Still, she did her best to not show her doubts to Itarr. But that was useless. Itarr knew deep down the exact emotions Servi was feeling, and that was why she did her utmost best to cage away the negative emotions that she deemed harmful.

But still, Itarr hadn’t said a single thing to Servi about that, and she probably won't ever will. Perhaps it was twisted, but this was how Itarr showed her love for Servi.

“Probably. You know, it’s gonna be nice to finally share a meal with you,” Servi made her way over to the lake bank and tried her hardest to absorb the water molecules covering her body.

I can’t wait! Do you think Momo will be mad if I hugged her?

“I don’t think so.” Servi sighed in annoyance as she failed to completely dry herself. Itarr giggled a little bit and took over that duty. In less than a second, Servi went from being covered in water to being as dry as she was before stepping into the lake.

“Thanks for that.” Servi then used her ring to equip herself with the same gear she wore a few short minutes ago.

You’re very welcome. And I’m happy to hear you think Momo won’t get mad. I don’t know if it’s me, but she seems so soft!

“Oh, she is. And I can’t explain it... I get a feeling like no other whenever we do hug. It kinda makes my heart beat super fast, and I always find myself sad whenever she lets go...”

Is it love? Itarr wondered.

Servi made her way back to Momo through the thick forest. “Maybe? But I do know that when we hug, I never want to let go of her.” Ducking under a branch, Servi discovered a small fire clinging to life. Next to it, she saw Momo holding two metal skewers in her hand. The delicious juice from the chicken crackled as it fell down into the fiery fire.

“I figured you were hungry!” Momo chirped. She went from crouching to sitting down. Servi joined her, placing her backpack next to Momo’s.

“Thanks!” Servi received the outstretched skewer and bit into it. A peppery taste filled her mouth, covering her taste buds in a chicken-like flavor. “Hmm,” she took a second and third bite.  She was about to take a fourth, but she stopped when she noticed Momo was looking at her.

“Wha—! It’s hot!”  Momo's mouth was open in shock. “It literally just came out of the fire! Does it hurt?! Here, take—“ Momo reached over and grabbed her canteen, but a hand from Servi stopped her.

“Calm down, Mosie. It wasn’t that hot. Remember, your tongue is more sensitive.”

“Oh…” she meekly replied. Since she was already in the motion of grabbing her canteen, she went ahead and pulled it back to her. “Sorry, I sometimes forget.”

“Haha!” Servi laughed. Momo joined in a moment later.

The next thirty minutes were filled with the sounds of two best friends enjoying a nice lunch while making small talk. For Momo, she was ecstatic. This was what she wanted when she joined Warden. For Servi, however, it reminded her of a lingering darkness that threatened to flood her mind. A ton of ‘what ifs’ flooded her mind, but they were swept away by Itarr.

But she couldn’t stop all of them, and the small cloud of doubt grew bigger and bigger. Itarr, at that moment, resolved herself to do all she could to prevent the metaphysical cages from breaking.

Servi, meanwhile, focused on Momo. Her appearance: the tail, ears, and vivid pink hair were like a feast for Servi’s eyes. A still calmness blanketed her agony-filled heart, and all of her worries disappeared. Just the simple sound of her voice was like an orchestra of the Gods Above.

It would not be an understatement to say that Servi’s relationship and need for Momo were unhealthy and unnatural. The same could be said for Momo’s reliance on Servi. In a twisted way, it was like the two of them needed each other. The flaws in the concepts of ‘Momo’ and ‘Servi’ could only be repaired and fixed by the other.

At the same time, down to the corresponding minute, second, and millisecond, they both thought the same thing while gently smiling at each other.

I’m so glad I met her.

“Good evening, Mr. Moon,” Momo sang as she stood up from sitting down.  A small coin was in her outstretched hand, and it was warm to the touch.  It was evident that she was practicing her coin flips. “Servy?”

“Yeah?” replied the girl in question after downing some water from her canteen. She was crouched against a nearby tree.

“Have you ever just stared at the moon?”

“I have. It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

Momo nodded, and Servi walked out from under the tree.

“My grampy once told me that the moon is made out of cheese… And when the Gods are hungry, they pluck some out. That’s why it has those craters. Back then, I would stare up at the moon when me and grampy would sing, and I would imagine what cheese from the moon tasted like.”

“Maybe we can find out one day. Anyway, I can see the town in the distance. It’s a bit hazy, but I guess we’re a couple hours away.  We can camp out when we get closer and deliver the letter in the morning, or we can deliver it now.”

Momo took a sip of her water and shook her canteen. It was still over half filed. “It sure is big… But I think Canary is bigger. How about we camp out? That way, we can leave first thing in the morning.”

Servi nodded. “Sounds good to me. Let’s try to find a nice spot to set up camp.”

After Momo nodded, the two walked for about twenty more minutes before Servi suddenly drew her sword and took a stance.

“Servy? AAHH!!!” Servi grabbed Momo’s hand and pulled her close just as an arrow whistled by, impaling a nearby tree.

“Hey!! You fucking fuckups!!! Don’t hurt the fucking cat!!!” A shrill voice imbued with a hint of irrational anger echoed out from the trees to their right.

“Servy?!?!” Whined Momo in a voice that Servi had never heard before. As if finding a source of strength within her best friend, Momo clasped the hilt of her sword with a shaking hand.

“I wouldn’t fight back if I were you.” The same shrill voice spoke as the bushes and trees to Servi’s left shook lightly. A man walked out and stopped just a few meters away from Servi and Momo.

He was bald, but his head was full of tiny scratches that had long become infected. A portion of his nose was wrapped in a vomit-inducing, green pus-filled cloth that used to be white. The man smiled, and Servi saw all five teeth that were left hanging in their homes. Raising a hand, he placed it on the hilt of his silver sword that hung from his hip. His other hand went to his armored chest.

“You almost killed her!” Servi shouted. Momo shook from fear as an unforgettable scene from her past began to play out in her mind.

“That wasn’t my fault, though I guess it was since I’m SUPPOSED to lead these sorry sacks of shit. Hey, the fucker who shot that arrow, come here. NOW!!”

From behind the strange and dangerous man, a group of twenty rushed out from the forest.  They all had the same metallic armor, but their weapons were different.

A Singi ran up to the bald man. Before he had a chance to speak, the bald man wrapped his hand around the Singi’s neck and snapped it then and there.

“AAAHHHHHH!” Momo shouted in fear and lost the strength in her legs. Servi disgustingly stared at him.

Shall I kill them? Itarr asked.

“Not yet,” Servi whispered and glanced down at Momo.

“Well, I suppose there are no hard feelings, right? I killed the one who shot at you,” the bald man showed no signs of remorse. “Oh, the name’s Roko, by the way. I assume you’re the pink Singi and Human with the black hair and red eyes that I was told to find?”

“What do you want?!” Servi shouted at the man.

“Straight to the point? I like that. Well, I’m here to take that cute thing away. You see, my boss told me to find and capture her. He also said not to hurt a single hair on her head. That’s why I had to kill this filth who FUCKING DISOBEYED ME!!!!” Roko raised his left leg and stomped on the corpse in front of him.  He lifted and lowered his leg with all the strength he could until the corpse's head was like a pancake. The cracking of its skull shouldn’t have reverberated around the area, but it did. Each fracture was like poison to Momo’s ear, and she whimpered each time blood splattered up into the air.

“Well, sorry about that,” Roko said. The front of his armor and most of his legs were covered and smothered in red crimson. “Now, the boss said I could do what I want to you as long I took the Singi.”

“Like hell, you will. All you have to leave, and you won’t die. Just fucking leave, got it? JUST LEAVE, AND YOU WON’T DIE!!!! Momo?” Servi bared her teeth at the enemies but stopped when she heard a small voice. Looking down, she saw Momo lying in the fetal position. Instead of sucking her thumb, she was covering her head and shook with fright.

“I don’t wanna be a slave.  I don’t wanna be a slave.  I don’t wanna be a slave!! Grandpa.... Grandpa.... I'm scared...” Tears flowed from Momo’s ocean-like eyes as Roko started laughing.

“Leave? No can do. And die? Ha! What can a Rank 10 do against me.”

A moment later, the sheer shock and PTSD from a horrible traumatic incident deep in her past robbed Momo's consciousness. All that was left was the sounds of ragged breathing as her body forced itself to calm down as it rested against the cold dirt.

“Momo? Momo!!!” Servi crouched down and shook Momo, but it was to no avail.

At that moment, something cracked inside Servi.

It was a cage that had overflowed to the brim with anger. Then, it shattered—no, that wasn’t the right word. It exploded, destroying the tens of other cages that held other violent emotions.

In a single moment, love, happiness, sadness, and every other emotion were forced against the far reaches of her soul.

Anger was the dominant emotion. And with nothing left to hold it back, Servi’s body became the very embodiment of rage.

“AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO Itarr screamed just as loud as Servi, but her voice was drowned out.

“Look, boys—” Roko turned to his left and drew his sword but froze up when he realized the Elf he looked at was a bit strange.

There was a head, but no body.

He turned back to Servi and saw the missing body floating right in front of her, blocking her from his vision. But something else was strange.

“A hand…?” Roko whispered.

Now two hands? Wait, a face? Roko’s Monotonia overloaded brain tried to alert his mind of what he saw, but it was so utterly strange that it couldn’t process anything.

In a flash, Servi had used Telekinesis to place an anchor point on the Elf’s head to keep it in place when she yanked his body to her. Then, she punched straight through it with both hands before forcing them apart. One half went flying towards the left, where it wetly splattered against the ground. The other went right and smacked a tree, covering the brown surface red.

Servi!!!!!!! Itarr cried out as she hastily built more and more metaphysical cages, but it was futile. They broke the moment she tried to fill them with the excessive, overflowing anger that threatened to consume all of Servi.

“Die… Die…. Die! Die!! DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!” Servi roared. Roko and his men broke out of their fear-induced paralysis but found themselves bound by what seemed to be nothing.

“Telekinesis?!” shouted a Singi. He strained and fought against the binding force, only stopping when he felt a particular feeling in his body. Coughing blood, he glanced down and realized that a hand was pierced through his chest. He didn’t have time to feel pain since the hand brought itself up through his throat and head. Like a half-cut piece of steak suspended in the air, half of his body flopped forward, and the other flipped back as two halves of his brain slid out through the brand new opening.

“DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!” Servi stumbled over in pure rage as she walked to each enemy. Being suspended from Telekinesis, they acted as the perfect fleshy punching bag to get rid of her overflowing anger. Some of them knew Instant Cast. But without the ability to speak, the power that could have saved them wasn't available to use.

She ripped out throats and spinal cord, pulled off arms and legs, and beat their respective owners to death. She punched a hole through the chest of one Koena before ripping his scales off.

“NOOOOOO!!!!” he cried out as the darkness of death took him, but it was useless. The Servi that remained was not capable of mutual conversation. Her one and only goal was to sate her anger. And to do so, she had to kill. The more she killed, the more it was filled. It made Itarr’s job painless at the expense of filling up guilt, which itself was already locked up in hundreds of cages. The balance of her soul and mind was tottering back and forth on a thin nail, and it wouldn’t be easy to balance them.

Itarr knew that, and she cried and cursed herself for allowing it all to spiral out of control.

But Servi wasn’t privy to any of that information.

“Please! No! NO NO NO NONONO AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” an agony-filled scream from the person right beside Roko forced him to realize he had made a most heinous mistake.

It wasn’t a Human that traveled with her, he thought... But a monster instead. Sakdu, he—

Roko didn’t have time to finish his thought. After Servi mutilated the man next to him, she turned her attention to Roko. He felt total fear when something foreign entered his mouth.

It was Servi’s bloody fingers, and he believed he could escape if he managed to break the concentration used to maintain Telekinesis.

And that was what he did, and it ended in total failure.

Roko did manage to bite through the bone, but a swift punch to the gut forced him to open his mouth wider.  That allowed Servi the chance to put her other hand in there.

Servi grinned. The brown leather armor had been dyed totally red, the pale white skin was the color of a cardinal bird, and the black of her hair was no longer visible underneath all the blood.

Annie—

In a slow and throbbing motion, she forced her hand to go down, breaking his jaw and teeth, tearing his throat, and cutting his chest in half downwards before stopping just above his crotch. She then grabbed one flap of chest skin with her left hand and the other with her right before spreading it open to reveal a beautiful display of a heart, lungs, ribs, and other internal organs as his intestines slopped to the dirty ground.

Servi stayed quiet as she snapped off a rib and impaled Roko through the brain. What little life he had left expired, and he was the last to die.  His red heart continued to beat for a few more seconds until it finally stopped.

But that didn’t mean Servi was finished. No, she had far too much anger saved up in her body, and she couldn’t rest until it was eradicated.

She cradled Roko’s heart in her hand before violently separating it from its body. Spongy and tough with a bit of give, she crushed it, tore it, and slammed it into the ground.

But she wasn’t done.

Going back to Roko's exposed chest, she started to punch, squash, and crush everything she saw before ripping off the two slabs of skin. Then, she ended Telekinesis, and Servi’s anger enjoyed the sound of twenty fleshy bodies hitting the ground at the same time. Blood splattered everywhere, turning the whole brown ground red.

But she had just one more thing to do. She walked around to each corpse that still had a head and utterly crushed them under her foot.  Skull, brain, and muscles squeezed out from the pressure of her stomp, adding pink and white to the glorious canvas that was the crimson-stained ground.

When she came to the final head, she crouched down and ripped it from its body before sitting down next to Momo. Servi blinked and found herself conscious of her surroundings, with the memories of everything she did still fresh in her mind.

Looking down, she screamed when she realized the decapitated head stared at her.