Chapter 204: Core? Core.

It was that music again. Ann stood before the Core. Black swirling, inky smoke slithered across brilliant silver light. It sang to her. She hadn’t heard that in a while. The City, nor any of the other couple of Cores she’d been to, had made a sound. Yet the song was back. It slithered into her ears, taking hold of her mind. Compulsion more than will pulled her forward on unsteady paws.

“I can hear it,” she murmured. “Same song as in the dream.”

“Ann. I don’t like that,” Kat grumbled.

“It’s calling…”

Kat made a very angry growling noise.

Ann’s hand clasped the smooth surface of the sphere. Every time she’d done this, it had been agony. This was no different. Her hand latched onto the Core. Fire entered her veins and shot up her arm. Every muscle in her body tensed as she fought to stay connected. Black smoke raced towards her, absorbing into her skin.

“Careful…”

It was Her! Ann felt the power reach its limit. Maybe that or she reached hers. A force knocked her back into Kat’s waiting arms.

“Bren, check ‘er?” Kat called to the man already standing over them.

“You okay?” Rosalyn asked. She was standing a few paces back, still covered in Warped blood.

“Hurts like a motherfucker, but that’s normal for this,” Ann groaned. “More important thing is I heard Her again.”

“You heard the whispers?” Bren was twitching, torn between grabbing his journal and completing his diagnosis.

“Yeah. She told me to be careful. Well, just the word careful, but I feel like it was a warning. Why’d She warn me if She’s trying to fuck with me? I don’t get it.”

“Maybe it’s tae be careful o’ the other Gods?”

“Trap. Manipulation. Many.”

“I can’t tell,” Ann shrugged. “I’ve just gotta keep going, I guess.”

“You’re fine,” Bren patted Ann as Kat shifted her into a sitting position. “Check your book, though. Just in case.”

Right, that might help. She opened the flap in her pack and pulled out the heavy tome, flipping to the first page with its single line. Well, it used to be a single line. Below was another line of squiggly text.

“Careful of Them/frauds/family. Betrayal is their nature/inability/habit.”

Ann stared at the line for a minute.

“Annita, are you present?”

She shook her head, ears flopping. “Yeah. I’m just not sure what to make of it.” She read the passage out loud to the group that wasn’t currently dissecting a Guardian.

“An odd way of writing. Conceptual context? Maybe, but they contradict words in the same stack. Fraud normally carries hostility, but family would carry connection and love. Same with the second grouping. Betrayal is their habit and nature work together, but inability stands apart.”

“Maybe our new Goddess is a feckin’ nut.”

“Kat,” Lucia elbowed the princess, giving her a stern glare.

“Fine. Guess this is one I shouldn’t taunt. Still.”

“Yeah, I agree. It’s jumbled and makes no sense. Nothing to do but get more of this.”

Ann stood and walked over to Rosalyn. “How’s the hunt going?”

“Should be done in a few. Could you help prise open this part of the carapace? Everything underneath is so tightly packed I’m gonna damage it if I try getting further in and I really want to know how all of this worked because delivering that much blood to an abdomen that size had to take a huge heart, but I haven’t found one yet and if Lucia didn’t blow it up, then it’s in there somewhere.”

Ann shoved her claws into the shell and peeled it back. Flesh decompressed in a disgusting schlorp, but Rosalyn got to work immediately. “How does that not make you want to puke?”

“I dunno. Kinda used to it, I guess? It’s just our insides and what makes us work. Like a big ol’ meat machine. Oooh, looks like those whips had some more length coiled up in here.” Rosalyn pulled out a length of black tentacle, shoving it aside. “If we’re all mostly the same, Warped are what we are, but modified at a crazy level. Yeah, yeah, I know Xirali. She’s grumbling at the distinction between the current sapient races. Sees us as way more different than I’m giving credit for, which is kinda true for us Vulhardrin, but still, it’s not that huge a difference. I could find the kidney or intestines in anyone. This thing, though? No clue if it even ate. See here?” Rosalyn indicated a mass of what appeared to be bulbous organs. “That’s random. No purpose, no use. Extra mass that the Warped is storing to use for regeneration, maybe? Or maybe it’s a set of organs that they need to keep so many parts together. Every single one is different, too. No one knows how this works, but it does. Magic plays a definite role in their creation, but it also keeps some rules intact. Blood flow, for one, is usually there, unless it’s a plant, which is why me not finding a heart is really confusing.” Rosalyn grunted, pushing into the mess of viscera until she was shoulder deep. “Aaaand that’s a cavity. Probably from Lucia blasting it. Guess whatever organs it needed for blood were in the hive.”

“It was pretty muscular under the fleshy layer. Maybe that’s what I was clawing at?” Ann suggested, helping Rosalyn stand. They were both covered in blood; a little more wouldn’t hurt. “I don’t think I heard a thumping, though.”

“Well, you were covered in wasps and trying not to die, so you probably got distracted. None got in your ears, right?”

“No, thank god,” Ann sighed. “They flattened and kept the things out.”

“Good. That’d really be annoying to have a sting inside you. So, how’d the Core go?”

“Goddess is still being cryptic. I got another passage in my book, but it’s also vague. Big ol’ shrug. Shit, did I get another Warped skill?” Ann checked her vision, looking for the little mote that usually appeared. “Ooh, I did! Guess Cores are pretty consistent in giving me new stuff.”

“And screwing hot Warped ladies.”

“Yeah. Kinda on board with that one.”

“If they’re all like Aranaea? Yeah, me too,” Rosalyn giggled as she turned what looked like a kidney in her hands. “So, whatcha got?”

Warping Increased!

You have absorbed a tiny portion of the corrupting forces affecting the Seeds of the Gods. This will allow mutability of the flesh. The more you absorb, the stronger the effects will be.

Minor Cosmetic Mutation (3): Adds the ability to change the colour of your skin.

Tongue Tied: Costs 5 health. Gain the ability to modify your tongue to that of another creature. It will remain proportional to your current anatomy.

“Well, I know what I’m picking. Not really a difficult decision.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Minor Cosmetic Mutation’s third level is skin colour, but I like my skin, so I’m gonna skip that. Maybe later, but it’s minor. I dunno if it’ll go much higher. Other one is my tongue.”

“Ooooh!” Rosalyn broke away from her inspection of the Guardian. “How much of it? Can you make it all long and curly?”

“No, just can make it another animal’s. Even says in the description that it’s stuck being proportional to me.”

“Well, that’s less fun. Would be neat to have a long tongue. Wait, some things have long tongues just because they do. Wonder what a frog’s tongue would be like? Though they kinda shoot that thing out of their throat, so that’s not exactly the sexiest thing in the world. Oh, but you could have a dog tongue! Makes you more wolfy! That’d be cute! Wonder if you can pant with it?”

Rosalyn continued her speculation as Ann took a moment just to take the woman in. She was damn lucky to have the energetic Druid at her side. Her finding out how much of a hidden freak Rosalyn was had definitely been a bonus. The way her hazel eyes gleamed with joy behind her glasses was something Ann never wanted to give up. It made what she was doing even more worth it. Well, maybe the part where she regularly got covered in blood was a little concerning, but they all had their weirdness. Kat loved fighting. Ann was still figuring out where her limits were sexually, besides not liking guys. Who knew how weird Bren and Lucia would get when they finally got over themselves? It was a good group of people.

“… and that would be really neat if it worked.”

“Sorry, kinda zoned out.”

“Aw, why?”

“’Cause you’re cute.”

Rosalyn’s jaw worked like she was trying to say something, but nothing came out.

“Yeah. Even covered in Warped blood.”

The Druid looked away, her hands fidgeting together in the way that told Ann she was blushing under that pitch-black skin. “Sorry, I got distracted while you were doing the Core.”

“Hey. You were busy when it just randomly showed up. I’m not gonna lose sleep over it.”

“Yeah, but it’s a big thing, and kinda the main reason we’re all doing this, so I feel like I should have been there, even to comfort you, because just, you know, girlfriend?”

“Well, be there next time. Can’t change now.”

“True.” Rosalyn looked down at her hands, shiny with black blood that matched her skin. “I should get washed up. Swamp water has to be better than nothing.”

“Want some help?”

“Sure.”

Ann helped Rosalyn get cleaned up as best she could. Her hair had some of the gunk in it, so Ann had to cup her hands to give the woman a makeshift shower. It was a tender moment, and neither of them spoke for the duration.

“Need some help?” Kat asked, getting down on her knees with her girlfriends.

Eventually, the three returned to Bren and Lucia, who had chosen to rest. The Seed was quiet. Even the bugs had stopped buzzing around quite as badly. Honestly, Ann could take this as a decent break, so the group just stretched out on the warm rocks and relaxed.

An hour or so later, Lucia stretched and sat up. “Should move. Probably late.”

“It should be close to morning. The rest at Aranaea’s delayed us significantly,” Bren groaned as he sat up.

“Good nap.”

“We get everything we need in here?” Ann asked as she rummaged through her bag.

Rosalyn checked hers, started to pull something out, then hurriedly put it back. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Ann looked up at the core, still swirling with malevolent blackness. “I’m going to figure this out. I’m going to stop this awful shit. I don’t know what happened to you, or if you were always like this, but it’s gotta stop.”

“Good words. We’ll get ‘er.”

“Wait, the gifts!” Bren looked around. “Should there not be a letter? Reward like prior Seeds?”

“Yeah, I didn’t notice anything. Did the temple stuff override it?”

“Might ‘ave,” Kat shrugged.

“See. There!” Lucia pointed off into the swamp. Sure enough, a satchel hung from a branch.

Unfortunately, killing the Guardian did not mean the Swamp got any easier to walk in. Lucia reached up, retrieved the bag, and handed it to Ann.

Inside was a collection of items. Ann fished out the note first, though. Right now, she was far more interested in what any of the Gods had to say.

Heya Chosen,

Hope you’ve enjoyed my swamp. Know it’s not to everyone’s tastes, but it’s home. Got some fun critters to hang out with most of the time, too. Well, unless you don’t like the skeeters. They can ruin the whole shebang for you.

Got me a little looksee at what’s been going on in there, and it doesn’t seem too different. Maybe the animals are all twisted, but it’s a swamp. Survival of the fittest and the most resilient is kinda the rule. Wouldn’t be surprised to see thorn-throwing frogs and weirder guff. At least the swamp puppies seem happy. Not sure I like the way their teeth go through their skulls now, though.

Anywho, got some stuff for y’all. Pardon if I don’t have anything fancy like the other Gods, but I think you’ll at least find some of this useful. First, got you all some rope. Not normal rope, though. Made from the toughest swamp vine out there. It’s a little heavy, but that shit’ll hold a damn elephant if you truss it up right.

Lucia’s got some skills with that rifle of hers, but that strap is looking a bit worn. Have someone make a strap out of this gator hide, and you won’t have to worry about that for a good long while.

Bren? Sorry, but I’m not the book smarts type. Even so, there’s some nice healing herbs and stuff that grow in these parts. Figure you’ll find a way to use them. Don’t make tea, though. A few are poisonous without proper prep.

Rosalyn! Girl after my own heart. Shame Eas has their gusty hands on ya. Getting all up in the guts of a Warped is messy work. Here’s some gloves. They’re good for keeping your hands clean, because who knows what’s going on inside those things? Be safe, girlie! Oh, and they’re waterproof and easy to clean, so that’s pretty awesome, right? Know it’s pretty cold out there, so I scrounged up some pelts to make the insides all fuzzy for you, too. Happy trails!

Katlyn. You need a helmet. I don’t have metal to give, so you can get one made like some other Gods that have mountains and better friends. Also don’t have special bark. Hells, most of what I’ve got is animals, so have this! Know you like your sword, but this’ll probably do you a bit better until you get something that can really cut things up. Careful, the teeth are sharp.

Annita! You’ve got yourself some pretty fine ladies with you. Mighty jealous. Even the one that’s not with with you. I’m pulling for you. Would like to get my humid little corner of the divine domains back. Kinda miss it a lot. Know how hard I worked setting it up when we got back? Anyway, Orenous says you’re being more of a rogue than she thought you’d be, so I made you these. Careful with them, they’ve got a paralysing poison on them. They’re balanced, good to throw, or you know, stab with. Figure they might be helpful, even if they’re a bit fragile.

Alright, that’s about all I’ve got to say. Get back out there and save everything. Smaller Gods like me are rooting for you, too!

All The Best,

Cletius

P.S. Right, sorry, I know this place is a little confusing. You want to head out past this tree. That’ll get you back out on the other side from where you came in.

Ann handed the letter to Bren, who carefully placed it between the pages of his journal and gingerly dug through the bag. First, she found the gloves for Rosalyn. They were made out of some weird fish skin Ann had never seen before, but looked tough and perfect for what Cletius had intended them for. Rosalyn squealed with delight as she tried them on and wiggled her fingers happily.

Next, she found Lucia’s gift. The gatorskin strip was thick. Handing it to Lucia, Ann felt the weight of just how dense the material was. If there was anything out there that would last a while, it’d be that leather. Lucia turned it over a few times and nodded. “Good. Plans.”

Closing her hand again, Ann found a satchel within the satchel. “Gotta be the herbs. Here you go, Bren!”

He caught the tossed package and opened it to get an account of his new resources. “My my. This is quite the assortment. I do not recognise some of these.”

“Lemme look?” Rosalyn asked, leaning over. “Nope! No clue on a few of those. Know some from the forest, but yeah. We should get to a potion maker or something.”

Ann let them talk while pulling out the next thing. It was big, whatever it was, and had a familiar smooth texture. As she pulled, she quickly realised what it was. She’d seen something similar in depictions of Aztec weapons, and this thing was clearly modelled after them with Cletius’ own design. The central haft was a large bone, complete with a ball joint at the bottom for weight distribution. The other side was much wider, but didn’t grow any thicker, ending in another joint. Along the outside of the thinner edge were teeth. Large, sharp, serrated teeth that Ann couldn’t quite place. They ran all the way down in a neat arrangement until they stopped with enough room for Kat to grip the weapon.

“Eh…” Kat hemmed as she took the bone club. “He’s right. Not sure I like this.”

“Give it a few swings. See how it feels,” Ann encouraged her.

Kat stepped away from everyone, took a stance, and ran through a few drills. Ann could see her adjusting as she moved. Something about the weight of the weapon was throwing her off, but by the time she finished, Kat looked steady enough.

“Like I said. Not me preference. Still, it’s damn sharp, an’ I can definitely use somethin’ better. Love this ol’ thing, but she’s been through a lot. Startin’ tae get a few chips in ‘er blade. Ye ok with bein’ backup, girl?” Kat stood there for a moment. “Alright. It’ll do.”

“Good. We’ll either fix up your old sword or get you something better,” Ann promised.

Lastly, she pulled out her own gift. It was a thin belt with several long, thin daggers, each slotted into a sheath. Removing one, she found it was modelled after a wasp’s stinger. Long, thin, and nearly transparent. Twisting it in the light, she saw the dark toxin move around inside. They looked fragile. Stabbing someone would probably break the things, but if it was as paralytic as what hit Lucia, then they were well worth the expenditure.

Once they’d all packed their new gifts up, they all looked around.

“So, this way?” Kat said, gesturing towards the murky swamp.

Shrugging, they set off back into the murky thicket. Lucia quickly found them a mostly dry path, but it still had gaps. By the time they reached the nauseating rainbow that formed the border of the Seed, they were muddy once more.

“Ye think this shite’ll freeze when we get back out?”

“Perhaps it will make things easier to clean off.”

“Ugh, and my hair is wet! Don’t let it snap off, Ann.”

“Hey, what do you think’s gonna happen to my tail?”

“Grow new.”

“I mean, yeah, but it still sucks.”

“Alright. Let’s get ourselves outta ‘ere,” Kat said.

They took hands, closed their eyes, and marched forward. Step by step, they plodded through until Ann felt the odd pressure around them depart.

“ON YOUR KNEES! DROP THE WEAPONS!” a voice yelled at them.