The Chronicles of Dwynveia – A Slimeling LitRPG

Lilyth

‘A great tragedy befell our city,’ the soot and grime-covered Viscount said from the hastily erected podium. ‘We were struck by a hidden enemy that would have been undetected if not for the actions of the Heroes of Mer-Cas. For that we thank them.’

Neither of these explosions would have happened if it weren't for us, I thought morosely. For that, we should be run out of the city.

It was late evening. Thanks to Children of Elements, the situation was brought under control in hours rather than days, and the search and rescue was successfully concluded, with dozens of people saved that would have died otherwise. The fae were the real heroes here. Not us. And definitely not me.

My thoughts returned to the quote from Spec Ops: The Line:

The truth, Walker, is that you're here because you wanted to feel like something you're not: a hero.

Nothing proved that more than the hundreds of dead and maimed in these two tragedies.

I looked down at the crowd gathered in front of the podium. They were all holding red candles, a local symbol of mourning, and were looking intently at us, and some of them directly at me.

I averted my gaze. I couldn't bear to look them in the eyes.

The Viscount continued his prattling, but I mostly tuned him out. I have heard such speeches hundreds of times back on Earth, be it on TV or from actual politicians. United in pain. Time of unity. Vengeance for the fallen. That kind of meaningless drivel. The Viscount was a good man, so I had no doubt he had meant every word. But being well-intentioned and it amounting to anything were two different things. Still, it was what the citizens needed to hear.

As if the words will bring their loved ones back.

A lot of the speech was dedicated to the Children of Elements and rightfully so. You could all see it in the way we were positioned with the Children to Viscount’s right and us to his left.

Assuming it isn't the opposite in this hellhole. Or they even have an equivalent of a right-hand man.

Needless to say, I felt like an imposter standing there with my friends wearing one of Nyx’s suits, trying to put on a brave face. I knew I didn't belong there. My entire contribution to that mess was getting shot and blown up. If any of us deserved to be up here, it was the others. They helped with the search and rescue. I was at best a rescuee.

Nyx was right. I shouldn't have come here.

‘I would have said ‘I told you so,” but you reached that conclusion on your own,’ Nyx sighed. ‘Still… you being there is a show of strength. Stories of your grievous injury and your other… misfortunes have likely made rounds. You standing there as if nothing had happened could make people feel safer. As for your other concerns… yes. Your actions did provoke those men to do what they did. But you were unaware of their presence. Or existence for that matter. You cannot prepare for something like that. You made a split-second decision.’

A wrong one.

‘Was there a right one?’

Once we recognised the guns, I should have realised they had grenades.

‘Perhaps. But would this Strickland throw the grenade if there was no escape tunnel? You didn't know about it either. Look, Lilyth. I understand your doubts and guilt here. But… this is not your fault. It lies fully with Strickland and his group. And there is no point in rehashing the past. We can spend an eternity debating could haves and would haves, but this will not change the course of events. Let’s restate the facts, though. This trip was at Yachiro’s request with the Viscount's approval. It was Savvie who okayed you and Phosi going there. And it wasn't you personally that provoked Strickland to do what he did.’

That gave me a pause. Nyx was right.

Strickland was going to shoot me dead. He only resorted to explosives after Phosi rushed in. Meaning… he likely knows what she is.

‘Unlikely. Sconryolls are really obscure creatures. But he likely is aware of her acidic nature.’

So he wanted to avoid the fate of the people who jumped Phosi and Deirdee.

‘Quite. Causality is a fun thing. So tell me, furball… how do you fit into that chain of events?’

A final domino. No. The penultimate one.

‘Yup. As for the other explosion… Last I checked, you weren’t the one who told those guys to mine that house with enough high explosives to make a suicide bomber harder than diamond. For all we know, this could have been their escape plan all along. Or just a final “fuck you” to the people of Ror-Bhyk. And in general, I seriously doubt they were keeping those there just for feng shui.’

Maybe C-4 makes for comfortable bedding.

‘Hmmm… that gives me ideas…’

I had to try really hard not to break out laughing. It wasn't the time or place.

That would make the orgasms quite explosive.

Nyx, free of the constraints of being at a solemn ceremony, burst out laughing. Once she calmed down, she said:

‘Alas, I doubt the uses these fuckers had planned for those were anything this fun. As heartless as it may sound, perhaps it is for the best that all of those went up in that house.’

The hundred-and-thirty-three dead and their families would disagree.

‘Yes,’ Nyx sighed. ‘Their loss is an unspeakable tragedy. But imagine what would happen if they instead began using those explosives for terror bombing.’

Sweet Jesus.

‘Now you are getting it. Whether there was something you could have done to stop it is academic. What matters is… what can you do to avenge the dead.’

Another quote from Colonel John Konrad came back to me:

You're no saviour. Your talents lie elsewhere.

Yes. Perhaps there was nothing I could have done to save those people. Perhaps, unknowingly, I caused their demise. Will I be able to save more of them? Perhaps. Perhaps not. I had to learn to accept that some things were outside of my hands. But what I could do…

I felt Storm… one with capital S brewing inside of me.

I need to learn, and I need to rest so that once we meet Strickland’s group again, they can discover what it is like to experience the wrath of two vengeful spirits.

Aki

I couldn't help but notice weird spasms on Lilyth's face as my brother delivered his great speech.

‘She could be one of those people who laugh at funerals,’ Irmen mused. ‘Or perhaps she is talking shit with Nyx.’

Or both.

‘Or both.’

The Nyx hypothesis became likelier once the air suddenly grew electrified, and I felt my hair stand on my head, and Lilyth’s expression became determined again.

I just hope she doesn't push herself to do something she isn't ready for.

I peeked at the fae and saw two greyish-blue-skinned Air ones, a man and a woman, looking our way.

The latter gave a small nod of approval and turned her gaze back to the mourning crowd.

Lilyth

‘Tell me, will I incur the Dread Queen’s wrath if I enlist your help in dealing with those fuckers?’ the Viscount asked after we gathered in his council chamber following the ceremony.

The centrepiece of the room was a large octagonal table, each side capable of seating three people. The cushioned chairs were somewhat fancy-looking, but nothing too extravagant. They were super comfortable, though.

The walls were covered with various stylised maps, mostly of the province, but there was one of the continent, which let me get a good look at what Andermon actually looked like. The landmass was vaguely triangular with another directly to the South. The whole set-up reminded me of Americas with Ror-Bhyk being located vaguely around where Montreal was back home.

What came as a surprise was the fact that there was quite a lot of continent left to the North. I knew Andermon didn't just end, but I thought we weren't that far away from the coast. Instead, well… it looked as if a third of the continent was abandoned. Some of that could have been due to the embellishments, but I doubted it. The uninhabited North was mapped with an astonishing amount of detail, with major rivers, lakes and mountain ranges marked and labelled and very intricate coastlines. It definitely wasn't one of them ye olde maps from Earth where people would just make shit up in places they were unsure about.

No. If there were artistic liberties taken, they were very slight, and if I were shown the actual map of the continent, it would likely not be that different.

So… why did civilisation end here? There definitely were settlements to the North before. Ror-Bhyk was attacked from the direction of one of them, and Akh’ret's Mercy was definitely at a midpoint between them. Which led me to a question. THE question you could argue.

What's to the North of Ror-Bhyk?

I had a feeling that finding the answer to that question would explain a lot about all the predicaments we were in. But for now, another question needed answering.

Ere? Is the Viscount in the clear here?

‘Yes,’ the goddess replied warmly. ‘This is not him using you as his agents. This is you working with him for the common good. And don’t tell him that, but should Ror-Bhyk ever get attacked by another city-state, I don’t expect your happy group to stay neutral. For better or worse - it is your home now, so when yours and the Viscount's interests align, I give you my permission to work with him.’

Thanks. We are in desperate need of allies and resources.

‘Yes. And the Viscount can provide them. And Lilyth: Be careful. Not just about those men. The powers I gave you and the ones Nyxie did… They are a dangerous mix. For you and your loved ones. Make sure the Vengeful Spirit talk stays just talk.’

The link went dead, leaving me with an uneasy feeling inside. I didn't like the implications there one bit. Still… that was a worry for later.

I looked around the room, thinking about how to best answer the question. There were a total of thirteen people inside: the seven of us, including the somewhat recovered Phosi, the Viscount, his Majordomo Kartyen, Baerniel, who retired from his position in the Temple Dragoons and would be joining the Viscount's service, Sergeant Milten, Yachiro and Jillyaed, the leader of the Children of Elements who came to aid the city. The brown sand-coloured man was an Ashplamatl, a type of Sand fae, who, shockingly enough, was a Life mage. He had topaz-yellow eyes, orange hair and three rows of black pebble-like thingies starting at the bridge of his nose and running to his hairline. The middle one was the most prominent, running straight up to his widow’s peak, the other two being at roughly forty-five-degree angles from it. His once immaculate white robe was now covered in dust and blood, but he refused to change it, as this was a sacred tradition among Earth fae craftsmen. They would wear white robes when setting out to perform great tasks, and all the stains and damage would be treated like paint on a canvas, the robe becoming a work of art.

All in all, Jillyaed was quite handsome. His being a Fae likely meant he was wise to the ways of the gods. Baerniel and Yachiro… I trusted neither, as for Kartyen… I didn't know. I didn't necessarily agree with Aki’s theory about her and the Viscount having an affair. I didn't know Wilhum well enough to develop an opinion about his fidelity. What I did suspect, however, was that Malika was the kind of woman who, if she got even a whiff of suspicion about her hubby cheating, she would kill the woman and geld the Viscount. I almost felt sorry for the guy.

‘I don’t think she will mind,’ I answered diplomatically. ‘From what I have gathered about the Dread Queen is that she does not like mass casualty events, so your goals, her goals and our goals are aligned. So far.’

‘Well said,’ Ereshkigal laughed.

‘Best answer I can hope for, I guess,’ the Viscount said.

‘Pardon my intrusion, Lilyth of Terra,’ Jillyead suddenly interjected,’ but judging by your attire, I would have guessed you were associated with the Lady of Air.’

‘My dealings with the divine have been… far more complex than I would like, I am afraid. As for the suit… It is a loaner.’

In truth, Nyx told me I could keep it, and I did like my look in it. She also added that it was quite indestructible and would always regenerate, which was an added bonus.

Divine threads it is.

‘I understand. The dealings with the Gods are a private matter, so I shan't pry further.’

With that out of the way, we sat down to business. First, we recounted our encounter with Strickland. Then Sergeant Milten went on to provide the details of what led to the second one.

‘Corporal Tiver was following up on a lead received from some of his contacts on the street. Based on the accounts from the few remaining eyewitnesses, he and the couple of boys he took along entered the house, and a few moments later, it exploded. You know the rest.’

‘Looked like a gunpowder storage going up,’ Baerniel mused. ‘A trigger trap, maybe?’

‘Traps like this are too unreliable,’ Savri shook her head. ‘My guess would be remotely triggered explosives. A lot of them, too. Meaning someone must have been watching that house and activated them when they saw people enter.’

‘Not to dispute your expertise, Sav,’ I interjected,’ but wouldn't the amount of plastic required to cause an explosion this size be impractical to carry into the city?’

‘Not necessarily,’ she shrugged. ‘But could be some magical fuckery there too, I agree.’

‘I’ll have some of our more scientifically inclined members try to find some answers,’ Jillyead said.

‘This matter aside,’ Viscount coughed,’ what Sav is saying is that there is a possibility that at least one of them is still in the city?

She nodded.

‘How do we find them?’

We had no idea, as those fuckos were very good at staying undetected. Milten suggested they were likely using roofs as vantage points, but that was of little help, as if we started combing the rooftops, they would notice and immediately go underground. Hopefully not literally.

‘We do have one lead, though,’ Ren said and told us about what the goldsmith told them.

‘This explains why he reported to me,’ Yachiro chuckled. ‘But yes, that Kirsee seems like a logical next step. The problem is that she is likely also being watched, and we are all recognisable. She will also clam up the moment she sees the City Guard.’

I had a solution to that. I shifted from the Kitsune form back to my elven one.

‘Shapeshifter,’ Karteyn hissed.

‘To some small extent, yes,’ I admitted. ‘Still… My Kitsune form is the one people associate me with around here. Lend me some less… flashy clothes, and I am just an elf.’

‘I am also an unknown entity, 'Baerniel added. ‘I have just arrived in the city, and usually people just see the uniform and not the old man underneath it.’

This could work,’ Savri agreed. ‘The two of you aren't going alone, though. Deirdee and I will keep watch over you. Don’t worry, I do have some ideas on how to appear normal.’

You okay with this, Nyx?

‘Given the circumstances… yes,’ she sounded part displeased and part resigned. ‘Unfortunately, I cannot see an easy way for you not to get involved here. Just be careful. And after that, come back here. There are people here I want to introduce you to. Grab Aki, Caeileera and Ren as well. The other three, too, if they are willing. You all need a break.’

After the basic plan was made, we discussed a few other issues, including granting the Children of Elements, with Yachiro’s approval, the old Yamaoka Compound. While Yachiro and Jillyead and Yachiro were discussing the details, I thought I caught a glimpse of a silver-haired woman in goth clothes in the corner of my eye, but my other senses remained dormant. Still…

Ere?

‘Not me,’ she hissed.

I would say I was just seeing things, but I don’t think my new body is prone to hallucinating random shit. So… someone is watching us.

‘Yes. Be careful. I don’t like that.’

This became an even more pressing issue when, once our small group was all alone, Deirdee mentioned she also saw a person like that back in Dan-Hem, but chalked that up as “alcohol-induced hallucination”.

‘Could be tied to the issues with my… lineage,’ Aki said. ‘Given how it started in Dan-Hem.’

‘That we know of,’ I sighed.

‘That we know of,’ Aki agreed.

‘Still… for now they are content with just watching,’ Sav said. ‘Meaning it is not a “top of the list of current concerns” issue. That would be the commandos.’

I hate my life.

After all was said and done, we started retiring to our rooms. Ren started heading to the one she was assigned, but Caeileera and Aki grabbed her by the collar and began dragging her along with us.

‘Sorry, Rennie,’ our Dark Lady laughed. ‘We’ve been neglecting you lately. Time to start fixing that.’

Good point.

This was looking to be a good night.

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