Siren’s Cry [A LITRPG Adventure]-Ch. 28
The next morning begins with us going over our items from the auction, the first being the mimic core. Not wanting to carry around the fleshy crystal any longer than needed, I set Nesuskape on the bed with the core on top. As we watch, the core just… melts into the dress, vanishing seamlessly and without fanfare.
Honestly, I kinda expected at least some lights or something. But eh, not everything has to be a spectacle.
Putting the dress back on, I check the description to see what changed, if anything.
-==÷==-
Nesuskape (Rare, Growth Armour)
An ornate corset dress crafted from the scales of a Greater Shadeblight Serpent. It resists most blunt and magic damage. It passively absorbs ambient mana to refill its own reserves. Nesuskape can transform into different forms of attire, and Shifting Shades will change in response. All non-sentient serpent-type creatures will see the wearer as an ally and remain neutral unless provoked. When conditions for growth are met, Nesuskape will advance to Epic rarity.
[Shifting Shades]: Animates nearby shadows to assist the wearer. Current form bonus: Shadows retain their original shape and mirror the abilities of the original, at a significantly lower level.
-==×==-
“Holy shit, that's good.”
Keira looks over from where she's inspecting Fenrith, head locked in curiosity. I read off the changes, and she nods in agreement.
“That does sound very strong. An adaptive ability is rare, one that you can directly influence is almost unheard of. I wonder what other forms it can take? ‘Attire’ is very vague, but I feel like that's on purpose.”
“Yeah, I agree. Let's test it out a bit.”
Mentally probing Nesuskape, I get a vague sense of a question about what it should change into. Not a full mental conversation or anything, but rather a vague feeling that I can direct it into a different shape. Imagining a business suit, Nesuskape responds instantly. The fabric and scales twist and writhe, warping and shifting around until they settle into the new configuration. I'm now wearing a classy suit, still made from dark fabrics and embroidered with the scales. Checking the status, the effect has changed to ‘increased control over animated shadows’. Flexing my will slightly, the nearby shadows race towards me and pool at my feet. I can direct them to take physical form for moments at a time, and turn them into spikes, weapons, or limbs as I please.
The next shape I test is proper armour, and Nesuskape doesn't disappoint. Within moments I'm now wearing a set of polished leather scale mail, and the bonus has changed again.
-==÷==-
[Shifting Shades]: Animates nearby shadows to assist the wearer. Current form bonus: Call the shadows to your defense.
-==÷==-
“That's even more vague than before!”
As it turns out, it really isn't vague at all. Matter of fact, it's quite literal when it says ‘to my defense’. A spark of mana calls all the shadows in the room over, twisting darkness crawling over itself to get to me before climbing up my legs and flowing down my arms. Before long, I'm covered in thick plate armour made from shifting black smoke, and I dismiss the shadows as I try my final test. I did get this item while Lecherous Looter was active, so it probably has some perverted effect hidden away, and with this new ability I have an idea. Picturing a simple bondage harness, I'm delighted when it actually works. The scales and leather shift into interlocking straps that criss-cross my body, accentuating my curves while also blocking access to nothing. It even makes a loop around my tail, gripping the base snugly. Keira squeaks a little at my sudden nudity, but I ignore her as I grin at the effect.
-==÷==-
[Shifting Shades]: Animates nearby shadows to assist the wearer. Current form bonus: Bind a target in selected bondage.
-==÷==-
She slowly edges towards the door as I turn to her, but the shadows react faster. Bands of darkness lash up from the floors, walls, even one from the roof snaps down and around her, black ropes tightening and rearranging until Keira ends up hogtied and hanging from the ceiling. Shadowy shibari ropes hold her tightly, and she glares at me silently past the simple gag. I release her, laughing maniacally at the unbelievable utility this upgrade gives me.
A loud thump and angry yell from the room next door brings me back a bit, and I quiet down while apologizing to both our neighbor and Keira, who I just dumped onto the floor. She springs up, fur ruffled and an adorable glare that quickly melts when I scratch her ears. Changing back to something more comfortable (and covering), I end up settling on a set of black pants and a purple scaled jacket with silver clasps. For some reason, Nesuskape still refuses to turn any colors but purple, black, and silver.
The purple and black I get, those are the same color as the snake was, but where on Earth did the silver come from? Probably system shenanigans.
Double checking that everything fits properly and I don't have a tit or something hanging out, I get to the super annoying process of brushing my wings down. As much as I've grown to love the soft feathers and flight, the feathers are a pain to deal with in the morning. Or they would be, if I couldn't summon a dozen hands to straighten out any crooked or bent ones. Seeing Keira brushing down her fur as well, I conjure a few brush-like constructs to help her out. A rumbling purr is my only response, so I can safely guess she enjoyed it.
We leave the room hand-in-hand, drawing a few smiles and knowing looks from the few people in the main room. One particularly drunk birdfolk that I vaguely remember being at the bar the night before as well whistles to me, toasting his tankard as he falls off his stool. Somehow, he doesn't actually spill, and no one bats an eye at his antics.
Must be a normal thing around here, probably a regular.
Keira drags me over to our usual table and calls over to the elven bartender, ordering a simple breakfast of sausage and eggs for the both of us. I do a double take as I see the bartender, questioning my own sanity as I realize that the bartender is an elf now, despite looking entirely identical to the orc that was manning the bar before. Everything, down to the small scar running through an eyebrow and his imposing height is the exact same, but his skin is now a golden brown and the stubby horns have been replaced with equally stubby antlers.
As he brings the food over, he catches my eye and winks, pressing a finger over his lips as he returns to his post.
So I'm not crazy, it is the same person and they do look different. How?
“Why are you staring at Terivan like that?”
Keira interrupts my musing, poking my nose with her fork. Batting away the offending utensil, I start eating while ignoring the shit-eating grin from the bartender apparently named Terivan.
“He looked different last night, didn't he?” I ask, slowly making my way through the massive bowl of eggs. Her ears tilt in that way only cats can do, looking puzzled before she brightens up with a chuckle.
“Oh, have you never met a quez before? Yeah, he looked different. For most of the time we've been here, he's been an orismer, and now he's an elf. Yeah, they do that a lot.” My confusion only grows, and it must be obvious from the way she grins and gives the bartender a thumbs up.
“Quez are shapeshifters, sort of. They aren't a race on their own per-say, since the shapeshifting is a trait instead of a genetic thing. Quez can be born from any pairing of two different species, and through some trick of the gods end up with the Two-Faced inborn trait. It lets them turn into either of their parent's species, and only those.”
Interesting.
I file that tidbit away for later, but another question rears its head.
“Why call them quez?” Keira laughs at that, almost choking on a bite of sausage before I pat her back a bit.
“It's an inside joke among them, no one really knows the answer but it's widely thought that it comes from an age-old joke about gamblers. ‘What do you call a man with two faces? A questionable coin.’”
I chuckle along with her, even though I don't quite understand the joke. I get the feeling that whatever is letting me understand the local language is slightly mistranslating something here, but I can't tell what. An idea strikes me suddenly, and I realize that neither of us really know what the other is capable of.
“Hey, Keira? If we're going to be traveling together, then we should probably know what the other is capable of. Would you be OK with sharing your status with me?”
She doesn't bother responding, simply flicking over a window without hesitation. I send my own over to her as I read through her status, realizing just how abnormal I really am.
-==×==-
Name: Keira Ward
Race: Felian
Level: 17
Class: Nightstalker
—
FP: 0
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 20
Speed: 18
Vitality: 10
Magic: 15
Will: 25
Intelligence: 16
Mana: 12
—
Active Skills:
Poison Coat
Shadow Step
Parry
Quickdraw
Dagger Retrieval
-
Passive Skills:
Minor Regeneration
Enhanced Physique
Mana Control
Fertility Control
—
Traits:
Nightborn Legacy
Unyielding
-==×==-
Wait, she has a Legacy?
“Wait, you have a-”
I'm quickly shushed by a paw over my mouth, Keira giving me a look that obviously says to drop it for now.
“We can talk about it later, in private. Please.”
Nodding, she returns to perusing my own status as I read the specifics of hers. My stats are significantly higher despite only being three levels above her, and the amount of skills I have is absurd compared to Keira. Mentally pulling up the descriptions of her skills and traits, my wonder only grows.
-==÷==-
Poison Coat (Active): Coat a weapon in a short-lived poison that hinders reaction and movement speed.
Shadow Step (Active): Allows for merging with large enough shadows. Step between two nearby shadows, instantly teleporting between them.
Parry (Active): Redirect an incoming blow, stamina cost scales with the strength of the attack.
Quickdraw (Active): Bind up to two weapons to this skill. Allows for instantaneous unsheathing of the weapons, teleporting them to the user's grip. Bound weapons must be on the user's person to draw.
Dagger Retrieval (Active): Instantly retrieve a thrown dagger or other small blade.
Minor Regeneration (Passive): Grants a minor enhancement to natural regeneration speeds and mildly counteracts anti-healing effects.
Enhanced Physique (Passive): Grants an overall enhancement to the user's body, increasing muscle density, skin toughness, and bone strength.
Mana Control (Passive): Grants increased control over internal mana.
Fertility Control (Passive): Grants perfect control over the user's fertility, rendering them either infertile or capable of guaranteed pregnancy.
-==÷==-
So that's the skill she was talking about. Yeah, I might want to pick up that and whatever the male equivalent is.
-==÷==-
Nightborn Legacy (Legacy Trait): Listen to the whisper of wind through the night, you who are born of shadows and starlight. Follow its guidance, and reach moonlit heights or the depths of the void.
Unyielding (Trait): You have withstood things that would break lesser men, and come out stronger for it. Increases Will by 10 and increases resistance to debilitating mental effects.
-==÷==-
Are all legacies so vague and ominous? Good to see that they are actually classed as a different type of trait though, just like my blessings.
“I know you said to wait, but I just have to say that is very ominously worded. Are they all like that?” Keira flashes me a look before waving away the invisible screens and responding.
“All that I've heard of, yeah. No two are the same, but they all share the same vague and unhelpful wording. Still, I don't even know which of my parents it came from. It has to be from one of them, but no one actually knows who they are. Did you notice my last name? That's given to all members of the Baron's Ward, which is the orphanage program he personally oversees. I did meet him a few times, but even he hadn't heard of my specific one.”
She shakes her head, returning to her food.
“What's really insane is you. Seriously, how do you have almost double my stats while only being three levels higher than me? Not even mentioning the not one, not two, but four blessings! And greater blessings too! Really explains why you can do some of the things you can. And you're a siren? What in the nine hells is a siren?”
It's my turn to give her a look, seeing how she asks me to stay quiet and then immediately proceeds to announce that I have four greater blessings.
“Well, as for what a siren is, it's me. Now I know that seems redundant to say, but that is literally all I know. Take a quick look at the description of my racial skill. We're extinct. I have no idea why or how, but I can't tell you more about me right now. As you said, when we're in private.”
Her pupils dilate as she re-reads the description of Siren's Cry, she nods. We finish up our breakfast and go our separate ways for now, both of us with preparations to make before we leave town. Keira goes to stock up on potions with Mai, who returned to her shop at some point in the last couple days. As for me, I go somewhere I should have gone much sooner.
A tailor, so I can finally get some proper underwear.
Ch. 28
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