Chapter 74: Answers and the kiln of the First Flame.
Chapter 74: Answers and the kiln of the First Flame.
'Heal, heal, heal, heal, heal, heal. Fuck why isn't it working!?'
I was casting every heal spell under the sun I knew of but none of them were working. In fact, with every heal spell I used, it felt like razor-sharp rusty blades covered in salt and lime were being gauged into my wounds.
Eventually, I said fuck it and forcefully sealed the wounds using transformation. That didn't fix the issue in any way. My vitality was still leaking out of my body like a balloon with several holes inside of it.
I am pretty sure the only thing that kept my body together at this point was Invictus which basically amounted to fixing the titanic up by slapping some duct tape over it and calling it a day.
Snapping out of my daze I went over to Gwynevere and helped her up from her daze. Experiencing time/space travel without extreme affinity would probably feel pretty terrible. Even with the darksoul, my first travel felt unpleasant.
"Are you alright?" Saying that I extended my hand down to help her which she accepted and pulled herself up. Yet even then she looked dazed. Like me when I first saw the Anor Londo of the past
"I... think so. Are we in the future?" She said while trying to regain her bearings as she leaned onto me, her breasts pushing against my shoulders. I would have enjoyed it immensely if not for the SEARING agony that emanated from every inch of my being slowly torn apart.
"Technically the present but yes, welcome to Lordran. Or at least what is left of it. We are currently around where I assume Oolacile should be." She nodded while looking around. There really wasn't much to look around though, just greenery, greenery, and more greenery along with some water.
As per her request, I decided to give her a little tour of lordran before we went to the former shrine. It wasn't like we didn't have time. Alright, that was a bit wrong.
It was just that I didn't.
3.
I have just 3 days before I die for real. My body was breaking down from the inside. My body was the strongest it could possibly be. Yet it's nowhere enough to contain my soul.
In the end, my body is only that of a human. A human can only get so strong. My body is the utmost a human can achieve and a bit beyond that. Perfect muscle composition stronger than a gorilla. Yet its flaws were apparent.
My muscles were compact, heavy, and efficient. Yet they were still "possible". Implausible yes but a human could, in theory, reach my own strength in perfect conditions and insane genetics. My body was the absolute peak of the human race. The theoretical limit of the normal human body.
I even tweaked physiology to further increase the output. But in the end, my body was still possible. But I was trying to contain the soul of a God inside the body of a normal human. Trying to contain impossibility in possibility.
I had no idea how to stop it but it seemed like my system at least had some idea so I decided to put my trust in it. It had not done anything bad toward me except maybe sending me here.
Although seeing Lordran in a state like this disheartened her Gwynevere still enjoyed being able to go out with me to sightseeing. And she expressed this rather physically.
She quite enjoyed hugging me just like Priscilla. In fact, quite a lot of her behavior resembled a bit like Priscilla's. Sus.
Anyway. After letting her look around everywhere except Anor Londo(Meeting Gwyndolin would be a headache and I don't want to spill his blood in front of Gwynevere) we finally arrived at the shrine(More like whatever is left of it). And wow, I wish I had a camera to record their faces.
The first one to actually manage to close their mouth and create a verbal reaction was Patches. The sanest of my group excluding the girls.
"Excuse me M'lord but... What the actual hell on Gwyn's ashy beard?"
And then it was Solaire which I can't really call a verbal reaction. Even with soul sight, I couldn't discern whatever the flying fuck was going on in his mind.
"[T]/[T]/[T]/[T]/[T]/" I think the presence of one of the gods of the sun actually managed to finally break the man as he was stuck in the praise the sun position ever since he laid his eyes on her.
As for Priscilla and Quelaan... the moment they saw her with me they scuttled into a corner and started quietly discussing between themselves. In good condition, I could probably hear them but I was currently in anything but good condition. In fact, I was half deaf.
I sat down and waited a bit for all the commotion to calm down as Gwynevere explained herself to the others while I pondered on my current situation.
Currently, I had to give the girls their answers, they deserved at least that. But that was the problem. The problem was my imminent death. Well, I say imminent but I wasn't easy to kill by any means. If the system won't be able to save me then I will simply rip my soul apart and start from the beginning.
I am fairly certain I can just reconstruct my body as long as at least as as portion of my soul still exists there is nothing that can hold me down. But now that I think about it.
'The beginning huh? How far I have come.' Images flashed across my mind.
The Undead Asylum and a near-naked hollow wielding a crude blade running up the devil's hammer and striking it down by bringing his blade down to its neck.
The Undead Burg and a mere human drawing its sword against an oversized bull demon wielding a grotesque axe. A desperate battle for survival as he was tossed around like a bag of trash before he managed to stab his thunder-clad blade into its eye and kill it.
The Lower Undead Burg and a warrior clad in leather challenging a towering goat demon with giant machetes into a fistfight, like David challenging Goliath and winning. He ripped out its jugular with his bare hands.
The Darkroot Garden where a man in knight's brought down a stick of flying butter down to its natural habitat.
The Undead Parish where a beast was unleashed, impulsive, cruel, and irrational he tore through the gargoyles with its unrelenting brutality, uncaring of injuries.
The Depths where he challenged the undead dragon relentlessly until he forged a legendary weapon just to slay the great foe.
The Blightown where... we don't talk about Blighttown. It never existed.
The Catacombs where Pinwheel was certainly one of the bosses of all time.
Anor Londo where I faced down Ornstein and Smough. And where I met Priscilla. Where Quelaan helped me save myself.
I have come such a long way, haven't I?
Just as I got up from my contemplations the girls came up from behind me. In response, I turned around without my helmet and stared at the 3 of them. But before I could speak Gwynevere spoke up.
"John, why did you not tell me you already had a harem?"
...Maybe I don't need to stop my disintegration...
...Hell maybe I can accelerate it somehow...
But she doesn't look mad? Just mildly dissapointed?
"You should have told me beforehand you know? It's rude to play with a girl's heart." She said while looking slightly bashfully while Quelaan nodded and Priscilla made a noise of affirmation.
...
Whuh
...
Man, my 99 intelligence really isn't earning its keep. I want my souls refunded right now.
"Wait... you all three are fine with this?"
They looked genuinely confused by my statement as the gears in my head slowly resumed their spin. Like I was the one that didn't make sense here. This time Quelaan answered.
"Yes? Isn't it normal? We talked about it and this is the answer we reached. Besides doesn't it make sense for a man like you to have multiple lovers? O-or at least that is what I heard from my sister when she sent me up here."
I looked toward Priscilla this time, the bafflement seemingly obvious in my expression. She blushed and looked away before saying.
"I'm fine with it! You deserve more love than anyone John! Besides, I don't think I could handle you alone but I'm fine as long as I have at least a part of your heart. Will you accept us, please?"
It clicked. Fucking medieval world polygamy. It may make me feel slightly bad but fuck it if three of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen in my life are confessing their love to me then I would have to be a eunuch to not accept.
"Alright then, although for now, I may not be able to repricorate your feelings at the same intensity right now but I hope you will put up with me. But are you really fine with this?"
"Yes/Yes!/YES."
I needed to test the waters if I do not want to end up mentally shocked once more.
"Even if there may be more girls in the future?" They all nodded once again.
"We will be fine as long as we have at least a spot in your heart John! As long as you give us that we will love you regardless."
Hah. What did I do to deserve this? But it would be cruel to reject them now after they spilled their heart to me. It doesn't matter if I deserve this or not, just that they want it and so do I.
"Fine-" Before I could finish my sentence they all jumped on me with hugs.
I could get used to this.
But I had something I needed to do.
...
I explained the situation to my girlfriends(that feels weird to say) and they begrudgingly understood. Although Quelaan and Priscilla were sad that I had to leave so soon right after I came back. I told them that I would be going away for an unspecified amount of time and asked them to wait for me.
I listed my reason as going on a journey to heal my health and to end the age of flame. They understood but made me make a promise to come back to them. And I promised them, not a halfhearted one, not one that I intended to betray.
I would come back no matter what. Even if I have to throw hands with several gods to do so.
And so with 3 heartfelt hugs, I jumped down the hole and arrived at the shrined proper. I made my way over to the giant door and stared it down.
I will end this dammed age of flame and come back for them.
Both for myself and them.
The last Chapter of Volume 1 will be released tomorrow.
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The first 5 chapters of Fate/beyond are out on my p*treon.
The volume 1 of this story is completed on my p*treon.
You can go 10 chapters ahead on this story and others on my p*treon at: /BronzDeck
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