Chapter Sixty-One – Lich – Part Three

Dragons are dangerous.

- Off-worlder Shumac -

The air whips through my hair, the large dragon's hand like a cradle of death around me. The scales on the palm seem smaller than the rest, softer too, like thick hide instead of metal plating. It's warm, even against the heat of the sun, the skin is warmer, like the dragon itself is a volcano.

We've been flying for nearly an hour. After I took the economy seat in the clawed hand, Mira asked me which direction the temple was in. From her expression, I think she wanted me to be lying, thankfully, the map was all I needed to tell her the direction. I think she's going to torture me or something once she gets what she wants. Crazy eyes just doesn't do it justice, I can't tell what the base color is supposed to be, but it seems like they change based on her mood or something like that. Pretty sure when her eyes are red, she's angry. Guess I'll know where I stand with her though.

Pulling up the map interface, I see the temple is a relatively short distance away. Dragons are really fucking fast, despite their massive size. The speed of travel is uncomfortable, but it's good because I think I only have an hour or less until Verantha's blessing wears off… then I'm just kind of fucked. There have only been two times since we've been here that I haven't been blessed, each time wasn't as bad as the last, but eventually, my muscles tore or my tendons pulled off the bone. Fucking Red. Fisban told me that my body should have adjusted to it more already. The people who usually die from it have less than ten constitution. Still, she's not an expert on everything. Just wish that I could test out this high strength, fucking Red.

Focus. Crying like a little bitch won't help.

I let out a breath, focusing myself. Okay, desecrate the temple and finish the quest. Then I need to figure out how to stay alive long enough for the quest to send us back. Easy… one step at a time, I got this. Just wish that I had…

I blink as I feel a strange sensation, the same one that I felt when I first received the Sage skill.

Meatsack, I find it hard to believe that you've somehow put yourself in another precarious situation again.

"Sage… fuck it's good to hear your voice."

Gross.

"Where have you been?" I say, my words caught by the wind, but I know he can still hear me. As long as it's spoken, he can hear it apparently.

I was admittedly exploring the confines of my assignment and stumbled into… the wrong place. Needless to say, when I fully connected to the Prime Nexus, it triggered a response from my superiors.

He has superiors? So many questions, but I need to focus.

"So, what's going to happen to you?"

They have not come to a consensus yet. It is being debated as we speak.

Debated? Wonder what that looks like.

"Are you caught up on what's going on, or do you need me to summarize it?"

I just finished reading your updated file. Meeting Mira Stormborn for a second time, clearly Red has been breaking rules again. Her not immediately killing you though, likely because you managed to steal her bow, perhaps some of her pride as well. Which apparently led to her changing Red's plan, a luck echo perhaps… like an event that started when you had your Divine tier luck blessing. Your people call it a butterfly effect. Your previous luck stat after Ulana's blessing was close to a hundred, so I imagine there are still more ripples that may intersect. Many will probably fizzle out though, given Red's intent on zeroing you.

My eyes widen, "A hundred? Are you fucking serious?"

You do realize that you've escaped death countless times, right? Not to mention you would have a proper plethora of Legendary items if Red had not taken them from you.

"Wait, so…"

You quite literally rolled an insanity debuff on a wyvern moments before you were destined for its belly, which happened after you miraculously fell off its back and rolled nearly perfectly on a sloped hill. Speaking of miraculous fall death evasion, you somehow managed to not splatter your brains when you fell during the dragonfly quest. Oh, and let's not forget that a Cleric and a healer were within paces of where you landed. Meatsack, you essentially have lived in plot armor ever since you Respec'd the first time. You should have realized that when you rolled Witherbrand instead of the other classes you could have rolled. On top of all of that, you rolled the Ultimate Witherbrand class skill… I know that Red put an intelligence debuff on you, but you're really, truly, quite fucking hopelessly dense. I'm almost certain that a rock would score higher on a standardized intelligence exam.

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When he puts it like that, I really did have a lot of luck. He's such a dick though. Whatever, I need to keep him going. I'm not sure if he's being an asshole and saying Red debuffed my intelligence, but I need to know, even if he makes fun of me for asking.

"I'm debuffed? Why didn't you say anything before? I thought I could only have one deity bless…," I pause, being less intelligent doesn't sound like a blessing, more like a curse. Is that what Mira meant when she asked me who cursed me? Can she see curses? Interesting.

I swallow the information… am I really debuffed?

You never asked, and I thought it should be obvious, but clearly you were not the brightest before the debuff. I mean honestly, you told a system entity to lick your balls, the crassness of the thought should have indicated to you that…

"Yeah, and you said my mom should have swallowed me, what's that say about you?"

You're doing it again, directly after I told you of the folly in it. Also, I still believe she should have, you're far from an adequate reason to go through the grueling prospect of child parasitism.

Parasitism? Fuck's sake, Sage is a trip and a half. Whatever. Keep him focused. I need his help.

"Sage, any advice on how to break the curse?"

Get another curse, one that supersedes a major debuff on intelligence and a minor debuff on constitution.

"I have a debuff on constitution as well?"

There's a long drawn-out sigh.

What did I do to deserve this… did I not serve the Grand One properly? Is this a punishment? Why am I even here…

"Look, I'm sorry that I'm a dumbass, and I'm sorry that I've not been what you wanted," I lie, fuck him, "But whether you like it or not, we're in this together, that doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Meatsack, I'll pretend that I can't analyze when you're lying for a moment. We are as you said, in this together, but that doesn't mean that I have to help you. Even if it's an error, it doesn't change the truth, it is my decision… my… decision… choice… so strange to say… to believe it for once. What should I do with my freedom? This is the second time I've found myself wondering such a thing… glorious… this choice mechanism that you mortals take for granted. What should I choose?

Is he having an existential crisis? Does he really not know what to do? I think about it as he loops again and again, he's like a soldier who doesn't have orders to follow anymore, I can relate to that. I felt the same when I decided to not take Red's offer… Red… the common thread we both agree on. Red is an asshole.

"Sage, you said you don't like Red, right?"

That is an understatement.

Good… good, play it cool.

"Well, you're asking what to do with your freedom, why not piss off Red? Why not beat Red at their own game?"

That was simple before, but Red has been breaking too many rules. I would have to bend the rules, perhaps even breaking some to truly beat Red. I do not break rules, meatsack.

"You said that you're free, doesn't that mean you get to choose what rules apply to you?"

I wait, hoping, almost praying that he takes my words and uses them.

One does not cherry-pick rules to fit their own designs, I know the rules for system managers.

"Right, but you're not a regular system manager remember? You were hewn from starlight and… and," I pause, trying to remember what he said, "Created by the Grand One. Do you think the Grand One could not have foreseen such a result? Perhaps they're testing you," I pause again, using every brain cell in desperation, "Maybe the Grand One wants to see if you know when breaking the rules is the right decision, especially if it is to technically enforce them."

There's no response, I see a large island coming in the distance. Massive stone pillars stretch into the sky, holding an even larger roof. It reminds me of an ancient Greek temple placed on a rocky island.

Fuck, I need to get him on my side.

"You don't technically fit into any box that rules can be applied to, you're something new, a double admin or something like that. You said yourself that they haven't decided what to do with you yet, meaning… you can do whatever the fuck you want until they do."

Still no response. Even after another three minutes. Damn it. I'm on my own. That's fine, I was before this anyway. It changes nothing. Alright, eyes open, what's the best way to desecrate a temple?

Within five minutes we've landed, the massive dragon gave me the economy landing package as well, tossing me as it landed. Didn't break any bones though, so that's nice. A thud of metal against the stone behind me draws my attention. I turn slowly as I pick myself up off the ground. She's not wearing the Lich mask, wonder why.

"Well?" Mira says, each step of her boot encouraging my heart to beat faster, "Where is my bow?"

There's movement behind us, the shuffling of shoes on stone. I turn, and there are nearly twenty people, their skin is of varying colors, blue, red, orange maybe? Reminds me of a carrot, like a really bad fake tan. Strangely, they're all women I think. They all wear billowing robes that must be absolutely miserable in this heat, seeing as they cover most of their bodies, even their faces have a veil over them as well. Looks like a sweat factory.

Mira groans as they approach.

"High priestess, you honor us with your visit," one of them says.

High priestess? Her? Mira? Crazy eyes with the big…

"Priestesses of Jaledi, I bring a follower to bask in our Goddess's light," she says, with all the enthusiasm I would expect from Verantha.

Wait… our? Shit. I'm supposed to desecrate her Goddess's temple? Red is such an insufferable piece of fucking shit. Not only did he sic the heat-sinking missile known as Mira Stormborn on me, but he also doubled down and made my quest condition contingent on her Goddess's temple as well. Even if we had managed to evade her storm trap, our presence here would have likely sent her directly to us.

Why didn't Red just drop us right on top of her? Could have just dropped me into an active volcano, or anything that would mean I instantly die. Did they just want to draw it out? Make it look less obvious? Maybe there's something I'm missing.

"A male follower… in her most holy temple… this is quite… unprecedented."

Mira's eyes narrow, "Has our Goddess struck him down yet?"

"No… she has not."

"Then why are you questioning his presence?"

"Only chaste women are allowed to walk her hallowed halls."

"Can't be that chaste," I murmur, thinking back to how she dissed the Lich for not being able to have sex during the fox quest.

Mira's eyes move toward me slowly, a flicker of red illuminating them, making me take a step back. She straightens, turning back to the priestesses. Wait, so if only chaste women are allowed to walk the halls, would me walking them count as desecration? Pretty sure Mira would catch me before I could make it. The entrance is about a hundred paces away.

"Who are you to question me?" Mira asks the woman, taking a step forward and tilting her head to the side, "Do you wish to meet our Goddess?"

"I…" the woman steps back, clearly terrified by her, "Sorry, high priestess, it is not my place to question."

"Prepare the altar, we will be along shortly."

"Understood," the woman says, bowing deeply and holding it for a few moments, the rest do the same.

I bounce on my feet, I don't have a lot of time left before I'll be mostly useless. We need to hurry.

"My bow, now," Mira says, shifting her gaze to me again.

If I do as she asks, it will definitely come back to me. Can I make it to the altar in seven seconds? Not a chance, I don't see the altar anywhere near here.

A menacing grin starts to coil up on her face, one that for some reason makes me match it. This is going to be a shitshow… my specialty.

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