"Well?" Fusha said, eyes full of tears.
Fusha stared at the golem, waiting for an answer.
Please, let me see you, Fusha sent.
Taka froze. For the first time since he had been brought to this godforesaken world, he found someone who might be able to understand him. Not just as Filo the worm, but as Taka. Fusha looked desperate, and Taka understood the feeling, the desire to be seen.
Please, Fusha pleaded.
The half-wolf woman was on the verge of breaking down, and Taka felt for her and wanted to help. If sharing his secret was the price to pay for them to be able to see each other, he was willing to bite the bullet. He took a deep breath in and quieted his mind, steeling his resolve.
Sorry, Zirko, Taka thought to himself as he prepared to raise the disc out from the inside of the golem's head. As he took one last breath, he heard something from far away. As Taka concentrated, he was able to make out a voice laughing -- a feminine voice -- from far away.
Taka looked back at Fusha, re-examining her. The woman looked like she could break down at any moment, but Taka noticed a stillness in her stance and just how focused she was on him.
Zirko, is everything alright in there? Taka sent to his battle mage companion.
Yes. Why? Zirko replied.
Taka saw Fusha's nose twitch as she sniffled, awaiting his reply. Why is Beja laughing?
Behind Fusha, Taka noticed a plant. It was small, weed-like, and standing, as if it were staring at Fusha...
I... I do not know what you speak of, Taka sent to Fusha. I have lost the memories of my past.
Fusha blinked her tears away, "But you... your abilities, they seem not of this world..."
I will be honest with you, as you seem trustworthy, Taka sent to Fusha. I do not remember anything beyond a few weeks ago, and woke up in an... unfortunate, form, which I wear under this armor. Why do you believe the god of creation would bring me here?
The milliseconds ticked by like minutes, the seconds like hours. If I hadn't heard Beja laughing...
Sir Filo, Zirko sent, something is wrong with the prototype. Come back inside with the woman--
--no, Taka interjected. I think it's her, Zirko. She has wings--
--yes, Zirko jumped in, if she's half fae, it makes sense--
--white wings, Taka sent. Milky white. White as snow.
Zirko didn't reply, and Fusha continued to stare.
Taka opened his status window for the first time in weeks.
Get Dr. Quinoth and Theo away from here, Taka sent. I'll handle this.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Sir Filo, Zirko began, you won't be able to--
We don't have time, Taka said. Go.
Taka could see Fusha's eyes shift, starting to recognize the change in their situation. Her plan had almost worked; Taka had almost given himself away, but not yet. At the same time, Taka wasn't entirely confident he was right, but better safe than sorry. Taka activated his CHARM skill and targeted Fusha.
Warning: Skill: CHARM ineffective on target.
That was the same notice he had gotten on Syla, and the bird...
Fusha's eyes narrowed as she reached down under her cloak. Before Taka could react, Fusha pulled out a curved sword that looked like it had webbed fingers, an irumi? Taka thought, and swung it directly through the mid-section of the golem. The golem fell apart, crumbling in on itself, and Taka used his telekinesis on the disc he sat upon to land steadily in the middle of the rubble. Without a second thought, he activated his BURROW skill and was head-first a foot beneath the floor.
From above, the sound of the remains of his golem being shoved around echoed. Fusha was muttering to herself, and Taka heard her blades -- blades -- drag across the floor.
"Come out and we can talk," Fusha said. "It'll be easier for both of us."
She's trying to kill me, Taka thought to himself. What do I do?
The sound of footsteps became louder as boots made their way across the floor, their vibrations indicating they were rushing towards the commotion.
I need to warn them, Taka thought as he started to inch his way back up, but was interrupted by screams. Two voices let out blood-curdling yelps followed by loud thumps.
No, Taka thought as he closed his eyes and focused on seeing the mana around him, please, no.
"Come out, little worm," Fusha said, dragging her weapon across the floor, nearer and nearer to Taka.
"Fuck you!" Taka screamed as he used his telekinesis to pick up the pieces of the golem and fling them at Fusha, detecting her through mana.
Fusha cried out in surprise and hit the wall, pinned down by the pieces of golem. Taka quickly crawled back up to see the woman thrashing, trying to get out from under the wood.
"Let me go, NOW!" Fusha roared, swinging her blade wildly.
Fortunately for Taka, her wrist was pinned to the wall, so all she could do was swing at the ground. Taka crawled back onto the disc, which now had a hole directly through the center, and used his telekinesis to float over toward Fusha. Taka activated his FEAR skill, and Fusha stopped thrashing.
Who sent you? Taka sent.
"Stay away from me!" Fusha cried out. "I'll kill you."
Are you the one who burned down Martuck? Or who kidnapped Hyark's family? Taka pressed.
Fusha let out a grunt, "All of you demon puppets are so emotional. If I was there, the elf bitch would be dead. I wouldn't have to look like this if she just died like she was supposed to!"
Taka froze midair. He felt a coldness that was foreign to him, and any sort of pity he had felt toward Fusha was gone without a trace.
"That was her purpose," Fusha said, starting to thrash against the remains of the golem again with renewed vigor. "She needs to pay."
The world seemed to freeze around Taka. It didn't seem real. He could feel his own presence, Fusha's, and the plant minion that had taken position right below him. Taka looked at Fusha for the same seed of Magia that had afflicted Zirko, but it wasn't there. This is who Fusha was.
Taka lowered his disc onto the ground and picked up the minion. Weed minion, Taka commanded, stay on the edge of the disc. The weed minion saluted and stood on the edge of the disc as Taka floated in toward Fusha. It took a ton of mana to keep the wood of the golem pressed up against Fusha to pin her to the wall, but it held. Fusha thrashed even harder as Taka approached, and he had to come in from above to avoid her wildly swinging blade.
"Get away from me!" Fusha screamed out.
Taka floated the plate closer to her face and inched to the edge.
"I won't kill you," Taka said, "now stay still."
Taka didn't want to hurt anyone. That wasn't the kind of person he was; his mom helped people get better, and she taught him to always do the same. But if someone was trying to hurt those whom he cared about... this world is different, so I have to be different. I have to be strong, Taka told himself as he inched next to Fusha's face.
Fusha shook her head and tried to pull away from Taka, but it was futile. Taka put his head on the weed minion's leafy arm and touched Fusha's face as he activated LIFE STEAL.
The world felt so small, and Taka felt so big. Energy poured into him like a rushing river, a bottomless buffet where every dish was a Michelin-star chef's signature meal, and he would never get full. But unlike last time, he activated MANA TRANSFUSION at the same time while remaining vigilant, carefully observing as the energy drained out of Fusha, through his own body, and into the weed minion.
Fusha's screams began to quiet as her face drained of color, her skin becoming grey as her flame began to flicker. Taka kept going, sucking up all that he could. As she began to choke, he slowed down, and just before her flame went out, Taka stopped.
The whole process had only taken seconds, and Fusha slumped against the wall, still pinned by the broken pieces of golem. Taka gasped and began breathing quickly, like he had been holding his breath for ages. Though even as he breathed, the coldness he felt within himself remained. But as cold as he felt, Taka felt something warm and bright, and saw the weed minion standing before him, glowing incomprehensibly bright.
