Bloodlinked

“No offense, Pipo, but springing this up on us like this isn’t doing wonders for your offer.” Michael said, almost jokingly.

Yet there was no humor to be found in the situation. What the Halfling was basically saying was that they were fucked. Help wouldn’t find them in time, not before the dryad poked through their defenses and used them as lunch to sustain herself for the next who-knew how long. If she could even be referred to as a her.

And it was either that or be turned into a semi-conscious avatar of a greater entity, while losing themselves and their magic in the process. Or in not so many words, a Bloodlinked.

“We are not trying to beautify our offer or make it seem more than it is.” Lavla said. “We offer this only because it assures our continued survival. And we do not offer it lightly.”

“Why does it assure our continued survival?” Michael asked. “Look, if you want us to even entertain the idea, then you need to come clean with what this ritual entails. Both the good and the bad.”

The two looked at each other and, by some unspoken decision, it was Pipo who was elected to speak.

“I will tell you. But first, perhaps a deterrent for our enemy?” he asked, pointing at the still growing protrusions.

A round of Spells later, the Halfling started to tell his tale.

“I cannot unveil all our secrets. Yet as you may already know, the Bloodlinked ritual unifies its members. It makes us one or, at least, as close to one as it and we can manage. Its benefits are many. Bloodlinked members can cast two Spells at the same time, by borrowing from the mind and magic of other members. It can cast the same Spell twice. And we can borrow more than magic. Strength, agility, wit. What one knows, we all know and what one does, we all do. By being linked, we are more than the sum of our members.”

“I see. But any other concrete advantages?” Alex pressed.

“You heard us before. You heard our Skills. Bloodlinked members receive unique Skills. Sometimes, even Classes. They enhance our connection, letting us cast Spells at far superior levels than we normally could. Depending on one’s Skills and Levels, members can even cast Spells they do not know, but others do. At very high Levels, they may even cast Spells that are special to Bloodlinked.”

Special Spells. Like with Sinestra. That’s powerful. But… not worth the cost.

“And the major advantages are these.” Pipo went on. “All of what I have described? That would be available to you, as long as enough of your brethren are around. One powerful Bloodlinked can empower a number of lesser members. But even a coterie of low-Level Bloodlinked has strength. And the more of us gather, the more powerful we become. We know our reputation. Yet we survive. And this is why. When we go to war, Gnosis shakes.”

“And the other advantage?” Erea asked.

“Once a Bloodlinked, you’ll never be without support.” Lavla cut in. “We know each other. More intimately than siblings or lovers. We know each other’s reasoning. This is why we do not act unless we all want to… except moments like these. That is why, no matter the reason, where one fights, we all fight. No matter the trail you will tread, you’ll never walk alone.”

That was weirdly poetic. And it touched Erea, Michael saw that. She jerked her gaze away, but what the dwarf said touched a hungry and longing part of her. Michael could understand that as well. How could you not like that? To be a part of a group that always had your back, unconditionally.

But what about the costs?

“You told us about the benefits. There are downsides too.” Michael said.

“There are.” Pipo nodded. “Not to us, but we understand others think so. As to those-“

The mist didn’t come like before, simply emanating from the room. It came in a single stream. Like before, the moldy growth shrunk, releasing a storm of spores, but this time they all gathered in a single ball, before the hovering sphere turned into a twisting lance that slammed into Alex’s barrier.

The young man looked at his vambrace in concern, but the ghostly aegis managed to remain in one piece, though just barely.

“It’s almost done for!” he screamed. “Burn that thing!”

A new set of Spells came from their side. They met the massed spores dead on and managed to burn the new attack before it could do more damage, but they all ran out of mana before they managed to burn the mold off the room itself. The walls and floor were pulsing rapidly, in bursts, as if the dryad was laughing at them. Once more did the protrusions start to grow.

There would be no more defense for them after that.

“Downsides. Quickly.” Alex ordered.

“Your self will become fluid. Even when alone and away from the others, you will not be as before. And the closer you get, both in physical distance and power, the more your self will become other. Others. I understand this is a burden for some. Curse for others. But for us and who we were? It is a blessing. We now sleep next to brothers and sisters, when so many of us before have contemplated the eternal sleep.”

Michael shared a long look with Alex and Erea. Of the three, only the two of them looked interested. Alex was probably interested in the sense of control and strength that the Bloodlinked offered. A faction like a well-oiled team. Erea? She was probably interested because of less pragmatic reasons. A place where she could belong. Michael saw them doubting, thinking.

Was this what Kelunad was after? A moment of choice?

But it seems the orc knew his ‘children’, as well as his adopted ‘son’. They may have had their doubts, but the two were Martials. And Michael himself may not have been one, but he was being tutored by the prime Martial himself. The temptation may have been there, but they were made of sterner stuff.

“No. I am afraid I must refuse.” Alex smiled.

“Nah.” Erea shrugged.

“We’ll find another way.” Michael assured them.

Which turned out to be a false promise, because that was the moment when the dryad once again raised herself from the primordial mold.

“Look out everyone. It seems she’s abandoning her usua-”

The spores once again slammed Alex’s barrier, cracking it in the process.

“|Barrier|!”

“|Frozen Wind|!”

“|Flame Blast|.”

They were out of immediate danger, but the dryad was still out there. And she wasn’t looking angry anymore. Just serious. She motioned and the wall of mold grew over the exit, blocking it. She motioned again and one of the now customary waves formed and barreled towards them.

“|Fire Slash|!” Michael cried, dry-heaving. “I’m… almost out.”

“We all are.” Pipo said. “I suggest undertaking the ritual, while we still have the mana for it.”

“That’s almost as bad as dying.” Alex said. “No offense.”

“Almost does not mean the same as.” Lavla answered. “But we understand your point. In this case, we will hold off as much as we can. Yet we will die. It has been nice to know you.”

“Same.”

“Yeah, fuck that. Alex, I’m charging. Michael, get me out if I go too deep.” She said, and before Michael got a chance to respond, she spoke again. “|Earth Fists|, |Haste|.”

She charged, her ring and Spell both working towards making her the fastest one in the room. Faster than even the dryad spores. It was incredible, but within just a couple of seconds Erea had reached the mold being. And then she let loose.

The punches she threw were faster than Michael could keep track of, but he saw the aftereffects. Erea struck at will, without mercy, not caring what she hit, only that she managed to hit something. They all saw the dryad trying to flinch, then block, before Erea’s hits literally ripped her apart. She tried to flee, one arm and half a face gone, but the elf was either furious or scared, because she didn’t stop until the dryad completely disintegrated into a white powder-ish paste.

“I… won!” the elf grinned at them, huffing hard.

She straightened, caught her breath and promptly collapsed.

The dryad once more rose from the floor, as Erea’s body started to be covered by the white mold.

“Erea!” Michael screamed. “|Fire Slash|, |Fire Bolt|, |Flame Dart|, |Fire… Slash.”

Michael fell to his knees, before Alex could stop him. He had managed to fire off three Spells, but that seemed to be the extent of his reservoir. The others had fired off Spells as well, Lavla trying to |Life Drain| the mold that had grown onto Erea, but to no avail.

“I must inform you that we no longer have the mana to use the ritual.” Pipo said.

“Noted.” Alex murmured.

Michael stood up, looking at the mound covering Erea.

There’s no help coming. We’re out of mana. And unless I manage to think of something, Erea will suffer the same fate Lavla did. Think!

Slowly, the dryad started to walk towards them. Smiling, yet doing it viciously. Toying with them.

Michael had to find a way out. He had to find a way to win or at least run. He had to help Erea. But… how? Once more, he was reminded that this was supposed to be a story. He was supposed to be the protagonist. Didn’t protagonists always win out? Yes, people died, but even in GOT the main characters lived. And he needed to live in order to get the others out alive as well.

The dryad was almost halfway towards them. She was moving her hand through her hair lazily, as if to fluff it.

No. Please. Please, I need to find a way. I thought this was supposed to be an academy for learning! I thought this castle was supposed to like me. I thought… Wait!

“Wish we had more time to adventure together, Michael.” Alex said sadly.

But Michael didn’t hear that. He was thinking furiously.

Gnosis is self-aware. At least, kind of. And Gnosis likes me too, kind of. Gnosis, I know you’re listening. I know it. Please, we’re about to die. The girl I like is about to die. I’m about to die. Please. You’re a wonderful castle. I know you want to help. Please don’t let us die. You’re a teaching academy. You’re the home for those away from home. You’re the reason I’m considering never going home again! Please, please, please, if-

Michael got blasted out of his thoughts by a feeling like a pulse. It was like his heart beat only the once, only it wasn’t his heart. It was his very being. It was his magic. And it left him so dizzy that he once again fell to his knees.

Alex placed a hand on his shoulder, perhaps thinking that it was just his way of meeting his end, when Pipo spoke up. There was emotion in his voice, for the first time.

“I-We can feel the others. The Bloodlinked are whole again. They have learned of our plight. They-“

“-know where we are.” Lavla continued. “They are coming.”

Alex whirled around so fast, the motion of his hand almost set Michel tumbling. Michael got up as he talked.

“They know? Can they get the others?”

“They have. They sent the location, but they are not stopping to wait. Our factions are… close. Very close. We have to hold out for only minutes. As long as we are awake, they will find us.”

“Understand.” A voice said from behind them.

They turned, horror on their faces. The dryad looked at them, smiling, one finger at her temple.

“I… still… Un-der-stand.”

“Run!” Alex shouted.

They did. They ran, hoping to manage to obtain just a few more minutes.

I should have done this from the start. I killed us. I killed us.

Alex fought trying to protect the two Bloodlinked. Lavla fell first, not far from where Erea did. A stray spore cloud hit her in the face and the dwarf fainted, faceplanting into the floor. Michael would have tried to wake her if not for the mold starting to grow on his leg.

So he ran once more. Pipo was still conscious, so that was fine. Just as long as Pipo was conscious, everything was-

A wave shaped like a hand caught the Halfling by his midsection. Alex was in front, but he was out of mana. He still managed to rip the mold away by hand, before throwing Pipo a few feet forward. That just meant the casualty was different. The mold grew, covering Alex’s face and the boy went limp, falling down.

One moment of hesitation later, Michael ran after Pipo. They could still do this. They just had to wait. He just had to protect Pipo. He was out of Mana, but he still had his sword, bless the Martials. He swung it at anything coming even remotely into his range, as they ran in circles.

The Halfling may have been short, but his feet were quick. Though, as the dryad laughed silently, the Halfling’s feet did have a major disadvantage. They had a lot of exposed surface area, courtesy of not wearing any shoes.

Michael thought, as Pipo fell, that the dryad must have planned for this. The Halfling had run through enough moldy patches. That he only fell now… That must have been what she wanted. In seconds, Pipo became covered by the mold and Michael turned.

He had nothing in himself but hatred. No fear, no alarm, just pure, burning hatred for the being that took his friends and toyed with them until their last waking moment. He felt the room pulse and knew that it had just switched locations once more.

He ran ahead, screaming, voice warbling. His sword was raised and he slashed and cut and pierced, until his arms could no longer rise anymore. And at the end, he noticed that the Dryad once more stood before him unharmed. He noticed that he fell to his knees next to the mound of mold that covered Erea. He wished he could rip the mold off of her, so that he may fall besides her. That his death could at least have a measure of beauty in it. It didn’t.

He fell forwards, head hitting the floor. His last image was that of the dryad, once more receding into the floor, satisfied.

The End.