Karen has been silent ever since we started walking down the road, once in a while Mary would look back at me but most the time it has been quiet. I don't know how long we've been walking but as someone who only the minimal amount during a day, I am utterly exhausted especially with the added weight of the backpack. Mary on the other hand hasn't even sweat one bit and is just casually walking down the rough dirt road. That reminds me though, what happened to the horses that were pulling the wagon, it would have been great if we could ride those instead of walking; even though I have no prior experience its got to be better than this right?

"He...Hey!! Mary... do.. you.... think we can... take a little.... break?" It shames me as a man to ask for a break especially since the other is a lady but this was just too much.

"It's just a little further, Shin. Surely you can last that long?" A teasing smile was on her lips as she started moving a bit faster. Pride is going to be the death of me I swear, a little further turned out to be about an hour as far as I could tell, since Karen is still refusing to talk to me. As I am about to faint of exhaustion and dehydration Mary's cheerful voice called out to me, "We're here, now was that so bad?."

Yes, I wanted to answer but instead I just collapsed onto the ground. "Did... you... by any.... chance pack... some water?" I asked hopefully. She laughed, it was a soft and gentle laugh, "Yes I did, but I would've thought a traveller would've brought his own water." She said as she dug through the pack and handed a waterskin to me.

Drinking greedily and choking a bit on the water, "I'm just an average person who got magically thrown into a different world. I'm no traveller, I don't even know the basic knowledge for this world."

"Oh? That is some powerful magic to have summoned you from another world... Tell me do you have any other special skills or magic?" She was staring at me intently, again her eyes seem to glow a bit with purple.

"I can devour souls apparently, it's how I can come back from the dead." I took out the soulstone from my pocket, "This can store souls for me to use."

"That is a very curious power indeed, do you mind if I take a look at this soulstone of yours?" Now that I've had some water and rest I can think a bit more clearly. She was staring very hungrily at the soulstone, is it that much of a rarity in this world?

"Sure, I guess. I'm not sure if it can break though so please be careful with it." I carefully hand it to her, who grabs it and held it close to her face; it kind of reminded me of a certain ring obsessed character. Oh, I haven't checked my inventory yet; should have done that a while ago.

Inventory, And I just stare at it swearing inwardly..... Out of all the items I could have gotten it was this.

April's Watering Can For Fools - A watering can that creates non-hostile life from every drop of water that flows out. The life created is random and the water will be replenished at the beginning of every day.

As the name states it was an item created and released on Aprils Fools that required you to talk to every NPC in the starting city, including the animals within a certain time limit in a certain pattern. It was used in many videos of ways to die because of the stuff that can come out of it can either crush you or crash the server if enough people use it at once: rabbits, fish, frogs, bugs, mice, hamsters, squirrels and the like. Small critters that neither aggro stuff or drop anything, truly a cruel joke.

Depressed I took it out and started watering the ground, at least if it turns out to be a rabbit it may be edible. And of course what came out was anything but rabbits, they just kinda started piling up more and more which drew Mary's attention from the soul stone to well pile of insects and small critters.

Her eye's widened, "What is that? Is it some kind of mass teleportation magic?"

I looked up still depressed over it, "Nope, it creates life but only this stuff, pretty useless right?.... Eh?"

She was looking at me with eyes that are way too large to be possible and griped my shoulders hard, so much that it hurts. "Something that creates life simply DOES NOT EXIST, Where did you get this!!!?!?!" Her eyes had a crazy look in them and there was a really deep purple glow to them.

"Ah.. Mary.. do you think you can release your grip first it really hurts." I winced, her nails were now starting to dig into my shoulders which were now bleeding.

"I ASKED, WHERE DID YOU GET IT!!!" This time she yelled at me fangs bare as she increased her grip on my shoulders.

The sound of bones snapping was drowned out by the sound of me screaming as my shoulders were completely crushed by her hands. And then she tore out my throat, while I stared at her in shock, bathed in moonlight and blood with an ethereal beauty to her; mouth no long able to produce any sound as my vision faded to black once again for the third time this day.

I told you she was dangerous.

"Why thank you for finally talking to me Karen... Now what do I do." Mary was taking out her anger on the critters all around who were doing nothing but lazing around even as their brethren died around them. The soulstone I had lent her was pushed into my right eye. Seems like she was waiting for me to revive with the soulstone. If I did there was no doubt that I would be interrogated then killed by here again, and I do not want to ever feel that pain again. I also realized a fatal flaw about my stupid overconfidence, there were no corpses that I could create a shambler from and we had walked far enough away that Bob and friend wouldn't be able to get here any time. I also had no way to actually fight her off, having thought I would get some overpowered weapon from the random Divine Item.

If you had listened to me in the first place this would have never happened.

"Come back here you cowardly Human, I know you can" Mary snarled, she was still beautiful even when angry like that. Wait what am I even thinking right now.

Also in case you haven't noticed she has been trying to use hypnotizing magic on you for a while now.

That would explain the purple glow in her eyes, but is there really nothing I can do but revive? She did not seem to be giving up any time soon and I only had 10 minutes.

Well this is a long shot but, there's all these souls because of that item and her raging around.

"Eh?" looking around there were indeed many souls, those of the small critters. Of course the watering can doesn't just make magical beings, they were actual living beings; which meant they had souls. But even if I did consume every single soul there I wouldn't even be able to scratch her, at least not without a proper weapon. I also highly doubt that the Aura of Death would affect her in the slightest. Wait there is one skill that I may be able to use.

"Karen is it possible for me to use Enslave Soul on her?"

....... It may, the requirements is 10 souls but I would assume that the souls are at least of normal quality and that is against a normal opponent but considering that you have hundreds of souls here for you to use you can make up for that... probably. However it takes out 99% of your health so you would have to do it unscathed, even then it could fail.

"Well for now I guess we can wait till the last minute, since she is still killing the critters as they spawn and who knows maybe Bob will show up."

I honestly do not want to see him again shambler or not. That was just... incredibly disturbing.

And so we waited while Mary continuously killed the critters as they spawned, it even made me pity them such was the brutality she did. If a normal person would be doing it they would look like some crazy idiot stomping and smacking the ground but she looked as if she was dancing, only enhanced by the moon's gentle caress. Although she was dressed plainly and was now covered in dirt and blood she obviously possessed an inhuman beauty, I guess my lack of interaction with those of the opposite sex caused me to over look that.

You have 1 minute remaining. I would definitely prefer if you made her rip out her own heart and eat it afterwards, she's far too dangerous to have around.

"This is the first time you've shown confidence in me."

If you fail that would be the end, the only way out is to win or have someone miraculously save you which I highly doubt, I am simply stating what would be the only real possibility. Also I suggest you do not stare at her especially since you would die if you continue to do so.

"I... I wasn't staring." Yet as I said that I found my gaze shifting over to her.

You obviously were and you definitely are staring at her right now.

"Wait... Bob?" Honestly I didn't even think he would come close to making it here, but sure enough moving through the trees behind Mary was Bob and his underling, they must have some kind of internal GPS or something. Curious though that he is completely silent even when moving amongst the trees its like sound itself is killed around hi-

5 seconds remaining.

"Oh Shi-" Consume Soul, the soulstone started to glow and Mary seeing the light stopped her rampage to look back over.

"Finally, this time you and all your secrets will be Miiiinnnee" She hissed out claws (when did she grow those?) extended and ready to pounce on me the second I revive.

Souls Consumed, all Health restored, all Mana restored, all Stamina restored. Now Reviving.....

Well... All or nothing, it's clutch time.

.... Or so I thought, the second my body full restored myself, even before I opened my eyes Mary had already pounced on my tore off my arms and had me in the air by the throat. And once again I found myself screaming uncontrollably. God damnit and here I was trying to act cool.

"You aren't getting away this time and you will tell me EVERYTHING. Even if I have to pull it out of you piece by bleeding piece." Even growling savagely she sounds amazing... wait I'm still screaming here, why am I thinking this!!! "First of all, how are you resisting my magic, even if you have a strong will there would be some effects but you didn't even react when I tried my hardest." Well that's because I'm immune, but even if I wanted to I couldn't tell you cause now I'm choking instead of screaming.

Well just wonderful, guess I'll pack up and get ready for my next job.

I know I look terrible in this situation but at least comfort me or something Karen!!!

"I guess you can't speak like this can you," Mary finally realizing that I can't even breathe threw me up against a tree. "Now speak or you will lose your legs next." Must say that's a terrible inefficient way to torture someone, if you want to get the maximum pain you would go slowl- Damn it this isn't time to think about that. Attack, as I hoped the command worked and Bob plus company of one charged her. As he got near, Mary whipped around claws shooting out and cleanly took off Bobs head and cut his torso with several deep gashes; didn't even last a second. But that Bob bought me enough time to heal my wounds as I consumed some of the now numbering in thousands floating souls of the critters. Soul Enslave, as the command went out I felt my mental and physical drain from me and also what feels like my blood being drained way. All the souls in the area converged itself into the single point that was floating in the air in front of me where all my energy was focused.

"You have no more tricks now SLAVE," Finished with shambler1 who was diced meat at this point, she turned around to come face to face with a small portal from which black chains came flying out. Her reflexes and figure as she jumped back were amazing, any normal person wouldn't have reacted in time. Still the chains were relentless and snaked towards her. Snarling she slashed at the chain closest to her... only to have her hand stopped short by the chain which then proceeded to circle around her right arm. Instead of pulling against the chain, she instantly changed her direction and jumped towards me, unbelievably fast. One second she was across the clearing the next she was right in my face left hand outstretched to take my head. I raised my hand to block and then AGAIN screamed in pain as the claw punched straight through my flesh and headed for my eye; her mouth in a triumphant smile.

Then confusion flew across her face as her nail stopped just short of piercing my eye, my eye lid cut and bleeding. Holding onto her left arm was the beheaded body of Bob which was just barely in one piece, that sudden pause as enough for the chains to encircle and chain her entire body. Then as suddenly as they shot forth the chains withdrew into the portal dragging her screaming with them stopping at the opening of the portal.

Well that was an astoundingly unconvincing victory.

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding, "For once I don't feel like arguing with you."

*Ding

For holding your breath for a period of time you have learned a new skill:

Strong Lungs - Allows you to hold you breath longer as well as increase efficiency of your lungs, higher levels of the skill further increase the duration you can hold your breath and the efficiency of your lungs.

Novice 1 - 27%, You can hold your breath for 1 minute and your lungs are 20% more effective at taking in oxygen.

For using a dark art you have gained a new skill:

Lesser Dark Arts Mastery - Decreases the resource costs for all dark arts as well as increasing their effectiveness, higher levels of the skill further enhance the effects and reduce the costs.

Novice 1 - 9%, Reduce costs of all Dark Arts by 5% and increase effectiveness by 10%

I look at them, the first one was random but potentially useful and the second one was really good if I could learn some attacking dark arts and level this skill up I could potentially be a monster; although I guess I am one right now. Screaming turned my attention from the windows to the source. The chains were burning themselves into Mary's body and black light was flowing out of her eye sockets.

"Please!!! Stop!!! It Burns!!! I Beg Of You!!!" Mary cried out with tears flowing as the chains engraved themselves deeper inside her.

Don't even think of stopping.

"Even if I wanted to I don't know how." Somehow Karen's message sent shiver down my spine, there was a lot pressure and some of what seemed to be dark satisfaction imprinted into those words. Eventually the chains and the weird glow coming from Mary's eyes disappeared leaving her slumped over silently sobbing. If it weren't for Karen's message I might have very well tried to stop, even now I feel guilty. Strange I felt nothing over Bob, the bandits, guard or the merchant but I feel guilty for doing this to someone who has killed me once painfully and tried to again.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked hand reaching for her shoulder. And instantly a claw went for my throat but stopped just short, I have GOT to stop doing that if it weren't for what I assume the enslavement magic I would've been dead again for a third and probably final time today.

"What.... what did you do to me?" She glared up at me an edge to her voice, her tear stained face was beauti- I mentally slap myself.

Recomposed, "First off it would be great if you stop trying to kill me, and also don't think of killing yourself." She seemed like someone who would die rather than be enslaved by someone. "You are currently bound to me in what you would call a master slave relationship." There indeed was a bond between us, I could feel her through it and the bond also seemed to let me feel where she roughly was, I could also tell she was VERY displeased with the situation.

She made some strange mouth movements, what I assume to be attempts at biting off her own tongue before saying with a tinge of resignation. "What do you want from me now?" her eyes however told me otherwise.

I gave a gentle smile, "For now just some information and company, but seeing as it's night time let's wait till tomorrow, Bob can stand watch well... what remains of him." Tired and content that she will not be trying to kill me I leaned against a tree and fell asleep almost instantly, today was very mentally taxing.

*Note: I tried making it longer, sorry if there are parts that seem a bit awkward, those may be the times I wanted to stop but forced myself to keep going. There may or may not be a chapter tomorrow (busy with RL stuff), if there isn't though I'll try to make it two nicely long chapters on Friday along with the stats chapter thing that I promised a bit back.