I learned that night why the Church squad would camp for the next day. Flying out to hunt for dinner was a quick affair and when I returned, four bonfires were burning instead of the previous two. That was with the one next to the villagers’ tents being snuffed out. On top of that, soft light came from inside the carriages, most likely from vis lanterns of some sort. Someone had set up a crucible a little ways off and a flame of nitor was burning underneath. It stood right next to the pond, a paladin standing by with a bucket.

They were not very noisy, which I was thankful for, but they were busy. Paper, cloth, wood and dirt were scribbled, several Thaumonomicons had been spread out and people were bent over to read them. It was pandemonium. Still, I decided to get some distance for the night. My ears were too sensitive to let me rest properly with this many scribbling quills.

I found a few trees a little out beyond the pond. I picked a branch that would let me observe the camp but was slightly hidden from view. With a deep sigh, the last of the tension left my body. I had not even realized how worked up I had gotten. The possible threat from the paladins, running into such a large group and then Truth showing up had left more of a mark than expected. Exhaustion washed over me and the centre of my body ached. I turned my senses inwards and found my Core strained, the flesh and blood around it moving sluggishly as if not fully present. It was as if little tendrils of flux were reaching through it into me.

I barely found the time to panic before I realized they were retreating. It looked like it would take a few days but I was ‘healing’ from whatever this was. A quick glance at my Status revealed no condition so I decided to ignore it. Just to make sure, I stretched out a tendril of darkness. It moved normally, as it always had. My magic seemed uninhibited. I even activated [Eldritch Shift] for a moment… And found myself eye to eye with my eldritch friend.

It took a few minutes before I got my bearing. Somehow, my perception was split and I saw the eye from two angles. Looking left and right, I realized both my owl and human self were present and actively feeding information to my soul. Or my soul was drawing in from both perspectives? I shook my heads. I could probably choose one or the other but I was both so who was I to dismiss part of me? I simply had to get used to it.

With a bit of mental effort, I made my heads turn in opposite directions, looking at both of my forms at the same time. I smiled at myself. It felt… good.

“I see you are in tune with yourself”, Truth spoke up.

Four eyes turned towards him. I saw an old man sitting in a rocking chair and holding a cup of coffee. His mouth was on his forehead and one extra eye on the back of his left foot. He wore no clothing but had no modesty to preserve.

“This is weird”, he cringed.

The man turned back into something less comprehensible but more comfortable. Toothy maws, tentacles and lots of eyes. The base form looked a bit like a snake or a lizard with too many limbs.

“Better”, he said.

“Better”, ”Better”, I agreed.

My human mouth had spoken normally while my owl mind had sent the words telepathically.

Truth raised a tentacle that looked a bit like an eyebrow.

“You would do good not to do that with the simple-minded. You have already thoroughly confused the… what was it? Crimson Church?”

“I have?”, human me wondered.

A slow blink was all the answer I got.

“Am I stuck here again?”, owl me asked.

“No. Your Skill will drag you back in a bit. I simply wanted to warn you.”

“What for?”

“I can not do that very often without dragging you back here. You will not be able to leave if that happens.”

My bodies blinked.

“I would not mind the company”, Truth said, “But I believe you have other friends. Ones that are real.”

“You are real.”

“In a different way, yes.”

“So… That Skill she used was that dangerous?”

“It would take your memories and make them hers. Some of it will be lost forever but it matters little to the victim. They are no longer the individual they were before.”

I shuddered. My feathers pulled tight around my body like a shield while goosebumps spread all over my skin. That was the most terrifying Skill I had heard of, yet. I really hoped that ‘yet’ was not necessary. What could be worse than… this?

“And I’m supposed to let her travel with me?”

“I suggest you keep a close eye on her. It would be unwise to make her disappear.”

“The Church…”

A nod.

“Thank you”, I sent, “And I’d rather spend eternity here than have my memories stolen.”

“I will keep an eye out”, Truth said, “As will the little ones.”

I blinked with four eyes.

“The mind spiders”

“Oh!”

I turned around, my nest forming in front of me. A good part had been covered by a solid wood cabin. My owl body could see some chairs around a table from outside while my human body relaxed on the couch in one corner, watching a huge TV that showed plains under a night sky. It was exactly what my real eyes saw. I could even hear the noises of the nightly forest through a surround system.

Mind spiders crawled over the purple branches outside, breaking and weaving warped string. A few moved in and out of the house. I only realized later the couch was the same telling purple.

One of the spiders crawled on my human tummy and I started petting it. Another one cuddled up to my feathers. I ran my beak carefully across its carapace removing any dirt and broken branches that had gotten stuck between the chitin.

After a few minutes of resting in the calm of my soul, I felt my Skill pull me back to reality.

“Maybe one day you can visit on your own power”, Truth said, “For now, farewell, friend”

“Don’t be too lonely”, I called out as my perception returned to reality.

It took me a moment to remember to breathe as I shifted on my branch. Nothing much had happened. I was only gone for a few minutes, after all. Exhaustion had turned down my bodily functions and soon I was asleep.

I woke up with a start. Birds were singing, leaves rustled and the sun was just starting to break the nightly haze. A soft morning fog was rising from the grass and dampened the sounds coming from the camp. I took a few minutes just enjoying the scenery before flying off for some food. When I returned to the tents a good twenty minutes later, the villagers were just getting ready.

“Hey, Fio!”, Circe called out.

I landed next to her on the wagon and helped put the tents back up with my shadow tendrils. A few of the thaumaturges put down their writing utensils to observe but I paid them no mind. Just when we were done, one of the Crimson Knights walked up, Jane following right behind.

“Good morning”, the man greeted, “You are leaving today?”

“Yes”, Joachim answered, “The villagers want to sell their food as soon as they can.”

The Knight nodded.

“Very well”, he turned around, “Commander Eternity. You are hereby assigned to Fio Catori. Your mission is to guide her to the Crimson Heart. Protect her with your life, if need be.”

“Yes, Sir”, she saluted.

“Farewell”, he nodded to everyone else and returned to his carriage.

For a few minutes, the woman simply stood there. She wore her armour and had a large leather bag slung over her shoulder. When the oxen were finally spun in front of the cart, she started moving.

“Put your bag up”, Joachim said.

Jane nodded and swung it to land right next to Circe.

“Everyone ready?”, the man called out to the villagers.

They answered with a mix of ‘yes’ and ‘always’.

Soon, we were rolling along the packed-dirt road. It was another two days until Brookfrid. I felt the time would be rather awkward with the woman being completely silent and it would be even worse after so I tried to start a conversation.

“Are you gonna be fine walking all the way?”, I asked.

It took a moment for Jane to realize I was speaking to her. Then she pointed a finger at her chest.

“Me? Yes… I… thought you wouldn’t want to talk to me?”

“… We’re supposed to travel together. If you are gonna be mute, I might as well find my own way.”

“And what about me?”, Circe asked.

“We’d figure something out.”

“Like a [Familiar Bond]!”

I scoffed.

“I was wondering if you had the Skill since you’re a [Witch] and all”, Jane asked.

“I do. Not active, though.”

“It’s a good choice to use it early.”

“And what do you know about witchcraft?”, Circe asked.

Jane glanced over.

“Every [Witch] belongs to a coven. And every coven has a representative in the Cathedral. They’d be best described as instinctive thaumaturges, lacking the understanding to cleanly work with highly volatile magic but able to project their will onto reality more than most other Classes.”

That stumped the girl. I had honestly half-expected something like this after my experiences with [Brewing]. The fact that I was able to easily innovate and even teach Mira my new tricks was a rather obvious sign.

“Anyways…”, Jane said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think my actions through. Escorting you is my punishment but there’ll likely be more once we get to our goal.”

I observed her closely. She was avoiding my glare and chewing on her lower lip. One hand was playing with the lower edge of her chest plate. I sighed.

“I won’t forgive you”, I said.

A flinch.

“That Skill should not be used. Ever.”

She glanced at me from the corner of her eyes.

“Not even on animals?”, she tried.

“I am an animal”, I said, “And even if you mean non-sapients, that would include my little brothers until a few weeks ago. Everyone has a soul. You stealing their memories is no different than killing them. From what I understand, it is even worse. What happens to your victims?”

Jane cringed.

“I… don’t really know. They all kinda freeze on the spot. I’m busy sorting the new memories so someone will be protecting me. When I come to, my… targets… are dead or gone.”

“I see. You should make sure to kill them if you ever have to use the Skill again. It would be a mercy. And use the body.”

She looked over, a hint of hope in her eyes.

“So you don’t hate me?”

“I have done some bad things to both mind and body of others. I have no right to judge you.”

Now that I thought back, what I had, unknowingly, done to the ork thaumaturges was likely just as bad. Their souls might still be trapped somewhere in the mind spiders’ webs. Maybe I should look for them if I ever got a chance?

“… thank you”, Jane said, “Let’s get a new start?”

I noticed how Circe was practically vibrating next to me.

“… fine”, I said, “I’m Fio. Or Catori. That’s not a last name. This is Circe, my friend. She’s travelling with me.”

Jane saluted.

“I’m Commander Eternity of the Crimson Paladins. You can just call me Jane. This is my… second mission in this position. I hope you’ll have me.”

“This is so cool!”, Circe squealed, “Can you tell me…”

I turned away from the hound I had unleashed on the woman and hopped next to Joachim to the front of the cart. He gave me a knowing smile as the chatter behind us would not stop. At least the wind was nice.