Thanks to the fact that the town was built with a profound underlying order in mind, there is a direct connecting road from the gate to the inner layers.
From the tightly packed city buildings, we emerge into a more open plaza, which transitions into an inclined road.
A road that gradually narrows, till finally, it becomes a steep ramp as it approaches the grand gate separating the civilian area from the military core that marks the true purpose of this city.
This ramp up to the elevated plateau that the original fort, which today only forms a portion of the city of Akaras, was built upon is ever a pleasant sight.
I always liked being around here.
Watching the soldiers during their training, imagining my eventual military career.
One could say I spent a lot of time here.
However, in this situation, the place starts to feel a little eerie right now.
Might have something to do with the fact that my interview about what happened to the carriage is going to get changed into an interrogation about "why the fuck can I control orc corpses".
A question I would like to have the answer to myself.
It might also be that Verad is quite rough with how he basically drags me.
Like this, we reach the entrance to the second ring within a mere ten minutes.
Shortly after we pass the gates to the second ring, he brings me into a building for official business and, well, puts me in an interrogation room.
Thankfully, not the kind with torture devices all around, but rather an empty space with just a table and two chairs in the center, which makes you feel a little pressed to do something.
Even though I’m glad this isn’t a dungeon cell, I already feel anxious about Verad becoming so rough with me.
There are quite a few doubts in my mind that he will really still believe that I am me, with all that is going on with me, and even then, he might not treat me like the one I was before everything changed.
"Alright, after your little stunt at the gate, we have no real way to suppress word of your actions. You need to tell me everything you know, so I can act before a higher-ranked officer gets to know about this." (V)
Huh?
That’s it!?
He was just so forceful because he was running out of time to secure control?
"It, it is a complicated and long..." (Y)
"...Story! I know! So you had better start telling it. Now." (V)
"Uh, okay. You know that my parents sent me on a carriage to relatives in the capital?" (Y)
"Rather smart of them, it gets more dire here by the day." (V)
"Yes, so last second, some woman jumped on it, her name was Nuvia, she said. We found out she was a mage soon after this." (Y)
"You said that the carriage was raided. Did this woman have something to do with this?" (V)
"Well, yes! Entirely! On the second day, we got ambushed by some strange creatures, and she was totally controlling them." (Y)
"Strange creatures?" (V)
"A little bigger than orcs, hunched, with fur covering their bodies, and spikes coming out of their backs. I haven't seen it myself, but she said they killed everyone else." (Y)
"But not you? Why?" (V)
Should I drop the bomb here?
Well, why not?
"Um, you see… She kinda did." (Y)
"Yomi, now is not the time! What kind of joke even is this? I don't find it funny!" (V)
"It certainly wasn't funny! Do you think I look like this because I want to!? I'm a goddamned walking corpse!!!" (Y)
That got him.
Doesn't seem like he knows how to respond to this.
On the other side, I'm still extremely emotional about what happened, which he should notice.
"You, you really mean this? Just what did she do to you?" (V)
"You mean other than cutting my heart out?" (Y)
At this, I rub my chest where I can still feel a bit of a tense sensation.
A reminder of the stab I endured.
And probably the crystal she put in there.
Right, I got a weird magic crystal still inside my chest!
Just my life!
Or... unlife?
"Your heart got what!?" (V)
"Cut out. You know, chopped into, yanked out, turned to ash? But the wound kinda healed. My flesh is strangely regenerating, no idea why. It's not like I really understand what's going on with my body right now." (Y)
"O-Okay. Damn. This is getting a little bit too much." (V)
You’re telling me!
"But... you know. Can this stay between us, please? I don't think Mum and Dad should know about those parts. The worst would be if they start to blame themselves for sending me off. I don't need to provide them with the gory details." (Y)
"God. Do you know what exactly this woman has done?" (V)
"Seriously, no idea. After the carriage, I got dragged to this old battlefield site where many got slaughtered by orcs, or so she said. The rest I can just classify as some creepy, dark ritual. I wouldn't be able to even reproduce one of the symbols she carved into the ground. Or my body, for that matter. Was rather occupied with bleeding out back then." (Y)
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"This... this sounds like you went through a lot. Do you know why you are still... well, kind of alive?" (V)
"My best guess was the creepy, dark magic ritual. You know, the one where she put spirits, magic, and whatever else inside me! I just woke up like this afterwards. At first, I thought it was the afterlife." (Y)
"Alright, I think I've got the gist of it. But how did it come to these strange orcs?" (V)
Uh, that part is gonna be unpleasant to tell.
"I ran into them on my way back home. Got attacked and... I think I should mention here that I cannot eat anymore, but instead apparently suck the very life out of things." (Y)
Immediately, he backs off.
"You do what!?!" (V)
"It's some pinkish-green mist that comes out of living things. The first orc died after a short time of it flowing out. Then I touched him during all the uproar, which made him become... well, like he is now. This one then killed the second, and as for the third... I've also learned ice magic. Woohoo, right?" (Y)
"And then you decided to bring the others back as well?" (V)
"This happened all by itself! Something came from me, and they just stood up again! I don’t even really know why!" (Y)
This becomes seriously problematic!
"Fine, wait here. If your parents come, I will tell them a censored version. Must be hard to tell this kind of story more than once." (V)
"Sigh. Yes, you’re right about that." (Y)
Just now, I became aware of how much that weighs on me.
"Good then! Please stay inside here until I come back." (V)
Like this, Verad leaves, and I remain.
Some time goes by, but eventually, I hear a commotion outside the room.
"Can we now go see her?!" (J)
"It is complicated! She is in custody at the moment." (V)
"Why? She didn't do anything wrong, did she?" (T)
"That isn't the problem. Right now, no one knows what we're dealing with. So I cannot just let her go before it is solved." (V)
"And what will happen then?" (T)
"I just had to inform you about this. You can visit her, but you can't take her with you." (V)
"Can I then go to her now?" (J)
"Yes, the next room on the left." (V)
I am now incredibly nervous.
I stare at the door, and my heart skips a beat when it starts to open.
Or it would, were it not… you know!
A moment later, both of them enter.
At their looks, I'm completely at a loss regarding how to respond.
"H-hey there." (Y)
"Yomi?" (T)
"Yes... I think so." (Y)
Not like I can tell for sure.
For all accounts, Yomi died there.
"What's that supposed to mean?" (T)
"It's... things are very strange right now. I don't know how to put it into words." (Y)
Next, Mum presses past him, inspecting me really closely.
"Yomi! H-how do you now look like, like this?" (J)
"Uhm, yes, I know, I'm a little off. Did, did Verad tell you anything?" (Y)
"He told us a ridiculous story about you having strange powers! And that you are involved in a military affair!" (J)
"Urgh. Well, I... Something's not quite right with my body at the moment." (Y)
She looks extremely worried after I say this.
Maybe Verad isn't particularly good at telling people their daughters are living corpses.
"Could you just please somehow explain to us what happened?" (J)
Verad!
Did you tell them anything at all?!
"Do you remember that last-minute passenger who boarded with me?" (Y)
"Yes. That woman in black?" (T)
"To make it short, she was not a decent person. Rather, the complete opposite. Killed everyone, put some crazy magic into me, and now I am in a rather difficult position." (Y)
"And now you are like this? Verad said you did something outrageous at the gate." (T)
"Ummh, it's complicated, I think. My body... doesn't work right. I don't think I'm okay. I-it must not be as bad as it sounds. I can still move and such." (Y)
Okay, their faces show that they aren't the slightest bit soothed by this statement.
"This, this is a lot to process! I, I..." (J)
My mother becomes teary and, a short time later, starts to cry.
Naturally, I feel bad to have caused this, but honestly don't know what I could do or say.
If I think about it, there wasn't even a single thing I am to blame for.
Father takes her in his arms.
If I knew it to be safe, I would do the same.
However, I am not all that confident, especially concerning this green mist thing.
It's not like I want to suck them dry by accident.
However, it bugs me a bit that this whole situation feels a bit condescending, as if I'd be responsible for the state I ended up in.
They comfort each other, but what about me?
It's not like they are more concerned by this than I!
Sadly, it takes longer than I'm comfortable with for their attention to return to me, but as no one can cry forever, it does eventually.
"Tell us, just what is now wrong with you? You look so pale! And those eyes! Your beautiful black hair! Why is it gone?! You, you... You can’t be gone. What is going on here! You..." (J)
Mother gets hysterical and starts to sputter nonsense.
I don't know how to answer and feel like I might break apart under all this pressure.
This is really too much for me.
"Yomi! What happened! Tell us!" (T)
"H-how..." (Y)
How would I?
There is no good way to explain this.
"Say something! Why do you look like this?!" (J)
"It, it's hard to put into words." (Y)
"Just say it!" (J)
"I don't know how!" (Y)
"Tell me!!!" (J)
"Yomi!” (T)
"BECAUSE I'M DEAD!!!" (Y)
There, I said it.
"What does that mean?! Why are you telling such lies?" (T)
I gave all this effort to say it, and you don’t believe me?!
"This is no lie! I don't breathe!" (Y)
"Stop spouting this nonsense!" (J)
"My pulse stopped! I have no body-warmth!" (Y)
"STOP THIS!" (J)
"I AM A FUCKING CORPSE!" (Y)
"LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!" (T)
Like always, they just won't listen!
It's so stifling!
"I AM! I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU!" (Y)
It's always the same with them!
"NO! YOU'RE TELLING RIDICULOUS LIES!" (J)
Just take me at my word!
For once, trust that I know what I’m saying!
Give me a little space here!
"I'M NOT!" (Y)
I want to get out of this!
"BEHAVE!" (T)
Just let me...
"JUST LET ME-" (Y)
Let me BREATHE!!!
"Gasp!" (Y)
"Whoooooohhhh"
The moment my jaw opens and I start to see the green smoke around my parents, I realize the terrible act I'm committing.
Yet it is impossible to force myself to stop.
I have to have it!
Though when some of it enters, panic and disgust overcome me.
"Wh-what is going on here? Yomi! Stop it!" (T)
Instead of continuing my attempts to forcefully close up, I punch my head as hard as I can manage.
The force throws me violently off the chair to the ground, but my mouth snaps shut upon hitting the floor and the flow stops, though the smoke stays in the air and the urge to pull it in again is nigh unbearable.
I try to sign them to go away, but earn only a fearful stare from my father, while my mother holds her throat.
Horrified at myself, I hold my hand in front of my mouth, so I can block off any further smoke as much as I am able to.
My parents are still alive, but they already show signs of exhaustion and shock.
Verad must have heard the commotion in here, as he comes rushing in and sees the situation.
As far as I know, the smoke is invisible to others, but I've already told him enough for him to immediately piece everything together.
He quickly manages to bring them out, and apparently, the distance is enough to cut the connection that draws their life to me, dispersing the smoke.
I feel so terrible!
Basically, I can only hope that I didn't cause any lasting damage to my parents, yet even then, it was unforgivable.
Rather hollow, I lie on the floor and stare blankly at the door, waiting for someone to enter.
When it opens, it is Verad who enters again.
"A-are they alright?" (Y)
"They... They are rather out of it. In many ways. Yomi, just what have you done?" (V)
"It wasn't on purpose! I just panicked and lost control." (Y)
"The way they talked about it… Brrr… As if your soul gets dragged out with chilling, iron hooks, and only a terrible, evil feeling of tired numbness remains. I'm sorry, Yomi, but… I don't think they will come back anytime soon. Or ever." (V)
.
.
.
I greatly fear the same.
