Help! I Got Isekaied as a Lamia!!

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<center>''Chapter One''</center> The sounds of chirping birds overhead are the first thing you notice as consciousness slowly begins to come to you, but that can't be right, the only birds near your home are those damn crows, not whatever pleasant-sounding birds these are. The second is the feeling of something hard and rough digging uncomfortably into the skin on your back. //Wha...?// You shift slowly, cracking your eyes open an inch, only to hiss as you are nearly blinded by the sun peaking through the foliage overhead. "Where am I?" Shielding your sight with your hands you reopen your eyes and look around to find yourself surrounded by trees. //Am I in a forest? How?// Trying to push yourself up from the tree you are lying against you realize everything feels odd, like your body is out of proportion. Again trying to stand you push yourself up using the tree as leverage, only to immediately wobble and faceplant "What the hell is going on?" >>//Synchronization complete, integration of subject successful// "The fuck?!" You begin looking in all directions searching for the source of the strange mechanical feminine voice you just heard as you continue to struggle with the simple task of standing. "Who's there?" Nothing happens, no one responds. //Did I imagine that voice?// >>//Negative, subjects' audio receptors are fully functional. // You begin breathing faster. "Who keeps speaking to me?" >>//You are speaking to this world's operating system// "Operating...system, like a computer?" >>//Correct// "But how is that possible?" You look upwards, trying to find something other than trees, but they are far too tall, the tops too dense to see anything other than the sunlight filtering through. "Oh my God...where am I?" >>//You are currently located in the Forest of Scales// "What? Where is that??" >>//The Forest of Scales covers roughly one-fifth of the province of Albera.// "Okay...I'm going insane, where on Earth am I??" >>//The Subject is currently on the world of Ariel// "Ariel, right...WHAAAAAAA?!" You push yourself up only to fall back against the tree you woke up against and begin to hyperventilate as you clench your head in your hands. "Bu, bu, but how and why can't I stand up?!" >>//The subject suffered extensive injuries to the point of death, the system determined that in order to save the subject's life it had to bring you back to the world of your birth. To facilitate the transference and integration the subject was returned to their original form in its state of maturation based on the current human age of the subject.// You suddenly feel faint. //The world of my birth, how, how is that possible? I was born on Earth. Wait, original form?// You finally stop and take a good look at your body, only to immediately have your panic attack grow stronger. Your hands look the same but you have thick claws where your nails used to be, and you seem to have scales on the backs of your forearms. Glancing further down you find two things, the first being that you are as naked as the day you were born, the second that your body stops being recognizable at your hips and instead of your legs you find a long, thick, snakelike body that has replaced them. Trailing your eyes down the scaly appendage your gaze widens as you find that it is long, so very long, and when you finally spot the tip you can't even guess as to how long this strange replacement for your former body is. //This can't be my body, it can't, I'm human...// Staring at the very tip of your tail you will it to wiggle and it obliges. //WHAT THE FUCK! This can't be true, I'm human, I was born on Earth, this is some kind of nightmare!!// >>//Negative, records confirm the subject's birth took place on Ariel approximately eighteen standard Earth years ago to a lamia mother and elven father. One month following this the subject was sent to Earth for unknown reasons. From that point, the system was only capable of multi-dimensional monitoring. To aid integration with the human population of that world the subject was given a human form.// Despite all the overwhelming feelings and conflicting emotions raging in your head, something irks you and you can feel your eye twitch in irritation. "Uh, okay this is a lot, but can you please stop calling me The Subject?" >>//Confirmed, please provide a name for the system.// "My name is <<textbox "$name" "Anna">>" >>//Affirmative, the system will now use this name when addressing you.// <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p2]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Even as you are processing everything happening, your hands absentmindedly running across the scales of your body, something dawns on you. "Hold up! You said I died?!" >>//Affirmative.// "How?! Why?! How long was I dead for?" >>//$name was deceased for approximately five minutes, during which time the body was retrieved. Upon arrival on Ariel, resurrection magic was used to restore functionality, while transmutation magic facilitated $name's return to her lamia form.// "Okay, so I am dead...and I'm a lamia; this is just my brain dying, right?" >>//Negative.// "But none of this makes sense!" No response. "Um, system?" >>//Awaiting query.// "What am I supposed to do now that I am here?" You risk a glance downward, and as soon as you spot your snakelike body, you gulp and return your gaze to the treetops. //At least it's warm out// >>//Unknown, the System needs more information on this.// Slumping to the ground, you attempt to pull your legs, or what used to be your legs, up, and after struggling, you manage to sit up and rest your chin on your strange, scaley lower half. //Okay, so this is some real isekai shit. Wait, could that mean...// You perk up. "Hey, is there a skill system in place for tracking things like magic and combat?" >>//Confirmed, the System can map skills into $name's genetic makeup, muscle memory, and mind after spending Skill Points, otherwise known as SP. Skill Points are obtained through a variety of means including, but not limited to, combat, practicing current skills, increasing in level, and as $name ages.// "Okay, that's pretty cool. Uh, System, is there a way to see my current skills?" >>//Affirmative, would $name like to see it now?// "Hell, yes!" You shift and clumsily attempt to coil your body around you until you sit comfortably. It's getting easier by the second, so long as you don't look down, you can keep your panic attack under control. A slight chime sounds as your vision is immediately impaired by a screen appearing in front of you. It looks like you imagined it, with your name and general statistics front and center, while several tabs correlate to skills and perks. Focusing your eyes past the screen, it fades somewhat, allowing you to see what is in front of you. "How do I..." you return your gaze to the screen, and it comes back into focus as you stare at the skills tab. The screen intuitively changes to a list of names. //Let's see, what do we have here?// You drag your finger down the list in front of you as you read each one. Pointedly ignoring the sharp claws tipping each finger. //Appraisal, Stealth, Perception, Scan? What's that one do?// >>//Scan allows the user to survey the immediate area to discover hidden objects, individuals, and valuables.// "Ah, I got it." As you continue to read the list, you reach a point where everything becomes grayed out. "System, are these skills I don't meet the requirements for?" >>//Affirmative// "I see. Hmm, what about the perks tab?" With a quick thought, the tab switches, and your eyes nearly bulge as you read the shortlist. "Reborn, Traveller, Unlimited Potential?! Hey, System, what are these?" >>//Reborn is only given to those who have died and been resurrected into a new life. Less than .5% of Ariel's current population has this perk. The benefits of Reborn include increased SP gain, passive SP gain, exp gain, base statistics, and immortality. Traveller allows the holder to teleport between known locations regardless of location so long as it is connected to the System. Unlimited Potential enables the holder to exceed the statistical cap for their species, acquire typically unattainable skills, or develop skills without having to practice said skills, as well as allowing $name to interact with the System directly.// "Wait, stop. Did you just say immortality?!" >>//Affirmative// "Does that mean I can't be killed?" >>//Negative, immortality means the holder of the perk can not die due to aging or sickness and, in appearance, will appear to remain at their current age.// "Okay, the SP and exp perks seem simple enough, and I guess not everyone can interact with you; what about the increased statistics one?" >>//This perk has made $name faster, stronger, and more intelligent than expected for a being of your current level.// With a thought, you flip back to the first screen and scan the statistics. //Strength, speed, intellect, and endurance are what I expected.// Scrolling down, you continue to read. //Mana, Stamina, hmm, yup, standard isekai fare.// <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p3]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

"Okay, I think I'm done panicking." Going through the basics with System does seem to have helped you calm down to the point where you can think straight. "System, you said I gain passive points, right? Do I have any now?" >>//Confirmed, $name has twenty SP currently free. This is enough to allow the purchase of two skills based on your current level// "Right, so I'm going to need something for combat at the very least; being lost in the woods on an isekai world is not exactly safe...I think." >>//Current combat skills availble to $name are as follows. Blades, Archery, Unarmed Combat, and Magic// <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[["Gotta love an old school sword. System, let's go with blades."|c1p4][$basiccombat to "blades", $weapon to "short sword"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[["Ohhh, System give me the archery skill to start with."|c1p4][$basiccombat to "archery", $weapon to "bow"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Well, I did take some martial arts lessons when I was younger. "Let's go with unarmed."|c1p4][$basiccombat to "unarmed", $weapon to "unarmed"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[["Magic? Actual magic?! Oh, I am starting with that, please, and thank you."|c1p4][$basiccombat to "magic", $weapon to "staff"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<set $chapter = "Title">> /* MC Stats */ <<set $name = "unknown">> <<set $deadname = "unknown">> <<set $surname = "unknown">> <<set $eyec = "unknown">> <<set $height = "unknown">> <<set $build = "unknown">> <<set $skin = "unknown">> <<set $scale = "unknown">> <<set $hairc = "unknown">> <<set $hairl = "unknown">> <<set $hairt = "unknown">> <<set $hairs = "unknown">> <<set $mctrans = false>> <<set $drink = "unknown">> <<set $clothes = "unknown">> <<set $childhood = "unknown">> <<set $mdrink = "unknown">> /*Personality*/ <<set $person1 = "unknown">> <<set $submissive = 0>> /*Combat*/ <<set $weapon = "unknown">> <<set $basiccombat = "unknown">> <<set $advcombat = "unknown">> <<set $titan = false>> /*Secondary*/ <<set $firstskill = "unknown">> <<set $secondskill = "unknown">> <<set $strength = 10>> <<set $speed = 10>> <<set $endurance = 10>> <<set $intellect = 10>> /*Teammates*/ <<set $laura to 0>> <<set $maple to 0>> <<set $mark to 0>> <<set $daniel to 0>> <<set $maura to 0>> /*Chapter One*/ <<set $gentle to false>> <<set $drop to false>> <<set $creep to false>> <<set $lie to false>> <<set $truth to false>> <<set $elfsus to false>> <<set $elfhate to false>> <<set $elfforgive to false>> <<set $magicweap to false>> /*Chapter Two*/ /*Chapter Three*/ <<set $threeroute to "">> <<set $dhug to false>> <<set $arms to false>> <<set $chp3hand to false>>

Even as you finish speaking, you feel like your head may explode as the world erupts in a variety of colors around you. The whole experience is mildly irritating, but despite the pressure in your head, after a moment or two, it doesn't hurt more than a mild headache, and soon enough, it ceases. <<if $basiccombat is "blades">>As the feeling fades, you find yourself immediately aware of the fact that you now understand the basics of using everything from a sword to daggers and even some kinds of polearms. You understand what stance you need to take when defending with a longsword or attacking with an axe, and as you shift, you easily fall into the correct positions despite your long, sinuous body.<<elseif $basiccombat is "archery">>As the feeling fades, you find yourself immediately aware of the fact that you now understand the basics of archery; from correct stance to the variety of bows and crossbows available, you know it all. Flexing your fingers, you can almost feel a bow in your hand.<<elseif $basiccombat is "unarmed">>As the feeling begins to fade, you realize that you feel different, and as you flex your clawed fingers, a sense of strength and agility flows through you. As you swipe a hand through the air, you realize just how much faster you are now, and a swipe of your tail easily cleaves through the trunk of a tree.<<elseif $basiccombat is "magic">>The strained feeling in your mind fades away, and you immediately become aware of the streams of mana floating through the air and into you. The feeling is hard to describe as the mana infuses every part of your body down to the very cells that you are made of, and holding up a hand, you grin as you conjure a small ball of flame in hand, the mana in your body flowing outwards and into the fire.<</if>> "So cool!" You struggle to keep yourself composed and not jump up and down in excitement, though you are unsure of the logistics of a lamia being able to jump. "Okay, now my second skill, hmm, probably shouldn't take a second combat skill right away. Something more utilitarian seems the way to go." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[["Let's see, I think appraisel is a good choice."|c1p5][$firstskill to "appraisal"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Being able to avoid being seen sounds like a good idea. "Okay, stealth it is."|c1p5][$firstskill to "stealth"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[["I definitly want to spot potential enemies before they see me. System, give me perception."|c1p5][$firstskill to "perception"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[All I can think about is all the potential treasure hiding out there. Scan is definitly my first pick.|c1p5][$firstskill to "scan"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Again, your head feels like it may burst, but this time, you are ready for it. It doesn't bother you nearly as much.<<if $firstskill is "appraisal">> Something is different this time, however, and you feel a flood of knowledge bombarding your mind, and just looking at the trees around you, you know their names and every unique thing about them. Picking up a small rock, you turn it over in your hands; it is the same as the trees; you know everything there is to know about this kind of stone. "Okay, now this is handy." <<elseif $firstskill is "stealth">> You feel a surge through your muscles and into every part of your body. You aren't entirely sure what you had been expecting, but once the feeling passes, nothing remarkable happens as you look around. You immediately pick out places that would allow you to conceal yourself, and you can tell how effective each one would be at keeping you concealed.<<elseif $firstskill is "perception">> You grip your head and snap your eyes shut as everything becomes brighter and louder. After what feels like an eternity, you crack open an eye and find it is no longer overwhelming, cocking your head to the side, you can hear things you couldn't before. From the trees rustling to animals hiding in the underbrush and the smell of fresh berries on a bush you can't even see, you become aware of the sounds and smells of everything around you. Even your vision seems sharper.<<elseif $firstskill is "scan">>Your eyes suddenly feel like they may burst as a headache concentrates itself behind them for a moment. Even though the feeling passes within a few seconds, it feels like it takes much longer, and by the time it fades, you are gasping, a hand covering your eyes. After a minute, you look up and begin to look around, surprised as the skill activates with a mere thought and various objects become highlighted by a glowing blue light. Looking around, the scan flicks from object to object before the blue flashes red, and you assume that means there is nothing valuable in the immediate area.<</if>> Leaning back against a tree, you sigh and rub your head. "Hey, System, does it always hurt so much when I acquire new skills?" >>//Negative: because of $name's time in a different world, she lacks the innate mana flow that would help facilitate the additions. As a result, the process must use external reserves, which are forced into $name, causing the painful sensation she experiences. After some time in this world, she will develop these natural pathways, and gaining new skills will no longer be a painful process.// "Hm, well, that's something at least." Pushing yourself up from the tree, you flap your arms and wobble. Fortunately, this time, you do not fall on your face and eventually hold yourself up as though you still had legs. Casting your gaze behind you, however, reinforces that you are no longer human as your long, sinuous body extends behind you. "Well shit, guess I better figure out how to move without falling over." While it doesn't take long for you to figure out how to inch forward, moving with any speed beyond a slow slither has you falling over and over again. Several hours pass as you inch your way through the trees, finally breaking through the foliage to find a large, crystal-clear lake before you. Your eyes widen in astonishment. "So beautiful." You had seen pictures of places like this back on Earth but had never had the chance to see them in person. You watch as a flock of birds fly in from over the trees and land gracefully on the water. Their calls remind you of a loon, but they look like some kind of crane with their long necks and legs. "Wow." As you slither closer to the water, you glance down and find it forms a decent reflective surface. "Welp," you take a deep breath. "May as well get this over with." You look down to find your reflection staring back up at you. You don't know what you had been expecting, but you still look like you—well, mostly. There are some distinct changes. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p6]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Gazing down at yourself, you find yourself smiling; it's not so bad, though the twin fangs that have replaced your canines cause you to cringe somewhat. Your eyes are still the same color of <<listbox "$eyec" autoselect>> <<option "brown" "brown">> <<option "hazel" "hazel">> <<option "light blue" "light blue">> <<option "dark blue" "dark blue">> <<option "grey" "grey">> <<option "black" "black">> <<option "green" "green">> <</listbox>>, though now they have decidedly reptilian pupils. Reaching up you run your hands through your <<listbox "$hairl" autoselect>> <<option "short" "short">> <<option "chin-length" "chin-length">> <<option "shoulder-length" "shoulder-length">> <<option "back-length" "back-length">> <<option "waist-length" "waist-length">> <<option "hip-length" "hip-length">> <</listbox>>, <<listbox "$hairc" autoselect>> <<option "black" "black">> <<option "dark brown" "dark brown">> <<option "light brown" "light brown">> <<option "dark blonde" "dark brown">> <<option "light blonde" "light blonde">> <<option "dark red" "dark red">> <<option "light red" "light red">> <<option "white" "white">> <</listbox>> hair, your fingertips grazing the now pointed tips of your slightly longer ears. Nothing has changed there either, other than the ears; it even has the same <<listbox "$hairt" autoselect>> <<option "straight" "straight">> <<option "wavey" "wavey">> <<option "curly" "curly">> <<option "kinky" "kinky">> <<option "frizzy" "frizzy">> <</listbox>> texture it did before you arrived here. Running a hand over your cheek, you raise an eyebrow; small, delicate scales cover your cheeks, and they match the scales on your forearms. Now that you can see your reflection, they also cover your shoulders. Turning, you find they trail down your spine. They have a pleasant <<listbox "$scale" autoselect>> <<option "emerald" "emerald">> <<option "sapphire" "sapphire">> <<option "ruby" "ruby">> <</listbox>> color. The color matches the scales on the back and sides of the lower half of your body. The color of the thicker scales on the belly of your lower half is a darker shade of your natural skin color, which has also remained the same <<listbox "$skin" autoselect>> <<option "porcelain" "porcelain">> <<option "beige" "beige">> <<option "tan" "tan">> <<option "amber" "amber">> <<option "mocha" "mocha">> <<option "espresso" "espresso">> <<option "chocolate" "chocolate">> <<option "umber" "umber">> <</listbox>> as it was before you died and landed here. "So, I'm still me, mostly." Deciding it's time to take a better look at your lower body, you coil around yourself so that you can sit upright easily. With a delicate touch, you begin exploring where your skin melds into scales and find the area is particularly ticklish, and you are quick to move as you struggle not to giggle. Next, your hand moves down your hips, and you find that even your frame is the same <<listbox "$build" autoselect>> <<option "lanky" "lanky">> <<option "dainty" "dainty">> <<option "lithe" "lithe">> <<option "lean" "lean">> <<option "wiry" "wiry">> <<option "voluptuous" "voluptuous">> <<option "curvy" "curvy">> <<option "athletic" "athletic">> <<option "muscular" "muscular">> <</listbox>> build you had in your old life, your human hips blending elegantly into your snake-like coils, the entire length of which seems perfectly proportioned to your torso. "Okay, interesting, not bad." Finally, your hand slides down towards your front, and you are confused for a brief moment, blushing slightly as you realize that your <<listbox "$mctrans" autoselect>> <<option "pussy">> <<option "cock" true>> <</listbox>> is not where it was before you woke up. "What the fuck?" You begin poking around where it should have been, and after a brief investigation, you find your finger slips inside a hidden pocket, causing you to shutter in delight. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p7]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<if $mctrans is false>>It takes you a moment to recover from the feeling, but once you do, you find that the slit is dripping slightly, and you begin to realize that your formerly human pussy is still there, it's just hidden away from view in the folds of your scales.<<elseif $mctrans is true>>It takes you a moment to recover from the feeling but once you do you find that your cock is beginning to peak out from the folds of the scales that it now sits hidden in when you are not aroused.<</if>> "Okay, that is so, so different!" You blush harder as you look around, ensuring you are alone. Slumping down, you stare out over the water, your eyes focusing on the flock of birds as they swim along, occasionally nipping at what you assume are fish as they go about their day. //At least they understand themselves and what to do in life.// Falling backward with a sigh, you lay on the soft sand of the shore and stretch yourself out into the water, your long body extending out much further than you had originally thought it was capable of. //Guess I'm taller than I thought. Wait, is it longer? Ugh, this is weird//. In your old life you had been <<listbox "$height" autoselect>> <<option "Very short, 5' and under." "very short">> <<option "Short, 5'5 and under." "short">> <<option "Average, 5'10 and under." "average">> <<option "Tall, 6'3 and under." "tall">> <<option "Very tall, 6'4 and up." "very tall">> <</listbox>>, but that was with human legs that let you move normally. "Hey, System, any idea how I can move more naturally?" >>//Affirmative, if $name holds herself upright at her former height, she will find it much easier to move in meaningful ways// "Hmm, guess I'm still the same height then, but what, sixteen feet long now?" You prop yourself up on your elbows and stare at the tip of your tail as your snake half floats gently in the water. "Yeah, that feels right." With a thought, you bring up your stats again and focus on the line for species. "Huh, greater lamia? Hey, System, what's with my species?" >>//Greater lamia are an evolved species born when a high-level lamia or greater lamia mates with a member of a species with naturally high mana. These evolved lamia have several traits that make them a threat to adventurers as well as other monsters, including Venom Immunity, Adaptive Venom, Petrification Immunity, Charm Immunity, Terror Immunity, as well as having naturally tough scales that are equivalent to steel armor. In addition, as a greater lamia grows in level, it gains unique abilities such as Petrification Gaze, Venom Spray, Improved Constriction, Stone Sight, and Puppeteering. Finally, the greater lamia is the only member of the genus capable of evolving into an elemental lamia, given the correct requirements are met.// "Uh, thanks for the info dump, but can we go back to that whole part about me being a monster? Are you saying that people will want to hunt me just because I'm not human or some other standard run-of-the-mill fantasy race?" >>//Affirmative// "Ugh! Great, just great, so I'm a monster. Guess I'll have to deal with adventurers eventually." >>//Attention, $name's database has been updated with all information pertaining to the lamia genus// (wip, sorry reader) "Thanks, I guess." A sudden crack of thunder booms through the air, and you struggle to get up in shock as you stare upwards. "Sounds like a storm...WHAT THE FUCK?!" You hadn't seen it before because of the tree cover and your general panic, but now, as you stare into the sky with nothing blocking your view, you can see the distant horizon slowly beginning to curve upwards. It continues as high as you can see and eventually fades as it stretches further. What you can see shakes you to your core; the further up you look, the more details you can make out, such as rivers, mountains, and even an ocean. Though you have no way to tell the size of anything, you can only imagine it is massive. "S, system?" >>//Awaiting query.// "Is Ariel a...is this a fucking ringworld? Like an honest-to-gods, science fiction, artificially created ring world?!" You wait for a minute, but no answer comes from System's now familiar feminine voice. "System! Is this a ring world?" >>//Unable to answer $name's question// "What?! Why not?? I'm standing here staring at it, and I can tell right now this is a fucking ringworld; I'm just looking for some confirmation." >>//Unable to answer $name's question// "Well...shit" Another crack of thunder draws your Attention, and you spot dark clouds beginning to move towards you. "Great, just great! Now I have to find shelter." >>//There is a former lamia colony approximately five hundred meters to $name's left// "So THAT you can help me with!" With nothing else to say, you turn, and taking Systems advice about keeping your original height, you find that moving forward becomes more manageable, and by the time the first drops of rain begin to hit, you have found that by swaying your new body in a wave-like motion instead of trying to "walk" like you once did, you can move pretty quickly and make it to the entrance of a cave as the drizzle becomes a downpour. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p8]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

As you slowly slither into the cave, you find your eyes adjust remarkably well, and in a moment, you can see almost as well as you had outside despite the cave's pitch black. "Well shit" At first, you are just happy to be out of the rain, and as you slip further into the darkness, you can't help but wonder if this is the colony System had mentioned, but as you round the first corner, your question is answered. The initial tunnel opens into a large cavern dominated by a gate covered in snake motifs, but your gaze settles on the bones surrounding the ground. It seems you just slithered your way into a graveyard. "What the fuck happened here." Moving closer to one of the bodies, you do not doubt that it is a lamia, though much smaller; in fact, most of the bones seem to belong to lamia smaller than you. "Oh God, where are these children? System where these kids??" >>//Negative// You exhale, and the panic you have been feeling subsides. >>//The remnants present are those of male lamia.// "Huh, okay, yeah, that makes sense." You think back to your science and biology lessons. "Male snakes are typically smaller than females. There are so many of them, though." You move closer to the gate, attempting to avoid disturbing any of the remains. As you reach what must have once been an imposing barricade, you spy a corpse tucked away in the shadows behind the shattered remains of the gate. Moving closer, you blanch; it is most decidedly not lamia. <<nobr>><<if $firstskill is "appraisal">>Even as you bend down to take a close look at the bones, a small system window pops up into your view next to the corpse, your eyes easily scanning the lines. "Hmm, dwarf, okay, neat, dead approximately eighteen years, equipment suggests adventurer."<</if>><</nobr>> As you get in close, you spot a satchel still attached to the belt around the corpse's waist. Reaching out, you snap it off the body with little effort, only to jerk back as it tumbles to the side, sending a loud rattle throughout the cavern. "Oh God, please don't let this become Lord of the Rings..." You remain frozen for several minutes but sigh in relief when you hear nothing responding to the racket you just made. Popping open the pouch, you begin riffling through the contents; the first object you find is a strange medallion, and as you wrap your fingers around it, blue lines of the magic cross the surface, rising into a stat screen similar to your own but about the size of an ID card. "Holy shit, it IS an ID card! Okay, Mx. oh, okay, so at least this world seems tolerant." Looking back at all the corpses around you, you hesitate. "Or maybe not." Licking your lips, you are startled by your long, forked tongue but file that away for later and go back to reading the card. "Mx. Deepbrow, Thumrat. Adventurer Rank D. Class: Fighter. Adv Class: Dwarven Champion. Team: Gold Divers. Current assignment: Subjugation (File Ref: 9943SLD). Well, Mx. Deepbrow, it seems you didn't make it out of this one." <<if $firstskill is "scan" and $basiccombat is "blades">>Holding onto the pouch, you dig into it some more when you stop. It didn't work in the forest, but what about now? Looking down at the corpse, you activate scan, and after a moment, the screen flashes green and highlights something underneath the bones. "Uhhh, does this count as grave robbing?" You lean in close and slowly reach for the object. "Sorry, buddy, but I doubt you need this." Your fingers wrap around the hilt of a curved blade, and as you pull it free, the bones clatter around you. Bringing the blade up to your eye, you find it resembles a scimitar with a colorful gem set in the pommel that seems to glow with a soft light. "Ooooh, my first magic item?!" With a test swing, you find the blade carves through the bones you have selected as a target as quickly as a knife through butter. "Damn!" Leaning back down, you find a sheath that seems to fit the weapon, and after sheathing the blade, you turn to leave. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p9][$weapon to "+1 scimitar", $magicweap to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $firstskill is "scan" and $basiccombat is "archery">>Holding onto the satchel you dig into it some more when you stop. It didn't work in the forest, but what about now? Looking down at the corpse, you activate scan, and after a moment, the screen flashes green and highlights something underneath the bones. "Uhhh, does this count as grave robbing?" You lean in close and slowly reach for the object. "Sorry, buddy, but I doubt you need this." Your fingers wrap around the grip of a beautiful compound bow, and as you pull it free, the bones clatter around you. Bringing the weapon up to your eye, you find that the dark wood is carved with odd sigils, and a colorful gem is set in the front of the grip that seems to glow with a soft light. "Ooooh, my first magic item?!" With a test draw, you find the bow curves wonderfully. "Damn!" Leaning back down, you see a quiver with a few arrows still nestled within. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p9][$weapon to "+1 bow", $magicweap to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $firstskill is "scan" and $basiccombat is "unarmed">>Holding onto the satchel you dig into it some more when you stop. It didn't work in the forest, but what about now? Looking down at the corpse, you activate scan, and after a moment, the screen flashes green and highlights something underneath the bones. "Uhhh, does this count as grave robbing?" You lean in close and slowly reach for the object. "Sorry, buddy, but I doubt you need this." Your fingers wrap around a silver armlet, and as you pull it free, the bones clatter around you. Bringing the object up to your eye, you find that it is embedded with a colorful gem in the back that seems to glow with a soft light. "Ooooh, my first magic item?!" Slipping the armlet onto your forearm, you feel it squirm as if it magically adjusts to fit you perfectly. "Damn!" Something tells you that all you need to do is think to activate whatever the item is, and as you do, the gem glows, and your fist is suddenly engulfed in flame. After a brief moment of panic, you realize it does not hurt, and you smile as you swing your clawed hand through the air. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p9][$weapon to "fire armlet", $magicweap to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $firstskill is "scan" and $basiccombat is "magic">>Holding onto the satchel you dig into it some more when you stop. It didn't work in the forest, but what about now? Looking down at the corpse, you activate scan, and after a moment, the screen flashes green and highlights something underneath the bones. "Uhhh, does this count as grave robbing?" You lean in close and slowly reach for the object. "Sorry, buddy, but I doubt you need this." Your fingers wrap around the grip of a beautiful staff, and as you pull it free, the bones clatter around you. Bringing the weapon up to your eye, you find that the pale wood is carved with odd sigils, and a colorful gem set on the top seems to glow with a soft light. "Ooooh, my first magic item?!" As your grip tightens, it feels like your magic kicks into overdrive, and the small fire you summoned early is, this time, twice as large. "Damn!" Leaning back down, you find a long leather strap that seems to tie into two points on the staff, allowing you to carry it easily on your back. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p9][$weapon to "+1 staff"]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<else>><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p9]]</div> </div><</nobr>><</if>>

Continuing through the pouch, you find three potion bottles, two labeled as healing and the other as a stamina potion. You also find several gold coins. No, they are not coins; their shape resembles a dog tag from Earth. "Hey, System, is this the local currency?" >>//Affirmative// "Cool." There is nothing else but lint in the bottom of the bag, and placing everything back carefully, you turn to the ruined gate. "Well, here goes nothing." You slowly inch your way through the gates and deeper into the cave. After another long corridor filled with more corpses, some of which are closer to your size, you come out into another cavern, this one even larger than the last, and you can't help but gape at the scene before you. Adobe-like buildings cover the cavern floor, while dozens of caves dot the walls. Each seems to have a balcony, and you assume they must be homes and businesses built into the cavern walls. Each one has a thick pole that goes from the ground up to the entrance, and as you look around, you don't see a single ladder or set of stairs anywhere. "I guess that makes sense, being part snake and all." Turning your gaze to the back of the cavern, you spot a large building that dominates the entire wall. "Okay, so that's a palace, no doubt." Making your way down to the cavern floor, you find yet more bodies, a few of which were undoubtedly women based on their size and what you have learned about lamia. It feels like you are moving through a graveyard as you slide past corpse after corpse, the number increasing as you get closer to the building you labeled the palace. Slowly, you take note of the various weapons littering the ground; most are rusted and useless; many seem to be short swords, but bows are by far the most prominent type of discarded weapon you find. After an hour of picking your way through the cavern, occasionally poking around in various buildings, you reach the palace and gasp at the sight. There are no male corpses here, only the bones of the larger women, some of which dwarf your size. There are dozens of corpses here and numerous makeshift barricades blocking the way into the palace itself, though they have been smashed into ruin. Slipping past the ruined barricades, you move into the palace and find the largest set of bones. The lamia these once belonged to is easily three times your size. Next to them is a set of more human-like bones, but their proportions are slightly longer than regular humans. "System, can you tell me about what happened here?" >>//Affirmative: This was once the largest lamia colony in the northern province of Albera. The colony was relatively peaceful and often traded with the closest villages. Approximately twenty years ago, a Prince of the nearby elven kingdom of Dorindar arrived on a diplomatic mission in an attempt to make peace between the lamia and the elves, who had been at war for five years. During this visit, the Prince and the lamia Queen formed a bond and were married one year after his arrival. This enraged the elvish kingdom, and they used the Adventurers Guild to stage an attack, claiming that the Prince had been kidnapped. One month before the attack that destroyed the colony, the Queen gave birth to a single child; this was a rare event seen as a harbinger of great things to come. The child was transported to another world to keep it safe during the attack. The Queen and Elven Prince died fighting back against the heroes attempting to take the child.// //Wait, no, it can't be...// You tremble from top to bottom as thoughts race through your head. "System, are, are these my biological parents?" >>//Affirmative.// The world suddenly begins to grow dark as you wobble slightly, and you are vaguely aware of the ground rushing up to meet you as you faint. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p10]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

''One Year Later'' Stretching as you wake, you sprawl out on the huge bed that had once belonged to your mother with a yawn. It's more like a nest, but it is the most comfortable thing you have ever slept on. Rolling onto your stomach, you wipe the drool from your chin and look around the room you claimed as your own. The initial shock that your bio parents had both died protecting you and that you just happened to find their corpses eighteen years on was too much after the day you had, and you fainted. Initially, you had been reluctant to stay in what amounted to a graveyard. Still, after several attempts to find somewhere else nearby, you discovered nothing suitable and eventually settled in the colony you should have grown up in. Since then, you have gone about the task of burying the dead, each day making sure to put at least two more lamia to rest. When not doing that, you explore the colony, hunt and train your skills in the forest, scout the surrounding area, and occasionally sit outside marveling at this strange world. "Ugh." It feels like your mouth is filled with cotton, and you work your tongue around to eliminate the feeling. //I guess mornings suck in every world//. Your first few mornings, you were so sluggish you could barely move, and it wasn't until you asked System about a probable cause that you learned, like snakes, that you rely on the surrounding temperature since you don't generate body heat on your own. Glancing at the massive fireplace dominating one wall, you smile at the few embers still glowing inside; combined with the fur blankets you have, it is just warm enough that you can start your day feeling only a little groggy. Slipping off the bed, you wrap a blanket around your shoulders as you move over to the wardrobe, tossing the doors open and staring at your options. Obviously, your mother's clothes had been far too large to fit you, but after some scrounging around the colony, you found several things that fit you well. During your expeditions to find appropriate clothing, you learned something: lamia have far less modesty than humans in your old life. Many didn't even bother wearing clothes when going about their daily lives. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I've adopted that philosophy and only slip on a pair of belts that I use to carry my gear. If I ever meet someone, I may change, but for now, it's rather freeing, so all I need are my belts.|c1p11][$clothes to "nude"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I need a little modesty in my life, and the thick leather top I found in the armory covers my breasts but leaves everything else free. With a few belts to carry my gear, I think it looks great. I figure it is some type of light armor or just helps keep everything from jiggling around in combat.|c1p11][$clothes to "leather top"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Yeah, I'm not one for doing things in the buff. I did find a dress that I guess lamia seems to prefer. It leaves my arms, shoulders, and back exposed, going down to about where my knees would have been.|c1p11][$clothes to "lamia dress"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[While snooping in one of the palace rooms, I found a long dress with a high neck. It leaves my arms uncovered, has a tiny keyhole in the front, and once it reaches my hips, both sides are slitted. It's long enough to nearly reach the floor.|c1p11][$clothes to "noble lamia"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[When I discovered there was at least one lamia other than myself with a darker aesthetic, I rejoiced. With a black leather halter top, a spiked choker and bracelets, and a chain belt that settles nicely on my hips, it has become my goto. Luckily, she also had a large amount of black makeup. Thank you deceased lamia, you have saved me.|c1p11][$clothes to "punk lamia"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Once you finish getting ready, you make your way through the palace and towards the kitchens, stopping to stare at a large portrait of your parents in the main hall. You've stared at this picture many times in the last year as you try to connect with the parents you never knew, and you can see the similarities easily enough. Your mother has the same color and pattern to her scales, as well as skin color as you, and you inherited your father's eye color and ears; though yours are closer in size to a human's, you have discovered that you can wiggle them like you imagine an elf would. Turning from the portrait, you continue your journey towards the kitchen, and once there, you get the large stove going, your mind firmly stuck to your parents as you make breakfast. You were overjoyed to learn that lamia chew their food like a human and don't swallow it whole. Just the thought of that makes you shutter, though you need to eat a lot more than you would have in your old life thanks to your increased size. In the last year, all the skill points you have earned have gone to things you needed to survive, such as cooking, hunting, foraging, and even some alchemy, so stoking the fire up and making a meal are simple tasks that you had initially struggled with. Tossing a large steak on the grill, you salivate at the smell and quickly prepare the rest of your meal. Learning that lamia are primarily carnivores and require meat in their diet wasn't surprising, but you did discover that your species has a sweet tooth for fruit. Vegetables are another matter; the first time you tried making a salad, you got sick. You have yet to have the chance to try anything like bread, though. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I was a carnivore in my past life, so this is a non-issue for me; however, hunting for my meals is a new experience. I did find a mango-like fruit that pairs well with the boars I hunt, though.|c1p12]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[While I was disappointed I have gotten used to my new diet. I would eat anything and everything in my old life; I was a true foodie. My options are now much more limited, and it kind sucks.|c1p12]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[As a pescatarian in my old life, I struggled at first; the fish in the local lake are wily, but every so often, I manage to catch some. The fact that I can still eat what I like has been great, and I discovered that lamia are incredibly gifted swimmers.|c1p12]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Yeah, I was vegan in my past life; I literally cried when I discovered I HAD to eat meat to survive. Even trying to substitute it with a type of wild bean I found didn't work. Hunting makes the whole thing worse, but at least I don't cry when I kill something anymore.|c1p12]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Sitting down with your meal, you bring up your stat screen and go over everything as you eat. You've come a long way in the last year, or at least you think you have. With no one else you can compare your skills to, you are unsure as to your level of ability. <center>''$name Greater Lamia Level 26 Class N/A''</center> That was a shock the first time, learning that as a monster, you can't gain levels in specific classes. But your 'Unlimited Potential' quickly made up for that when you discovered that you could learn the skills and traits of any class other than certain specialized ones. If you did not have that trait, you would be stuck to the typical lamia skills, but the best part was when System explained that you had been born with the trait, which is why your birth had been such a big deal. You only gained Reborn and Traveller because you have been isekaied twice now. Flicking through your skill list, you skip past most of what you already have; there are only so many times you can read about all your current skills before it becomes tedious. However, in the last year, you have managed to move up two levels from <<if $basiccombat is "blades">>basic swordplay to holding the rank of Advanced Blades. This opened up many different kinds of weapons, and you are constantly surprised at how fast you are when swinging your $weapon. Once you get enough SP, you even have the option to move into different specialist branches that enhance specific kinds of weapons. But for now, you are sitting at an even 10 SP, which is not enough for anything decent at your current level.<<elseif $basiccombat is "archery">>having basic archery skills to holding the rank of Advanced Archer opened up many different kinds of weapons, and you are constantly surprised at how fast you are when you let lose a storm of arrows in quick succession, your arm a blur as you do so. Once you get enough SP, you even have the option to move into different specialist branches that enhance specific kinds of weapons, some of which look like Renaissance-era firearms from your world. But for now, you are sitting at an even 10 SP, which is not enough for anything decent at your current level.<<elseif $basiccombat is "unarmed">>having a basic understanding of unarmed combat to holding the rank of Advanced Unarmed and you are constantly surprised by how fast your strikes have become and how many forms you no instinctivly know. Once you get enough SP, you even have the option to move into different specialist branches that specialize in specific kinds of martial arts. But for now, you are sitting at an even 10 SP, which is not enough for anything decent at your current level.<<elseif $basiccombat is "magic">> Knowing the basics of magic to hold the rank of Advanced Mage opened up many different kinds of spells, and you are constantly surprised at how powerful your casting has become. Once you get enough SP, you even have the option to move into different specialist branches that specialize in specific kinds of spells. But for now, you are sitting at an even 10 SP, which is not enough for anything decent at your current level.<</if>> You used the last of your SP a few days ago to become a Master Alchemist after you learned that many of the plants in the area have potent effects and were incredibly rare elsewhere in the world. Should the worst happen, having a pouch filled with potions capable of fully reviving yourself was a no-brainer. As a lamia, you get some decent bonuses for the skill, not to mention the ability to use plants that are toxic to most other species, and your immunity keeps you safe from the drawbacks. Pushing your empty plate away, you close your stat screen and lean back with a stretch. "Mmm, well, what shall I do today?" Honestly, you are beginning to get a little bored. It's the same thing day in and day out, and not having anyone other than System to talk to is getting tedious. A font of information she may be, but as a conversationalist, she is subpar, and that's on a good day. >>//Unknown.// "Mhmm, that's what I thought, thanks babes." Slipping out of the kitchen, you head back into the palace's main room. The first bodies you had buried were your parents; it was grim work, but having them decaying in the largest room of the palace was not an option. Since then, this has become your normal hang-out spot, and there are cushions piled atop the pedestal your mother used as a throne next to a massive stack of books you dragged here from the colony's library. You have also set up several combat targets on the far wall so you can practice in the comfort of your home, though you doubt your parents would approve of the damage to that side of the room. That thought draws your gaze back to the large portrait on the wall, and you stare at it for a minute. You often wonder what they were like and what could have been if the fate that befell the colony had not occurred. Regardless, there is no going back to fix it; you've checked. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[My life on Earth had been a happy one. I was found and adopted by two amazing women who raised me as their own. Yeah, I miss my mom's, but I can't go back to Earth; it was a one-way trip there and back. I'm curious what this last year has been like for them. The thought always makes me cry a little.|c1p13][$childhood to "happy"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Life had been okay back on Earth. I grew up in an orphanage, and while the people who took care of me did their best, they had far too many kids to look after. At sixteen, my grades got me a scholarship into a private school, and life got a little better, but just as I was about to head off to college, well, I landed here.|c1p13][$childhood to "okay"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I spent the first few years in an orphanage before I was then bounced from foster home to foster home for nearly a decade. Some were decent, most were hell, and at fifteen, I ran away. I had been living on the streets when I died and got pulled back here.|c1p13][$childhood to "runaway"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

"Fuck it, time to go exploring! I still have that one area I haven't checked." About three hours to the south, there is a ravine so deep you couldn't see the bottom; it stretched so far that even after following it both ways for hours, you could find no way around. However, it isn't too wide. One of your projects, since you found it, has been building a makeshift bridge that will get you across, and you have gone through several variations by this point; you thought the first one would be fine until you discovered that you are now much heavier than you had been on Earth. So, gathering up your gear and stuffing a sack full of snacks, you head out, ensuring the traps you left in the colony entrance are still active. After learning what happened eighteen years ago, you became determined to keep non-lamia out of your home. It's not that you hate anyone besides lamia; you just haven't met them; besides, other lamia could very well be dicks anyway. Slithering out into the daylight, you stretch as the warmth hits you, and with a happy whistle, you begin your trek, moving through the forest faster than you could when you first arrived, and certainly much quicker than when you had been human. Nothing can slow you down as you glide through the brush, under large fallen trees, and over a small stream with equal ease. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I'm desperate to find people to talk to, I don't care who they are, hell I'll even talk to my dad's people despite their betrayal. I need to talk to someone other than myself or System.|c1p14]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I don't mind all the time I have to myself, but there is still something to be said for interacting with others on occasion. I still get lonely from time to time, after all.|c1p14]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[After a year alone, the thought of talking to someone other than myself or System feels a bit daunting. I've always been a loner, and long periods alone in the quiet don't bother me. But I know nothing about this world, so I must find people.|c1p14]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

''Maple, Elven Adventurer'' "I'm telling you, Daniel, we're being followed." The tall elf looks back over her shoulder nervously. "I've had this feeling all day. You know there are reports of bandits in the area. That's why we took this caravan job, remember?" She turns to the short human sitting on a horse beside her, her emerald eyes twitching in worry. "And I'm telling ya, Mapes," the elf tries to protest the knick name, but he continues. There are NO bandits in the area; no one would be so stupid as to be a bandit in lamia territory." "No one has seen a lamia around here in eighteen years, not since the massacre. It's perfectly reasonable that bandits would eventually move into the area." Her ears droop as she begins to doubt Daniel will pay any heed to her warnings. "If there was not a risk of bandits, then why is the payment so high?" "Ghosts, of course." Daniel turns his sharp brown eyes to her and grins wickedly. "Lamia ghosts, haven't you seen them at night, Mapes? Sneaking up on camp as...OUCH! WHAT THE FUCK MARK?" The short rogue rubs the back of his head, where his brother snuck up and slapped him. "That hurt!" "Well, stop trying to scare Maple then." The two brothers looked almost nothing alike, with only their eyes giving a clue about their shared blood. While Daniel was still short at 5'3", even at seventeen, his brother towered over the rest of the party at 6'5". "She's like, what, two hundred? Isn't that a little old to be scared of ghosts?" Despite her attempt to protest, Mark interrupts Maple as he slaps Daniel again. "She's seventy-nine; you know that as well as I do. Stop being a dick, Mark, or I'll cut your share of the reward." As their party leader, it was well within his power to do so, so Daniel shut up for about five seconds. "I'm telling you, we are not being followed, Maple." He has the decency to give the elf an apologetic look as he speaks. "We are." All heads spin to the fourth member of their party, and Maple feels her heart swell with her wide smile. "Where have you been, love?" The elf moves her horse closer to her partner, who is walking along the road. "Scouting," the wolfkin looks back over her shoulder and glances at Daniel. "She's right." //"She's always so stoic and mysterious."// Maple swoons slightly before turning to Daniel and sticking out her tongue. "Told you." "Any idea who?" Mark is immediately on guard; Laura has always been right about these things. "Could they just be traveling on the same road?" The wolfkin shakes her head without saying anything. "Shit, how long?" "Hour or two, sooner if they have allies ahead." Her claws twitch as Laura glances up at Mark. "A fight will happen. I can smell it." "Fuck. Okay, I'll warn the clients. Maple, Laura, I want you two up front; Daniel and I will take the rear." "Fine." The wolfkin dashes off towards the front of the five-wagon caravan faster than a horse as Maple tries to keep up, her own dappled pony snorting in annoyance at the sudden burst of speed. "She is never wrong, Daniel; you know that as well as I do." His younger brother closes his mouth before he gets a chance to speak. "I would rather put everyone on edge for a few hours than be caught completely off guard." "I mean, that's fair. But still, did you have to wallop me?" "I'll tell you what, Daniel. If we encounter a lamia or even a ghost, I'll give you a slip." "Gold or your usual stingy copper?" "You know what, okay? A full gold slip if either a ghost or a lamia appears, three if it's a ghost lamia." Mark stretches his hand out to his brother, who takes it and pumps it vigorously. "Deal!" <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p15]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

''$name'' Gliding out of the tree line, you grin as the expanse of nothing opens before you. The journey here had been pleasant, but it is time to explore the unknown, and you turn to the jumble of branches and leaves you used to hide your makeshift bridge. Setting down your satchel of snacks, you begin clearing away the camouflage, and once you get a solid grip, you pull the mass of wood into the open, grunting with the exertion. Being a lamia has many perks, strength being one of them. According to System, a lamia's muscles are more densely packed than a human's, which gives you a significant advantage over your former body. Setting the bridge down next to the ravine, you give it a final check before deciding to be happy with it. Placing your hands on your hips, you grin at your creation, and pulling the long rope and hook from your bag, you look around at the thick branch you had spied last time you were here. Once you see it, you tie one end of the rope to the bridge and slip the hook about halfway down the line. If your calculations were correct, once you get the rope around the branch, you will still have plenty of free length on this end to pull, using the solid branch to hold the rope as you drag the bridge across the gap. "Okay, here goes nothing." Spinning the rope around for a moment, you make sure your eyes are firmly locked onto the tree limb you have targeted, and with a powerful throw, the hook goes sailing through the air, and you cross your fingers as it goes. "Come on, come on, YES!" The hook loops around your target, and with a sharp pull, it digs into the tree. Grabbing the line attached to the bridge, you begin pulling, and the mass of wood slowly inches out over the ravine's edge. About halfway across, it suddenly becomes more challenging as the bridge begins tipping downwards into the ravine, but keeping a solid grip on your end with the tip of your tail, you keep it from going over entirely as you keep pulling. After what is a nerve-wracking but indeterminant amount of time, the opposite edge of the bridge arrives at its destination, and with a few more tugs to ensure a good portion of it is on the opposite side, you drop the rope and let out a loud whoop. "I did it! I actually did it...uh, System, you're sure this bridge will hold me without falling apart?" >>//Affirmative, given the design $name has used, the bridge has a ninety-six percent chance of maintaining integrity as $name crosses.// "Ninety-six percent, eh? Well, it's better than I thought it would be." Before packing up your gear to move across, you drive two large metal stakes into the ground through a pair of looped ropes you left on the end of the bridge. Then, with snacks in hand, you slowly inch your way out onto the construction. The first creak startles you, but you calm down as you realize it is just the wood shifting, not breaking, and you reach the halfway point simply enough. <<if $firstskill is "perception">>Looking back, you realize that your entire length is now on the bridge, and it is holding firm, much to your delight, but a faint sound suddenly catches your attention. Cocking your head to the side, your elvish ears wiggle as you try to find the direction and source of the sound. "Is it just me, or does that sound like swords clashing?" Once you zero in on the direction you finish crossing the bridge, tune out everything else as you focus on the sounds. If games and movies have taught you anything in life, then those are indeed swords clashing; you can also pick up shouts and other sounds you can't describe. "Someone sounds like they are in trouble." You sigh in frustration. "I didn't want to meet people by helping them out of a tough spot. Ugh, fuck it, fine, fine, let's see what's happening and lend a hand if needed. I just wanted a nice, relaxing day of exploration. But that was too much to ask, I guess." >>//Affirmative// "Ugh," You roll your eyes and slither into the treeline following the sounds of battle. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p16]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $firstskill is "appraisal" or $firstskill is "scan">>With a bit more confidence in your bridge, you finish crossing and once on the other side, secure it with spikes as well before dusting off your hands with a happy nod. "Ha! I did it. Not a bad bit of construction if I do say so myself." Of course, you have the skills you have picked up to thank for the understanding required to build this. "Now then, let's go find people!" Slithering off into the woods, you continue whistling happily. It's only a few minutes before you hear sounds like sword clashes, at least if video games and movies are correct. Moving towards the sounds, you can hear shouting as well. "Seriously? I want to explore, not get pulled into a fight. Maybe I can just..." You begin to turn when an arrow comes whistling through the air and misses your head by a few inches, striking the tree next to you. "WHAT THE FUCK!?" Turning, you begin searching. "Who the fuck shot this??" You yank the arrow from the tree and snap it easily in your hand, but after a quick look, it seems it was a stray shot from the battle just outside the treeline. "Oooh, that's it; I'm going to find who shot this and break every bone in their body!" Taking off towards the sounds of battle, you prepare for your first real fight, which is not against boars or wolves. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p16]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $firstskill is "stealth">>With a bit more confidence in your bridge, you finish crossing and, once on the other side, secure it with spikes as well before dusting off your hands with a happy nod. "Ha! I did it. Not a bad bit of construction if I do say so myself." Of course, you have the skills you picked up to thank for the understanding required to build this. "Now then, let's go find people!" Slithering off into the woods, you continue whistling happily. It's only a few minutes before you begin to hear sounds like sword clashes, at least if video games and movies are correct. Moving towards the sounds, you can hear shouting as well. "Seriously? I want to explore, not get pulled into a fight. Maybe I can just..." You begin to turn when an arrow comes whistling through the air and misses your head by a few inches, striking the tree next to you. "WHAT THE FUCK!?" Turning, you begin searching. "Who the fuck shot this??" You yank the arrow from the tree and snap in easily in your hand, but after a quick look, it seems it was a stray shot from the battle just outside the treeline. "Oooh, that's it; I'm going to find who shot this and break every bone in their body!" Taking off towards the sounds of battle, you prepare for your first real fight, which is not against boars or wolves. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p16s]]</div> </div><</nobr>><</if>>

It takes a minute to get within sight of the edge of the forest, nothing for days in any other direction, and here is a well-worn road just three hours from home; if not for the ravine, you would have found it months ago. The brief frustration you feel is dashed aside as you notice a group of over a dozen men attacking what appears to be a caravan of wagons. From where you stand, you see several corpses on the ground and a few injured leaning against the wagons. Based on everything you know, the larger group comprises bandits or possibly very, very dirty soldiers. "Naw, they are bandits, alright." Turning your attention to the others, you can't help but be impressed at how this small group handles overwhelming odds. Out front is a man who is at least 6'5". The shield he holds is nearly as tall and just as broad as he is, and the three men he is facing down struggle to find a way around it. Every time they attempt to strike, they are met by the broadsword he holds in his opposite hand. Beside him is a woman that you can only describe as feral. She has claws that rival your own while a pair of wolf-like ears perch on top of her head. Her wild, long, black hair flows through the air like water as she leaps from bandit to bandit, slashing each one with her claws. A wide grin on her face shows off the rows of sharp, canine-like teeth she possesses. Unfortunately, before you can inspect anyone further, one of the bandits looks directly at you, and the color drains from his face. "L, la, LAMIA!" Everyone immediately stops and turns to him before they all follow his outstretched finger, finally noticing you. "Well fuck" <<if $basiccombat is "blades">>Charging from the brush faster than the bandit can react, you draw your sword, close in, and thrust it through his flimsy leather armor with little difficulty. "Pointing at a woman is very rude, you know." Your eyes narrow as you twist the blade and pull it back, blood spraying across your scales as you turn to the next closest bandit, again rushing forward, only this one manages to get his guard up, not that it helps much as your high strength shoves him backward as your blades connect. "Nice save; your footing needs work, though." With a slight shift, your body snaps out, and your tail wraps around his ankle before a sharp tug pulls him off his feet; even as he falls, you slash your blade across his neck, his head tumbling away into the dirt. Even as the shock of your appearance wears off and combat resumes, you can feel everyone trying to keep tabs on you.<<elseif $basiccombat is "archery">>"Tch" Clicking your tongue, you pull an arrow, draw, and loose before anyone can react, your shot strikes the bandit between the eyes, the look of shock becoming frozen on his face as he falls. Casually slithering out from the tree line, you pull a second arrow and aim at the next bandit, a playful smile on your lips as you lock eyes. "No, no, not me!" He turns to run. "Nononono." Your arrow leaps from the bow and strikes between his shoulder blades, instantly dropping him. Turning your eyes to the next target, he flinches but raises his shield and braces. As the shock of your appearance wears off and combat resumes, you can feel everyone trying to keep tabs on you.<<elseif $basiccombat is "unarmed">>Faster than any of the combatants can follow, you lunge from the treeline and charge up to the bandit who had pointed you out, your clawed hand quickly swiping across his throat and even as the spray of blood fills the air you are already moving against the next target, using your scaled forearm to block his clumsy swing as your free hand snaps out and grips tightly around his throat. Quickly lifting the malnourished bandit into the air, you toss him aside with enough force that as his back hits a nearby tree, the sound of his snapping spin fills the air. As the shock of your sudden appearance wears off and combat resumes, you can feel everyone trying to keep tabs on you.<<elseif $basiccombat is "magic">>Slipping from the trees into the open, you bring up your hand, smiling politely, as a ball of fire forms in your clawed fingers. "Pointing at a woman is very rude, you know." With a casual flick of your wrist, the ball shoots forward and bursts as it strikes the man; the flames engulf him as he flails around in a futile effort to put out the fire as he screams in pain. Turning your gaze to the next target, your smile shifts into something more menacing as another ball of fire ignites in your hand. "No, no, not me!" He turns to run. "Nononono." The ball leaps from your hand, and another bandit drops to the ground screaming. As the shock of your sudden appearance wears off and combat resumes, you can feel everyone trying to keep tabs on you.<</if>> <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p17]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

It takes a minute to get within sight of the edge of the forest, nothing for days in any other direction, and here is a well-worn road just three hours from home; if not for the ravine, you would have found it months ago. The brief frustration you feel is dashed aside as you notice a group of over a dozen men attacking what appears to be a caravan of wagons. From where you stand, you see several corpses on the ground and a few injured leaning against the wagons. Based on everything you know, the larger group comprises bandits or possibly very, very dirty soldiers. "Naw, they are bandits, alright." Turning your attention to the others, you can't help but be impressed at how this small group handles overwhelming odds. Out front is a man who is at least 6'5". The shield he holds is nearly as tall and just as broad as he is, and the three men he is facing down struggle to find a way around it. Every time they attempt to strike, they are met by the broadsword he holds in his opposite hand. Beside him is a woman that you can only describe as feral. She has claws that rival your own while a pair of wolf-like ears perch on top of her head. Her wild, long, black hair flows through the air like water as she leaps from bandit to bandit, slashing each one with her claws. A wide grin on her face shows off the rows of sharp, canine-like teeth she possesses. With the stealth abilities you have been honing this past year while hunting, you avoid anyone noticing you despite being so close to the fight. Watching the battle continue, your eyes are drawn to a tall, slender woman standing by the caravan with a gnarled staff in hand as she chants a spell. As your gaze glides over her, your eyes widen; the long pair of ears sticking out from her hair and the slender build leave no doubt she is an elf. While you have conflicting feelings regarding elves, you aren't prepared to judge this one based on the actions of others. A loud yell pulls your gaze to an odd sight, leaving you in shock. A large man, close to seven feet tall, stumbles around, flailing his arms above his head as a short human stands on his shoulders, a pair of daggers thrust down into the bandit's chest as he rides around on the flailing bandit's shoulders, a childish grin on his face. "Okay, now I've seen everything." You can't help but grin at the sight. "Well, guess I should help out." <<if $basiccombat is "blades">>You could swear that the shadows cling to you as you lunge out of the tree line and dash towards the closest bandit, your sword glinting in the sun. He doesn't even notice as you slither up and swipe your blade across his neck, sending his head spiraling off to the ground. Spinning quickly, you snap out your free hand and grab the next closest bandit, pulling him in and snaping your fangs down on his shoulder before pushing him away. Screaming as your venom floods his bloodstream, the bandit flails around on the ground as his eyes begin to bleed. The entire display draws the attention of everyone on the field. "No way, no fucking way!" You turn to the speaking bandit and smile wickedly, a trickle of blood from your previous target dripping down your chin. "Oh, hello there." As the shock wears off and combat resumes, you can feel everyone trying to keep tabs on you.<<elseif $basiccombat is "archery">>With the shadows of the overhead trees keeping you hidden, it's a simple matter to casually draw your bow, nock an arrow and take your time picking out a target. You notice one bandit sneaking up on the feral-looking woman, a dagger held in each hand and a nasty smile on his face. "//I don't like your face//" With a calm exhale, you lose the arrow. The shot strikes directly between the man's shoulders, and he drops with a scream. The woman glances behind her with a look of confusion on her face as the bandit writhes on the ground, your second shot taking the bandit she had taken her focus off of in the neck. She immediately begins looking around, a frown on her face until her eyes find you and her entire expression shifts to surprise. "A Lamia?" Everyone's focus turns to you as you slip out of the shadows, another arrow already in hand as you target a third bandit.<<elseif $basiccombat is "unarmed">>You could swear that the shadows cling to you as you lunge out of the tree line and dash towards the nearest bandit. Faster than any of the combatants can follow, your clawed hand quickly swipes across his throat, and even as the spray of blood fills the air, you are already moving against the next target, using your scaled forearm to block his clumsy swing as your free hand snaps out and grips tightly around his throat. Quickly lifting the malnourished bandit into the air, you toss him aside with enough force that as his back hits a nearby tree, the sound of his snapping spin fills the air. As the shock of your sudden appearance wears off and combat resumes, you can feel everyone trying to keep tabs on you.<<elseif $basiccombat is "magic">>Hidden as you are, gives you plenty of time to scan the battlefield and its when you notice a bandit attempting to get around the caravan and sneak up on the elf casting a spell that you have a target. You always get a thrill when electricity crackles along your fingers, and with a smile, you point towards the bandit, the charge increasing as you let the spell loose. The lightning lances across the field and strikes the bandit dead on; all his limbs spasm as he drops to the ground, a smoking wreck. Despite the distraction, the elf continues chanting her spell; though her eyes shift in your direction and widen in shock, she continues regardless. Her focus is impressive.<</if>> <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p17]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

As combat shifts back into full swing, you find several bandits rushing in your direction, weapons raised to strike, but you can see the fear in their eyes as they get closer. "//Are lamia so feared in this world?//" Having never met anyone since your arrival, you don't grasp how the vast majority of people will view you. However, based on your history, you do have a good idea about how elves may see you. "Die, monster!" The first bandit swings at you with an iron banded club, his movements sluggish from fear. It's almost ironic that this man, who hurts innocents to benefit himself, is calling you a monster. You easily slip under the clumsy swing<<if $basiccombat is "blades">> and bring your blade up, driving the edge into his throat and viciously twisting it before ripping the weapon free and turning to the next bandit.<<elseif $basiccombat is "archery">> your hand slipping into the quiver on your hip, and as you come back up, you drive the arrow clenched in your fingers into the bandit's chin and through to his brain.<<elseif $basiccombat is "unarmed">> before driving your palm into his chest so hard you can hear ribs snap as he flies backward.<<elseif $basiccombat is "magic">> With a thought, your fist ignites in flame, and as you come back up, you drive it into the bandit's chin in a vicious flaming uppercut. Even as he falls back, the magical fires catch, and he goes up in flame.<</if>> Your reaction is so fast that the remaining bandits flinch, giving you plenty of openings to snuff them out, and you take full advantage. It's a simple matter to lash out with your tail, wrapping it around the ankle of one and yanking him off his feet and into the air; from that point, it is straightforward to swing him forward and use him as an improvised club to beat the bandit in front of you, the two becoming a pair of bloody messes in short order. Even as you beat down two of them, you turn your attention to a third bandit <<if $basiccombat is "blades">>, your sword flashing as you sweep it towards him, easily piercing his guard and severing his arm from his body. In the same swing, you bring the blade back in a shallow arc and, with a flourish, spin it around, driving the tip into the fourth bandit's chest.<<elseif $basiccombat is "archery">> ,snapping the arrow in the first one's chin, you spin it around in your fingers before stabbing the splintered shaft into the third man's eye, even as he falls backward shrieking; you swipe your claws out across the throat of the fourth bandit shredding it to pieces and killing the man.<<elseif $basiccombat is "unarmed">> and backhand him with enough force that his neck snaps, his head lolling to the side as his body crumples to the ground.<<elseif $basiccombat is "magic">>lightning crackling across your fingers as you extend your hand towards him; he has no chance as you grab his face and release your spell, charing him to the bone. With one last bandit in range, you snap your gaze to him and let loose a coward's curse, causing the bandit to shriek in terror and turn to run, even as you lose a magic missile into his back.<</if>> Letting the pulped corpse drop from your tail, you cast about for another bandit to test your skills on, but the few survivors are already fleeing into the forest in terror, their screams fading into the distance, and after a moment, you turn to the group you just assisted. Every single one is simply staring at you in awe<<if $clothes is "nude">>, their reactions are strange until you remember that you are wearing your usual outfit, as in a couple of belts and nothing else. The large man with the shield is looking away and rubbing the back of his neck; the woman with the wolf ears is blatantly staring, a slight smirk on her lips, while the elf is staring at the ground and clutching her staff tightly, her face a brilliant crimson as she blushes<</if>>. The knight is the first to make a move and clears his throat into his fist before looking at you and nodding politely. "Thank you for your timely intervention, Ms..." "$name" "Ms $name, thank you for the assistance. I, uh, well, to be honest, I am not sure where we go from here. No one has encountered a lamia in these lands in years, so I'm not sure if you require payment or..." He hesitates, but you notice the wolf woman smirk widder. "He was going to say, or a sacrifice." That catches you off guard. "A sacrifice?! Why the hell would I want such a thing?" Just what kind of rumors do others spread about your people? "Ah, yes, well..." The man clears his throat again. "I uh, as I said, it's been some time since anyone has encountered lamia in the area, and we are sorely lacking information on your people other than rumors and gossip. Which is why, DAMMIT DANIEL NO!" His eyes lock onto something behind you. The tiny human behind you thought you hadn't noticed him, but you had been listening to him sneaking around behind you, and he was exactly where you wanted him. In a flash, you have snagged one of his legs, lifted him from the ground, and swung him around into view as he dangles upside down, your tail holding him tightly. "Does this belong to you?" All three fighters have shifted their hands to their weapons, and the civilians have all ducked back into the wagons, but the small man, child? He doesn't seem to be out of his teens yet, but regardless, he is grinning like a maniac as he attempts to spin around to look at you. "I TOLD YOU! You owe me a slip, Mark, a GOLD slip!" "WHAT?!" "Is THAT why you tried sneaking up on her? To prove she is a lamia? Just look at her; you could tell from a league away!" The tall man, Mark, apparently waves his hands in exasperation. "What am I going to do with you, little brother?" "//Ah, brothers then. Interesting.//" <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I gently lower the small guy to the ground before releasing him. "You're lucky I didn't just kill you."|c1p18][$gentle to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[["Tch" Clicking my tongue, I unwind my tail and let him fall to the ground with a thud.|c1p18][$drop to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[["Seriously?! Did you sneak up on me for that? What are you, some kind of creep?" I shake him vigorously in frustration.|c1p18][$creep to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<if $gentle is true and $firstskill is "appraisal">>"She's not lying Daniel! Did you even bother to check her level before rushing her?" You glance at the elf as she yells at the young man, her tone giving the impression that they have known each other for a long time. "Huh? No, why?" The feral woman facepalms and shakes her head. "She's level twenty-six, you idiot." "What, she is?" Scrambling to his feet, the kid turns and stares at you, his eyes glowing a faint blue. "Holy shit! You could have killed me so easily!" Rather than upset, he sounds excited. You return the favor, activating appraisal and looking at the kid. "Level eleven, huh?" You turn your gaze to the others; Mark is level twelve, the feral woman is thirteen, and the elf is twelve. "Well, you're right, kid; I could have one hit you." "Wait, kid?" "Oh shit," Mark quickly grabs Daniel and pulls him away as the kid's face begins to grow red. "KID?! WHO ARE YOU CALLING KID?!" His older brother quickly covers Daniel's mouth before he can continue shouting, only getting out a muffled mumble. "Sorry about his $name, he's a bit sensitive about his age," Daniel gives you an apologetic nod.<<elseif $gentle is true>>"She's not lying, Daniel! Did you even bother to check her level before rushing her?" You glance at the elf as she yells at the young man, her tone giving the impression that they have known each other for a long time. "Huh? No, why?" The feral woman facepalms and shakes her head. "She's level twenty-six, you idiot." "What, she is?" Scrambling to his feet, the kid turns and stares at you, his eyes glowing a faint blue. "Holy shit! You could have killed me so easily!" Rather than upset, he sounds excited. "Huh? Why, what levels are you?" "Oh, I'm only at eleven; Laura, there is the highest at thirteen." He nods toward the feral woman. "Maple and Mark are both twelve."<<elseif $drop is true>>"Owowowowow!" The young man rubs his head as he sits up. "Why'd you drop me?" "You deserved it." The feral woman looks down at him with a savage grin. "You're lucky all she did was drop you. Did you not bother to check her level? She could have obliterated you!!" You glance at the elf as she yells at the young man, her tone giving the impression that they have known each other for a long time. "God, you're so mean, Laura." He looks at the feral woman and sticks out his tongue before turning to the elf. "Wait, what was that about her level, Maple?" "Use appraisal dummy." "Huh?" Scrambling to his feet, the kid turns and stares at you, his eyes glowing a faint blue. "Holy shit! You could have killed me so easily!" Rather than upset, he sounds excited. "I'm only level eleven. Mark and Maple are twelve, and Laura is thirteen, but only because she never takes a break." "It's called dedication." Laura glares down at Daniel, her ears folding back on her head, and she bares her teeth.<<elseif $creep is true>>"IIIiiiIiiiImmMMmm nnnNNoooOtttt aaaaAAAA ccrrrrEEeePPppp" His words warble as you shake the kid. The elf quickly tries to grab the kid from your clutches, "Please! Ms. $name put him down; he's not a creep, really; he's just...excitable." You stop shaking him but don't put him down immediately, staring at the elf for a few seconds before you sigh and let go, dropping him to the ground. "You idiot!" She smacks the back of his head. "Did you even bother to check her level before rushing her?" "Huh?" Scrambling to his feet, the kid turns and stares at you, his eyes glowing a faint blue. "Holy shit! You could have killed me so easily!" Rather than upset, he sounds excited. "I'm only level eleven. Mark and Maple are twelve, and Laura is thirteen, but only because she never takes a break."<</if>> "I see; so, did you just start adventuring recently, then?" "Huh? No, we've been at it for about five years now." Daniel smiles as he answers your questions, but you're surprised. "Five years, and you're only just past level 10? Are you doing something wrong?" All four stare at you with different expressions. Laura looks angry, Maple is confused, while Daniel and Mark look shocked. "Uh, no, we have been leveling at a normal pace, I suppose; why? How long did it take you to get to your level? How old are you anyway?" Maple smacks the back of his head and gives him a disappointed look. "I'm nineteen, but I started leveling about a year ago when I first arrived." All four stare again, this time in confusion. "WHAAAAT?" Daniel immediately grabs you and starts shaking. "How? Tell me your secret. I didn't think that was even possible!" "That is odd." Mark curls a finger on his chin as he circles you, inspecting you from top to bottom. "What do you do daily? Do you have others helping you?" "Uh, I just train and hunt every day." "Dedication." Laura nods, a look of approval on her face. "Um, survival, actually. I haven't met anyone since I first arrived in the area, so I've had to do everything on my own." "Wait, you've been alone for the last year?" Maple gives you a sad look. "There are no other lamia with you? How did you come to the area in the first place?" "//Shit, what do I say?//" <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I should make something up, telling them the truth is probably not a good idea.|c1p19][$lie to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[While I'm not keen on the idea of telling strangers my history, maybe a partial truth.|c1p19][$truth to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<if $lie is true>>"I wasn't born in the area; I just happened to be traveling when I found a former colony not too far from here and decided to settle down rather than keep moving around. Nothing else to it." You give a little shrug. The other three nod and seem to believe you, but the elf narrows her gaze and seems to focus on the scales on your cheeks, arms, and shoulders, but she doesn't say anything to contradict you. "So you know where the old lamia colony is, then? It's been lost for eighteen years now." "I do, but why is that important?" "Well, after the people learned of the massacre, there was a bit of a war in people's opinions as to what should be done with the old colony. Some wanted to loot it; others just wanted to forget that there had been such a large group of monsters nearby. However, a group wanted to give the dead proper funeral rights and see that the colony was preserved. For a while, there were several expeditions to find it, but nothing ever came of them, so for years now, all sides of the argument have been seeking any information they can get." "//Ah, so that's it, I see, nothing but greed. Well, mostly greed.//" You focus on Maple. Your tone is frosty. "Which side of the argument do you fall on?" The elf flinches. "I just wanted to make sure that the dead were honored because of my people's egregious mistake." "Maple! Should you be telling a lamia that you are from the country that wiped out an entire colony?" It's the most you have heard the woman, Laura, say. She also shifts to be partially between the two of you. "I'm not going to lie. What happened to the Lamia was a tragedy because of the hatred a few had for anything different from them." Maple turns to you. "$name, I am truly sorry for what took place nineteen years ago, and I will do everything in my power to make it up to you, even if the rest of my people have no desire to." "//Well shit, what can I say to that? It's not like I will just come out and tell them I didn't tell them the truth.//" You spend a minute pondering your options, ignoring the four staring at you intently. "Well, I'm not sure I can accept that apology from a whole country, but for the time being, I think you and I are okay, Maple." You stick out your hand in an attempt to be friendly. "Really? I thought, well, I thought you would hate me. But, okay." She smiles slightly as she proceeds to shake your hand. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I'm not just going to come out and tell this person I just met, "Yeah, I absolutely hate you." For now, we can get along, but I'll have to keep an eye on her.|c1p20][$elfsus to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[This fucking elf, her people wiped out my people, my family, like hell am I going to forgive her, or any of them. I'll play nice for now, but once I understand this world, you better watch your back bitch.|c1p20][$elfhate to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[She looks to be honestly upset over what happened to my people. I can't see someone like her participating in what happened, and she seems nice enough. Yeah, I think I can forgive her.|c1p20][$elfforgive to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $truth is true>>"I, well, I was born in the colony. But my parents used magic to send me far away on the night of the attack. I only learned the truth of who I was a year ago and had someone I know use magic to send me back to my place of birth. I, I didn't know my biological parents had died until I got here." It's mostly true; you did leave out that far away was another world, and your death returned you here. "Oh my Gods, I knew it. The pattern and color of your scales, I knew it; you're the Princess; the Queen of that colony was your mother!" You shift back in shock as your eyes widen. "What? How did you..." Truthfully, you are mostly startled that you hadn't even thought that you were a Princess until this moment. But if your mother was the Queen, that would make sense. "You're the only survivor, at least the only one we know of; it was reported all your sisters died defending the palace before the teams reached your mother." "What?" Your voice is barely a whisper. All those bodies you had buried. "They were my sisters? I had a family?" The elf immediately regrets saying something if the look on her face is anything to go by. "I'm sorry, you...you didn't know." She pales considerably before suddenly dropping to her knees. "Please accept my sincerest condolences and apologize on behalf of my country." "Maple! Should you be telling her that you are from the country that wiped out her entire colony?" It's the most you have heard the woman, Laura, say. She also shifts to be partially between the two of you. "I'm not going to lie. What happened to the Lamia was a tragedy because of the hatred a few had for anything different from them." Maple turns to you. "$name, I am truly sorry for what took place nineteen years ago, and I will do everything in my power to make it up to you, even if the rest of my people have no desire to." "//Well shit, what can I say to that?//" Even as you think it over, you can feel your eyes beginning to well up, and a few tears run down your cheeks. "Oh, oh no, please, I didn't mean to make you cry!" Truth be told, you spent a lot of time crying for your lost family when you first got here. Learning that you had sisters doesn't really change much; it just adds to the grief you already carry, which you have had a full year to get used to. "I'm not sure I can accept that apology from a whole country, but for the time being, I think, well, you and I are okay, Maple." You stick out your hand in an attempt to be friendly. "Really? I thought, well, I thought you would hate me. But, okay." She smiles slightly as she proceeds to shake your hand. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I'm not just going to come out and tell this person I just met, "Yeah I absolutely hate you" For now, we can get along, but I'll have to keep an eye on her.|c1p20][$elfsus to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[This fucking elf, her people wiped out my people, my family, like hell am I going to forgive her, or any of them. I'll play nice for now, but once I understand this world, you better watch your back bitch.|c1p20][$elfhate to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[She looks to be honestly upset over what happened to my people. I can't see someone like her participating in what happened, and she seems nice enough. Yeah, I think I can forgive her.|c1p20][$elfforgive to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>><</if>>

"So, can I ask $name? Why did you help us out of that jam?" You shift to Mark as Maple and Laura move away to help the wagon drivers with something they are fighting over. "To be honest, I don't know much about this area, and after spending so much time alone, I figured I would try to find people who could help with that. Granted, I wasn't expecting to run into anyone so soon; it was just a coincidence that I was in the area when I heard the fighting. I'm not sure what my people were like, or if they would have helped, but whatever they would have done, I knew I had to help." The smile Mark beams is almost blinding as he nods. "Well, I'm glad you did; it saved us a bunch of trouble. We were holding, but I'm not sure we could have survived that without you. So thanks for everything. On that note, we are more than happy to return the favor. Why don't you come with us? We're heading to the city of Reabelle, which is about another five days away with the wagons. I'm sure you would be welcome; they used to trade with your colony back in the day." You're startled by the offer; you aren't sure what you had been thinking about finding other people; you just knew you had to. Being invited to join an adventuring party the first time you met people. But thinking about it harder makes sense; this group has been accepting of you despite being a monster in their eyes, not to mention that they seem like a good bunch of people. "You know what, Mark? Yeah, I'll come with you, at least to the city. After that, I'm not sure if I'll return home, but for now, I would welcome the company." "Yes! Then you can tell us about your training and how you level up so fast!" You're quick enough to shift out of the way as Daniel leaps at you, simply staring. He falls to the ground and then sits up, spitting gravel. He looks up at you and grins, his teeth filled with dirt. "Geez, you're fast!" "Geez, you're a handful," Mark leans down, grabs his brother's scruff, and hauls him to his feet. "Well, come on, then $name. I'll introduce you to the caravaneers." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p21]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

"How close are we?" You lean over the back of the wagon driver's seat and shade your eyes with your hand as you stare down the road that leads up a hill, on the other side of which is the city, Reabelle. The five days Mark had said it would take to get to Reabelle have turned into seven thanks to a particularly nasty storm. "You'll be able to see the city in the distance once we get to the top of the hill, Miss. $name," Lorgan, the caravan's leader, smiles as he points further down the road. When Mark introduced you, the caravan members had been a bit hesitant, but most of them warmed up to you in the week since. Lorgan, in particular, has begun treating you almost like a daughter, as you spend a lot of time together. Being too big to ride a horse and Lorgan's wagon being the only one with enough space in the back for you to ride, you have had plenty of time together. "I take it you're excited?" "Mm, maybe a bit, but I'm also fairly anxious, actually. I'm only just beginning to get used to being around you and the others. I'm not entirely sure how I'll handle thousands of people all cramped up together in a city." "You'll be fine, $name." You jump slightly as Mark's horse pulls close to the wagon's side. <<if $clothes is "nude">>"You have the team backing you and a well-regarded caravan leader to vouch for you as well. Although..." He coughs slightly and rubs the back of his neck as he looks away, and you immediately know what he's going to say; he seems to have the same tell whenever the topic of your nudity comes up, though he does accept it is simply a cultural thing. "Um, you may need to wear a cloak at the very least. I know many people won't have an issue with your ahem or style. But it could still become a problem." "Tch, fine, I guess I understand. A cloak is fine, at least while we are in the city."<<else>>"You have the team backing you and a well-regarded caravan leader to vouch for you as well. Everything will go well."<</if>> Overall, this last week has been a well-needed reprieve from your regular routine, and you have enjoyed being around others for the most part. Most of your time is spent riding in the wagon as the caravan moves, though you get to talk to Mark and Daniel quite a bit as they join you to be welcoming. Daniel, in particular, is fascinated by you, and every time you stop for the night, he immediately asks you to spar; he has yet to land so much as a hit on you. At first, you were going to take it easy on him, but he demanded that you go all out; in the end, you compromised, as going all out would probably kill him. Mark has also taken advantage of your skills and done some sparing. It has been an experience for both of you as you are so used to fighting wolves, boars, and the occasional bear, that fighting an intelligent being with a shield and decent knowledge of fighting tactics has been more challenging than you initially thought. In Mark's case, he has been learning to split his attention as you frequently use your body length to strike from unexpected angles. As for Maple and Laura, you haven't had the chance to speak with them much. Maple averts her eyes whenever she sees you, and Laura always makes sure to stay between the two of you. On the third day, you managed to overhear her telling Maple that she shouldn't have said anything because she was now forced to keep an eye on you in case you tried to attack Maple. At one point, you even heard her mention that she hates playing bodyguard because watching you spar with Daniel and Mark makes her want to test her skills against you. At some point, you should address the situation, but for now, you are content as the top of the hill finally begins to roll away. The hype was not a lie. As the wagon crests the hill, you see a large circular city unfold before you. Raebelle straddles a wide river and consists of three large circular walls, each built at a different time in history as the city grew to spill over the previous one. Despite what you would have thought, the giant castle that dominates the skyline is not located in the central circle but instead sits as part of the second wall. The central ring, once the original city, has become part market and part nobles district. It's in this ring that Mark says the adventurers guild is located. It's a picture-perfect fantasy town, and it takes your breath away. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c1p22]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

"Hey, $name?" You take your eyes away from the view and turn to Mark. "Yeah?" "Well, I know there is some tension between you, Maple, and Laura, and I get why. Before we get to town, I would like you to take some time to talk to them both and reassure them that you don't have any hostile intentions. I know you already said that Maple is fine and all, but she still feels bad, soooo if I get them to come have a chat, is that okay with you?" You stare at the tall human for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I can do that if you think they will want to." "They won't have a choice, not well I am party leader, besides we have gotten to know each other for well over ten years, they're basically family, so they'll listen to me. Be right back." Mark turns his horse away from the wagon and trots towards the end of the caravan, where Maple and Laura have spent the majority of the trip in an effort to stay away from you. "How long till we get to the city from here, Lorgan?" "Mm, about two hours. Getting in is a whole different game, though; depending on how busy the gates are, it could take the rest of the day to actually get into the city." "Wow, and I thought the DMV was bad." Lorgan cranes his head back to look at you, a confused look on his face. "The what?" "Oh, uh, don't worry about it. It was just a government program back where I lived. The wait times are horrendous." The man chuckles. "Ahh, I guess governments are the same anywhere you go." The sound of someone knocking on the back of the wagon grabs your attention, and you turn to find Maple and Laura on their horses behind you. It's a delicate procedure to shift your bulk and turn around, but you manage it and only get one snap from Lorgan when you knock over a small box. "Laura, Maple." You smile gently as you shift and lean on the wagon's back hatch. Maple tries to return the smile. "Hi, $name." "$name." Laura's eyes are focused so intently on you that you worry she may strike without warning. "So, Mark suggested I talk to both of you and provide some assurances that I am not going to attack Maple because of what happened in the past." You hesitate for a moment and shrug. "That's about it. I really don't have any intention of taking revenge or acting on my feelings, at least not towards you, Maple. What I said was true; you and I are good, Maple, really." <<if $elflie is true>>//At least for now, I will deal with you and your people in the future.//<</if>> "I know you already said that, but I don't know; I still feel horrible about everything that happened. Unlike the others, who were still young when it happened, I know about everything that happened and saw the after effects." The Elf fiddles with one of her long bangs as she talks, her eye partially obstructed by her hand. "I know that sometimes survivors can hold grudges, and I don't want to make things worse by being around you." You can hear Laura grumble faintly as she glares at Maple. "Look, Maple, I can't say it any other way. We are good. I don't hold it against you, and I would like us to try and move past this. Besides, if I am going to tag along with you guys for the foreseeable future, we can't keep avoiding each other, and what happens if we get stuck in combat again? We will need to trust each other." At that, you turn your eyes to Laura. She nods. "I, that makes sense. I can try but don't expect much from me, please. But we can try talking and stuff." "Agreed" Laura really is a woman of few words. "Good. Now that that is settled, tell me more about yourselves. Mark and Daniel have already given me the rundown on themselves; now I want to know about the two of you." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p1]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<center>''Chapter Two''</center> Approaching the gates, you slither along next to the lead wagon, taking advantage of the slower pace to stretch out the kinks that come with staying in that cramped wagon. You are close enough to see the four sentries standing watch as an official waves through a pair of riders, both in heavy armor. "You ready for this $name?" Mark and the others walk next to you. "Yeah, it's exciting; I never thought I would see a city like this in real life." You don't catch yourself before the slip. "Are cities where you are from different?" "Very! For one, they don't have walls anymore, and many of the larger ones are so populated that the buildings have to be built up high to save space. We call them skyscrapers." All four stare in amazement as you talk. "Wow, that sounds amazing!" Maple smiles as her hand grips her staff excitedly. "You must be from very far away; I've never heard of anything like that." "Extremely far, yes." "Uh, guys, the guards have spotted $name." Daniel nudges you. Looking towards the gate, it seems like the four have spotted you. They have shifted their halberds to a ready stance and spaced out in what you think is an attempt to surround you, though with your friends and the caravan, it is impossible. While the guards show a bit of shock but maintain a professional air, the official shakes as you stop with the rest. "This is a hell of a welcome, Hannah." Lorgan hops down from his wagon and walks up to the official. "Still mad about me sticking you with the tab last time?" He motions to the guards. "U, uh, Lorgan, there is a, um, you realize there is a lamia standing right there, don't you?" The guards were tense at her words, as if she was confirming that your presence meant trouble. "Who, $name? Yeah, what of it? She's one of my new hires. Is there a problem with that?" "Y, you're new hire?" Hannah stares at you over the rim of her curly glasses. "Uh, okay, but where did you find her?" Okay, this is ridiculous. You slither up next to Lorgan and place a hand on his shoulder, smiling pleasantly at the official as you do. "I came across Lorgan, Mark, and the others a few days back when they had a bit of a run-in with a group of bandits. I stepped in..." You look down at where your hips shift from human to lamia and chuckle. "Not stepped, I guess, but I helped them fight their way out; in return, Mark and his party have agreed to help me out while getting to know the area since I'm new around these parts." Hannah glances at Mark, who nods, then Daniel, who grins from ear to ear. "Seriously?" Her entire demeanor suddenly changes, and she lunges forward and grabs your hands. Her smile is very unnerving. "You have to tell me more about your people! How old are you? I hear lamia can live for a thousand years, and you never stop growing! Which colony are you from? Is it close, or is it one I will have never heard of? What abilities have you learned? Can you petrify people yet? OHOHOH, you can show me and test it out on John over there." She spins and points to one of the guards, who immediately tense up. "Uh, Miss. Hannah, I would prefer if she didn't turn me to stone." "Whaaa? Why not? Think of it as an opportunity for growth." She looks aghast at the thought that someone wouldn't want you to petrify them. "It's fine; I can't do that yet anyway." You shoot the guard a look of sympathy. You can't imagine having to deal with this woman day in and day out. "Awww, well, that is sad to hear. When you do learn it, you will have to swing by and give a demonstration! I guess that means you're still fairly young." "Nineteen" "Oh my!" She grips your hands tighter. "You're still just a baby! Why are you out here all alone? Does your mother know where you are?" "//Wait, seriously? A baby?//" It's Lorgan who saves you from the mad woman. "Hey, Hannah, as much as I am sure $name would love to answer all your questions, it's been a long journey, and we would like to get our goods unloaded before nightfall." "Oh, oh, of course." She pushes her glasses up before walking over to Lorgan. "Let's get all this paperwork out of the way." "Well then, Mark, thanks for the escort. It was a pleasure, as always." Lorgan shakes the tall man's hand before handing him a hefty sack that jingles. It seems to be payment. "I included Anna's payment in there as well." "Back at you, Lorgan. Let us know the next time you have to head down that way." Mark ties the bag to his belt. "If we're free, consider us yours." As Lorgan goes off to do whatever it is a trader needs to do in order for a caravan to enter the city, Mark and the others get their horses and gear before making their way into town. "Come on, $name! You're in for a great time." Daniel prances up past you. <<if $clothes is "nude">>As you begin to go through the gates with the others one of the guards draws your attention with a polite cough. Excuse me, Miss. $name, um, well, I know it's typical for Lamia not to wear clothing in most situations. Would you be amenable to putting something on? Some of our residents, well, really all of our residents, are not used to seeing lamia anymore. So I believe you will cause a bit of a stir, and it would probably be best if it were simply because you are a lamia and not because you are, well, topless...naked?" "Oh! That reminds me." Mark reaches into one of his horse's bags and pulls out a neatly folded piece of cloth. As you flip it open, you realize it's a short cloak—almost a shawl, really—but it will cover your top and has a hood to boot. It is black and has a golden crest with a crossed sword and staff sitting on a shield. "It's my guild cloak. It'll work until we get you registered and you have your own." Slipping it on, you have to admit it looks good on you and covers your chest, though, after a year without wearing anything, it is a bit itchy.<</if>> <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p2]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

As you and your party advance into the city, you are immediately aware of everyone's eyes focused on you. On both sides of the road, people stop and stare as you and the others advance up the center of the well-worn brick path. "Hmm, well, we did expect this. The quicker we get to the guild, the better." Mark turns to you and smiles. "Try not to take it personally; I doubt any of them have ever seen a lamia." "It's fine." //Please stop staring// You hear a faint growl and turn to find Laura glaring at a pair of terrified-looking women who turn and dart into the building behind them. "Scum" Daniel slides up on your other side, giving you a shield for the staring. "Laura had to go through the same thing when we first came to Reabelle. She isn't the only wolfkin in town, but with her more...natural look, well, there were some who thought she was rabid or something." "That's ridiculous. My Laura could never be rabid; she's just stoic." Maple nods as she slips up next to the wolfkin and slips her arm through Lauras, the contact seeming to relax the woman. The journey through the first circle, which is the largest, is relatively uneventful, though when you get to the gate leading into the second circle, it is a repeat of the main gate, and it takes Mark a few minutes to reassure the guards that you are not a threat. Word seems to have spread quickly that there is a lamia in town. By the time you reach the gate to the final circle, the crowds have doubled, and the guards don't give your group any problems. However, as you move past, they do tense slightly, and you notice their eyes following you. "Gods, there are more of them than I thought there would be." Daniel has begun spinning one of his daggers around his fingers as he glares at the crowds, some of whom flinch back at the sight. "Indeed, I would think people have something better to do with their time than stare at a newcomer." As Mark speaks, his voice rises, and by the end, many of those gathered look ashamed, and some begin to shuffle away. It's a great relief when you finally come to the guild building. While Mark takes the horses to the large stable next to the guild, Daniel, Maple, and Laura escort you inside the massive structure. "It used to be a mansion of a noble family a long time ago, but when the family bloodline died out, the fledgling guild bought it," Maple explains as your eyes sweep across the facade. "It's amazing." Daniel chuckles, "Yeah, that was my first reaction, too." As the massive front door swings open, you are hit with the sounds of a rowdy group inside, and you can already imagine what it will look like inside. Slipping in after Daniel with the other two behind you, you are not disappointed. This first room is massive, with a high ceiling, a trio of chandeliers, and dozens of round tables taking up the floor space. At each one sits various people, making the entire room look like a colorful tapestry. You see primarily humans, but also some elves, a few dwarves, and something you could swear is a minotaur. One table even has a handful of short green creatures that could be goblins. It's all so overwhelming, and as you move through the crowd, all eyes begin turning your way. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I smile and wave, being friendly to as many of them as I can. First impressions are important, especially since I am technically classified as a monster.|c2p3][$person1 to "friendly"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Its best if I keep my head down and just ignore the stares. I would rather not draw more attention than I already have.|c2p3][$person1 to "shy"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I keep my head held high as my gaze sweeps the large crowd, taking in details of those present as I do. I couldn't care less about what they think.|c2p3][$person1 to "stoic"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

You are so distracted that you don't notice the man you come close to bumping into until it is almost too late. You manage to stop just in time. Focusing on him, you find he has a flirty smile, and he brushes some stray hair back from his face as his eyes scan you from top to bottom. "Well, hey there, beautiful. What brought you in here today? Are you looking for a strong adventurer to look after you and those gorgeous scales of yours?" //Oh gross// "It's been a while since I last met a lamia, and believe me, she was extremely happy about it. I think the two of us could get along even better." "Back off, Will." Daniel does his best to push himself between the two of you. "She's not interested." "What's that twerp? Do you think she would be more interested in hooking up with a short twerp like you? Give me a break." He shoves Daniel back, who unforuntantly falls over part of your length, swearing as his head hits the ground. "Oh shit, Daniel, are you okay?" Before you can even turn to help your party member up, the cocky guy, Will, you guess, grabs your arm and forcibly turns you back towards himself. "Ignore that little shit, babe; you want to hook up with a real man, am I right?" You cringe and rip your arm from his grip. "Okay, first of all, I like women. Second, even if I was into men, you would be nowhere on the list of my choices." He scoffs. "Puhlease, you just haven't had the right dick yet. Trust me, after a night with me, you'll...ARGHH!" He doesn't get a chance to finish the sentence as your fist comes flying up and strikes him square in the face, knocking him back into his table where three others sit, the trio until this moment simply chuckling. "The hell bitch?" "Why'd you hit him?" "Stuck up cunt" //Ugh// It's not the first time you've dealt with people like this; of course, the last time was back on Earth. "Okay, hold up, let me tell you how this will go. We will spend the next few minutes going back and forth, insulting each other while you try to intimidate me. At some point, one of you, probably you," You point at the large, rough-looking guy helping Will to his feet, "Will get into my personal space and begin making threats; eventually, you'll draw your weapon and try to make a big deal of scaring me while your two buddies back you up. Eventually, dumbass Will there will come to his senses and make the suggestion of just killing me; he'll probably call me some very nasty names related to my heritage or sexual preference or something. At that point, my friends and I will have had enough and will proceed to beat you into the ground, at which point you will be kicked out of the guild because you have already had several warnings." It's all straight from the isekai playbook. Everyone in the room is just staring at you in shock, though Daniel, Maple, and Laura are all smiling differently. Daniel looks excited, Maple appears happy that you are fighting back, and Laura just looks like she wants to shred some idiot with her claws. "So, what do you say we skip the stuff in the middle, and I just go straight to beating the ever-loving shit out of you, hmm?" The sound of your knuckles cracking echoes through the room as you flash the group a sadistic look. "That will not be necessary, my lamia friend." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p4]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

All eyes turn to the woman entering the room from a door next to the large desk on the back wall. She is absolutely stunning, her long legs accentuated by her black heels. Her fingers are covered in rings, several of which glow, and the dress she wears has a plunging neckline that shows off her cleavage. Her brilliant red hair flows in waves to her knees, and she wears a pair of square-rimmed glasses over her sparkling green eyes. You do your best to keep from staring. "You are surprisingly correct in your prediction, my young friend. William and his party have been warned about their behavior, which you have described perfectly." As she steps up next to you, she flashes a pleasant smile. "But while I would love to see them put in their place again, I would rather avoid rebuilding the common room as I am sure it would be left in a shambles. That said, I can not let the behavior of this group go unpunished." She clears her throat into her hand, and the air around her shifts as she takes on an authoritative tone. "As of this moment, William and all members of his party are banned from the Reabelle guild house. While I would prefer to have them removed from the guild entirely, I would need two other branch heads to see it through, and the amount of paperwork would be atrocious. But it is within my power to ban you from MY chapter, so pick yourselves up and get out." The room is entirely silent for a minute before William opens his mouth to reply, but she cuts him off with a swipe of her hand and practically growls. "GET...OUT!" Her eyes flash orange, and for a brief moment, you could swear you see several tails in the air behind her and a pair of ears on top of her head. But as you focus, they vanish. With a lot of grumbling and purposely pushing his way past you harder than needed, William leads the group out of the building. He bumps into Mark at the entrance and swears before he disappears. "What was that all abo..." Mark's eyes settle on the broken table, fallen chairs, and scattered cutlery, his eyes then finding the woman next to you who smiles at him with a brilliant grin. "Oh no, please tell me that you didn't beat down that dipshit again, Laura?" The wolfkin gives him a feral smile. "Not me this time; $name put him in his place." His gaze shifts to you, and he looks sad. "I see; I'm sorry you had to deal with him $name." You shrug. "I was expecting it, to be honest." "Wait, really?" "Yup, there is always that type in places like this." A gentle cough pulls your attention back to the woman beside you. "Well, now that that is done, welcome back, Mark. I take it the mission went well. It seems you picked up a new friend along the way." She winks at you as she says, "Friend." "Oh, yeah, for the most part, it was a standard run, though if not for $name here, we may not have all survived. A rather large group of bandits intercepted us a few days back, but she showed up and took out seven of them so fast they didn't stand a chance. In exchange for her help, we agreed to take her into our party until she gets to know the area. We just need to get her registered." "Is that so?" She turns back to the reception desk. "Come with me then." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p5]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

As you approach, the delicate woman behind the desk smiles at you, though you can see her shaking slightly. The woman who had intervened, the Guild Master you have come to realize, slips around the desk to stand next to her. "Abby, my dear, we have a new member who will need to be registered. Wave the fee; it's on the guild this time." "Oh, of course, Mrs. Adama, right away." With a slight bow, Abby turns to you. "Alright, this is a simple process; first, we just need to scan you, then we place your data on a guild medallion, and after that, you're all set." Opening a drawer, she pulls out a familiar-looking medal covered in grooves. You have the one from that dead dwarf in your bag. "Oh, yeah, I found one of those." You rummage through your bag and pull the old medallion from its depths. "See" "Hmm, it's odd that a none guild member has one of those." Mrs. Adama stares at it for a moment before holding out her hand. "Oh, here." You pass it to the woman, her warm fingers brushing your own. "Thank you, dear. Let me just." She activates it and quickly skims the data that appears; a moment after, she frowns, her eyes focusing on you intensely. "I see. Abby, I will handle Miss. $name's registration in my office." She plucks the medallion from the girl's hand and turns towards the door, motioning for you to follow. If attention from everyone in the room was a lot before, it skyrockets now; all eyes are on you as everyone tries to understand you. "Mark, I'll need some time alone with young $name here. You can go over the details of the mission with Abby. Oh, and Abby, you may as well pay them for that bandit mission that came in a few days ago as well; it seems they handled that already." "Of course, Mrs. Adama" The guild master steps next to you and slips her arm through yours. "Come, my dear, we have some things to discuss." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p6]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

The office Mrs. Adama takes you into is dominated by a rich, heavy-looking desk with golden details adorning it; the elegant lines of gold swirl across the surface in a vaguely Celtic pattern. The two guest chairs look incredibly comfortable, and even as she motions for you to sit, you can't remember the last time you sat in a chair like this; it takes a moment to get yourself situated, and you end up having to wrap yourself around the chair itself several times to keep from sprawling across the room. The guild master herself saunters around her desk and takes a seat in the highbacked chair, pulling it in as she does so. While she gets situated, you take the time to look around the room. One wall is dominated by a massive bookshelf that is neatly organized and packed full. The other wall has several shelves that hold what you assume are a variety of trophies; there are horns, a few skulls, a golden chalice, and several things you can't identify. "Well, then, Miss $name. I want to start by saying that I would like it if you called me by my name, May." "I can do that, but why am I getting the privilege?" Her smile is stunning. "Because, once upon a time, your mother and I were friends." If you hadn't been sitting, you may have fallen over. "Wait, like my real mom? Like the lamia mom?" "Of course. We knew each other for about two hundred years before the terrible events that transpired all those years ago. I was the one who gave your mother the spell to send you somewhere safe." She smiles sadly. "I'm glad it worked, but if you're here, that means you died in the world she sent you to. It's the only way the System would have brought you back, and it wasn't a natural death." "I..." You still can't remember how you died; you have tried to several times over the last year, but the memory eludes you. "Don't strain yourself, $name. Remembering how one died is next to impossible. But that said, it would mean," Her eyes glow a soft blue, though they look different than Daniel's when he used appraisal. It's not just her iris glowing but intricate lines that crisscross her eyes as well. "Mm, just as I thought, Reborn, though the Immortality is odd, I wonder how you got that. I guess that would explain your rather astounding level." "I guess?" She is going so fast that you are having trouble registering everything. "Well then. Let's get on with your registration." With a wave of her hand over the top of her desk, a prominent tablet shimmers into being in front of you. In a circular indent, she places the blank medallion. "Just rest your hand right here, my dear." She taps the handprint next to the medallion slot with a long nail. You notice it almost looks like a claw but is painted bright red. "Okay, hold on a moment, please, just slow down." You lean forward and grip the desk tightly. "Can you explain how you knew who I am just by looking at me?" Leaning back with a smile, May simply nods, "Of course. It's simple, really. You are the spitting image of your mother and several of your older sisters, for that matter. Though you seem to have inherited your father's ears." She gestures towards the points just barely peaking out from your hair, and you instinctively wiggle them at the mention. "Though his were a fair bit longer." "Hmm, okay. So, what name did they give me?" "Oh? Lamia don't generally have individual names; there are some exceptions, you, for instance, but that's only because you were raised somewhere else." //Is that why I couldn't find any references to my mom's name in all those books?// "Most typically just refer to each other by titles, sister, mother, Queen." She shifts and crosses one elegant leg over the other, the smile never leaving her face. "I see. What about my dad's name, then?" Her smile fades, and she seems to be tense. "Mm, well, if you insist on knowing, it was Eldrin. Technically, his full name and title were Crown Prince Eldrin Kayran; he was the first in line for his country's crown. Of course, that changed when his younger brother altered the orders from retrieving the Prince to killing him. It's a tangle of details; now is not the time to get into it all. Needless to say, when their father, your grandfather, discovered what had happened, your uncle was executed, and your aunt is now in line to rule the kingdom. On top of that, because of the manipulation of the guild in general, all branches were pulled out of the country, so now they have no adventurers guild either." "Wait! Just wait...does all this mean I have a legit claim to the throne of the elven kingdom?" The thought of that is staggering. "I suppose. But I doubt anything could ever come of it. While the average elf is not so different from most of us, the higher up you go in their society, the more racism you will find. Your grandfather stated that you would never inherit when he learned of your birth, though he has never actually set anything down in ink. So..." She shrugs. //Well damn// <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p7]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

"Now, $name, if you would." She taps the stone tablet once again. "Shall we continue?" You cautiously stretch out your hand, hesitating momentarily before placing it firmly on the tablet. As your skin makes contact with the stone, a dozen glowing blue lines extend from under your hand and connect to the medallion, and the grid on the circle slowly begins to work its way inwards to the core. You watch as the same card image from the dwarf's medallion blinks into existence above the tablet. However, this one is blank, though almost immediately, your name, species, and level appear; after that, it slows to a crawl, and after a minute, you stare at May with a bored look. "I know, I know, but with monster species, it takes a little longer to scan and compile than it would with a humanoid." May stands and circles back around the desk, placing a hand on your shoulder. "Just hold it there for now. I'll go get the rest of what comes with joining the guild from Abby. Be right back." You turn your head and watch as she leaves the room. In the brief moment, the door is open, all eyes in the common area immediately turn in your direction again. "Just great," you mutter to yourself. I'm the latest curiosity." Looking back at the tablet, you watch as the fields are slowly being filled in. After a few minutes, almost everything is finished, and the floating card flashes red; you wonder if you broke it, but as May slips back into the room, she smiles. "Ah, I see it's all done; you can take your hand away now, my dear." Doing so, the glow turns blue again, but a yellow exclamation mark appears in the middle of the card. Sitting back in her chair, May places her hand on the tablet, and the mark vanishes. "I'm just going to make a few adjustments to the data here. I'm not removing or adding anything; I'm just hiding some things. Mainly your traits." "Why?" "While most people may simply be in awe over you being reborn, some would see you as a threat or someone they can exploit. So I'm redacting that information from your ID." "What about my immortality? Is that a big deal?" "Not so much; I myself also have that trait; it comes with being a kitsune. I know you spotted my tails." She flashes you a playful wink. "But I'll also be redacting that since an immortal lamia will scare people. There is a myth that you never stop growing through your entire life, but your mother was close to nine hundred and hadn't grown at all in the time I knew her. But the thought of an immortal, mountain-sized lamia would be enough to scare most people, and scared people tend to react poorly." As she pulls her hand away, the glow flashes and retracts back into the medallion. "It's all yours," she motions to the gold trinket, and you gingerly pick it up, letting the weight rest in your hand. Unlike what you had been expecting, the medallion is not cold like metal; in fact, it gives off a pleasant warmth. "Now, these are for you." She sets a bundle in front of you. "This is your guild cloak and a small pouch for your medallion.<<if $clothes is "nude">> Besides, I'm assuming you want to give Mark his cloak back.<</if>>" When you pick up the bundle, you stuff the medallion into the pouch and attach it to your belt. "So, what do I do now?" May leans back and flicks some stray hair away from her face. "Well, I imagine your friends will want to get back to it. You're still young; go on some adventures, explore the world, and see the sights. Mark and his team aren't the strongest, but they are dependable and loyal to their own and will have your back, so stick with them for now. Oh, and if you ever run into trouble, show your guild ID; it will get you out of all sorts of problems." As you uncoil yourself from around the chair, she smiles again. "You do look so much like her. If you ever want to talk, feel free to come by for a visit; now off you go." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p8]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<center>''Laura''</center> The guild was going wild over the fact that a lamia had not only entered the chapter house but had also been invited into the chapter master's office immediately after doing so. Speculation was rampant, and it had only been a few minutes. With her ears swiveling on top of her head, Laura tried to listen to all the rumors around her. So far, her favorite was that since $name is a lamia, she could be centuries old and not look it, so she had to be a former lover of the chapter masters; it was the only explanation as to why she was taken into the office so quickly and why Mrs. Adama looked so close to her. Thinking about that, her mind quickly returns to the scuffle with Will, "//So she is into women, hmm?//" The wolfkin leans back in her seat with a grin. "//She is attractive, I wonder...//" "I know that look, love." Laura turns and directs a smile toward Maple. "What look?" The elf returns the grin. "You're attracted to $name. She is beautiful." "Yeah, so are you." "Beautiful or attracted to $name?" Maple gives Laura a playful smile. "Yes" "Aaaany way." Mark sits down across from the duo, sliding a pair of mugs across to them as Daniel spins a chair around backward and sits next to his brother. We should take a few days off before the next job. It will give $name a chance to explore the city, and after three weeks on the road, I need a break anyway." "Can the next mission be something more exciting, please?" Mark glanced at his younger brother. "Exciting how?" "Well, like a hunt or something." "We go on hunts all the time." Maple rests her head on Laura's shoulder as she speaks. "Yeah, but those are all small-time monsters. Look at how quickly $name leveled up in only a year. She must have been doing something other than simply surviving." "We've talked about this, Daniel." Mark sighs. We stay at our skill level and don't take unnecessary risks." "That's bullshit! It's taken years to get where we are because of that. Besides, with $name on the team, we could go for some really big game!" "No," all three turn to Laura as she speaks. "If we are going to get stronger, we can't rely on someone else's strength." "Pfft, I should have figured you would have answered like that. I know you agree with me about taking some risks, Laura. We can't keep being afraid." Laura bristles at the comment but keeps her thoughts to herself. The truth is she agrees with Daniels's opinion on the matter; they should be taking some risks, but she knows Mark will never agree with that, and Laura has no intention of pushing the matter. Mark made a promise to his mother that he would protect Daniel just before her death; having been raised by the woman alongside Mark and Daniel, Laura agreed with the man's feelings. But still, it was becoming tedious. "There she is!" A whisper from another table catches her ears, and Laura turns to the office door to see $name slithering back out into the common room. Her $eyec eyes scan the room before she finally notices the party and begins making her way towards them. <<if $person1 is "friendly">>Even as she does, she smiles, returns people's greetings, and seems to fit in almost immediately. She perfectly fits into the gregarious lamia stereotype that the species is known for.<<elseif $person1 is "shy">>$name keeps her head down and tries to avoid looking at anyone. Laura would have never thought of a lamia as being shy; their species is legendary for being gregarious, but there are always exceptions.<<elseif $person1 is "stoic">>The way $name moves through the crowd is cold; she doesn't bother acknowledging anyone, keeping to herself. But it was not from fear or shyness; it was simply because she was uninterested. Laura understood that sentiment; it is one she maintains herself.<</if>> <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p9]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<center>''$name''</center> It doesn't take you long to find the others. Once you leave May's office, Daniel stands on a chair, waving excitedly from across the room. Once you have made your way over, you take a moment to get yourself comfortable. You learned that sitting in a regular chair is not at all comfortable with this body, so you settle into your coils the same way you have for the last year when sitting around doing nothing, pushing the chair Daniel offers to the side. "Thanks, but chairs are uncomfortable." "Oh, I should have thought about that." The kid's eyes trail down your length as he frowns. "I'll remember that in the future." "What did the Chapter Master want?" You glance at Laura, trying to ignore the whispers coming from all sides. "Oh, she and mom were friends back before...yeah. Anyway, she wanted to talk and did my guild registration simultaneously." "Wait, the Chapter Master knew your mother?" Maple stares at you in surprise. "That's amazing! What did she want to talk about?" As she finishes asking, the elf squeaks when Laura nudges her. "Oh, but that is private, of course, so feel absolutely free not to say a thing." You wave it off, "It's fine. She just told me about my parents. I guess I look a lot like her and a few of my sisters as well." "Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Did she tell you that you have a claim to the elven throne?" She practically bounces up and down in her seat as she asks. "Mhmm, she also explained that it would never be possible to lay any claim because of the pervasive racism that dominates the higher stratum of the country." "Oh, yeah." Maple slumps back, and Laura pats her head affectionately. "I forgot about that." "Alright. So $name, before anything else, this is for you." Mark places a small pouch in front of you. "It's your share of what we were paid for the job." A look of curiosity slips onto your face. "Oh, don't worry. Lorgan added your share onto what he was already paying us, but as a thanks for saving our lives, we have all chipped in a bit extra." The smile you have come to associate with the knight nearly blinds you. Opening the pouch, you look inside and find six gold slips and around fourteen silver ones. "Oh, neat! I have eleven of these now." You pull one of the gold pieces from the pouch and inspect it closely. It looks exactly like the ones you already have. "Wait, you already had gold slips? Where did you get those?" Daniel looks at you over the top of his mug. "Found them on the body of a dwarf back in the colony." "Grim," Laura shakes her head. "But necessity comes first." "Money talk aside, we plan on taking some downtime before our next mission. While Maple and I have errands to run during that time, Daniel and Laura are free, so take advantage and have them show you around town $name." Mark gulps his drink, and just as you are about to bring up the subject regarding your lack of something to slake your thirst, someone steps up next to you. Turning, you have to look down slightly and find a young girl—she couldn't be older than twelve—staring at you in awe. She is clutching a pad of paper and has a serving tray tucked under one arm. Her long brunette hair is tied back in an elegant braid, and a pair of fuzzy ears poke out from the sides of her head. Looking down further, you find that she has a furry pair of crooked legs capped with a pair of polished hooves. "Uh, uh, um..." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p10]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

The two of you stare at each other for a minute, neither of you saying a thing until Maple reaches out and tickles one of the girl's ears. "Lailai, you can go ahead and ask for her order. She won't bite you." The ear under Maple's fingers twitches. "Uh, um, Miss, can..." She continues to stare deeply into your eyes, and for a moment, you think she is about to burst into tears until something finally draws her attention away. Glancing over at Daniel, you find him puffing up his cheeks and sticking out his tongue. The odd look obviously has an effect, and the girl begins to giggle. "You're silly, Danny." She hides her smile behind a hand. "Still calling me Danny? Come on, Leilei, it's Daniel." "Nope," she shakes her head, her ears wobbling as she does. Danny," she says. With that, she looks back at you, and while her look shifts slightly back to the mix of awe and terror from before, she at least manages to speak. "Uh, Miss Lamia, can I get you something to drink?" "//She's adorable!//" You do your best to keep your face still, but a slight smile slips in. "Well, I'm new here; what would you recommend, Leilei? Oh, and you can call me $name." At the mention of her name, she blushes furiously. "Uh, umm, well, I like coffee milk, but Mama says I'm not supposed to have too much. Mark and Daniel always have a beer." She points at the brothers. "Maple likes cider, and Laura always has that nasty whiskey mama keeps under the counter. Korg," she points to a large beastkin in the corner; he glares at you when he notices you staring; based on the ears and the brawn, you imagine he is a bear-kin, "well he likes something I can't pronounce, but he says it will knock your socks off." From there, the girl proceeds to point at roughly a dozen people and list their favorite drink orders. "Uh, wait. Hold on a moment, Leilei." She stops pointing and stares up at you. "Should you even be working here? Aren't you a little young to be working at all?" "What? Of course not Miss $name." Daniel pipes in. "Yeah, I started working when I was her age." "Me too." You glance at Mark. "So did Laura. Is it different where you are from?" "Uh, yeah, quite a bit. Most people go to school until they are eighteen, and then a lot of those will go to university. Even those who do start working young definitely aren't serving liquor." "Seriously? School until eighteen, followed by MORE school? No, thank you!" Daniel finishes his drink and spins the mug around in his hand. "Well, if you're not going to order then, Leilei, I could use another one." "Okay, Danny," She scribbles down the order on the notepad before looking back at you. "Miss $name?" After going through all the choices she listed, you settle on something, and with your order written down, Leilei dashes away. She is surprisingly nimble and moves through the crowded common room with ease. "She practically grew up in this room." You turn to Mark as he speaks. "The only time I can remember not seeing her here is when she was sick a few years ago. It felt like something was missing that entire week. You're the first person she hasn't immediately run up to and begun jabbering at or the first I can remember." "She's a lamia; being afraid is natural." It's Laura's turn to squeak as Maple elbows her, though it turns into a growl quickly enough. "Don't be rude!" "It's the truth." "Ignore her $name." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[["It's fine Maple. I knew people's reactions to me would differ from person to person." I expected more people to show fear rather than the interest and curiosity they have been up to now.|c2p11]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I chuckle slightly and shake my head. "I understand; I am pretty scary-looking, I suppose. Truth be told, I kinda like the idea of being a bit scary."|c2p11]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

As you sit with your new party, waiting for Leilei to bring your order, you take the chance to look around the room, observing the others sitting at the various tables as much as they do you. The vast majority appear to be human or humanlike at any rate. In fact, other than the Minotaur, the group of little green creatures, and yourself, there is no one you would think of as a monster, though you still aren't sure about the green guys. The common room itself is the epitome of comfort. Most of the floor space is taken up by the large tables around which most of the adventurers are gathered. One wall is dominated by a large fireplace, with several plush high-backed chairs placed in a semicircle around the stone monstrosity. There are even several bookshelves in the corner of the room, forming a small, rudimentary library. To the side of the main desk opposite the door leading into May's office, there is a wide stairwell that curves upwards and seems to lead to a large second-floor space that overlooks the common room. From your angle, you can't see what is upstairs, but you can make out the sounds of laughter, the occasional snap of anger, and what sounds like people placing bets. "It's a gaming hall." "Huh?" You look back down toward Laura to find the wolfkin staring at you. "Upstairs, it's a gaming hall. Not into gambling myself, but Mark enjoys it." "Yeah, but he always makes such tiny little bets that almost no one will play him anymore," Daniel chuckles into his drink. "It's called being prudent." Mark frowns as he sets down his drink. "It's called being a wuss." "Here you are, Miss. $name!" You stop paying attention to the brothers and look down to find Leilei sliding your mug onto the table before you. She still shifts nervously, and you can smell a bit of fear from her, but she is smiling and looking you in the eye without showing it. "Thank you, Leilei" Her smile widens into a grin, and she bows slightly. "You're most welcome, Miss. $name." Turning, she skips away back towards the bar, shouting loudly. Did you see mama? I was so brave!" The woman, absently wiping a glass with a rag, simply smiles and nods at the small girl. A gentle nudge and you turn to find Daniel smiling widely. "You have a fan." "Seems so" <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p12]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

When you initially arrived at the guild house, it was late in the afternoon. As you sat with your new companions while getting to know each other, you noticed the light outside the large windows beginning to dim, and as it did, more people began to enter the hall. It's a slow trickle at first, but as the light fades from the windows, the room is packed, and while the attention you have been receiving lessens somewhat as the evening stretches on, you still get continuous glances from others around the room. At first, the stares are filled with suspicion. Still, inevitably, Leilei comes around to refill your drink, and each time, seeing her cheerful reaction towards you leads to those stares shifting to curiosity. Occasionally, you'll catch someone's eyes glowing as they stare, and you assume they are scanning you with Appraisal to get a better idea of you. However, each time they seem frustrated, it must not be providing much information. Eventually, after a large meal provided on the house by May, Maple and Daniel both begin yawning. "It's getting late." You notice Mark pulling a pocket watch from a small pouch. "I just realized, where is $name going to stay?" That snaps everyone to attention as the four stare at you. "We could probably fit you in our sitting room, but I can't say it would be comfortable in the least." Maple stares down at your length as she ponders. "Yeah, I don't think you would fit in anyone's room either." Mark taps his chin as he thinks. "There are probably some hotels that could accommodate you, but I'm guessing they are expensive." "So you all live together?" "Mhmm," Maple nods happily. "We bought a small house together shortly after we started adventuring. Laura and I have the attic to ourselves, while Mark and Dan each have a room on the second floor." "That sounds kind of nice, actually." Having lived alone for the last year, being around others does sound kind of nice. As you ponder the topic of living arrangements, you suddenly remember something: You have a fairly powerful ability that you have never had the chance to use. "Wait a second!" Everyone around you jumps at your sudden outburst. Laura's ears fold back as she growls at you, and the sound of someone dropping a plate comes from behind you. But you are too busy focusing on the screen you bring up, closing your eyes so you can concentrate, your eyes darting to find what you are looking for. "Ah ha! Here it is, Traveller!" You give the ability a quick read, one you probably should have months ago, but with only the colony to go to, there was little point. Twice per day, you can teleport between two points you have visited. "This is perfect!" you clap your hands together in excitement, and the others stare at you with curiosity. "What is $name?" "I just figured out my living arrangements!" Why bother finding a place to stay in town when you can pop home for the night and be back first thing in the morning? "How so?" Mark stares at you with a look of bewilderment. You are about to explain everything, but become aware that everyone around you is trying to listen to the conversation. "Uhh, maybe not here." "Well, why not come with us to our place? You can explain as we go." Daniel stands with a stretch. "It is getting a bit crowded in here." "Sounds good, come on, gang." Mark joins his brother as they head towards the door. Laura and Maple wait for you to uncoil before the three of you push your way through the groups of adventurers and head after the brothers. The night air is cool, and once the heat of the common room fades, you begin to feel sluggish. By the time you reach the outer ring, where your team's home is located, you feel like you could pass out. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c2p13]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

The house you find yourself standing in front of is a small, comfortable-looking cottage with ivy trailing up the sides, blue window panels, and a red roof. "So this is ours, nice, isn't it?" Maple seems awfully proud of the tiny home. "Yeah, it is pretty cute." "So, explain." You spy Laura's ear twitch as she looks at you, a movement you are unfamiliar with, but you aren't picking up any hostility from her; in fact, she seems excited. "Okay," you say, looking around to make sure no one else is within earshot. Other than a few stragglers on the road, you don't find anyone. "I have a trait called Traveller; it lets me..." "LETS YOU TELEPORT! Oh, my Gods! Do you know how rare that trait is? How hard it can be to acquire!?" Maple is practically buzzing with excitement. "Uh, no clue?" "Only four people in the kingdom have it, and they all work for the Queen! Each one had to find a simulacrum that held the knowledge to learn it!" "Simulacrum?" "Hmm, think of them as repositories for skills and traits. Some are more common than others, but it gives the user whatever ability it contains when used. The ability to make them was lost millennia ago, though they can still be used whether transferring a skill to or from the simulacrum." "Some people will copy their skills to a simulacrum and use them as rewards for completed quests and whatnot." Daniel chirps. "Well, I don't know how I got it; it just showed up a year ago when I came to the area." Mark steps up next to you and holds up a finger. "Wait, you said you were teleported here from a long way away, right?" You nod, and he turns to Maple. "Could that have been what gave her the trait?" "I mean, it's possible; if you had been teleported from an extreme distance and the spell used was more powerful than a standard teleport, then, yeah, that could have been what did it. The whole thing could have met some forgotten requirement needed to gain the ability naturally." "Right, so how does it work?" "Well, I have to have visited a location, and once I have, I can teleport between any locations I have been to twice a day." "So, wait, you can just walk through a door and be home, then just be right back here first thing in the morning? "Seems so." You are trying to play it down, but you are practically bouncing. You are so excited that the cold isn't even bothering you much. "So, can we see it?" Maple grunts as Laura elbows her. "Right, sorry, it's just so exciting." "Okay, what time should I be here in the morning?" "Oh! Seven, I'll make everyone breakfast!" Maple is once again buzzing with excitement. "Sounds good. Now, how does this work?" You concentrate, focusing your thoughts on the main room of your palace. Once you have the location in mind, you activate Traveller, causing the ground beneath you to light up in a series of concentric circles, each lined with arcane script. "Woah." Looking up, you give your new teammates a hesitant wave when the world suddenly flips. It feels like gravity has reversed, and as you spin upside down, everything grows bright for a brief moment before you feel solid ground beneath you. You aren't sure when you closed your eyes, but as you open them, you find yourself standing back in the familiar room of your home, the large domed roof towers above you, the chipped marble on the wall behind your training dummies, your pillow pile. It's all how you left it. You immediately tear down the hall towards your room, whooping with excitement. The sight of your large nest is a welcome sight after the last week of traveling in wagons and sleeping on the ground. You find yourself crawling into bed almost immediately, curling up under the mass of blankets without a bit of exposed skin or scale poking out. You sigh happily. "I missed you bed, so comfy, so warm." As you begin to doze off, you realize that you haven't lit the fire, which means tomorrow morning will be the worst. However, the thought of joining your new traveling companions for breakfast cheers you up. This new life is finally becoming exciting. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p1]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

As you materialize infront of your party's home the next morning you let out a yawn so loud they can probably hear it clear across the city. To say you are sluggish would be an understatment and moving the few feet from your initial location to the front door of the home feels like it takes hours, the tiny amount of sun peaking over the roof tops does nothing to help you warm up. Even as you stare at the slivers of light peaking out at you your gaze is drawn to the massive curve this world takes as it fades into the distance, from here you can see all the same landmarks that you can from home and they do not appear any different despite being five days from home. You accepted the fact that Ariel is an artificial construction a year ago, but you still have no idea who created it, or why. Why does the local culture resemble a fantasy world and is magic even magic or some form of technology? "Arthur C. Clark would be having a field day in my place." "What was that $name?" "Huh?" You quickly turn your head to find Maple beaming at you from the open door to the home, you didn't even hear her open it. From the look of curiosity in her eyes she didn't quite hear what you had muttered under your breath. "Nothing, just thinking of a saying from home. Everything is just so different here that it sometimes overwhelms me." "Oh, I'm sorry" She steps aside leaving the door clear for you. "Come on in, breakfast is almost ready and the kitchen is nice and warm." "Really? Wow, thank you Maple!" Slipping past the smiling elf you find yourself in a narrow hall with a stairwell going up the right side. "Straight through to the end." Slithering down the hall you pass a wide arch that leads into a comfortable looking front room, a pair of couches form a sitting area with a small fireplace on the wall between them. An old wooden table sits between the two and you find a pair of daggers stuck upright in the wood. A glance and cocked eyebrow at Maple leaves her shaking her head. "They're Daniels, I gave up trying to get him to not do that years ago. Luckily the table is old and on it's last legs, but if we ever want to replace it, well..." Continuing down the hall leads you into a large kitchen, dining room combination. From the appearance it seems like it was once two seperate rooms, the slight outlines of the old walls faintly visible. On one side is a large round table and you find Laura slumped over the dark wood, a steaming mug in front of her, but she has her arms covering her head. "Uh, morning Laura" All you get is a grunt and lazily lifted hand in greeting. "Don't mind her, she and mornings do not get along. If I left her she would probably stay in bed until well into the afternoon. Now, you can just coil up right here." She gestures to a spot that is angled to the hall, it leaves you with slightly more space then the four chairs and lets you spread out a bit. Once you have settled in and gotten comfortable Maple pats your shoulder. "Would you like coffee? Tea? Oh I also have some juice made." You follow her pointing finger and find a small bowl filled with the fruit you found shortly after your arrival. They have a faint mango like taste, but are far sweeter. "I'll have <<cycle "$mdrink" autoselect>> <<option "tea" "tea">> <<option "coffee" "coffee">> <<option "juice" "juice">> <</cycle>> please. Thank you Maple" "Of course, think nothing of it" As the slender elf steps over to the opposite side of the room where the actual kitchen is you are startled by what sounds like an elephant falling down stairs and as you look back over your shoulder you find Daniel coming down the hall rubbing his head and swearing. "You fell down the stairs again" The slight chuckle that comes from the mass of black hair that is Laura sounds highly amused. "Yeah? So? Oh! Morning $name." His frown shifts into a wide smile. "That spell seems to work well, did you get much sleep?" "Uh, fine...it was nice being back in my own bed." You point at the welt rapidly forming on his forehead. "Are you okay?" "Oh? This? Yeah, it's nothing, I'm kinda use to it." "//Just how often does he fall down the stairs?//" <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p3]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Handing you your drink as she sits down Maple takes a sip from her own steaming mug before reaching over to run her fingers through Laura's hair, drawing a grumble from the cranky wolfkin. "Mark should be just a minute and then we can eat." "Did he go out early again?" Laura turns her head enough that she can see the rest of you as her hand finally snakes over to her mug. "Yeah. He wanted to get most of his errands done early." Daniel leans back in his chair and shakes his head. "I don't understand how someone can get up that early and function." "It's unnatural" Laura props herself up on an elbow and finally takes a sip from her mug. "What about you $name? Are you a morning person?" Maple looks honestly curious about how you handle mornings, it's odd, but not necessairly something you don't mind sharing. "As long as I'm warm I can get by, otherwise it can get ugly. But it's nice and toasty in here, so I'm good, thanks again Maple." "You're welcome $name." The four of you spend a few minutes simply talking about whatever random thing pops into someones head before you hear the front door open. "I'm home! Hope breakfast is ready, I'm starving, did $name make i= back okay?" Turning you find Mark entering the kitchen, nearly tripping over the tip of your tail as he does. "AH! I guess you did make it. Hope you had as good a nights sleep as I did. Nothing beats crashing in your own bed after being away for a few weeks." "I did" You nod casually as you pull your tail in a bit. "Morning wasn't so great, but I passed out the second my head hit the pillow last night." "Thats usually the way it goes the night after getting home from a quest" Maple slips from her seat and motions Daniel to follow as you and Mark talk, returning a moment later carrying a large platter stacked high with hashbrowns, eggs, ham, bacon, and several varieties of fruit. With Marks help they shift the platter into the middle of the table before Maple hands you a plate with a smile. "Dig in everyone." Not trusting your body to handle potatos, even if they are in hashbrown form, you skip the crispy little cubes and scoop up a few spoons of eggs before topping it with a veritable mountain of meat and several slivers of fruit. It's then you notice how much Maple actually cooked, no doubt anticipating your needs, when you see how much you have taken when compared to the others. Notcing your gaze she simply grins. "I'm glad I read up on lamia last night, I would probably have not made enough otherwise." "Thank you again Maple. You are very considerate." "Not a problem" She waves it off, "You're a member of the team now, we take care of each other." "So" Daniel starts to speak, his mouth stuffed with food, before a growl from Laura gets him to swallow quickly "Sorry, so whats are we all going to do today?" "Why don't we leave that up to $name?" Glancing up from your meal you stare at your new friends for a moment as you wrack your brain for any idea beyond a general urge to explore the city. "You four have lived here for years, any suggestions?" "The central market is always bustling and I need to restock my satchel" Maple takes a sip of her tea before continuing. "Why not start there? It would be a good way for you to see lots of things I am sure you haven't before." Daniel quickly speaks up, one cheek poofed out from the food he has in his mouth. "If that's the case how about the docks?" A shove from Mark gets the younger brother to quickly finish his mouthful before continuing. "There is always lots too see there!" "Plenty of pockets to pick as well." Maple gives the little human the side eye as she speaks. "True, true" His mischevioius grin quickly dominates his face. "Training yards" You turn to Laura as she takes a mouthful of hashbrown but she doesn't seem like she want's to elaborate. "Huh?" "She means the training yards at the Guild." Mark clarifys, "They are always busy this time of day and I am sure getting some experience fighting something other then wild animals and bandits would be a good experience." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[["The central market sounds interesting, let's start there."|c3p4][$threeroute to "maplemarket"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Glancing at Daniel I smirk. "The docks it is." PATH NOT COMPLETE|c3p4][$threeroute to "danieldock"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[["I like the idea of checking out the training yard and getting some experience." PATH NOT COMPLETE|c3p4][$threeroute to "lauratrain"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<center>''Elven Kingdom of Mle Allanar'' ''Throne Room''</center> The last light of the setting sun trickled through the large windows behind the throne on which King Tarros Kayran sat. His face was stoic despite his frayed temper, which unraveled increasingly the longer he sat listening to the bickering between the various factions of nobles as they yelled and threatened each other over an issue nearly twenty years old. "The monster population is still growing despite the best attempts of the army. We need to negotiate the return of the guild! Normal soldiers can not handle the problems of monster hunting and protecting the border." Tarros was barely paying attention as he rested his head on the back of his throne, his eyes slowly taking in the room. "We don't need the guild, we never have. We need to form our own force to combat the threat." King Kayran already knew the coming retort. "Oh? Do you plan to pay for this force from your coffers, Baron?" It never changed. Yet even as another noble was about to cut in, the heavy oak doors to the rooms flew open, a heavy gust of wind filling the room as the Crown Princess barged into the throne room. "Father, I have news!" Tarros immediately perked up. "Elmina! Just what do you think you are doing?? We are in session." His tone was chastizing, but in truth, he was ecstatic about the interruption. "Father, this is more important, relevant even!" Tarros paused; his daughter was normally unflappable; the only time she had shown worry like she was now had been when her eldest brother had been murdered by their brother, Tarros' middle child Kellam. "I see, well then continue." "She's alive!" "Who?" "Eldrin's child, she's alive and in Reabelle." Then, the entire room grew silent, and the muttering of the nobles frustrated at being interrupted immediately ceased. "Impossible." His voice was so low that if not for the purposely designed acoustics of the room, no one would have heard. The King's heart hammered in his chest, his granddaughter alive. "Impossible! The guild teams reported that the infant had died!" "Well, they either lied or were incompetent, but she's alive; one of our spies in the city reported seeing her in the chapter house in the company of an adventuring party. He...he sent an image." Holding up her hand, the princess revealed a small silver orb, and with a word, an image formed in the air above her hand. The entire room gasped, and within seconds, cries of "Monster" began to echo through the room. Neither the princess nor the king said anything; they simply stared at the image. The girl had Eldrins $eyec eyes, and the distinct point of small elven ears peaked out from her hair. She even looked almost like Elmina, and if not for the reptilian eyes, delicate scales on her cheeks, and a faint bit of fang peeking out from her lips, she could have passed for an elf herself. Neither one of them knew how to react to the news. "Tell me everything." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p2]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<if $threeroute is "maplemarket">>Maple smiles excitedly as you announce your decision, "Great! You'll love it I'm sure, there is so much to see and do." Daniel grumbles and frowns slightly as he pokes at his meal with a fork. "There are so many gaurds though, it's impossible to get away with anything fun with all of them there." "That's kind of the point" Mark chuckles. "Besides you shouldn't be trying to get into trouble, it gives the guild a bad name. You don't have to come." Daniel glances at Mark, then you, before he shrugs, "Naw, it's fine, I'm sure something fun will happen." The other three glance at each other with worried expressions and you get the impression that this is not the first time Daniel has said something like this, and that it may go sideways.<<elseif $threeroute is "danieldock">>Looking rather pleased with himself Daniel nods happily before he begins to eat faster. "Chew you moron!" Laura snaps at him as he practically shovels food into his mouth. "If you choke to death I won't shed a tear." As if in response Daniel immediatly begins choking and as Mark slaps his younger brothers back Laura rolls her eyes and mutters under her breath. "Idiot" After a minute, and quick spell on the part of Maple, Daniel is able to breath and without missing a beat quickly finishes his meal only to find that everyone else is not even halfway through eating and you have to keep your laugh contained as he slumps in his seat with his arms crossed across his chest and a frown on his face while the rest of you purposly take your time finishing your breakfast.<<elseif $threeroute is "lauratrain">>Laura simply nods in your direction as she continues eating. "That's her nod of approval," Mark chuckles "But I'm also glad you picked that one, I would love to get in some more training and I am sure there are plenty of others who would enjoy training with you, or give you pointers since you are new to fighting intelligent beings." He has a point, you had caught the bandits off gaurd with your overwhelming power, relatively speaking, but if the nights spent sparring with Mark and Daniel have taught you anything it's that you still need to learn. Even with Unlimited Potential giving you the innate knowledge and skills needed for combat it doesn't provide actual experience. "As long as I am not used as a punching bag for the entire guild sure, I'm cool with that." "Good," Laura mumbles, "I have first dibs." You think back to the night you overheard the wolf-kin complaining about not having the chance to spar with you while playing bodygaurd to Maple. "You're on." You respond with a smirk.<</if>> By time the plates have been cleared away and placed in a magical device that looks suspiciously like a dishwasher, Daniel is practically spinning circles in the entrance. "Come oooon people let's gooooo." Glancing at the young man from the corner of your eye the stat screen you have brought up fades from view as you watch with a smile. "I just need to spend some SP and then I'm ready." It takes a moment of the four staring at you in shock before you realize you just royally screwed up. "Oh, shit" After May's warning, how could you so easily forget, some people might not react well to your more, unusual traits. "Spend some..." Maple trails off as she stares at you. Daniel slumps against the wall, his mouth open in shock. "Wait, wait, you don't mean, that you..." "$name are you, do you have Unlmited Potential?" You turn to look at Mark and it's only then, when you notice your reflection in the mirror on the wall beside him, that you realize your eyes are glowing a pure white. "That's how, that's how you have leveled up so fast!" You aren't sure how you would describe Daniels facial expression as he stares, but a close approximation would be awe. "Maybe we should sit back down." All eyes turn to Laura. "It seems $name has somethings to tell us." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p5]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<fadein 2s>><span class="logo"> <img src="images/temptitle.png">/ </span><</fadein>> <<timed 4s t8n>><span class="game-start-timed"> Click anywhere to continue... </span><</timed>> <<cont>><<goto 'start-menu'>><</cont>>

<<fadein 1s>> <div id="start-title">Help! I Got Isekaied as a Lamia!!</div> <div id="start-subtitle">by Happy Succubus</div> <<nobr>><div id="start-menu"> <<nobr>><<if Save.autosave.ok() and Save.autosave.has()>><<button "Resume Game">><<run Save.autosave.load()>><</button>><</if>><</nobr>> <<button "New Game" "c1p1">><<set $chapter to "Chapter One">><</button>> <<button "Load Game">><<run UI.saves();>><</button>> <<button "Settings">><<run UI.settings();>><</button>> <<button "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("credits","credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</button>> </div><</nobr>> <</fadein>>

<h2>Twine + Sugarcube</h2> <li>Twine by Chris Klimas - <a href="https://twinery.org/cookbook/" target="_blank">Twine Cookbook</a></li> <li>Sugarcube by Thomas Michael Edwards - <a href="https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs/" target="_blank">Sugarcube 2 Documentation</a></li> <li>Custom Macros - <a href="https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2" target="_blank">ChapelR Custom Macros Collection</a></li> <h2>Resources</h2> <li>Icons - <a href="https://fontawesome.com/" target="_blank"> Font Awesome Icons</a></li> <li>Fonts - <a href="https://fonts.google.com/" target="_blank">Google Fonts</a>, <a href="https://opendyslexic.org/" target="_blank">Open Dyslexic</a></li> <li>CSS + HTML Tutorials - <a href="https://www.w3schools.com/">W3Schools</a></li> <h2>Disclaimer</h2> PROJECT TITLE is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

<<if settings.notifs>><<if tags().includes('autosave')>><<notify 3.5s>>Saving...<</notify>><</if>><</if>> /* autosaving -- the autosave notif needs to be 'present' at all times so is stored in the passageheader, only popping up when you add the [autosave] tag onto one of your passages. this is mainly for aesthetics as the autosave function is currently set up to save on EVERY passage. this can be changed in the javascript settings, e.g. you could configure it to only autosave on passages with the [autosave] tag notify is also a ChapelR macro, not a default sugarcube macro, so make sure to familiarise yourself with the documentation!*/ <script> var myDiv = document.getElementById('passages'); myDiv.scrollTop = 0; </script> /* scroll top -- this script makes the page scroll back to the top every time you move on to the next passage -- do not delete it! */

<h1>Profile</h1> $name $eyec $height Set up your profile, stats and meters, and other relevant information here! <div id="stat-title"> <span>Friendly ($friendly%)</span> <span>Stoic (<<print 100 - $friendly>>%)</span> </div> <<showmeter 'Friendly' `$friendly/ $max_friendly`>> <div id="stat-title"> <span>Strength ($strength%)</span> <span>Weakness (<<print 100 - $strength>>%)</span> </div> <<showmeter 'Strength' `$strength/ $max_strength`>>

<div id="title-container"> <span class="title-item">Help! I Got Isekaied as a Lamia!!</span> <span class="chapter-item">$chapter</span> </div>

<<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-bookmark" alt="saves"></i>'>><<run UI.saves();>><</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-gear" alt="settings"></i>'>><<run UI.settings();>><</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-user" alt="profile"></i>'>> <<script>> Dialog.setup("profile","profile"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("profile").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-rotate-left" alt="return"></i>'>><<run Engine.backward();>><</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-door-open" alt="restart"></i>'>><<run UI.restart();>><</link>>

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"Unlimited Potential, Traveller, and Immortality...anything else you want to mention?" The look on Mark's face is a combination of hurt and understanding. He seems to have complete trust in May, and hearing that she was the one who told you to keep your abilities under wraps seemed to have won him over. As for the other three, Maple seems to be thinking along the same lines as Mark, Laura appears to have slipped back into suspicion, but it's Daniel you can't get a read on. The entire time, he's just sitting there staring at the table. What's one more secret revelation? "Reborn" "Excuse me?" Mark focuses on you even more intensely. "I'm Reborn; I was born in this world but was sent to another as an infant. I died last year, and System brought me back home to revive me." "So it's true." You glance at Maple. "Those with Unlimited Potential can speak with the world's consciousness." "Uh, yeah, She's not exactly talkative, but she helped me survive my year alone." >>//The System is not required to be talkative to function// "Yes, Babe, I know." "She's speaking to you now, isn't she, and you call her Babe?" Maple smirks slightly. "An all-seeing and knowing God, and you call her Babe..." Well, that's certainly new, //System, does everyone think you are a God?// >>//Negative: while the vast majority of Ariel's population considers the System a God, many do not hold to this fallacy.// //You know, you've never told me, but how many people are there living on Ariel?// >>//One hundred sixty sixty billion three hundred million nine thousand two hundred and one non-monstrous individuals live on Ariel, the number of nonhumanoids is currently five hundred billion twelve million sixteen thousand// //Stop! Okay, so it's a lot, thanks// >>//You are welcome $name// Based on those numbers, Ariel must be far bigger than you had originally imagined. "Uh, $name? You alright?" Your gaze snaps to Daniel; it's the first thing he's said since the conversation began. "Oh, nothing, well, not nothing; I was just asking System something." "Nothing," she says. Daniel throws his arms in the air and grunts out a laugh. "She's just casually having a conversation with God, and she says it's nothing." "Daniel, are you okay?" Mark stares at his younger brother, worry etched on his face. "Oh, I'm fine, just fine. I only learned that nothing I do, no matter how many times I spar with $name, I will ever improve because she is all-powerful!" "Daniel, that's not true," Maple reaches out and touches Daniel's arm. "I mean, yeah, she has some pretty powerful traits, but that doesn't mean you won't get any better training with her. I'm sure there is plenty you can learn from her." //"Why are they suddenly treating me so differently?"// You frown as you stare at the four you have come to think of as friends in the last week. "Can we please not do this?" "Do what?" "Slip into some weird space where you start treating me differently just because you know a few things about me you didn't before. Nothing's changed. I'm the same $name you met a week ago. You just know something new, which is normal for people who have only just met." "She's correct," Laura stares at you as she speaks. I apologize for reacting the way I have." You almost laugh; out of the four, Laura hasn't acted much different than before. "As am I." Mark straightens up and smiles at you. "Regardless of what we now know, you are still our friend and the one who saved our bacon." As Mark finishes speaking, Daniel suddenly stands and stomps out of the room, leaving Mark sighing as he stands. "Let me talk to him." <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p6]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

"Don't worry about Daniel." You glance at Maple as she speaks. "I think he's been looking up to you since we first met. He always aspires to grow stronger, and hearing that you reached your level in a single year seems to have fired him up. Learning that he will never advance as quickly as you is probably bothering him. Don't take it personally, and he doesn't blame you, just himself for getting his hopes up." "Why is he so concerned about growing stronger so fast?" Maple glances at Laura after you ask. "That's not really my place to say, but..." Laura simply nods at Maples' unspoken request, and you notice a subtle shift in her usually stoic demeanor as she stands and moves into the kitchen area. "Well, you spoke with them a lot during the mission, so can I assume they told you about their mother?" You nodded. It had come up one night when Daniel asked you about any family you may have had. Trying to make you feel more comfortable, the excited kid had spilled everything about his early life, growing up with Mark and Laura. He had plenty of stories about his mom, but when you asked if she was waiting for them back in Reabelle, he had become very quiet and walked away. Mark was quick to explain that she had died ten years ago. "He did, she died." "Yes, she did. Mark was just starting as a blacksmithing apprentice, and Laura was beginning her training as a guard in the town they all grew up in. Daniel was still spending most of his time in school and helping around their home when...well..." "There was an attack." You shift to stare at Laura and find her bent over the sink, a slight shake in the wolf-kin shoulders. "A land breach occurred, and several demons managed to claw their way up from below before it could heal itself. Everyone tried to fight and defend our home, but the monsters were too strong; we lost the entire guard and most of the adults in the first fifteen minutes; if not for a passing military patrol, it would have been all of us. Mom, well, she survived the initial attack, but one of the demons spread a cloud of plague when it died, and she was infected, along with Daniel." "That's how I met them." Maple stands and walks over to her partner, gently wrapping her arms around her. "I was with the patrol, guiding them through the wilderness at the time. After the battle ended, I tried to treat the plague victims, and while I managed to save many of them, including Daniel, I was unable to save their mother. Daniel blames himself. He thinks that if he had been strong enough, he could have protected her from death." "He couldn't. Regardless of his strength, she was too frail. Maple was only able to make her passing painless." The wolf-kin reaches up and grips one of Maple's slender hands. "Since that day, he's become obsessed with growing strong enough to protect everyone. When he learned that the plague had permanent effects despite the cure, he went down a dark path. We brought him back from the brink, but he's never been the same. Mom's death was just too much for him." You are shocked to hear this; from all his stories, you had gotten the impression that their mother had passed peacefully in her sleep, not because a demon had infected her with a plague. "Can I ask, what were the side effects?" "I'll never grow taller." You jump as Daniel's voice comes from behind you, and you turn to find the brothers walking into the room. "I'll never be strong enough to wield a sword and shield like Mark. My mana pathways were also damaged, so I will never be able to use magic like Maple. I learned to fight the way I do because all I have left are speed and agility." "I'm, I'm so sorry." "It's not your fault, and I'm sorry for acting as I did. It was unfair of me to put so much on you without saying anything." Daniel's smile is subdued as he sits back at the table. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I react before thinking and pull Daniel into a tight hug. "It's okay, Daniel. I don't blame you for anything."|c3p7][$dhug to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Reaching over I place a hand on his and smile. "I don't blame you for reacting like you did."|c3p7]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<if $dhug is true>>Daniel squeaks slightly as you squeeze him tightly, but after a moment, he manages to wiggle his arms free and returns the hug, his grip light. "Thanks, $name. I won't do something like that again." It's another minute before you let him go, and despite his best attempt to hide it, you notice his tear-filled eyes before he has a chance to turn away to clear his throat. "Good to hear." "Anyway, are we going or just waiting around here all day?" "In a moment," Mark looks at you and grins. "I think $name needed to do something first."<<else>>Daniel looks down at your hand, the surprise on his face evident as he glances back up at you. "Thanks, $name. I won't do something like that again." Placing your other hand over his, you gently squeeze and smile at him. "Good to hear." "Anyway, are we going or just waiting around here all day?" "In a moment," Mark looks at you and grins. "I think $name needed to do something first."<</if>> Defeating the bandits, visiting several new locations, and joining the guild pushed your SP up enough to add a new ability to your repertoire, which you had begun to do before the revelations of the last hour. "Well, if you're all okay with me doing it right now?" A scoff draws your attention to Laura. "Why wouldn't we be? It's your strength, use it. Not doing so would be stupid." "Ah, well, okay." With a quick thought, you bring up your stat screen and switch to your skill tab, ready to make your decision. <<if $basiccombat is "magic">><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[It's time to specialize; while I could advance in general magic and make all of my basic spells stronger, I think branching into a specialty would be more useful even if it means my non-specialties will be a bit weaker.|advancespells]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[No point in changing what works, it may mean I won't be able to learn more powerful spells, but it will make what I have more powerful without anything growing weaker.|c3p8][$advcombat to "basicm+"]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $basiccombat is "blades">><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I've advanced down the basic blade line far enough to begin specializing in a specific type of weapon. There are so many options available, but it means I will be neglecting my other weapons skills.|advanceblade]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Being able to switch between different weapons based on the situation would be helpful, and I've come to enjoy my sword, so I don't see a reason to not continue with the basic blades skill line.|c3p8][$advcombat to "basicb+"]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $basiccombat is "archery">><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[I've gotten good at using my bow of the last year, but I now have the chance to specialize in something new. It would mean leaving and neglecting my basic bow skills, but there is something else I want to try.|advancebow]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I am quite happy with my current weapon; even if the bow is a bit basic, I can always buy a new one, and I enjoy using my archery skills. I think I'm going to continue following this skill line for now.|c3p8][$advcombat to "basica+"]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $basiccombat is "unarmed">><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[My current unarmed skills primarily rely on claw and palm strikes, as well as long sweeps of the tail, but there are many other martial skills that lamia have developed, I should be using them as well.|advanceunarmed]]</div> <div clss="choice-item">[[I'm comfortable with my current skills and would prefer to continue down the basic skill line. It means I'll miss out on different styles, but my basic skill power will grow much stronger.|c3p8][$advcombat to "basich+"]]</div> </div><</nobr>><</if>>

The various magical domains can lead to multiple advanced lamia forms that increase your power over a specific spell set at the expense of others. While limited in their ability, they are overwhelmingly powerful in their chosen field. ''Fire Domain'' Specializing almost entirely in pure destruction, fire spells range from the humble firebolt to the overly used and usually careless fireball. It also has some utility that ranges from keeping warm in severely cold weather to cleansing plagues and blight. This domain is also the first step in becoming an Ignis Lamia. ''Frost Domain'' With a vast range of spells that can deal damage, increase defense, and manipulate the environment, the frost domain is often looked down on compared to other domains as it does not focus heavily on one particular area. But with its sheer versatility, those specializing in frost are typically prepared for every situation. This domain can lead to gaining the Glacies Lamia form. ''Nature Domain'' Many of the spells from the nature domain come naturally to the lamia species. Their natural immunity to poisons and venoms come from the nature domain, as does their adaptive venom. Because of this, lamia are naturally stronger when using this domain than others. The nature domain can lead you to becoming a Gaia Lamia. ''Illusion Domain'' With limited attack spells, the illusion domain specializes in controlling the enemy by manipulating their senses. The effects of their powers can range from forcing the foe to attack their own allies to trapping them in a neverending labyrinth of illusions and, in some extreme cases, even sending an enemy into a permanent coma. The illusion domain can lead to becoming a Lamia Nightmare. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[A fire spell was the very first bit of magic I ever cast and I have had the tendency to rely on them since, time to make them even more powerful.|c3p8][$advcombat to "fire"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I usually only use ice spells to preserve food back home, but I know it can do much more, time to learn what.|c3p8][$advcombat to "ice"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I already use nature magic to help with my alchemy and since I have some natural affinity to it I may as well focus on it.|c3p8][$advcombat to "nature"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Of all the magic I use, illusion is the rarest and I have not had many occasions to use it so far, that said, I do like the idea behind it.|c3p8][$advcombat to "illusion"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

With your choice made, you close your character menu and shift slightly as the feeling of new power infuses your body. A year ago, this process would have given you an incredible headache and left you sore for hours, but true to Systems word, as time went by, it began to hurt less and less. These days, it just leaves your muscles a little tight, which is easily fixed with a bit of stretching. "So, all set?" Your eyes focus on Mark, his expression contemplative. "Mmhm, let's go." "Wait a moment, $name." You turn to Maple as she stares at you intensely. "Is something different about you?" <<if $advcombat is "fire">>"Huh?" You look down at yourself and discover your normally $scale scales have gained a very faint fiery orange tint around the edges, and you find your claws have gained the same tint on their tips. "What the fuck?" "Odd." Maple's face shifts from her usual bubbly appearance to deeply contemplative, "May I assume you increased your fire magic?"<<elseif $advcombat is "ice">>"Huh?" You look down at yourself and discover your normally $scale scales have gained a very faint white tint around the edges, and you find your claws have gained the same tint on their tips. "What the fuck?" "Odd" Maple's face shifts from her usual bubbly appearance to deeply contemplative, "May I assume you increased your ice magic?"<<elseif $advcombat is "nature">>"Huh?" You look down at yourself and discover your normally $scale scales have gained a very faint greenish-brown tint around the edges, and you find your claws have gained the same tint on their tips. "What the fuck?" "Odd." Maple's face shifts from her usual bubbly appearance to deeply contemplative, "May I assume that you increased your nature magic?"<<elseif $advcombat is "illusion">>"Huh?" You look down at yourself and discover your normally $scale scales have gained a very faint purple tint around the edges, and you find your claws have gained the same tint on their tips. "What the fuck?" "Odd." Maple's face shifts from her usual bubbly appearance to deeply contemplative, "May I assume you increased your illusion magic?"<</if>><<if $titan is true>>"Huh?" You look down at yourself and discover your $scale scales have had a subtle change, now appearing to be slightly thicker with a faint ridge running down the middle. "What the fuck?" "Odd" Maple's face shifts from her usual bubbly appearance to deeply contemplative. Daniel shifts closer as you inspect your belly scales to find they are also thicker, though they maintain their smooth texture. "They look more like dragon scales now and less like a snake." Glancing back at your newly ridged scales, you find yourself agreeing with your young friend. Even the delicate scales on your cheeks have changed, giving you a slightly fiercer appearance. "If you say so" "If I had to guess, you increased something to do with your physicality? Possibly combat-related?" Maple gently pokes one of the altered scales on your forearm.<</if>> "Yes" "Hmm," She rubs her chin in thought for a moment before her sunny smile returns as she cocks her head to the side and shrugs. "Well, I don't know what's going on." Laura chuckles at her partner's reaction. "All that, and you have no clue?" Daniel sounds exasperated at the elf as he gives her a look of ridicule. "Well, yes. It's obvious something $name just did has altered her appearance, but why that has happened is a mystery to me." Running one hand along your spine, finding that they have also changed, you frown. "Could it be my Unlimited Potential having some effect, you know, since monsters are usually more restricted in how they grow?" "It's possible, but I'm not an expert on that sort of thing. Ask me how many species of wolverine there are living on the continent, and I can answer, but for this, we'll need to find an expert." You can feel the smirk radiating from Daniel even before you turn to face him as he asks, "How many species of wolverine are there on the continent?" "Fifteen of those, only three are natural; the rest are the result of meddling wizards poking their noses where they don't belong, as well as druids altering familiars who then go on to breed." "Oh, well, that's interesting." Daniel looks disappointed as he turns away and heads for the door. A faint chuckle from Maple catches your attention, and you swivel to find her smiling along with Laura. When she notices you looking, she winks. "I knew he was going to try and be a smart ass." "LET'S GOOO PEOPLE!" "No need to yell, Daniel." Mark follows his younger brother out the door, followed by you, Maple, and Laura, who locks the door behind you all with a glowing key, and you watch as a series of small vines shift from the door frame and entwine themselves in the lock, hinges, and handle. "Woah" "Right," the wolfkin smiles and spins the key on one claw before slipping it into the pouch on her hip. It is Maple's creation; it helps to keep thieves out." "The vines only retract when a compatible key is held close, and there are only four." The elf seems rather proud of herself as she preens. A gentle nudge from her partner draws her attention back to you. "Oh, I mean, five." She pulls out a key similar to the one Laura used, but it has a distinct snake motif. "This is for you." You're not sure how to react to the trust your new teammates have just placed in you, but as you look at each of them, a weary look on your face, they each give you a reassuring smile. "We trust you $name. You saved us and have proven yourself as a member of the team in the time we have known each other." Mark settles a large hand on your shoulder and squeezes gently in solidarity. "I mean, okay, thank you..." You slip the key into your pouch. "I'll make sure to keep being worthy of your trust." As your party begins to head toward the rest of the city, Maple, one arm already entwined with Laura's, smiles and offers you her other. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[With a smile I happily slip my arm into hers, her grin widens as I do and I catch Laura smirking at me as well.|c3p9][$arms to true]]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[❤️ I feel my cheeks heat up a bit as I slip my arm through hers, and I catch her smile shifting slightly to something other than friendly. Laura's wide smirk at the interaction only makes me blush harder.|c3p9][$maura to +1, $arms to true]]</div> <div class ="choice-item">[[I return Maples smile but shake my head politely. She looks a little disappointed for a brief moment but, within moments, appears to be back to her bubbly self.|c3p9]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

All physical abilities can lead a lamia to becoming a lamia titan, the most common advanced form of the species. With higher speed, strength, and endurance than any other members of the lamia family, they frequently form the core of a lamia colony. As the name implies, these lamia are capable of growing to massive size at will and are also capable of changing other features of their physiology. ''Polearms'' Spears, halberds, and glaives are all members of the polearm family, and while they share some similarities, each serves a different function. A lamia wielding a polearm benefits from an unparalleled reach, but despite this, very few ever actually use them, as their natural habitat of living in caves and forests is detrimental to using such an unwieldy weapon in enclosed spaces. ''Greatarms'' Because of their immense strength compared to other species, many lamia are naturally drawn to large two-handed weapons such as greatswords, which they can use with more grace and agility. However, like polearms, the weapon's size is detrimental when in their own homes and are typically only used in large, open battlefields. ''Daggers'' A favorite among smaller lamia, many will use a pair of daggers coated with their venom when in combat. Because of their speed and agility, lamia are far deadlier when using such weapons compared to many other species, such as humans. Having a melee weapon capable of being thrown with accuracy and power is also a plus many enjoy <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Knowing that I am going to be adventuring a lot in the future, I don't see a reason to hold fast to typical lamia weapon conventions. Besides, a lamia spinning around a big stick with a blade on one end sounds terrifying.|c3p8][$advcombat to "spear", $titan to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[While lugging around a giant sword sounds like a pain, it is a giant sword, and that sounds useful.|c3p8][$advcombat to "great", $titan to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[With my natural speed and agility using a pair of daggers seems like a no-brainer.|c3p8][$advcombat to "daggers", $titan to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

All physical abilities can lead a lamia to becoming a lamia titan, the most common advanced form of the species. With higher speed, strength, and endurance than any other members of the lamia family, they frequently form the core of a lamia colony. As the name implies, these lamia are capable of growing to massive size at will and are also capable of changing other features of their physiology. ''Crossbows'' More powerful than a standard bow at the expense of firing speed, the crossbow is frequently used by adventures who focus on taking down larger, more powerful monsters, their power able to pierce thicker hides and scales than traditional bows. Also effective against armored foes for this very reason, many kingdoms on Ariel have specialist units dedicated to targeting armored troops such as knights with this weapon. Some advanced forms of the weapon hold small clips of bolts, reducing the reload time. ''Arcane Musket'' Originally, these weapons took the form of early black powder weapons similar to those found on Earth. They quickly evolved into using specialized magic ammo. Now capable of shooting anything from lightning to balls of fire, these weapons have become the preferred weapon of the elite noble units in many kingdoms. Each one of these weapons is a work of art and can range from being as expensive as a small town to that of a castle. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Knowing that I can grow so large, the idea of someday using a ballista as a personal weapon crosses my mind, and I'm hooked. Crossbows it is.|c3p8][$advcombat to "crossbow", $titan to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[Having read about arcane shot weapons in the books from the colony library, I am hooked on the idea. The price tag, though, I don't know how I'll get my hands on one, but still...|c3p8][$advcombat to "arcane", $titan to true]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<center>''Reabelle Throneroom''</center> Queen Tatiana Luminus Asteria sat on her throne, staring at the messenger kneeling before her with shock visible on her face. A lamia had been spotted in the city, not just once, but two days in a row. "You are sure it is the same lamia?" "Yes, Your Majesty. There is no doubt it is the same one." "Well, that's something," Councilor Thadius Cromwell stroked his ridiculously long, greying mustache. If it's only one, it will be easier to deal with. Two could have meant that the monsters were moving back into the area; one is simply an outlier." Several other councilors muttered in agreement, even as the messenger squirmed uncomfortably. "What is it?" Tatiana shifted, adjusting her wings to a more comfortable position as she addressed the man. The councilors quickly growing quiet as it became apparent he had more information. "She has joined the guild, and according to our sources, she seems close to the chapter master." "OUTRAGOUS!" Cromwell slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. "That woman has gone too far this time! Admitting a lamia of all things." While there were faint grumbles from the other councilors in response to the news, Thadius was the only one who seemed genuinely outraged at the idea of a lamia joining the adventurers guild. For most of them, it was a simple worry that a lamia might mean some trouble in the city, even if it was minor. Still, Councilor Cromwell was notoriously outspoken against all non-Humans, frequently leading to clashes with the Queen due to her half-angelic nature. Though he would never say anything outright hostile to her face, he made no effort to hide every attempt he made to undermine her. "Enough." Her voice was even and lacked emotion, so Tatiana motioned for the messenger to leave and waited for him to scurry out of the room before continuing. "I will meet with this lamia. Send an envoy to deliver an invitation for later this afternoon." Even as Cromwell's face began to turn bright red at the thought, she held up a hand to silence him. "I will hear nothing more on the matter. After evaluating this lamia, we will reconvene and discuss what I learned. This meeting, however, is over, leave." A sweep of her hand left on doubt in anyone's mind that she would hear no more on the matter for the time being, and most of the councilors left the room without complaint, but as he stopped just short of the throneroom doors, Thadius turned to her and glared, a look of fury in his eyes. As the doors closed behind the councilor, Tatiana slumped in her seat with a sigh. She would regret angering the man; she knew he would devise some insidious way to hurt her for the perceived slight. "Your majesty." A husky voice from the shadows drew the Queen from her thoughts as her spymaster stepped out of the shadows. The darkness clung in swirls to them as they receded from the creature's unique way of entering the room. "Azarith," Queen Tatiana turned her attention to the demon standing next to her. Although initially unnerved by her friend's appearance when they first met, the Queen had grown fond of them in the decades since then. While most demons were hideous beings with multiple silvery limbs, glowing red eyes, and terrible shrieks, Azarith was a different breed. While they could indeed take such a form if required, they preferred a more human appearance, with delicate features and a voluptuous, if somewhat short, build. Some form of magic changed their silver skin into a light purple, not too uncommon among those with some form of magical being in their family tree, while their limbs all folded together to give the appearance of two arms and legs. They allowed their tail to remain visible to add to the intimidation factor they naturally exude without making it evident what they are. Their glowing red eyes only add to their appearance. The demon's long, spined tail waved lazily in the air behind them as they smiled at Tatiana, the end splitting apart and allowing yellow lighting to crack between the tips, "You're sure you don't want me to get rid of that pest and his little cabal? It's time you were free of them." "No, it is not time yet." While most of the kingdom truly believed in their Queen, only a handful knew she was simply a puppet for those in charge, of whom Councilor Cromwell could count himself. The demon grumbled under their breath. "Fine, but I will soon act on my own, even if against your orders. I only want what's best for you, my friend." The statement did not catch her off guard. Tatiana knew it would not be the first time the demon acted in her best interests, even if it was against orders. She simply nodded. "I do have a mission for you." "Oh?" Azarith's full lips split into a wicked smile as they entwined their fingers into their snow-white hair, casually creating a braid with one hand as they listened; the activity was easily achieved as their fingers split into multiple smaller digits. Braiding their hair seemed to be some sort of tick, and they had multiple braids placed randomly throughout their long hair. It was rare for the Queen to see the demon remain still for any length of time. "I want you to follow the messenger who delivers the invitation to the lamia, ensure nothing goes wrong. I have a feeling my orders are about to be subverted." "You think Cromwell will send his thugs to make trouble for our scaly guest?" Azarith rested the hand they were not using on one of their ample hips as they stared at the Queen. "I do. Should anything happen, give the lamia a chance to get out of it on her own, but if you feel the need to intervene, so be it. Either way, I want you to escort her here personally." "Consider it done. It sounds like it's going to be fun." Even as they vanished back into the shadows, Tatiana caught the wicked smile on the demon's face, and a faint worry clutched her heart. "Don't cause problems." "No promises," Came the faint echoing response as the shadows enveloped the spymaster. <<if $threeroute is "maplemarket">><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p10m]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $threeroute is "danieldock">><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p10d]]</div> </div><</nobr>><<elseif $threeroute is "lauratrain">><<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p10t]]</div> </div><</nobr>><</if>>

Your trip from the outskirts of Reabelle to the market is a repeat of your journey through town yesterday, with many people staring and whispering to themselves as you and your party travel through town. Word has most definitely spread that you are friendly, at least in regards to being a monster, and for the most part, the guards don't seem to be nervous whenever you pass a patrol or through a gate. At one point, you even notice a small group of children watching you with fascination; one brave girl even gives you a subtle wave and immediately seems to become the leader of the group as the rest stare at her in awe. "At least nobody seems scared of you today, $name," Daniel chuckles as he walks backward in front of you, his arms resting behind his head. "Even if they are still staring." "At least they are stares of curiosity this time." "It's an improvement." You turn to Laura, "I still wish they would stop." "Be happy. They are just curious." She snorts, "It took months before they stopped being scared of me." "Aww, don't be like that, Laura," Daniel giggles. They are still scared of you; they just know that you won't shred 'em without an excuse." Laura flashes the young man a wicked, fanged smile. "True." As you approach the crossroads that apparently lead to the market, you are somewhat doubtful. Except for the general chatter of those around you and the occasional passing patrol or wagon, it is rather quiet. You had been expecting it to grow louder the closer you got to the market. All of your doubts vanish as you turn the corner. It's like a wall of sound blasting you, and you can't help but freeze in shock as your sensitive ears are overwhelmed by hundreds of sounds at once. Stall owners shout out deals at the top of their lungs, citizens argue over prices or who saw an item first, /*continued description*/ <<if $arms is false>>You slap your hands to your ears and freeze as you scrunch your eyes shut, the barrage of sound nearly bowling you over as your head rings in pain.<<elseif $arms is true>>You tear your arm from the crook of Maple's own and slap your hands to your ears as you freeze, scrunching your eyes shut at the barrage of sound, your head ringing in pain.<</if>> As you hunch over, jolts of pain ripping through your head, you feel a hand settle on your shoulder. Opening your eyes, you find Mark standing in front of you, the others behind him, who all have panicked looks adorning their faces. Staring at your friend, you notice his lips moving, but you can't hear anything but the ringing in your ears. Maple is the first one to realize the problem. You spy a look of understanding cross her face, and she says something to the others, who begin leading you to a small alley. It takes a moment for the pain to lessen, and once the ringing stops, you slowly take your hands off your ears. You can still hear the cloud of noise, but the alley lessens it somewhat. "I should have realized that you would have the same reaction I did the first time I came here." Maple smiles gently as she speaks, her words quieter than usual. She points to her own ears, giving them a little wiggle. "You are a half-elf, after all; it makes sense that you would be as sensitive to sound as I am." "What the fuck was that?!" "Your hearing is much more sensitive than a human's, which would not be a problem if there wasn't a dampening spell over the whole marketplace to keep the sound from reaching the surrounding areas." "Huh?" "Oh, well, the market is always busy, like all the time," Daniel leans against the alley wall across from you and stares out into the bustle of people going about their business, "So a while ago, a spell was put up to keep the sound from bothering the surrounding neighborhoods." "There is a downside to that, though; when you pass through the barrier, you haven't had a chance to get used to the volume as you get closer, so it's just one big blast right in your face," Maple mimes a small explosion with her hands. "It takes time to get used to the sudden change for those of us with sensitive ears; even I cringe from time to time; just be glad we got here when we did, any earlier or later, and it would have been worse." Using the tips of your fingers, you rub just behind your ears as you lean against the wall behind you. "Yeah, that was not fun." "We are sorry, $name," Mark smiles politely. It hadn't occurred to any of us that you would have the same issue as Maple." "It's fine." You push off the wall and inch a little closer to the sound. "I'll survive." "That's Good to hear." Maple giggles as she waggles her ears again, and the other three all groan at the joke. "Booooo," Moans Daniel, "That was awful." This causes Maple to smile wide and give an exaggerated bow. "Thank you, Daniel." Mark rolls his eyes with a chuckle before looking at you, "Ready to try again?" <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p11m]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

//End of current update//

Slipping back out of the alley, you brace yourself for the coming onslaught. Still, you begin to realize that your initial reaction had been one of shock by the sudden and overwhelming noise coming from a vast, bustling market rather than the actual volume. By the time you have made it out of the alley, you discover it is not as bad as you had initially thought. Yes, it is still loud, and you wouldn't be able to hear anyone more than a few steps away unless they were yelling, but you doubt your ears are going to suddenly begin bleeding from the decibel. At least you hope they won't. It's still very loud. "So," Daniel's eyes seem locked on the coin purse on a passing noble belt, "what did you need to do, Mapes?" "Well, I need to stop by Jess's shop to get some components for my healing bundle," The elf begins to tick off her fingers as she speaks, "and Laura has an order to pick up from that shady magic shop." "Shady magic shop?" You raise a brow in curiosity. "It's not shady," grumbles Laura, "Just because it's located in an alley doesn't mean anything." Maple smiles and runs a hand through Laura's wild mane of hair. "Sweetheart, that is the very definition of shady." The wolf-kin merely grumbles in response. "Was that everything you needed to do?" Maple looks at Mark and shakes her head. "Nope, we must also go to the grocer and restock the kitchen." "Alright, so alchemist first, then." Turning, Mark uses his bulk to begin pushing through the crowd, the rest of you following in his wake as he carves a path forward. As your group moves through the crowds of people, you have the chance to observe just how diverse the city of Reabelle is. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and a dozen other species bustle about as they conduct their business. Hundreds of unique scents fill the air. Several varieties of music meld and overlap into a cacophony that you have difficulty separating. You are the most unique individual here. Even the giant you must move around at one point doesn't draw the same kind of attention as you. <<if $firstskill is "perception">>It finally begins to dawn on you what sets you apart from all those surrounding you. You are the only being here that can not pass for human. Despite its size, even the giant appears human, with two arms, two legs, and no scales. You are new, and you are different.<</if>> <<if $personality1 is "friendly">>Yet despite the stares and odd looks, you wave and smile brightly at those you pass, and it seems like your friendly nature is beginning to have an effect. People begin to reply in kind, greeting you politely with smiles, nods, and waves of their own, but as you approach the alchemist shop, a slender woman darts out from between two stalls, arms holding a large basket filled with bread and despite your impressive reflexes you have no time to stop before she has run right into you, falling backward as her bread spills across the ground. "What the...Watch where you're g...going...oh my." The look that crosses her face is one of fear, and as your eyes lock with hers, she begins trembling. "I...I'm sorry, please don't eat me!" As you begin to respond, you hear Daniel snicker beside you, and Mark lets loose with a deep, rumbling chuckle. Bending down, you extend your hand to the woman and slip on your friendliest smile. "Don't worry; I had a very filling breakfast." Maples' high-pitched giggle joins the other two. "Oh...oh!" She reaches up and takes your hand, and you easily pull her back to her feet. "I'm sorry, was that...you don't eat people, do you?" She hides her face in her hands as she turns red with embarrassment. "My ma was always saying that a Lamia would come eat me if I didn't eat my vegetables. I didn't mean to insult you." "Only broccoli." "Huh?" "We only eat kids who don't eat their broccoli." For a moment, the woman stares at you in shock, but a muffled snort from Laura draws her attention, and she notices your team all doing their best to keep from laughing; even a few bystanders have also tried to stifle chuckles. Her head snaps back to you with a large frown dominating her face. "You're fucking with me, aren't you" "Guilty." Even as you let the joke slip, everyone around you burst out laughing, and despite her increasingly red face, a small smile slips onto her lips, and she shakes her head. "I've always been so gullible. I'm so sorry I made such an assumption." "Hey, it's fine, I'm not upset. But you have reason to be, your bread..." You gesture to the ground as various fluffy loaves lay in the dirt. "OH NO! That was the bread for the orphanage!" "//Of course it was.//" Glancing over at Mark, you find him already holding up two fingers and mouthing the words "Two silver." It seems you are both thinking the same thing, and you dig one hand into the pouch on your hip, draw two of the silver slips, and offer them to the woman. "Here, I hope this covers it." Her eyes wide, the woman takes the two slips. "This is enough for a week's worth of bread." You glance at Mark and find him smiling and flashing you a thumbs-up. You find yourself rolling your eyes even as you return his grin. "So it is." "But I can't take this much." She tries to hand you back the silver, but you shake your head and close her fingers back around the money, giving her hand a friendly squeeze as you do. "You can and you will. Make sure the kids get enough." "Oh, thank you, Miss..." "$name" "Thank you, $name!" Her sudden hug is quick but warm. "I'm Kara, by the way." "You're welcome, Kara." After another quick apology for running into you, Kara takes her basket, which Maple hands to her, and dashes off the way she came. "So that happened." "I hope she doesn't run into anyone else." Maple comments as she watches the woman nearly charge into someone else. "I have the feeling this is a common occurrence for her."<<elseif $personality1 is "shy">>You do your best to keep your head down and avoid unwanted attention. Unfortunately, that is impossible when you are surrounded by thousands of people who all seem intent on focusing on you. You can't blame them, though; if you had seen a Lamia at a mall before your death, you would have certainly stared as well. Still, you wish they would stop. You're so intent on keeping low and avoiding eye contact that have no time to react as a slender woman darts out from between two stalls, arms holding a large basket filled with bread. Despite your impressive reflexes, you have no time to stop before she runs right into you, falling backward as her bread spills across the ground. "What the...Watch where you're going...oh my." The look that crosses her face is one of fear, and as your eyes lock, she begins trembling, her nervousness matching your own. "I...I'm sorry, please don't eat me!" As you begin to respond, you hear Daniel snicker beside you, and Mark lets loose with a deep, rumbling chuckle. But you can't focus on them as you begin fidgeting while trying to avoid staring at the woman on the ground, and it takes a moment before you manage to force yourself to reach down and offer her a hand. "Oh...oh!" She reaches up and takes your hand, and you easily pull her back to her feet. "I'm sorry, was that...you don't eat people, do you?" She hides her face in her hands as she turns red with embarrassment. "My ma was always saying that a Lamia would come eat me if I didn't eat my vegetables. I didn't mean to insult you." She's not the only one embarrassed. As you hide your face in your hands, mirroring the woman's state, you hear Laura snort with subdued laughter. Peaking out through your fingers, you find the woman doing the same, and you both lower your hands and resume fidgeting. "I'm sorry for running into you...and assuming you eat people...you don't, do you?" "I, no, I don't eat people, and it's okay; I should have been paying attention." As you twine your fingers together, you notice all the loaves of bread scattered on the ground. "But, um, your bread is ruined." "OH NO! That was the bread for the orphanage!" "//Of course it was.//" Glancing over at Mark, you find him already holding up two fingers and mouthing the words "Two silver." It seems you are both thinking the same thing, and you dig one hand into the pouch on your hip, draw two of the silver slips, and offer them to the woman. "H, here. I hope this covers it." With her eyes wide, the woman takes the two slips. "This is enough for a week's worth of bread." You glance at Mark and find him smiling and flashing you a thumbs-up. "Is it?" "But I can't take this much." She tries to hand you back the silver, but you shake your head and close her fingers back around the money, giving her hand a friendly squeeze as you do. "Um, please keep it. Make sure the kids get enough." "Oh, thank you, Miss..." "$name" "Thank you, $name!" Her sudden hug is quick but warm. "I'm Kara, by the way." "You're welcome, Kara." After another quick apology for running into you, Kara takes her basket, which Maple hands to her, and dashes off the way she came. "I hope she doesn't run into anyone else." Maple comments as she watches the woman nearly charge into someone else. "I have the feeling this is a common occurrence for her."<<elseif $personality is "stoic">>But despite the stares and odd looks, you keep an imperious look on your face as you take in everything around you. People quickly begin to move out of your way as your party moves through the crowd, some staring at you with fear, others simply not wanting to get on your bad side, but as you approach the alchemist shop, a slender woman darts out from between two stalls, arms holding a large basket filled with bread and despite your impressive reflexes you have no time to stop before she has run right into you, falling backward as her bread spills across the ground. "What the...Watch where you're g...going...oh my." The look that crosses her face is one of fear, and as your eyes lock with hers, she begins trembling. "I...I'm sorry, please don't eat me!" Staring down at the trembling woman, a stoic look on your face, she begins to shake even more, and it's not until Daniel nudges you that you turn your gaze to him. "Ease up with the face $name. You're terrifying her." Leaning down, Mark helps the woman up with a friendly smile. "Don't mind her. She's not unfriendly, just...cautious." "O, oh?" "Oh, yes, she's a sweetheart once you get to know her." Maple nods happily. You and Laura both grumble at the same time, turning to each other in surprise at the synched response. "There is nothing wrong with being cautious." You mutter. "Agreed," Laura replies. "Anyway, $name, perhaps you should..." Maple motions to the woman and gives you a look you can't quite decipher, but you get the jist. "I apologize for frightening you." You reach out and gently pat the woman's shoulder, surprised that she doesn't immediately pass out as she watches your clawed hand approach. "But it seems your bread is past saving." You gesture to the various loaves scattered in the dirt. "OH NO! That was the bread for the orphanage!" "//Of course it was.//" Glancing over at Mark, you find him already holding up two fingers and mouthing the words "Two silver." It seems you are both thinking the same thing, and you dig one hand into the pouch on your hip, draw two of the silver slips, and offer them to the woman without comment. Her eyes wide, the woman takes the two slips. "This is enough for a week's worth of bread." You glance at Mark and find him smiling and flashing you a thumbs-up. You school your expression back to your usual stoic look as you feel a smile slip in, but you don't stop the eye roll you send Mark's way. "So it is." "But I can't take this much." She tries to hand you back the silver, but you shake your head and close her fingers back around the money, giving her hand a friendly squeeze as you do. "You can and you will. Make sure the kids get enough." "Oh, thank you, Miss..." "$name" "Thank you, $name!" Her sudden hug is quick but warm. "I'm Kara, by the way." "You're welcome, Kara." After another quick apology for running into you, Kara takes her basket, which Maple hands to her, and dashes off the way she came. "So that happened." "I hope she doesn't run into anyone else." Maple comments as she watches the woman nearly charge into someone else. "I have the feeling this is a common occurrence for her."<</if>> <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|c3p12m]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Has it been two whole years since $name died? Glancing at the calendar on the wall next to her, Tyra sighs sadly; it has—two years since her heart was ripped from her. Of course, she wasn't the only one still suffering from the loss of her daughter; her beloved wife, Jennie, had to deal with the pain as well, and for her, it may have been worse. Finding $name crying, alone, abandoned in an alley on the same day she had learned she would never be able to bear children had a profound effect on Jennie; she believed that some higher power sent the child to them. So, while Tyra took their daughter's death and the subsequent disappearance of her corpse hard for Jennie, it had been utterly devastating. For the first year, she had been practically catatonic, barely getting out of bed unless Tyra forced her to, and anytime she had tried to help Jennie feel better, it had backfired, resulting in some genuinely terrible fights. It had all spiraled until Tyra could no longer take it and came close to moving out and divorcing the love of her life, but seeing Tyra preparing to leave had snapped Jennie out of her state enough that she realized her wife had also been suffering. In the end, it leads them to counseling in an effort to repair the damage to their marriage and themselves. Two years. Two awful years. She would give anything to have her daughter returned to her, anything at all. Even if the world had to burn, Tyra would not care as long as she and Jennie could hold their daughter again. These thoughts consumed her when she felt a pair of arms slip around her waist and pull her away from the pile of dishes she had been trying to clean. "Love, you have been scrubbing the same plate for nearly ten minutes." Shocked, Tyra looked down at the plate in her hand. "Oh" "Where is your mind at sweetheart?" She knew, of course, she knew. Tyra twisted in her wife's arms to turn and hug her back. "With $name," Jennie's face dropped as Tyra spoke, and she pushed her face against Tyra's chest to hide the tears. Her wife squeezed the shorter Jennie tightly. "I know, love; I'm sorry, but I can't help it." Still sniffling, Jennie pulls back and stares into her wife's chocolate-brown eyes. "No, you don't have to apologize. It still hurts for both of us. I just, I'm so sorry for how I treated you last year. It was selfish, and I..." Her sentence cuts off as Tyra leans in and kisses her gently. "It's in the past, love." Moving her lips from Jennie's, Tyra moved to her forehead and gently kissed her wife. " We are getting better, and that's what matters now." With no more words between them, the two simply held each other tightly for a moment, but even as they began to part, the entire house lurched. The ground beneath them seemed to heave, and bright flashes, followed by screaming, began to filter in from outside. "Was that an earthquake?" Tyra shook. Earthquakes terrified her; it was one of the reasons she had moved away from home all those years ago. "Impossible, we don't get those here." Even as Jennie spoke, there was another upheaval, this one so bad they could hear their house practically falling apart around them. But that wasn't the strangest thing to happen; it was the odd voice that suddenly seemed to come from thin air all around them. >>//Alert! Alert! Emergency translocation is incomplete, and damage to targeting sensors is preventing the accurate placement of Ariel citizens. Initiating emergency deployment. Prepare for possible damage to surrounding infrastructure.// "What the fuck was that?!" Tyra shook her head at her wife's question as the two lay curled on the floor in each other's arms, "I have no idea." Another shockwave hit, and it felt like the entire world suddenly turned upside down for a brief moment before a flash of light emanated from the living room, and the sound of something large hitting the ground crashed into their home. "//That light//," Tyra thought, "//It's just like the day $name appeared.//" As if to confirm what was on her mind, a familiar voice echoed from the living room, and the two women froze as they stared at each other in shock. "Owowow. Fuck that hurt!! System, did you have to drop me so hard??" Tyra and Jennie stared at each other for a moment as if each were trying to confirm what they had just heard. "Hey, System? System?? Come on, babe, answer me!" The two women leaped to their feet, dashed through the mess their kitchen and dining room had become, and ran into the front room, only to stop and stare in terror. "Is that a snake?" Jennie leaped behind her wife as she stared in fear at the vast tangle of $scale colored coils. "Jesus, I think so, it's huge...but I thought I heard.." "Me too, I was certain..." Jennie froze as a voice came from the tangle of reptilian scales now dominating their living room. "Mom?" Both women stared in awe as a human hand poked out from the scales, followed by a second, and a familiar form pulled herself out of the tangle. Tyra and Jennie stared at their daughter in shock as they took in their child's odd features. Scales on her cheeks, shoulders, arms, and even her ears were different, but there was no doubt in either of their minds that this was their daughter. "$name?" "MOMMY!" Jennie had no time to react as her child lunged forward, her arms wrapping around both women's necks and taking them to the ground. Even as Tyra lay frozen in shock, Jennie began to cry. $name hadn't called her mommy since she was nine and declared that only babies called their mothers mommy. "Is, is it really you?" Tyra reached up and ran her hand through the familiar $hairc hair she had spent so much time brushing. "Ma." Even as $name began to nuzzle into her neck, Tyra could no longer hold it in and burst into tears along with her wife and daughter. Two years of pain and anguish seemed to unravel as the tiny family was reunited. But yet more surprises were about to come as Jennie noticed the mass of scales shift from the corner of her eye. "IT'S MOVING! Get back $name!" She tried to pull her little girl away from the giant snake, but her fingers found her child's skin abruptly shift to scales beneath her touch. "What?" "It's fine, Mom, just gimme." The entire mass shifted again and seemed to begin untangling itself. "A moment too," pushing herself up, her mother stared in shock as $name came to stand, and they realized that what they thought had been a snake was, in fact, their daughter. "So, I got a new look while I was away...surprise." Even the playful smile and jazz hands did nothing to lessen the shock $name's parents now felt. "But, just, what? How?" "I think what your mom is trying to say is," Tyra gestured to the huge mass of scales still shifting and slowly wrapping around her daughter's lower half to clear space in the now destroyed living room. "What is all this, how are you alive, and why are you here now?" "Uh, yeah, okay, so sit down," Looking over her shoulder, $name blanched for a moment as she stared at the crushed couch. "Or don't, okay, where to start...um, well, I was never human." The next hour was a whirlwind for Tyra and Jennie as their beloved daughter began to explain what had happened to her over the past two years, why she was now what she called a lamia, and how she came back to them. They both sat with $name, each one now wrapped comfortably in their daughter's coils as she finished her story. "Wait, so let me get this straight: you're a Princess?" "Yup" "From another world?" "Mhmm" "Okay" "Okay?" $name stared down at Tyra with a confused look. For her part, Tyra simply shrugged. "Yes, okay. You're our daughter. It doesn't matter where you were born or how you came to us; that will never change, scales or not." "I knew it!" Tyra and $name both turn to Jennie, a massive smile on her face. "I knew isekai was real!" "//Of course, that's where my anime fanatic wife's mind goes.//" Tyra smiles at the thought. Even as $name began to say something in response, a scream echoed from outside, followed by shouting. It sounded like a mob, and before either woman had a chance to react, they found themselves on the floor as their lamia daughter smashed her way through the small front door and into the yard, the single scream from before now turning into a wave of terrified yelling. Without hesitation, the two follow as fast as they can to find their daughter bent over a small child, whispering gently as she shields the girl from a mob. It takes Tyra a moment to register that the girl in her daughter's arms has furry ears and furry, crooked legs. "It's okay, Leilei. I got you. We'll find your mama as soon as we can." $name gestures towards them as she continues speaking. "These are my mom's. They'll look after you while I deal with this mob, okay?" Jennie, running on autopilot, accepts as her daughter shifts the tiny Satyr girl into her arms, instinctively holding the trembling girl who now stares up at her with tears in her eyes. Jennie's only response to this is to smile at her gently, even as Tyra shifts to stand between the two and the mob. Neither one questions how their daughter knows this strange girl, only that she has entrusted the child's safety to them, and that's all they need. "Now!" $name shifts, snapping her gaze toward the large group of people, some of whom have weapons in hand, but she does not seem afraid. She looks furious as her entire bulk ripples with power. "How dare you threaten a child, for that I am going to make you pay." Even as $name lunges towards the group, many of who turn to flee, Tyra smiles, pride filling her heart. This is HER daughter.

"//What the hell is going on?//" Officer Costa had been living in the city his entire life, and there had never been an earthquake; as far as he knew, it should be impossible, but a few minutes ago, it felt like the ground had dropped out from beneath him, and then the shaking had started. It was like nothing he had ever felt, and despite how quickly it had passed, his legs still felt like jelly. But it could have been so much worse; a skyscraper in the distance had collapsed, crushing several blocks beneath it, stopping just short of his location, but even that could not compare to what he was staring at, his hand shaking as he trained his service weapon on a group of monsters as they huddled behind his vehicle. "C, come out from behind there, you freaks!" He got no reply other than some quiet whimpers. "I said, come out, you monsters!" He fired a shot into the air, and the whimpers turned into crying, the sound only adding to the shrieking and cries of citizens all around him. But he would not fall for it. These were monsters, and he knew that they would do anything to trick him. "We aren't monsters!" The voice had a childish quality that reminded him of his niece, and he hesitated. A flash of movement caught his attention, and he noticed a hoof pulling back behind the car. Devils! "Satan has no hold over me! I will destroy you, foul creatures!!" Quick as he could, he rounded the back of the car and trained his weapon on the five creatures hiding behind it, his thoughts firmly set on destroying what could only be evil creatures, and even as his finger began to squeeze the trigger, a flash of silver appeared in the edge of his vision before he was sent flying through the air, his legs clipping his patrol car and sending him spirling onto the sidewalk. "You dare threaten children?" A voice boomed as Costa's head spun, and even as he tried to stand, a heavy foot shoved him back to the pavement. "Stay down! Daniel, the kids." "Got it, bro." He couldn't see the source of the second voice, but as a heavily armored foot rolled him onto his back, Costa's eyes widened in shock. The man towering over him was built like a tank, wore silver armor that looked like something out of a fantasy game, and held a sword at his neck. The fury in the man's eyes was terrifying, but even that could not have Costa's attention as he noticed the massive shield his attacker held in his other hand. How could he even lift it? It was a solid chunk of metal as tall and broad as the man holding Costa down with his foot, yet he easily shifted it in his grasp as though it weighed nothing. "Now answer me! Why were you threatening these children?" Costa's eyes locked back on the man's own. "What children? There are only monsters and devils here!!" The look of contempt the man leveled at him made his blood run cold. "MARK!" The girlish shriek accompanying the tiny hoofed girl who crashed into the man's armored leg caught Costa off guard. "Leilei, are you okay?" The armored man sheathed his sword and held the girl close with his hand. "This man didn't harm you?" "N, no, but he called us monsters, and I think he was going to...kill us." The final two words of her sentence were barely whispered. "Is that so?" Costa turned his face to the second voice and found a boy, barely older than his own son, striding towards him, four more children hiding behind him, and they were undoubtedly children now that Costa was getting a good look at them, hell, one even looked human despite the long ears. "Killing children? That's very brave of you." The young man strode up and squatted next to him, and Costa felt a blade being pressed against his throat. "Daniel" "Mark?" "Don't, we have him subdued, there is no need to kill him." "He was going to kill Leilei and the others." "Well, he can't now, and even if he could, I doubt he would try, isn't that right?" Costa nodded at the comment, between his shock and everything that had happened, he had not been in his right mind, and years of his grandmother drilling stories of the end times into his head had clouded his vision. It seemed the taller man, Mark, noticed this. But Costa still stared into the eyes of the younger one; the coldness there terrified him; he had seen it before in suspects who killed without remorse. "Daniel put the dagger away." Costa felt the pressure leave his neck. "Now, what is your name? Based on your attire, I assume you are some form of peacekeeper?" "Uh, I'm Officer Costa, er, Nick if you prefer." "Well, Nick," The man's foot left his chest, and Costa could sit up. "I have some questions, starting with why you were going to kill these children." It took a few minutes of explaining before Mark seemed to relax and helped him to his feet, though the younger one, Daniel, kept the group of children hidden behind him. "I see. I suppose the sudden shock could excuse your actions, but what you nearly did is yours to come to terms with." Throughout the entire conversation, Nick stared at the children, regret seeping into his core. "That won't be easy; I promised myself I would never point my weapon at a child." "This weapon?" Looking at Daniel, Costa found the boy handling his Glock with an odd proficiency. "This looks like some kind of arcane shot, but" The boy easily ejected the clip and inspected the ammo. "There are no runes, and this is common metal; it doesn't use magic, does it?" "Wha, Magic? No, of course not. There is no such thing as..." His eyes were drawn back to the children. One appeared human from the waist up, but the snake-like bottom and scales on her arms proved otherwise. "Or, I guess there is." "Mark" "What is it?" "This is a gun, and those," Daniel pointed into the distance to the towering buildings of glass and steel, one of which listed dangerously. "Those have got to be skyscrapers. Just like $name described." "So it seems. Tell me, Nick, is this Earth?" "Uh?" The officer fidgeted as Daniel easily reinserted the clip and continued inspecting the weapon. "Yes?" "Then we need to find $name. She was transported along with the rest of us. She will have more answers." Mark shifted his shield again before motioning to Daniel. "Give him back his weapon. Costa, we need to find our friend. Her name is $name." "Um, any last name?" "None she ever mentioned, though her mothers are Jennie and Tyra. Oh, and she died two years ago." Costa didn't even bother asking before shaking his head. "I mean, yeah, that helps. But why do you need to find her?" "Well, she is family and lived in this world for eighteen years, so she will have more answers than we need." "And she will keep us safe." Opinioned the small hoofed girl, Leilei. "That too." "Okay." Opening the door to his cruiser, Costa was ecstatic to find the computer still working, and after a quick search, he found exactly who he was looking for. "Here they are, Jennie and Tyra Taylor, eighteen-year-old daughter killed two years ago. But the body vanished? Odd." "She was brought to our world." Costa nodded at Daniel's explanation. He was done trying to understand. Luckily for you, they live in the city, but unless my car works, " a quick turn of the key confirmed his fears. It would not start. "It will take hours to walk there." A sudden cry from one of the surrounding buildings caught everyone off guard, and before he could even react, Costa watched as Mark bolted toward the cafe next to them, faster than should have been possible, especially with the shield. He placed himself over a trio of women as the roof came down on them all. Costa once again stared in shock as the armored man held the collapse at bay with one hand and shield. "Daniel, Costa, get them out!" That snapped him out of the shock, and his training took over as he and Daniel dashed forward and grabbed the trio of women, pulling them away from the collapse. But even once they were clear, Mark did not move. "I think there are more inside." "Got it!" Daniel leaped into the collapsing building like it was nothing, and Costa could do nothing but watch. He returned with another pair before dashing back into the building four times before he signaled Mark, and the large man jumped out from under the roof, letting the building collapse behind him. "Good God, how did you hold that up with one arm?" "Don't mind him. He's always doing that." Daniel gave Costa a friendly clap on the shoulder just as a SWAT van pulled up and a half dozen men pilled out aiming weapons on Mark and Daniel, demands being yelled that they disarm. "Hold up!" Costa placed himself between the two and the SWAT team. "They are on our team and saved everyone from that building!" "We had a report of two individuals assaulting an officer. Was that you?" "Well, yes," the team tensed and did not lower their weapons. But if they hadn't stopped me, I would have done something unforgivable." He motioned to the group of children who had started helping the survivors. The SWAT commander hesitated but caught onto Costa's meaning and lowered his weapon. "Stand down." The rest of the team lowered their arms as more cries began echoing through the air. "There are more citizens who need our help," Mark said as he stepped up next to Costa. "You're right. Commander, is your team available to assist?" "Now that we are here, yes. Spread out, look for survivors." He barked. "Bring them here!" Leilei yelled and waved. Costa was surprised to find the girl already performing triage and one of the children tying a scrap of cloth around another survivor's bloodied arm, the woman staring at the long eared child in awe. "Well, huh. Alright, you heard the girl, everyone. Let's get to work." Mark nudged Costa and smiled before dashing to a pile of rubble and beginning to dig. "Who the fuck are these guys, Officer?" Costa turned to the Commander. "At the moment, they are helping, but overall, I think they are allies." "Good enough for me." The Commander ran over and began helping Mark dig as Daniel led another pair of SWAT into another building. "What a day." Muttered Costa as he moved to help.

It doesn't take more than another minute before your group slips into an alchemist shop, and the market's noise fades as the door closes, only to give way to the overwhelming smells of hundreds of different alchemical ingredients and potions. Looking around, you can identify basically everything thanks to your skill in the craft, and you begin to mentally concoct a dozen different potions based on just what is within reach. "So, worth coming, wasn't it?" You turn to Maple and find her smiling at you, a knowing look in her eye. "What did you just make in your head?" "Advanced healing potion combined with a de-petrifier." "Handy when fighting a Basilisk or a Lamia." Laura winks and gives you a playful nudge. A sudden shout interrupts the moment, "Back here, Maple. I have your order ready." "Come on," The Elf motions towards an open doorway on the back wall. "I think you and Nylisa are going to get along." "The owner?" You follow behind, winding your way through the various displays. "Mhmm, like you, she's a bit of an outlier when it comes to the city." Pushing aside the long veil of vines that dominate the door, you, Maple, and Laura slip into the back. Maple was not lying about the owner being an outlier. Nylisa stands in a massive pot, buried up to her thighs in soil. The Dryad's dark brown skin glistens in the sunlight streaming in from the large glass roof, and as she turns her head, long locs of vines that reach her hips seem to wiggle of their own volition. "Well, well, You brought someone new." Her eyes are a glowing emerald and almost look like a honeycomb. "Nylisa, this is $name. $name, this is Nylisa, the best alchemist and herbalist in the city." "Well, hello, I haven't seen a Lamia in the city in nearly two decades." You stare in amazement as the soil seems to part for the Dryad as she steps out of the pot, not a bit of the dirt still clinging to her falling to the ground. <<if $personality1 is "friendly">>"So I've heard." You slip up to Nylisa and offer your hand, the Dryad returning your friendly smile and shaking your own. "My, so polite. It's a pleasure to meet you $name."<<elseif $personality1 is "shy">>"Oh, uh, hi." The Dryad hides her mouth behind her hand as she giggles at your quick greeting. "So shy for a Lamia; this is a first. It's a pleasure to meet you $name."<<elseif $personality1 is "stoic">>"Nylisa" You give the Dryad a quick nod. "Huh, well, you're not the first stoic Lamia I have met. Still quite a rarity. It's a pleasure to meet you $name." You again send a shallow nod the Dryad's way.<</if>> "Now then." Nylisa reaches for a large satchel on the bench next to her and passes it to Maple. Everything is here except the Fadeleaf. It's been difficult to source this year. A drought hit the South, and it's been wreaking havoc on the crops." Although it is used for various reasons, including making dye thanks to its deep purple color, Fadeleaf is primarily used for making invisibility potions. It just so happens to grow in abundance near your home. "I can get you some Fadeleaf if you need it, Maple." The two turn to you in curiosity. "It grows near my home and I have some in my lab back there." "Ah, you're from the former colony, are you?" You nod at Nylisa's question. "Well, that's lucky. It seems you won't need me to get that for you in the future, Maple." Smiling, Maple nods, "So it seems." "So, you practice alchemy $name?" "Mhmm, I picked it up as a matter of survival at first, but I find it enjoyable enough." "That's not uncommon among your species." The Dryad smirks, "Lamia seem naturally drawn to the art." "So, you have what you need, then?" You notice Laura struggling not to sneeze as she questions Maple. "I do; you knew that your allergies would flare up coming in here; why didn't you wait outside with the boys?" The wolfkin shrugs, but you swear you see her briefly cast a look your way. Maple sighs at her partner's response and turns to smile at Nylisa. "Well, it seems I have a puppy to care for and, I suppose, a new friend to continue giving a tour to. Thank you as always, Nylisa." You expect Laura to growl at being called a puppy, but instead, you find her staring at the floor with her ears flat on her head in an almost submissive appearance. Could she... Before your thoughts can continue, Maple has taken Laura's arm, slipped her free hand around yours, and begun leading you both out of the shop. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[❤️ I stare at the delicate Elf hand in mine and feel something flutter in my core as my pulse increases. Glancing at Laura, I notice her grinning at me despite her issue.|c3p13m][$maura + 1, $chp3hand to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[❤️ I can't keep the wicked smile from my lips as I stare at Laura while Maple leads us out. She pretends not to notice, but I catch her glancing my way before shrinking in on herself even more.|c3p13m][$maura + 1, $chp3hand to true]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I let Maple lead me out, but as soon as we reach the door, I gently disengage and pull back.|c3p13m]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[[I pull my hand from Maples a bit rougher than needed, and she gives me a quick look and shrug, but as we make our way out of the shop, Laura's ear stays plastered to her head the entire time.|c3p13m]]$maura - 1]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<if $chp3hand is true>>Exiting back into the cacophony of the market, your hand still in Maples, you find Mark and Daniel leaning against the wall of the shop having an animated conversation about something, but as soon as they notice the three of you they start coming your way. As they begin to come within earshot, Daniel notices you still holding onto Maples's hand, Laura's general demeanor, and begins smiling before nudging Mark and whispering something to him, the two chuckling as they finally get close enough to have a normal conversation. Maple stares at the two, seemingly oblivious to the state Laura is in, let alone the fact that your hand is still in yours. "What are you to chuckling about?" "Oh, nothing. Hey Laura, something wrong?" The wolfkin finally snaps out of it and growls at Daniel, her features returning to their usual stern appearance despite her arm still being interconnected with Maples. "Uh-huh, that's what I thought." Mark politely coughs into his hand to get Maple's attention, and once he does, he nods towards your connected hands. Maple stares down at her own hand, finally remembering, and quickly lets go, turning slightly red as she does. "Sorry, $name." "It's, it's fine, Maple, really."<<else>>Exiting back into the cacophony of the market, you find Mark and Daniel leaning against the shop wall, having an animated conversation about something. Still, as soon as they notice the three of you, they start coming your way. As they begin to come within earshot, Daniel notices Laura's general demeanor. He begins smiling before nudging Mark and whispering something to him, the two chuckling as they finally get close enough to have a normal conversation. Maple stares at the two, seemingly oblivious to the state Laura is in, let alone the fact that your hand is still in yours. "What are you to chuckling about?" "Oh, nothing. Hey Laura, something wrong?" The wolfkin finally snaps out of it and growls at Daniel, her features returning to their usual stern appearance despite her arm still being interconnected with Maples. "Uh-huh, that's what I thought."<</if>> "Alright, off to the magic shop for Laura next, yes?" Mark steps up and angles himself, ready to begin wading through the crowd again. Laura nods in response. "Off we go, then." Like earlier, Mark carves a path through the crowd as the rest of you follow. You barely make it more than a few paces before there is a ruckus ahead of you, and you find the crowd quickly parting as a dozen heavily armored city guards come stomping toward your group. "Oh shit..." You turn to Daniel as he speaks, "I swear it wasn't me this time, guys." He already has his hands in the air. This must be a familiar event for him. Mark shakes his head as his eyes find you, "I don't think it's you. They are after Daniel and would never bother with such a show of force for a thief and pickpocket." "Mmm, agreed." You notice Laura shake Maple's hand off her arm and extend her claws. "You! Lamia!" The leader of the squad, a man rivaling Mark in height but rather scrawny by comparison, points at you as the crowd begins to run away quickly. "Under the authority of Councilor Thadius Cromwell, you are being placed under arrest for entering the city unlawfully, threatening citizens, and disrupting the peace!" "What?!" "Come quietly, and you will not be harmed." Something tells you that this is not true. "Bullshit!" Mark steps in front of you. "Utter bullshit; she entered through a main gate as a member of an adventuring party and is a member of the guild." "Step aside, or you will be arrested with the creature. Your lies do you no good. The Councilor is aware that you have been tricked into allowing the monster to join your party, but if you do not step aside, you will be arrested as coconspirators." "Now, just one minute, she has done none of the things you have accused her of." Maple steps up next to Mark. "So you are telling me she did not threaten to turn the guards at the gate to stone if they didn't allow her to pass?" The leader stares at Maple, incredulity written across his face. "WHAT? No! Of course not. It was the administrator who mentioned turning one of the guards to stone, but." "So there were threats of turning guards to stone! Come, now, this is your final warning." "That's not what I said, you pompous jackass!" Maple stomps the ground, her hands clenched into fists at her side as her face turns red. "Hold up! I am a guild member; here, I can prove it." You reach towards the pouch with your medallion, remembering what May said about it getting you out of difficult situations. Still, as your fingers brush the metal, you hear a shout from the guards, and before you have a chance to react, a furry black mass tackles you to the ground moments before a bolt of flame soars over your head. The high-pitched yip you hear from Laura as she rolls onto the ground next to you is not a sound you thought you would hear from someone like her, but as you get your bearings and sit up, you find Maple crashing to the ground next to you and reaching into her pouch with shaking fingers. Looking over the Elf's shoulder, you discover Laura took the spell meant for you; the left side of her face burned beyond recognition by the fire. Even as you begin to take in the damage to your friend, Mark and Daniel react. The younger brother flings a pair of daggers at the guards as he dashes around to their side, dodging spells and arrows as he goes. Mark takes a more direct route and his broadsword clashes with the squad leader's own with a metallic snap that echoes through the market. "Laura, sweetie, hold on, please." You notice Maple struggling to uncork a potion as she shakes violently. Snatching the vial away, you easily rip the cork free, and a quick sniff tells you what you need to know. Quickly, you tilt the wolfkin's head back and begin pouring the potion into her mouth as Maple stares at you. "T, thank you $name, I, I can't." Even as Maple stutters through her sobs, you find Laura beginning to breathe easier and the burn beginning to look less angry, but it's not enough. Tearing into your own pouch, you pull one of your potions free but stop before giving it to Laura. "Maple, do you have a poison cure on you?" The Elf stares, shock beginning to set in, even as you can hear Mark and Daniel fighting in the background. "MAPLE!" She quickly stares at you. "Poison cure, yes." She reaches into her satchel and pulls another vial free. "Why?" "Because this is a healing potion I created for myself, it is incredibly powerful but also very poisonous; without a cure, it would kill Laura faster than the burn." Maple continues staring at you, blinking slowly. You aren't even sure she hears what you are saying. "As soon as I am done giving Laura this potion, you need to give her the cure immediately after I finish. Do you understand?" She keeps staring but nods. You have to hope that it is enough. With some trepidation, you pour the potion down Laura's throat and, for the briefest second, are worried Maple will not react appropriately. But as soon as the lip of the bottle clears, Maple is draining the contents of her own vial into the wolfkin's mouth. For a moment, you hold your breath but exhale in relief as you notice the burn beginning to rapidly heal and shrink. Maple notices, too, and snaps out of her shock, pulling her partner into her arms and weeping openly as she does. Standing, you turn to face the guards and find Daniel being pinned down by one as another two lean against a cart nursing wounds, one with a familiar-looking dagger still lodged in his shoulder. As for Mark, he is struggling to keep up with the other man as a pair of guards have joined in the combat, and your friend does not have his shield with him. As you begin moving towards the cluster of guards, Mark's sword is knocked from his hands and falls to the ground, and he grips his wrist as blood flows through his fingers. "Back off." All eyes turn to you. Guards, your friends, and those merchants and shoppers who stuck around to watch the fight. "Back away from them, or you will regret it." "Quiet monster! Something like you has no hope of defeating trained guards." "Drop your weapons." "Ha! Did you not hear me, creature? You have no hope of stopping us. My orders were to bring you in, but the Councilor did authorize me to use deadly force if you proved to be volatile; it seems I get to kill you." He points his sword at you. "Final warning." The man scoffs, "Attack!" <<if $titan is true>>As the guards begin to charge, you slam your heavily scaled tail on the ground, cracks appearing in the stonework as a result, and as you slip into attack position, you think your scales feel sharper for some reason. The guards falter slightly at your action but do not stop their attack.<</if>><<if $advcombat is "fire">> As you raise your hands and slip into casting, the air around you begins to ripple with heat. You think you notice a fiery glow coming from between your scales, and as your fists erupt into flame, the guards falter slightly. You realize your magic feels different than it once did.<<elseif $advcombat is "ice">>Bringing your hands up into casting position, you notice the air temperature around you drop significantly, but it doesn't bother you; even when you find your breath becoming visible as you breathe, you are not bothered. As the ice forms over your hands, you see the guards faltering slightly. Still, they quickly continue their attack, even as you try to understand why your magic feels so different.<<elseif $advcombat is "nature">>Reacting to the charge, you begin to cast your first spell but pause when you spot several crows on a cart, all of them seem to be staring at you as if nothing else in the immediate area should have their attention. You have the oddest feeling that they are excited to see what you are about to do.<<elseif $advcombat is "illusion">>As you lift a hand to begin casting, you freeze for the briefest moment as you see several shadows clinging to the shoulders of the advancing soldiers. Each one seems to be whispering something, but you can't quite make out what they are saying, and they vanish as quickly as you notice them.<</if>> Even over the roar of the squad as they charge, you hear Mark yell, "Try not to kill them $name!" //End of current update//

<<if $basiccombat is "blades">>The first gaurd reaches you before you even bother pulling your blade from it's place on your hip and judging by the smirk he has on his face you guess he assumes that he has you, unfortunatly for him you are far faster then what he is obviously expecting. His face quickly shifts to shock as he stops and looks down and himself, his own sword falling to the ground as he stares at the wound you just cleaved into his stomach, having easily carved through his heavy leather armor, he grunts as his eyes trail up to find her arm stretched out to the side, your blade in hand as his blood drips from the edge and as his eyes return to yours he drops. "Dammit $name!" Mark barks from somewhere off to the side. "He'll live!" You shout back as you dip under a wild swing from a second attacker, while blocking another with your own blade. You could have easily cut deep enough to literally spill his guts, but you held back. These aren't bandits after all, simply city gaurds, but after what just happened to Laura you have no intention on letting them off without a few reminders. With two gaurds already attacking you a third tries coming up behind you, but you are making it difficult as you force your current opponents to dance with you and are constantly repositioning.