Nari’s Log was a ambitious unfinished sci-fi novella created by Natalie Neumann. Natalie does not recommend that you try to read the original work due to its low quality, structural issues, and grammatical errors. Instead, she encourages you to read the summary included in Volume 06: Nari’s Logof The Saga of Vincent Dawn and Volume 02: Nari’s Log of Natalie Rambles About The Saga of Vincent Dawn to better understand the content of this novella.
I wonder how long it will take for me to get used to this nuthouse? Granted, my Shift was fairly normal for all intensive purposes, but I have to wonder how many years it took for Maxxi and Y’vonne to get used to this crap. Let alone how they’re suppose to do their missions if they all end up like this.
Like always, my tale begins with me opening my eyes, and looking around for reference points. Although, I was thankfully near someone who I could talk to and ask some general questions. Well, more like something. In front of my face was a black cat with glowing yellow eyes. I grumbled irritated that a cat was sleeping on top of me, as it started to hop. I coughed as it did that, making note of the tone to realize that I was, once more, inside of a female body.
I grabbed the cat and flexed my Host’s vocal chords, making note of a minor British inflection that I now had. “Oi! Stop it!” It sounded very stereotypical, but oddly comforting. I unexpectedly, got a reaction out of the cat, whose mouth didn’t move, but I could swear that it said, “Hiya Nari-chan! I take it that you can understand me, right? It’s good old Maxxi-chan!” I let out a sigh. “So, what is going on? Is this a mission that The Doctor talked about back when we first met?” Maxxi, the cat, blinked at me. Before leaping at my chest, bringing me back down onto the hay I was laying on. “Eyup-a-dep-a-yo-yo!” she said while rubbing her body on my chin.
“Well, what are we suppose to do? Just wander about?” I said, still getting used to my new voice. “Nein! We gotta get to a meeting place in half an hour. I’ve got super-cat vision, so I know where it is. Thanks Doccie!” I did what I normally did, and shook my head. I examined my local surroundings, and it was not much special. Really just a room made from stone with wooden framing, straw roof, a bed of hay, and a lantern dimly lighting up the windowless room.
While I was residing in a borrowed body of what looked to be a peasant girl with shoulder length black hair, a mid-blue blouse with tan sleeves, black trousers, and some dirt brown boots. Granted, she did look nice given the time period of the world I was in, at least as far as I could tell. But I then noticed the oft forgotten glove that The Doctor said would provide information to me. I clicked the screen in the middle and a message appeared.
“Greetings from the moon! It’s The Doctor with the 411 for the trio’s first mission. Yay! Alright, you are in some kingdom in an undeveloped world with something you’d call magic, but not a ton of it. The kingdom is called Vigil. And you are, in alphabetical order. A homeless shapeshifter who can turn into small animals and has supervision. A peasant girl who is quite dexterous and agile, named Lynne Long. And the unwed Queen, Terra Sanitas. I want you three to set up this kingdom with a king and queen! There’s a list of tomes detailing methods you could use in the Queen’s chambers. She was looking into this, but I came to help. There’s some sort of ball going on so you all can get together in the palace. Queeny, leave a disguise for Lynne out by the violet shrubbery in your outer garden, alright? You’re guards will help Any method’s fine if it works!”
I was puzzled by this brief description as I asked Maxxi if he could help. “Maxxi, ya got any clue on what we should be doing beyond this?” However, she was playing in the hay, so she was clearly not caring much. “Look, can you at least morph into something smaller, so I can just carry you to this violet shrubbery?” Still no response, so I had to pick her up by the tail, before she turned into a white mouse. The transformation was almost like a jump cut, here she was replaced with one object in between nanoseconds. She then spoke to me, still sounding just like she always did, but still not moving her lips as far as I could tell. “Fine, meany! We’ll go and work. Even though we’d both rather play.” It was a decent point, what did I want? Well, it sure wasn’t to stay in a poorly lit stone room, so I placed Maxxi the mouse in a pocket of my trousers, and walked out the door as she moaned.
I was greeted by a pretty uninteresting European medieval setting. Stone houses, straw roofs, piss filled stone streets, and everything smelled like horse poop. “Ugh. They play these places up so much, but this is just disgusting.” I murmured loud enough so only Maxxi could hear me. After glossing over a bunch of normal European peasants wandering the streets in worn looking wool and cotton. I pinpointed a remarkably tall building that had a clearing around it, and made everything look like even more of a slum compared to its barrage of greenery. Just thinking of the amount of work that had to go into the plain looking castle was insane. It was a good 80 meters tall and at least a hundred on both sides of its rectangular outer walls.
I rummaged my way through the crowds and up to the walls, after avoiding people who were trying to grab onto my bum and attempt to rape me. Did I mention that I was dreadfully uncomfortable in this setting? I mean, Octavia’s body was bad enough, but being in such a rape prone situation was anything but comforting. And I was at the point where I’d almost grown accustomed to walking as the opposite sex.
Regardless, the castle was surrounded by a moat nearly three meters across, and an unknown amount deep. Sure, there was a drawbridge, but that route seemed unappealing to me. What business could I mumble to get in there anyhow? Instead, I reached down into my pocket and tried to see if my “ally” could help out.
“Oi! Maxxi! Get yer carcass out and about!” I scream-whispered as I felt around my pocket for her rat body. Which resulted in a bite on one of my fingers. “Agh! Ya bugger! Come on, we’ve got work to do, and I don’t want to catch the bloody plague or whatever diseases medieval rats would have!” I reached down again, this time grabbing her by the oh-so-easy-to-latch tail. “Aw, you’re no fun! I just wanted to see the sights, the smells, and maybe convince someone to go doggie with me. I was a pretty damn sexy sheepdog before you woke up. Whatcha say, Nari-chan?” There was truly no stopping this girl from being herself.
“Look, we can ‘ave all the kinky stuff ya want after we do our job. I’ve got some unfinished business with The Doctor.” Maxxi then tossed herself from the hand I grabbed her with, up onto my arm, before skedaddling onto my shoulder in under one second. “And what business would that be?” she asked while rubbing on my neck, revealing that she was actually quite soft. I did not have an answer for her. I knew I wanted to talk to The Doctor about something, and I couldn’t recall what? He did answer most of my questions before I went to the nightclub to, “wind-down” Where I did, at least I think so. Then I cleared things up after I Maxxi gobbed over her child made of water, before going back to work with me and Y’vonne. Well, starting it up for me, but the general idea’s the same.
“I… Can’t remember…” Was all I could muster before muttering, “Bollocks.” “Was it my baby’s name? And you didn’t even thank me for having her!” Maxxi interjected while crawling over me as I stood there, accepting my fate as an activity center for her. “I know your child is named Raiyne, with that weird spelling. And The Doctor said something about her being under his care for the first few weeks. But why should I congratulate you for creating sentient water that oozed out of your vagina?”
“Why? It is such an a-core-pleshment! I made life despite being born with a penis! Oh, those days! I miss them!” “Yeah, and I miss remembering my old life. But you know what’d make me peachy keen? You turning into something that can get over this moat and wall!” “Murph!” Was all she had to respond with. Followed up a few seconds later by a, “Sugoi! I know the most fun way to do this, Nari-chan! Hippity-hops!” I clenched my eyes and breathed deeply, as she morphed her body into a yellow sphere with a handle.
“Leap onto me, my sweet Nari-chan!” she said, not understanding how stupid and awkward this situation was. I was just glad that I had the foresight to put us behind a tree and bushes. Not wanting to argue, I got on, held tight, and felt my body move up and down with the ball in three rotations, before it leaped up into the air, surpassing the 40 meter tall castle wall. So this is what my life’s become? Hopping on hyperactive transexuals while in the body of some woman I didn’t know, all to fulfill the goals of a talking animal demigod? Pretty much.
We landed, making surprisingly little noise, with there being very few guards nearby. Understandably, how many thieves would sneak in during what looked to be the afternoon, with a giant sphere. Well, maybe a lot, but if it was anything like where I came from I’d doubt it. Either way, I quickly got off of Maxxi. Kinda wish I didn’t Log that, but there’s no way to edit these. Maybe hindsight isn’t completely twenty-twenty. And started looking for some outer garden. Which I presume meant that it was not in the courtyard, and rather between the castle and wall.
However, it would be dangerous to continue when I could easily be caught and thrown into, say, a dungeon. Failing this mission, so I did the smart thing, and had Maxxi do it. “Maxxi, can you transform into some bird? Then you could just, I dunno, find this place for me, just in case there are some guards.” With a grumble, Maxxi replied with a, “Fine, we’ll do it the boring way.” To which I responded, “No, it’s the smart way. You’d be a bird, what’d they do to you? Shoot an arrow into your face? I doubt they could even aim that well. Just go, and come back here soon, I’ll be ‘iding in…” I took a quick survey of my local surroundings. It was a mostly pointless looking tiny area with a few crates, two trees, and some thick bushes. “…That bush right there.”
Maxxi then stuck her mouse tongue out and made a raspberry at me, somehow, as I swear I heard her mumble something about me being a meanie as her body replaced itself with a plain looking bird. I promptly hid in the bush, leaving me alone for a few minutes, to once more ponder about what exactly happened beforehand, since my memory was slightly fuzzy. I remembered something about robots and fire, but that’s it. Maybe I just had a dream, but I don’t even know if I can anymore, since I did Shift into that Octavia girl when I tried to sleep.
It was only a few minutes before I heard Maxxi doing what I should’ve expected. “Chirpy, chirpy, choo! Nari-chan, I’m here for you!” I rose out of the bushes, and saw Maxxi’s mouse form out in front of me. I plopped her on my shoulder, and had her lead the way. “Okay Maxxi, so turn right, go past a turn, and then left. Seems simple enough. But since we’ve got a moment, how exactly are you talking to me?” Maxxi said nothing for a second before responding, sounding cocky. “Dontcha know about the Translation gizmo? We can understand all them languages! Doccie even made their lips look normal to us!”
The question of language was brought up, and there was a valid question to be asked. “So, did you and Y’vonne speak English before you came here?” “I don’t remembers. I remember talking like this after I was saved from the gorillas, but I also think I had a tail.” “Um… were you a monkey?” “Do I look like one to ya?” she said, lightly scratching my exposed neck. “You sure act like one.” Was the best comeback I could muster before we got to the designated location. A bush filled with violet flowers. No clue what kind, but there was a small chest placed inside of them, which anyone would immediately notice. Apparently Y’vonne wasn’t the most subtle person.
I opened the chest to get a look inside, and it was a simple, but nice, white dress, with a light blue flower, a note, and some card on top. The card was mostly blank other than a symbol of a flower and a wolf above text reading: “You are hereby welcome to our castle on the fourth of May.” I then examined the note, which was written in some language I don’t think I’d normally recognize, and in this awful cursive font. But I somehow managed to glance over it, and fully understand everything it said. “To my allies, Maxxisaurus Biscuit and Nari of the White. I have gathered this garb for you, and my palance should start accepting visitors after the first one appears at the gate inside is an invitation, but they would also need to see something for you to wear. It’s best that you change inside of the castle. I understand that it is less… clean outside of it. It’d be my preference that you’d both come early, so we may get a head start at finding this kingdom a king and queen. I have already found several methods, but I am unsure what would be the best. Please come see me soon. Sincerely, Y’vonne, from the body of Queen Terra Sanitas. P.S. Nari, don’t give Maxxi any ideas of becoming a bar maiden for the evening. That would be detrimental.”
The only thing I really picked up on was the names. “Maxxisaurus Biscuit”? “Nari of the White”? Was she making these up, or did The Doctor give us titles? I instantly brought this up to my mouse friend. “Um, is that your full name? It sounds very…” “Bodacious?” Maxxi interjected, using a word I barely ever recall hearing. “Um… Not quite. It’s more random, but this is you we’re talking about, so I guess it does fit. But “Nari of the White”… that sounds something a fourteen year old would write, while being unintentionally racist.”
Maxxi just shrugged this off, and morphed into the hopping ball when I wasn’t looking. “Nari-chan, I’m ready, ya slowpoke!” “And what is with the whole adding ‘chan’ to the end of my name?” I asked, only caring about it after it became a running gag. “I just think es ist sehr Kawaii Desu!” I paused, trying to stop letting her get to me. “And the occasional other languages fall into the same category of being whatever the hell you just said.” Despite having no face to speak of, Maxxi giggled. “But it’s wirklich Moe!” I took the chest under my arm, assuming the card was the invitation, and got on the sphere that was Maxxi once more, as we again hopped over the wall, once more lucky that no one was paying attention.
She quickly transformed back into a white snake, which immediately crawled up onto my leg. “What are you doing?” I questioned, more annoyed than afraid that Maxxi became a poisonous snake. “I’ms just getting comfortable, since the castle’s not gonna like rats.” “I don’t think they’d like snakes any more.” “Silly Nari-chan, this is the fantasy land, they don’t pat down lass’s legs. And I can get cozy here!” I shrugged off her enthusiasm, and walked around the other side of the wall, towards the entrance with a drawbridge that was up, and guarded by two saps who just had to stand there all day, in some sort of chainmail and leather mess, accompanied by metal breastplates, helmets, and one handed blades. They sure didn’t look like knights, but I guess they could stop some bandits of whatever.
I reached into my chest, and grabbed the card to show it to the guards. One quickly looked it over, felt it with a leather coated hand, and then turned around to the drawbridge, to raise his hand up, and then down, before the bridge did the same. Without having said a word to them, I was let on into the castle walls, with a series of identical looking guards sitting on chairs that were placed near the entrance, many of whom were glancing at me. With either suspicion or lust, I really couldn’t tell.
But after wandering past the inner wall, and into a large castle door that was opened by another pair of guards, I was greeted by a stunning looking room that was positively massive. Coated with silks and marble columns. Statues and paintings littered the place in sequence. It was a breathtaking sight, but I had to stop when I realized that I was leaving a trail of muck. I blushed a bit, before someone placed their hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw a man dressed in steel, with eloquently drawn cloth covering him. He looked both strong, and a bit gaudy with all the unnecessary details placed on his armor. It was clearly not for battle, but for celebrations.
His face certainly caught my eye, a mildly shaggy set of greying hair, with a modest goate. He was a very large man, but he looked oddly comforting. That is, until I remembered someone who gave off an almost identical impression. He was like that bartender, Lou. But after realizing that, he began to speak, not sounding quite the same. It was like his voice was more booming, the kind of tone that would be great for someone giving a speech. Although, he was talking directly to me, so I was just intimidated.
“Good day Miss. Please state your business.” he roared, ending with his foot pounding onto the ground. I stammered trying to get out the point. “Um, well, I was sent by… I got this invitation and a gown for-” he cut me off, not rudely, more that he heard enough and wanted to keep everything going. “Ah, so the first guest has arrived. I shall have my squire set forth the chef to begin the preparations for the feast. Hemming, come forth!” he ended by doing his actual shout, which echoed for a good four seconds afterwards. Before a figure came from one of the many hallways across this entrance. It was a younger man in armor similar to the guards, but looked more durable while being lighter. On his back lied a child length blade that was as wide as one’s head. But then I got a good look at his face.
It also struck memories, this time of the punk from the bar. Who I recalled being named Dave. Although, his hair was spiked up, and not shaved on the sides. Not that he looked very presentable. He still wore the face of street trash, and the attitude of it as well. “Whatcha want?” he said, as if he was used to this large intimidating man yelling for him. But the man sure didn’t like it. “Bah, such insolence! Youth, I took you in from the gutter. Many would die to be in your boots. And not only to an elder, but also to a kind lass? Have you no respect?”
If he’d been lecturing me, I would’ve felt awful, but this “Hemming” just scoffed at him. “Oh please, why should I havta respect a tart like her? Let alone a fossil like you. I’m surprised you can even lift a sword.” The older man then shouted through the halls once more, this time calling for guards. Alerting four to come from the woodwork and bow before him. All saying, “Yes, my liege.” The older man smiled, presumably because he had some discipline. “I would like you to take my Ward back to his chambers. And one of you please inform the staff that a visitor has arrived sooner than expected.”
Within a few seconds, one guard began to jog down a hall, while the other three surrounded the young man, and marched him off to the other side. “I am dreadfully sorry miss. Oh, where are my manners, I am Sir Louis Shining Drummond of the Kingdom of Vigil. May I have your title?” “I am um… Lynne Long of…” I drifted off for some reason, as Maxxi starting to tighten her snake grip on my leg.
I continued to stutter, as Louis’ face turned more serious in tone, almost like he was going to have to ”unfortunately” murder me. That is, until Maxxi broke the silence by crawling out of my leg, and jump cutting her form with that of her normal, non-pregnant self, but still wearing a sloppy brown robe. “Hiya Louie-Booie! Righteous to see yer sexy face again!”
This turned Louis’ scowl into a smile, as he started to hold Maxxi up from under her armpits. “Maxxi! How’re you doing?” “Goodie goodie gumdrops. So, you’re a knights here?” “Sure am!” he said as he placed her on the ground, and patted her head. “So, who’s your friend there?” “Oh, that’s Nari, the new guy. We’re here to meet Y’vonne. She’s in Queeny Bum-bop.”
“W-Wait a tick!” I interjected, wanting answers regarding this kerfuffle. “So, are you the same Lou from that nightclub?” The man’s face was like stone for a second. “Knight Club… Sorry, I can’t recall being involved in any gentleman’s clubs.” “Well, it was called Eternity-” “Oh, were you Vinyl’s friend? I thought she was an odd gal merely by the way she walked. I must say, you’ve improved on that. But confrontation could use some work there, Miss… What was it? Miss Nari.”
I zapped on a puzzled expression, needing to clarify that, despite only being in female bodies in my Shifts, I was still a guy. “I’m actually normally a male. I just Shifted into this girl’s body, with an invite and dress for some event later this night.” he moved his palm to my head now, it was remarkably warm, and even bound in leather, didn’t feel very rough. He felt strong, but caring. “May I please see the chest Y’vonne has given to you?” I handed the chest from out of my armpit, and into his hands. He took a few seconds to look into it, before he looked down at me.
“I’ll take you to a guest room to prepare for this event. But as for you Maxxi. I’m going to need for you to go back away from here. I sure couldn’t request a dress, if you know what I mean.” Maxxi puffed up her cheeks, before jump cutting back into a snake and up my legs, as I followed Lou to another room where I could change into Y’vonne’s provided gown. It was a good five minute walk, making me wonder just how big or confusing this place was laid out. It was much the same as the opening area. Paintings, sculptures, and a lot of windows, presumably to save on torches during the day. It was actually pretty amazing if you’d really think about how much labor went into these things.
Lou opened a door along a wall of about twelve, revealing my provided “guest room”. It was actually fairly plain. Sure, it had some silk here and there, but I was expecting something more… gaudy. Still, it had a mirror, and that’s pretty much all I needed, at least before the notion of needing to change, and the lack of underwear available, crossed my mind. Lou closed the door, after telling me to take my time. And along, I’d need that. So, I made the, probably stupid, decision to call upon Maxxi, and use the phrase, “Would you please… clothe me?”
Maxxi bursted out of my leg, transformed back into her “normal” self, with a smirk on her face. “Thought you’d never ask! Okay, first get neeked!” I blushed substantially, and looked down, before she gave out a hmph. “Fine, ya baby. I’ll take care of everything. Don’t fret, I once had to get a sea-orphanage into their walk gear. It’s like reverse swim gear for mer-people.” I shut my eyes, and she exposed my borrowed body, and I swear I made it look like my Host had a bad sunburn with how much I blushed.
But thankfully, Maxxi did know when I was really uncomfortable, and the changing process was relatively short, with me not really needing to do anything. I opened my eyes once Maxxi spouted, “Done!” But it was still dark, and I heard Maxxi chuckle. I quickly removed her hands away from my face, and got my first look at this girl from a third person perspective. And she was pretty darn cute. Her face didn’t look passive, as much as it looked like she could handle a couple of scraps. My first instinct was to smile, and I looked pretty cool once I placed my hand on my hip. Although, I was curious about he cyan eyes she had, namely how it was the second time I’d Shifted with someone who had them ill fitting. So it was 100% of the time.
While the gown was shockingly comfortable overall. Maxxi also found shoes at the bottom of the chest, but they were thankfully a small heel, and white to accommodate the dress nicely. Even though I’d prefer to have my boots. But that’s when Maxxi came out from the side of the mirror, brandishing a corset. “Sorry, I guess it’s formal to use this. Wouldn’t want any visible nipples at the shindig, would we?” I groaned, knowing Maxxi would make me do this.
I’m just thankful she didn’t end up tightening it, and just treated it as one piece underwear for women. After three minutes, I looked once more, and nothing changed visually, but I felt fat more secure. Well, as secure as I could be in a white gown and a corset. Thankfully not bothering with make up, Maxxi quickly tied the blue flower to my dress, before returning to her snake form, and going up my leg. I took a gulp, feeling kinda like a bride about to go onto the wedding floor, if only because I’d look like it. Or at least, I’d think so if I saw myself.
Lou looked over me and smiled, complimenting me on being a, “Lovely lady”. I kept on blushing and smirking bashfully. “Well, I believe the queen is in her study. Follow me.” he said before going off ahead of me by a few feet, as I walked back, trying to balance on the two inch heels I was placed in. It was a far shorter trip, but we found the study, a distinct location based on how it had two massive doors that Lou used to open it, briefly blinding me with light.
But I then got to see the sights. Leatherbound pages, shelves three meters high, a second story, scrolls inserted, all in a lovely sicular room. There were probably enough books to last a person a decade. But at the center, there were tables, the most center one containing a fairly lean woman with bobbing red blonde hair and magenta eyes. Donned in a set of darker, more gender neutral clothing, even though she was certainly well endowed. She looked over at us, and began waving at us.
Maxxi did her usual thing, and popped out whenever she gathered that something interesting was happening. And bursted into a human once more, as she ran towards the woman who was being controlled by Y’vonne. “Glomp!” Maxxi yelled as she hugged the body of a queen. Briefly making her smile, before she placed a finger on Maxxi’s mouth. Y’vonne then began to speak, with a far more sing-songy voice that had a natural rhythmic tone.
“Maxxi, this is a library. I’d prefer you show your affection to be reunited a bit more quietly.” She then pulled Maxxi off of her, and down to the floor. She then shut her eyes and launched a smile that could send a thousand ships back home and realize how bad they were. She had a far more motherly quality to her than anything else, which felt very welcome to me, as I walked towards her, with Lou by my side. Looking like were were about to get married if you removed all context. Even though he was at least twenty years older.
“Ah, Sir Louis. I hope my allies were not too much of a burden.” She said, as if Maxxi and I were her kids and he was a babysitter. “No my Queen. Well, Maxxi was just herself, while… Nari was just a bit shy.” Lou responded, sounding a bit flustered between casual and formal speaking patterns. “Well sir, you are dismissed. Please come get us an hour before the festivities begin.” Y’vonne said, sounding like she was reading to her daughter, even when talking to someone who was in a notably older body. In fact, she barely looked to be over 25, and lecturing to a man who is lucky to have even lived this long based on the outside slums.
Lou then dismissed himself, before we began to discuss just what was going on. It went on for a few hours, so I’ll just summarize the important stuff, after Maxxi spent the first fifteen minutes flipping through books and reading them in the most “dramatic” tone she could muster. I firstly brought up how Lou was, well, in this world. Y’vonne claimed that he was someone known as a Constant, an individual who exists throughout every world in the Omni. Normally, they exist as a different person with a similar personality and appearance. But they have something known as a Constant Collective Consciousness, or CCC, which is activated when someone brings up another world in the Omni. And allows them to recognize individuals who met another version of them. Lou is just one of the dozen or so that Y’vonne and Maxxi met in their previous, as Maxxi put it, marvelous misadventures.
That was all well and good, but what about our main goal? Well, Y’vonne awoke at dawn, we met in the afternoon, so she had plenty of time to do research. Which, was easy for her because she had another ability as well as being a Shifter. The ability to access the thoughts and memories of her Host. She already knew all about this world, and how much her Host had been trying to keep her monarchy in order, despite regular economical impasses. But she also knew greatly of many spells, tonics, and rituals that existed in this world, but were restricted from all but a handful of individuals.
Firstly, Maxxi couldn’t just morph into a king for Y’vonne. That was Maxxi’s first plan, but unbeknownst to Maxxi, her transformations only lasted for an hour or so. She would need to alter her appearance by a significant amount for several minutes, so that was not an option. There were several reanimation spells that could be used to bring back former great kings and have them rule with her, but the undead in this world often grew insane, as well as decomposing a year every day. There was a formula for a gender alteration potion, but the results from that regularly came with great emotional influxes, and the kingdom would not tolerate a leader they viewed as unstable.
What about a knight or neighboring kingdom? Nu-uh. Quite simply, the people of Vigil are extremely intolerant to change, in addition to being on the brink of rebellion. They desire royal blood, but refuse to join with anyone outside of the square five thousand acres this kingdom controls. They were upset they even had to trade. They wanted someone of “royal blood” to pop up and lead their kingdom back to glory. Despite how they were pretty much always a poor country with rulers devoting money to their castle more than anything else.
So what was the method we could utilize? Well, in this world, royal blood was actually a variant on an uncommon blood type. We merely needed to find a spell to tell us one’s blood type, and then perform a day long ritual to alter their blood into “royal blood”. Which involved infusing it with a toxin that made the blood blue when exposed to air. And using a mix of her knowledge of the individuals who would be at the event this evening, many who were merely advisors with the desire for making a mark on the world, rather than fulfilling a nation’s legacy. Y’vonne should be able to find someone to keep and turn into her king overnight.
It sounded like a decent enough plan, but by the time we were done, Lou came back into the library, declaring that Queen Terra Sanitas, Y’vonne, was needed, as the guests were beginning to arrive. But we almost forgot about what we would do with Maxxi. If the last few hours were any indicator, she would not be welcome in any formal event. In fact, she’d be kicked out of most casual ones. Yet, she insisted that she stayed with us, claiming she’d do anything to see the event. Only for Y’vonne to tell her to try and become a necklace for me to wear. Morphing herself into a silver chain with a yellow crystal as a pendant. It was quite nice, and Maxxi could still communicate, but only with me once I placed it on.
Without testing it out much, Lou escorted me to a massive room resembling the lobby I first entered. Assuming you made it bigger, more contained, and had an entire wall be mostly stained glass. While Y’vonne was taken to her chamber to change into her, “royal attire”. The room was filled with knights standing at the walls, tables loaded with enough food to last fifty men a few weeks, and a good forty men and women in some form of overly designed outfit, making mine look like a rag in comparison. Finely crafted glass casings holding flames that exhibited light. Maids that were were carrying around oodles of food, while instantly picking up and any remains from the nobles. With a few men in colorful clothing, brandishing flutes and lutes, and presumably acting as the entertainment. It was pretty much the exact opposite of the brief bits of the outside that I witnessed. However, I had nothing I could do other than look like an idiot by talking to these people, so I chose to support an underpopulated corner, with Lou standing guard right next to me.
Not that Maxxi seemed to care about how awkward this whole affair was. Instead spouting complains directly into my mind. “C’mon Nari-chan! I wanna have some fun! That Hemming guy would be less of a butt that you’re being!” I wanted to respond, but I didn’t want to look out of place more than I did, so I turned my head and began to murmur just loud enough to be audible. “Look Maxxi! I don’t know what the normal protocol for this kind of stuff is, but I want to just get this done. This place is pretty crappy anyhow. Even in the castle, it still smells vaguely like feces. And will you stop with calling me ‘Nari-chan’?”
We kept a similar tone in our on and off grumbling for what felt like hours, but was probably only about twenty minutes. Until Y’vonne’s arrival was announced by a few men playing trumpets. Grabbed in an off-white gown that gave her presence due to its size, and hair arranged in an extravagant manner. She looked kinda like the mix between cotton candy and my world’s traditional values of beauty. Not that I got to see more than five seconds of her, before my attention was broken by the stained glass shattering across the room.
I was on the furthest side, so the bigger chunks didn’t get to me. However, I could not say that about everyone. After guarding my face from the shards, i looked down at the scenery, and it was flooded by blood, debris, and ravens. They were pecking at those injured by the attack, as I looked for a short cloth coated table to hide beneath, in fear of getting harmed. All while Maxxi spouted screams, not that she was in much harm. It’s not like a raven would eat a necklace. But I immediately looked for Y’vonne once I had adjusted myself, with the image of her being held by her throat being the only image I made out before I saw a black hand yank her head off. Her body fell limply down on the floor, as I saw the hand move away, holding the undisturbed head.
I looked over to the hand to find it’s body. Donned in a black robe, surrounded by flames of light blue and light green. It was a pale blue faced man, with a smirk with sharp vampire-like teeth. He cackled in a high pitched voice that sounded like it experienced a pack of cigarettes a day for twenty years. Right before he tore off Y’vonne’s face with his teeth. Licking the blood as he erupted with cold, malicious sounding bliss.
My eyes scattered around the remains of food, silk, and bodies, all surrounded by flames of a similar colors, and ravens. Screeching in rage, as they drowned out the moans and screams of their victims, pecking out their eyes and skin. With their numbers being undoubtedly in the thousands. Even fully armored knights were powerless against them, as their faces were dug into and pecked at. Even Lou fell before the birds, using the last of his strength to toss his one handed blade over to me.
My heart skipped a beat. And I tried to rationalize my options. Only two came to mind. Stay beneath the table and die. Or take the blade and at least get this sick sonuvabitch back. Maxxi made the same decision as me, uttering that I should, “Make this shitstain pay!” I slid out of the table, grabbed the blade, and dashed for the man in black, his back turned to me, with my target an obvious one, his neck. I went through flames, feeling a mild burn. The birds lept onto me, as I tried best to avoid their needle like pecking. My skin was being pulled off, but I wouldn’t have even felt it if I wasn’t determined. It only took a matter of seconds, but as I was slowly being torn apart, feeling my legs catch on fire, I shoved the blade into this man’s neck, hoping it would cease the birds’ assault. But instead, all I got was a shout that could’ve shattered the glass by itself. Followed by an unrelenting force of colored flames that pushed me back, and out of the destroyed window.
I was done for, even without the fall. I had done next to nothing in terms of accomplishing my goal. Perhaps this was planned? Perhaps it was not. I would awaken and see The Doctor, and ask him the usual questions. But my demise felt unnatural. Instead of my vision fading away to black, it was white. I could not recall this as normal or not, but I swear I heard someone call my name before I faded out, feeling my Host’s heart stop midbeat.