Chương 178: B3. 19 - The Council of Erinds

The pain and heat were gone. Instant relief. Relief? I wasn't sure what I was feeling… or sensing. Nothing at all. No temperature. No smells. My fur couldn't detect any wind or movement. Even I couldn't move. Everything had stopped, with the flames pausing their wild dance all over me.

"Saved by the… bell?" I was surprised I spoke English words instead of roaring. Not sure where my voice came from because I couldn't move my snout. I wasn't actually inside my werewolf body. More like having a camera that I could move around instead of my body, a literal third-person perspective.

"Two bells," I added. Spooky Erind sat on a burning armchair to my side, the flames becoming a cushion for her. And I'm the spooky bell? She removed her mask of black and white and left it hanging in the air, presenting with my own face but with a light purple complexion and the sheen of marble. She draped her right leg over her left knee. The golden line designs on the sides of her tight-fitting pants strained my nonexistent eyes as she bounced her leg.

The same inexplicable pattern accented the suit hugging her slender frame. Our slender frame. Fashionable as always, but wouldn't her fur coat get entangled in the curves and spikes of solidified fire? No, it wouldn't, Spooky Erind said, her glowing red eyes peering at me through wispy white hair that floated in the air. And you're not dead—I can sense that question coming.

"Just keeping with tradition," I said.

"It's a very valid question given what's going on. Good to know that I'm not dead. That'll be fucking inconvenient." You might as well be, if we don't help. That's why she came along. Spooky Erind pointed a claw of her golden gauntlet at someone behind me. I turned around. To be accurate, my view swiveled while my werewolf body stayed still as a statue. Swimming above the balcony peppered with small fire, the night sky her background, was Glowy Erind.

Super weird to see my naked body gracefully writhing midair, trailing her flowing hair made of thousands of light threads. Her incandescent blue skin reduced the immodesty of the nakedness somewhat, but I still would've preferred it if she had clothes on. Glowy Erind looked at me with golden eyes that contrasted beautifully with her skin. Made me want to buy golden contact lenses. (We came to a truce before the worst came to pass.)"The worst?" Glowy gestured at the railings on the balcony.

Tendrils made of stones and soil coiled around it—the third Corebring was about to capture me. Pretty hard to notice that when my body was on fire and a humongous spear had destroyed some organs in my chest. The spear-wielding bastard stopped attacking to power up this bullshit ultimate move. Clive wanted me as close to the brink of death as possible to finally stop my movements. The main weakness of an Adumbrae was the brain.

Even with a smashed heart, if the brain could hold out long enough to regenerate some semblance of functions, the Adumbrae would survive. But before I could recover, they'd have bundled me, stuck with post stamps, and mailed me to the Hive for experiments and torture.

"Okay, that is very… worst. You two saved me…" I remembered the first time I had met Spooky Erind. Back then, she also intervened to give me Adumbrae powers to survive the spike that skewered my stomach. And she also saved me a second time, at the nick of time, when I was getting buried alive by Purple Mohawk at the warehouse. Now, she saved me again, bringing Glowy Erind along. When you think about it, said Spooky Erind, all credit should go to me because I convinced that weirdo to come.

I retreated to the side of the room so I could see both Spooky and Glowy. Spooky Erind bounced her leg on her knee as Glowy swirled around my burning werewolf self, staring at it with curiosity. (My poor child. You are suffering.)"Firstly, don't 'my child' me because you're not my mother. You're not even the Mother Core." Spooky Erind clapped, throwing back her head as she laughed. Preach, girl! Or something like that. Let's gang up on her because we're on the same side. Same person.

Meyoumeyoume—"And don't try to revise history," I said to Glowy, pointing at her, though I was just a disembodied voice. She knew what I imagined to be doing.

"You were the ones who called the Corebrings here! Look at what they're doing! Did you finally realize that attracting their attention is a bad thing?" (If circumstances were different, we could've avoided a fight,) said Glowy Erind. (If we contacted them through my intercession, they wouldn't have viewed you as an enemy.)"What the hell are you saying? You're not a Mother Fragment. You're just—! Ugh, this isn't the time to argue. I'm not getting paid to change your mind anyway. So… what now?

Council of Erinds, what's your wisdom?" Glowy, as you call her, has agreed to work with meyou. (Your death will be mine. Survival is our united goal.)"Means you think that the Corebrings are going to kill me even if I take off my mask. I've been thinking about that option. But it'll give them more reason to experiment on my bizarre, cute self. An Adumbrae with an artificial Core made by lowly humans—the Corebings would think I'm an abomination. We need to get out of here." Spooky Erind raised her hand.

I have a plan, a new plan not implemented in any of the past cycles. Past cycles? Spooky Erind had mentioned stuff like that before. I didn't understand what she was talking about, but I also didn't ask questions. Couldn't ask questions? Wasn't even thinking of asking questions? It was as if her words floated by without registering in my mind. I was losing focus, as if thinking of a long dream that started to fade after I woke up. This was something important.

I struggled to remember what it was, but couldn't quite grasp a memory. Specific memory of what? It hadn't been long since I met Spooky Erind and became an Adumbrae. I shouldn't forget this stupid thing that I couldn't recall! Spooky Erind was staring at me with a raised brow. She should've read my thoughts. What was I thinking about? Something important… The plan, said Spooky Erind, nodding. That's the important thing. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Oh yeah…" We were planning how I'd survive. Here it is. I and that glowing weirdo over there will do a little collaborative effort. Combine our powers. (I wouldn't have agreed to working with an invader if there was any other choice,) Glowy Erind said, facing me. (But there was none.) Notice what she's doing? She's talking to you, but she obviously means her words for me. We've communicated just fine earlier. But she doesn't want you to—"What combined powers are you talking about?"

I asked before these two could argue.

"You mean just like what happened at the docks with Golden Blanchette?" Spooky Erind nodded. Though that wasn't a collaborative effort at all. Glowy here aimed to rein in my powers with her own. (I did it to save you, my child.) Glowy floated over to me. (And it worked splendidly. You regained control of your mind while gaining more powers. I only want what's best for you.)"Again, don't do that 'my child' thing," I quickly said, sensing Spooky Erind's incoming retort.

"I suppose I'll acknowledge that you did save me back then. You've also saved me a bunch of times, too, Spooky Erind. The two of you earned your keep to be in my body. But don't be annoying about it." I'm not annoying," said Spooky Erind. I'm you, and you are me. How can meyou be annoying to—?

"Moving on!" I was no longer afraid of pissing off Spooky Erind. She needed me more than I needed her. If I died, so be it. I should've died multiple times already. At this point, I was enjoying borrowed time. I wanted to extend that time, but if it came to an end, then, whatever. In contrast, Spooky Erind was serious about my survival. Not sure if her explanation about also dying if I died was true, but I knew that she'd help me when needed. Spooky Erind smiled at me, reading my thoughts.

It looked like she approved of my stance.

"How will we do this?" I asked.

"Are you two going to tweak my Pino mask? I don't think Clive's spear can pierce that body, but I'll have to switch masks for that. Not sure if going back to Erind in between is safe." No, not your Pino form. Spooky Erind stood up and raised her gauntlet, palm facing upward. Golden liquid rose out of the gauntlet's crystals.

"Wait, you're giving me another mask?" A third one modified by Glowy over here. Spooky Erind nudged her head back to the floating Glowy Erind. (I'll help conceal you from the others,) said Glowy Erind. (Who else but I can give you this protection?) Now, now. Don't get full of yourself, Spooky Erind said with a snort. There wouldn't have been a problem if we hadn't had that disgusting thing on our chest. I stared at the blob of gold that was starting to take shape. It wasn't golden anymore. Sparkly, like crystal.

Or glass? Smoky glass with hints of embers inside it. The design was like someone randomly chipped at a diamond, asymmetrical edges and planes, but also beautiful. I'd also describe it as someone gluing a lot of tiny prisms together. The mask would cover my eyes and cheekbones once I wear it. No eyeholes again, like the Pino mask. This one didn't seem to have a third eye.

"What does that do?" I asked.

"Pretty please give me a straight answer." Spooky Erind smiled. Try it to find out. You've had fun with it last time.

"Last time? Like, when I tried Pino and…" My vision shook for a moment, as if a wave of exhaustion came over me. My mind couldn't concentrate. I pulled my thoughts back together.

"… a-and tested Pino's powers?" What other last time was there? None.

"This is definitely not going to be fun," I said, my voice getting stronger. The stuff I had wondered about disintegrated as my thoughts concentrated on the problem at hand.

"How will this work, given that I'm currently burning on a stick? Fucking getting barbecued over there." Take this time to plan your escape, Spooky Erind replied, still smiling. She really enjoyed it if I suffered. (But not so much time,) said Glowy Erind. (We can only hold the march of time for so long.)"Talking about running out of time while stopping time." I swooshed to check the windows. Tendrils climbing everywhere. They were thickest on the side opposite the balcony.

A manhole nearby had been blown open by another geyser of tendrils. I had been meaning to run that way, but the third Corebring anticipated it and had laid a trap for me. I wouldn't have known if Spooky and Glowy hadn't called for a timeout. Go left and join the people running away? That was my original plan. But I couldn't simply jump out of the window. I needed to return to my Erind body first, not only to wear my new mask but also to save my Blanchette body.

Not sure if the spear would disappear after removing my Blanchette mask. Would be terrible if it got transferred over to my original body—I'd really die that way. Down. This old-timey building had floor boards. Easy to break. Down and out of sight was the way to go. Switch masks, and then go left in my new form, whatever it'd be. From the way Spooky and Glowy spoke, it seemed that my third mask would have stealth capabilities. Tick tock says the clock, Spooky Erind sang. You'd better have your plan ready.

I'm excited to see it. (I trust in you, my child.) Glowy Erind must be intentionally doing this bit to annoy me. I looked out the windows lining the left side of the building. A couple of birds outside. I had to assume that they were controlled by Trepanner. She knew that I could turn into a human and was observing the fleeing people to see if someone suspicious would suddenly join them. Going to the right side, I found Spooky Erind standing there. She already knew the answer to the puzzle.

The street outside the building was clear, with some hints of gravel slime splooshing around the corner. No bird here that I could see. Hopefully, no other animals either. The problem was that if I headed this way, I'd get surrounded by the flood. It's not really a problem, is it? Spooky Erind asked.

"Of course, not. I'm ready. Let's do—""—Graaarghk!" I roared in white-hot agony. The explosion of pain almost knocked me out as time resumed its flow. I couldn't breathe as my lungs boiled. My muscles weakened, cooked by the flames that came from inside me. The spear continued to exit my body, spitting tongues of flames that splashed everywhere. Anger and suffering rolled into one. I had to get out there and eat Clive and all the other Corebrings! Eat! Chomp on their skulls! Tear them— No! Escape! That was my goal!

Channeling my rage, I stomped my foot right through the floor. Then I kicked up, destroying more of the boards. Not enough, I bent down and punched the bloody stumps of my arms into the floor. The end of the spear also hit the floor, disintegrating parts of it. I tore up a hole large enough for me to drop through. I dropped on the lower floor, kicking both of my legs down as I landed to crack the floor boards. The stupid spear was still here.

I was certain no animal could see me, especially with curtains covering the windows on this floor. Breaking the line of sight didn't cancel the spear, only stopped further attacks. I felt around my chin with the tiny fingers regrowing out of hand. There! I took off my Blanchette mask. Cute Erind was back! And the pain was gone. So freeing to breathe without chest pains! But I couldn't relax just yet. I dug out another hole just as the glass shattered. The tendrils were entering this floor!

They must be on the first floor below me as well. For a moment, my mind wandered, thinking about the difference between the American first floor and that of the British, who had a separate ground floor below that. Not the time! I jumped into the hole, concentrating on my new mask. Landing on the first floor—the American one—I looked around. Some kind of restaurant. Tendrils that way and also there. I headed right as the crystal mask formed above my right hand.

I didn't spare a moment to appreciate its beauty before fixing it over my face.