While I hadn't expected Steria's corruption to be as short as Marian's, it took far longer than I had ever thought it would. Arya and I had to wait nine days for Steria to finally awaken, and while her form was just as it had been before, her changes had been far more visible and drastic than either Marian's or Arya's.
The common theme of being in pain was of course there, but unlike with Marian or Arya, it was very clear as to what was causing Steria to be in such pain despite being unconscious. The sound of breaking bone and the sight of her flesh stretching and rearranging as her body morphed from an animal into a humanoid was grotesque to say the least, but that was only the first half. Once the humanoid form stabilized, I had thought she was going to wake up, but not even an hour later, the morphing restarted, only in reverse this time as her humanoid form became an animal once again.
While the process was a bit too much for Arya to handle, there were several memories from Velen that were far more graphic, his world didn't have the convenience of magic or Skills, so any bodily modifications needed to be done manually. Likely the most vivid was when Velen had gotten his arms enhanced, the first enhancement he'd ever gotten and the start of life in the military. Even though he'd been heavily drugged to block out pain and strapped to the operation table, the sight of having his arm cut to his bone and peeled open almost like it was a banana of meat and blood as they worked on the bone and replaced several fleshy bits with inorganic metals and circuitry, was something that was seared into the memory.
When Steria did finally wake up, both Arya and I were excited and curious to find out what sort of Status she had, though we could only take her word for it as she didn't have a Status plate for us to look at, I also wouldn't be able to properly use Seshat's Library on any of the terms since without the Status Plate it would compile all the related records as long as it had to do with the term, even ones that I couldn't read.
Steria only noticed a few differences from what she normally saw, namely her race had become Khetoran Werecat and she'd gained the Retainer title in addition to the Gift, Retainer of Swords, along with a new Racial Skill called Shifting Forms. As far as changes go it seemed lackluster in comparison to what my other Retainers had gained, but I didn't doubt that she was telling the truth as we still shared our bond.
The Shifting Forms Skill did pretty much what it described, allowing Steria to shift into one of three forms, at least according to what she could tell when she used it. The first form was the regular female Khetoran, while the second was about a halfway mix between animal and human. She was still completely covered in fur in the second form, and she stood upright as if a cheetah had a human skeleton rather than a quadrupedal one.
The third and final form was more humanoid than animal, however, she still retained a large portion of the animal characteristics. The small rounder cat ears that poked through long flowy dark blackish brown hair that matched the spots on the tail that protruded from her tailbone. Her limbs almost seemed to have cheetah fur armor as from about halfway from her biceps and thighs down they were thicker and resembled her second form limbs more than a humans, complete with semi-retractable claws on the fingers and toes.
It was clear even from just looking at them, but all of Steria's forms were based on speed and agility, something she was good at utilizing, but apparently worked differently from how she'd previously fought. Before she'd been fragmented, she had fought mostly covered in heavy armor and wielded a shield and sword, something still viable in her current state, but she thought it would be better to fully lean into her speed and agility and learn a new way to fight.
I did agree that it would be better that way anyway since as a group we didn't really need any frontline fighters since I could take a near limitless amount of punishment which would only increase my strength over time. It would be more effective if Steria was either a hit and run, or we fought side by side as rider and mount as I could more efficiently deal with any wounds she sustained if I could always remain in contact with her. That would be less important once I finished on her set of Communication Jewelry, but I also wanted to make her other equipment as well since for now she would be going into any fight naked.
My goal for her equipment would be something that she didn't have to take off when her forms switched, either because it changed with her, or some other method so she was never defenseless. However, I had plenty time to prototype and work on it as we made our way to the Forest of Darkness, we'd already delayed the trip more times than I wanted to admit, and I really wanted to get there and back before the first snow of the year, not that the area the Eldur Household held was often subject to snow, even on the coldest days, but it wasn't impossible, and I felt that getting stuck in the snow on our way through the Forest of Darkness was just asking for all manner of problems.
It only took a bit of time for the three of us to break down the nest and pack up what supplies were left as we prepared to leave. I was extremely relieved when I found both the horses and carriage untouched, though it was plain to see that there were a few fools stupid enough to think that going towards the carriage was a good idea, as evidenced by several triggered traps, and a few rotting limbs in some of the webs, likely cut off to free a person from the near inescapable grasp.
There was only a single intact corpse, that of a young woman, which was caught in a web that was quite close to the carriage. As I got closer to the corpse I realized that it was actually rather fresh, and rather than starvation or some other means of a drawn out death that awaited any who got stuck, she had been choked to death by the now faded tattoo I could just barely make out on her neck. A Slave Crest, an illegal one at that, which meant that this woman had likely been kidnapped into the service of an unpleasant person and forced to scout for the traps I set up. I was actually quite impressed with how far she had managed to get.
I shook my head at the girl's unfortunate fate as I cut her down and began to use Earth Magic to dig a grave for her. However, just as I was about to place the corpse into the freshly dug earth, the surrounding temperature suddenly dropped followed by an unearthly and high pitched wail that attacked one's mentality, trying to instill hopelessness and despair into those who heard it while stoking their deepest fears.
I could only curse as I used Vibro Magic to nullify the sound around me, Arya and Steria, just in time as I could see both Arya and Steria shaking. If it weren't for the fact that I had memories of actually dying, I imagined I would be in a similar state. I also felt that I had an additional layer of protection that had weakened the wail, likely one of my many Yin type Skills. Just as the other two recovered, a ghostly figure eerily similar to the corpse I had just dropped, floated from the surrounding trees. "Don't desecrate me further cretins!" she wailed before her attention focused on me. In response I conjured purple black lighting that snaked around my body, while Arya and Steria prepared their own attacks.
A fresh undead Banshee would be no match for our group which could negate the most deadly abilities, and could retaliate with not one, but two types of magic that was extremely effective against those with unnatural life.
Vel: YOU PICKED THE WRONG HOUSE FOOL!
Ghost wifu?
Isn't Vel capable of checking her own status without a status slate? I would think that her familiar bond with Steria would let her view her status as well.
It only took a bit of time for the three of us to break down the nest and pack up what supplies were left as we prepared to leave.
makes me wonder, are there giant spider nests scattered through the land ready to freak out travellers?
What desecration is burrialy? Maybe she is from a cannibal tribe and to properly put her to rest they need to eat her brains. But what i actually see comming is the heros going after the slavers, something they maybe should have been thinking about on their own. Idk how it was for valen but i doubt he or any of his previous selfs was super into it. One can only shake ones head at all the isekai MCs that ignore or participate in slavery. I am almost sure that the MC will have to take over the slave contracts cause for some bizzare reason they are to the death or something and maybe linked to an item.
Most normal travel wouldn't encounter any large spider nests, and Vell at least tears hers down when down, but it is very possible if one travels far enough from the road, or other well civilized areas.
As far as desecration, the Banshee automatically assumed the slavers had come back, as she cannot stray too far from the body, and one could guess the kind of desecration she suffered at their hands.
It won't be anytime soon, but Vell will deal with the slave market, at least the illegal one. Slaves are legal, but they mostly only exist on the continent of Ligor, and they are usually well cared for, with the exception of ones who have committed large crimes and are forced to work to death in the mines.
The contract itself expires after death, it's a waste to have it persist longer, as while things like resurrections aren't impossible, the conditions for it are harsh, and one would simply be better off breaking the contract through other means. If you've got the resources for a resurrection, you've typically got the resources to break two or three contracts.
There are also other methods for bringing people back to life, but to call them resurrection is off, as anything that infuses life into a corpse is necromancy, and typically results in undead beings, rather than a once again living being, an important distinction.
@Tyboneous i dont recongize legal slavery, there is no such thing for me. There is no way to justify it and saying "they are well cared for" is not a good argument. They are assets after all, you take care of your possessions too since letting them deteriorate would mean you loose money buy having to buy new ones. Thats what i meant with Isekai MCs just accepting slavery cause its legal in the current system, well f*ck that system, tear it down and break whoever perpetuates it.
@NotMeISwear pretty sure the only viable way of tearing down systems like that is through war. Vell might be powerful but even the mighty spider fears angering an ant colony
@ToasterForkerAnonymous well in britain slavery was made illegal without a war, its only those who profit from it that will try and prevent it and going to war with them could be an acceptable price. Maybe some choice assasinations or a decent ally, could be of aid here. she is a ducal daughter married to a elven noble (i am remembering that right, right?). she should be able to gather some political power.
@NotMeISwear britain also didn't have many slaves put into essential rolls either. The biggest reason why America had a civil war was because large portions of the slave population were working essential rolls for the Southern economy. I'm not saying slavery is good but a single estranged adopted daughter of a ducal house doesn't have the political backing to even protect herself from other parties.
@ToasterForkerAnonymous she doesnt have the political power right now. I am not saying she should run head over heals into a slave market demanding all to be set free. There is no quick and easy fix, I know it would be a lot to ask for the MC to go on a crusader so i would only ask for the MC to not accept it, any actions taken are a bonus on that.
@NotMeISwear I don't even think the average isekai protag does. Yes it is true that they help fund the system by buying slaves, but at the same time what is the alternative? Ignore those that they could easily save from a fate of abuse? Most of the time the protags are buying slaves that would ultimately have been fed to the dogs after having been subjected to more suffering whether by the hand of a new master or the slave dealer. And again it is true that all it does is help fund the system, but I ask you what would you do if you could end the suffering of another living being by spending money you could afford, even if that money is helping the people that caused the suffering? Are you cold enough to ignore the easily fixable suffering of a person in favor of the greater good? Are your ancestors smiling down upon you, imperial?
@ToasterForkerAnonymous @NotMeISwear
Dealing with the legal slave trade would be rather simple on most of the continents as very few people actually own legal slaves, it is specifically Ligor where slavery is widespread, Melarc especially has almost no slaves since their resident Deity is Iustitia, Goddess of Justice and Balance, and while it is unknown exactly what her views on slavery is, the higher ups in the church publicly frown upon such practices.
I'll also say Vell isn't really concerned with strangers, even if they are being mistreated. If it's convenient and possibly helpful for the future she'll help someone out, but otherwise has callous sense of disregard for those not in her immediate circle, something that will become more apparent as she gets older.
As for Arya, she could be considered Elven nobility in a sense, but at the same time its difficult to make a proper comparison considering how spread out and unassociated with each other most the Elvish clans are. Arya, and by extension Vell, does however, have the full backing of the Yin-Yang Clan, though that isn't too much of anything considering the small pond she's currently in.
@Tyboneous vell not being a nice person has been established, with the torture of a prisoner and all
@ToasterForkerAnonymous any spontanious act of slave liberation is fine obviously, its not like buying a slave or two could impact a slave market.