Arc 2: Chimera
Chapter 17: Shifting Sand Part III
Ever since he was young, Haruki always had this certain premonition of apprehension when things went according to plan so smoothly. This was especially poignant when he is caught up playing video games, where every turn or minute can suddenly turn the tides for you or your opponent.
It turned out that the same could also be applied in real life, especially if reality mimics a certain video game you were so absorbed about.Haruki sighed heavily, as he sat down beneath a rugged wooden floor, feeling the bumps and bounces as the rickety carriage he was hastily stuffed into went in its merry way to some unknown destination. The pair of chained silver bracelets on both his wrists seemed to mock him, especially the glinting gold engravings that symbolized a high level Seal Spell. This certain Spell was a bane for anyone who uses Magic, preventing its usage, which was incredibly unlucky for the physical combat trash known as Haruki.
Well, at least his other Skills were still available to use. His Disguise being active was a testament to that.
Haruki used the "Private Harem Channel" he had gotten after acquiring a Consort and opened a telepathic connection to Monad.
The Demon Hero's worried voice immediately rose up in his mind. "Haruki! Are you alright? Paul just told us you were taken away by the Shifting Sand!"
"Yes, but don't worry, I'm fine." Haruki adopted a reassuring tone, stifling the urge to complain and cry. "It's my fault, I underestimated the guild's higher-ups. Still, this is a good opportunity, I think they're taking me to the Chimera's nest."
"I see, I'm sure you can handle things just fine, but you should at least let Asmo accompany you." The concern knotted in Monad's voice made Haruki glad, but he was happier to hear the other Demon's implicit trust over his own actions and decisions.
"No, just let Asmo track my location," replied Haruki, now relaxing a bit after contemplating that he had trustworthy allies by his side. "Try to keep close at all times, but don't intervene unless I order you to."
Haruki didn't mention it, but he knew he couldn't trust the Familiar too much. It didn't happen again, but Asmo's strange behavior of forcing the usage of Carnal Connection when Monad was Cursed, still bugged him. Until he could ascertain where Asmo's true allegiance lied, he wouldn't be dumb enough to pin his survival to the Familiar. The lives might be tied together, but their objectives would not necessarily follow.
"Have Avon and Raven take care of Paul and Carlos," added the Sovereign of Lust, taking stock of the circumstances and quickly adopting new movements. Good thing he transferred Carlo's Mind Control Spell over to Avon before things went awry. "They have to make sure to delve deep into the Shifting Sand's inner workings. I have a feeling they might be backed by another country."
Haruki remembered the strange mirror-like device they used on him. It somehow glowed a bright blue and the guild's leader Darwin suddenly changed his tune. Once he had convinced Paul to join his side with a little help from his effectively mixing up a Hypnosis Spell and his Seduction Skill, Haruki planned to infiltrate the guild by applying as a new part-time informant like the Human boy. True to his stature as a guild boss, Darwin was apprehensive at Haruki's unknown history, until he took out the tool "to test his capabilities".
With Identifying Magic, Haruki was pretty sure that this device couldn't pierce through his Disguise. It only measured his Stats and Skills and even then, it could only give out a rough estimate. With his shitty combination of Stats and non-combat Skills, Haruki thought he would pass off as an unfortunate kid with little to no danger level.
However, Darwin's resulting reaction of glee was unprecedented and Haruki got rare goosebumps. But despite the early warning, in just a couple of hours after his brush with the Shifting Sand, Haruki had been successfully kidnapped and whisked away to who knows where. Based on the information he gathered so far, he was definitely being sent over to the Chimeras, which was in the end, a good thing.
The bad thing was that the Shifting Sand was a little too powerful than anticipated. He had doubts after catching the Enchanted knife that Carlos tried to use him; now another Enchanted item literally fell on his hands. The crude weapon was of little consequence, since it required the wielder's magic power to fully utilize, but these restraining bracelets and the device from before were definitely out of place in a small illegal guild.
"Do you think the Nit Magedom are behind them?"
Monad had a reasonable guess, but… "I don't think it's them, since the Shifting Sand preys on Magedom citizens and even nobles. They are helping the Chimeras, so it could be them, but I doubt they can acquire Enchanted tools that easily. It's more like there's a hidden force backing the guild, trying to court the Chimeras into their side…"
That's it, thought Haruki with widened eyes. The subtle machination, precise planning and slow yet steady series of actions - it's definitely the work of a Player like him!
The big question though - is it a Player from a Human faction or a Demon faction? The answer will definitely change things big time and Haruki had to be ready for both scenarios. Demons would be preferable, at least they were on the same side and negotiations could be up on the table. As for Humans, there was no other choice but to wage war…
Monad's voice cut off Haruki's lingering mind. "Haruki, is something wrong? You've suddenly gone quiet."
"It's nothing." Haruki trampled on the negatives and tried to make preparations for the inevitable encounter with another otherworlder like him. "Let's decrease the number of outside operations for now. Demons who are traveling beyond our territory should wear Anti-Identifying Magic equipment. It could be a little burdensome, but safety first."
For Haruki, the worst thing Players possessed was the all-encompassing cheat skill known as Identifying Magic. He spent at least a month with the artisans from the Blacksmith and Magicraft Assembly to perfect tools and accessories that could circumvent it, but they only came up with some crude items that can only be used in emergencies. These dubbed "Anti-Identifying Magic" equipment came with hefty costs, such as lowering Stats, annoying Curses and prevention of the use of certain Skills and Magic. The best Item they could produce was a small brooch that was now in the possession of Haruki - the one who had a lot to lose when he is recognized by another Player.
Even then, it only had a small effect. Still, it was better than having nothing at all…
"Got it, Haruki. Any other orders?"
The carriage drove through a rock and Haruki bounced, jarred with some pain on his ass. "Ah, none for now. I'll contact you again once I get in contact with the Chimeras."
"Alright, but please be careful, Haruki." Monad's husky voice oozed concern, but it quickly regained his usual attitude. "And try not to miss me too much."
Haruki rolled his eyes, realizing where the conversation was going and putting a stopper onto it. "You've had enough sex for two weeks, you'll survive."
The Demon Consort's responding laughter tickled Haruki's brain, making him blush a little. It was a good thing Monad couldn't see, otherwise he'd have teased him to tears.
However, the next few words from Monad made his heart feel warm. "I'll be waiting for you Haruki, please come home soon."
"Yeah…" When was the last time Haruki heard such sweet words as 'come home soon'? He couldn't help but feel cherished, even though he knew the Demon Hero had proven his devotion for some time now. Monad had successfully cheered him up, ready for whatever the future brings. "Wait for me, I'll make sure to bring back new allies."
If the world wanted him to be a poor captive, then Haruki would play the role with relish. If the Chimeras knew what was best for them, they should treat their future King a little better.
~
"Um, I'm pretty sure we're held here as slaves, right?"
Haruki asked the friendly Human woman beside him, who was eating a good meal of rice, meat and assorted vegetables. She was a little on the chubby side with gold-brown hair, green eyes and lots of freckles on her face. Her name was Abby and like Haruki, she had been brought here in the Chimera nest for labor. She answered his question in between stuffing her mouth with food. "That's right, we do as the Chimeras order here."
"I see…" Haruki looked down on his sumptuous dinner with doubts etched on his face. He was seated in the Chimeras' dining hall, also known as a haphazardly made open-air shelter with monster skin as the roof, a bunch of lumber as pillars and some hewn rocks as furniture. He couldn't use Identifying Magic on the food since he still had his Seal-Enchanted restraints on, which every other Human slave in this place also wore. He was wondering if the meal had some strange substances mixed in it; as a Demon, he could do without sustenance, so he wasn't in the danger of dying from hunger or thirst.
"Oi, Addie, what're you waiting for? Dinner only lasts for thirty minutes. Come on, eat up, you look really thin."
A silver-haired man approached them casually, the fluffy wolf ears on his head rising up with his cheerful mood. He was tall and tanned, much more than Monad, almost bordering on being dark-skinned. His eyes were a clear cerulean and his face was youthful-looking with always a grin on his mouth, emphasizing his shark-like teeth. A triangular gray fin spurted from his back and a fluffy canine's tail protruded from his butt, with the loose-fitting black clothes he wore arranged to make sure the two appendages stayed as comfortable as possible. However, he stayed barefoot with his webbed feet and the sharp claw-like nails on his hands disallowed gloves.
This Chimera man introduced himself as Linus, the Vice Captain of the Chimera Warriors. He was the one who greeted the men from Shifting Sand who delivered Haruki. While the guild members were stuffy and stern, Linus welcomed Addie with cheer from the start, even though he was saying grim things such as being a slave for the Chimeras forever.
In the hour that went Haruki got acquainted with the rest of the Human "slaves" in the Chimera nest, but a lot of things struck him as odd. The three meals a day with sufficient protein and nutrients were one thing, but Linus' overly friendliness was disconcerting.
"What're you staring at, Addie?" Linus lost his smile while humming in contemplation. "Is the food not your taste?"
"Ah, no," replied Haruki with a gulp. He was shaking like a leaf, adopting a fragile, soft-spoken and shy personality. "I'm just wondering what we slaves are supposed to do in this place…"
"Hmmm, that's a bit tricky to explain…" Linus knocked on his forehead, showing a silly dog-like expression. "I'm not really good with elaborating things, so you should just hang on and wait for the Captain and the Scholar to arrive!"
The Captain and the Scholar - Haruki have heard of them while conversing with the others. The Chimeras tend to be tight-lipped and there were only a few of them since the Captain led a platoon to a mission in the north, but the Humans talked with no burdens whatsoever. The Captain was definitely the leader of the Chimeras, likely to be the Hero Asmo identified way back when he first arrived in this world. The Scholar was a Human and an enigma closely associated with the minor race, though his main job was to take care of the health of the Chimeras and the slaves, so he was more of a doctor to Haruki. As to why the Chimeras needed a doctor, Haruki had a hunch, taking into account his knowledge of Verethragna Gloria's backstory.
Still, the Chimeras were unnecessarily good to the Humans who usually scorned them and the overall atmosphere in the nest was just too bizarre.
But under Linus' expectant gaze, Haruki had no choice but to eat the food presented to him. He simply prayed that even if there were any dangerous things mixed in, it wouldn't necessarily affect his Demonic constitution.
"Linus!" Another Chimera called, this time a woman who had hawk-like wings for arms and a pair of snake-like eyes. "The Scholar's back - he wants to see the new arrival."
"Gotcha, will bring him after he finishes his dinner," answered Linus cheerfully. It seemed like he was waiting for Haruki to finish his meal, even sitting opposite him in the flattened rock used as a dining table.
"Erm, Linus…" Haruki was having a hard time getting into character with this big dog-like man watching his every move.
"Don't mind me~ Haruki looks really cute while he eats!"
Choking sounds preceded some coughing, forcing Haruki to wash away a mouthful of food with some water.
Linus chuckled, seeing the other's reddened cheeks. "Just joking! I'm not gonna steal someone else's mate."
Mate? What? Did this half-wolf half-shark Chimera's keen sense of smell include sniffing out if someone had a marriage partner? Haruki never heard of someone named Linus in the game, but he did know that a Chimera gained superb senses based on the animals and monsters they were combined with. Linus definitely looked like someone who could identify someone with his nose.
Unfortunately for Haruki, he couldn't ask the wolf-man to explain, since the other already dropped the conversation and initiated a conversation with another slave who joined their table. The Demon Lord observed as Linus got along with the Humans, joking around with them with a cheerful grin plastered on his face.
Linus was weird, the Humans were weird, this whole situation was weird! Haruki was beginning to question his so-called mastery of the game's various lore.
While his mind was grumbling and groaning at the possible causes of divergence from what he knew, Haruki's mouth opened and closed in tandem, relishing the taste of the quite well-made meal. It took no time for him to finish his dinner.
Ever observant, Linus was quick to notice. "You done, Addie? Wanna meet the Scholar now?"
Haruki shyly nodded, prompting Linus to collect the dirty dishes and hand it over to another Human to take care of. He flashed a big grin at the Demon with a beckoning gesture. "Follow me, Addie."
In response, Haruki nodded once more, leaving the dining hall with the Chimera. While the two walked, Linus kept babbling about some nonsense he filtered out, while he once again surveyed his surroundings. The Chimera's nest was located in an abandoned mine - a spiral-shaped hollow that surrounded a huge hole that was dug so deep one can only see darkness from the surface. Aside from the entrance that Haruki's carriage came in, there was no other pathway to and from the nest, since the entire area seemed to be carved from a mountain that caved in on itself. As a result, there was a ring of earth that formed a natural wall for the nest, and unless one can fly, escaping was predictably impossible.
Most of the Chimeras' shared places of interest - such as the kitchen, blacksmith, armory and stores - were open-air pitched structures with random furs as the roof, similar to the dining hall. Haruki could easily see what was happening inside them, with a number of Human "slaves" tending to the duties such as cooking and shopkeeping. Personal quarters, however, were hewn from the dead mountain's rock, making it a good place to shelter from the Extollan Wastes' searing heat during the day and indomitable cold at night. These were only made available to the Chimeras however, as the Humans lived together in a large cavern that was continuously under supervision.
The only exception to the general rule was this Human Scholar, who had a room of his own reminiscent of the Chimera's.
Linus barged in without a second thought and Haruki had little choice but to hurriedly follow. "Flem-flem, I brought the new Human!"
A sharp, reedy male voice echoed from deep inside. "Cut it out with that disgusting nickname! Linus, you piece of shit, can't you knock?"
"What's to knock when there isn't a door?" quipped Linus playfully as he stood in front of a man sitting hunched in front of the only wooden desk Haruki ever seen in this area, writing something on a piece of paper.
While the Scholar and the Chimera bickered about etiquette, Haruki took some time to observe the room. It was a mix of a study, a laboratory and a bedroom, with looming bookcases and shelves of medicines and potions on the cave wall, several glass apparatus and baskets of unused herbs and a bunch of other ingredients on stone-made tables, and a small single stone bed with several heaped blankets. There was a stale smell in the air, reminding Haruki of disinfectant.
"Anyway, here's Addie, the new Human!" Linus presented Haruki with eager arms with a "ta-dah" gesture, as if showing off a new magic trick. "He got a really high result in the Selector, so I think he's very compatible with the Captain!"
The rush of words barely registered in Linus' mind when the Chimera moved a bit, giving him his first sight of the Scholar. "This is Fleming, a Scholar from Nit Magedom who's working for us."
Haruki couldn't help but gape. Standing in front of him was Fleming Memphis, the Hundred-Eyed Alchemist, a popular Hero from Nit Magedom!
Loving it, though there's definitely a time jump here between chapters...but I can easily add in the details to connect them. Up to the next one.