I rolled to my side and pulled the covers over my head. I'm awake but I'm sure as hell not ready to get up. The covers had other plans. They kept getting stuck on my horns and finally I was too frustrated to stay in bed. Stupid horns, they're nothing but trouble! Between them and the tail, I had some serious grievances with this body. I rolled off the bed with a grumble and found Frost sitting at a little table nursing a steaming cup. 

 

"Morning, Frumpy." I glared at her give. Far too early for this! "I have some coffee for you…"

 

I sat at the table and accepted the offering, I smelled...coffee. I suppose I won't have a nice flavoured cup of coffee until all this is done… "What time is it? Seems too early to start the day…"

 

Frost fixed me with a no nonsense stare, "It's nearly 1." It is too early! "And your horns seem to think it's  perfectly fine to get up now."

 

I gulped at my coffee (I never learned to sip any liquid I've encountered in this life) and set my cup down. "So, day on the town? See what the market has to offer?"

 

Frost slowly shook her head and made a face. "I'd rather not."

 

I frowned in confusion, "I know you're not a fan of window shopping but I'm sure I could trade some labor for trade...but that's not the problem is it."

 

She sighed and fixed with a mournful stare, "I don't trust them. We don't know these people, they could turn on us in an instant to improve their own odds of survival. We have to think of ourselves first, we need to get home to our kids not be shopping or sitting in some shanty town playing at make believe that the real world doesn't exist!"

 

"I know. I don't want to pretend," I moved my chair next to her and wrapped her in an arm. "We don't have to do anything else. Asking for rumours on clearing the game here is asking for trouble. I'll get cleaned up and we can go."

 

"Go where? To the genocidal cult?! What it one of us is really hurt, assuming we aren't killed? I couldn't heal Pyria's ear when it was cut off! If we lose a limb we're fucked!"

 

"I don't know,  we'll just go. Ok? We'll figure it out, make our way to our initial destination. We'll be careful to avoid anyone dangerous enough to harm us. I promise." She nodded reluctantly. "I'll be quick…"

 

Frost settled into a sullen brooding as she nursed her coffee cup. A quick search led me to a bathroom, hint: it was the only door that wasn't the front one. I slipped inside and found a water pump. You know with a handle to pump the water like you'd see in a Little House on the Prairie episode. So far peeing and such was a non-issue, which is rather helpful for time management but I still wanted to at least wash up in some manner after 3 weeks at sea.

 

I reached for the pump but froze when I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror.  I'd yet to see my new form other than in the character sheet. The face was more angular than my real self’s, the same high cheekbones graced my new face though the cheeks themselves were more sullen. My lips still turned up slightly as if in a perpetual smile of a secret I wasn't sharing but the lips themselves were more heart shaped. The largest difference were the shaped eyebrows, groomed into thin lines and the glowing blue eyes staring back at me. Ugh, my hair is a mess. Honestly, having hair is entirely new, but after nearly a month of neglect it was pretty damned shitty looking. It was black and appeared ashen in some places, absolutely oddly striking against my alabaster skin but I'm pretty sure its black from dirt. 

 

I stared at my horns and ran a finger along them feeling a slight pressure of where my finger was but severely muted, not a true sense of feeling. The horns erupted just over and behind my temples and running about an inch past the back of my head in a serpentine form. Despite the various curves the horns seemed to be positioned in a way that would provide additional protection for my head. I placed the stopper in the sink and worked the pump to fill it. The sink itself was more of a basin, like kitchen sink. The water was cold but ever since taking this body I'm aware of the cold but don't actually feel it so it didn't slow my wash. 

 

After a few minutes of dedicated scrubbing I checked my work in the mirror. A beautiful enigma stared back at me. Gorgeous to behold, my mind not yet registering this face as me yet, and yet so deadly seeming. Like the first snowfall, fresh with a silent beauty that's hard to name as all the world is stilled coupled with the knowledge of life changing, or even ending, events hidden by the softness. The ever hard and unyielding ice that lie waiting to claim the unwary. That's what my new face evoked in my mind. My hair was now white...no, more of an icy blue. My mind wanted to name it white but there was just a hint of blue to it. The hair gave way to an almost white lilac in the last third of the hair. It was...euphoric. To see my new self, to know I seen this way by everyone else. 

 

The same euphoria I felt last night. That I had felt once before in being in a place I knew I wouldn't be judged for being me. It's weird I suppose. Perhaps one needs to feel it for themselves to get it but feeling 'normal' because of the people one is surrounded by. It's like a tension or a guard that's been released, like I can finally breathe. I really don't know how to explain it.  I shook my head and returned to Frost. If you thought I'd go nuts over the rest of my body, I fear I must disappoint you. I have breasts in the real world, my dick followed me here and there's not much to cheer about. Hips and thin shoulders I guess? But the hair was the big deal to me and the face. As for my tail, I need to deal with that later. Still seems weird. 

 

I returned to find and Frost looking exceedingly bored. I squinted at her. "How do you always look so groomed?!"

 

She stared at me with no apparent amusement, "How do you think I spent the extra hour you slept."

 

"Oh. So...shall we go?" Her answer was interrupted by a knock at the door. My mind returned to Frost's mistrust and I summoned and dismissed one of my swords a few times while we looked at each other with silent intent. Finally, I strode to the door and pulled it open to find Bear waiting with arms crossed. 

 

He stared down at me with an appraising look and grunted, "Ya look different."

 

"I….yes. Would you like to come in?" Bear rumbled some kind of answer deep in his chest and strode to the table. Being indoors reinforced his insane height another inch or two and he'd be scraping the roof! He sat down and stared at me with impatience. I sauntered to the table, yes. Sauntered. Because I'm no ones bitch to heel. "What's up?"

 

"Have a job for you," he lifted a hand to forestall my declination, "just hear me out. The Church has been scouting for about a week now, nothing serious but I suspect they'll try a skirmish sometime soon to test our defenses. You'll want to be gone by then if you won't stand with us. I can't spare anyone because of this."

 

I waited for him to continue but he just stared at me. Is he a complex NPC waiting for me to pick up the quest thread…? "Ok…"

 

He pulled out a scroll, definitely an NPCish response. He unfurled it and slid the scroll over to me, "One of my druids sketched this. Says this group has been camping the Northern Pass, killing travelers. I need them cleared out, I'm offering 10 gold for their removal."

 

Frost beat me to the punch, "No. We won't risk ourselves on some errand, thanks for letting us stay the night bu-"

 

"Is this drawing accurate?!" Frost snapped her gaze to me. Bear looked confused so I clarified, "the armor their drawn in. Is it accurate?"

 

Bear appeared no less confused but nodded slowly. Hot damn! I know this isn't like the best motivation but my chest plate 1, is ugly and 2, has a giant sword hole in it. Plus, one of the bounties is wearing platekini so I'm 100% in. I looked to Frost with excitement gleaming in my eyes. 

 

She rolled her own eyes, "2000 gold. 20 won't even get us a meal."

 

"And a knife!" Frost looked at me like 'wtf'. "I need a weapon that won't turn them into snowflakes…"

 

I think Bears eyes rolled up into his head…"100 gold. An easy task for seasoned killers like you two."

 

'We've killed like 2 people who tried to kill us. And frankly I possessed one of them so I'm not sure she counts…"

 

He snorted, "And the fight club contenders?"

 

I looked at him questioningly, "What? They were npc's…."

 

"I had a scout there to keep an eye on things. Only survivor other than the one organizing it all. Those were players."

 

"They couldn't have been...no strategy, they didn't try to help each other...they...I killed dozens …"

 

"One hundred and thirteen."

 

I looked to Frost who appeared conflicted and gazed at me searchingly. No, I caused that. Put her in that position where she killed people. I made her a murderer...I stared at the table as numbness overtook my thoughts. I couldn't grasp the weight of what I'd done. 

 

He dropped a cloth sack on the table and pulled a knife out of his belt, which joined the bag on the table. 

 

"300. And the knife. Should cover your consciences for this job …" He looked disgusted. Maybe he should with the knowledge of what I'd done. I didn't  care. In that moment I hated him anyways. I didn't ask for this! I didn't seek to kill people! I was just trying to stay alive…"I don't have horses to spare but they aren't far.  Bout an hour north, I'll walk you to the gate and point you the right way."

 

Terms set, we were off. Though far more somber than we'd been just this morning. I slipped the knife into my own belt but quickly decided to drop it in my inventory. Turns out not having a sheath hurts. Frost took the money and gave me an odd look. After Bear pointed the way, he left. The walk wasn't terrible, a few minutes of open plains, clearly a killing field for defense there were stumps everywhere, then it turned to a conifer forest. 

 

The hour passed in silence as I contemplated the new found guilt of how many we've killed. The horror of how we joked and laughed over all those killed at the fight club. I….I sighed. They wanted to kill us, I could rationalize the guilt away for awhile for myself but for Frost. This must be killing her. I opened my mouth to say something to her a few times but couldn't find words to say. What could I say? Hey don't worry about everyone we killed together or their families who are mourning them? It was self defense so the way you burned them with your holy fire was fine or when I turned them all to chunks, it wasn't really my choice? No. I chose to go into that bar seeking information. I made a choice that led to us killing many….fuck. at some point we had entered the foothills of the nearby mountain range and small flurries of snow fell around us. 

 

Frost broke the silence, "I need to tell you something and I'm afraid you'll be upset when I do…"

 

"I promise I won't be ups-"  Frost grabbed my arm and pulled me back before pointing to several individuals around a campfire. I looked at Frost and raised an eyebrow in question, she shook her head no and pointed at herself. I understood her intent as saying she should be the one to attack. I frowned at her and tapped my chest.  This may have continued for a bit longer but at that moment I heard a branch snap behind me. I swept my tail as hard as I was able to as I turned but met only air. 

 

As I finished my spin I found a figure in cloth tunic and trousers approaching me with a knife, their face was concealed behind a mask and hood. They weren't alone,  behind them several more were gathered but I didn't see the one with the armor that had caught my eye. My eyes flicked momentarily back to the campfire, now devoid of occupants. The would be assassin lunged at me with their knife and by reflex I caught their wrist, with a sharp twist I heard bones crack and I delivered a swift backhanded strike to their head. They struck the floor and stopped moving but I could see their body continue to rise and fall with breaths taken. I released a small sigh of relief, one less body on my conscience. 

 

The next assailant was already on top of me swinging an enormous blade longer than my body. By habit I summoned my blades and met the blade mid swing shattering it, due to the close call, my blocking swing was I'll placed and sliced not only through the blade but also my assailants arms. Ice grew along the arms almost instantly, the victim's eyes grew wide with horror as the ice cracked and then shattered leaving a jagged stump on each limb just below the elbow. They took a few ragged breaths and collapsed. I stared for a moment but saw no rise of breath and no fog in the cold hair near their mouth. "Damnit!" 

 

I moved to check on them but from the other side an elf with green hair and purple skin stepped out from behind a tree. "Eire? What are you doing here?"

 

She scowled at me,  "A better question for you! I was working out a peaceful solution with these individuals. Until you showed up!"

 

She'd approached and now stood directly in front of me, nearly toe to toe. "Bear said you needed hel-"

 

A warmth trickled down my belly, at first it felt like when my kids were younger and peed on me after slipping their diaper off but then I felt a twist and pain cleared through my body and the trickle became a rushing stream. I looked down and saw Eire's hand holding a knife that was embedded in my stomach, right where the sword and torn the armor away that first day. 

 

"Queer freak. Think you can come here and kill my friends? God is on my side aberration and we're going to kill every last-" Her face was frozen in a rictus of shock, anger poured through me and I can't say I can accurately recall making and decision but I looked back down and half my forearm was lodged in Eire's abdomen just below the ribcage. In my hand I felt a pulsing that was quickly gaining in speed. "Please…."

 

My anger burned inside me. I was trying to spare lives and this bitch just tried to gut me! I looked at her and growled my judgement, "Kali ma bitch."

 

I sent a pulse of Frost magic from my hand and felt the pulsing stop as the organ began to harden. Eire's eyes grew even wider and with a flex of my fingers I heard the shattering of ice before a limp body collapsed to the ground. The body shifted and a human woman with black hair and brown eyes stared up at me sightlessly. An orb rolled out of her right hand, purple with a smooth texture, it seemed almost to shiver. I reached for it but heard a shout behind me, glancing to the sound I saw three armored fighters surrounding Frost as she charged a spell in each hand. No! I used my Frost Armor spell and froze my wound to patch it for now. I couldn't let her get anymore blood on her hands!

 

I used Wraith Step and appeared behind the attacker in front of her. With a slash of a clawed hand I ripped his throat out and Stepped again and snapped the neck of one behind her. Two down. Stepping once more I delivered a roundhouse kick, a real one, not the Hollywood kind, and sent the last fighter sailing. He impacted a tree at high velocity and while the torso smeared on the trunk the legs continued helicoptering through the forest. Frost stared at me with her mouth agape. "Zet. What did you- what happened to your stomach?!"

 

She ran up to me, hands glowing and pressed them to my wound, sending a pulse of warm healing energy into me. The pain subsided immediately. "I let guard down. I won't do that again… I'm sorry. I thought I could avoid having to kill them but...I was wrong."

 

I can't afford to spare them. No more attempts at mercy. No half measures. Such are the stakes… She looked at me mournfully, "Zet, I." She took a deep breath, "Listen, I-"

 

A flutter of wings erupted around us at that moment and a large hawkish bird flew down and crashed next to us. The figure grew in size and changed its shape until a rather twiggy human stood before. Despite the thin frame the figure was decidedly male in presentation. I pulled out my swords and prepared to strike if he moved threateningly. "What do you want?"

 

He stepped back and eyed my swords warily, "Um...hi. I'm uh...do you, do you mind not brandishing those at me?" I didn't answer which elicited a clearing of his throat after a time. "I'm Herald. I'm a druid, you probably figured that out from my ...bird… Anyway, I'm from Tearmann and I really really need you help."

 

He seemed to puff himself up like he wanted to seem more...commanding? I raised an eyebrow at him, "Harold?"

 

He seemed to deflate a little, "Herald, like a bringer of news but also like Harold cause...reasons."

 

"Uh-huh. Well, we're good on helping so, nice to meet you. Goodbye." I dismissed my swords and walked back to the mysterious orb that had fallen. 

 

"You don't understand!" I guess he wasn't done. "The Church is attacking Tearmann!"

 

I knelt next to the orb. "Your scouts didn't see them coming? Seems rather unlikely if it's a force to make you worry."

 

Orb of Many Masks (10 minute Cooldown). Alters the model of the character as the bearer desires. Lasts until canceled. Interesting…I placed it in my inventory and stored my chest plate making sure my back was to the druid. I began to remove the intact and fun platekini from the woman whose heart I broke. The same platekini that had caught my eye in the picture as it turned out. The color of all her armor was a garish green and blue that was nearly sickening to look at but I could fix that later. Probably...

 

"They opened portals, about 10 minutes ago. I flew here as fast as I could. There's hundreds of them, maybe thousands!" 

 

I equipped the chest plate and shifted it to a more comfy fit. I started to worry for so many innocent people looking to live in peace. No. No, that's not the hill to die on. They didn't want us anyways. "Too many for us then. Sorry kid."

 

"But...you took on all those murderers at the fight club. You killed these guys even though you were outnumbered," Murderers? Running that racket I guess they were… "My husband is in town. I can't fly him… Please! I need help…"

 

Damnit. I glanced back at him and saw tears brimming his eyes, Frost appeared ad conflicted as I felt. I looked at the leggings the cold heartless bitch was wearing before me, far more gaps in the armor than my current tanky legs. Hers were definitely platekini and even looked like a metal bikini with metal thigh thighs. I bet those are agile as fuck. Sure I hadn't had an issue yet but I'm sure they'd help. Kneeling before the body I used the UI to store her leggings in my inventory before unequipping mine. My dangly bits probably weren't visible to Herald but just in case I equipped my new pants quickly and Oh Lord… speaking of dangly bits, the pants are a very snug fit. I pulled out the Orb of Many Masks as an idea hit me, with a thought I sent an order to change my avatar and I felt those smushed pieces disappear. A quick glance confirmed that no matter how naked I was, no one would think I wasn't a Cis female. 

 

I rose to my feet, my armor hugging everything just right and feeling very nice. Herald looked like a cross between about to vomit with fear and needing to drag me with him on his death quest. But what can I say. I can't abandon those in need.  "Ground rules: you go ahead and observe, try to find their commanders to point out to me. Can you fight?"

 

He shook his head vigorously, "I'm a healer."

 

"Then you stay hidden in the forest, maybe as your hawk form, tend any survivors when it's over. I don't need to rescue you too. Nor will I if you're stupid enough to jump in to the fighting. Understood?" He nodded, "Then let's go save a village…"