Fractured Spirit (Alpha World Book 5)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “You called it, Ioaniss,” the King said as he nodded. “Very well. The last boon from the Crown to Alpha Company shall be the proclamation that Summoners and Necromancers may keep their minions with them within the walls of Stormguard henceforth. Their owners will, of course, be held responsible for their minion’s actions. I will issue the decree on the morrow when I knight Gerald. That was the last bit of business I had with you all this evening.”

  Rising rather abruptly, the King bid them farewell and left the room, the servant trailing behind him. Ioaniss stayed behind. “Not badly done at all. Did you have any questions you did not wish to ask the King?”

  Gerald shook his head, “Not really. Oh, well, besides what time I need to be here tomorrow?”

  Ioaniss grinned, “A carriage will be dispatched to pick you up. I would recommend that you look into establishing a permanent residence here in the city. It’s not actually law, but it is considered to be quite the proper thing that each of the nobles maintains a House here.”

  “We will make suitable arrangements,” Marysue replied. “Thank you again, Sir Jones. None of this would be happening if not for your support.”

  “Only in a way. This all started with a gift to the King from Sir Dracon, a relic that Alburet sold him. Ah, it’s getting late. Let me show you out for the evening,” Ioaniss gently ushered them out of the room and the castle. “Tomorrow will be a good day. A Two-souled is being granted knighthood. Oh, the courtiers on hand tomorrow won’t know what to do with themselves,” Ioaniss chuckled.

  A footman bowed to the group as a carriage came to a stop under the portico, “Your carriage, sir and madam.” Gerald and Marysue were settled in and the carriage rolled away, replaced immediately by another one.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Karen said once they were on their way. “The palace is really nice, and the King was amazing.”

  “He has been a good King,” Stacia opined. “Unlike some of the ones in the past, he has nay persecuted anyone.”

  “He was intense,” Fluffball added. “He wore his confidence like a cloak.”

  “It’s late, and tomorrow Gerald was thinking about arranging a goodbye feast for those members who only opted for a single month,” Alburet said after a moment of silence. “I’m thinking we should turn in for the night. A nice cuddle to end a pretty busy day.”

  The three women readily agreed to his idea. The rest of the ride home and the few minutes spent getting ready for bed went by in a comfortable silence. Alburet chuckled as he was surrounded once they all climbed into bed. Fluff took his right, Karen her far side, while Stacia took his left. “I don’t know why I fought this for so long,” he murmured as they all snuggled in.

  “Fear,” Fluffball suggested. “Afraid of letting others close.”

  “Stubborn pride,” Karen snickered. “Having to say you were wrong about pulling away from us in the first place.”

  “It does nay matter. All tha’ matters be tha’ we all be a family now. Ya pasts all brought ya to this point, even the worst parts of them. I just be grateful for every moment tha’ we have together. Master brought me the greatest joy I have ever known. With ya both joinin’ us, me joy has only grown. So we should nay longer focus on the past, but more on the now,” Stacia told them as she reached across Al to caress Fluff’s ear. “I know ya feel the same happiness and joy tha’ I do.”

  “Kind of unfair to us, you being able to feel our emotions,” Karen muttered.

  “I’ve been able to for the last week as well, remember,” Alburet reminded them. “Shortly before our trip across the Dead Lands ended, the ability seemed to open up for me. It’s hard to describe, but I can sense your joy, sadness, sorrow, or ecstasy.”

  “You know just how happy I am, here, with you?” Fluff asked, her heart beating faster.

  “Yeah. I also feel your worry about me hurting you. I wish I could let you feel what I do. It would make things easier,” Alburet said as he kissed her cheek.

  “That sounds a little scary, too,” Karen added. “Not being able to hide the pain that a loved one causes you unintentionally. Or even a passing desire when you see an attractive person walk by.”

  “Aye, but none of us are jealous are we, so the second one be moot. The first one, is tha’ nay also good? Iffin ya both know tha’ somethin’ hurt one of ya then ya can work on makin’ ya lives tha’ much better,” Stacia opined.

  “I think I would like it,” Fluffball whispered. “To feel the love you all have for me. To know, not just hope, but to really know, would be freeing.”

  “That would be kind of nice,” Karen admitted.

  “Aye, mayhap,” Stacia murmured. “Shall I sing us to sleep?”

  “It’s like non-addictive Valium,” Karen chuckled.

  “I like your songs,” Fluff said.

  “Only if you don’t stay up too long after we fall off,” Alburet told her.

  “I will join ya for slumber as quick as I can,” Stacia replied. She began to sing softly to her friends and lovers, a gentle tune of love. As the song washed over them their eyes fluttered once, before closing. As their breathing evened out Stacia briefly got out of bed, returning a couple of minutes later. As she snuggled back to Alburet’s side she whispered, “Forgive me, master, but I had to ask.” With that she closed her own eyes and let sleep take her as well.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Alburet frowned as he looked at the room he was in. He knew David’s living room instantly, but he didn’t understand why he was seeing it now. “Maybe if you turn around,” his own voice said.

  Turning, Alburet found he was facing a copy of himself, a few years younger, but still him. “What the fuck?”

  “Just a quick meeting of the minds you could say,” his double chuckled. “I talked to you before when you were literally tearing us apart. You finally listened to me and did something about it. We’re finally starting to heal, thanks to our wife, or wives, I guess I should say, and grats on that by the way. They’re helping us. Love can heal most wounds, and with as much love as we have around us, we might actually recover. Do you remember the psychiatrist giving us less than ten percent odds to fully recover?”

  “No,” Alburet said as he took a seat in his usual spot. “So why are we meeting now?”

  “Mostly to thank you, and them. It was getting kind of crowded in here. After Kaylee died you started splitting off new memories, dozens of them. Now that you’re actually starting to accept the truth we’re being reintegrated, so this is maybe the last time I’ll get to speak to you. While we’re talking about accepting truth, do you recall Victoria showing us the memory of you killing the guy that killed Kaylee? You remember she asked what was wrong with it?”

  “Yeah, I remember that. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it,” Alburet said, his voice thoughtful.

  “What you said to him, right before you shot him,” his double said. “‘For killing the person I loved most in the world, I’m going to kill you, then find you in Hell and kill you over and over again.’ Which, by the way, we all agree with.”

  “Wait, you keep saying we. Do I have multiple personality disorder?”

  “Yes and no. It’s more like lots of saved copies with errors, each one more flawed than the previous one. I’m one of the earliest ones. You’ve already assimilated a few dozen by accepting Mom, David and Kaylee’s deaths. Each moment you let the women love you, more of us can step aside. Your memories, the real memories, will now slowly return even without Stacia’s help.”

  “So why are you the one talking to me?” Alburet asked curiously.

  Leaning against a wall, the double chuckled, “Well, because I was the only one who really wanted to. So, thank you for finally facing the truth. I doubt we’ll talk again, but if we do it will probably be just before I assimilate back into you.” The double vanished, and the room faded away as Alburet felt himself grow groggy.

  ~*~*~

  Alburet woke to Fluff kneading his pectoral muscles gently as she
purred in her sleep.

  There was no one on his other side, which meant Stacia was already awake. He rolled towards Fluff, draping his arm over her waist as she continued to knead at his chest. He just watched her with a smile on his lips, as he recalled the dream. “It hurts, but with all the love here with me, maybe I’ll be okay after all.”

  “You damn well better be,” Karen said softly as she rose up from Fluff’s other side. Her eyes went from him to Fluff’s hands, her smile broadening, “She is so cute when she does that. Just glad it’s you this morning and not me. It kind of kicks my motor on from the word go.”

  Alburet chuckled, “It just feels nice to me.”

  “Hmm?” Fluff murmured as her eyes fluttered open. “Is it morning?”

  “Morning, Fluff,” Alburet said as he kissed her lightly.

  Blinking to clear her vision, Fluff looked up to see Alburet smiling at her. “Morning, Al. Thank you for the morning kiss.”

  “I want one too,” Karen said with a mock pout, gently pulling Fluff around to face her. Karen was grinning when the kiss ended, “It is a really nice way to start the day.”

  “One of the best,” Alburet agreed as he got out of bed. “Maybe we should go hunt Stacia down and all give her one.”

  Walking out of the bedroom, trailed by a pair of naked women, Alburet went towards the living room and kitchen. Just as he was about to leave the hallway he heard voices. He came to an abrupt stop, with the other two coming up just behind him. He held up a hand to stop them from asking questions, but even then he couldn’t make out who was talking or about what.

  He motioned the other two back as he turned back to the room. “Company, no idea who. Might be a good idea to get something on before we go out there,” he said softly.

  Karen opened her mouth to object, when Fluff nodded and went with Alburet. Karen closed her mouth and followed the two of them. They all threw on some clothes and went back out to the living room. What they found was Stacia in just an apron, talking with Mother. “There they be, they must ha’ wanted to be dressed first,” Stacia said as she got up from the sofa, where she’d been sitting next to Mother. “Breakfast be ready when ya be. I’ll bring ya all some coffee.”

  “Ah, good, you’re all up. We should talk,” Mother said in her normal sultry tone. She turned slightly to address Karen and Fluffball directly. “Stacia tells me that the two of you were thinking it would be nice to feel your lovers’ emotions. Do you still feel that way?”

  Karen and Fluff, who had taken seats on the small sofa, both looked back at a grinning Stacia. “We were discussing it just last night,” Karen said after a moment. “We’d only briefly touched on the subject, the pluses and minuses of being able to.”

  “I’m still interested,” Fluff said when Karen paused. “What would we have to do?”

  Mother’s smile bloomed at Fluff’s words, “Always looking for the cost is good, Fluffball. However, this time there is no hook. The Dark Lord has decided to grant you all a reward for claiming Gwain’s Keep and flushing Ophelia from hiding. So, if you want, for your reward we can conduct the ritual needed for you two to become Half-blood Infernals of the Succubus line. Stacia’s reward was asking for this for you both. Alburet’s reward is something that will help him along a path he is walking. Your other guild officers will be granted small boons from Him. I have the tokens for them with me. Also, all Summoners who went with you have received reputation gains with the Dark Lord’s followers as well as minor boosts for their minions, including Bob and Tiny.”

  “So this is a reward, with no strings attached?” Karen asked, her eyes narrowing.

  “That is correct,” Mother replied, sitting back while Stacia handed out coffee to everyone. Sipping at the beverage, she nodded her thanks to Stacia, “It is a quick thing, though a touch painful as Alburet can attest to. While you both consider that,” Mother paused to pull two disks of black metal flecked with red out of her bag. “These are for your friends. All they have to do is hold one and state the boon they would like from the Dark Lord.” She placed them on the coffee table in front of Alburet. “Also, here is your reward, Alburet,” she pulled out a set of soft leather pants. “I hope you enjoy them.”

  “I be thinkin’ I’ll enjoy him bein’ in them and out of them,” Stacia commented as she picked up the pants, looking them over before she handed them to Alburet. Her lips pursed in a silent whistle as Alburet took them. “Tha’ be generous.”

  Alburet took the pants that shaded from black at the waist to dark red at the ankle. He gave a rueful shake of his head, “Somehow I had a feeling it was going to be part of the set.”

  Pants of the Demon Lord.

  Unique Scaling Item, Part of the Demon Lord set

  Armor 130 to legs (up to 200 depending on level) stacks with Demon Skin

  Agility 130 (up to 200 depending on level)

  Charisma 130 (up to 200 depending on level)

  Indestructible

  Immune to movement impairing effects.

  Becomes Soul Bound when equipped.

  Other parts of set:

  Crown

  Boots

  Gloves

  Robes

  Belt

  3 piece bonus: Race change and improved stats from armor

  6 piece bonus: ???

  He held the pants out to Stacia, “Dear heart, will you go put these with the rest of the armor?”

  “Aye,” Stacia took them from him, collecting a brief kiss, then went to drop the pants off. She was back out in the living room a moment later.

  Fluff and Karen looked at each other, each reaching a decision. While Stacia walked behind them, Fluff looked up at Stacia’s smiling face. With a firm nod, Fluff looked to Mother, “I would like to do the ritual, please.”

  “I will, too,” Karen said a heartbeat after Fluff.

  Mother pulled two vials from her pouch, holding them out to Karen and Fluffball. Both looked very similar to the one Alburet had taken when he’d transitioned to a Half-blood Infernal. “You need to be aware that this is going to change your physical self. You will experience some momentary pain. You might wish to lie down.”

  Fluff took the vial and sat down on the floor, Karen right beside her. As the two of them looked at the vials in their hands, Stacia and Alburet came over to kneel next to their heads. “We will be right here,” Alburet told them. He could feel the trepidation from both of them, but Karen was the more worried of the two. He gently touched her brow, “I survived this. If I could handle it, there is no doubt that you can.”

  Meeting his eyes, Karen took a calming breath, giving him a smile. “Thanks for the pep talk, coach.”

  Fluff took Karen’s hand with her free one, “Together?”

  “Together,” Karen agreed. “Three, two, one…”

  As she got to one they both downed the red fluid. The reaction was instantaneous. Their backs arched as the air left their lungs before they could scream. Stacia gripped Fluff firmly, but with care, as Alburet did the same with Karen. He watched as the elixir worked its physical changes on them. He took in the changes he could see in their bodies as the elixir worked. Karen’s skin grew a bit paler, becoming softer to the touch. Her curves became a touch more rounded and full while she gained several inches in height. Fluff was going through similar changes. Her fur now looked like the softest silk, flowing across her enhanced figure. Alburet had to suppress an urge to stroke it. His eyes went back to Karen, who seemed to be coming down off the pain. The skirt she was wearing, that had been quite modest before, now fit her like a miniskirt.

  He shifted so Karen’s head rested in his lap as he waited for her to come back to consciousness. Stacia did the same with Fluff, “Tha’ was nay as bad as what ya went through.”

  Alburet nodded as he reached out to gently touch the fur on Fluff’s arm. He had been right, her fur was silky soft to the touch. “I just hope they’re okay with the changes.”

  “I’m done here, and it might be best if I am not present w
hen they wake,” Mother said as she got to her feet. “I look forward to whatever awaits you next, Alburet Two-souled. Take care of my granddaughters for me.” She vanished in a puff of smoke.

  “Wait,” Alburet frowned. “Did she just call them her granddaughters?”

  “Aye. It means she gave them blood from one of her daughters,” Stacia nodded with a small grin. “Ya truly do have sister-wives now.”

  Chuckling, Alburet looked down as Karen began to stir. “Hey there, mynx. How are you feeling?”

  Karen groaned as she opened her eyes, “You went through that?”

  “He went through worse, actually,” Stacia told her. “How do ya feel?”

  “Like my blood was superheated while my muscles were in a taffy puller.”

  Fluff whimpered as she opened her eyes, “It hurt.”