Cat Core 3, Chapter 17.

Chapter 17.

“I think you broke the bard,” Fizz said as Patricio sat there babbling to himself as he read the contract over and over, trying to get his head around it.

“My question is why didn’t we get this option with Shara and her party? They would have been much more helpful than this one,” Doug asked.

“You can bet that will be one of the first things I ask Michael when we’re done with this quest. Any ideas George?” Florence asked.

“I think it was the wording of his pledge, and while I don’t know the particulars of the other attempts to have someone join your quest, Patricio used the word bind,” he’s taking on considerable risk, so that leads me to believe he’s being honest in his offer or is a fool who doesn’t think before he acts. He could perhaps be both, an honest fool,” George said.

“Snap out of it Patricio, when can you arrange to get us in the dungeon,” Florence said.

“Let me gather my wits and I’ll head out to make the arrangements. I’ll just need the gold,” Patricio said. Still leery of giving over that much money, Florence went ahead and handed over the money.

“How long will this take?” Florence asked.

“Maybe a day or two until our man gets into the guard rotation. I’ll have more information after I make the arrangements. I assume you’re staying here?” Patricio asked.

“Yes, and I suppose you’re part of the team, so we can get you a room as well if you need one,” Florence offered.

“No need, I sing for my supper and my upkeep, Roger and I have a longstanding agreement to provide entertainment to his patrons,” Patricio said, making his way from the inn with much less flourish than he had shown earlier.

“He could be a wealth of knowledge, I hope you didn’t befuddle him too much with your core shard stuff,” Fizz said as he tucked into a tasty-looking blueberry cobbler that Roger the innkeeper had dropped off for him.

“I didn’t befuddle him, I just cut a deal that benefits us both,” Florence replied.

“Well, after all this food, I’m ready for a nap,” Fizz said, grabbing the key to the room that he and George were going to share.

“I’ll stay here to wait for Patricio if you’d like to rest a bit, Florence,” George offered.

“I think I’ll take a walk, then rest for a bit. Doug, you coming along, or are you just going to laze about?” Florence asked.

“Laze about, definitely laze about,” Doug said. He never was one to enjoy shopping and seeing the sights. Other than the game store, or a trip to the senior center, Doug was sort of a homebody. He did like to prowl about the front yard when she would rock in her chair out there, but he wasn’t exactly a man about town back on Earth.

It was almost like being in her old life again, walking around town and window shopping. People ignored her for the most part, but there were plenty who knew their manners and held open doors or gave a friendly greeting to the seemingly elderly-looking woman in their midst. She didn’t really need anything but did find a few stores that sold furnishings and the like, making a note of what looked nice so that she could incorporate it into her next home.

That brought the question of whether she would have another home once her quest was done. Was this life of a hybrid better than being a core? She wasn’t quite sure yet and had no idea what she’d do if she was offered a choice at the end of all this. There were good and bad points to each type of life, and she really enjoyed being in her home surrounded by her kitties but hated that she had to fight adventurers to grow and survive. Was there a better way to do it?

“You are the one,” A voice boomed out. Well, it didn’t really boom, the guy said it kind of quiet, but he had that deep voice that some folks would be intimidated by. Florence Valentine was not the type of woman to be intimidated by anyone, even if the guy that the voice was attached to was nearly seven feet tall and all muscled up.

“What’s that, young man?” She asked. He was a biggen, but the man didn’t look like the sharpest tool in the shed. Well, he might not be the sharpest tool, but he had plenty of them sharp tools strapped all over his body. The guy was a walking arsenal.

“You’re Florence Valentine, aren’t you?” The man asked.

“No, I’m Beatrice Hamilton, I don’t know anyone named Florence, well, I’m wrong, there was a Florence Billingsly that lives outside of town. Her husband raises goats and makes that nasty cheese from the milk. Is that who you’re looking for?” Florence lied. The man sniffed at her, which was both rude and creepy.

“You are her,” the man repeated. Before Florence could get another word in, the man plucked two axes from his belt and slammed them into Florence. Her clothing acted as armor, but it did little to stop the sharp axes from striking. Her Enhanced Durability trait kicked in, mitigating some of the damage and leaving her gasping in pain with only a sliver of health remaining. Thinking fast, because she was smart that way, Florence activated Shake the Cane, hurling the man back ten feet with the wall of power it released, backing her way into the nearby alley. This here fight was going to get a lot of unwanted attention if went on in the middle of the street.

The man stumbled back but recovered quickly. Florence tried to get Instant Dungeon to activate, but before she could finish, the man hurled the axes at her, both striking her in the gut. Everything went kind of hazy as the all too familiar feeling of dying took hold…again.

New Ability Unlocked: Nine Lives.

Due to the unique nature of your core, you have inherited an ability that draws from the mythos of your core type, Domestic Housecat. It was once widely believed that cats were imbued with nine lives, and that legend lives on in your core. If you have a life remaining, you will be returned to your current form within 24-hours. Be warned, once your nine lives are extinguished, true death awaits.

Previous Deaths:

1. Hit by a mechanical conveyance on Earth.

2. Core shattered by the Avatar of Kunrax.

3. Death by natural causes on Earth.

4. Core destroyed by the lich Berikoz.

5. Death at the hands of Dogan.

“What in tarnation is going on?” Florence said, finding herself in the void once more.

“Again, Florence? I didn’t think you’d return if you were killed. It seems you have some luck working in your favor. The voice of that guy that was in charge last time, Michael, said.

“That you, Michael? Yep, seems like I’m back, though I don’t know if it’s the work of luck that I’m here, more like the work of a concerned administrator, if you ask me. Whatever it is, thank you,” Florence said.

“I can neither confirm nor deny my involvement, but the ability you have acquired seems appropriate based on your core,” Michael said. She knew it, that sly one was trying to help. Well, she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, and sure wasn’t going to belabor the point and get Michael in trouble.

“So, anything new going on? You keeping busy?” Florence asked, not quite sure how to make small talk with whatever these people were.

“I am well, my work keeps me busy and is fulfilling. How does your quest fare?” Michael asked.

“Fine, except for being killed by that guy with the axes. I’m going to have a chat with the police back in town when I return. What kind of place allows the elderly to be murdered on the streets in broad daylight?” Florence asked, starting to get worked up over the incident.

“I doubt the authorities will be of much use. Hmm, this is intriguing, I do believe this is the first time I’ve engaged in ‘small talk’. Thank you for the experience, Florence,” Michael said.

“Anytime, Michael. You know, you can come by for a visit, you don’t have to wait until I’m keeled over to talk. Don’t you guys get vacations?” Florence asked.

“I’ve never considered it, oh, I understand the concept, but I’m not sure my kind would enjoy one of these vacations. My work is important, so I’m sorry to say we can only converse during the times between your lives,” Michael said.

“That’s understandable, can’t have folks running off on vacation when dead people need processing to their final rewards and whatnot. Hey, while I got you here, what gives with me being able to add that goofball, Patricio, to my party?” Florence asked.

“Let me review the incident. Your existence is a bit of a new one, and the systems in place to adjudicate it are a work in progress,” Michael said. The void got all quiet, but it wasn’t too long before he returned. “I see, it was the genuine offer to bind himself to you that did it. He was honest in the offer and accepted the link to your core, even after being warned that you weren’t exactly what you seemed to be. Be cautious who you allow to join you, not all will seek to do so for altruistic means,” Michael said.

“You mean Patricio is going to turn on me or something? Did he hire that guy with all the weapons to kill me? Don’t tell me he bought an assassin with the money I just gave him,” Florence said.

“No, his binding was for legitimate reasons, though his actions may still sway things for good or ill. That remains to be seen and is not something I care to speculate further on,” Michael said, giving Florence at least some relief that her newest party member hadn’t tried to have her assassinated, at least not yet.

“That’s a relief, so what happens when I run out of lives?” Florence asked.

“Nothing good, do everything you can to prevent that. It’s a fate you do not want to endure,” Michael warned.

“That’s not vague and ominous at all, Michael. One more question, why is it that homes and dungeons in my new world have to live by fighting and killing. It doesn’t seem like a great way to do things,” Florence said.

“While my kind administers the cores on various worlds, we don’t control how they handle their day-to-day functions, that’s a matter of tradition and local preferences. Yes, you need mana to survive, and conflict and death provide that in abundance, so most use that as their means of sustenance,” Michael said.

“Care to elaborate?” Florence asked, a plan starting to form in the back of her mind, which reminded her to ask about her options once she defeated Berikoz.

“I’m sorry, it’s time for you to return, Florence, best of luck on your quest. Our chat has been an enjoyable experience for me,” Michael said. Florence was happy enough to not be dead, but was it too much to ask for at least a little more time with Michael and a few more answers to her questions?