18.3

ACT 963161069-26889.20.01-Eve-Smith-Silver Prime

Eve followed Nix through what looked like nothing more than an overly magical dungeon prison. Time seemed to flow at a rapid pace as they moved. Rooms were secured with what appeared to be one way glass providing easy viewing. Eve didn’t let her expression shift from what she observed. On the right, prisoners were being coaxed by beautiful women. She was able to see beneath the disguise to the Dremora underneath. It was an obvious application of the honeytrap methodology. The left however held the more classic method of extracting information. Prisoners were being tortured in a variety of different ways.

“What is the point of whispering into their ears while they are being flayed with hot irons?” Eve asked curiously at Nix.

Nix smiled and said, “A common question for those not familiar with the art of persuasion. Our studies at the Information Office have found that men and women break faster this way. The insidious whisper sinks deep into their minds cracking them open like eggs!”

Makes sense. Eve thought remembering how they had interrogated prisoners on Earth. There are only so many ways to make torture work, after all.

“What’s with the right side though? Are those prisoners being rewarded? Shouldn’t they just be sent to the kitchen?” Eve asked acting the part of a consummate Dremora chef.

Nix shook her head before replying with a soft sigh, “Those individuals have signed proper contracts to get the best treatment. In return for betraying their own people, as long as the contract is valid, we cannot do anything against them.”

“Ah, that’s how you infiltrate the races.” Eve said making the obvious leap of logic.

Nix smirked, “Very bright, indeed. Yes, when they return to the Primus Mundus it is common to take some of their servants along.”

“Idiots.” Eve snorted. Taking along a few pieces of eye candy from a race known for duplicity. The traitors might as well just place their heads on a silver platter.

“Would you like to view the female side of the Information Office?” Nix asked innocently. “There are some very excellent professionals who would give you the ride of your life, Head Chef. I can attest to it personally.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I prefer to use one of these.” Eve said displaying a silver wand. “All of the fun, none of the fuss.”

Nix eyed the apparatus with curiosity and said, “It has a familiar shape, but what does it do exactly?”

Eve’s eyes glimmered with an inner ruby light as she launched into a sales pitch. By the end of the corridor, Nix had been convinced to at least try the device a few times. Instructions on use, and oil had been provided free of charge.

The enchantments to ensnare the senses and bewitch the mind are hidden well enough. Eve thought as she transferred ownership of the wand to Nix. By the time I return, Nix will be a very obedient pawn or dead from overuse. It wouldn’t even fall on her since the device would crumble if Nix died. Dremora society was winner take all, and everyone knew it. Even if the target had the wand tested by others, there wouldn’t be any traces. Eve had keyed it directly to Nix’s mana signature to prevent easy discovery.

The rest of the trip through the Information Office dungeon was brisk. Nix had answered the only questions Eve had at the moment. Arriving at a cell deep within the facility Nix motioned the guards to the side. The heavy stone door was opened with casual ease by Eve’s guide. Eve entered and beheld her first true look at a High Elf with undisguised interest. The ears were tipped exactly like her normal form. There was more of an angular cast to the male elf’s features, along with a pleasant scent of fresh forest.

Eve moved to stand over the High Elf studying them closely. They were similar in build to the wood elves she had dealt with before. The face had a more arrogant cast, and the mana within the body was far more powerful. Other than that, the basic features seemed closely matched. Eve did note the skin was more tanned for a wood elf, indicating the High Elves of the Primus Mundus spent more time indoors.

In order to craft a disguise to fool reality preparation was required. Soul Cooking had done more than improve Eve's ability to make fantasy food. It was a window into the intricate energy manipulation that was used by everything. Take the Soul Slots granted by Sacrifice to Power they were quite literally tokens in the shape of ancient coins. She’d studied them extensively wondering if it was possible to duplicate them and counterfeiting.

Not that she would ever cheat Wilson.

Not without being sure to get away with it!

I’m testing just in case I’m stranded somewhere else, so I can manufacture the best local currency equivalent. Eve thought with a sage nod. Counterfeiting probably wouldn’t work against a System, anyways. Probably.

From her research so far, Soul Slots, or Soul Coins, or Soul Tokens, whatever you wanted to call them were pressed into existence with Systemic precision. The exact manipulation of mana to create them was incredible and Eve had only deciphered around ten percent of the trick so far. It would take several centuries to understand the complete picture. The Skill of Sacrifice to Power was essentially a printing machine, one designed by the System. It was used to create a currency only taken by Wilson. She suspected that others of the reality spanning defense device family known as Systems would use different currency, but it would still be based in Soul Mana. Eve felt it in her bones.

Beyond assisting with understanding the value of Soul Mana her Soul Cooking gains went even further. Eve had been puzzling over how to properly treat Ralph’s wound. It wasn’t every day something came and ripped a piece of someone’s soul out. Wounds like that needed treatment that wouldn’t make things worse. Soul Cooking provided a path to do exactly that. Crystal Core had already given several different recipes that could solve the issue. The easiest would be to cauterize the wound like boiling meat. That would limit the damage, but the long-term effects would be problematic.

Instead, why don’t I turn Ralph into a dish? Eve thought as Crystal Core took the idea further. Combine his current Blessings like spices, and form something completely superior.

Even smiled as she sampled the High Elf’s blood, scanned his DNA, and examined the bacteria on his body. The potential to turn Ralph into something exceeding the limits of his world was tempting. It would also play into the request that Kudzu had made of her killing four birds with one stone.

Charlotte would have an excellent backer when she was gone.

Kudzu’s seedling would have a perfect gardener.

Ralph would recover repaying all Eve’s debts.

Eve would have done her oldest ally a solid.

“Does all that examination really help you?” Nix asked curiously. Eve broke her train of thought off to nod at the Dremora.

“Indeed, it allows me to craft a superior disguise to the ones your lower-level members use. Observe.” Eve said looking smug. Soul Cooking was used as her body lit with runes that slowly blurred into mind-bending speed. A glow lit over her body before she released the Dremora disguise form.

“Incredible!” Nix said taking in the blonde haired, emerald eyed, pale skinned elf that replaced Eve.

“Child’s play.” Eve said, her voice shifted to an entrancing melody.

Nix shifted away from the door as several guards moved inside the chamber. Turning to Eve she said, “Nothing personal, you understand.”

Eve eyed the guards before letting out a small sigh, “Duke Glodious can’t take a hint can they.”

“I think it was Gladius.” Nix said with a shrug. “Honestly, they all feel the same after enough time.”

“Figures.” Eve said. “This won’t effect my debt to you, I’ll repay three meals as promised.” Although I might add more spices than before to even the score.

Nix bowed and said, “Good luck.”

Eve giggled. “Luck isn’t necessary.” A cleaver appeared in her hand and she moved. A fraction of a second later every guard’s head rolled off their shoulders. Before the bodies could collapse, they vanished.

“Impressive.” Nix said without any surprise. It was clear she’d expected something of the sort to occur. One didn’t become Head Chef with good looks and only fine taste after all.

Eve was preparing to leave before the High Elf on the table screamed, “Name your price! I’ll pay anything to escape!”

Both females paused as Nix looked nervously at Eve.

“Anything?” Eve said musing. She was considering the benefits of a local guide. The Primus Mundus wasn’t very dangerous in her opinion but it could be tedious.

“Head Chef, I’m afraid this prisoner has information we absolutely need to extract.” Nix said demurely.

“If you had that information, would your status rise?” Eve said with deeper meaning.

Nix couldn’t help but nod in the face of the glowing emerald eyes pointed her way.

“Well then, let’s make a trade.” Eve said pulling a scroll out. “Read and sign if you want credit.”

Nix took the scroll reading over the contract with careful interest. “This is very generous.”

Eve nodded, “I want you in my debt. The Information Office has a great deal of value in my eyes.”

Nix pondered for a few minutes before finally deciding. She pulled a thin needle from her uniform and pricked her finger. A single thumbprint later and the contract vanished into motes of light.

Eve gave a wide smile as she moved over to place a hand on the High Elf’s forehead. A second later the screaming elf’s head went slack and glass eyed. Gesturing with her free hand, Nix moved over hesitant. Eve placed her palm on the Dremora and watched their eyes widen in shock. The complete content of the Elf’s mind was dumped into Nix’s. Eve didn’t mention how her Eternal Memory had taken a copy.

“Well, that’s useful.” Nix said as her eyes fluttered in mild pain.

“I use it to steal recipes. Works great.” Eve said after the memory transfer was complete.

Nix shrugged and waved, “Take the prisoner. They are of no use other than a plaything now.”

“Excellent.” Eve said using Soul Cooking to disguise the Curse that changed the High Elf’s shape into a blue jay. Grabbing the dazed creature who had just been polymorphed she imprinted a few basic guidelines. Namely, sit on her shoulder and don’t make noise.

“I don’t fancy guiding you out of here again.” Nix said looking at the bloodstains that hadn’t vanished with the guards.

“Ah, no need. I’ll see myself out.” Eve said before her form flickered into invisibility. A moment later Spatial Steps placed her directly before the portal to Wilson’s territory. With a last glance back, she exited the realms of Oblivon.

Exiting the portal, she felt the flicker as her runic firetrap scanned the mana signature she carried. It gave her a clean bill of health. With the High Elf cursed by her mana, he passed the check too. She glanced around making sure everything was in order before using Spatial Steps to get back to the World Tree. Several wood elves guards snaped into high alert before relaxing. Eve ignored them and approached the floating silver box containing Ralph.

The top of the long rectangle undid itself revealing the barely alive form of Charlotte’s uncle. Telekinesisallowed Eve to pull the man up before stripping off his clothes. Several of the female guards looked on with interested gazes as Eve carved runes into Ralph’s flesh. Soul Cooking was a precise art, but even with minimal tools she could manage.

Eve removed the padding inside the silver box floating below Ralph’s body. Runes shifted and moved on the box coating it in multiple paper-thin layers. Ignoring the wood elves asking her what she was doing, she placed Ralph’s body inside the newly formed oven. Sealing the box up once more, Eve started to cook her first Soul Cuisineoutside of Oblivon.

It's times like these I miss loaning Iantha out. Eve thought as she watched the box rotate slowly like a rotisserie chicken spit. She could tell me if this would work without risk.

Being mostly certain about something wasn’t the same as being one hundred percent. Iantha could ensure that Eve didn’t go off the rails. Unfortunately, she was currently assisting Charlotte in keeping her Ducal throne.

“Cooking a human. How evil.” The World Tree said from nearby.

“Oh? Learning human tongue to annoy me?” Eve said glancing sharply at the towering trunk nearby.

“Iantha made me do it.” The World Tree grumbled.

“What did she say?” Eve asked.

“Learn to speak human tongue or be turned into kindling. What an impolite brat.” The World Tree said with protest.

Eve nodded, “Sounds about right.”

“That’s beside the point, you are cooking that human!” The World Tree said.

“Indeed. I’ve recently learned I can improve my skin color by devouring human flesh.” Eve said with a straight face.

There was a shocked expression from the wood elves around her that was most amusing. Before they could take action though the World Tree said, “Stand down, don’t do something stupid that I’ll have to fix later.”

“Ah, I really wanted to play.” Eve said letting one eye look at the wood elves while the other paid attention to the cooking process.

“I think not. Every elf is a precious asset to me.” The World Tree said righteously.

“Moocher.” Eve said as she started delicately adjusting the runes. The best effect would be combining all Ralph’s blessings into a singular form. Eve had already calculated that Nature would be the most effective combination.

As the process of Soul Cooking continued, she noticed Ralph’s body was starting to degrade. Crystal Core calculated there wasn’t enough to keep everything at the same level. Without a moment of delay Eve broke apart the other blessings degrading them. A portion of the mana was used to keep the body healthy, while the rest was blended.

It will reduce the blessing of Nature to the lowest tier, but better something than nothing. Eve thought. The Blessing of Nature is nothing if not able to grow, so it isn’t a massive loss.

Several hours later a soft hiss as steam escaped from new made holes signaled the end of the process. Eve rubbed her hands and the silver box moved to open!