Soulforge Legacy Series

After Masha was killed, the old woman took over and brought us – well, me – a couple dozen different things to try on. And honestly, while I was still a tad uncomfortable with the changes, she somehow managed to convince me to try each one. By the time I came out with the first one, the body was gone. Finally, we settled on a trio of bras that not only fit, but I actually liked.

Still, liking a bra and forcing myself to wear it were two totally separate things. Not that I wouldn’t try, if only to keep these things in a single place when I ran. I mean, while they were not as large as most anime breasts, I could almost imagine the things swinging as I moved. Even going so far as to shift my center of mass at just the wrong moment.

Of course, bras are not the only undergarments they forced me to try. But unlike those, the panties were fairly simple and really ended up just being paired with a bra in both color and design.

Soon enough, we were done and on our way to another store. Though I was still a bit irked that Ginger managed to pay the bill while I was back there getting dressed. But it wasn’t like I could do anything about it. At least, not right now. Not with how much the bill came to. As soon as I made enough money, though, I would be paying her back. Even if she tried to refuse, I would make her take the money.

The next store she dragged me into was one for clothes. And unlike the previous time I had gone shopping for an outfit, she didn’t hand me a single dress. In fact, she practically threw combinations of everything that wasn’t a dress or skirt.

While I appreciated that, I had to ask. “Why are we sticking to pants or shorts?” Her head turned to shoot me a curious look that asked if I really wanted something else. My hands went up in surrender as I managed to splutter out a few words. “Not that I don’t mind. In fact, I prefer it.”

“Have you fought in a dress before?” Before I could answer, she flicked a hand and countered her own question. “Oh, what am I asking? Of course you have. So you know how easy it is for a dress to suddenly lift up and expose you.”

While I did know that, during a fight, I really didn’t care. It wasn’t like anyone was paying attention anyway. Though with my sudden change, who knew what would happen. The people I might run into.

With a nod, she continued. “Your dress is great armor, but that doesn’t mean we cannot get something for you to wear underneath. Plus, what if you want to go out or want to wear something different? Having options is something everyone should have.”

Hah. If only she could have seen my wardrobe back on Earth. Nearly every outfit was the same, minus the stains and tears from work. Though, I doubted that any of them would fit anymore. Not without some modification. Especially with this length of fluff that just seemed to be in the way.

Honestly, though, that wasn’t all that surprising. It wasn’t like there were people out there making outfits for people with the odd tail or, in another customers case, the entirety of their legs being gone. In their place was a tail that was nearly as long as she was tall. I wanted to call her a naga, but something about that didn’t seem right.

She was arguing with the clerk about how she needed something fixed and adjusted. Whatever it was, it wasn’t my business. My focus turned to the next outfit that Ginger had so graciously found for me to struggle to get positioned just right. Too high or low and the fabric would cause it to pinch at my tail.

I just hoped that I found something that would fit and look good. Hell, if I got really lucky, I might even find something to replace my dress so I wouldn’t have to wear the blasted thing.

The button on a soft pair of teal jeans just slipped into place when a loud, ear splitting siren let out a trio of short, sharp blasts. Each blast echoed in my ears and soon all I could hear was a ringing noise. By the time it dissipated, I found myself curled into a ball on the floor just outside of my changing room. When that had happened, I had no clue. But judging by the number of rushing bodies, both outside and around me, whatever those blasts meant was not good.

Standing over me in a protective stance was both Ginger and Xander. People rushed around us, gently directed away from my prone body, as they moved to grab weapons and armor. Likely taken out so that they could test various fits with their equipment. Something I should probably have thought about.

“What was that?” My voice sounded a bit muffled still, something that worried me as it would suck to lose my hearing. How else would I listen to my music. That worry was soon overwhelmed by a bout of dizziness that nearly took me to the floor when I struggled to stand.

“The city is under attack.” Xander muttered. Or at least it sounded like he muttered. He could have yelled and I would have thought he was talking normally.

“Xander.” Even through the muffling, Ginger’s voice carried a hint of a warning. “What did we talk about when it comes to holding back information?”

“It isn’t like I do it on purpose.” While I didn’t hear him that time, I could see his mouth move. With all of my work experience, it wasn’t hard to read lips. Really not a skill I thought I would be using in a video game of all things. “That alarm means something is attacking. The number designates what type of attacker. In this case, demons.”

I knew they were out there. I knew they had something out for us humans. But knowing they were out there and having them show up were two different things. Especially when I had barely survived my last run in with one. Well two if you counted his daughter. But she was comparatively weaker and I managed to catch her by surprise.

The first sounds of fighting finally reached my ears. Explosions rocked the city from every direction. They went off with such force and speed that I could almost imagine metal was playing and they were simply the drummer going to town on the bass drum.

Other than that, the rest sounded like noise. From the sound of water splashing against something only to shower the ground, to the sharp crack of lighting. None of it followed a beat. It was just chaotic noise.

Noise that meant someone was killing things much stronger than me. I should be scared. Terrified. Yet I felt the need to join in. That I belong on the battlefield. Killing demons so that I could grow strong enough to follow through with my promise to force the gods to do as I bade.

A soft humming sound filled the air as I took a step toward the door. Sure, it was dangerous out there, but nothing on this planet was safe. If there was such a thing as a safe zone, I doubted it would accept someone like me.

Warmth blossomed along my tail and ears as I took another step. As long as I was forced to stay in this form, I wouldn’t know peace. I would fight. I would kill. I would push myself.

Another step came with a burst of heat filled my chest. With the heat came power. Energy. Mana. My heart reacted to the heated energy by sucking it up. Each of the beats it used to push blood allowed it to suck in yet more. Consume it even as it forced it to fill my body.

Just as my hand pushed the handle down, another hand grabbed it. Held it still. And no matter what I did, I was unable to do anything. To continue or back up. Both were out of my reach.

Instead of asking the person to stop and release me, a low growl reverberated through my chest. Whoever it was that held me in place flinched at the sound. Still, they didn’t release me.

Irked at being held here, I pulled on the growing power. Forcing it to pack as tightly as it could into my free hand. With a single strike, my blade sliced through the air in a path that led to where I thought the person’s neck would be.

Though, it mattered little if my strike was on target. Just so long as I didn’t miss them entirely. They would either accept the hit, or move out of the target area. Either way, they would end up letting my hand go and when they did that, I would be free to join the battle.

Now, imagine my shock when neither happened. My sword did come to a stop, but not because it hit something. My target had, instead, grabbed the damned thing. With a twist, my blade was pulled from my grip and tossed over his shoulder.

“Kyren!” Someone, a man I think, was shouting something. “Kyren!” Or was that a name? “KYREN!” The last shout, coupled with a slap, was enough to pull me out of whatever had just happened.

“She is clearly a battle junkie,” A woman’s voice was the next to cut through the fog. “There is nothing you can do to keep her from going out there and dying.”

“Even if I have to sit on her, she is going to stay here where it is safe.” Xander, that was the guys name. Why had I forgotten it? And the woman’s name was Ginger.

“What is going on?” I managed just before the heat inside of me went from warm and excited to hot and annoyed. Where it moved, it scorched. Almost as though it was punishing me for daring to stay out of a fight.

“Not a battle junkie.” Someone else said from somewhere deeper in the room. “It looks like she is one of those with a strong drive to get something done, even if it might end up killing them. Likely a promise or something.”

As though those words had lifted a weight off Xander’s shoulders, he grew a fraction of an inch. “Whatever it is, I am going to make sure she is trained so she doesn’t lose herself to it.” Or he was just making a promise he had no hope of keeping. Fucking idiot.

Something smashing into the ground outside tore my attention away from the inside of the store. Through the glass door, I found myself looking into the deep black eyes of a demon. Unlike others I had seen, this one had very little humanoid features. Instead, it resembled an ant with wings. Its mandibles clicked and clacked as its gaze latched onto me.