Chapter 28 – Inefficient Weapons
Chapter 28 - Inefficient Weapons
For the first time since being humanish, Velasteros felt truly powerless. A target that she needed to kill for Sarah was right there, apparently her siblings had made dangerously disastrous things around the continents, and the person she had personally hated was split between never wanting to see again and killing, was already dead.
In a way, only the latter had been achieved. The one vermin she wanted dead and never wanted to see had met both goals. That was misaligning the truth a little since the scorpion wanted to be the one to deliver the finishing blow, but it was wrong to deny this gift. Her heart beat with pure delight, knowing that man would never bother her again. She managed to survive while her former master was now six feet under or burned to ash.
I need more… The scorpion scoured through books for clues, shortcuts, anything. An odd pang of hunger emerged, which she tried to ignore with all her might. An echo of her past life seemed to be with glee at her sudden desperation.
However, the path to strength seemed completely antithetical to what her current path desired.
Name: Velasteros
Skills: 6/6
[Crush] Lv9
[Barrier] Lv4
[Force Pull] Lv20
[Human Shifting] Lv1
[Eyes Of Crystal] Lv1
[Reinforce] Lv4
Her status was something she’d been proud of. Every day she trained, she felt herself improve. Every new point to [Intelligence] made her feel happy, and her skill selection was something so fundamentally different to her previous life and now so truly hers.
Did I make a mistake? NO! I can’t have such thoughts! Only bad… only bad ends reach if I follow those thoughts… but will I even be able to achieve anything like this…? Will I just spend this life failing in a different way?
She kept trying to force the thoughts away and drive them to a different space, but the battle was endless. Concern was ringing bells all through her mind. The inability to complete her contract and the fact that her sibling's mess might end up killing her. The constant noises drowned out happiness, and even the lovely curiosity, and anger stood on the sidelines with a clenched fist as it slowly built up. Life was coming together, but was it falling apart already?
Why… Did I? Do something wrong?
Blame found the worst target, but the scorpion wasn’t in the headspace to change the mark.
She… was just lost.
“Valmyst… are you okay?”
“Mrs Tonight?” The scorpion’s eyes opened wide to see the familiar face.
The scorpion had done herself one massive favour. She’d moved herself to where she was the most comfortable. The library. Which also happened to be one place that had multiple people who would look after her when she was clearly in distress. That wasn’t her reasoning for coming here. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that these kind people would also be the type of kind people to help someone like her when she was like this.
What does she want… The scorpion felt cautious.
Reading her mind through the chaotic expressions on the small girl’s face. “You look awful, so I want to help you.” Mrs Tonight had come down and found Valmyst in a back corner behind bookshelves. This wasn’t a busy day, and this wasn’t a part of the library that many people visited. It was the math section, which most didn’t find any use for at this time of year.
“I look that bad?”
“Absolutely atrocious.” She chose to be brutally honest. Valmyst seemed to prefer the truth rather than buttering up.
“I see…” The words were effective. Valmyst had been pushed out of the pits of her mind to face reality. Oh, lovely reality, where all the problems lie.
“Do you know what is troubling you?”
“I’m not sure.” It was only a half lie. Valmyst knew the sources but hadn’t emotionally understood why they were affecting her in such a way. Her minimal human experience hadn’t taught her how to properly handle all of her emotions. “Everything… just happened so fast?” She quickly bit her tongue. Afraid she might say something that would destroy her. She took a deep breath and reviewed her memories like they were a book. “A few personal events happened quickly, and now apparently a Calamity Spawn around, something that I had never known about. I feel… even after everything I’ve tried to do, I am still lost.”
I hope that was enough. Valmyst was frightened to say more. The scariest moment of her human experience. What if she said the wrong words? What if she alerted her coworkers to the truth of what she was? What if she wound up dead tomorrow because of what she said?
“I see.” Mrs Tonight didn’t say much and gave the girl a small pat on the head. Not going any further in case she made Valmyst uncomfortable. “I can tell you don’t want me to pry, so I won’t. However, if you are ever lost in your feelings, don’t forget to breathe. Feelings are a very important part of us, but they aren’t all of us. We have goals and desires, friends, jobs, and, importantly, books to read.”
Velasteros’s eyes twitched, and she looked up.
“If you need to talk through your emotions, I am here, and even the others would be willing to lend an ear. You don’t need to tell us why you are feeling a certain way, but we will try to help you process those feelings. Or perhaps find a book to explain it for us.” Her last words were light-hearted and managed to lift the mood.
“Thank you.” Velasteros didn’t immediately stand up. Valmyst chose to be seated. She took in the advice and tried to calm herself and not fall back into her emotions. Mrs Tonight stayed by her side for a while before getting up to complete her work. But she made an effort to check in and nonverbally remind Valmyst that she was here if anything was needed.
I am a mess… Is this how humans are supposed to feel? I guess there had to be a downside. There were even warning signs in the books; I just never really understood what the characters meant they went through something like… THIS. Valmyst's emotional development slowly increased, and she made a mental note to re-read a few stories that had made her confused.
I can’t kill that man now. Don’t with my current stats or skills, but Sarah didn’t expect me to. At the moment, I am just Valmyst… a girl who is learning. I need… to grow first.
With permission from Madam Heart, the scorpion ended up sleeping in the library. Even preparing a bed for her so she would be warm through the night.
The next two days happened so quickly and slowly. Time moved but stood still. In the end, though, Valmyst was feeling marginally better. Enough to resume normal life, but the muck remained.
Valmyst finally gained knowledge on the Calamity Spawn. Beings born from the Iron Calamity. Bugs the size of a person's hand that had exoskeletons that felt like metal and were stronger than most blades. They could swarm and devour people quickly, but they weren’t among the deadliest threats that made up the list of Calamity Spawn.
Even after hearing the name, Velasteros couldn’t remember this sibling in any detail.
These bugs were a disaster that, the moment they chose to be active, could destroy vast areas. Despite the power of their bodies, their corpses were useless, as they disintegrated into dust the moment the creature died. Which also meant if you still saw one on the ground, even if it's not moving, it still lives.
Nothing is going to be easy for a while. I guess it is something I have to expect in the future. Chaos can come from anywhere to interrupt life. Velasteros looked towards the mountain's east, apparently where the Spawn were currently resting. People had to act fast as no one knew when these groups would become active. It wasn’t like the Disasters, which usually only attacked humans when provoked. The Calamity Spawn would strike whenever, even without a sliver of human interference.
I guess… I should help clean up my sibling’s mess.