Nikushimi

  Chapter 79:

  The Disjointed

  (Maya's POV)

  Galway was practically asleep as Maya made her way to the rendezvous. If not for her ability to sense the life of those around her, and the few Pyers that patrolled the streets, she would have thought that the entire city had been abandoned. Everything was so quiet, even those in the buildings kept their volume to a minimum, though she could still hear their whispers.

  "What are we going to do?"

  "We can't leave the house..."

  "Mommy, I want to go outside!"

  "Hush, now. Go py with your toys."

  "I'm afraid to even take a step..."

  "The Morrigan protects us, we should be fine...right?"

  "How long will it st?"

  "No! Keep the door open..."

  "If we close a door..."

  "Shit, sorry..."

  There was so much fear and anxiety spread throughout the city. People were held in the grasp of uncertainty, trapped in their homes. What Maya gathered from that confirmed a few things.

  The Morrigan, otherwise known as Marian, had indeed created the crystals that hung everywhere, providing the city and its residents protection against what beset them.

  Second, leaving doors open lessened the effects of the shifts in reality, as doorways acted as pathways to other locations, and as such, were more prone to such changes. Which expined why she saw several buildings that the patrols frequented with doors held open, or just straight removed. Of course, with Marian's protections, they needn't worry too much about that within their own homes, though the fear was still there.

  Third, just like Maya had suspected, the entirety of the UK and Irend were already affected by the effects of The Cat's Cradle. The entire nation was under its effects, and the Wild Zones were no exception. This was made rather clear when, in the middle of a street, a rift appeared from which several creatures broke through.

  This was different from a dungeon break, as they simply walked through an opening in reality. What Maya saw were Stone Lizards. A simple name for the monster, and more of a description than anything. They were humanoid lizards of various sizes with scales of stone. Their hides were thick and sturdy, capable of withstanding most modern firearms, even explosives.

  They were vicious and fast, capable of curling in upon themselves to begin rolling. Their favorite tactic was to quickly overrun their prey by ramming into and trampling them. They would then burst from within their coiled state, sshing with vicious cws into anything still alive. They would also use their tails as a powerful weapon that could break stone and crush steel.

  Maya watched with a passive interest as six Stone Lizards looked around the area, sniffing the air and flicking their tongues out. A nearby Pyer who had been scouting with another saw them appear, blowing a whistle that rang through the silent city streets. One after another, the signal was repeated and the lizards perked up at the sound.

  Spotting the scouts, they curled into their stone wheel form and began their quick approach. However, with swift efficiency, the Pyers were ready. Stone Lizards were a staple monster within the Wild Zone to the West, and so the Pyers here were apt at handling them. Throwing their hand out, the scout summoned a barrier that repelled the creature, followed by the other Pyer producing a spear of energy that tore a hole through the Stone Lizard's hide.

  The creature fell while the others changed course. They attempted to avoid the duo and flee into the city, but it was no use. The whistle had been blown, and the Pyers had converged on their location. Now trapped, one of the lizards attempted to break into a nearby building to escape, only for a crystal that hung from its eaves to glow, and a shimmering barrier repelled them.

  Knocked back, the lizard was easily dispatched by the quick acting Pyers, and in short order the rest were wiped out with minimal issue. Maya took note of their capabilities to report to Elizabeth ter, as she would be interested in their growth. Though Stone Lizards were not a difficult monster, they were still B-Rank at least.

  "Well, that expins the patrols..." Maya thought to herself, having wondered why there were patrols when walking around could cause issues due to The Cat's Cradle. Seeing monsters from the Wild Zones appear in the middle of a street outside of the zones confirmed that this was a threat that couldn't be ignored. It had to be taken care of, or who knew how far it could reach.

  The thought was terrifying, the first time since she was young that Maya felt such fear. Not for herself, but for those that she loved. Hannah, her sister, and of course, Lucas. Not that Maya had any intention of letting this continue, but seeing what could happen motivated her more than she already was. On top of that, as she watched the fight, her new vision saw something that worried her.

  "We need to hurry..." Maya's thoughts were grim, set in stone, "Not only because I'm impatient to return, but Marian can't keep this up for long. Eventually, it'll take its toll on her."

  She had seen the intrinsic nature of the enchantments upon every crystal in Galway, including those that the Pyers wore around their necks. For the most part, they acted on their own, fueled by an internal battery of energy, but there was something else tied to them. Those batteries had to be refueled, and it was Marian providing that fuel.

  So long as the batteries were full, no energy would be taken from Marian to refill them, but there was a constant drain due to providing protection from The Cat's Cradle. Focusing her sight, Maya saw faint lines that went from every crystal to one spot. Marian.

  Every so often, Maya could both see and feel the threads pulsing with energy as Marian provided them power. She never let any of the crystals fall below half power, and all crystals were tied to her.

  It was like a web of wispy threads with her at its center. Maya tried to see just how far this web went, but the threads passed her current senses and went further still. Most likely...Marian was protecting both Irend and the UK with her powers. An astounding feat, but one that couldn't st.

  Following those threads, Maya could see Marian moving through the city. She was heading towards the same direction that Maya was. Not one to be te, even though she was incredibly early, Maya eased her vision back to normal and disappeared from her perch. When she appeared next, she was on a cobblestone street in the Latin Quarter.

  Like most streets in Galway at the moment, it was nearly empty, save for two guards posted outside of an old-time pub. There were many like it within the area, not far from each other, so why they had chosen this one in particur, Maya didn't know. Perhaps it was its historical significance, it didn't matter to her.

  The red wood built into the stone held the name of the pub above the door in golden letters on a bck background. The Kings Head.

  The two guards didn't notice her at first, for she was concealing herself from their perception. However, as she dropped the pretense of stealth, moving from concealment into the open, their attention was immediately drawn to her as both stood at attention.

  "Woah, there!" one of them, an older man held up a hand, "Where'd you come from?"

  He was about in his mid to te fifties and had fair skin, greying dark hair with a well-trimmed beard and blue eyes. He was built well, wearing the armor of a knight without the helmet. The letters C.G. were carved into the upper right of the breastpte in gold.

  "Lass, don't make me ask again," he said, his voice growing firmer, "Where'd you come from?"

  His hand free hand began to however over the bde at his side. The other guard shifted uncomfortably, green eyes hardening. They were a man younger than the other, perhaps in his early thirties. Their head was adorned with bushy auburn hair that was pulled back in a loose, high ponytail. Freckles dotted their fair skin and wore simir armor to the older man, though had a slightly smaller frame.

  "I understand your caution, but..." Maya said with slight annoyance, her eyes turning cold as she stared him down, "I'm getting real tired of being stopped."

  She only exuded a small amount of pressure, though it was enough to cause the both of them to take an involuntary step back and reach for their weapons...only to not find them by their sides. Within the span of a breath, that moment that they flinched, Maya activated [Perception Distortion] and [Fsh Step] to disarm and return to her previous position.

  With [Limit Break: Exodus], she was much faster than ever before. All it took was a breath, a blink of the eye, and she held their weapons in her hands.

  "D-Did you see her move?" the older one asked the younger.

  "Nah, I ain't seen nothing," the younger muttered, his jaw clenching, "You think we should...?"

  The older nodded, reaching into their inventory, Maya thought for a moment that she should just knock them out, but the sound of footsteps upon cobblestones and heavy breathing filled her ears. Upon the wind was the scent of cinnamon and juniper. "Saved by the bell," Maya mused as the older man pulled a whistle from his inventory, the same that she had seen used moments before.

  With a flick of her wrist, Maya produced a needle from within her sleeve and threw it. The whistle shattered in his hand, surprising both guards.

  "Will you just rex," Maya told them with an underlying tone of warning, "You'd have never seen me if I was actually a threat to you."

  "You think we can just take you at your word?" the younger man spoke up, standing defensively, "You showed up out of nowhere and..."

  His words trailed off as the sound of running finally reached their ears. Turning towards the sound, the two guardsmen grimaced in anticipation, unsure what was coming now.

  "Wait!" a familiar voice called out, Marian's voice, "Hold on!"

  She rounded the corner, a visible look of relief upon the two guards' faces.

  "Miss Marian!" the older man excimed, happy to see her, "We're gd you're here, this woman-"

  In an instant, Marian approached him faster than she had run before. Grabbing him by the colr of his armor, she pulled him close, a manic look in her eyes.

  "You didn't offend her, did you?" she asked almost desperately, "Tell me you didn't."

  "U-Uhm...what?" the older man looked understandably confused, "I mean...we did try to stop her, but-"

  "You what!?" Marian's aura condensed as she released it, a look of pure anger upon her face, "Do you have any idea who-"

  Maya had seen enough, and while she found it amusing, there was no time for this. Appearing beside Marian, Maya tapped her on the shoulder.

  "It's fine," Maya assured her calmly, "They didn't know, and I am early. Besides, I didn't exactly introduce myself...not that I want to."

  Like a balloon losing air, all of Marian's steam defted as she released the man with slight embarrassment, patting him on the shoulder.

  "Ah, is that so," she cleared her throat, composing herself, "Well, as long as everything is good, then no harm done?"

  "Ma'am?" the older man asked tentatively, motioning to the pieces of the whistle on the ground, "Since you seem to know her, everything is good, but...we'll need a new whistle."

  Marian gnced at the pieces, then at Maya who simply shrugged nonchantly.

  "It would have been annoying if they used it," she said simply, "I was going to knock them out, but then I heard you coming."

  "Oh..." Marian blinked for a moment, processing that information before giving an uneasy smile, "Well, I'm gd you didn't. As for the whistle..."

  She began reaching into her inventory as Maya turned to go.

  "I'll meet you inside," Maya told her, causing her to fumble a bit.

  "W-Wat!" Marian called after her, but Maya was already walking inside.

  Quickly pulling a simir whistle from her inventory, Marian tossed it at the guard and hurried after Maya.

  "Don't lose it this time!" she called as she rushed off to catch up, "Wait for me!"

  The older guard looked after Marian with exasperated confusion.

  "I didn't lose it..." he mumbled, looking at the new whistle dejectedly, "She broke it..."

  "Oh," Maya popped out of the pub, causing Marian to jolt back, "You can have these back."

  Tossing them their weapons, the guards fumbled to catch them as Maya looked towards Marian.

  "Well, are you coming?" Maya asked, keeping her tone impassive.

  Maya was only teasing, of course. A part of her enjoyed messing with others, though it wasn't as fun as teasing Lucas. Marian blinked, but before she could respond, Maya had already gone back inside the pub, hearing Marian come to her senses.

  "Yeah, right behind you!" Marian composed herself, entering and almost running into Maya who had waited for here inside, "Oh! You're right there, sorry about that."

  "It's fine," she told her, looking around the pce, "Where are we going to have the meeting?"

  "Second floor," Marian motioned towards the steps and Maya began walking towards them.

  The inside of the pub was made of stone and wood, and despite its historical significance, Maya didn't really find it all that remarkable. That could just be her own personal bias, as she wasn't much of a heavy drinker, and during her time as an Assassin, she has seen more than her fair share of the inside of a tavern. After a while, they all just started to look the same.

  Making her way up the steps, there was balcony that oversaw part of the first floor and a maze of other rooms that Marian began to lead her through. Eventually, they made their way to one of the rooms that had been repurposed to include a rge table with several maps id out on it. There were a few chairs situated around the table, with Marian offering Maya one.

  "Sit, please," she said, sounding a little more rexed, "Would you like anything to drink or eat? I don't know how long it took you to get here, but you must be hungry or-"

  Maya held up a hand to stop her.

  "Rex," she told her once more, "I'm not here on vacation, and st I checked, The Morrigan was no waitress."

  "Ha...The Morrigan," Marian sighed almost wistfully, "You're right, I am no waitress, but I am a host. You're a guest, and I'm nothing if not hospitable...it just would have been nice to know you had arrived."

  Marian pulled out a chair and plopped herself in it, letting out another, heavier sigh. Maya did feel a little guilty that she didn't give her much of a warning, but she was in a hurry and being impatient. The pang of guilt grew as she thought of Lucas and the stern look he'd probably give her.

  "Rex," he would tell her with hands on his hips, "Don't be reckless, and be nice."

  Letting out a soft sigh, Maya relented to imaginary Lucas.

  "You're right," Maya said, pulling out a chair opposite of Marian, "I should have sent a message once I arrive, however..."

  Maya gave a brief expnation of what happened to her when she arrived. From feeling the veil over the nd, to her encounters with the anomalies in the area. Marian listened attentively.

  "On top of that..." Maya let out another begrudging sigh, "I've been testing some new abilities, which you caught me in the middle of earlier."

  "Ah!" Marian's eyes widened slightly in understanding, "That's why you were so out of it, I'm sorry I interrupted."

  "No," Maya shook her head, "You didn't know, but now that you do...you should send word to your people that I'm here. I'm impatient and don't like being stopped."

  "Right, I should definitely get on that," Marian chuckled with an apologetic smile, "I've already sent a message to the other two you're supposed to meet. They should be here within a day."

  "A day?" Maya asked, trying to keep her sudden annoyance in check as Marian grimaced.

  "Yes, they're caught up in a few things, much like us," Marian gestured outside to the streets of Galway, "Those rifts keep spitting out monsters from the Wild Zones. We need to patrol constantly, and there are some which...aren't as easy as others."

  Maya took a few calming breaths, understanding their situation, but still being impatient.

  "I guess there's no helping it..." Maya said, rexing back in her chair, "I'll give them a day. If they aren't here by then, I'll go alone."

  "Alone?" Marian asked incredulously, "While I don't doubt your skill, Orchid, we still don't know where it is."

  "Leave that to me," Maya told her, leaning forward as she moved the maps around to find one of Irend itself, "I wasn't just doing nothing while looking around."

  Pcing a finger over Athlone, Maya watched Marian for her reaction. There was something that Elizabeth had told her before she left. One of the reasons why finding the source had been so difficult, and right now...Maya had to confirm it.

  -----

  (Memory of Conversation)

  "The effects happen quickly," Elizabeth expined the night before Maya's departure, "Athlone will be hit the hardest and already under the influence."

  "How would no one notice?" Maya asked, setting out her clothes for the next day, "An entire city just...gone?"

  "As I said, the effects happen fast," Elizabeth sighed as she sat drinking a gss of wine, taking a sip before continuing, "I don't know how, but the Cat's Cradle is heralded by the advent of creatures unseen. You'll most likely find one eventually."

  "Without a gate break?" Maya was surprised by this as Elizabeth nodded.

  "Yeah," Elizabeth took another sip of wine, her eyes distant on past memories, "From here on, gate breaks are the least of our concerns, though they are still a priority. With Critical Dungeons appearing, the rules are changing, even for material dungeons like the Cat's Cradle, though it is a special material dungeon, despite the fact it holds something we need."

  Maya let the information sink into her mind, quickly coming to terms with it.

  "Alright, so...what are these creatures that herald it?" Maya finally asked and to her surprise, Elizabeth shrugged.

  "Honestly, I've no fucking clue. Never bothered to give them a name," Elizabeth let out a derisive chuckle, "Bastards can't be seen by most, so never really go a name, and I didn't really stop to ask. All they do is keep people from figuring out Athlone is where the gate is, though they are vicious once discovered."

  "How do I find them?" Maya inquired.

  "Ah, that's easy," Elizabeth said, pointing her winegss at Maya, "Just ask about Athlone, and if they dismiss the idea...one probably has its cws in them. Might even try to get you."

  "Hmm...I'll keep an eye out then," Maya acknowledged.

  "Please do," Elizabeth told her, finishing her gss and setting it down, "And if that don't work, use your senses. They're almost as good as mine."

  She gave Maya a teasing smirk, to which Maya simply rolled her eyes with a smile.

  (End of Memory)

  ----

  "...Athlone?" Marian inquired, the wheels in her head turning, "Are you sure?"

  "Yes," Maya nodded, her gaze unwavering as Marian met her eyes with uncertainty, "There's a reason why I was sent here. I'm good at this."

  "But it can't be Athlone," Marian told her, completely sure of this, "If it was, then I would have noticed."

  "Would you?" Maya asked, pushing further for confirmation, "Think about it for a moment."

  "I mean..." Marian frowned, wincing as if something pained her, "I have that area covered, surely I would have noticed. No, it can't be Athlone."

  "Elizabeth was right..." Maya sighed, realizing the problem as Marian's eyes gzed over for a brief moment when she tried to think about it. Focusing her senses, Maya's vision expanded to see what appeared like an ethereal cw dug into Marian's head. It squeezed at Marian's mind, pulsing with a strange energy.

  Despite how powerful Marian was, this had been pced on her before her enchantments, as it was buried under them. Thus, it held no effect to dispel it, for how can you dispel what you don't even know is there? This was a problem.

  "Pardon me, for a moment," Maya said, immediately activating [Gheistform: Full Conversion].

  Full Conversion was exactly as it sounded. She would embody that of the Gheistform in its entirety, tearing away her physical form in lieu of a more ethereal, ghostly visage. It was different from [Gheistform] itself as well as [Gheistform: Projection]. In fact, [Gheistform: Projection] was no longer a skill she even had...as it had been subsumed by [Sixth Sense].

  One could think of full conversion as the epitome of [Gheistform] itself, much like the exodus version of other skills, just using a different name. As her flesh gave way to that familiar ethereal vender hue, the world around her slowed and the difference became clear. The veil upon the physical world gave way, like pulling back the curtain on a stage. Everything around her seemed to melt away in hazy distortion while clearing her vision to what y beyond.

  The physical and ethereal were hers to walk.

  As the veil gave way, so too did the curtain upon the creature whose cw dug into Marian's skull. It appeared as sinew and bone, its skin a dark, dull grey that that appeared shriveled and dried up, yet pulled taut against its body. Tall and nky, its features appeared twisted and angur, with multiple joints in the arms and legs. Its face like that of a cat as it stared down at Marian with eyes that held glowing embers of red within pools of darkness.

  "Well, you're new..." Maya muttered, "You must be what El told me about."

  This creature had no name, though a name didn't matter to her. As she spoke, it noticed her, its head jerking up to look in her direction with a hiss. Its feline lips pulled back to reveal lots of sharp teeth, more than what should fit in a head. Not giving it a chance to react further, Maya lunged forward, pushing herself up and over the table. Her dagger materialized into her hand in a flourish of petals.

  It screeched, attempting to swipe its other arm at her, but it was already too te. She undercut its guard, appearing over and past Marian's shoulder, bde dug into this creatures heart. It let out another bone chilling screech as its hand was wrenched free from Marian's skull, clutching at the bde in its chest, yet it was futile. The red in its eyes grew dim before completely fading, all fight leaving it.

  No longer needing full conversion, she released the skill as both her and the creature came back to the physical world. Marian blinked as she realized that Maya had moved, now knelt on the table before her. She gnced at Maya with confusion before seeing her arm extended. Her eyes followed to where her bde was buried in the creature.

  Startled, Marian stumbled back and away from it, but her eyes looked much clearer than before, which was a relief. Though Maya knew that there were more out there.

  "What the bloody hell is that?" Marian excimed, quickly producing throwing knives between hr fingers, ready for action.

  "Dead, whatever it is," Maya expined calmly, pulling her bde free and letting the creature fall to the floor, "Don't think it has a name."

  "I...see," Marian flourished her hands as the knives disappeared, "How the hell didn't I notice it..."

  She shivered at the thought as Maya got down from the table and took out a cloth to clean her bde before adjusting her suit and making herself presentable.

  "Because it didn't want you to," she told her simply, "It had its cw in your brain. Controlling you."

  "That...thing was in my head?" she walked over and looked down at it in disgust, "Fuck...How'd you see it?"

  "You were acting strange when I mentioned Athlone," Maya expined as she put away her bde, "So, I decided to take a look and found it. Might want to redo the protections on yourself."

  Marian stared at the creature ying on her floor before shaking her head.

  "Damn, well..." Marian let out a sigh and began to think, "Athlone, huh? Why would...ah, well shit."

  "Yes?" Maya inquired, noticing she figured something out.

  "My protections..." she muttered, going over to the maps, "I swore I could still sense them working, but..."

  Marian shook her head, smming her fist upon the table.

  "Damn it!" Marian shouted angrily, "They're gone, all of them! Fuck! Those ballbag bastards!"

  Maya let her vent as she went into a tirade of Irish insults, not really having anything to add. She already knew that this would be the case because Elizabeth had already informed her of what she would find when she got to Athlone. An entire city entranced, lost to delusions. It would be a ghost city without the ghosts. Just people everywhere, staring at nothing.

  "Alright..." Marian held up a hand, her curses having come to an end as her expression took on one of focus, "How did this happen?"

  "From the looks of it..." Maya walked back over to her chair and sat down to face and look at Marian, "The rules are changing. That creature had to of appeared before you put your protections in pce, so it just...made you think they were."

  "But I remember giving them to the people of Athlone," Marian's brow furrowed in frustration, "There wasn't even a gate break...how many more of them are there?"

  "If I had to guess..." Maya shrugged, gesturing with her hands in uncertainty, "Enough to fool the entire nation."

  "...Well, fuck," Marian's shoulders slumped, yet the fire in her eyes still burned bright, "Rules really are changing. Do you think...they got the others?"

  "Most likely," Maya answered, completely unbothered.

  "Heh, makes sense," Marian admitted with a slight chuckle, "So, a day, you said?"

  "That's as long as my patience can allow," Maya told her honestly, then softened her tone, "So, about that meal?"

  Marian's eyes brightened as she stood straighter.

  "It'll be my pleasure," she said, a bit more energy in her step, "Lord knows I need a drink as well, would you like one?"

  "Just juice, if you have it," Maya said, "I'm not much of a drinker."

  "Fair enough," Marian nodded and began to leave before pausing and looking back, "Ah, I forgot to ask what you wanted?"

  "Surprise me, I'm not picky," she replied, making herself comfortable.

  "Very well," Marian said, then looked down at the creature with inquisitive disgust, "You want that, or...?"

  "Probably should," Maya told her, "Will need to figure out what they are and if they have anything useful."

  "True...You said they don't have a name, huh?"

  "Nope, not that I know of. Would you like the honors?"

  "Hah, all I know is that it's creepy and all...disjointed," Marian shivered, "Can't believe that thing was inside my skull...ugh, I really need a drink."

  As she left the room and walked down the hall and back downstairs, Maya leaned back and pondered to herself.

  "The Disjointed...huh?" Maya nodded with an approving expression, "...Not bad."

  With a name settled on, Maya put the corpse in her inventory for now and closed her eyes, letting her senses wander. She could hear the guards outside shifting in their armor and Marian moving downstairs. She could smell the scent of mushrooms and chicken being prepared, as well as the Guinness Marian poured for herself.

  For several blocks, Maya let her senses roam until it encompassed the entirety of the Latin Quarter and slightly beyond. Even without full conversion, she could feel beyond the veil if she simply focused, and focus she did. Not just far, but close as well.

  Enough to sense the one attempting to sneak up on her. Without even opening her eyes, Maya flicked her wrist and threw a bde wrapped in [Gheistform] behind her, imbedding itself in the creatures throat. She didn't have to be in gheistform to utilize it. With her new senses and abilities, there was so much more she could do now.

  There was a sickening gurgle as the creature tried to screech, but couldn't as it was pulled into the physical world. A thread of violet energy connected her bde to her hand, and with a simple tug, she pulled her bde free and then sent it back into the creatures chest with a simple motion of her finger. It fell, cwing at the wounds before its eyes dimmed and it stopped moving.

  "One down...Five more in the vicinity," Maya muttered, slowly opening her eyes which glowed with a subtle vender hue, "Looks like I'll be busy until tomorrow."

  Putting its corpse with the other in her inventory, Maya would go on to enjoy a nice meal with Marian. A chicken and mushroom stew with fresh baked bread. It was honestly delicious, with each of them downing at least ten bowls and three loaves of bread. Something Maya would have never done in front of others before, but now...things were quite different for her.

  After she ate, she informed Marian of her pn to hunt The Disjointed. Marian approved of the name and offered to join in the hunt, but Maya bid her to save her energy. She was reluctant, but accepted when presented with the facts. Her focus should be in protecting the people while Maya hunted.

  Over the course of an entire day, Maya completely wiped out The Disjointed from Galway, of which there had been around a forty spread throughout the city, leaving it free of their influence. After that, Marian redid her protections to ensure that no more could get in, and if they did, that they couldn't affect anyone. Maya also left some of their corpses for the Celtic Guard to dissect and study, for she had plenty already.

  The following day, as the sun was beginning to set and Maya was about to head to Athlone by herself; Samuel, Britain's Representative, and Malcolm, Scotnd's Representative finally appeared.

  -----

  Nikushimi