+50 Exp Debt Update: 678293 Exp current Debt for Dragon Blight Suppressor Dose
Zelda exits her apartment without having to avoid any cats. A great relief for her. She heads to the smithy. The kobold pits again. If I see them I can go to the rolling foothills. Her plan half baked, she proceeds forward.
A full sized lizard woman was behind the counter. Her red scales shined with a luster that said ‘I only clerk here’. Seeing Zelda enter she simply pointed at the barrel. The woman grabs her usual blade. A gladius, if Zelda could believe what father told her about it.
“50 for the rental. About time to reup for the armor? Bring it back this evening.” A bit of slithering sounds emanated from the shiny clerk. Zelda gives a nod. I hate that I can never align my two rentals. What cruel jerk decided six days for weapons and eight for armor.
+50 Exp debt for new sword rental
-----
They weren't there. Zelda feels a bit of mixed emotion on the Dagnit's party absence. She joins the group waiting for recruitment. A familiar call was made and she volunteered for what was usually a call made in jest. Another exasperation from Marla and they headed for their instance.
+500 exp Debt. Instance 689 assigned. Good Hunting
There were five other members beside Zelda. Three cat people and two humans. Zelda wasn't certain if they bore Arth as their home planet though. Made that mistake more than once. Their leader tilts their head for a moment. Then gives a hand signal. Zelda tilts her head as well, not sure what is going on. That she watches the party turn around and leave the instance.
Mail Notification: Potential Individual Buyer of Debt
She slumps down. Her legs are no longer able to hold her. It's not fair. She opens and immediately deletes it. She knows a visit from the bull headed man is likely but she is too upset to care. The first pack is three… She gets up. Ready to be foolish. She walks the path alone.
She creeps slowly. She has a rock in her hand. She reaches the bend before the first three. She puts the rock down and unsheathes her sword. The sword trades places with the rock. She pokes her head out, the Kobold thankfully not looking at her. She activates her strengthing magic and throws the rock. The rock sails over their heads and past them. A clunk sounds when it hits the floor. The kobolds turn towards it. She gets up, sword in hand and dash to the closest with their back turned.
Her target notices too late, the sword enters his side. She kicks him off quickly enough.
Gain 4 Exp from Kobold
A club slams into her shield. It knocks her back. Not quick enough. The two remaining Kobolds press the attack. She keeps a shield between her and one while her sword swings at the other. She can't watch both. Damn it. She presses towards the right side, her sword hand. It surprises the Kobold. The sword swing catches the neck, lucky. He will die shortly. She turns to see the club of the third glance off her shield and connect to her forehead.
She is dazed on the ground. The second Kobold under her. She looks up to see the club come down.
-----
Zelda gasps. She is in a familiar chair. With an unfamiliar bird man looming over her. Red and white plumage.
+10000 Exp Debt for Permanent Debtor Return Implant Recharge
She groans. She looks at the bird man who is just studying her.
“So how many did you kill before you were forced out.” She gives a suspicious glare at the bird. “Ah yes, manners. My name is Grant Pinok Yester the 3rd.”
Zelda attempts to get up but finds her body unresponsive. A feather brow quirks at the attempt.
“I am certain I read that this wasn't your first return. You are stuck for at least another cycle before your body regains full mobility. What made you attempt soloing the instance?” Zelda frowns. “Seems your inability to answer is not just rude mail etiquette. If I had known you would risk yourself, I would have waited outside the instance. I fear my impatience at forcing you out led to this.” Not that he is apologizing. “I swear, you seem determined to generate as much profit for Red Deliverance for your purchase.”
Zelda narrows her eyes at the bird. He notices it.
“Is that your qualm, you consider my purchase of your debt slavery. Fundamentally my purchase of the debt would mean more freedom for you, not less. Is it my species then? No, you only met me now. Will you say something?” He went from a mutter to a shout. It all displayed the same on her eye's subtitles.
She just stares at the bird. A glare really.
“Fine, don't. I offer you terms. You will continue as you are. I will give you a 1000 Exp monthly stipend. That should slow your growing debt, so long as you don't require the use of Return. I won't require payment until the end of the month at which point your Exp will zero out and your stipend will renew. Interest will apply at the end of the month. I will open my subscription to the Havenport vid repository to you. Seems you rent every night on a particular topic that interests us both.”
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
The woman glares at the bird. He simply waits. A sigh and an eye roll, “What's a month to you.”
“Ah, smart enough to ask. Or were you burned by Vaxians. A five cycle period is far too short for a proper month. 30 cycles is my month for this debt. No different from before, Miss Smith43.” He answers.
“Why?” Zelda asks.
“Why the interest in you? Not much of a conversationalist are you?” Another glare, “Right. I want what you want. To understand Dragons. The topic has little research. I aim to improve upon the literature available.”
Zelda's eyes widened. She laughs at the fool. Seems this offer will be rescinded quite quickly. I could have avoided all this if I had just asked earlier. Time to break the bad news.
“I don't study out of fascination. But out of a desire to exterminate them. I do hope you can expand what is known though. I will read everything you write.”
She attempts her best sneer. Her face muscles are not quite working to manage it. The bird is taken by surprise, either at the words or vehemence they were uttered. He clears his throat which has a rather musical quality to it.
“I see. But has no one explained your blight?” I have theories. Seeing no answer he continues. “You are turning into a Dragon, Miss Smith43. The blight will twist you into some sort of misshapen hybrid. Generally you will die but the theory goes, should you live long enough, you will be a Dragon. Then you will eat, molt and grow until you are the size of the Dragon that blighted you. So the theories go.”
Zelda looks at the birdman in a bit of shock. I have to kill them all. Guess now there is a time limit.
“Well now that I cleared that up, I am certain this crusade is at an end. Now all I ask is monthly blood samples and body scans. I wish to monitor your progression. You are welcome to keep using the suppressor. More data on its efficiency will be useful as well.”
“It's a blight not a destiny, if I kill the dragon that blighted me. Will it end?”
He stops at that, considers it. “Interesting, none have succeeded at killing the Dragon that blighted them. It is called a blight…this is a rather interesting avenue for research. Is that why you aim for genocide? Can't very well tell which blighted you after all.”
I can, there is no Dragon larger than him.
“Ten thousand.”
The bird takes a moment to understand my statement. His eyes crinkle when he does.
A Grant Pinok Yester the 3rd has made an offer to the Red Deliverance Company to buy Zelda Smith43 Debt
A new debt offer is made to the individual in accordance with S.B.7533 - No More Slaves Act. As the debtor you must agree to the new terms for an individual to purchase your debt.
A 10,000 Exp Stipend is to be provided monthly (30 cycles). Every 30 cycles interest (10%) will be applied to the debt. Any Exp the debtor has will be applied to the debt before the stipend renews. Access to Havenport Repository will be provided. The debtor will submit to monthly examinations that include body scans and non-invasive tissue samples. The debtor is unable to open a line of credit with anyone else so long as this debt exists. The debtor consents to five implants. The debt is bound to the system of Grant Pinok Yester the 3rd. He will be unable to sell this debt nor pass it on as an inheritance. He can only fine the debtor for failing to submit to the above examinations. Should he fail to provide the stipend or access to the above repository the debt will be canceled and/or his life will be forfeited.
Accept Decline
Should've added another zero, “Implants?” Zelda asks.
“Ah yes, your delay at reading my words is a bit off putting. Considering your recklessness I feel adding four more Return implants might be in order. To be spread through your body, one in your hand, a foot, your forehead and replacing the one in your chest. It will return you to my ship, unless that isn't available at which point it will be the closest receiver."
The contract updates indicating the mentioned implants.
Makes sense. I don't have forever to kill the Calamity. I can't be stuck as I am now. Damn it. He forced me into this chair. A captive audience. No, I didn't have to fight three Kobolds at once. It's either this or being forever stuck to this planet.
Zelda pushes accept. The bird man shivers for a moment. Zelda feels no different.
“Excellent, considering your disposition. It's best to get the implant done now, yes?” He asks out of politeness.
“Yes.”
“Good. Let me just get out of the way then.” He exits the room.
A bunny woman with green fur enters who was of decent height. She wore a white lab coat. She gives Zelda a rather annoyed look. Will the lecture be first or the surgery. There were no words said. Just an IV attached to my right wrist. She knows that's my dominant hand. Zelda gives an annoyed look at the doctor. The door opens, her assistant bear man of brown fur rolls in a tray. It has the five implants. And a rather familiar box. I didn't consent to that! Before Zelda can speak the doctor has already pushed something into her IV.
-----
Zelda flutters her eyes open. The right is normal, the left can't stop seeing dimensions warp around. She closes both her eyes. She tries again. The warping still occurs but slowly stops moving. She doesn't understand. The door opens and her vision splits again. Her left zooms into the face of the bunny doctor while the right remains at place in bed. She closes her left eye again.
“Issue?” The doctor asked.
“I can't describe it, I am seeing more but I don't understand. When you came in, it focused on your face. Why did you put this in me? No one lives longer than three days.”
“I was paid to, and it's your eye. Considering you've been out for four days, I think you're in the clear.”
Four days?
“I thought your advanced magical tech allowed faster recovery than that.”
She gives her patient a leveled look that says shut up. “So how are you enjoying conversing without a delay?”
Zelda blinks at that. She hadn't noticed that she wasn't reading her subtitles anymore. In fact they weren't there. Kinda miss it. Easy to ignore people before. “Could you put it back?”
“I could, but there are better things to etch into your eye. Afraid I can only do the one though. Your other eye might work with a contact lens.” She says with a bit of disinterest.
“Such as?”
“Automatic Identify, you can see levels and affiliations. It will show up over their heads.” The bunny sat down and looks over Zelda.
“I don't have more than a rudimentary threat sense.”
The doctor looks up at Zelda, “Right, the forever unimproved. Well get back to me when you manage to buy the skill. Now then, your new implants for Return are linked. Should any of them break or lose their link to the others, the part of the body with the most linked implants will Return and you will be restored. Same caveats as before, the creation of two individuals has never occurred and while theoretically impossible you can't disprove the negative in this case. Or at least no one wishes to run a experiment trying to prove it one way or the other. Total body annihilation is still a possibility, so try not to displease some arch mage or jump into a mana core reactor.” She takes a breath, “So then, why did my foolish debtor patient go and fight three Kobolds of her own level alone.”
Zelda winces and prepares a rather lengthy lecture on knowing her limits and how Return is not an excuse for recklessness. She kept her left eye closed the whole time.
