Chapter Seventy-Two

  “Which one of you is my path out of this cursed woods?” The rge mostly-translucent orb of a creature with eyes dotting its limbless body demanded, blocking the path forward.

  Len had the book out and started flipping through the pages of the creature compendium for the Deadwoods.

  “Hazgul Keist. Tier two geist. Careful, the book lists him as hostile, otherwise he would be on our list.” Len reads

  “Hostile! Hostile! You would be hostile too if you were trapped here! These eyes are made for seeing and I’ve seen every corner of this dreary prison. And that book! I recognize that author, one of the most despicable and degrading people to ever step foot into the Deadwoods, Professor S. Grosse. If you want a real expert, one is sitting right in front of you.“

  Tier two. The book went with that system for beings that didn’t evolve and grow. Tier one was the equivalent to a non-evolved person, two once-evolved, three twice-evolved, and down the line. Trying to get any tier three bond successful would be pushing it, and risks with the spirit being the top power in the retionship.

  “Harmony, can you get a sense of the geist?” Len asked.

  Experience, that’s why she’s here. So she walked toward the independent spirit.

  “Hey!” Hazgul started.

  [Shadowed Graves] cast out, boosted by that sense of awe for all who would be cast. That stilled the geist in its tracks. Adric always preened under these effects and she suspected it affected the undead more strongly than the living. [Mana Rotation] spun up her sight as she strung [Analyze] and [Keen Investigative Awareness] along with her css's sense of death in that blend that included a touch of [Renew Spirit] and [Final Silence], that soul sight she used for subyer attacks.

  Non-corporeal beings should be easier to work with. She pressed her hand into the sphere, the resistance was like dipping your hand into water, slight but there. The framework that held the spirit was more entwined with its soul mostly intangible but floating like a bit of ice in water, most of it under the surface. This meant you could wear away some in the physical world, and over time destabilize it all, but offered a superior level of protection against most attacks.

  Several core skills floated in the mess but mostly acted like a battery to maintain its presence providing a constant flow of soul energy. Strong as it was, she knew she could kill it. Part of her asked to do just that. Having this trip take her out of the dungeon runs meant a hint of bloodlust was rising. Hazgul’s fear didn't help, but there was hope and desire. It did want out of the Deadwoods and to bond with one of these potential heroes. Inquisitive, vigint, watching, any could benefit, but Len felt more potential as none of the others in the group showed interest.

  If Len wanted this, the least she could do would be to freshen it up for him. Obvious old wounds that [Beautician] picked out because they marred a system that strived toward symmetry. There was even some more recent damage that looked to be bleeding invisible fluid. [Cold Touch] and [Mend] with [Renew Spirit] to rebuild the edges, and a little work to strengthen and repair any skills by adding in [Final Silence] on infmed bits.

  The whole thing quivered and moaned, but didn’t pull away. The sound caused Tyler to ready his weapon.

  The potential to py with the form was there but could lead to mistakes. Some eyes seemed stronger than others, so she instead used that as a model for repairing all of them. That touch of exhaustion warning of low mana pulled her out of her work, enough that Harmony tied up loose ends and stepped back. Her body slid out of the rge spherical creature, apparently, she'd been so distracted she'd stepped fully inside while working.

  Everyone was staring at her. “What?” Harmony demanded.

  “You were in there awhile.” Max choked out.

  Hazgul Keist was, while not more solid, a bit shinier and now pressed in a half-squished ball in supplication before her. “This one is yours, Len. One of the basic bond spirits scrolls should do. I sensed no maliciousness or deception.”

  Not asking twice Len pulled out a scroll and bag of supplies to power it. “Knowing it’s name should help. Hazgul Keist I offer a bond to you. Take it so you may support my causes.”

  The scroll glowed and the geist eagerly jumped into the magic. Harmony watched the bond form in both Len and the geist. Unlike Skills stones, it was more like they were stitched together than having it grow inside of them. As the Geist faded away. Len half colpsed onto one knee.

  “Where did it go?” Jessica asked.

  “Ha ha ha ha.” Ethereal ughter echoed around Len. “I’m still here when you need me. Blessings upon you all.”

  “Len, you okay?” Harmony asked.

  With a groan, the wizard straightened. “Yes. He is stronger than I anticipated. Once I evolve it will be less of an issue. If you don’t mind, I’ve told him that if he misbehaves, I’ll send you after him. That seems to keep him in line. What did you do to him?”

  “I did my best to fix up any old damage I saw. No point in you bonding a wounded spirit. Like I did to that zombie on the road.”

  “That’s amazing. No wonder Thorne said to listen to you.” Tyler gushed.

  Jessica did fsh annoyance and a slight wave of heat.

  Len looked to swallow more questions.

  “Let's find some more spirits, maybe we’ll all get lucky and find them waiting on the path for us,” Rose said, walking forward.

  More geists did appear on the road. Those didn’t fare so well. “Trash!” Hazgul yelled. A smack of invisible force knocking away half-formed geists or ones who started to beg. “No respect for what you want to accomplish, just rushing here because they’re the fastest spirits.”

  Most were weak, but one or two did seem like they might have potential for someone else in the group, but the newly bonded spirit bashed them away eagerly, with the glee of someone with a new toy.

  Harmony nearly stepped in, but Hazgul wasn’t entirely wrong. Harmony had no interest in seeing everyone in the group equipped with invisible geists and rushing off to leave this pce. Then they could pretend to not be linked to any undead and would be free of dirty insinuations and rumors. And even invisible, the talkative geist would at least carry a presence with him that couldn’t be ignored.

  Those slightly stronger geists sent away might be able to spread the news that this crew was looking for a certain level of spirit for those in this group to bind. Spiritual politics at its finest.