Writer's Note: Sorry for taking so long. Things has gotten busy for me lately. So busy in fact, that I couldn't even finish a single chapter. But I feel sorry about leaving you guys hanging for almost two weeks. So here's what I do have. I understand that this chapter might feel incomplete, but I plan on writing more later. There are so many things I have to deal with at this time, so there's a possibility that it'll be awhile before I write another chapter for this storyline. If you want this storyline to progress faster, then don't be afraid to write your own chapter! In fact, I want more writers to help me out! It seems that I find more inspiration and motivation and write faster when I'm responding to someone else's chapter rather then respond to my own chapters. It's hard to do this alone and I don't want to do this alone. With that said, I'm probably not going to respond to every chapter. It depends on the situation and the direction I want to take. But if the new chapter works with what's previously established in the story and doesn't feel like it came out of nowhere then I should have no problem adding to it. A fresh new take on the story and characters is always appreciated. I don't mind changing my plans a little if it means working with writers like Chronoseth, Dragonman, jtres, iWTBAT, Newishdemonwriter and all the other writers both anonymous or not for helping with this story. I miss you guys. If you're new to writing and your interested in this story, then don't be afraid of trying! The more you try and make an effort the better you get! I know that from first hand experience.
If things keep getting busy for me, I might end going into writer's hiatus for awhile, and I don't want to do that! I read enough stories that stopped mid way through because the writer lost steam, and I don't want to do that to you guys!
Let me know if I'm making things too complicated. I'll simplify things if that's the case.
Sorry for the rant. Please enjoy the chapter! I'll try to write more later.
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Isaac hasn't found any value in lying and he has no intention of doing so anytime soon.
"They're... my mental companions" Isaac replied honestly.
"Oh... Does that mean you have voices in your head?" Mary asked casually. It didn't look like she was accusing him of anything. In fact, she has a curious expression on her face. "Does everyone from the material plane have voices in their heads too?"
Isaac found himself scratching his head. Why is Mary is suddenly showing interest in his strange corrupt anatomy? Was she always curious of how his body and mind works?
He gave her a answer. "Uh... no. It's just me. My body is the sad result of being exposed to the corruption. What you're seeing now is nothing like what a native of the material plane should look like." Isaac liked down in shame. "I'm no longer human.... I don't know what I am anymore. Sometimes, I wonder if it's worth stopping the spread of corruption when my people will probably won't let me return to them when my quest is over." Isaac looked regretful. Sometimes, he wonders if letting his body get altered just to get stronger will have permanent consequences. Will he ever become human again? This mutant body does have it's perks when it comes to battling, but a part of him doesn't want this body to be permanent. He feels that the longer he keeps transforming, the farther away he is from his original self. What if he loses touch of who he is? What if he loses his identity and becomes someone else? What if he gets replaced by someone else? Erased and forgotten?
"You're still you." Mary stated.
...what?
"I'm not sure if it's because of these red cuffs, but I can sense that you're worried that you might change on the inside. With you body changing every time you absorb something, I can imagine that it might be hard to think of yourself as the same person with you body constantly changing appearance." Mary stated.
Isaac continued looking down in shame. She's right.
"But even though your body keeps changing to adapt to other worldly environments... Your soul hasn't change during the short time I known you." Mary said firmly.
Guilt clouded Isaac's eyes. "Of course I changed! I've killed or absorbed innocents because there weren't human! I stolen their lives away just so I can gain their power! I'm a murderer! I've became a shameless monster who doesn't deserve to be human again! I DON"T DESERVE TO BE A PALADIN!" Isaac screamed a the top of his lungs.
He regretted the words that flew out of his mouth. He kept repeating his regrets to himself for some time now. Before he started his quest, he kept repeating a different mantra to himself: That what he does as a paladin is best for his people... but his recent adventures made him question if should be protecting humans... of if he should protect EVERYONE. Both human and non-human. One of the visions the oracle hand mirror showed him stuck out to him. The one where he was raped by a formal human just because he can't resist his body's corrupt desires. It made Isaac wonder if otherworldly creatures has more desires then just converting humans to their own kind. What if they are just like humans but in a body that works differently? What if they're stuck in a body with different desires and differnt ways of feeding in order to survive? What if the need sexual fluids as food?
Isaac found himself lost in his thoughts.
Mary was silent for a moment... and then she responded.
"You want me to hate you... but a monster wouldn't do that."
huh?
"A monster wouldn't care what other people think. They wouldn't care about how their actions afect others. Beleive it or not, I've seen a lot of cloud people who are more deserving of your monsterious body then you. To me... you're just like any other cloudman. In fact... you remind me a lot like myself." Mary said with a smile.
'W-what do you mean?!" Isaac asked in shock.
Mary looked up in thought.
"Beck at Nat's hometown, you said something to me... something about me being similar to you. After that incident, I found myself thinking about what you meant by that. But after traveling with you for awhile, I think I know why you would say that..." Mary paused.
Isaac let out a loud gulp. He completely forgot about that offhanded comment. At the time, he was thinking on a hunch that Mary might be his cloud plane counterpart. But it looks like Mary interpreted that comment in her own way.
Since Isaac wasn't responding, Mary continued. "You're lonely... just like me. You have you no love ones or friends to share your feelings with so you kept them suppressed and focused on a mission to help your people. That's just like how I feel. I'm will to take many risks if it means making a difference for my people. But that means I have to push away people and lock away my feelings. But sometimes... my loneliness catches up, I I desperately want to tell someone how I'm feeling but I can't. I'm afraid of jeopardizing my mission... my only purpose in life."
Isaac was silent. He couldn't help but agree with everything Mary was saying. That's exactly how he felt!
"But... I might be willing to share my inner thoughts with someone who understands the burden I'm going through... That is... If your will to share your thoughts with me in return." Mary had a sad smile on her face.
Isaac was relived by Mary's kindness. A kindness that he himself has.
"Thank you Mary." Isaac said with a smile. He doesn't remember when was the last time he honestly smiled.
After that, they just ran as fast as they could on in silence. Both were relaxed and holding hands. With Alicia's map they calmly followed Slar as he ran through the mansion.
Isaac was grateful that Mary forgotten about his mental companions and in turn, they wisely stayed silent.
Isaac wasn't sure how long it will the brief peace will last but he'll savor it a long as he can.
From this point forward, Isaac can trust Mary not just as a companion but as a friend.
...
It was getting harder to catch his breath as Slar ran through the hallways of the mansion.
This place is huge! Is this a maze or a actual place to live? Just how many people live here? This place seems a little big for just one person to live here.
But what does Slar know about how the rich think? He just knows that he's just doing a job for the boss and needs to save Mary from that creature. Slar had nothing against Mary, but he needed some way to get the weapon without too much complications. And now she's paying the cloud piper for his thoughtlessness. Granted, his thoughtlessness has gotten him out of plenty of jams in the past so he has no regrets. Regardless, he occasionally has to clean up the messes his thoughtlessness causes and this is no exception. Hopefully, the boss's hunch is correct and there is some kind of powerful weapon hidden in this mansion.
Acording to rumors, this mansion is home to a strange old lady who (according to kids who look through the windows) is harboring relics unlike anything seen on the cloud kingdom. However, there is a reason people consider them as rumors and not as fact. Whenever someone goes inside the mansion, they either come out or has no memory of what happened while they were inside the mansion. There are a few exceptions, but what they say is usually the same story. They couldn't remember what was inside the mansion and that the conversation they had with the resident old lady was present but really had any valuable information.
The owner is hiding something. That's for sure.
Usually, Slar and the Cloud Crawler gang wouldn't bother with this place. It was too much trouble to bother. But the situation has changed.
There has been questionable things going on in the Sky Castle as of late. Well... more questionable then usual. And it all has something with that air dragon. Air dragons are extremely rare and are seemingly feral and untamable. So for the Sky King to get one that is obedient and intelligent seems a little too good to be true.
The Boss noticed this and decided to send in some spies into the Sky Castle to investigate. And what they dug up was unsettling. Apparently, the Sky King has been working with some shady characters lately. Shady characters who can make the possible possible. They are the reason the Sky King can finally has an edge over the people after being put on check by the people for so long. And it's related to the king's new air dragon's sudden appearance.
Slar may be a part time member of the Cloud Crawler gang, but he can't ignore what the boss told him. The Cloud Crawler Gang may not normally care about what the king does, but this is a exception. The Sky King is gaining more power then he should and if they don't do something, the King will eventually become more then just a thorn on the Cloud Crawler's side. Star may be free to do whatever he wants as a mercenary, but he can't just ignore his best friend's request. Especially with something as serious as this.
So here he is. On yet another whacky adventure. And now he must save a swords woman who he dragged into this mess from what he assumes to be one of owner's bodyguards. Come to think about it, this is already cooking up to be great material for his adventure novels. But first he needs something strong enough to over power that creature. Hopefully, Mary is still in one piece by the time he comes back.
Guilt covered Slar's face as he randomly opened and slammed doors, checking every room he can for some kind of weapon. Oh sure, there's the usual blunt objects and everyday items he can use as weapons, but he needs something more powerful then his "Trusty Material Rod" (which is the name of his gun) to get Mary away from that thing. The strange relics he seen scattered throughout the mansion doesn't threatening enough to pique his interest. (Unbeknownst to Slar, he is missing out on a lot of potential reality altering weapons.)
Eventually, He slamed opened a pair of doors to find...
A armory.
It has the usual cloud weapons a Armory should have, Cloud guns and swords, and even a few cloud canons!
A smirk crawled itself onto Slar's face.
He can definitely use those. He even have the steam sticks (matches) to light them. Now to roll one to the monster's face...
But just when Slar went behind one of the canons to push it, something caught his eye.