Shadow Slave: Shameless Self Insert

Terrible Taste

Chapter 17 - Terrible Taste

"Honestly, this isn't so bad. If we had a proper saddle he might even be comfortable."

Kai was currently riding the Carapace Scavenger. Jesse said he didn't have a name, which was truly blasphemous for someone who helped them as much as he did.

So Kai named him Carrie. Jesse looked kind of horrified but relented.

'Am I that bad at naming things?'

As the Carapace Scavenger barely fit in the small room, Jesse dismissed it and shook his head.

"Yeah well, who is gonna make a saddle for a damn scavenger? Plus people shouldn't know about it. For now."

Kai was left floating near the ceiling of the room and gently landed on the floor.

"Now... What is this about buying memories? I thought you wanted to save the shards for a later time."

***

It had been a few months since our trek across the crater. The landing in the dark city had been... rough. To say the least. As I didn't know enough about the Dark City, I deigned to not even attempt living in the Castle and told the other two everything I could before sending them off to do their thing.

I had given Cassie the Azure Blade for leverage if she ever needed it. Not that it would be very helpful, but maybe she could help make negotiations go smoother by giving it away.

I occasionally was able to check up on them with my shadow, when I got up into the outskirts of the Castle. Remembering the time I had left that place... was embarrassing.

***

"Okay, I am leaving for the cathedral I told you two about. Ah and for the record, a Fallen Devil is guarding it, so don't try to get in without me. Don't worry too much, it doesn't leave the building."

Cassie and Nephis just nodded lifelessly, as if they couldn't even try to care about what I said anymore. It was as if they thought I was immortal, which maybe was the case. I never actually told them how I killed the Great creature.

"Oh! Wait a minute Jesse." Cassie seemed to feel around a bag I gave her, and pulled out some meat. After giving me that, she grabbed me by the hand, looking somber.

[You have received a Memory: Endless Spring.]

I flinched and stared at her. Tears started welling up in my eyes.

"What... Cas? Did I do something wrong? I didn't... I didn't do it."

Neph seemed shocked and Cassie faltered, she was not expecting that reaction.

"No?! I just... you won't have access to good water in the City. So... I wanted to give this to you..." she hesitated for a moment and continued:

"I know... that you wouldn't do that. At least without a reason."

Nephis didn't seem to know what she was talking about, so it seemed this time she kept the vision secret.

I had started treating Cassie like a sister. Having her also give me the Endless spring, I thought was very bad.

"Do we... need to visit?" Neph asked, I then realized how embarrassing the past few seconds had been.

"Only come over when you need to Iamgoingnowseeyoulater!"

I spoke as I was fleeing.

Nephis was left with an unsatisfied look.

"I still wanted to say something..."

"You can tell him next time we see each other." Cassie held her hand as Jesse left.

***

I had learned how to navigate the city from Effie at this point, it was very difficult to not attract those rare creatures who could tell you were thinking about them. Especially for me who tended to talk to myself about certain things, but I managed after a while.

Doing my routine of surveying the city and making sure the statues were still there, I went with Kai to buy the Memories that I needed. I had stored quite a lot of soul shards, with the help of Carrie and Kai of course.

My runes looked like this now:

Shadow Fragments: [599/1000].

Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Ordinary Rock], [Endless Spring], [Prowling Thorn]...

Yeah I had been very busy. The only thing that was truly dreadful was trying to make Kai and Effie my friends while not living near the castle, and testing the limits of blood weave.

I needed to know how powerful it could be... and oh powerful it was. I didn't go and get myself gutted, but some serious injuries had healed with no problem. I only learned that because of how dangerous the Blood Fiends could truly be.

I grimaced and felt my shoulder, one had gotten the jump on me early on and almost bitten it off. I learned better after that.

"How did you get so many more soul shards anyway?" Kai asked while we were safely traveling.

"Well... I got the idea to lure some more powerful creatures into the cathedral and let the Knight deal with them, right before they died I tried to get the kill myself by using my kunai. It worked occasionally, as long as the situation was right. Then I was just able to slowly drag them out to harvest the shards." Kai knew it was true because of two things, so he seemed impressed.

"Why don't I come with you next time and I can shoot them with arrows, for a better chance of at least one of us getting the kill."

Now that was an idea. I shelved that for later as we approached the Memory Market.

I purposely had made myself look disheveled and feral so people wouldn't be interested in conversing with me while I was with Kai.

When we walked into the building I was introduced to Stev. I made the same impression as last time, good entertainment. Which Kai was very much shocked by, since he hadn't seen me act like that before.

After that, I perused the memories that he had. I chose about 14 memories and was able to make him give "Kai" the mantle for cheap. He then whispered to me.

"You actually got that?"

"Yes."

"You have terrible taste in clothing."

I glared at him. He was being uncharacteristically critical of my actions, but I knew he was worried about the actual protection of it for once. 

"Changing Star has really been making a ruckus around the castle. Everyone has heard about her feeding people in the outskirts by this point and... actually I haven't heard about her recently."

He actually reminded me of something.

Name: Nephis.

True Name: Changing Star.

Rank: Dreamer.

Class: Monster.

Soul Cores: [2/7].

Soul Fragments: [419/2000].

Memories: [Dream Blade], [Sabotaged Strength], [Evertwine], [Oath's Ovule], [Starlight Legion Armor]...[Moonlight Shard]

'Oh... she got it. That means it's almost time...'

It looked like I couldn't wait around any longer. Saint needed to die.

--------

Author here! Don't hesitate to be critical in the comments, I'd like to keep getting better at writing these chapters!