NOVEL NEXT 23. Rewards and Welcomes
Bonny and Eloisss started to follow Miu, then stopped as a soft white glow surrounded Bonny.
The aura quickly grew in brightness, blinding anyone looking at her, then faded into her skin, leaving a sheen of light. A moment later, a sphere of darkness did the same. Her fur and skin flashed though light and shadow several times like a strobe, before settling down to a complex shifting pattern of light and shadow.
Eloisss, Miu, and Fluffy all turned and stared.
Bonny spun around wildly, looking for an attack. Had they missed a goblin? Did goblin’s have magic? Mages or Wizards? Wha?
“Bonny? Iss everything alright?” Eloisss reached out a hand to hold Bonny’s shoulder. “Check your sstatuss.”
Of course, she had a status.
“Status!” Bonny opened it, still wondering what the fuck? Cascading alerts caught her attention immediately.
Alerts (8):
You have been recognized by the Goddess Courage for running into battle naked and weaponless to save a friend. The touch of the Divine will be seen upon you. You and your allies cannot be frightened. Your aura may intimidate anyone not god-touched. Your will has increased.
The Demon Lust has responded to the Goddess Courage. The touch of the Demonic will be seen upon you. You will inspire desire in those around you. Your aura may intimidate anyone not demon-touched. Your aura strength has increased. Your will has increased.
You gain Arcane affinity through the repeated use of Arcane magic in battle. Your mana has increased.
You have earned an achievement for gaining affinity with all Magic types. You have gained a Title. All Magic stats increased. Plus one skill granted.
You have increased your magic proficiency by repeatedly casting spells in battle. Your Magic Power and Control have increased.
You have increased your magic proficiency by repeatedly using demonic spells in battle, your Magic Control has increased.
Your Magic Control and Mana have exceeded the norm. Plus two skills granted for Magic related classes.
Your status has improved and will display more information due to increased understanding and stats.
Status:
Name: Bonny
Race: Outworlder / Rabbit-kin
Age: 22
Health: Healthy
Soul: Healthy
Title: Novice Sage
Achievement: Proficiency with all Magic Affinities
Affinities: Arcane Novice 50%, Demonic Master 6% (Lust), Divine Beginner 0% (Courage), Elemental Novice 0% (Water)
Aura: Divine Courage, Demonic Desire
Class: Lesser Medic/Demonic (alternatives available)
Skills: (3 available)
Mending (lesser)
Panacea (lesser)
Sacrifice (demonic)
Wound Transfer (demonic)
General Skills: Agility, Dancing, First Aid, Running, Walking, Outworlder Knowledge
Equipment: Big Red - Bonded, Growth (Epic/Demonic)
Phys Pow: Below avg
Phys Con: Above avg
Stamina: Above avg
Mag Pow: Average
Mag Con: Above avg
Mana: Below avg
Aura Pow: Novice 99%
Aura Con: Novice 50%
Will: Novice 99%
“Huh!” She sat down. Her skin and fur tones shifted continuously, bright and dark, as if small hidden spotlights played across her body.
Miu headed back toward them and Fluffy followed.
Bonny noticed a growing bulge under the lion’s leather pants and motioned him away. “Eloisss, I … can’t. Uhm, can we go wash up now? Away from people?”
Eloisss slithered over and conferred with Miu and Fluffy, then came back and picked Bonny up, holding the bunny easily, like a princess.
Bonny slipped her arms around Eloisss’ neck and hugged her tightly, heedless of the blood and gore.
Eloisss started heading down, toward the pond, when Bonny stopped her. “Wait, I can sense Wrath demons.” She pointed to several of the larger goblin corpses.
Miu ran over to find scales materializing near them. She grabbed them and handed them to Bonny. “Will explain, nya. Then join soon.” Miu headed back over to Fluffy and they headed inside the Clowder.
Bonny stared at the scales in her hand. Five. Five more spirits to conquer. Maybe it would be easier now, but with her luck, probably not. She sighed as Eloisss started down the slope again, holding her tightly.
The pond was an artificially widened area with a narrow stream feeding it and an outlet by constructed dam of logs and mud. It was several feet deep and had a slight current that would pull any gore away from them and to the outflow.
Eloisss set Bonny down by the bank, stripped off the armor, then joined her. They scrubbed at each other, working to get clean, but not speaking. Eloisss seemed content to wait for Bonny to finish processing whatever had happened.
Miu came down before they were done, dragging their backpacks. She opened and riffled through them quickly and held up some food from each. “Can haz food? nYA?”
Eloisss nodded and Miu headed back up the slope, nibbling away. Her tails were orange with white tips. Tails, plural. Three of them.
Bonny and Eloisss both looked up, the weird behavior and appearance slowly registering, just as Miu stepped behind a tree and vanished.
“Uh, was that the fox? Can it, like, mimic people?”
Eloisss nodded. “The old ones can. This one has just begged for food until it helped in the fight. Maybe it trusts us now. They are said to bring luck…”
“Well, at least it brought our bags.” Bonny sighed. “I don’t think I can take any more luck. When Miu gets here, I’ll explain. The real Miu.”
Eloisss smiled. “That’ss fine. Are you ok?”
“I think so.” Bonny looked down at the shifting lights and shadows playing across her body. “Tell me, do you want me? Right now? Like, more than anything?”
"Yess! But you sseem fragile. I wass afraid …”
“Kiss me.”
Eloisss did. It was a long, sensuous kiss.
They finished washing up, then held on to each other and kissed some more, but any time Eloisss’ hand slipped somewhere risque, Bonny pulled it back up.
Miu arrived a short time later, already clean, wearing a crop top and shorts instead of armor. She carried a bundle of clothes for Bonny. “Sorry, nya. I washed up with Fluffy and some warriors. Explained goblins and Wrath. Go up now? Feast for saving Clowder.”
“No.” Bonny shook her head and motioned for Miu to join them in the pool. “I need to tell you something.”
The water by the dam was still tinged red, so they moved to clear water at the opposite end of the pool, near where the river fed into it. Miu stripped and joined them. “Are you ok, nya? I’m sorry, didn’t think.”
“It’s fine. Hug me.”
The three huddled up into a group hug and Bonny relayed what happened just after the battle.
“So, I think Grandmother Oak knew this was going to happen. She gave me a water spirit, so that when the gods stepped in, I would get this achievement thing. Have you heard of it happening to anyone else?”
Eloisss thought for a moment before replying, “There wass a legendary lamia warrior, proficient in many weaponss. He became a champion, defending uss againsst invading armiess ssingle handedly.”
“So this isn’t weird?”
“It’s weird, nya. But the shadows and lights are worse.”
“Have either of you heard of auras before? Can I turn them off?”
“Grandmother Oak would know, nya. Can wait?”
“If I have to, I guess. I think going into town with the Lust aura will bring chaos. Maybe that’s why Lust is a demon. Can we stay out here?”
Both Miu and Eloisss shook their heads.
“Waited too long already, nya.”
“You will sshame them, if you sskip the feasst.”
Bonny sighed. “Ok. But please keep them away from me. Especially the boys. I’ve had enough creepy men in my life already.”
They dressed and headed up, Bonny wearing a shirt and pants that covered most of her body and was partially effective at hiding the aura. However, her head and arms still periodically glowed or faded into shadow.
They walked into the Clowder, through the palisade gates, to the cheers of cat kin, and were ushered into a large building at ground level. It had several tables, laden with food, mostly meat, but Bonny spotted a place at the head table with grains, roots, and vegetables.
She made her way to her seat, trying to ignore the growing scent of musk and bulging erections in the cat kin surrounding her.
