Negotiate

“Well...”

You heard a voice that snapped you out of something, like waking from a dream. You could have sworn you were just doing something. Something very, very fulfilling. You looked around and saw the walls and shelves of the Library, then thought back and felt a sense of loss at losing the life that you had chosen. You rubbed your eyes wearily.

“Oh are you sleepy?” The voice asked.

“No I-”

“That's good, because we need to get back on track. Did you enjoy being a Minotaur? Did you get it all out of your system? I was surprised how easily you took those big cocks. The betrayal? Masterful, foreshadowed from the start. The scene with Moona was heartwarming. It feels like you two really had a connection.”

“I don't- What?” You felt your head. You were incredibly confused. Head was pounding. You remembered the Library but remembered enough about being away from it that you knew you could not remember the Library outside of it.

“Is this Synra? Where are you?”

“You're inhabiting-”

“Inhabiting?”

She spoke, and her tone shifting suggested she was smiling. “Slip of the tongue, Eve. I do not have a body currently and I need to find a new one, but that has nothing to do with you, dear.”

“Okay. What happened? Why did I come back here?”

“You left down an Echo. The story isn't supposed to go down that route, but I humored you and showed you the outcome. Now with out of your system we can get back on track!”

“What track? Am I on a track?”

“No no... Of course not. You are free to do whatever you like. But... I just can not have you unceremoniously retire to mother a Herd of Minotaur until we've reached... Well. We're getting there.”

“So all that stuff was a 'dream?'”

“No... In a sense it happened to you. You experienced it and the collateral is going to affect those two girls as well, since the magic is sort of imprecise. Even after you forget about what we talked about, and this Library, you'll have a lingering sense of what happened to you in the Echo. They will, too. But... Please do not do that again because it messes with the story that I have laid out.”

You furrowed your brow. “A lingering sense? What's that going to be like?”

“Foreboding. Like the feeling you get when staring down a dark alley, or running past a dark, open door on your way to the bathroom. You're imagination runs wild with fear. Or... I suppose since you are a complete degenerate, arousal for bull dicks. I trust you have enough sense to keep that one to yourself.”

“Okay. So, when I get back it's going to feel like a mild lapse?”

Synra laughed, her voice echoed throughout the library. “No, you and everyone else involved are going feel quite a bit of feedback. You just experienced the Echo of another reality. That is NOT good for you. Maybe a bit of motivation to NOT do it again, you know?” She taunted.

You began to panic. “Wait wait, do I have time to pr-” You felt the world go dark, then vertical, then light filled your vision. You crumpled to your knees and held your stomach, only barely managing to avoid throwing up. The worst part? You had no idea, sitting between Moona and the two Cultivators, why you were feeling this way so suddenly. You had a vague sense of arousal within the camp and a strong tinge of loyalty towards Moona and her kind, however there was a pulling sensation in your heart. It beat quickly as you considered betraying Lyla and Virise.

“-pare?” You tried to blink away you dizziness, having had no clue why you said that.

Luckily for you the two girls were just as jarred, except in place of arousal, horror painted their faces. Virise let go of the sword she was drawing. Her hands shakily rose to the sides of her head, as that was where the strongest sense of foreboding lay for her. Lyla lost her footing and dropped to her knees.

“W-why did it feel like I couldn't stand for a second, there?” She gathered her senses faster than the green-haired girl and quickly stood.

“Damn, Virise, collect yourself!”

“I don't know what happened? Such a strange feeling. Eve, come here. We have to clear out this camp.”

“No!” You inhaled nervously and decided to use her words this time. You glanced back at Moona and then up to the two Cultivators.

“No?” Lyla lifted a brow.

“Eve, we've been through this before with you. We can only tolerate so much of this.” The girl looked frustrated, as if this had been a problem stretching far back into Evelyn's past. A past she had no insight into.

“Okay, hear me out.” You began. Virise stopped shaking. She moved her dominant hand to her sword once more and prepared to draw. You knew you did not have much time, for some reason. The unsheathing of the sword was triggering something in you. A sense of deja vu

“To you,an intelligent Minotaur seems like an existential threat. However... Minotaur have existed as a threat for some time and they have not seemed to do anything. They get purged or killed and the men still run wild. Right?”

Lyla looked to her partner. Virise shrugged. “Correct, I suppose.”

“Consider that an intelligent Minotaur could potentially guide the Herd into being less threatening, towards their own benefit. If that catches on then maybe we've found a better, self-fulfilling solution.”

“Do you buy that?” Lyla asked Virise.

“Not in particular.” The Cultivator spoke calmly. Your heart sank.

“But...” She relented.

“What is being suggested is not mercy, but an experiment. I can not say with certainty that I am not curious to see if you are right, Eve.” Virise smiled and sheathed her sword. Moona was brought into the Aura that seemed to slow time to a standstill. The Minotaur gasped and held her chest. She stared up at the two Cultivators in horror.

“Alert this one to the plan, and then we need to go.”

Lyla did not seem pleased, but she went along with it. She stared at you. “This is your responsibility, Eve. You're going to have to check up on them to make sure they aren't getting out of hand. Got it?”

“G-got it!” You smiled excitedly and turned to Moona, holding her hands in yours somewhat intimately. You felt an unusually strong connection to the woman.

“Moona, listen. You need to try to prevent this Herd from rampaging. If we can show that your kind can resist destruction and conquest then we may be able to save you and many more of your kind.” You could see the skepticism in her eyes, but ultimately she was too savvy to decline. She smiled and offered a short nod.

“We'll do what we can.” You could tell that she was being honest, but worry seeped into her smile. Moona was not confident.

“I believe in you, okay?”

“Come on, Eve, let's go!” Lyla snapped, grabbing you by your arm. You were pulled back up onto a flying sword. Lyla guided your hand around her waist.

“Hold on tight. We're leaving. No more diversions, understand?”

“G-got it.” You balanced surprisingly well on the wide, flat blade as it began to rise up into the air. Virise had her own and was following a few feet below. As she lifted off, the time below began to progress normally. The Minotaurs continued on without any knowledge of what was happening. Only Moona looked up, holding her hands in front of her pensively as she wondered what she was going to do. You mouthed the word 'sorry' to her as Lyla took off like a bolt.

-

Travel was faster without having to escort a couple of cows, it seemed. Lyla took you between mountains, over cliffs and down into shallow valleys until finally you reached a range of mountains that looked like pins pointing up at the sky. They were covered in green near the base and the forests below were dense and unable to be seen through. At the top of each needle was a small structure, like a shrine, but Lyla passed them all until finally you reached a particularly thick and tall mountain in comparison to the ones jutting up from the valley. It seemed to hold a winding monastery at the vary top with a road that spiraled down around the full diameter to the bottom, leading into an opening to the forest. The first you had seen. The path was dotted with arches that continued all the way to the entrance.

You found it odd that despite the fact that you could fly, Virise and Lyla stopped in front of the large round portcullis entrance, got off their swords and began to walk through.

“Why didn't you just fly over, or through?”

“The mountain is protected by arrays against flying and teleportation. And we're walking through the entrance out of respect to the Master.” Virise explained.

“I see.”

“So, you've really lost much of your memory, haven't you?” She asked.

“I suppose I have.”

“Was it because of the-” Virise was interrupted by Lyla.

“Don't say her name here. You haven't lost YOUR memory.” The girl whispered.

As you entered into the courtyard you noticed a girl with brown hair at twitching cat ears standing perfectly still along the path like a statue. You found yourself drawn to her for her exotic looks. The ears were soft and tufted on the inside. She had a thing, swaying tail behind her. Both seemed to beg to be pet. What stood out most, however, was her open robe and impressive chest. It seemed like Lyla and Virise were going to continue on without addressing the girl, so you stopped in front of her. Her greyish eyes centered on you excitedly.

“Eve, ignore her, she's being punished.” Virise warned.

“Me-yes.” The Cat responded, a guilty smile spreading across her pretty lips.

“Me... Yes? Is that like-” You held back a laugh.

“Meow?”

“Nice to meet you, too.” She responded perplexingly.

You gulped. “I-I think I've been here before. I just can't remember.” The Cat nodded in affirmation of that.

“So... You are new?”

“Me-no.” She responded flatly.

“But it just seems like if you can't remember me I should introduce myself again. I'm Mio.”

“Mio? Like 'Meow', that's cute.”

She gave you a blank stare. “You already introduced yourself, Evie.”

“Okay... How long have you been standing here. You're shaking.” You could not tell. The girls seemed very gifted in general, so the Cat could have been standing out since morning.

Mio sighed. “Almost at a hundred, then I can go.”

“Hours!?”

“Days.”

Your jaw dropped. “What did you do?”

She smiled awkwardly. “Never me-ind. Those two are getting mad.” She continued to stand perfectly still, staring straight ahead as you caught up.

“What's that about?” You asked them.

“If you're especially bad, Master makes you stand and act as the Temple's 'Good Luck Statue.'” Lyla offered frankly.

“That's harsh...”

“It's good meditation time. Stop dwelling on stupid things. We need to find Lore.” Virise warned.

As you entered the temple proper you got a familiar feeling. It was as if you had been there before, or somewhere similar. It made sense, considering you theoretically inhabited a body of someone that lived and trained here. All at once it came back to you, not what you did here, but why you were afraid to come. You held your head in your hands.

'Oh god! If they figure out I'm a FRAUD they're going to do who knows what to me... Maybe they'll make me be a 'luck statue' or maybe it'll be even worse...' She lamented. As you looked for a way out you figured there must have been something else that reminded you of the Temple's interior. The walls were adorned with shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls. There were off-shoot halls that seemed to go on forever, giving the impression that the mountaintop retreat was far bigger on the inside.

“Where the hell is Lore?” Lyla grunted.

“Maybe she left?”

“Now? No way...”

“If she is somewhere in this place and we have to 'find' her, this could take days... This is ridiculous, she should be meeting us here.” Virise crossed her arms over her chest and pushed her glasses up her nose annoyedly.

You understood as the two girls were discussing what to do, you had a small window to wander off. If what Virise said was true, and it could take days to find someone in this place it could be dangerous, but it could also be to your benefit.

* * *

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