Accumulating Attributes

I exhaled slowly and reached out—not with voice, but with will.

"Come."

There was no flash. No summoning circle. Just the sudden pressure of being noticed by something otherworldly and unseen, like the world had a breath caught in its throat. The shadows thickened, the ruined boards at my feet groaned, and a voice like warm silk threaded itself through my thoughts.

"Back so soon, my little warlock?"

Graz’zt didn’t appear—he never did. But I could feel him everywhere: behind my ears, in the corners of my sight, lazily rising like smoke in the curve of my spine.

“I’ve done what you asked,” I said aloud. “Karlach and Shadowheart—both have reached their first step”

"Mmm, yes..." The voice hummed, smug and pleased. "I’ve tasted the shift. One fiery brute, undone by words alone. One priestess, pious and pliant, moaning through sin. Delicious work."

I crossed my arms. “You promised me power. What now?”

"Progress," he crooned, "but slow. I had hoped for more..."

“This corruption business takes time, you should know that better than everyone.”

There was silence—then a deep, guttural laugh, rich and almost proud.

"Oh, you amuse me. Good. I’d hate to waste my gifts on a fool. You're right, of course—slow poison runs deepest. And your work, while delayed, is... worth the wait."

I narrowed my eyes. “The girls, they changed in different ways.”

"Of course." His tone sharpened. "Corruption isn’t a recipe. It’s a performance. A seduction. Every soul has its own vulnerabilities, its own sins, its own... kinks. You’ve begun to see that."

He circled in my mind, like a serpent coiling itself.

"Shadowheart—how divine to twist her faith into blasphemy. You made her fall to her knees in devotion, not to her goddess... but to you. A contradiction so sweet I nearly wept."

"And Karlach," he mused, "untouchable, burning, isolated. You broke through with words, you made her strip herself bare not in defense, but in delight. She begged to be seen. To be good for you. Clever. Perverted. Perfect."

I allowed myself a small smile. “So… if I use the right stimuli—fetishes, weaknesses—I can shape the direction of their corruption?”

"It is not so simple!" Graz’zt spat, voice rippling with dramatic disdain. "But yes. Push what is there, and it grows. Forge something new, and it may shatter. Build on a kink, and the soul and body will reshape around it. Guide it well, and they will thank you for their ruin."

I raised an eyebrow. “And where do I track this kind of progress? Their... development.”

"Check your interface, pet. Just beside their approval and corruption scores."

I blinked. “Huh. Convenient.”

"A little help." The velvet voice chuckled. "And speaking of help..."

I felt it before I understood it—my limbs heavier, denser. My balance subtly shifted. I looked down at my arms, flexed my hand. The muscle had thickened, tightened. My fingers closed with more strength than I remembered.

"+1 Strength, courtesy of Karlach."

A second pulse followed—softer, cooler. A clarity behind the eyes, a tingle in the spine that made the world sharpen.

"+1 Wisdom. From your shadow-kissed priestess. Their pleasure becomes your power. Their ruin, your ascent."

I tested my grip, let my senses unfurl. It was... significant. Not overwhelming. But in the long run? If this scaled…

Graz’zt purred in my mind.

"Now you see. You’re not just shaping them for fun. You’re building a weapon. Yourself."

I nodded once, then hesitated.

“Lae’zel…”

"Ah yes..." The voice darkened, amused. "The frog-girl. Rigid, proud, seething beneath the surface. I look forward to watching her unravel. Will you take her mouth? Her discipline? Her loyalty?"

I didn’t answer.

"Do what you must. But make it worthy. I expect a show."

And just like that, the pressure vanished. The air felt real again. Distant birdsong returned. My body no longer thrummed with shared heat.

I stood alone in the ruins, the faint scent of brimstone fading on the breeze.

Time to head back.