Shapeless Hero

49 - I Am You

Liszka must be one powerful yard of fluff. My mana went from full to roughly fifty percent within the last few minutes. Yes, I used some of it for Water Step and Meat Carver, but they consumed a negligible amount. I had to spend most of it to transform to Liszka.

But expensive as it was, the choice was right. Using some of her capabilities, I've successfully kicked my assassin out of commission in one blow. It's two against one in our favor now. And our opponent has to choose between two identical arctic fox-kins, lest they pick the wrong one and the same kick to the head awaits them.

I land next to the true Liszka, eyeing the remaining assassin, before casting a miniature snow storm around us. Seizing the break, the real Liszka catches her breath and regains her composure rather quickly. 

"Thanks.", she says, despite the mistrust in her eyes. Reasonable, considering I look like a long lost twin of hers.

"Of course. I've been summoned to keep the cartridge collector alive.", I answer, removing the remains of my now over-sized clothing with a blade.

"I see." She smiles in understanding—or so I hope. "Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure."

"I'm out of mana. I need to loot the downed assassin. Can you keep an eye on the glaring pup over there?"

"On it." Did she come here with only part of her magic pool filled?

Once the snow storm weakens, I fling myself at the remaining enemy with blades drawn, making sure I stay between them and Liszka.

It's a one-on-one again, the same, old dance. The assassin tries to play coy and activate their Invisibility, whenever possible. I am very tempted to use Liszka's other skills to break the cycle, but my job is to distract. Trying out untested skills with enemies around doesn't sound healthy anyway.

We clash several times, before I spot a new presence with my mana vision about hundred yards away, deeper in the cavern. It doesn't bode well that they don't feel the need to hide.

My limbs freeze. A power holds me in place. Metal pierces through my chest. I gasp, when I feel the assassin's blade shove past my shifter-core. I quickly move that vital center right behind my sternum.

The assassin pulls their blade out, eyes glued to my chest. I'm certain, they must have noticed the lack of blood. I've had an Imperial commander pierce me with a far more lethal weapon, so I decide to gamble with my resilience.

Smiling, I let my wounds close. "That's it? Try harder, pupper.", I word in their language.

Their eyebrows draw together, small lightning strikes wandering over the blades now. The patterns of the killed partridge come to mind. Although not exactly the kind of injury you'd get from a lightning strike, it's likely uncomfortable regardless.

Two blades pierce me. One through my eye, another one just a few thumb-widths below my sternum. The assassin twists the blades, triggering the electrical charge to wander through my body.

I start laughing uncontrollably.

The assassin takes a few steps back, leaving the blades in me. In what has to be their native language they mutter something, an incredulous look on their face.

It tickles. The commander's blade was painful, but this? It really just tickles. "Make it stop! Hahaha! Make it stop or I'll haunt you to the end of your—"

Liszka's whispers fill the air. Nothing changes for the normal observer, but my mana vision goes haywire. All I can see with it, is colorful noise. All magic effects weaken.

The assassin looks around, trying to find the source of the arcane scrambling spell. I use the time to fight against my magical shackles, as they gradually lose their power. Soon, free of the restrains, I alert my distressed stabber by making a few steps towards them. The wolf-kin's eyes widen. I kept their blades stuck in me for effect this time.

A pulse of magical energy hits the ceiling above us. Two massive stalactites start to fall down. Liszka dashes towards me and pulls me away by my hand. The massive spikes of rock crash down and the area fills with dust. I hear our opponent coughing. 

We sprint back to the tunnel, we came from. Liszka takes a short glance at me, then does a double take.

"What the hells?", she asks, her voice cracking.

"What's wrong?", I ask back, genuinely concerned.

"You're wrong!"

"Hey, that's rude!"

"Dead people shouldn't care!"

"Ah..." I let the two blades still sticking in me vanish into my body. "Better now?"

"Yes... wait. No!"

"Chill, I'll tell you later!"

"You better!"

We continue down the tunnel. All the while, my body digests the leather of the blade grips inside me. Curious. Maybe shapeshifters are some kind of evolved slime?

We reach the clean, tiled hall. Liszka raises a hand for me to stop, as we get to the control panel for the wind trap. With the tip of one of her blades, she touches a spot between the lever-head and the wall behind it. Ice starts to grow there, slowly pushing the lever towards the setting, that activates the trap.

"We have ten seconds.", she explains, as we both run off again.

I smile. "Oh, that's nasty."

"Not as nasty as your vitality. How the fuck did your heart not stop from their daggers? Where are the weapons anyway? Where's lady Fylka?", she barrages me, as we keep running.

"I am a... homunculus. Sort of? I swapped places with my summoner.", I answer.

She scowls. "I don't remember homunculi casting spells. Especially not my spells."

Right, stealing someone other's spellcraft is heavily frowned upon. I've definitely lost some points. "About that... it only works, because you're around. I don't know how it works. I don't truly know the spells. They will be gone, once I'm not with you anymore. I only imitate by sight.", I try to explain. Note to myself: Only use spells openly that people have used in my presence.

She sighs. "If you say so..." We continue in silence.

"Guess this means shooting stalactites, right?", I ask Liszka, while the river of the first cavern comes into sight.

"Yep."

"I'll cover you then."

Arriving at the riverside, I turn around and keep watch. Liszka casts, what she had used to drop a stalactite on the last assassin. One after another, rocks fall from the ceiling, splash into the water and a trail of small islands forms.

"Okay, done.", she confirms. "Not my best work, but it'll have to do." 

"Not much time anyway.", I tell her. "We've got about thirty seconds, I think." I've been checking for our pursuers with Liszka's superior ears and nose.

"Make it ten.", Liszka contradicts. "There's people ahead of us too."

I try to catch the scents coming from the other side. "Great. Any idea who that is?"

"More trouble.", she responds, yet chooses to traverse the river via the freshly created path anyway.