Kalni ignored the feverent cries of Som and Kor as they fell repeatedly on Arken's feet while he looked on helplessly.
He had decided to bring her back with him to the cave and had a hard time explaining about his [Extra] skill but she came around soon enough.
Now her concentration was on the floating message of the cave where Arken had brought her to.
-Greetings! Welcome to the newborn Cult-
-Cult has been upgraded to Lv. 1.
Notoriety is yet to be ascertained.
Please be notoriously fiendish for the sake of the cult.-
"Hey what's a cult?"
Arken pointed to the two brothers at his feet, "this is."
She chuckled, "your followers? Is it a collective name?"
Arken dusted himself, "you'll get the hang of it soon."
"My lord please don't abandon us like that again!"
"Please lord, we will be headless without you!"
Arken wanted to take his frustration out on them but refrained, "next time I'll leave a fucking note, happy?"
"Kalni what does the world think about me? Like the people's opinion on me?"
"If you're asking me whether it's safe for you to go out and about I'll have to side with your followers. It isn't."
"Sigh i know. I'm just curious."
"It depends. The people look at you as an ordinary human who rose to prominence with nothing but your labor. So heroic to them. To the Temples of the God King and the nobles you're the very death knell to their existence. Plainly put."
"And what do you think of me?"
"I think you're very cool." Kalni winked.
Cheeky.
"What's your story Kalni? The world apparently knows mine already, as do you. So do tell."
Kalni began to pace slowly, eyes downward and arms folded before she spoke.
"I come from the Brimfelds family. You must have heard of them. They're quite close to the Royalty of the Brata kingdom."
"Uh-huh," Arken responded not giving away his ignorance.
"My mother, Sara married into the Brimfelds but shortly after my father and her husband passed away. She was courted by her brother-in-law soon and that's when my stepfather came in. Dren Brimfeld. Our troubles began since then."
"My mother birthed me and my sister, two years apart. For some reason Dren introduced a policy that all Brimfeld future heirs should be males. Guess what my mother did?"
Arken stayed quiet. Even Som and Kor had tuned in by now.
"She dressed my sister up as a boy. I didn't like it but when I heard what Dren had done to the other children from his previous marriages, it didn't take long to convince me."
"So now I guess he cast you out seeing your gender, is that it?" Arken asked.
Kalni looked up fast. Her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something but she stopped and merely nodded.
Liar.
But inside Arken's mind was running wild.
His new reality imposed heavy challenges and those he knew he couldn't navigate alone. He needed tools, useful ones to get to where he needed to be.
Status
[Status:
Class: undetermined
Strength: NA
Endurance: NA
Speed: NA
Mana: NA
Species: Human Lv.1
Skills: (usage per level)
Extra
Read between lines
Character assassination
Bookmark
Purist
.....
...
..
.
Narrative Grasp: 4.1%]
He immediately sat up straight with wide eyes of disbelief.
Wait what the hell? Where did these skills come from?
For a full minute or two, Arken silently read through the long roster of skills recently updated and his smile grew wider.
This is insane. I have all this?
A plan beginning to form he cleared his throat and sat back, in the far distance of the damp cave where a crack of sunlight fell on him. His leg raised in the seat and him leaning sideways on the seated position.
"I can help you Kalni. If you want. With whatever it is you want to resolve with your family."
"I think you know damn well what I want," Kalni said with a side glance.
"But, and there's a big but," Arken leaned forward adopting his most persuasive tone, "I need your help too."
"My help? What for?"
"My survival. This cult," he waved his arms around, "is not going to build itself. I need resources, allies. I need you."
Arken felt he caught a mild blush on her cheeks but ignored it. He saw her biting her lips in indecision.
"Look you're estranged and obviously need a home. Now this might not be the best place for a lady let alone sane humans but I'm not sane. I manage with what I get. So are you in?"
Kalni turned to Som and Kor who smiled at her.
"Treat them better and I will join you," she insisted as she pulled out her sword and knelt on one knee on the ground.
Arken shot up in alarmed embarrassment, "whoa what are you doing?"
"Giving an oath, from this day onward, I, Kalni Brimfeld will serve and carry out your wishes. Whatever it may be." Her eyes twinkled at the last words.
-New member added to the Cult! Welcome Kalni!-
-Cult has expanded. Cult has a talented Wielder. Members: 4/12. Cult level 1-
-Priesthood has been established. Cult Lord choose your priests-
"Oh hell what's this now?"
Kalni who also read the message said, "I think its telling you to choose from your members. Fascinating. What magic is this again?"
Arken only saw two of them in the room with them. Both grinning for no reason and scratching their heads.
They'll make the most ignoble priests of all time.
But he couldn't even say no to sullying more of the novel's world and its rules by doing exactly that.
"Alright. I appoint my two numbskull followers, Som and Kor as priests."
The air grew tense for a moment and both Som and Kor fell to the ground clutching their bodies as they huddled close.
Arken jumped down to them and knelt beside them, "how's it feeling?"
He touched Som and felt his body's temperature, "cold." He said impassively.
"Arrkkgg....arrhhh," both of them screeched for seconds before stilling.
Then they both turned to kneel on the floor, heads tilted up with black goo coming out of their eyes. Their cheery personalities gone. Replaced by a stoic, cold demeanor of loathing. Their fury needing direction to be channeled.
Something Arken was more than happy to do.
"Get up you two," and they promptly rose up without complaint.
Right before their eyes, their body burned away their clothes only to be replaced with tightly wound black robes and a hood. Twin blades on either sides of their waists and strong but soft boots clinging to their legs.
Clad in black from head to toe they bowed to Arken, "my lord, the bloody fate of our fallen has been sealed into us. Our fury needs guidance. Command us, Cult Lord Arken."
Diabolical.
Arken couldn't stop grinning at them both.
-Achievement! The Cult has been blessed with it's first priests!-
He turned around on hearing sounds of dry heaving come from behind and saw Kalni hunched over, wiping her mouth.
"That was seriously disgusting."
Arken winked, "time to play."