"So what's the key supposed to even look like?"
The elf shrugged, "Meh, it could literally look like anything."
Odd didn't answer. At times like this, it was best to let his mother say her piece.
"The lady means that Connection Shearing Chains don't have specific keys. They have 'keys,' that reestablish the Connection, causing the chains to fall off on their own. Anyone can make a key that will work on all ritual-reinforced metal of that type with enough Power Stones, " Isonei said.
It was nice, having the mersiren around. It made the meeting go much quicker, as Melisandra wasn't able to shift her moods back and forth while proving her obvious superiority; she was often caught between chastising her son and showering him with affection. The princess kept things on the right track.
"That still doesn't help me. I just look for... everything?"
Melisandra slowly slid her tongue across her upper lip, "Let me tell you the secret to killing someone and then bringing them back to life. It's such a fun torture technique to use on those weak minded peons."
Odd chose to ignore the pale face that Isonei was sporting.
-Strategic meeting between Odd, the Living Ghoul; Isonei Aenon, the 946th Daughter of New Atlantis; and Melisandra Meirvere, Dark Lady of The Myriad Storms, 2109 FE
****************************************************
It was proven, Odd was still a Gob.
The race of Living Ghouls was technically an Enlightened race, but Odd had never been sure of his status, since its also true that all Enlightened were in their third tier. The young Gob was just a special case.
The ritual powered wards on the tunnels would have activated Cripclaw Keep's defenses if it registered him as a non-Gob. Odd didn't really know what to think about this new information, but it didn't really change anything by the end of the day.
It just reaffirmed his decision to wait until later before he started breeding.
Waltzing through the well lit tunnels, Odd passed Goblins and Hobgoblins every once in awhile, but no one deemed it necessary to call him out. He should have thought to disguise himself way earlier! It's not his fault he's too good looking.
What he doesn't know is that the average elf or human would never agree with him. Not only does his four and a half foot stature and the lack of a juvenile appearance have him at a disadvantage, but his fangs and sharp-pointed phalanges suggest a more Gob-like evolutionary path.
Before long, Odd arrived in a vast, open cavern and paused his steps in the entrance.
He had arrived at the Pitts.
Odd had already guessed that he was close when he began hearing the cacophony of slapping flesh and loud groans, but the sight itself sent shivers though his body.
Gobs are supposed to make better Gobs.
Really, he had just been making excuses in his head over and over again. He didn't think it was his job to save others, hell, he didn't even WANT to save others. He just didn't want this to continue.
Odd quickly figured out that his cave got the leftovers. Out of the couple hundred breeding vessels in the Pitt, a very small amount of them had glassy eyed, broken looks to them. None of them looked like dried out husks like the orc he saw on the first day he was born.
It took several inspections, but magic and rituals seemed to be the case. All of them were extremely low cost, as Odd was well aware that the leader was only running this operation to regrow his hand, everything here was very economical.
It didn't make it any less gut wrenching. Just the thought of Cirrha or even the slime he saved stuck here...
He started walking across the cavern. Keep to his disguise, don't act suspicious. He passed a catgirl that was crowning and found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the scene.
Odd stood, stunned stupid, as the Proto-Gob that was pushed out turned to its mother, hissed like an angry cat and bit her right in the thigh. The woman was too weak to fight back and just mewled in defense. The action was only stopped as she was saved by a Hobgoblin that kicked the newborn aside and yelled at it, lecturing it on how they aren't allowed to harm the breeding vessels. More hissing from the Proto-Gob followed before it wobbled away.
'That's what my mother expected from me when she said she would kill me,' the Living Ghoul thought. Suddenly, he felt that his mother's reaction towards him was a bit too tame. These Gobs aren't Gobs, they're monsters!
Odd felt a tightening in his chest as he pumped his legs and started walking faster against the cavern. The sounds of slapping flesh was beginning to drive him mad. He wanted to kill every single last one of them and watch the flesh melt from their bones.
'The key, the key, the key, the key,' he repeated in his mind until he felt small weight drop in his pocket.
To his right, was a blue skinned, male creature, chained to a wall. However, he didn't look like he was enslaved. Not only was his wavy, dark hair perfectly tussled, but his skin looked clean and his clothes were sharp.
More importantly, all 8 of his squid-like tentacles, as well as his oversized member, were stuffed with Goblin, Hobgoblin, and even a weird creature that was covered from head to toe in green fur.
[Eyes of Providence] activated
Name: Cyreus Hent
Titles: Knight of New Atlantis
Race: Scylla, T4
Race details: an Enlightened, aquatic race that follows the 'lust,' and 'social,' evolutionary paths. They have an unusually high sex drive even when compared to most Gobkind. They can be identified by their eight squid-like appendages that boast powerful regenerative qualities. Some Scylla can transform their tentacles into perfect copies of legs while others have no humanoid legs at all.
[Stats]
Body: High T3
Mind: High T4
Soul: High T4
Henticle Affinity: Mid T4
Charm Affinity: Low T4
Water Affinity: Low T4
[Special Conditions]
Connection Shearing Chains (Nullified): Prowess in Henticle Affinity retains access to the Connection
Incognito Ritual: Hides the target from scrying, observation, and dims the natural glowing eyes and presence a tier 4 commands
'What the fuck? This tier 4 asshole wants to be here?' Odd's jaw dropped as he stared at the scene. Inwardly, he was actually pretty afraid of what the octopus would do.
His mother had told him about how the strongest elf had a tier 5 [Charm Affinity] and how it was capable of mind reading/bending powers, as well as an extremely acute sense of what emotions were felt by nearby creatures. Sure, tier 4 wasn't a high enough level to alter reality with his charm like the most powerful known elf could, but reading the word, 'henticle,' had him unconsciously clenching his butt cheeks.
Cyreus looked into Odd's eyes, flashed a bright grin with his perfect set of teeth, and winked at him.
Odd clenched his rear tighter.
'Wait, knight of New Atlantis, is he looking for Isonei?' Odd wondered.
'You definitely are an, 'Odd,' one, aren't you?' a velvety smooth voice was heard in the back of his head.
'Fucking charm,' he gritted his teeth before he grabbed the stone that had appeared in his pocket.
[Eyes of Providence] activated
Name: Telepathic Stone
Material Cost: recharge with a small amount of Power Stones
Intent: A user of a mental affinity can project their voice into any stone that is keyed to them (keyed user: Cyreus Hent). The voice will enter directly into the mind of anyone in contact with the stone and they are able to broadcast their thoughts back through the open channel through the Connection.
Odd internally groaned, 'What do you want?'
'You know what I want.'
'Yea, well, she's fine. I just need to get a Connection Shearing Key to rescue my mother and I'll let her out as well when I'm done,' Odd focused his thoughts towards the rock in his hand.
'Hmm... You don't lie. Interesting thoughts for a T2 Gob,' Cyreus replied.
Odd tapped his foot impatiently, 'Yea yea, everyone thinks I'm so fucking interesting. So can you point me to the right direction or help out? Isonei is in a cave a few hours run to the southwest, she's 100% safe at the moment.'
'As you can see,' the Scylla replied as he withdrew a dripping wet tentacle from a furry asshole. He used it to make a fast, whip-like motion, slapping the firm, furry ass, before pointing down a hallway with the limb. 'I'm a bit busy at the moment.'
He continued, 'But you can just follow the direction of the tentacle, take your first left, go up the stairway, head straight past the four way junction, take another left, and you'll see a door that leads to the office of the weakest administrator that takes care of the slaves.'
'Thanks,' Odd started headed the way he directed. 'T4 asshole could've rescued the fucking princess and saved me all this trouble, but its more important to level his henticle affinity on dirty animals.'
'You should learn to stop broadcasting your thoughts so loudly.'
The Telepathic Stone somehow hit the wall and shattered into pieces.