Finally, I sensed that Theodora had gone to sleep. Penta and I sneaked over to Song's house and poured out enough poison from the Bottle of Endlessness for them to complete the subsequent tasks, then returned to our room without being discovered. The next day, Taryn and Song were both busy preparing the feast, although their motives were completely different. Penelope spent most of her time with Theodora. Judging from the flickering of their souls, I guessed they were exchanging some illegal magical secrets and other girl - talk topics.
Most of the day was boring, or rather, as boring as a great massacre could be. At present, most of my part in the whole plan had been outsourced. The best thing I could do was to stay out of the way and accurately tell others that I was doing this for training. After all, this was exactly what Penta and I had been doing all day. Although it was boring, practicing the cancellation command required a high level of concentration. At first, time slipped away easily. I also learned a lot, such as since my tentacles could touch my own body, when my butt itched, I could use a tentacle to secretly scratch it. This trick worked even when I was sitting or my hands were busy! This was probably the third - coolest thing after emerging from my cocoon. However, we did make some progress in canceling the command... just not enough. Even with Penta's help, I still needed several more months of practice. Although all this was very engaging, as the banquet time approached, time seemed to slow down, and my heart was pounding, eagerly anticipating the moment that would determine the success or failure of our actions, and even our lives.
When I finally went downstairs to see how the banquet preparations were going, I couldn't help but be amazed. Taryn had set up a huge table in her house, leaving space for nearly thirty possessed people in the village. Although they were weaker than me, almost all the hosts I hadn't met before had some interesting aspects to their souls, likely some kind of talent, even if not particularly powerful ones. When Penta and I arrived, the house was already bustling. More than a dozen people were chatting at the same time, and Taryn was still arranging various foods on the table, which was equipped with shell - made utensils and exquisite ceramic plates.
By the way, the food looked amazing. Although I didn't see any meat, the delicious dishes seemed endless, and many of them were things I had never seen before. Fruits, vegetables, bread, bread rolls, pies, large dishes, soups, sauces, spices, salads...! I stood on the stairs, drooling at these delicacies until Taryn saw me and hurried over to give me a hug.
"Vita!" she cheered. "You finally came! This is such a great idea! Thank you again, and... you know what I mean. Come down! You've been cooped up in the house all day. Come and meet your family! Everyone, this is Vita! She just arrived a few days ago, and - "
Taryn pulled me down the stairs, completely oblivious to my growing unease. In an instant, a dozen friendly villagers surrounded me, and all I could see were warm welcomes and smiles.
"Little sister, it's so nice to see you! I'm - "
"Aunt Vita, you're the one who will find the others, right?"
"Hey, welcome to the party! This is great! I heard you planned this?"
"No - no, I didn't plan anything!" I stammered. "I just - "
Planned to kill all of you.
" - gave Taryn this idea. I really didn't do much."
Then came a series of hugs and handshakes, and I met all the members of my "family". I tried not to listen or pay attention to them. I didn't want to know. I didn't want to know about my sister Amali, or my nephew Daner. I didn't want to hear about that parasite who named himself Kaspar because he had imprisoned a person named Kaspar. I didn't want to see how happy they were. They all felt very safe here. And the person who made all this possible...
Remus sat at the head of the table, and the slime inside him was ecstatic, beyond words. Seeing how prosperous the community he had built was, I swear I almost saw a tear in his unburned eye. But he hadn't built this community, had he? He had stolen it, so we had to take it back.
"Vita, it's so good to see you again," Theodora said softly, and the slender woman approached me from behind. "I've been looking for you all day, but today I didn't even see you or your talent flash."
I turned around and smiled and said, "Theodora! Hey! Sorry, I've been practicing the cancellation command all day. Penelope has been teaching me, so - "
"Oh oh! So you're also a learner of the art of magic?" Theodora said softly.
"Don't get your hopes up too high, Theodora," Penelope teased as she came over to us. "I'm not sure if she's cut out for research. But she wants to learn, and I don't see any reason not to teach her. After all, this is our refuge from the Valcar family. Let's freely exchange magical knowledge!"
"Well said!" Theodora agreed happily, her laughter as clear as wind chimes.
They chuckled together for a while when a loud round of applause rang out, and Taryn attracted everyone's attention.
"Everyone, gather around! Dinner is ready!"
A loud cheer shook the house, and we all quickly found seats around the table. My thoughts drifted to Lin's hut, wondering what it would be like if my family could sit around a real table and have a meal. I really wanted to dig in right away, but I didn't know what Song had put in the food.
Song stood up and tapped a spoon against a cup to get everyone's attention.
"If possible, I'd like to propose a toast," they said softly. "To friends, family, and community. May we always be free from the harm of monsters and humans."
Another round of cheers drowned out the table, and everyone raised their glasses in unison. Except for us. Penta stood up shakily, trying to get everyone's attention.
"Wait... wait," she stammered. "If possible, I'd like to say something else."
Most people gave us friendly, expectant smiles, but the looks we got from Song and Penelope almost made me want to grab the spear behind me for self - defense. The spear was behind my chair, just in case; many people carried weapons wherever they went, so fortunately, it didn't seem suspicious to have it nearby.
"I... I just want to say... I'm very happy. I'm really, really happy to see such a large 'family'," Penta said through sobs. "But there should be a better way. Actually, there is a better way, but we haven't looked for it."
"Vita," Penelope hissed in a low voice. "Don't say anything here. Not now."
"We have to say it now, right here and now, Penelope! We're all gathered here, and - "
"I really regret filling your head with those stupid ideas," Penelope interrupted her and stood up. "Sorry, Remus. It's my fault. I... I need to take a walk. I can't stand listening to this."
She stormed out of the house, leaving Penta with her mouth agape, stunned for a while until Remus spoke.
"So you've talked, I guess?" Remus asked. "Penelope has always had a strange empathy for her host."
"Why is that strange?" Penta retorted, looking back at him. "The host creates us, and yet we trap them in a living nightmare! Have you ever stopped to think why we don't think this is crazy?"
"Because we also have the right to live!" Remus snapped. "If we have to choose between us and them, why wouldn't we choose ourselves?"
"It doesn't have to be an either - or choice! We're programmed to think this way from birth! I... I mean, Penelope thinks we were artificially designed. Song agrees with this view too. I think we're biological weapons. It must be so. This is our origin. We were designed to cling tightly to the host and hold them hostage, even when it's not necessary. But instinct doesn't have to control us! If we just try a little harder - "
"Try harder at what?" Remus asked. "Try to be friendly? Try to share? Why should humans share what's rightfully theirs? Seriously, Vita, if you have a solution, if you have a truly viable solution - please tell us. Do you think we don't care? Of course we do. But we have no choice, and we're mature enough to realize this."
Penta frowned. Through our eyes, I saw her eyes wandering around the room, seeing indifferent or sympathetic faces. However, no one stood up to support our view. No one had an answer. Even my answer, my promise, was just a distant future fantasy.
"Well?" Remus asked. "Do you have a solution, Vita?"
"Sorry," Penta said with her head down. "I think... I have nothing to say. Please accept my apology. I didn't mean to spoil the mood."
She raised her glass and forced a sad smile on her face. "Then let's toast to our hope for a better future. Cheers..."
Remus smiled and nodded. He also stood up and raised his glass. "To our hope for a better future."
We watched as the others all raised their glasses to their lips and drank them all at once. I looked on with a longing that surpassed the surrounding delicacies, and saw the Navarans dying one after another in batches. The weakest ones died first, followed by the next, and then the next, and the real bodies of the Navarans lost their vitality one by one. Just then, a fool couldn't help but cheer happily.
"Oh, by the Watcher, I'm free. I'm really free!"
Oh no! All the remaining slimes turned their heads to stare at him, their faces full of terror.
"Poison," Remus said softly. "Song, you - "
"Sorry, slime, I'll be able to see my real friends soon," the poisoner said in a low voice, pulling out a knife with one hand and several darts with the other. "To be clear, I've thrown all the antidotes off the cliff. It's all over."
Suddenly, Song's body leaped over the table and was directly knocked to the ground by Taryn with a shoulder tackle.
"Song, you bastard!" this motherly slime roared, kicking at Song while he was down. Every time the poisoner tried to get up, Taryn used her talent power to pull him and pushed him back to the ground. "How long have you been a traitor!?"
Remus watched the fight for a while, and then suddenly sprang into action. Now I could see his movements clearly; my vision was much better than before, and his attacks no longer seemed like instantaneous movement in my eyes. However, I was still as powerless to stop him as before, and before I could react, a hand grabbed me by the throat.
"You didn't drink," Remus accused, lifting me off the ground. "You knew all along."
"Why do all the old people these days like to grab my neck!?" I retorted.
I felt the slime inside Taryn die, and immediately after, a dart shot into Remus's throat. Taryn herself was still alive but unconscious on the ground, and Song was covered in blood, lying on the ground gasping for air, still pointing at the just - fired dart.
"Song...!" Remus hissed in a low voice, and then his eyes rolled back, and his body slumped to the ground, unconscious.
But before that, the slime quickly crawled up my body along his arm.
In panic, I struggled to tear at this huge soul, desperately trying to grab it, while the Navaran forcefully squeezed Penta out of my spine and took her place. Instantly, I lost control of my body, and the powerful soul of the slime that had possessed Remus made his small, slimy body incredibly tough, and Penta was powerless to resist. However, she still struggled desperately, trying to get back into my head and squeeze him out.
But she had no chance at all. Now, this "Slime Remus" (the slime that had possessed Remus) knew all of my memories.
"Are you okay, child?" Song coughed and slowly stood up.
"I think I'm just fine," Slime Remus said, grabbing my spear and hitting Song's temple hard with the shaft.
"This... this is what's going on!?" Theodora asked in despair, the slime inside her still alive and controlling her body. "Who's who? What's happening!?"
"I'm afraid this is the end," my voice said, while deep inside me, a feeling of extreme fear of not being able to regain control of my body truly began to well up.
"The end? What do you mean?"
This fake Remus used the soul to empower my limbs and swung my spear across Theodora's neck, cutting it open.
"You're too powerful, Theodora," my voice said coldly. "I can't keep you for later. Sorry."
Blood gushed from her neck, and the terrified woman raised her hand to cast a spell but fainted within a few seconds. I knew death would come quickly, and she had no hope. Penelope wasn't here. Where the hell was Penelope?
"Good question," Slime Remus said softly to me. "Thanks for thinking of her location for me. I don't quite understand why I can't use your talent, but that's not a big problem. Although your body is weak, Remus is an all - around person. You should have stuffed Penta into a mouse before drinking the poison."
How could I let you occupy my body for a long time. My talent is mine, not yours. You'll get tired. You'll grow weak. You're just food! I'll definitely smash you to pieces, Remus!
When the slime truly felt my determination, my body trembled.
"That's right, you're quite dangerous, aren't you? I guess I can only kill you as soon as possible and find another body. But first, I have to deal with that plague mage."
Damn it, he's going to kill Penelope. And she doesn't even know what's happening! For some reason, she ran over to the bridge.
The slime's soul empowered my legs, and I could only struggle angrily, fighting against this powerful force that was imprisoning me. Damn it. Damn it! Were the others this helpless before? And how exactly was he using his soul like this? He's not a soul mage!
"This isn't soul magic," the slime said impatiently while running towards where my friend was, responding to me. "Why would it be soul magic? As long as you know the method, anyone can use their own soul."
His condescending attitude made me even angrier, and I continued to attack with my tentacles with all my might. Harder, harder, harder! More ferociously, more ferociously! I must kill him! I must destroy him! I must! However, no matter how hard I attacked, it seemed to have no effect. Nothing at all. My attacks were like a gentle breeze. Penta wasn't faring any better either; her slimy body hit the intruder but had no effect.
Soon, Penelope came into view. She was crossing the bridge, but when we got closer, she turned her head to look at us. Slime Remus controlled me to move slowly towards the bridge in a way that if I weren't possessed, I might have maintained, and also weirdly adjusted my expression to what it would be if everything was normal. I was trembling all over, filled with fear.
"Hey, Penelope!" my body said involuntarily. "Sorry about what happened with Penta earlier. Why did you run off?"
He led me towards the bridge, and Penelope's expression turned into a cold smile.
"If I were you, I wouldn't come any closer," she said arrogantly. "Unless you want an audience."
She pointed down to the bridge, leaning fearlessly against a rope railing.
The old slime of Remus stopped, and the memory of that perception event undoubtedly flashed through his mind.
"... It's too early for the fog to clear again, isn't it?" my voice asked.
Penelope just shrugged.
"If you don't believe me, go take a look by the bridge. How did I guess from the blood - stained spear tip?"
"Undo your magic," the person controlling me ordered, pulling out my knife. "If I can't cross the bridge, I'll cut the rope and kill you."
"Oh, then go ahead and trap yourself on an island that's about to be burned to ashes by 'Destroyer' Gladra," Penelope replied cheerfully.
The pressure on my neck began to ease because both Navarans vying for dominance were starting to slow down.
"If I'm going to die, then I'll take you with me," the slime that had possessed Remus hissed in a low voice. "Undo the magic!"
He was also heading towards death. I could feel it. Penelope's magic was attacking his body, dissolving and destroying it. He quickly began to weaken, and my tentacles finally found a point of leverage. I squeezed hard.
Crush it. How dare you try to control what belongs to me.
I thoroughly enjoyed his fear, laughing wildly inside. In his last desperate struggle, he twisted my knife and tried to stab it into my heart. I also instinctively shot out my tentacles from my body in desperation, pulling my arm back. As expected, my soul - formed arm was stronger than the muscle arm. I was such an idiot. My soul could both touch other souls and itself.
Everyone can use their own soul, huh? You idiot.
"You've been like this from the start," the slime cried, despair engulfing him. "I thought you were my daughter! You killed my newborn daughter!"
You'll never see her again.
His soul cracked, then shattered, and then split into more than a dozen pieces like a jar hitting a stone. I devoured them, savoring his broken soul. If I could prevent people from entering the afterlife, it must be done this way. Go to hell.
I grinned, knelt down on the ground, took a few deep breaths, and enjoyed the feeling of breathing on my own strength. I had never realized what it felt like to be possessed. My breathing gradually stabilized, and my heartbeat slowed down. I knew everything was finally over.
It wasn't until the aftermath of the battle gradually subsided that I realized Penta was dead.