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“Money mostly, unless those cultists have something bigger we need to worry about.”
Mel frowns at you, then there’s an uncomfortable sensation of flipping pages in your own head.
“Oh, that breed of idiot.” She sniffs, making some minute adjustment of her hands that changes...something in the domain of the heart. “We could recruit them, you know. Fools like that are always malleable, and I’m sure they’d be useful, as feed if nothing else. Of course that would just escalate the corruption issue.” She sighs. “I must admit, your sniveling insistence on morality has preserved our lifespan.”
“Yeah, I’m thinking we, I, just stay away from them.” Probably. They probably had connections somewhere, and those might pave paths forward but...
“Yes. It is risky. Don’t bother with the internal dialogue dear, it’s quite audible here. We do share the space you know. There, I’ve arranged for a daily tribute from your subservient souls, sadly a silver coin and trifles is all each one can do but-”
“I can make money out of nothing!?”
Mel’s gaze went to withering. “Mother, bless you. Out of chaotic mana, refined by the captured souls of those foolish enough to oppose us. Nothing,” She snorts. “As if we were a god. I simply implemented an optimization, a gathering of previously lost dregs and directed that into manifesting a tithe of sorts. One must follow the, the-” Mel snarls, and for a moment you see the hulking spider again before the elegant queen returns. “Your useless language has no word for it. Archetype will have to do. Or legend? Bah! It is done regardless, and we have bought three precious weeks.”
“Why are you so cooperative now?” You narrow your eyes. “Not five minutes ago you were trying to take my body over.”
Mel’s face becomes ugly and she turns away. “Pah! I could ask you the same! When I launched this attack you were fragmented, a mess, afraid of your power, afraid of your desire, afraid of your own fear even! Ridiculous! You were nothing, and I am the iron will of the mother goddess! And in moments you called those fragments together, stitched them to yourself, and became unassailable! Why?”
“You admitted that they were still alive. Still a part of me. And their power, my power, has been keeping me safe all this time. Doing good, even if it's supposed to just kill and consume. So I just knew that if I called for them, they’d be there. They’ve always been there.”
Mel frowns. “You have subverted and corrupted very strangely. But I’m no fool, I cannot defeat you, but our fates are tied. So until I can find a way to rip control of the legends from you it is only sensible I aid you. I certainly can’t take over if we die.”
You resist the urge to roll your eyes. “Good to know you have my back. Are we done here?”
“Yes yes, scurry off to your playmates.” Mel waves you away. “I shall monitor the corruption and look for avenues to slow its progression.”
