Who Remains -CH4- (Patreon)

“These will be enough to kill the wolves?” Camille asked, looking at the arrayed number of carved dolls in front of them.

Large brown-bear dolls.

“I mean… yeah?” Paul said.

He hadn’t ever actually used his golems for combat, but he’d heard from a number of people that they were amongst the best being made.

“They’re just wooden dolls,” Camille said.

“And so are you? What of it?” Paul grumbled.

“I am?” Camille asked, then touched herself. “I would argue I’m not.”

“Yeah, and neither are they once I wake’em up,” Paul said.

“Is that why I’m so different? I’m no longer what I once was, and you’ve been fairly quiet about the whole thing,” Camille said.

The longer he spent around her, the more he noticed the changes in her. The more she seemed to be quite a bit more realistic and less an NPC.

“I mean, kinda. I ripped your soul out when I killed you, and stuffed your soul into a doll that was made to look like you,” Paul said as he pulled out a mess of random bandit souls trapped in gems he had in his inventory. “The life goo helped get rid of the wood after that.”

“Life… goo,” Camille murmured with a distinct distasteful tone. “And was this your… life goo?”

“Huh? No. Bunch of other people’s all ground up into-” Paul paused mid-sentence, realizing what she’d meant. “Errr, you’ll see.”

Reaching into his inventory again he pulled out a jar of the material in question and began to apply it to the wooden bears.

Finishing up he held his hand out over the dolls and utilized his “give life” ability.

Moments after they received it they came to life. Each one roared and looked about itself in obvious confusion.

“I mean, I probably shouldn’t have used bandit souls for bears but… whatever. It isn’t like they did or said much anyways,” Paul muttered. “Okay. Go kill the wolves.”

Paul lifted a hand and pointed toward the Hermit’s cottage.

“Attack,” he commanded.

The bears now given a formal command rushed off toward their intended targets.

“I see. And that was just like me,” Camille said. “Though it’s… it’s getting harder to think about the time before you killed me.

“Harder and more… foggy. I remember seeing a doll that looked like me that you were working on. Then you killed me.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t tell me what your damn bust size was,” Paul complained. “If you’d just told me your clothes would fit better. I swear.”

“I… I remember that. You were mad because I wouldn’t take off my clothes or tell you how big I was,” said Camille with some heat in her voice.

Looking at the woman he found she was glaring at him.

“What? I wanted to get your size right. No sense in making a doll of you if it wasn’t accurate,” Paul said defensively.

Thankfully it was the actual truth so he didn’t have any guilt about the situation.

“So you made me bigger because I wouldn’t tell you?” Camille asked, her voice going up in pitch.

“No, I guessed how big you were and did that. If you’d just-you know what, I don’t care. I don’t care about you, about this situation, these woods, those wolves, nothing,” Paul said. His log was reporting that he was getting experience right now, which meant the bears were doing their job. “I don’t care, and this doesn’t matter, because your stupid wooden ass is going home. Keep the bears, I bequeath them to you. May they long protect your home and help you stay alive.”

Paul turned away from the Hermit and started marching back home.

He had plans he needed to start putting into motion.

There was a Half-Giant that he needed to get put together.

First we need to find a soul that’ll fit her. It wouldn’t do to put just… anyone… in it.

And I’ll need a better soul gem as well. Chances are she’ll be higher level, so we’ll need something fitting.

“You can’t just leave me here, you didn’t complete the quest,” Camille demanded.

“I sure did. Your house is clear, the wolves are dead, and the bears will keep them dead. Fuck off ya wooden twit,” Paul groused. He was done with the annoying NPC.

Done with her and wanted no part of her going forward.

What if we went to the Giant camp. That’s only like… three zones to the west, isn’t it?

I’m sure I could find a good soul there.

A Giant is like a Half-Giant, right?

That’ll be fine.

Just need to make a bunch of normal golems to fight for me that can take one down low enough for me to stab them with the dagger.

Nodding his head, Paul had his plan in mind.

Unfortunately carrying that plan out too more time than he’d originally thought it would.

But, finally having finished with his cadre of wooden dolls carved to mimic animals, Paul had to admit the results were definitely worth while.

Taking a step back from it all he allowed himself a moment to look at and admire his own handiwork.

It’d only taken him the better part of two days but the deed was done.

“Better be worth it,” grumbled Paul with a shake of his head. Putting his hands on his hips he stared at the animals.

Bears, wolves, and mountain-lions all. Six of each to be exact.

He’d never really taken golems out to battle despite the fact that he made them.

If he was being honest about it, he’d probably spent more time around his wooden constructs than he had actual people.

Scratching at an armpit Paul shrugged his shoulders.

Either they’d work, or he’d manage to finally get himself killed.

“I win with either, so whatever,” Paul said.

Pulling out a few jars of Life Goo he began to liberally smear them on every single wooden mimicry of life he’d assembled.

Finishing up with that task he opened the door into his home and went through to the front door and opened that as well.

“Everyone get the fuck out of my back yard,” Paul commanded as soon as the soul-gems were consumed.

Having been forged with the souls of bandits one and all, the animals become golems were considerably more intelligent than they probably had any right to be.

Trooping into his house they were clearly disoriented.

“And watch it you fat fuck,” Paul said, glaring at a Bear that was close to his coffee table. “If you knock anything over I’m going to rip your soul back out and turn you into a fork or something.”

Shuddering away from the table the bear moved to the middle of the pack of golems and moved through the home and out into the street.

“Good. Just wait there, I need to grab a few things,” Paul commanded and went back into his house. He shut the door to the backyard, grabbed up a number of supplies he thought he’d need, put his half-giant golem into his inventory, and left.

“Okay. We’re goin’ west to the giant camp. You’re all on defensive and guard duty,” Paul said with a nod of his head. “Don’t engage unless we’re attacked. I’d rather not spend hours just fighting our way there.”

The wolves looked like they got the order well enough. The bears seemed to be somewhat lost and the mountain-lions were eying the nearby NPCs.

“If any of you fuck up I really will pull your damn soul out an dturn you into something else. Anyone wanna be an animated chair? Maybe a head rest? I could give you to the local whore-house. Then you could watch that all day.”

The impression he got back from his golems was willingness to obey, even if it didn’t quite include comprehension.

“Great, move the fuck out then,” Paul growled with a flick of his hand.

As one the group began moving toward the edge of the city and toward hostile zones.

Marching across open fields and well patrolled roads they moved ever further away from civilization.

Also considerably further than Paul had ever truly ventured.

Whenever he did leave the comforts of his city he’d always hired mercenaries to get him where he needed to go and back.

More often than not along with the promise of a discount at a later date for a golem.

In effect it’d become a great way to generate business as typically those he hired, already had a few golems from him.

Those who didn’t, became rather envious of those who did.

To be honest about it, Paul was concerned about when they’d reach the second zone away from the city. That was almost always when the enemy monsters began to attack in earnest.

***

Sighing, Paul waiting as perhaps the sixtieth gnoll in a row ran at his little group.

“Really? Seriously? Could you not? You’re just wastin-”

The gnoll slammed into a bear and engaged Paul’s golems.

“Right. Wasting my time. You know what? Fuck you. I’m taking your soul and putting you in a bowl or something,” Paul groused.

Pulling out his soul devouring blade he went and stood next to the bears as they tanked the gnoll in place.

Standing there, he waited as the wolves and the mountain lions pounded the gnoll down flat in under five seconds.

When its life bar was practically nothing, Paul reached out and stuck it with the soul-devourer.

Looting it with a casual wave of his hand as the body dropped Paul detached the soul-gem and tossed it into his inventory and attached a new one.

“Maybe a cup or something,” Paul said to no one.

“Who’s a cup?”

Turning toward the voice Paul found Camille standing not far off.

“The fuck are you doing here?” Paul groused, his eyebrows coming in down low over his eyes.

“I’m just traveling. I’m no concern of yours,” Camille said, giving him a wide smile.

“Course you’re my damn concern. I made your stupid ass,” Paul said, gesturing at her with the same blade that’d taken her soul. “And your stupid ass is supposed to be at your home.”

“Hmph. Well, I’m not your possession and I can do as I like. Unless you’re saying you own me and are responsible for me?” Camille asked, putting her hands behind her back.

Grumbling, Paul flicked a dismissive hand at her and started moving again. He wasn’t that far from where he was going to set up camp. He could hit a few giant camps from there without too much problem.

And if he didn’t find what he wanted there, he could move to the giant capital and see about that location.

“Besides, I’m helpful,” Camille said. “I can heal, cast some minor and basic combat magic, and I have four bears that respond to my command. So if I was traveling in the same vicinity as you are, I could be rather useful.”

Turning slowly, Paul faced Camille and stared hard at her.

“No? I think I’d be useful. I killed those wolves a number of times with the bears. They just kept coming back,” Camille said. “So much so that I got tired of it. Decided to go for a walk.”

“Uh huh,” mumbled Paul. “And your stupid ass on your stupid walk with your stupid legs stupidly walked all the way here?”

“Well… I may have saw you leaving and decided I wanted to travel wherever you were going,” Camille said. “Completely separately from you. Just a coincidence and all that.”

“Coincidence,” Paul repeated, glaring at the Hermit.

“Mmhmm. And look! I got some new clothes,” Camille said, pointing at herself.

Paul hadn’t looked, nor had really paid attention, but she was indeed wearing a different outfit.

One that was clearly made in town by any of the normal merchants that sold cloth goods.

A blue blouse, dark gray dress, a leather belt, and a bonnet. Held in her hands was a two handed staff with an orange ember looking crystal lodged in the top of it.

“Since you decided to make me bigger than I should have been, my clothes didn’t fit. You can pay me back later for them,” Camille said, smiling and leaning on her staff partially.

“Paying you nothing. Leave. Go home. Fuck off, idiot,” said Paul. Turning he held a hand out in front of himself. “Get going. Move on.”

Responding to his command, his golems began moving forward again.

“Oh you’ll pay me, Paul,” Camille said from behind him. Glancing over his shoulder he found she was keeping pace with him. The four bears he’d given her surrounding her. “Because I’ll leave you alone if you pay me for having to buy clothes.”

“No you won’t,” said Paul, looking ahead again. He was beginning to suspect that Camille was far too headstrong for him to negotiate with. She was also becoming very different from what he knew of her NPC personality.

“Oh sure I will. At least for a little while,” disagreed Camille. Then she came up along side him, her staff thumping lightly with each pair of steps. “I find that… I find that you alone in everyone I’ve met is different. Everyone else is much more similar to what I think I used to be. Though to be perfectly honest I can’t remember anything other than waking up as I am now.”

Paul snorted at that, not responding. He didn’t want to.

He didn’t want her around him, didn’t want anything to do with her, and certainly didn’t want her going on this dangerous outing with him.

“Well, I’ll be traveling near you. Though not with you,” Camille said and then laughed. “This is rather exciting. Though it was getting tiresome having to constantly kill those Gnolls. There seems to be quite a few of them.”

“No one else to kill’em,” Paul answered, chewing at his lip. “Lots of them.”

And that means there’s going to be a lot of giants, too.

Going to have to try and take one of the ones at the outskirts and go from there.

Or perhaps… perhaps I can find what I need in the outskirts. This is likely too much for me right now. I’d need a lot more golems with higher quality to go after a high-quality target.

“No one else? There were others?” Camille asked.

“Huh? Oh. Uh, yeah. They’re all gone now though,” grumbled Paul. “Just me now. Just me.”

“And me,” Camille said, stamping her staff down with her statement. “So. What are we doing?”

“Nothing,” hissed Paul.

“Well, that sounds dull. I suppose I’ll just have to blindly find out what we’re doing when it happens. I imagine that’ll be rather dangerous,” Camille said. “I do hope nothing happens to me.”

Sneering at that, Paul could feel his upper lip peel back partially.

“Stupid, stupid… stupid thing. Stupid doll! Stupid golem! Why the fuck can’t you just go back home? Hm? Go home!” Paul shouted, glaring at her as they walked along.

“Because I choose not to. Now. Will you be telling me? Or am I marching to my doom?” Camille said, flashing him a bright smile.

Shaking with anger and rage, Paul stomped, cursed, and muttered to himself as they walked.

“Fine, fine,” he said finally as they got to the point he’d planned on camping at. “Fine. I’m going to kill a giant for her soul. Preferably one with some quests or inventory or… or something. Something that sets her apart from the rest of the mindless ones.”

“Oh! So, like me? I had a quest. Right? You said that I did,” Camille said moving her staff behind herself. Holding it against her rear end she leaned forward toward him partially. “So you’re making another me?”

“I guess. I have a combat golem, a half giant, and I-”

“Oh! I saw that one. The really big one in the corner of the living room, right?” Camille asked.

“Yeah, that one,” Paul agreed, glowering at the Hermit.

“How exciting. She was rather lovely, too. You made her even bigger than me,” said Camille, tilting her head to one side. “Do you like women with a larger bust?”

“What?! No! I tried to match you to what you looked like before, you wooden-headed idiot,” spat Paul. “As for the half-giant… it was a work order. I just matched the specifications I was given.”

“I don’t believe you, but that’s alright. There’s nothing wrong with liking a larger bust,” admitted Camille as she started to walk away from him. “Are we camping here? This seems like a fairly safe location.”

“And how would you know? Hm? Hm?!” Paul asked, his volume going up again. “You don’t know what anyone would like! Smaller, larger, green, purple, six, or two! You’re just a goelm!”

“Now you’re just being rude, Paul,” Camille said, moving over to a semi-circle of stones. “Of course I know what people like. I spent some time talking to the… hm… others. They can be rather responsive if one asks the right questions. I learned quite a bit. Especially from that… ah… house of ill-repute? That was particularly informative.”

Standing there, Paul was somewhat dumbfounded.

She’s learning.

Learning, adapting, and figuring things out.

This isn’t… this isn’t right.

At all.

Somethings wrong.

Reaching down Camille laid a hand to the stones.

A moment later and the fire-pit activated. Wood appeared in the center of it, a fire staring instantly, and smoke started to crawl up into the sky.

“Oh! That was considerably easier than the door was,” Camille said, standing upright. “It took me quite a while to figure out how to open the door to my home, you know.”

The door…?

The door.

She never went into her home for the quest or in her patterns. She was never meant to.

She can open her own door?

She can use the fire-pit.

“Ah. Well. If we’re looking for a giantess to take back, one with a quest, or something else, we should begin looking over what we have to work with,” Camille said, giving him another bright smile. “Though it’d be helpful if you could define the ‘something else’. Because honestly, it just sounds like to me you want to find one with an impressive bust. Or something else like that.”

Paul felt his eye twitch as he stared at the Hermit.