Chapter 2: Bereft of Options
Yet the scathing ridicule on my tongue was met with giggles. Mirthful laughter rang across the burning village.
"...I hate the unsullied. Know nothing about the world. Their thoughts too pure, their instincts right on the money." My idea could pretty much be shelved.
This little thing wouldn't humour me and terminate the contract out of fright, nor give me the chance to do so during a moment of inattentiveness. There was no escape.
The tugging on my soul increased, I knew what that meant. My chance was gone for good. Belatedly, I realised my nose being punished, unbearably.
The stench was excruciating, the yelling and shrieking deafening, the fire unrelenting. The change of mood faster than a thunderclap. Unwilling I might have been, but I couldn't refuse to do my duty any longer.
"[Detect Karma I]," I snarled while the contract was positively roasting my soul. Nothing but some bugs and bacteria appeared on my radar. The mana behaved unusually within my body.
"That's not gonna work. [Greater Detect Karma III], c'mon!" Now all three surrounding hills came to life in my perception, much more detailed than before.
I even perceived a glimpse of the future. The price was something i couldn't put my finger on for the time being. The mana circulating erratically hurt even more. It was a dull kind of pain.
Having found my goal, I moved. The earlier this was done and over, the sooner I could soothe my body and soul, which was damn necessary. "Must frigging change... diapers. They are called such, no?"
While I still didn't know who could've ever output all this power first and authority second to bind me of all creatures, I hadn't exactly the freedom to indulge in my thoughts.
I fell into a jog. Down some ruined alleys and up a hill until I came to a stop in front of a magnificent house in ruins.
"[Lesser Earthquake I], [Heaven's Pull I]!" I didn't care one bit that casting spells of different schools this soon after my escape from that horrific place was pretty much detrimental.
How could I when the contract kept mistreating my brittle soul? An injury to the soul was an injury to my essence.
Which was worse than whatever fatigue encroached upon me—or so I thought at that time. How utterly foolish not digging deeper. Meanwhile, the ground shook and dirt splattered left and right like the spray at the sea.
Much intense labour later, a crate came shooting from the ridiculously big hole I'd just created. I crushed the adorned ornament worth a pretty penny I found within, grabbed the soft silk inside and flew back at full speed.
A quarter of a second passed and then I was back there, trying my best at calming down the screeching bundle of trouble.
While the indignity of doing such an unbefitting job hit me right in the feels, the realisation that I wasn't up to it was even harder to stomach.
In my despair, I cast even more spells, straining my already almost overwhelmed soul even further. "[Greater Karmic Purification III], [Greater Karmic Restoration]."
All the persistent waste clinging to furry ears and an agitated tail was no more, as was the stain of shame I had been doused in as well as all harmful karmic connections.
The spells were potent enough to even power up the youth, getting rid of that nasty prenatal weakness I discovered on her just as well as of all the insufferable dirt stuck to that tiny frame—soul included.
Into view came a turquoise and a gold pupil. Resentment, curses and the wicked souls still lingering over these doom afflicted lands all found absolution as the fire turned a holy gold, healing instead of burning.
Not for long of course. And I was happy. Certainly not for them, but for myself as the strain on my soul abated slightly. But then, lo and behold!
The fucking strain came back with a vengeance. "Uhhh..." This time it was me to squeal, making me all embarrassed at that!
How could I forget? Being exposed to such a potent source of mana for this long would undoubtedly end badly for any creature without special powers. On top, something was wrong with my body!
"Which means I do myself a great disfavour. Shiiiiiit~!" Cursing in between, I swiftly cut open a tiny wound on my wrist, extracted some greenish-golden drops and injected them into her bloodstream.
It sizzled only for a short moment before all kinds of resistance buffed her up for good measure. My blood had this marvellous use—but only if donated willingly.
I became proud until I realised just to which lengths I had to go to protect myself today. I was just this short on crying!
While I was at that, I willed some of my mana to flow into the tissues, strengthening them beyond the best armour of mortal making was capable of.
Then it all happened in a flash. My booklet shone, warning me just as a radiant sword slash came hurling my way.
Furious, I grabbed the youth and was just about to leave this nasty place when the constrictions on my soul flared up again. How. I. Hate. This. Contract!
Worse still, while the preparator came rushing at me, I instinctively knew that I'd already used too many spells of different schools today.
If no break was on the horizon, I would turn into the saddest and most ridiculous excuse of a sorry immortal of all times.
"[Righteous Slaaaaaaaaash I!!] Rrrraaaahhhh!!!" Two giddy steps to my left and I evaded danger. Two more plus a bit of power in my ankles and I took flight.
Looking back, I noted the paladin following after, his irksome conjured wings of light feeling uncomfortable to my inverted pupils. But that was all they did. Compared to me, he was moving in slow motion.
Then it came again. The feeling. Like a hammer on my balls. I nearly fainted on what the contract had in store for me. I couldn't believe it either. A mere mother's love. Bewitched... me? ME?!
Plus, my body really had a serious problem I shouldn't ignore for longer. If I only did look after myself earlier—much of the shit that was to come wouldn't ever have happened.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Dark_Pot
Dark_Pot Fight's incoming. Stick along if you wanna know how he played his assaulters. And how much he cursed in between! Next chapter's ready tomorrow.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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stone