Unleashed 9 (1/2)

Fizzy no longer wanted to feel. Such things had brought her nothing but misery ever since she had been imprisoned. It had only gotten worse ever since she was raped, to the point where she was sure she’d end her own life someday unless she did something about it.

But what could someone like her hope to accomplish?

Take revenge on Boxxy, the one who abused and violated her? No, that would be pointless. Much like an avalanche, the Mimic had only acted the way it did because it was set off by a certain someone. Blaming it for those actions was like being angry at the clouds for dropping rain on her picnic. Not to mention the sheer impossibility of actually going against it. She honestly felt like she could maybe even get along with the monster, like things could be much better between herself and Boxxy.

If only it wasn’t for her worthless flesh - this stupid, disgusting, vile sack of meat that seemed determined to mess everything up. Not only was it causing trouble for the Mimic, but it also assaulted her with sensations she wanted no part of. The main reason her tortured mind drifted to thoughts suicide was because that was the only way she saw of freeing herself from this damnable prison.

But another answer had appeared right before her very eyes. A way that might allow her to regain control of her sorry life. A method to re-forge herself into someone different, stronger. And she would take a page out of Boxxy’s book and greedily latched onto the thing she desired. The thing she needed.

This is how she was able to unhesitantly answer the Mimic’s question.

“Because I want this.”

“You’re not afraid of the curse?” asked Boxxy.

The gnome took a deep breath. The fact it was asking questions likely meant it wouldn’t deny her outright. This meant she had a chance. And if there’s one thing that God of Chaos was right about, it was that chances existed to be taken.

“Curse? This shield-gauntlet bears no curse. It holds my salvation! I need this if I’m ever going to find a way to stop life from fucking me up the ass whenever it feels like it. No, I want more than that! I want to grab life by the balls, rip them off and then ram them down its fucking throat!”

Fizzy panted heavily as she finished her outburst. She had surprised even herself at how forceful her voice was. Like that side of her was there all along, desperately clawing for a way out.

“Heh. Hehehehe. Hahahahahahaha!”

The Mimic broke out into a menacing laugh.

“SHAAAH SHAH SHAH SHAH SHAH SHAH! SHAAAH SHAH SHAH SHAH SHAH SHAH SHAH SHAH!”

Somewhere along the way it stopped laughing with the imitation Xera head it used to communicate and let out a deep, guttural laugh with its actual mouth. And yet the gnome did not waver a single bit in her determination.

“That’s it!” exclaimed the Mimic once it calmed down somewhat. “There’s the monster I wanted to see! A thing that chases after what is tasty without holding back!”

That was it. This right here was exactly what it was talking about almost a month ago when it told the gnome it would teach her to fight like a monster. But it couldn’t reach this point until now. No matter how much it pushed her, no matter how much it abused her, this strangely stubborn creature called Cornie Fizzlesprocket refused to let go of her gnomish sensibility. Boxxy saw it in her body language, in every little movement she made when the Mimic was around. She still had that tiny bit of hesitation in her subconscious that caused her muscles to move awkwardly and stiffly. Being forced to fight monsters to the death had eased it somewhat, but she was still lacking, still incomplete.

But the Fizzy right now had none of that. She stood firmly, unwilling to simply give up and let go of her goals, showing no hesitation in the face of this objectively more powerful being she was talking to. Her body was in a completely relaxed and natural state, ready to spring into action the instant its owner ordered it to. It was as if she had already prepared herself to fight to the death should Boxxy deny her. Perhaps this cursed item was the last thing she needed to let go of that dreadfully civilized part of her.

“Okay. You want the shiny glove. But what will you give me in return?”

However, the greedy creature would not be swayed so easily. Nothing in this world was free and even ‘salvation’ could have a price tag. It highly doubted this gnome had anything left that it hadn’t taken, so it would have probably given it to her pro-bono anyway, but it asked her just in case. Its days spent working for the Mercenary Guild taught it that one should always make sure to profit as much as possible, and that the largest gains arose from someone else’s misfortune.

The gnome had more or less expected this query. The monster known as Boxxy T. Morningwood was a pragmatic yet simple creature. It would accept anything as long as there were enough merits to itself. And even a weak, homeless and enslaved gnome like Fizzy had something she could offer.

“I offer you my complete loyalty and total obedience. I have nothing else to give.”

Boxxy briefly considered her words. It was true that she wouldn’t be as easy to control if she lost her fear of pain and abuse. That had been a central part of her 'upbringing,' so it was entirely possible she might do something stupid like rebel in due time. But Cornie Fizzlesprocket was no idiot. She was quick-witted and crafty, so it was likely her offer was not just mere words.

“Okay, let’s say I accept. How will you give me such things?”

The tiny Paladin gently set the gauntlet down on the ground. She went down on one knee and placed her wrench between herself and the Mimic. She then bowed deeply to it by lowering her head and upper body and pressing her tiny fists against the ground.

“I, Cornie Fizzlesprocket, Champion of Chaos and Paladin of the Order of the Gilded Chest, hereby pledge myself into the service of Boxxy T. Morningwood, chosen Hero of the Goddess of Probability.”

A soft yellow-green light started pouring out of the kneeling gnome.

“Your words shall be my law. Your wishes shall be my goals. Your choices shall be my creed.”

Countless motes of light started swirling around her as he spoke.

“I vow to serve you completely in both body and soul, with my God as my witness. Let us teach this world the true meaning of chaos!”

*FWOOM*

The motes of light surrounding her suddenly gathered just above the gnome and shot up into the sky while leaving behind a trail of light. They exploded somewhere far above her, painting the air with a literal sign from heaven.

???? I got you, fam! ????

The group stared up at the glowing yellow letters that hung around in the sky for about 15 seconds, at which point they faded away into nothingness.

“What was that?” asked the slightly flabbergasted Mimic.

“I just made the Pledge of Arms before the watchful eye of Salad, the God of Randomness,” explained Fizzy. “It’s a ceremony I learned from the Holy Scripture Skill.”

The gnome then stood up and pointed up at the sky.

“And it looks like the big guy not only heard me, but also supports it. That means I’ll be getting some divine retribution if I betray or abandon you.”

The first step towards regaining control of her life was to accept the things that she could not change. She was a Paladin aligned with Chaos and also Boxxy’s... posession. This was her lot in life and rejecting either of those things was futile. She had therefore made the rather drastic decision to stop begrudgingly following the Mimic and actively support it. So what if it raped her, hurt her and tortured her? She was confident that she could overcome such trifling matters if she just let go of her useless body.

Which led her to the second step in regaining control of her life - to change the things she could. And the thing that had to change the most was herself. Her selfish desire to abandon her worthless past and focus on her future had let her to this outcome.

This one, singular moment in time.

“Okay,” said the Mimic approvingly. “You can have the shiny glove.”

“Thanks, Boxxy!”

Fizzy showed her first real, full-faced smile ever since her life went to shit. She was about to let go of that sorry existence once and for all, so there’s no way she wasn’t overjoyed. Without further ado, she eagerly thrust her tiny arm into the cursed gauntlet. The item groaned and screeched as it shrunk to an even smaller size than before. Matching Fizzy’s small build should have been well beyond the transformative enchantment it bore, yet something drove it to push beyond its limits.

It wrapped snugly around her hand and forearm, forming a perfect fit. The curse activated in the next instant and rapidly spread over the gnome’s body, much faster than it had done with the succubus. After all, while Xera instinctively rejected it, Fizzy welcomed it with open arms, both figuratively and literally. The curse took only a few seconds to completely envelop her and invade the very core of her being.

It was on this day, almost at this very moment, that the last vestiges of the gnome known as Cornie Fizzlesprocket quietly passed away into obscurity.

You have been afflicted by the Curse of the Steelshaper.

Your willingness to embrace the curse has amplified its effect.

Your species has become Metal Golem (Steel).

Feat of strength performed! You have unlocked a new Perk: Divine Beast.

Congratulations, you are now a Level 1 Metal Golem! STR +3. END +3. AGI +2. FTH +1.

Proficiency level increased. Metallopathy is now Level 1. INT +2. WIS +2.

Fizzy had welcomed that which the succubus instinctively rejected. Her new steel body no longer felt cold, hungry or tired. She couldn’t feel the shoes on her feet nor the wind in her hair, which had now become a hollow lump of metal. The former gnome revelled at the lack of sensation as her sinful flesh was cast away, as if it were a defect that needed to be purged.

Or at least, that’s how it should have been, right? No bothersome sensations to plague her troubled mind? That was what she was after, yeah? So then-

“How?” she muttered.

Her voice had become several octaves deeper. She spoke with a heavy groan, almost like her voice was produced by two anvils grinding against each other.

Almost exactly like that, actually.

One would think the newly reborn golem would be surprised at her voice, but she had other, more important things to worry about.

“How come it itches?!” she screamed.

Fizzy clawed at her chest furiously, desperate to get rid of that incredibly bothersome sensation she no longer wanted. Her metal fingers viciously ripped off the chainmail that had been protecting her upper body and threw it to the ground, an act that seemed to do the trick.

“Well, it’s official. She’s finally gone fucking nuts,” commented Kora.

“Completely off her rocker,” added Valeria.

“Yup. Her tiny mind no longer clings to sanity,” agreed Xera.