She had come to grow dependant on this tactic of exploiting people using the bodies of other people – she once pretended to be a revived loved one.
In fact, this is how some of her bodies were lost, a failed scam… and this is also how she made value points so fast – and so called 'Yolha' the decoy was her next target.
She didn't know her actual name – but she doubted anyone did. No-one knew her real face either. But having been stuck with her in the same room for so long, she knew that this song meant something to her – enough to drag her back to her.
"It's quite far from here."
This was step too, playing into her interests – she wanted to get as far away from this place as she could – and for her mother's lullaby she might take a detour, so long as it was still far from here.
"Do you remember the name of this town? How long ago is it that you heard it?"
She looked so eager.
"First may I trouble you for some food, I haven't eaten in a while you see – my supplies ran out on me."
She didn't want to play the role of a beggar, but she already looked the part, might as well solve another problem while she was on it. This also served; to help her in her plan. She needed to convince Yolha that she had nothing and was probably free for an off the side journey. And by saying this, she verified she had nothing to hide – even if she did.
'Yolha' was still looking at her expecting something, a name of a town or a time, not a request. She had not even registered the answer, because it didn't answer her question, so she took a second to actually answer 'Hanum.'
"Oh, yes. I have some on my ride. You said it was Hanum right?"
"Yes, Yolha."
Then they walked to the place she had left the black wolf beast.
Now that I'm closer, this thing is much bigger. I better behave.
"Here, I hope this is enough?"
Who do you think you're fooling? Such a meagre gift for someone who could re-unite you with a close relative, and hopefully your mother! I think years of being a decoy have made you complacent. *breathes in and out in head* Calm yourself Hanum -*laughs a little in head* It's not like you even know what her mother looks like – was that a malform pun? I really am hungry.
She didn't show any of her thoughts, after all, this wasn't her body, to covey thoughts on the face she actually has to put a lot of effort into it. So, her hiding her emotions was a given. She bowed her head politely and took the meal – despite her complaints she gobbled it up like it was all she had left; she even almost choked – not that she'd die.
"So, anyway… you were saying."
Not going to let me finish – alright… If you're that eager, I guess I can help.
"I had just been caught in a monster wave, and not being as strong as the party, I was eventually injured. I dragged myself to a nearby town and entered the first building, that had a sign hanging saying 'Healer Available.' After I was healed, and as I ate the soup I had ordered, she began singing as they were closing. I spent the night on their front porch, so I kept singing the song as I gazed at the stars and drifted to sleep.
I never even asked what the song was about – I just found that tune so catchy. Maybe it's because I was almost a goner…"
She then lifted her shirt, showing this massive wound. She had taken this middle-aged lady's body because it had been in good condition and had not died in battle and so possessed no obvious tale tell signs of death. But she did have a convenient old healed up scar on her side that fit her story – the size fatal, but survivable with a little luck.
"… I think the town was called – Grafdour. It was a couple of years ago; the place should still be up."
She nodded her head – now sure it was someone her mother knew. She dare not hope it was her mother herself – the disappointment would hurt her.
"You said you lost your supplies, right?"
"I believe I did."
"would you mind accompanying me to this town, I don't think I've heard of it. I'll pay for your troubles."
I believe that makes this another clean success.
"I can, it is quite a ways off, we might have to take a non-established route, otherwise we might take ages to get there."
Established routes are those that are frequently cleared of monsters by adventurers and mostly used by merchants for easier travel. Yolha was thinking that this was great – it meant she could also avoid detection as she headed off from here. She was sure someone might be sent to eliminate her. It came with the territory of being a decoy.
"Sure, that sounds good – do you mind if we leave now?"
She looked up at the beast. On its sides were the bags and makeshift supplies. It had no saddle, it probably didn't want one, as most beasts didn't. But this didn't matter since it had cloud soft fur, better than most saddles. That was to say – she had a bigger problem on her plate – it was growling at her, having figured out the body was dead.
"Okay, but I don't think she likes me."
"She'll be fine – the beast keeper said that he's like this but usually warms up after you take a ride with someone it is used to – just don't try to ride him on your own okay, or else he'll gobble you right up."
Oh, it's a he? I could've sworn she would buy the female beast.
This was another ploy. She knew this already. This is how they prevent people from trying to steal them. After purchase, the owner takes a few rides with the new owner, to establish a connection to the beast. So, all she had to do was get on while 'Yolha' was here to show it she was safe. But the reason she pretended not to know, was to show that she was fine with the trip, her only reservations their ride.
"Let's get on then." – said Yolha as she got on and pulled her up.
They rode for a few days, soon leaving that town far behind. Hanum, still didn't know where she was, strange considering that she was supposed to be their lead. A week further they were attacked by a group of monsters, not because monsters had coercion, but because as the mad beings they are, they attacked each other and anything else.
Hamun had diverted the fight – she knew how to control the flow of battle – she had even learned a skill [Flow of war]. Having been in a situation like this before. Even if it meant she would lose her current body, and there wasn't any other in sight. And there was no-way she was going to take a monster's corpse for a body.
Yolha survived the encounter easily and soon made a disappointed face as she looked at Hanum's lifeless body – strangely enough, she looked the same. In fact, this aligned with her story about being weak, so it wasn't much of a surprise for Yolha.
Her only disappointment was that there was no way she could find the one who sang that song now. At the very least, she wouldn't have to deal with the pungent scent anymore. She had stunk the whole time – true to her role as a wonderer bereft of any supplies on her long journey.
She then gathered any materials from the fallen monsters, changed her features and clothes again. But since her presence was the same, the wolf beast would still be able to tell. She even took the time to bury Hanum – not too long though, since another monster could be lurking nearby.
She got on the wolf and they turned around – headed for the nearest essential route, since she'd be going to her original destination. The beggar's map was a death trap, so she actually gave up on the whole escapade.
After making it further from the monster ridden area, but not quite on the route yet, the wolf shook her off. Stranger was that they had been fine until now, no matter how she tried to get back on it, it kept dropping her. It even came closer, glowed, drool dripping on its fangs.
"what's wrong it's still me?" – changing her face to the one she had earlier.
She was stronger, but fighting it would cause a major problem, and she would also lose her ride. Then the wolf collapsed on the ground, lifeless.
She sighed, "So, it's just tired."
She then heard another noise from further down, near where the wolf had stopped. *Dum-dum-scratch-crumble* followed by a zombie crawling out. She starred at it as it dusted itself as if it was still alive but clearly wasn't. It looked at her, tilting its head.
"It's me, Hanum!"
It took her a few moments to register what the zombie was hearing.
"Hanum…?"
"Okay, well, that's not my name, but that doesn't matter. I haven't left your side so forgive me if the reunion isn't doing it for me. Thanks for burying her for me."
She moved her body slightly, preparing to either run or attack.
"Don't think about it, That growling earlier – that was me too. I bet you can take the wolf, even without its skills. But I can bet shapeshifting can't heal you, and well, I still have this body and many others."
She had led them on a non-essential route because she had expected a monster rumble. When they fought earlier, they each split the monsters such that they could each handle alone – thinking ahead, Hanum knew she could not take the wolf on head-on, she used her skill [Flow of war] to divert the forces and overwhelm it with monsters.
Not only was the wolf outnumbered, but it also had an assailant helping, even if the assailant was eventually felled before it. She then took control of the wolf as soon as it died, but before it got any debilitating injuries, and any that could stink quickly. Her special skill slowed down the rotting, but she needed it at a minimum.
With the wolf under her control, she bided her time until they made it further from any potential monsters, and as soon as she smelled a body, she acted. She couldn't speak whilst in the wolf – she had not yet mastered her skill to that extent – just like how she was incapable of perceiving the world while inside an object – but she needed a mouth to negotiate.
"Did they send you after me."
"…Oh, them… nope, they probably sent someone else, who's on the wrong path because I sent you on a wild goose chase first."
"Then who are you and what do you want?"
"Always so impatient. Let's chill first – I have been tailing you for song long, I think I disserve a break, don't you?"
This was so different from the entire time she had been tailing her. She had managed to get her isolated, taken any probable help – the wolf – out of the equation. And anticipating that they would send an assassin after her, sent her on a different, path. She had made many plans, but this was the best case she could do on the go.
I guess this treasure hunt isn't so bad.
"Listen, it's not you that I'm after…"
She interrupted… "I can guess, who. Just tell me one thing – was any of it true?"
"what all that? Seriously?"
"Then where did you hear that song."
"Oh… I was stuck in that room with you for months – me and you are really tight. Actually, I've been here for even longer, let's say since you left the Half Pint Inn. I was in that pin of yours, I wonder why you don't just change it, even now you wear it. It's so stuffy in there. After that I was in that room. Of course, I learned it – it's not like you shared your food with me, at the very least you shared that."
She then ground her teeth, flared up, her face getting so utterly distorted with pure fury. And for the first time, in all their time, this is the first she had ever seen her lose her composure.
"How dare you…" she said in a low voice. Then in a voice so loud it could drown out an entire crowd, she screamed – "How dare you – how dare you – how dare you… ‼!"
She then jumped pulling a knife out of thin air and furiously stabbing her. Ruthlessly she tore that body to pieces. Over and over again, with no tie to reason she continued. Over and over again – losing herself in the carnage, yet none of it satiated her cold hunger – so she kept ripping and tearing.
Then suddenly from behind her she was pinned by the massive wolf, and all her struggling didn't help as its claws dug deep into her limbs keeping her face deep in the gore she caused – all the blood hers, corpses don't bleed. Even still she tossed and turned, flailing, while screaming out horrid curses, and throwing around words that escaped the wolf's ears. Her eyes bloody red.
"… you monster… how dare you‼! Get off me‼! Don't touch me – hi-hi-hi…"
She then began crying out softly like a child. Throwing curses in between every whimper.