Unbound

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Three – 183

Felix watched the doorway Evie had disappeared into while idly tracing the outline he'd drawn. She had decided to scout ahead, despite their foreknowledge of the terrain thanks to his Ravenous Tithe. Vess had agreed, and Felix deferred to their expertise; they had a decent grasp on where the redcloaks were, but more information couldn't hurt. Felix trusted that Evie wouldn't get caught. Mostly he was staring at the door because otherwise he'd have to answer Thangle's questions.

"What was it you did back there?" Thangle tried again. His voice was excited, rising to an inaudible squeak on the second word. "My demesne was fluctuating so rapidly I could barely keep it going for the few seconds we had it. I don't normally need to fight so with my Skills, I'll let you know!"

Felix hesitated before answering, running his thoughts across the enlarged pattern of his Ravenous Tithe Skill. It hung in the darkness of his core space, like a luminous planet among all of his other Skills, slightly larger and brighter than most. Its song was quiet, but insistent. Pervasive.

"I can...disable Mana Skills to a certain extent. But I think I affected the ambient Mana too much when I activated the Skill." Felix hedged around the truth, not quite lying but he barely knew the Gnome. He looked at Vess. "I think that's what set off your spears."

Vess set her mouth into...not quite a frown, but it was stern. "Your...connection. To the monster in the Domain?"

Felix stilled and nodded, slowly. He couldn't quite parse her expression and her inner rhythms felt...cautious.

"Evie told me earlier today. While you built the wall," she admitted.

"Oh," Felix managed. He wasn't keeping it a secret though, right? Not from the people who'd sworn a binding Oath to him, at least. Why was he worried? It was stupid. He shook his head. "I should have told you sooner myself."

"Perhaps," Vess said with a tilt of her head. She stood and conjured one of her spears from a brief burst of expended Mana. "The fluctuations. Can you make them happen on purpose?"

Felix looked from the spear to Vess' slight smile. There was that dimple again.

"I can try."

The buildings were quiet. Abandoned for the most part, the workers had clearly left in a hurry as the world turned to shit in a matter of hours. Evie could see evidence of crafts interrupted as she crept through the smelters, a series of large blast furnaces that had clearly slagged over with cooled metal half-poured from their...spigots? Spouts?

Iron-holes, Evie decided. She had only a passing familiarity with smithery, though Mags had always called it a failing one. Without warning, there was a sharp hitch in her breathing, an ache in her chest. Miss you everyday, you big dummy.

It hurt a little less now to think on her sister, but it hadn't gone away. Keeping busy was the key, she had decided. Training had sustained her for a bit in the beginning, and then the weirdness that Felix brought to the table had sent everything topsy-turvy.

Still, that it hurt less felt...wrong, somehow. Shouldn't she still be a weeping mess? Callie was clearly still fighting with it all, despite her stone face. Evie had heard her crying once or twice, late at night. It tore Evie up to see her like that.

There were a number of slashes in the stone and wooden floors, quick scrapes where talons had gripped for purchase. There were no bodies, but a few dark stains around her told their story. The Revenants had come here too. More bodies to heap on the Guild's shoulders.

Because this was the Guild's fault, for all that some spooky monster might have done the actual killing; their Elders had set this all in motion when they had tried to lay claim to the Foglands. Every action since then, from cutting loose most of the survivors of that expedition, to demoting Magda after she'd returned in a Night-cursed box, stripping her of all rank and honors and refusing to burn her atop the Spire...all of it boiled Evie's blood. She was damn pleased the Guild had fallen and her only regret was that she hadn't been more directly involved.

Inquisitor DuFont though...can't be the same as the Elder DuFont, can it? How'd that rat bastard get into the Order? She was the only Elder Evie had heard about since emerging from the Domain. None of the others had popped up their heads, and she hoped they had gone down with the Eyrie.

Siva's will, Evie would never hear from those snakes again.

Now, however, they had this mess. A city fallen apart as its people were slaughtered by the thousands. Monsters running wild. What was the point in staying? Vess had claimed they should stay for the people, to help those who couldn't help themselves, but Evie found caring about random nobodies difficult. It was her friends she was concerned about. Why should they risk themselves? Why should she?

Someone shouted. Stern words and the clank of metal. Panic.

Redcloaks.

Evie crept up to the far window, listening intently. Extending her Perception she could clearly hear the jangle of buckles and mail, as well as the uneven breathing of folk about to get violent. She risked a peek over the sill.

Beyond was a work yard similar in dimensions to what Felix had described, perhaps two hundred span wide and twice that in length. It was filled with heavy carts and more of those loading cranes near to her position, while further away were a series of partitioned areas filled with varying amounts of lumpy rocks. Ore, she supposed. The most important details of course, was that the Inquisitors were scrambling. Beyond the partitions was a large, dark opening in the mountain and there, at the edge of that darkness, a half dozen or so Acolytes were advancing.

They're going to attack the miners! Quick as she could while maintaining Stealth, Evie spun and loped back. They had redcloak killing to do.

And people to save, she supposed.

*SHAAAAAAA*

Thangle's Obfuscation failed, releasing a chaotic storm of wind Mana that blanketed Felix's sight. Luckily, the force of it had been mostly redirected elsewhere, as Felix wasn't looking to add a bunch of new wounds to his collection. The nature of Ravenous Tithe had forced him to step close to the Gnome's demesne in order to claim the ambient Mana trapped within. It had worked, as the conjured spear Vess had left within the circle had exploded just milliseconds after Felix ate up the ambient Mana, and only his fact reaction times allowed his hands to remain attached to his body.

"Blind gods," Thangle said softly. He stared at the flagstones where his demesne had been located, even going so far as to lean over and run his fingers along their ruined composition. The ground had been torn apart within the diameter of his Skill, perhaps a yard or so by Felix's estimation. The Gnome lifted a piece of stone that had been sheared into a jagged piece of shrapnel. "The restriction focuses the blast. My Skill works by trapping a bubble of ambient Mana within the confines of my demesne, and when you destabilize it, Lady Dayne's spear had no where else to go."

"A shaped charge," Felix muttered. Vague recollections of books read and movies watched danced across his memory, things like anti-tank rounds or land mines. The way Vess' spears exploded created a sphere of wild wind Mana sharp enough to put Pit's Wingblades to shame, and this... "Making something like this work in battle would be difficult."

"Making it concentrated like this, yes, you're right," Thangle nodded. "There are a number of problems, not the least of which is keeping track of my Obfuscation. Its entire purpose is to be unobtrusive!"

"What if it were made bigger? As before?" Vess suggested. She idly spun one of her spears before her, moving casually through the kata he had often seen her practice.

"Larger and the space would be harder to destabilize, I would assume. But! We can test!" Thangle's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas.

A snort from nearby surprised him. Felix cursed and spun toward the sound, but only found Evie stepping through the same doorway from which she'd departed. "You'll get your fill of testin' in a minute. Found the rest of the redcloaks. They're assaulting the mines. Now."

Evie barely finished talking before she had turned around, while Vess and Felix weren't far behind.

"On-onward then!" Thangle said nervously, though he ran just as hard as the rest of them. Felix grinned back at the Gnome. His Affinity touched on a song of anxious determination burning bright within the old man. Thangle clearly wasn't used to all this, but he hadn't put up a single word of protest. Felix respected that.

They raced through the abandoned industrial buildings, Evie deftly guiding them all. Stealth was a concern, but speed was more important. "There are twelve of the little idiots in the yard, but one of the fancy ones with a sword was nearby."

"Twelve Acolytes and one Initiate," Vess translated with a nod. She ducked low to avoid a beam of sunlight that speared through a nearby window as they passed. "That's not insurmountable if we do this right."

"What about the mine? You said they were assaulting them?" Felix asked.

"Half a dozen Acolytes led by an older buffoon. A real graybeard."

"Something...changed," Thangle panted beside them, his smaller legs scurrying at twice the rate to keep pace with them. "You said...they were...gonna wait."

"Hm, I have to agree. Something must have happened," Vess agreed. Felix felt the Memory still there, just out of sight, but he could easily recall the assurance that the miners were out of their reach for now. They had partially collapsed the shaft and had killed the few that scouted down the path.

What could have happened to make the redcloaks assault a fortified position?

Quickly, they made it to the smelters, where two doors and five windows faced toward the inner yard and mine proper. Evie gestured outside, fingers flying in handsign that Felix was able to only partially deduce. He got the gist, though.

With a final look to one another they split up, Felix and Thangle going through one doorway, while Evie and Vess went through another.

When I give the signal, Pit, unleash everything.

SCREEEAAAW!

Felix and Thangle, under cover of Abyssal Skein and Obfuscation, flitted across the far end of the yard. The cover was plentiful, chock-full with half-laden wagons, each taller than Felix. Still, cautious was the watchword of the day. You never can get a second chance at a first sneak attack.

Moving into one side building after another, the two of them crept closer to the rearmost line of Acolytes. While a few had entered the mines, the rest were still out and about, most filling up the wagons with the unrefined ore scattered about. Nearest to them were two Acolytes only absently doing that task; mostly they were watching the distant mine shaft.

"Damn dirty Dusters," one of the Acolytes muttered. "This shouldn't be such a hassle. Why won't they listen?"

"What'd you expect? This place is a stain on our nation, consorting with Sorcerers and heretics," the other said, spitting to the side in contempt. "I say burn them out of the mine. Who cares if some peasants get roasted?"

The man hurled his piece of ore backward without looking, missing by a mile. Felix had to quickly pull Thangle to the side to avoid the projectile, which clattered loudly to the flagstones. The illusionist looked up at Felix with a grateful expression and the Primordial Nym put a finger to his lips despite the Gnome's Obfuscation. He crept forward.

"Burn them out? But what about the stink?" The first one said in mock outrage. The second laughed.

"You're right! It'd ruin the metal!"

Sovereign of Flesh.

Discord sang through Felix's ears as his hands--and with an effort of Will, just his hands--shifted. Black scales and talons erupted from his fingertips and he rushed forward. He was surprised at how easy it was to cut through their gorgets and spines, because with two quick blows Felix tore their throats out and damn near decapitated them. Surprised or not, he caught their limp corpses and slowly let them down to the ground. Blood spurted and pooled in their ruined flesh and Felix fought down a surge of bile.

You Killed An Acolyte Of the Inviolate Order (x2)!

XP Earned!

No time for mercy, he admonished himself as he shifted his hands back. They'd have none for you.

Glancing backward, Felix saw Thangle still frozen behind the wheel well of the previous wagon. The Gnome looked a bit green and was eyeing the two bodies with shock. Felix gestured at the old man; the fact that he could see him at all meant that he'd dropped his Obfuscation. Thangle startled and his eyes went wide before he vanished from sight again. A moment or two later, Felix felt the tingle of the Gnome's spell washing over him, and Thangle came back into focus.

"You okay?" Felix asked.

"Ah, yes," Thangle managed. "I've just not...violent death is not unfamiliar but..."

"No I get it," Felix said. "You ready to keep going?"

Thangle nodded once, determinedly. "Yes. We've miners to save, right? Onward."

While Evie could rely entirely upon her Stealth Skill, Vess' own abilities were lacking in that regard. Instead, she leaned heavily upon her Dragoon's Footwork. It was an advanced movement technique that allowed her to defy the Perceptions of those viewing her, typically by putting her where an opponent least suspected. It was not, however, ideally suited to stealth. So when the Acolyte turned and spotted her, she did not even hesitate.

Spear of Tribulation!

Faster than an Untempered's arrow, a silver spear manifested and impaled the woman straight through her mouth and into the side of the wagon behind her. She hit with such force that the wagon tilted, rocking up off two of its wheels before fallen back with an immense clatter of tumbling ore and creaking wood.

You Killed An Acolyte Of the Inviolate Order!

XP Earned!

Blackened Night! Vess cursed, flaring her Dragoon's Footwork as three more Acolytes shouted and rushed around the wagon's frame. They lifted their hands in unison, orange orbs of Mana forming in their palms.

A heavy, spiked chain shot out before all three of them, missing their faces by half a span before twisting impossibly and doubling back, this time beneath their outstretched arms.

"Wha--!"

The Acolytes had barely reacted when the chain bit into all of their arms at once. Skill-enhanced blades sparked against their armor, unable to penetrate on its own, but it did not have to: with a grunt from Evie, the chain suddenly weighted three times as much. The Acolytes' arms all dropped as the chain was yanked to the right, each of them now tangled among the others and stumbling.

Spear of Tribulation!

This time, the three spears took them all in the chest, and the Inquisition armor blunted the force enough that they only slightly wobbled the wagon when they hit it.

You Killed An Acolyte Of the Inviolate Order (x3)!

XP Earned!

"Do you think they missed that?" Vess asked, hopeful. Said hopes were dashed a second later as a horn sounded and Evie smirked.

"Let's assume, no."

Vess dismissed the spears before her, letting the four bodies drop unceremoniously to the ground. With a gesture, she re-conjured her full compliment. Six silver spears manifested around her, floating on the air Mana that gave them shape, and a seventh coalesced in her hands. Evie laughed, not mad at all. Delighted, even.

"Let's go kick their asses."

"Indeed."

A horn sounded out of nowhere before Felix could advanced much farther. He cursed. "We've been made. Can you get out of sight?"

"Consider me the wind," Thangle replied, and the little Gnome ran beneath the nearest wagon and vanished from Felix's Perception.

What a cool trick, he thought, not for the first time. Ahead of him, the remaining Acolytes rushed toward the other side of the yard. Clearly Evie or Vess had tipped them off.

Unfettered Volition!

Leaping directly over a nine-foot high wagon bed was easy, as was landing on the other side. Hell, he even overshot it, clearing more than fifteen feet with his jump. A Strength of 250 was no joke. What was slightly difficult were the four Acolytes he landed on top of; difficult in that Felix landed directly on their spears.

Sovereign of Flesh!

Twisting around one or two spears would have been easy, but four was more of a challenge. The thickening scales that bubbled out from his skin and muscle, however, took the brunt of their force and diverted most of it. The gun-shot sound of snapping wood and screeching metal filled the air as Felix landed heavily in a crouch among the Acolytes. Most were sent sprawling by the force transferred through their spear hafts, while the rest stared at him in paralyzing fear.

Make An Entrance is level 38!

Reign of Vellus!

They were mostly just slightly out of reach, and Felix didn't have time to waste. A quick, reverse pulse of his kinetic spell sent brilliant blue lightning out of him in a ring, before the ring was yanked inward. All four Acolytes toppled into Felix's range, each of them lasting no more than seconds before his black talons ended them.

You Killed An Acolyte Of the Inviolate Order (x4)!

XP Earned!

"FIEND!"

The swarthy looking Initiate stood only ten yards away, atop a fully loaded wagon. Crashes and thuds sounded from nearby as the last of his Acolytes faced off against Evie and Vess. Felix could only see a jumble of legs and flashes of metal through the large, spoked wagon wheels. A golden radiance hung around the Third Flame Initiate's entire body like a halo.

"You've picked the wrong place to show your face, you Ruinous beast! I'll end you, or my name isn't Salazar Korith Astandes!" With a ferocious cry, the Initiate launched himself at Felix.