Unbound

They woke him well before dawn.

Bleary eyed, Felix lurched to his feet and proceeded with a number of stretches. He still felt tight from yesterday's activities, though not nearly as bad as he should have. Endurance probably helps with fatigue and strained muscles. Probably Agility and Dexterity too.

As Felix stretched, the rest of the camp had broken out into a quiet flurry of activity. Armor was put back on, weapons were cleaned and inspected, and bags were repacked. Without armor to buckle or weapons to clean and only his small satchel to carry, Felix used the time to train a little.

Since his Mana would regenerate well before they made the giant's camp, he decided to push his Shadow Whip closer to Apprentice Tier. Stone Shaping wouldn't work in the tower, he'd already tried, so it was the next best thing to train. Summoning his spell to hand, he aimed at the stick bundles he had created the other day, looking to grab and move them. It was easy enough to hit and yank them back into his reach, but Felix wanted flexibility from his Skills. Gotta do better than that to push those gains. Can I...hmm, what if I move them around?

Felix tried grabbing and moving the bundles from one point to another. It felt like using a twenty foot long wet noodle to do it; the strength of the Skill seemed tied to grabbing and snatching, or bludgeoning directly. But he kept trying. Each move was difficult, but after ten minutes or so he was moving the bundle relatively close to where he wanted it. Give or take five feet.

This is just a three pound bundle of sticks. Imagine doing this accurately to a person? Felix clucked to himself. Impossible. For now.

Focused on his task, it took Felix a long time to realize that Atar was standing nearby, watching. Grinning sheepishly, he turned to the mage who was fully robed for battle. Atar even had his thin metal staff in hand.

"That's an interesting spell you have. I've seen you use it a few times before. What is it?" Atar asked.

"Oh, Shadow Whip," Felix replied, surprised at the amount of...agreeableness in Atar's voice. "It uses shadow Mana to create a tacky tendril that can extend about twenty or twenty-five feet. Haven't tested the max range though." Felix pursed his lips in thought. "Hm, I could probably extend it with more Mana. Right?"

"Oh for certain. Pumping additional Mana into a spell usually overcharges it in some capacity," Atar agreed. "Distance and power are usually the two main factors, though there's a cap. Always is."

"Capped by the Skill level?" Felix asked, receiving a nod in return. "Makes sense."

"Your available Mana limits it as well. Most Humans around level twenty have 210-230 Mana, so they can't afford to overcharge every spell." Atar glanced at Felix. "You have more than that, don't you?"

Shadow Whip is level 22!

Felix paused, Shadow Whip still extended. Then he yanked it back, hurtling the bundle of sticks into his arms. "Ah yeah, a little. Enough that I can push myself, at least."

"Ah, of course. With the Magician Omen that...that makes sense." Atar fiddled his fingers together, staring off into the middle distance. Felix glanced over at him when it became a little too silent for a little too long.

"Um, how's it feel, Atar? Having an Omen yourself?" Felix attempted to keep the conversation going. Who knew when the irritable mage would want to talk again?

"It feels surprisingly good. Like I'm finally moving forward." Atar took a breath and shook himself out of his reverie. He shot a sideways look back over his shoulder, toward the firepit.

"Still sore at Magda?" Felix asked in a low voice, unsure if she could hear. She was busy talking to Harn and Evie across the chamber, so he assumed they were in the clear.

Atar glanced at him, smirk on his lips. "More than a little. She finally fulfilled the terms of the contract, insofar as getting us our Omens. That doesn't change the fact that she lied to us."

"I can't really argue with you there," Felix nodded, using another Shadow Whip to place the bundle back out ahead of him. It flung too far too fast and hit the wall with a clatter of snapping twigs. Felix grimaced. "But it does seem like she had good intentions. I mean, saving people from monsters? That's kinda the whole deal of the Protectors' Guild, right?"

Atar nodded, reluctantly. "True enough." He sighed and picked at the mud stain on the front of his robes. "This is above our rank, though."

"Can't argue that either. Four hundred plus frost giants is...a lot." Felix dismissed his spell with a sigh. "I've faced tough odds out here too many times. But the giants, the hounds, the...everything out here in the city. It's intense. Can't blame you for worrying or getting mad. But," Felix half gestured toward the walls. "If we don't save these people, who will?"

Atar went quiet, his face serious and drawn. Felix could see how young he was, barely out of his teens, and felt for him. As scared as Felix was, Atar knew this world better and probably appreciated the dangers even more.

"We'll keep an eye out for each other, right?" Felix smiled.

Atar looked up abruptly, meeting Felix's eyes. He smiled, a small nervous thing. "Yeah."

"Felix. A moment, please."

Felix turned away from Pit, having just fed the little monster a handful of jerky. The tenku had snapped it all up in a single, gluttonous bite. He found Magda headed his way, while the rest of them had begun to gather near the stairwell.

"Sure. What's going on?" Felix stretched his shoulders, feeling some tightness from his Shadow Whip training. Magda slowed to a stop a few feet from him and she clenched her jaw for a few moments.

"You're an enigma, Felix. I don't understand why you're out here or how you've survived alone for weeks at your level. But after the past day, I know you're capable, and right now that is what we need." The words tumbled out in a rush, and Felix just stared, flabbergasted.

"That's...extremely honest of you," he managed, his anger rising. "And thanks, I guess. Glad I've proven my worth. Is that all?"

The last bit came out more than a little waspish, but frankly, Felix was done with Magda's suspicion. It doesn't help that she's not entirely wrong for mistrusting my story. He frowned, shaking off the thought.

Magda put her arms on her waist, metal clanking against metal; she wore that intricate mix of leather and steel armor that looked terribly complicated to put on. She regarded Felix with a exasperated sort of glare. "I'm just--I wanted to say I appreciate your help. You did well protecting the Tin Ranks during their Reveal, and I think you'll help us succeed at this mission. You don't have to help us, and that's why I wanted to give you this."

Magda reached into a pouch on her belt, fishing out a folded up piece of vellum. Felix took it and unfolded the thick material, seeing a number of scrawled markings and symbols.

"A map?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yes. It has the path from here to Haarwatch mapped out," Magda pointed at several triangular shaped symbols scattered on the crudely drawn map. "Here're waypoints that the Guild made a long time ago to help guide folk into the Foglands; it's how we found our way out here in the first place. They're hidden, but they're all marked with this symbol. With your eyes, you should be able to pick them out easily."

Magda pulled back as Felix looked up at her. "This is...this is a thank you. You don't have to come with us, but we--I would appreciate it. If not, use this map, find your way back to Haarwatch with my blessing."

Felix didn't quite have the words. He hadn't expected this, since as far as they knew, the way out had been the only leverage Magda had. "I'm here to help. I can't see those prisoners and do nothing. But, yeah. This is cool. Thanks."

Magda smiled and nodded before turning around.

"Then let's get going."

They were out of the tower minutes later. For all that trudging up the stairs with an unconscious teammate took forever, they fairly flew down the steps. Slowly, carefully, they emerged out into the chill pre-dawn dark.

The roads were clear of ice here, the giant's touch not having spread this far. Felix was fairly certain it was their Mantle of the Long Night generating so much ice, and either so many auras all together created a multiplicative effect....or some of them just had it at a ridiculously high Skill level. Felix activated his own version, keeping his distance from the others, but could see approximately zero ice accumulation.

Maybe because I'm moving? It's still only level 2, after all. Shrugging, he decided to turn it off. It was a drain on his Mana that his regen couldn't quite keep up with yet, and it would take quite a bit of leveling before it was a threat to anyone. Not to mention ice resistant frost giants.

Pit's Cold Resistance is level 2!

Huh! Felix looked back, seeing Pit had jogged up into his aura before it cut out. I can use it to level his resistance! Just like my Acid Stream. Hell. Yes.

Back on it went. Pit quickly gathered what they were doing and got closer. Felix kept it up until his Mana hit 50% before cutting it off and letting himself regenerate. By the time they hit the spots where ice had begun to form again, they'd gone through six rounds of resistance training.

Pit's Cold Resistance is level 9!

Mantle of the Long Night is level 10!

The way was easy enough, even as the roads iced over. They had traveled perhaps ten miles in their original flight, and heading back toward the giant's camp was generally downhill. Still, they spread out, with Evie, Harn, and Felix taking the lead since they had stealth Skills; the others hung back, moving slowly but steadily toward their goal.

Harn and Evie relayed information back toward the others with their elaborate handspeak, something which Felix mentally chastised himself over; he had never learned the basics from Vessilia. Next time, I hope. Felix could arguably see the best out of all of them, though he was a little hazy on what exactly Harn could do with his specialized Body. He'd overheard them call it a Brawler's Physique, and wasn't sure if that was a Skill or Body Tempering or both. Regardless, Felix and Pit took the lead, able to see the patrols well before they ever saw him.

And boy, were there ever patrols; they encountered no less than eight groups of Risi and Hoarhounds as they moved toward the encampment. The warriors were stiff and ill-equipped to sense through the fog, but the hounds had exceptional senses of smell. This led a couple close calls, but they remained unseen.

"Blood magic," Atar whispered after they passed the third wooden and dead-eyed patrol. "That's forbidden."

"No one told the giants, I guess," Evie muttered.

"They're being manipulated," Magda agreed in a low voice. "Don't make eye contact and don't draw close. We don't know what their controllers are sensing."

Still, the fog must have deadened their controllers' senses, as they were able to progress with relatively little issue. His Stealth and Breath Control Skills even leveled up to 24 and 20, respectively. It was only when they drew up to the actual encampment that they saw their first challenge.

Ruins had been knocked down and laid out in a circle around the camp, providing a makeshift barricade of fallen stone, pillars, and carved facades. Risi Warriors lingered in groups of two or three on the other side of the wall, sometimes tall enough to see over it, usually not. It ranged between seven and eight feet tall, and, depending on how industrious the builders were feeling, was either completely impassable or riddled with small openings.

They slipped through one such opening, Felix going first. Immediately through the wall, the Risi were nowhere in sight, and he cautiously waved everyone through. He opened up his Manasight and regretted it: the entire area was blanketed in a shimmering field of purple-white ice Mana; it laid thickly on the conjured ice at their feet and draped off the wall and buildings. One of those bonfires his Memory called an "icefire" burned nearby, giving off a stark white light that practically seethed with ice Mana. All together, it was a jumble to his magic senses, and Felix had to deactivate his most useful ability. He worried he'd go blind otherwise.

Harn led the way at this point, and all of them made it into the hollowed out building adjacent to the bronze domed capital building. That's what it looks like, Felix decided. Like a state capital building or somewhere a legislature meets.Strange how many architectural analogues there are between here and Earth. This entire place looks like a cross between ancient Rome and perhaps ancient India. Why? They settled in to wait as Felix thought it over. What connection is there between the Continent and Earth? Tarot cards are Omens here. Passingly similar architecture. And am I speaking English? Are they?

Felix was partly distracting himself, he knew. He looked over his companions, who ranged the gamut of emotions from nervous to intensely stoic. It was a surreal feeling, crouching in a crumbling building while monsters prowled outside, just feet from almost certain death. Felix felt his insides lurch from time to time, but he was getting a hang of this whole life and death thing; his pressed lightly with his Willpower and the lurching faded, settling into a steely resolve.

They sat there, minute after minute, feeling the cold slowly seep into their clothes and armor. Felix could almost feel his Cold Resistance ticking up, the ice pushing a chill into his body to which his Fire Within flared in response. Huh, almost forgot about that aspect of it. Strange, he pondered as his limbs grew warm. Is this an actual fire or just my Mana heating me up? He started to delve within himself, but a high pitched whine that Felix hadn't quite registered before suddenly cut out. Then there was the sound of massive objects scraping against shattering ice.

The doors. It's happening.

Everyone stood up, watching Harn as he made several gestures. Felix turned to Pit, who was on his feet and ready to go. He focused and sent a series of images to his friend, telling Pit to stay out here, to be on lookout. Felix felt a flush of confusion and anger from the tenku, but followed up with a sense of care, of caution. And of frightened people just inside that building that Pit might accidentally terrify. Reluctantly, Pit sent back agreement before sitting back down. Felix bent over and hugged the chimera, squeezing him tight while Pit nuzzled his beak against his shoulder.

He stood up, turning from his friend and saw that the adventurers were all filing out of the building. Felix scrambled after them, squeezing under a falling wall to the backside of their abandoned building. Just in time, he saw Atar and Magda waiting for him. The others were no where to be seen.

"Cross when I say," Magda muttered. "Okay, now."

The three of them crossed the alleyway, only twenty or so feet, and into the open side door though Magda had to stoop to enter. No shouts, no alarms.

They were in.

"Perfect. They're in." Illia sat atop the abandoned building the Guilders had just vacated, cross legged and eating a handful of berries. "Mm, these aren't bad."

Finishing them off, the Sworn stood and stretched. She felt like a new woman, or she was about to; she only had a few more tasks before the Shieldwitch's plans all came crashing down, and Illia could make off with a hefty payday.

"Now where did that huge general of theirs get to," she mused, spinning a dagger in her hand as she hopped off the wall.

Sixteen hours, Cas thought, spitting blood from her mouth. The copper taste of it seemed a constant companion. Sixteen hours and seven souls lost. Ten lost yesterday. Twenty the day before. Thirteen before that. More, and more besides. She spat again, thick globs slapping against the wooden stairs she climbed. I will make you pay for every hour, every life you blue pieces of shit. I keep a tally, and I will not break.

Mechanically, Callie climbed the steps, one after the other. Her people, fellow Guilders all, trudged behind her. Always behind. Leaders lead from the front. That's...that's what she'd say. I say kill em all, cuz I keep my tally. I will not break.

With a grunt, she ran into the icy doors of the temple, as they called it. Callie raised her eyes, taking in the elaborately carved bronze doors, larger than her by three feet, they were still too narrow to fit most of the giants. Too tired, she slapped her open fist against the metal, feeling the cold bite into her skin.

Cold Resistance is level 27!

That made her laugh, but it was laced with more than a little madness. She stifled it, pushing the wild laughter down as the doors opened. A hulking Risi guard, a new one perhaps, leered down at her while it fondled the haft of its club, it's dumb blue face and bushy white beard split by a gap-toothed smile. She sobered up quickly.

"Lok tani?" It asked, as usual.

"Nothing. We found nothing." She tried to push her way forward, but the giant held out a thick fingered hand.

"Lok tani," it repeated, more forceful.

"I said, 'nothing.'" Callie said, looking up at the giant. "Are you stupid? There is nothing down there. Just death and more death."

"Lok tani!" The guard yelled, its face beginning to flush bluer than normal and a flop sweat appearing on its brow. "Rikta lok folar, esta tani!"

Callie growled, her hands almost reaching for the daggers these monsters allowed her. "I don't know what you're saying, you dumb, chimera-sucking, ice licking asshole. I. Have. Nothing!"

"HRGGK!"

A sudden spurt of blue blood washed over Callie and the few Guilders immediately behind her, and a line appeared across the giant's throat. Slowly, like in a dream, the giant's head and its body separated in opposite directions. Gore pumped out, a morbid rain as Callie's eyes fixed on her adversary, finally dead.

"Well, you still have me," a voice said, maddeningly familiar.

And then the room exploded into chaos.

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