Unbound

"The scouts reported that the civilians were trapped in the mines proper, along with the people our scouts were sent to collect," Cal said. The press of people had faded, but still a few of her crew surrounded us to ward any mundane eavesdroppers off. Though anyone with advanced stealth Skills and a high Perception could easily hear what they discussed, and Cal knew that. If this were truly sensitive information, they would have erected some actual wards.

"And the Inquisition are outside the mines? Just waiting for them to come out?" Felix asked.

"No. After they drove off and nearly killed me people, the bastards were collecting the raw ore and materials that the miners had put together. I'm told they arrived with avum-drawn wagons."

"They are hunting resources," Vess said with a nod. "I am sure the Order forces are drawn as thin as we are; they likely need the source of metal to repair their armaments and equip new fighters."

"I agree," Cal said. "They'll try to occupy the mine and keep the supply comin'. It's what we were gonna do, anyway."

"I've noticed we're running a bit threadbare," Felix said with a glance around him. Cal grunted.

"That's an understatement. We had resources aplenty for our small crew...but nothin' was in the books for nearly a thousand refugees. We've got some crafters to outfit folk, but we need that ore to produce anythin'."

Felix asked a few more questions, but the gist of it was simple. Get rid of the Inquisition and save the miners. When Evie asked if the miners would be captured already, Cal smirked.

"I doubt that. Rory's out there. It's why we knew about the miners in the first place."

Ah, that makes sense. Rory was a Guild trainer, and he'd helped all of them by sticking his neck out when the Guild had ostracized the group. More importantly--to him at least--Rory had helped Felix combine and evolve his first set of Skills, resulting in Unfettered Volition. "So he's keeping them safe for now. What sorta levels are we talking about?"

"Seven Acolytes, all in their twenties, led by two Initiates pushing into their forties. Not a huge problem, but the scouts are positive more will arrive soon, if not already."

"We'll move fast then," Felix said. He turned to Evie and Vess. "You both coming with me?"

"Blind gods, yes. I'm so burnin' bored," Evie said. Felix noticed Cal give her a worried look, but the treasure hunter flattened it to neutrality. "I'll be fine, Callie. I'm all healed up, mostly."

"I shall keep an eye on her, ma'am," Vess promised. "She will be safe with us."

"Fine. But you watch yourself, girly. If you come back hurt, that'll be it for combat for a while. You understand?" Cal said. Evie nodded absently, already checking her gear. Luckily she'd gotten that new suit of leather armor during the day and it fit about as well as her last set. Cal looked to Felix again. "I need you to do two things: one, save the miners and root out the redcloaks. And two, secure as many resources as you can."

"Got it." Felix nodded. They had to get a move on; he wanted to rescue Rory before anything terrible happened.

"We can get a crew together fast, but I've got no mounts. It'd be a trek by foot. I can spare a few..." Cal began, but Felix stopped her.

"We can travel faster on our own, and you can't spare the skilled hands you have," Felix insisted. "I don't want to give those bastards a second longer than we have to. I owe Rory that much, at least."

"You'll be walking into a tough fight," Cal said.

"Nothing new. But I don't plan on fighting, not if we can help it," Felix said. "The four of us can handle it. Is it close?"

"Northern Blue Mines, shaft number fifteen. Evie should know the way. It's not terribly far, especially if you're mounted. You'll ride the chimera?" Cal asked.

"They'll ride Pit. I'll...manage," Felix said.

"Very well. But at least take one other with you. I can't spare my core team, but I know someone who can help."

Cal led the four of them across the courtyard to a strange hut. It was strange because it appeared as if a mossy cabin in the woods had been transplanted wholesale onto the uneven cobbles of the Dust Quarter. The hut was barely six feet tall, covered in greenery, and dappled by sunlight that Felix noticed wasn't actually coming from the sun. Above them the sky had slowly grown more overcast again, the bright light of earlier only a slight reprieve.

Cal stopped a few feet in front of the incongruous shack and shouted. "Thangle! Out here, if you please."

A series of crashes and bangs sounded from within the hut, along with a thin, reedy voice. "Be just one--AH!--one tick!"

The three of them exchanged looks behind Cal's back as the noises increased to an absolute cascade of heavy items being dropped from a height. Then, without warning, the door opened and a small figure half fell out. Barely four feet tall, he had a shock of white hair atop his head and a scraggly beard the same color, while between the two was a large jutting nose, like an acute triangle affixed to his face. His lined face creased into an easy smile as he found his footing. "Hello again, Captain Boscal! How are you on this fine morning?"

"It's near evening, Thangle."

"Hm?" Owlish eyes peered up and blinked slowly. "So it is!"

Felix recognized the Gnome, though his green and purple robes were the worse for wear and his hair was lank and greasy. That infectious smile was hard to forget, whether or not you had perfect recall.

Voracious Eye.

Name: Thadeus Thangle

Race: Gnome

Level: 35

HP: 389/???

SP: 255/???

MP: 945/???

Lore: Gnomes are small, generally nimble, and are typically predisposed to the magical arts.

Strength: Intelligent and wily, a master of illusions

Weakness: Physically weak

"Hey there, Thangle. Glad to see you made it out alright," Felix said.

"Eh? Ah! My young savior!" Thangle exclaimed as he eyed Felix's larger frame. "I'm happy that such a force for justice still walks the city. Especially in these dangerous times."

The Gnome was bursting with energy and life, belying his bedraggled exterior. He'd already moved onto the others, shaking each of their hands in rapid succession.

"Thangle will provide support," Cal explained. "He's an Adept illusionist, a Skillset I'd recommend none of you underestimate."

"You a Guilder?" Evie asked with grin.

"Nope! Not ever! They wouldn't want me anyway. Too much of a free thinker, you know," Thangle laughed, a sound too bright for the camp's atmosphere. "I am, however, the sole proprietor of the Fantabulous Magetorium of Delightful Miracles! Thadeus Thangle, at your service!"

At some point, the Gnome had pressed a pasteboard card into each of their hands. Felix recognized it as the same he'd received weeks ago, but had since lost. Now, at least, he could read it.

Thadeus Thangle

Owner/Founder

Fantabulous Magetorium of Delightful Miracles!

See reverse for festival rates!

Felix couldn't help the stupid smile on his face. He'd been meaning to find this guy again, if only to learn a bit more about magic. Illusions, huh? That could be useful.

"This is good Cal. He'll be light enough." Felix nodded and put the card into his satchel.

"What?" Thangle asked, his smile never slipping as he looked between Cal and Felix.

"C'mon. We're leaving now." Felix didn't answer, instead marched away. Thangle was forced to scurry to keep up.

"I'll have Bodie and a team headed your way soon," Cal promised. "Just don't die in the meantime!"

"What?" Thangle repeated, though this time his smile looked more forced.

Felix looked at him and the women. "You three will ride Pit."

"The chimera?" The Gnome asked, clearly nervous. The smile was falling apart now.

They five of them cut through the courtyard as easily as a ship through water. Men and women of all Races pulled back out of Felix's way, and he didn't miss how some of them were making repeated gestures in the air as he passed. It had the same vibe as someone crossing themselves. Like they were warding him off, maybe.

Ugh. Next time I'm not leaving the warehouse without Abyssal Skein pulled up. At least with his Void stealth Skill he'd avoid most of the attention.

The crowds thinned nearer the main warehouse, as most of the Haarwatchers were placed within the other two; they had both been predominantly broken up into small sleeping spaces for people. From what Felix had seen, they were running out of space quickly, and more arrived at their gates every day. But that wasn't his concern. Save people first, then worry about keeping them comfortable.

Around the back of the warehouse it was blessedly quiet and open enough that Felix figured Pit could take off. Vess hopped easily atop Pit's back, taking a firm hold on his neck, before Evie grabbed hold of a startled Thangle and followed suit.

"Heyaaaaaahhhhh!"

The Gnome's shouts petered out as Pit ran and pulled himself up into the air. Felix could feel Pit's glee as he took to the air for the first time since awakening to his much larger size. The tenku let out a deep bugle of triumph into the air, and it was only Felix's warnings that kept him from attempting a series of aerial acrobatics. He wasn't entirely sure Thangle would be able to hang on during those.

Meanwhile, Felix focused on his own transportation.

Sovereign of Flesh!

The nebula of essence within him dwindled by the slightest margin as Felix engaged his Skill. However, as opposed to covering his body with scales and growing sharp teeth and claws, Felix tried to replicate something he'd done only once. He tried to grow wings.

"MMHHHHMMMM," Felix half-screamed, attempting to hold it in but failing. The feel of his back tearing and shifting was excruciating, far and above any pain he'd encountered before, and his Song of Absolution did nothing for it. Gouts of essence vanished from within his core, feeding the ability as he fought to form the wings...but it failed. Sweating and bleeding, Felix fell to his hands and knees as he recovered.

What was the problem? It had worked before when they were in the Domain. Felix pushed away the pain as best he could and tried to think. What was different? Then it hit him. Before, Pit had been converged within him, a feature of their shared Skill, Etheric Concordance. Was convergence needed to use the wings again? The only other option he could figure was the new feature that allowed them to borrow senses or even body parts from one another. The part of him that held System-granted knowledge knew he could take Pit's wings...but that would leave his friend without them.

Grunting at the dwindling echoes of pain, Felix stood back and up started running. It was disappointing, but it would do for now.

Pit flew low, keeping near the rooftops as Felix ran close behind. Unfettered Volition and his own high scores in Agility, Endurance, and Strength allowed him to do so with little effort.

Pit, however, is quickly outpacing him in Agility. Felix senses a smug satisfaction in the tenku that he could go faster than this.

Hold your horses, lil pig, Felix sent. Let's just stick together for now.

Pit sent back a snorting chirrup and flapped just a little ahead. Felix rolled his eyes.

They traversed the rooftops, most of which were warehouses in this part of the dust. Evie knew the layout of the city, and kept Pit pointed in the right direction. The mines were connected to the northern and southern parts of the city, where the Dust and Crafters Quarters touched onto the mountains. The rock of the mountains provided the city's only defenses in either direction, the stone of it worked into sheer surfaces, with each mine entrance heavily warded against whatever beasties may wander in from the deeps.

While the run across rooftops would have normally thrilled Felix, he found his attention captured by something far more dire. Specks gathered in the blue sky, wheeling about in a suspiciously rigid manner that tickled his memory. Pausing between leaps, Felix focused his Eye upon them.

Voracious Eye!

Name: Rook

Type: Primordial Spawn

Level: 29

...

"Goddamn it," he muttered. Pit, the damn bone birds are back.

His Companion's head swiveled immediately, orienting on the information Felix provided. The feathers along his friend's crest and the fur of his tail all bristled in rage. Closer now, the Rooks were collections of bone, sinew, and scaled, skeletal flesh. Awkward in flight as they were vicious in battle, they didn't so much flap their wings as they shunted the air Mana around themselves to maneuver. Abruptly, the entire flock, seven strong, banked and headed in their direction. The Rooks had spotted them.

"What're those?" Thangle asked, his voice less worried and more excited. "I've never seen birds like that before."

"Oh no. They are here too? What else escaped?" Vess asked, casting a worried glance at the rest of them.

"They're comin' in fast. How do we wanna do this?" Evie asked.

"Pit is champing at the bit. Let him take the lead, but keep him covered. They're low level but they can move fast." Felix said, and before the words finished leaving his mouth Pit shot off.

It was not much of a fight.

Half of the flock abruptly froze in place as purple-white chains of ice lashed them together...and began to fall. A barrage of air Mana Wingblades hit them long before they could crash, shattering their bodies into glistening red chunks. The other Rooks started to screech in alarm, but their voices faded into confusion and their wings flapped themselves into a tight, spiralling circle. Felix thought they were preparing some sort of attack, but no, they were just...spinning? A few more Wingblades and these died as well.

The Rooks had been anemically leveled, which was a two-fold blessing. Aside from falling prey to Pit's relentless Wingblades, it meant that they hadn't been killing tons of civilians and boosting their levels. When the last of them fell, Felix felt a slight pang in his gut. Finding them and eating their essence would have been satisfying, but it wasn't worth his time at that point.

They had better things to do.

Pit returned with everyone and they traveled onward. The particular mine they were headed toward was fairly close, at least at the speeds they were traveling. They all made it there only ten minutes later, though only to the large industrial buildings on the outskirts of it. The mines proper were complicated areas where stone, metal, and other rare resources were extracted, sorted, smelted, and shipped off around the city. An operation like that required a lot of infrastructure, which is why a series of large, boxy buildings crowded the blocks near the mountain.

The five of them dropped low during the approach. Felix took a bit to recover his Stamina, which had gotten a large chunk taken out of it by Unfettered Volition, and tried to see if they could spot anything. However, all was quiet.

"They're probably closer to the shaft entrance. This far away though, there's no tellin' how many might be stuffed in those buildings," Evie said.

"We'll need to get closer without being seen," Felix mused. "I've got a pretty good stealth Skill, but it's not even level 30 yet. I dunno if it'll get past the scrutiny of Journeyman Tier opponents. Same for Pit."

"Both Evie and I have Stealth, but neither has been extensively leveled," Vess agreed. She turned to the Gnome beside them, who was twisting his head between them, following their conversation. "Mister Thangle, do you have any Skills that might aid our endeavor?"

"Oh yes. Yes indeed I do," he grinned.

"The school of Illusion is one often ignored by those looking for more combative abilities, but my Mana Skills are quite useful in a number of arenas," Thangle explained. The spell he planned to cast was called Obfuscation which, much like the Chanter version baked into Felix's Amulet of Veiling--or even his Abyssal Skein to an extent--allowed for certain things within its purview to be ignored. Thangle explained it as a circle he could maintain around himself that would turn eyes and ears away. Not invisibility, as that was far beyond his Tier, but close.

"Sadly, my personal demesne isn't large enough to handle all of us. At least not for as long as we'd need it," he said, with a significant look at the horse-sized chimera. "I could hold a demesne of forty span for at most a handful of moments."

Felix and Pit merely traded a smirk before the tenku disappeared into motes of light.

"Siva's grace, I have never watched that happen before," Vess exclaimed. "I could see Pit dissolve into your Spirit. Does that not hurt?"

"Only a little," he admitted. Felix actually did feel a bit of a tug on his core, like he'd hung a weight from his insides somehow, but it wasn't unbearable. Must be because you're getting so big.

Pit squawked at him, sending a flurry of impressions that made Felix a bit guilty. Yeah. I could have Tempered with Etheric Concordance, but you know why I didn't. Pit just sent a brief, annoyed trill before subsiding within him. Felix realized Thangle was watching him with wide eyes.

"Remarkable, Felix! Remarkable."

"Uh, thanks," Felix nodded ahead. "We've no time to waste. Let's move."

The approach was stressful but ultimately uneventful. The group each maintained their personal stealth Skills, aside from Thangle who had to concentrate on holding his spellform. Felix could see it warp the air around them in his Manasight, a streaming bubble of purple colored Mana vapor. Once he'd dropped into Abyssal Skein, however, the colors of the world inverted and the bubble became basically invisible again. That wasn't ideal, but Felix never quite knew how the Void would interact with other things in the world, what academics called the Corporeal Realm.

Despite his concerns, they made it into the first of the buildings. The doors were unlocked and several windows had been smashed, but they were completely empty. They kept a tight formation, Felix in front with the warriors to either side of him and the wizard in the back. The first building was a storefront of some sort that had been completely looted, and it was a straight shot through a narrow hallway and into a small, enclosed courtyard. There was a trickling fountain of iron casts into the shape of a grinning man's face; the water poured from his mouth in a steady stream.

Aside from the wind above, it was the loudest feature they'd encountered.

Evie signed at them, and Felix had to agree.

They kept moving.

They were through another whole structure, this one seemingly designed as a smelters, when they heard a crash and raised voices.

"Hey hey hey! Strip them first!" The voice was full of that sort of self-confidence only government sanctioned command could engender. "We need all the arms and armor we can get. So I don't care if it's got a sword hole in the gut or not. We take it!"

"Maybe you strip em, ya trumped up popinjay," someone griped, not loud, but not nearly quiet enough.

"What was that Acolyte?"

There was a beat of silence as Felix's group crept closer to the nearest dusty window. As one they peeked their heads up over the edge and beheld another, larger courtyard dominated by a series of six wagons and some sort of mechanical crane made of wood and rope. To the side of the area, about ten bodies were laid out on the ground, some of them wearing a combination of leather and plate armor accents. Half the Acolytes were standing over the corpses, while the rest were loading the wagons. Even as Felix watched, a large, clearly heavily laden crate was placed into the back of one of the wagons. The team of avum hitched to said wagon screeched in protest as the weight of it settled.

"Nothin'...sir," the surly voice said, and Felix saw the man surrounded by four other sweating Acolytes. All of them were standing over the bodies of Haarwatchers, some roughly manhandling their bloody and brutalized corpses.

"No, no, it sounds like you've got something to say, Acolyte," said the commander, an Initiate according to Felix's Eye. The man stepped up, well into the Acolyte's personal space. "Say. It."

"Thangle, how large can your demesne be?" Felix asked in a low tone, not daring to whisper. Inside of him, Pit was ready to leap out and tear into the bastards. Felix was just about ready to let him.

"Forty span, or so. Only for a few moments at most before it fails," Thangle began, but his face was pale and angry. "But long enough, I think."

"Good," Felix grunted and felt his friend's inner songs roar along with his own. "Time to make some noise, then."

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