Unbound

Felix hurried through the rain away from the Initiate. A knot clenched his insides.

He had transformed again. Against his will. Again. After the close call just an hour earlier, he thought he'd be up for it, his impressive Willpower able to fight it off. But this time it had come upon him without warning.

Almost. Felix frowned as he vaulted over another alleyway. It was far easier to navigate the complicated warrens of the Dust from up there. There was the anger again. It crept up on me the moment I saw those damn sigils.

Felix paused atop another tenement, leaning against a large water barrel. The thing was full and spilling over in small rivulets along the sides as the rain kept coming down. It had been the sigils. They had crawled into his head, same as when he'd read the Archon's notes under the mountain. They were insidious, and somehow, in some way they were connected to the Maw. He knew it, though he couldn't say where the knowledge originated. He still had his journal and the Archon's papers, tucked safely in the satchel at his side. Some deep part of Felix had warned against looking too deeply at the sigils and he'd been proven right this morning.

The sigils are clearly similar to the Archon's. Different characters, absolutely, but in the same alphabet or whatever. Felix's brain hurt to dwell on them, the crawling sensation of a trapped heartbeat returning even through his memories. He set the recollection aside for now. Plenty of time to review it when he spoke with Atar later that day.

He started moving again, using Relentless Charge to clear a particularly large gap between buildings. He couldn't sense anyone below, but held Abyssal Skein regardless. His body took to the task nearly effortlessly, landing with soft knees and continuing to run. His mind, however, dwelled on what he had seen.

The Inquisition had used some sort of Skill to raise the dead. Or a spirit projection, at least. Felix assumed it was a Skill, but the presence of that music...somehow the Initiate tapped in the Grand Harmony and was able to replay the victim's last moments.

Could I learn to do that? How do you even tap into those chords? Felix sensed the music when the System took action; level ups, stat allocation, that sort of thing. He even heard it when Atar, Evie, and Vess all Revealed their Omens. Distinct compositions for each of them. However all this time it had been reactive.

Could he change that?

Moreover, what did it mean that the Inquisition was using an ability like that? Was it a special power they learned, a Skill granted by their allegiance? Questions swirled in Felix's brain, but he had no answers. Not yet.

By the time he landed with a splash on the streets below, Felix had amassed a simple bulleted list of objectives going forward.

• Figure out the Grand Harmony thing

• Avoid becoming a monster

• Train, train, train

Admittedly, it was a simple list, but it teemed with uncertainties. But at the end of the day, what he needed to do was get stronger. Power, on the Continent at least, was the only solution people seemed to take seriously.

Trendle answered the door this time, letting Felix in without blinking. The big man simply locked the door behind him and walked off, twitching his extremely large mustache.

Put a dang walrus to shame, Felix thought with a smile. He was impressed.

Shouting soon caught his attention, and Felix realized that Atar had arrived earlier than expected. Felix released Convergence and Pit appeared next to him in his Dire Wolf disguise. He wasn't even wet.

"Wish I could ride around dry and cozy while you do all the grunt work," Felix murmured through a grin. He ruffled Pit's head as the tenku let out an oddly birdlike woof.

"You brought me all the way out here for this?" Atar was saying. His voice carried well, and Felix didn't need to see the teen fire mage to find him. Beyond the back area, Atar was standing with Cal, Harn, and Evie. He slashed his palm through the air. "I can't do it. It's impossible."

"We need to get into that Domain, V'as," Cal explained calmly, though her eyes were hard. "My people need to get stronger and we need money to get out of this nowhere town."

"You're not alone in that thinking, which is why I think the Elders have restricted access. With the Redcloaks blocking the gates and the monsters breaching the Wall, everyone is scrambling to get stronger." Atar paced, hands on his hips and blonde hair expertly coiffed. "But even if the Guild wasn't, the Master Inquisitor has decided to reinforce our guards, putting his own people on the Domain entrance as well. At this point, I doubt anyone can get through, not unless you're prepared to fight your way in...and out again."

"What if we're disguised?" Felix interrupted, nodded at everyone. "Good morning, everyone."

"Hey Felix," Evie smiled, reaching out to ruffle Pit's head. She'd really taken to the little pig. "Thought you had errands this morning."

"I did. The bookshop's been closed for days. No one has seen Zara since before the attack." Felix looked at the other three. "You heard anything about that?"

Cal frowned and Harn shook his head. Atar perked up. "The bookseller? At the Elder Crown?"

"That's the one. Where I saw you and your friends."

"Ah," Atar seemed...embarrassed? That's weird. "I haven't been back since you...since that night. But the owner is well known. I can ask around if you'd like?"

Taken aback slightly, Felix shrugged. "Sure, I guess. That'd be helpful. Thanks Atar. Oh!" Felix fished out the enchanted mace he'd looted from Mehren. "You can make use of this, right?"

Harn tipped his head back, his stoic way of being surprised, and took the weapon from Felix. "We can, yeah. Oh, nice enchantment on this one. Rank II is hard to come by out here."

Oh really? Felix thought about his boots and satchel, both with Rank II enchantments. Pit's Stone of Wild Echoes had a Rank IV enchantment on it, and Felix's Amulet of Veiling had a Rank XI working. If Caerwin made those items as he suspected, then...Just how powerful is she?

"So, disguises?" Felix asked again.

"Disguises ain't all that effective against Silver Rank senses. And that's who you'll be up against, if Sparky is right." Harn hefted the mace over his shoulder, the object trailing a few sparks.

"Of course I'm right, Harn. And yes, most Silver Rank Guilders will see right through a disguise, unless you have an Adept Tier illusion or transformation Skill?" Atar shrugged when Felix shook his head. "Then it won't work."

Illusions, huh? Felix looked down and met Pit's eyes, the thrum of a shared idea between them. "I might have a plan for that but...give me a few days."

"Like I said before, we can wait a bit. Just the sooner we're flush the better." Cal took a deep breath and scratched her jaw. She looked tired, dead on her feet almost, and Felix wondered how much was on her shoulders right now. "The Guild's cut us off, the Inquisition is breathin' down our necks, and now our only avenue to fund our way out is being closed. We need a win."

"We'll get it, Callie." Evie said, eyes burning with a ferocity Felix hadn't seen since the Foglands. "No matter what."

Atar stood awkwardly nearby, trying not to make eye contact with any of them. Felix opened his mouth to say something to him when the large overhead door got pounded on. Bodie and Yan hustled over, weapons in hand, and peeked out. Without another word, they threw open the doors and a very wet Dwarf walked out of the rain. He flipped back his hooded and grinned.

"Are ye gonna stand an goggle, or help?" Rory put his hood back up and slapped Bodie and Yan on the back.

Outside the door the rain was coming down in sheets, waves of precipitation that slithered across the streets. Behind Rory, Felix could see a team of those bird-lizards, Avum, pulling some sort of huge wagon.

"Excellent. He's early too," Cal grinned at them all and nudged Felix as she walked by. "We can start that training now."

Felix clapped his hands and rushed to help.

It took all of them to unload Rory's preposterously-sized wagon which was made of a pale metal and easily the size of a train car. The team of Avum Felix had seen was actually six strong, and even then he had a hard time believing the giant chickens could pull that monstrosity. Moreover, inside the wagon was a strange assortment of shaped wooden pillars, chains, and almost twenty man-sized crates marked with the Guild Seal. The team got it all inside in record time, at least in comparison to Earth, and despite the items weighing hundreds if not thousands of pounds, did it all by hand.

Felix wasn't winded by the effort, but he was breathing hard by the end of it. He wasn't the only one as Yan, Kelgan, Vivianne, Karp, and even Harn looked a touch out of breath. Portia and Trendle were limp forms on the ground. The only ones without a sign of the strain were Bodie and Rory himself. Cal had "overseen" the unloading process, Felix had noted.

"Was that...was that part of the training?" Felix asked. Rory laughed.

"Thas just unloadin' the trainin', lad!" His face looked at them all placidly. "Now, get up! It's time ta set this up!"

Another grueling fifteen minutes had them lining all the parts in various positions around the front of their warehouse. The adventurers had a number of training materials out already, things like wooden dummies and pommel-horses, though Felix didn't have a name for most of it.  Huge logs and chains and crates were all set around the dummies and obstacles, and once the last piece was set down Rory clapped his hands and shooed them away.

"Go an' rest, wee babes. I'll let ye know when we're good ta go."

Felix retreated with the rest of them, but felt eager to keep on going. The feeling seemed to be near universal as everyone watched with anticipation as Rory began fiddling with the side of one of the posts.

"Hey, Felix!"

He turned, his ears picking up Atar's sharp whisper. Felix doubted the mage was being as quiet as he thought he was, as Atar looked cautiously at the others before motioning for Felix to come closer. Felix sighed and walked over. They had things to discuss anyway.

Atar retreated to the back area of the open warehouse, where somone had converted it into a sort of lounge-slash-cafeteria set up. Two long tables were laid out, along with benches and a few rickety chairs padded with overstuffed cushions. A stove had been built in the corner, a pot-bellied metal one that looked like something from the turn of the 19th century. Felix eyed it curiously and noticed that there were several sigils inscribed along its top and base.

Fascinating. They use magic to cook? I mean, why not? It's useful as hell, I think. He craned his neck and saw a small round panel built into the side of the stove. Is that the control point? Like on a manaship. I wonder if--

"Felix!"

He turned back toward Atar, who had been calling his name for the last thirty seconds. He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I get caught up sometimes in--Sorry. What's up?"

Atar's annoyed face relaxed. "Listen, about earlier. I said that I wasn't going to be able to get anyone into the Domain, and I mean it. Not even you. The layers of security the Guild is putting on the thing, not to mention the Inquistion...I don't see how it's possible without an authorization from an Elder."

"And you can't get one? Why not ask your patron, Elder Teine?"

"It-it's not that easy, I'm afraid." Atar sighed and a trace of bitterness flavored his words. "The Elder is quite similar to my Master in that he believes in self-sufficiency. No handouts. He offers great resources to us, but only if we earn them. That usually means following his orders."

"And he ordered you to find the Butcher." Felix said, thinking. "So if we find the Butcher, does that get us into the Domain?"

"It's possible, I suppose. But like I said before, I believe the Butcher is hiding in the Domain itself."

"You've brought that up to Teine?" Felix asked. "What'd he say?"

"Of course I haven't!" Atar was aghast. "It's a theory, barely better than wishing for Siva to change my fate. He would shoot down anything without proof."

Felix considered his next words carefully. "I might not have the proof you need, but I saw another victim today."

"What! Where?" Atar's attention sharpened so fast Felix was surprised he wasn't cut. "Why leave this til now? Is it close? We could go now and--"

"No. Guilders and the Inquisition showed up a bit after me." Felix shook his head. "Probably crawling with those Redcloaks by now."

"Spirits forbid," Atar cursed. "Why were they there? Can you tell me what you saw?"

"Easily. My Born Trait is all about memory, if you recall."

"Oh right," Atar looked excited. Felix laid it out, describing the scene and the grisly sigils. He recounted the Guild's and Inquisition's arrival, though he left out the ghost stuff.

"He claimed Sorcery had been done there?" Atar asked, rubbing his fingers against his baby smooth chin. Felix doubted he'd grown even a patch of stubble yet.

"That's what he said."

"Strange. Nothing like that has been picked up before." Atar started pacing, and his expensive seeming black and maroon robes billowed.

"I've heard it thrown around a few times. What exactly does the Inquisition consider Sorcery?" Felix had an idea, but needed to know if it was true. Or if he was missing another aspect of the picture.

"Mm? Oh, as far as I can tell it's nonsense," Atar said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He kept pacing. "I've heard it described in colorful terms, but mostly as 'dark song' that 'corrupts all it touches' and other such bunk. In Te'thys we have no Inquisition stepping on our necks. I've never heard of this Sorcery they tout up here."

A song. The Grand Harmony? But no. He used the Grand Harmony to cast that ghost replay spell. I'm not discounting hypocrisy, but if it's not Harmony, then what could it be? A thought flashed through his mind, the memory of a buzzing unpleasantness as he faced against the Maw.

What about its opposite? Not Harmony, but Dissonance.

The power of the Maw.

"And they were similar to the notes?"

Felix was drawn back into the conversation by Atar's question, and he fought to hide his suddenly queasy stomach. "Extremely. Not the same symbols, but the same language definitely."

"And do you...have those notes with you?" Atar asked, hopefully.

"I do. And no, you can't have them back." Felix rolled his eyes, though his left hand carefully clutched at his satchel. "I gave you that book from the Elder Crown, wasn't that enough?"

"Ugh, I wanted that for reference into script writing. It is not my area of expertise.  If you're not going to give me your notes, then take it back. You might find it useful." Atar fished the book from his own bag and handed it to Felix. Felix took it and resolved to peruse it later.

"Where'd you get that bag, by the by? It boasts impressive enchantments. Like Harn mentioned, Rank II enchantments are hard to come by out here in the outskirts."

Felix shrugged. "System Quest reward for defeating the Risi."

Deception is level 10!

"You got credit for that? I guess you did your part, true enough." Atar sighed. "I'd like to go see that body, but if the Inquisition has it in their grips they're not likely to part with it."

"They do seem...confrontational and possessive," Felix agreed.

"You don't know the half of it. Living in the Eyrie means I get to experience the questionable joy of constant conflicts between the Guilders and lower ranked Inquisitors. Minor stuff, simple arguments and the like. But any chance to put Guilders 'in their place,' they take it." Atar sat in a chair opposite Felix with a definite huff.

"What's their deal?"

"Their 'deal?' They follow their High Laws, mostly to the letter. They're the investigational arm of the Heirocracy. A Master Inquisitor was sent here, you know? Not some nobody. Hand picked by the Grand Inquisitor herself, I've heard."

That all meant little to Felix, other than that whatever they were doing here was considered important. He said as much.

Atar laughed. "You've probably heard by now. Dispatched when the Foglands stopped being foggy and started producing erratic monster variants. They got here awful quick though. Which means someone tipped them off. The capital is far, far away."

"Who would do that? And why?" Felix asked. They were moving farther afield of his questions, but he hadn't heard this. More information on his pursuers was always good. "What would they benefit from having an obviously zealot organization shut down the entire city?"

"Perhaps they didn't know the Inquisition would shut it down? Or perhaps they didn't care. Hard to tell." Atar leaned forward and pointed to the west. "But what happens when an entire region full of rare raw materials is suddenly made available?"

Felix nodded, recalling their conversations in the Geists' Tower. "Right. There's money to be made."

"And where there's money, there's power. That, at least, we had plenty of in Te'thys."

A sudden shout and flash of prismatic light caught their attention. Felix leaped to his feet and saw Rory standing triumphantly by one of the thicker posts they had carried in. "There we go! Time to test yerselves!"

Without another word, the wooden posts began to shimmer with Mana vapor before pulling themselves up from the ground.

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