Chapter 111: The Shadow Seekers' Mission |
“We expected bad, not this bad,” Ogden said, slumping in his heavy metal armchair. It appeared uncomfortable, but didn’t seem to bother the man. Sections of it looked like joints, leaving Lukas to wonder whether it too was one of the guild leader’s mechanical exo-suits. “Can the former auditor’s death be connected to you?”
“The fire consumed most of the evidence, and Tori is the only witness,” Lukas answered, closing the office door. He caught sight of Tori wiping her eyes as she walked down the stairs. She had cooperated as agreed and was rightfully terrified. The Shadow Seekers had agreed to house and protect her until the matter was presented to the Union and resolved. “Her testimony and the wagon’s contents should be enough evidence, right?”
“I want to say yes, but these things are never easy. First of all, convincing people of the existence of the Frost Giants, Jotun, or whatever you want to call them, is going to be a challenge. An Aquila party recently reported being tailed by a giant woman with silver hair, blue-tinted skin, and strange, luminous tattoos. A merchant caravan talked of a skinny ghost with similar features. It showed up at their campsite two nights in a row.”
“They’re searching for what was stolen from them,” Lukas said. “This is a physically and possibly magically superior foe. We don’t know how many of them there are out there, their infrastructure, or what they can do.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “I think we should find the Jotun, communicate, return what was taken, and maybe set up an alliance.”
“I agree, but the kingdom will never go for that.” Ogden sighed. “The Jotun community has been residing in Schwarzberg’s territory, using its resources, and for all we know, raiding Union, kingdom, and unaffiliated caravans for possibly centuries. I don’t personally agree with the idea, but this is military rule, and the ruling council will deem the Jotun trespassers and invaders.”
“In that case, the Gray is looking at the possibility of war.” Lukas sighed. He pulled a palm-sized container of stasis fluid from the journal’s Hidden Compartment, making it look like the container had come from his coat’s inner pocket. A slug floated within. “This is a Void slug. We destroyed all other traces. I held onto this specimen for evidence.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Ogden said, reaching for the container.
“In that case, I’ll be destroying this. Personally. It’s not that I trust you—”
“No. I get it. Anyone who has dealt with the Void is right to be paranoid. Can you get rid of it right now, or would you like me to—”
“Morph. New Frozen Phoenix member. Apparently, he worked for a cult-hunting organization and has a fair bit of experience with the Void. He ensured every trace of the Void entity was destroyed. I hid the slug for him in case the guild and Union needed evidence.”
“The auditor’s apprentice shared her memories. Leisel also allowed hers to be projected. We have plenty of evidence.” Ogden paused, fiddling with his chair as he studied Lukas. It seemed there was something the man wanted to say, but was contemplating whether he should. “Morph was right. You shouldn’t have preserved the slug and brought it here. Things could get ugly if that thing got out. Stasis fluid or not.” He sighed. “Good job. I’ll admit that my expectations weren’t high, but you continue to deliver. The tier three badge is deserved. The question is, are you ready to go deeper?”
“What do you mean by deeper?” Lukas asked, unsure about the man’s choice of words.
“The Frozen Phoenix mission was a test. They were always going down. If it weren’t for everything we and the Union already have against them, financial difficulties and failure to keep their roster above minimum requirements to fulfil guild duties would’ve done it. You’ve hastened the process.” Ogden tapped the stack of parchment and tomes on the desk. “Now that we have evidence of your commitment and capabilities, it’s time to go after bigger fish.
“Aquila. And before you try to deny it, I already know that Morph is one of your shadow golems.” Ogden threw up a hand when Lukas started to deny and change topics. “Golemancers and summoners develop an instinct of sorts. We can tell when something isn’t human or created through your ability. I know how your shadow golems feel. Morph gives me the same sense. Our intelligence reports also claim that the Aquila guild is pursuing him.”
Lukas struggled to find the right words. Only Esther had seen through him and the clones, leaving him to wonder whether it was a requirement for the Shadow Seekers' chapter master position. He needed to find a way to conceal the fact.
“Have you been in contact with the Iskander chapter?” Lukas asked.
“That tells me they or someone high up in their ranks knows the truth about Morph or what your golems can really do,” Ogden said. “Here’s a little tip. Have him or any golem disguised as a real person carry an essence or maybe a tool or armor socketed with one. The arcane signature confuses senses like mine.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. You want Morph to accept Aquila’s offer and investigate them. Is there something in particular you want me looking into?”
“It’s not the guild as a whole but the local chapter and maybe a faction within that we suspect,” Ogden continued. “This involves your friend Mira. She’s not the only dragonblooded or arcane heritage person in their ranks. We believe there is a group within the Aquila that experiments on children, trying to awaken bloodlines or even implant them in strangers. We believe that girl might be one such subject.”
“Are you going to lend me out to the Aquila next?” Lukas asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is that what working for you is going to be like?”
“You work for a guild, not the Kingdom of Schwarzberg.” The man chuckled. “All jobs are optional, and because this is so different from the norm, you’ll get substantial pay and access to privileges not available to people of your tier. In return, you’re going to have Morph join the guild and take part in joint missions.”
“That sounds good to me. If the job involves Mira, even better. The Cold Fire Sorcerer wants me to investigate her past and certain peculiarities. I can kill two birds with one stone.”
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“Excellent.” Ogden pulled a jingling pouch out of his desk drawer and pushed it toward Lukas. “Pay for the last job and a bonus. You’ve also been granted two thousand crowns credit in the chapter stop and tier four access.”
“Oh, good.” Lukas tapped a box he had brought along. “I have a few goodies to sell.”
“And you made these things on the road?”
“The golems did it.”
The chapter master’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. Instead, he nodded to the door and returned his attention to the stack of paperwork before him. Lukas pocketed the crowns, not bothering to count them. He knew how much to expect and trusted the chapter master not to cheat him.
The guild shop’s valuation of Eins and Zwei’s products was excellent, as expected. They were deemed on par with the Gray’s average creations, which Lukas had learned was a compliment few foreign artisans received. He made far more money from selling the products than he had from all his jobs in the Gray thus far. Lukas used the credit and his special access to view the shards and essences available to tier four guild members.
Lukas couldn’t think of a better investment than more Empowered Clones. Initially, he had thought that money was all he needed for power. Now, he was starting to understand the importance of reputation and allies. They were just as important. Trusting people and opening up to them had always been difficult for Lukas, even before his first transmigration. Now, he recognized that it was a fault he needed to actively work on. Saving Reistein from the Void Lord had brought him great satisfaction. Helping Mira and guiding her was doing the same. Lukas was enjoying himself. He had discovered a purpose greater than the blind pursuit of power and godhood.
Is it really about the friends you make along the way?
The shop’s collection was extensive. Lukas didn’t have control over what was offered to him and only got to touch and analyze whatever the shopkeeper pulled out. First was the Shard of Glacier. Only the Mind ability intrigued him; it granted ice manipulation, but didn’t feel good enough to replace Spellweaver. Its passive effects were far too potent, and any that went into the Pillar needed to work well with Thunderstorm’s Eye. Sound or lightning paired with ice made little sense to him. If the shard were related to water, he would’ve considered it.
When Lukas rejected it, citing disinterest in elemental shards, the man pulled out the Shard of Lycanthropy. Its body ability gave passive canine senses, and the active provided a wereform. He didn’t like the look of the offerings in the Heart Pillar, but the Mind ability allowed the summoning of moonlight wolves. Lukas rejected it too, deeming the shard unworthy of the investment.
The next tempted him, promising a poisonous substitute for Thunderstorm’s Eye. It would provide venom and acid-related attunements. Eins would have something new for his magic metals, and Lukas expected it to function well with Spellweaver. He imagined conjunction abilities would also be potent. Much like Morph, the clone would have incredible potential in all-out combat, but also infiltration and assassination.
However, another shard called out to him. Ever since Spellweaver reached tier two, his natural arcane detection abilities had significantly improved. Shards and essences stood out to him like faint little beacons. The thimb-sized piece of crystal radiated energy unlike anything he had felt before.
“Can I see that one?” Lukas asked, pointing at it.
“You need to be more specific,” the shopkeeper said.
“The one in the corner. It looks like you’ve never cleaned it. The Shard of Lady Luck.”
“Are you sure that’s the one you want?” The man sounded concerned. “It’s been in the store since before I started, and everyone who purchased it brought the thing back after visiting the diviners.”
“That explains why it's just five hundred crowns,” Lukas said. “I just want a closer look. Its magic feels intriguing.”
“Hold on a moment, you’re the kid from Iskander. Aren’t all your shards filled?”
“It’s not for me.”
The Shopkeeper shrugged, taking the Shard of Viper with him. “It’s mostly the guild’s gamblers who’ve shown interest, and even they couldn’t justify fusing it with any of their pillars.”
“So why keep it on display? Why not give it away or get rid of it?”
“The leadership is of the superstitious sort,” the man answered. “They don’t want to throw away luck or tuck it away. Giving it away might offend Lady Luck, the shard’s namesake.”
“Is she a genuine deity?”
“Who knows?” The shopkeeper shrugged. “I’m just here before I refused to accept early retirement.” He tapped his right leg. It sounded wooden and hollow. “Maybe the guild’s luck will improve if someone purchases and uses it.”
Please pick one of the following:
- Gambler’s Instincts(Body): The clone will gain a danger sense that warns him of when he or someone in his immediate vicinity is at risk of death or injury. His dexterity and agility will significantly improve to react appropriately to all stimuli.
- Adored By Luck(Heart): A probability-altering aura will surround the clone, passively bending the odds in his favor. The effect can be flared, increasing the chances of things going their way, but it will be followed by a period of misfortune.
- Fortune’s Favor(Mind): The clone will gain the ability to steal and burn luck, improving his own fortunes and ruining that of others. He may also summon Lady Luck’s personal weapon, a pair of silver dice.
That’s not a lot of information. What will the dice do?
Information on the subject is sparse. The rare records suggest that they’ll produce effects based on whatever numbers one rolls. Some beneficial. Others detrimental.
The detrimental rolls should only affect the clone and not me, right?
Typically, side effects and drawbacks of shard abilities only target the user. However, there are tales of such weapons exploding on the user following a terrible roll. There is no way to verify the truth behind these stories.
I’ve never been one to believe in luck, but if she’s an actual deity, this might be a path worth exploring for any prospective attunements alone. It could also be our gateway into chaos magic. The lady’s weapon should also be beneficial.
Five hundred crowns weren’t a major loss. Each of Eins and Zwei’s latest creations had made almost as much. He liked the idea of an infiltrating clone capable of stealing luck or objects and sabotaging his enemies. It sounded close to the probability-altering powers of chaos magic, but somehow more controlled and arithmetised. In the worst-case scenario, he could send the clone into enemy territory to cause havoc until a bad roll ended him, and hopefully everyone in the vicinity.
“I’ll take it,” Lukas said. “More to satiate my curiosity than anything.” He didn’t elaborate that a disposable clone was the perfect guinea pig for such an ability. It couldn’t just make a new Morph but something infinitely more useful. “Could you use the remainder of the credit to look out for a few essences?”
“Sure, lad,” the shopkeeper replied, seeming amused. “What do you need?”
“Arcane essences,” Lukas answered. “Anything that focuses on projection or manipulation would be great. I’d also like an Essence of Metallurgy or something that might benefit a friend with Arcane Smithing.”
“Arcane Smithing?” The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, glancing at one of the hammers he had purchased. “I imagine they smelted magic metals and forged the base weapons and tools. Impressive. If it means the better equipment is on the horizon, it's good for the guild. I’ll make that a high priority.”
“There is no rush on the arcane essences. I’m far from tier three, but I’d love the essence ready.”
“Any other shards you want?” The man asked.
“Attunements. My smithing friend needs new energies to pack into his magic metal.”
“Don’t worry, lad. I’ll keep my eyes open. Let me know if you change your mind about the Shard of the Viper. There are a couple of others interested in it, but they’re far from being able to afford it.”
