by Skyler Grant
Alex brought down the Songhammer on her left wrist, once, twice to the sound of shattering and fractured bone, grabbed her arm and pulled back forcing her hand out of the cuff.
Yasmine clenched her jaw, tears welling up despite herself, but she had a look of focus and as soon as she was clear of the restraints Alex handed her his sword.
Yasmine bounded up, rushing towards the mage.
Morgan had managed to find his own feet, his bound hands not seeming to slow him down too much as he delivered a double-handed swing to the side of man’s head that sent him crashing to the ground hard.
"Glad to see even your ugly-ass face," Morgan said. "They stashed our stuff this way."
Yasmine was engaged in a duel with the mage. She neutralized a bolt of energy thrown at her by using her right wrist. The metal of the restraint seemed to absorb the magic, the blast fading on impact.
"Here we were thinking we'd get rich off the bounty for two, and another two come wandering into camp? My lucky day," said a woman stepping before Alex, blocking his path to a chest that Morgan said held their equipment.
She was dressed in well-cared for leather armor and held herself confidently. Alex's instincts screamed danger. Most of those in this camp were barely trained, but she was something else. Dark-haired, dangerous, pretty—in other circumstances she'd have been Alex's type.
Alex hadn't tried to get a scan on any non-Glitch. It seemed worth a shot here. He focused his attention and after a moment got a familiar blip.
Vandria Celdak
Former Captain in the Aldemoore Guard
Current allegiances unknown
Further information requested
That was different, Alex hadn't seen the bracer request information before. In a way it made him feel better about the device, that it wasn’t some sort of all-knowing sentinel out there and that the knowledge actually came from somewhere.
"Here I am in the wilds and I find Vandria Celdak, of all people, in the company of untrained bandits and a mage. Are you working for Youlash now?" Alex asked, impressed with his own improvising.
Vandria tilted her head as she considered Alex. "You, I don't know. Handsome enough, knowledgeable, but poor and dressed in tatters. I enjoy a good mystery, but I think I'd rather have you in chains to answer my questions."
Alex partially clenched his fingers and twisted. It shifted the ampules in his potion-caster.
"Include some fine wine and you'd have me interested," Alex said.
Vandria grinned. "Flirty too. I see you loading your round and I'm well aware we're about to hit each other with our best shots. I think I'm going to win, but just in case ... answer a question each first?"
"Deal. Who are you working for?" Alex asked.
"Myself. Aldmoore doesn't exist anymore and starting a proper mercenary company takes coin. Selling Glitch Hunters wasn't my first choice, but when we stumbled across this pair I seized the moment. Who are you and your companion?"
"Alex Glaive and Helen Ranseur. Come to rescue our companions," Alex said, and he fired his potion-caster towards the ground at Vandria's feet. She was already lunging at him.
You have been hit by Vandria Celdak
15 Piercing Damage
2 has been absorbed by your armor
11 Magical Damage
2 has been absorbed by your armor
22 Damage received
Vandria Celdak has been hit by a shock ampule
15 Shock Damage
3 Shock Damage resisted
Stunned
12 Damage dealt
The blow to Alex had found his hamstring and nearly had him toppling over.
The shock ampule hit the ground at Vandria's feet and exploded, white bolts of electricity arching up and around, and flinging her backward.
Morgan hadn't been idle, using the standoff of the two to pick up the chest holding their supplies and, after the ampule exploded, he swung it overhand to slam into Vandria's stomach leaving her gasping and dazed.
"She took out my leg," Alex said.
"I've got two arms lad," Morgan said, tucking the chest under one arm and picking Alex up to sling him over the other shoulder.
Half the camp was down. The other half was busy trying to kill them. Yasmine hadn't taken out the mage and had been driven back. Patches of her armor were smoldering.
Helen was waiting at the edge of camp with several horses, a split lip showing someone had finally managed to get some hits on her.
"I don't know how to ride," Morgan said.
"I do. Just lift me in the saddle and get behind me," Alex said.
"You're in no shape to ride either," Yasmine said.
"Least I've got both my hands," Alex said.
"Only need one for the reigns," Yasmine said.
"I'll take Morgan. Yasmine takes Alex," Helen said.
They didn't have time to argue. Helen shot a bandit running in their direction with her potion-caster. The man burst into flames and fell.
The four quickly mounted two horses, cutting the others free and scattering them before making their way away from the encampment, enraged shouts following them.
Although there was no sign of immediate pursuit it was hours until they felt safe, the dawn sun just rising over the horizon as they came to a halt inside a copse of trees on a hillside.
It was all that Alex could do to get out of the saddle, his leg giving out the moment he touched the ground and he fell.
"Mage got you?" Yasmine asked.
"Their leader. She had a magical weapon," Alex said.
"Drink a healing potion. Magical wounds heal faster than dissonant, but you'll still be down too long without one," Yasmine said, sitting on the ground with a grunt. "I can't wait to get back to the keep, I really need a drink."
"Ah ... we burned down the keep, and the drinks," Helen said with a weary sigh as she settled down herself.
"Why would anyone do something that monstrous?" Morgan asked. He smashed the chest against a tree, then again.
Alex explained, "The Youlash army were about to find us. They burned down and slaughtered the village."
"Fuck," Yasmine said, exhausted. "I thought we'd be safe there. Last place they'd look—you know, where they killed the last time. I'm glad you got away and came for us."
"How did they take you out?" Helen asked.
Morgan said, smashing the chest again, "My fault. That mage got me at his mercy and told Yasmine he'd kill me unless she laid down her weapons and surrendered." There was a crack of something giving and he pulled back to empty the chest contents over the ground.
It held more than just their equipment. There were several pieces of silver jewelry, a pouch of coins, and parchments still sealed with wax.
Alex opened his belt and extracted one of the healing potions. The taste was intensely bitter and almost at once he felt a sharp tingling in his injured leg, an uncomfortable burning sensation that was similar to an infected wound.
Yasmine opened the pouch and peeked inside, frowning and putting it aside to examine the jewelry. "They weren't rich bandits."
"I gather they were hoping for us to remedy that situation. Are the letters anything important?" Alex asked.
"Dead letters. Soldiers do it sometimes, write letters to their families to be delivered by someone trusted in the event they die," Yasmine explained.
"Their leader was a former Captain in the Aldemoore Guard," Alex said.
"Would explain it then. Aldemoore was a small city-state that fell recently to the Commonwealth."
"Seems like there’s a lot of that going around. Wars and killing," Alex said.
"Yeah, I'm told it wasn't always this way, but the last few years have seen a lot of it. Brightshy used to be an example to the others that kept them in line. Now the Queen is supposedly cursed and we're all living with the results."
"Do Glitch Hunters solve curses?" Alex asked.
"We often do. They aren't always caused by Glitch, but anything abnormal and dangerous usual
ly comes our way. I don't know the details. Obviously none of us have had any success if she really is still cursed," Yasmine said.
"So how are we going to handle things going forward?"
"I've two major lessons left for you guys and we'll do those in the morning. After that we'll figure it out. You're ready to face the world. Look at what you just did. I can't imagine how you found us."
Helen said, "Alex tracked you, even after a heavy rain. He's really good at it."
Yasmine nodded. "He'd have to be. The bracers can only work with what we give them. If your senses are particularly sharp, yours are going to be able to do more. Get some rest. I'll take watch and wake you all in four hours. I've had more sleep than Glaive and Ranseur."
"You're also wounded. I'll take watch," Morgan said.
"No arguments then," Yasmine said, finding a tree to stretch out beneath.
Alex had no trouble falling asleep, it had been a long day.
12
“A shielding spell should always be your first cast. A dead battle-mage wins no battles.” A Mages Guide to War
Morgan woke them up a few hours later, the sun directly overhead through the trees and the day warmed quite a bit.
The short rest wasn't enough for even Glitch healing to have a real impact on their wounds, although Alex's leg had made some improvements due to the healing potion.
They found a place they could sit facing each other with their backs to the trees. Yasmine prepared to give them their final lessons.
"What I have to show you isn't directly combat-related, but it is something you'll be using quite a bit. It is how to spend the Experience that you've been getting from your kills," Yasmine said.
"Why is it called Experience?" Helen asked.
"I guess because it is advancement of a sort which normally would come just from practicing a skill. Our kills give us another way to become more powerful."
"Is killing the only way?" Alex asked.
"No. Quests can also in some cases give you some. House of Bats quests will award black Experience, and if you ever do service for any of the other houses you'll be rewarded with their color."
"So, about these colors," Helen said.
Yasmine let out a frustrated sigh. "This is supposed to be quick and easy. Artifice is the House you’re most likely to meet, they're associated with brown. The various colors of Experience you can gain are white, red, brown, black, purple, blue, and green."
"Green is natural creatures. We encountered blue once too," Alex said.
"I must have missed that. What did you fight?" Yasmine asked.
"Borkai, they kicked our asses," Helen said.
Yasmine didn’t comment on that. "In terms of Glitch, white are usually associated with some divine power, red are exceptionally destructive, brown defensive, black are tied to death, purple are magical, blue illusion-based, and green tied to nature."
"What about their respective Houses?" Alex asked. “What are they called?”
"Way more than I want to go into here. The important thing is that generally all the Houses are working against the more destructive aspects of their associated element while also being representative of it. For example, we're all killers but we're trying to kill for a purpose," Yasmine said.
"So they're what ... all allies?" Helen asked.
"I wouldn't go that far. The Houses all have their own agendas and they'll all be more than happy to use you in pursuit of it. Still, unless they do something very bad, they aren’t going to be our targets."
"Do we get any Experience for killing non-Glitch?" Alex asked.
"Ranseur can answer that, I saw her kill a few of those bandits. Did you get anything?" Yasmine asked.
"Nothing," Helen said.
"In a way we're feeding off the deaths of the powerful. Absorbing part of their dissonance into ourselves. Your ordinary human doesn't have the sort of energy we're looking for. Now, focus off into the distance like you do when trying to get a tone and say 'Experience Interface'," Yasmine said.
Alex did as she said and his vision flickered.
Experience Interface
You have 9 Black
You have 1 Green
Cumulative XP: 10
Level Requirements: 10
You are eligible for a level advancement
"Ranseur should have a full share from her Cockatrice. Pike and Glaive should have a half-share. You might all have a few miscellaneous bits from things like the Borkai, although I don't think any of you should be ready to level-up," Yasmine said.
"I am," Alex said.
"Oh? The Aryx, I bet. Those will be black too, nice. Black are going to advance your core abilities and are usually the most valuable Experience for us. You can use the other to advance a black ability by spending two of those points for every point of the black ability’s cost."
"But we don't have to?" Helen asked.
Yasmine said, "Every bit is useful in its own right. Like that Green Experience you’re all sitting on can make you stronger, faster, more resilient. Obviously, that is all useful. Now say the name of a type to bring up the current options. It will show you currently purchasable options even if you can't afford it."
"Black," Alex said.
Black Experience Interface
Current Options
Grimoire Enhancement (5 XP)
Grimoire will contain an additional section on unlocked Glitch focused on weaknesses. This will include the standard weakness information as well as enhanced entries in some cases individually sorted. This will unlock further branches related to the Grimoire
Analysis Mode Enhancement (5 XP)
More resources will be devoted to Analysis mode enhancing its capabilities. More signs will be identified and the deductive engine will be enhanced. This will unlock further branches related to Analysis Mode.
Songblade Enhancement (5 XP)
Visual cues will be added to your Songblade to aid in proper harmonization and more resources will be devoted to frequency analysis. This will improve your combat ability versus Glitch as well as unlocking further branches related to Songblades.
"Right now these are all pretty standardized for you. Over time you'll find them more and more tailored to you and what you've experienced. Your dissonance field is unique and so will be your path," Yasmine said.
"You're specialized in the Songblade aren't you?" Alex asked.
"I am, it seemed to me if I was going to be a killer, then the branch that helped me kill the best was the most use. I will say that you should be free to focus on whatever feels the most natural for you. I've met all kinds of Glitch Hunters and what some can do by going other routes astounds me."
"Not that I can do anything right now," Helen said wryly.
"Only Glaive can. What options is it giving you?" Yasmine asked.
"I thought you said they were standardized?" Alex said.
"Mostly. Still, there are differences. Ranseur, can you pull up your black and read off what you have there?"
Helen told her, "Glitchemy Enhancement, Songbow Enhancement, Songblade Enhancement. What the piss is a Songbow and why don't I have one?"
"They're not standard, which proves my point. You're all mostly on the same page and a bit different too. So share, Glaive. What have you got?" Yasmine asked.
Alex read off his own list.
Yasmine frowned. "It is completely your choice and I mean that, but I'd go for Analysis Mode. You're already good at it. Ultimately you'll unlock all of these basics. Costs increase the further you go along a branch."
Alex didn't have any objection to that idea.
"Bracer, acquire Analysis Mode Enhancement," Alex said.
A blue rune lit up on Alex's bracer, glowing brilliantly for a moment as the bracer grew warm against his flesh.
Your Analysis Mode has been Enhanced
Good Hunting, Glitch Hunter
"Tell it to level-up while you're at it. Fair warning, you're going to feel it," Yasmine said.
"B
racer, level-up," Alex said.
Alex always heard dissonance in the background. As soon as he said those words it became ear-piercing. It was as if his entire body was vibrating to its very core, shaking itself to pieces and being put back together. It was part-agony, like being thrown into a vat of acid, and part-orgasmic, pieces of his psyche flying apart in a wave of bliss before reuniting. Then he was coming back together. This version of Alex was better, stronger than the last.
Congratulations
You are now level 2
Your physical endurance has been improved.
Alex sucked in a desperate breath of air.
"What the fuck was that?" Morgan asked.
"It was like he blurred," Helen said.
Yasmine said, "That is leveling-up. It happens when you've gained enough power to change your fundamental nature a little. I've done it fourteen times. You come out the other side faster, stronger, and sometimes with whole new abilities."
"I feel like I got kicked in the face by a horse," Alex said.
"It gets worse the more powerful you get. Lasts longer, is more intense. You're vulnerable during it too. Beware, while you're being remade you’re also susceptible to others trying to remake you as they desire. I wouldn't go to ten and up without making sure you're somewhere safe and either alone, or with someone you trust to watch your back."
"One day you'll say something about this life that isn't creepy," Helen said.
Yasmine grinned. "It isn't all bad, Ranseur, truly. If I make out that it is, I'm doing you a disservice."
"I know, but a lot of it is. What else do you have to show us?" Helen asked.
"The quest menu," Yasmine said. “Your training is finished. It’s time to go to work.”
"I'm not sure I want to do that."
Yasmine said, "At least look. Whether or not you choose to accept one is going to be your choice. The command you'll looking for right now is to display priority quests."