by Skyler Grant
"I’ve got what you might call abandonment issues. Stay here long enough and you’ll figure out the reason why. We start this, we don’t let it go easily and you stay at the keep while in Falkirk," Sabrina said.
Staying at the keep was no inconvenience. If she wanted more than a single encounter, Alex wasn't inclined to object. Cooperating with her on the investigation would be made simpler.
"We're good so far," Alex said.
"Good. You let me repair that armor of yours and buy you some decent clothing. You'll be due some rewards anyways after you solve our Glitch problems." Sabrina said.
"So long as that’s what I'm being rewarded for."
Sabrina shook her head sharply. "And there will be absolutely no comments like that. What gifts I give will be accepted graciously and what demands I make will be treated in the same way."
"Why? You're attractive, powerful, wealthy. You've surely no problem with finding suitors or anyone willing to entertain you. Yet you've a list of demands like one who has been nothing but hurt throughout your life," Alex said.
Sabrina gave Alex a thoughtful look. "I guess you deserve to know. It is no secret. The borders of three different kingdoms meet here at Falkirk. I was young when the war killed my parents and left me this place."
"I'm sorry," Alex said.
"My entire adolescence was spent with people trying to figure out how to use me and capitalize on the disasters that had befallen this place. Merchant houses wanted to give us the funds to rebuild on condition of my marrying their sons. The different kingdoms wished to bring us into the fold the same way."
"It must have been hard," Alex said.
"If I am a mass of thorns it is because I've needed them to survive. I'm not saying this to elicit your sympathy, but to explain why. You appeal, Glitch Hunter. I do appreciate muscles and your kind has a reputation for being useful companions for nobility because of your lack of complications."
Alex remembered Yasmine telling him as much. He hadn't entirely believed her. Now it seemed true.
"You want to make sure I remain uncomplicated," Alex said.
"Even without a risk of pregnancy a pricked ego is endlessly dangerous. You'll have my cooperation to save Falkirk either way—of course you will—but my bed comes with those terms," Sabrina said.
Alex wondered if flirtation was always going to be this convoluted. His echoes said no, but they didn't always tell the truth.
"Then I agree," Alex said.
"Then you've got the day off from your hunt. I'll have a list of leads drawn up. We'll get you out of that armor and into a bath, and a visit to the tailors," Sabrina said.
19
“After the flesh is peeled back the quintessence infused crystals must rest against the exposed spine for at least one full day to achieve best results.” Rituals of the Tower
The rest of the day was a whirlwind of activity that had nothing at all to do with the Glitch assaulting the town. Alex quickly found himself in his underwear and being measured by everyone from tailors to armorers. That was before he found himself at the mercy of a barber, then servants who dragged him into the bath to scrub him raw.
It wasn't unpleasant, truly. For all that Alex might have spent the last month not being able to shave and in clothes caked with blood, it wasn’t his preference, affiliation to death energy or no.
Still, it was exhausting in its own way.
Alex didn't know quite what he expected out of Sabrina in the bedroom. Perhaps cool reserve and snippish comments. It turned out that if she was a rose bush, it was one on fire.
If Alex got any sleep that night it was no more than an hour. She was passionate and insatiable. When morning finally came he was pulling on a shirt over a back painful with scratches, his body bruised. Like the baths of the day before it wasn't unwelcome—just very different.
The tailors and armorers had worked overnight and when he dressed Alex looked much improved. Alex wasn't sure if the defensive values had been enhanced—with Jess staying next door his senses were still scrambled, although the roar did seem more muted after the night. Perhaps he was getting used to it.
After a breakfast he ate alone, Alex was called back into the sitting room. Sabrina and Kationa were already present.
Kationa said, "A vigorous scrubbing and a new set of clothes isn't going to make him any better a Glitch Hunter."
"Good morning to you too," Alex said, taking a seat. "I take it we're here to discuss things."
"While you were occupied with transforming into a presentable human being, myself and Kationa were able to work a few things out yesterday," Sabrina said.
"Meaning I was able to convince her of my discretion," Kationa said.
"By which she means every word she says is no longer going back to the Grey Tower. As such I had her go through reports and try to identify trends that might be of use to you," Sabrina said.
Kationa told him, "Where possible I've tried to cull out minor Glitch activity. Anything that could imperil Falkirk is probably leaving significant traces."
"Reasonable," Alex said. "Have you found anything?"
"Quite a few things that are unexplained. In the last year fourteen ships coming or leaving from the port here have gone missing. Contrast that with an average of two ships in the years before. We’ve attributed it to increased bad weather or poor fortune, but now ..."
"That is a lot of ships. You think it something in the ocean?" Alex asked.
"You're the Glitch Hunter. Perhaps it is a kraken or sirens, or perhaps we just have a pirate problem. I will note that no merchant house has lost more than one vessel. It might be coincidence, or something may be choosing which vessels go missing," Kationa said.
Sabrina said, "A curiosity to be sure, but perhaps not the best place to begin without any further leads, Kationa. Do we have any land-based problems?"
"You get leads from asking questions and these are places to begin. Still, yes. Young women have been going missing and turning up dead over the past year. Mostly travelers, but a few from the city as well."
"That could be just an ordinary killer," Sabrina said.
"It might, but until that is establish it is still worthy of investigation."
"I expected more events expressly Glitch-related," Alex said.
"As do I," Sabrina said.
Kationa said, "You want my advice, this is it. If you want a listing of Glitch incidents in the area I can provide it. There are cavelings to the west, and I have reason to believe we have not one but two haunted houses in town. However, neither I think is relevant."
"Explain to me why you find the other incidents significant compared to anything else," Alex said.
Kationa leaned forward, "Because what you're saying doesn't make sense. The House of Towers cannot see the flow of Glitch Energy directly, but we do see indicators and those have been missing. If something is at work here it is skilled at hiding and intelligent."
"Higher tier Glitch usually are," Alex said. Yasmine had assured him of that often enough, although Jess was his only encounter with one—outside of perhaps Glitch Hunters themselves.
"Exactly," Kationa said.
"Do you have anything recent and definitely Glitch-related that will at least serve as a good starting point?" Sabrina asked.
Kationa gave her a long stare. "Anything? Fine, if you want something I don't think related to your overall quest, but definitely in need of a Glitch Hunter, a lumberjack crew has had three members go missing in the past couple of weeks."
"That sounds promising," Sabrina said.
Kationa had given him four total leads. The missing lumberjacks did seem the least likely of them, but also the most logical place to begin with its relative simplicity.
Alex wondered if Yasmine were having as much luck with her investigation. She effectively had a day’s head-start on him.
"I'll investigate the lumberjack crew today and see what I can discover," Alex said.
"I think that is the right call. I also ask
ed Kationa to join us this morning as I think there is another way she might be able to assist you, if you are willing," Sabrina said.
Alex turned his attention to Kationa. "What kind of aid could you offer that I would turn down?"
"The kind that the House of Bats tends to frown upon. I know you're new. How much do you know about the House of Towers?"
"Absolutely nothing."
Kationa chuckled. "I'm not surprised that fool Yasmine didn't give you a proper education. We specialize in magic, but go beyond that native to this world and into harvesting the magical energies from others. To the House of Bats that makes us borderline Glitch, although we don't think of ourselves that way."
Alex remembered that Yasmine told him each type of energy had a House devoted to it. The House of Towers must be the one connected to purple energy, magic.
"Then the Grey Tower is only a faction of the House of Towers?" Alex asked.
Kationa nodded. "Indeed. There are schools devoted to offensive magic, healing, teleportation and even the weather, but our focus is upon politics and trying to help rulers make the right choices by use of our gifts."
"I am intrigued, but I'm not seeing how this helps me."
"You are a Glitch in the truest sense of the word and as such you probably have some innate magical ability. Your bracer, in an attempt to maintain your humanity, regulates how much power you can get and when."
"I wouldn't stand for it," Sabrina murmured.
"While I argue it is a good idea and largely works as intended. I also think it is overly cautious. I can help you to unlock one of your core magical abilities early," Kationa said.
"Are there risks?" Alex asked.
"Our House has done it before. There have been cases where lovers tried to make their partner too strong, too fast, and things went terribly awry, but what we're talking about here is something mild. We've never had this procedure go wrong."
Alex considered the risks. He could track down Yasmine and ask her, and suspected that he already knew her answer. Yasmine had made it clear she'd decided to put her full trust in the House, even when she found some of the systems questionable.
"I'll take whatever help you can give me," Alex said.
Kationa nodded. "Sabrina is covering your tab this time. If you want any more help of this sort I'm not unwilling up to a point, but beyond that it will cost you." The Magess moved over to take a seat besides Alex, grabbing his right hand and holding it between her own.
"Do I need to do anything?" Alex asked.
"Probably, but I am in no condition to advise you what. Free of that bracer of yours, your magic would be an instinctual thing."
It was still difficult to hear anything here in the keep. Even without Jess in the same room the sheer volume of her presence was deafening. Still, through Kationa's touch there was a hint of a melody.
Alex closed his eyes to have less distraction, focusing his mind on that sound and attempting to expand it.
It wasn't Kationa. Now that Alex tried to focus he could hear her unique frequency a bit beyond it. This was something different. The chill of winter's frost and the howling of icy air.
The cold surrounded him, battering him, and the word that escaped Alex's lips came out like shutters slammed open by frigid air. "Merhal"
Kationa cried out as frost began to spread along her arms.
She yanked her hands away saying quickly, “Anaraxis Deltorus Daxaritus."
A glow briefly appeared surrounding Kationa and the frost faded.
"You could have released my hand first," Kationa said annoyed, going back to her chair, rubbing her hands together.
"Interesting," Sabrina said, her eyes sparkling. "Is there any significance to the element?"
"We have limited information on Glitch Hunter tonals, which is what their magic is called. We know that the first one they manifest is always going to be their strongest, although others can come with time."
"What would a power over ice mean to a mage?" Sabrina asked.
"In the hands of a skilled user ice is very versatile. Defensive barriers, offensive capability, the ability to hinder an enemy’s movement. It is a well-rounded, magical specialization," Kationa said.
Alex thought that might fit him well. Already amongst the Glitch Hunters he was finding himself in the middle of most of their abilities. The real area he seemed to excel was in the use of his Glitch vision, although that was partly by choice.
"Thank you for your help, Baroness, Magess. If there is nothing further I should be off to investigate while there is still daylight," Alex said.
"You may go. Do return with a good story tonight. Impress me," Sabrina said.
Alex claimed his horse from the stables and made his way outside of the keep. It wasn't until he was beyond the gates that the constant buzz of an unshielded Jess finally faded. His vision began to blink and text to scroll.
Connection Restored
Updating...
Changes to dissonance field detected
Unknown corruption identified
Tonal Unlocked
'Merhal'
By focusing upon the Merhal tonal and gesturing towards an object you can create frost. This draws upon your natural dissonance and reserves and so the strength of this frost can vary greatly.
The unknown corruption must be from what Kationa had done to Alex. She had warned him that the House of Bats wouldn't approve. Despite the disapproving sound of the text there weren't any other warnings attached, so Alex supposed he had gotten away with it without consequence.
There had been something else Alex wanted to explore and doing it now before getting into fights seemed the right time. Finding Chakram’s bracer had awarded some Black XP and he'd gotten some for his part of the Grimmer kill as well.
Alex opened his Experience interface.
Experience Interface
You have 12 Black
You have 1 Green
Cumulative XP: 18
Level 3 Requirements: 20
You are not eligible for a level advancement
There was almost enough XP for another level. If Alex got any kills today he might cross that limit. Still, for now Alex wanted to see his other options.
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
Improved Deductive Engine (10 XP)
Your Analysis Mode will acquire a new deductive engine notably improved over the standard model. You will be able to identify Glitch with less clues, deduce Glitchemy concoctions from ingredients.
Hardened Analysis Mode (10 XP)
Your Analysis Mode will be hardened against disorienting attacks used by some Glitch as well as interference caused by weaker magical wards.
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.
Alex could either pick up one of the Analysis Mode enhancements or both of the lower tier enhancements. Especially with fights likely looming it was time for a combat upgrade. Alex selected the two lower-cost upgrades. Runes glowed on his bracer in response for a moment before fading.
Your Songblade use has been Enhanced
Your Grimoire entries will now show standard weaknesses
Good Hunting, Glitch Hunter
20
“If you didn’t want an undead army at your door you shouldn’t have left mass graves behind you. You make it this easy and even I’ll do the right thing.” Malia Kass, House of Towers
With his Experience spent Alex made his way down into the town. His first stop was at
the Crow and Tankard, a local giving him directions. According to the innkeeper Yasmine had already departed for the day, Alex left a message about the leads he'd found and letting her know that he'd be staying at the keep.
There were other supplies he'd like to pick up, but until Yasmine got back to him with his share of the gear they'd sold his coin was limited. The baroness might be willing to provide some. After all the generosity she had already shown that felt a bit much to ask.
Arriving at the lumber yard Alex let it be known that he was investigating the missing lumberjacks. The foreman came out to meet him, a man with a thick beard and massive forearms who introduced himself as Otto.
"Baroness sent you, eh? Good of her to take an interest, wasn't sure they cared up at the keep," Otto said.
"Do you think it was Glitch?" Alex asked.
"Wouldn't be the first time we had to hire a Glitch Hunter because something was hunting my boys. Usually they leave corpses though, or bones. We haven't found anything like that," Otto said.
"I heard they all went missing in the same area?"
"North woods, near the water. That is unusual, most of the times we've had problems it’s in the old woods to the west. Forest spirits, these giant spiders once," Otto said.
"But you haven't seen anything like that in the north woods?"
"If we'd seen anything we'd have held back till we could hire someone to clear it out. Still not sure something is killing those boys. Sometimes people just move on and don't say anything. Then again, two of the missing were reliable with family still in town."
It didn't sound like Otto had much more insight to give, although he was able to explain a route to the north woods.
The forest was some distance from town, the road with heavy ruts from the wagons laden with wood that had made the journey so many times. Much of the forest was chopped down to stumps, only the occasional ancient tree or sapling remaining.