by Stone Thomas
“And how does that blood end up here, in Barren Moon?” I asked.
“Let’s call it commerce,” she said. I worried again about Jessip and Megra, and hoped they hadn’t run into any kobolds on their search for the empire’s mountain vault.
I stood and walked toward Isilya while she worked. “Speaking of commerce, I don’t have anything to trade.”
She put down the start of the clothing she was making and stepped toward me. With her heels, she was my height, and even in the low light I could see the faint creases in her skin that her smile left behind. She was in her early forties, and as I regarded her dark, cunning features, she reached down with two hands and yanked off my underwear.
“I see why Mamba likes you,” she said, then turned back toward her work.
I covered myself with my hands.
“I don’t want what’s in your pockets,” Isilya said. “Though I wouldn’t mind you applying your natural talents in exchange for my efforts.”
“Isilya,” I said. “You’re a beautiful woman, really,
and—”
“Skill me, priest,” she said. “If I thought you’d sleep with me when Mamba is out there, worrying over a crazy lionkin, I’d have kicked you out before you ever came in here.”
“Oh,” I said. “I can do that.”
“I know what I want,” she said. “I’m one level away from mastering Leatherwork.”
I opened her menu while she stitched red fabric, then I used Skiller Instinct to see whether anything further down her skill tree might surprise her.
Δ
Skiller Instinct Preview: Isilya Golt: Outfitter
Locked. Elementailor 1. Unlock the elemental power of rare fabrics to improve the bonuses your armor provides. Elemental power unleashed: 10% of maximum. [Passive] [Requires: Focus 20, Resolve 30] [375 XP to unlock].
∇
“I could do that,” I said, wishing that Isilya would have made me some new underwear before tearing mine from my body. “Or I could unlock Elementailor. You have enough XP for the attribute requirements.”
“Really?” she asked. “That’s exciting. Let’s do that.”
I confirmed the necessary changes while Isilya worked. I was distracted with her skillmeister menu when her warm hands landed on my knees. She pushed my legs apart, then ran a cold measuring tape all the way up my inseam.
“Up,” she said. “I can’t do this with you on a bench.”
I complied, standing with my hands still protecting my priestly modesty. She got to her knees and ran the tape up my leg again. Her dark hair was parted down the middle. Her breath was warm against the inside of my leg.
When she stood, she put her hands on my shoulders and spun me around. She measured the space between my shoulders, then the length of my spine.
“I thought you’d have a nicer ass,” she said. “From all that running around you must do out there.”
“I don’t do much running,” I said. “It’s not like I’m an adventurer or anything.”
She placed her heel on the wooden bench and leaned over, running a hand up her thigh and past her round, firm glutes. “An ass like this takes effort. Still, even with yours, Mamba’s done well for herself.”
After that Isilya was speedy with her sewing needle and scissors, and prepared a new set of clothing for me that fit better and felt sturdier than what I wore before, even if the leather was thinner and more form-fitting.
My new black pants were a very flexible black leather while my new vest was burgundy from kobold blood. Burgundy like Mamba’s favorite wine, or like the sky that trapped Reyna in darkness.
And my new underwear? Black as well. Not a bright red thong like Isilya’s, but still soft, silky, and crafted from a material that improved my attributes.
All I had to do was grab my belongings from my old pant pockets — my map and compass, my plethorchid seedpod with two seeds in it, a pocket copy of the Free City Pact, a vial of pseudomortis, and the last lilac energem. Then Isilya was ready to show me out.
“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why pull me in here just to dress me?”
“When I saw Mamba cross into Barren Moon,” Isilya said, “I may have started spying on you all. That girl deserves better than the life she ended up with and you look like a man prepared to give it to her, but you have to survive the Chal first. Gain their respect. Earn their votes. This should help you, which ultimately helps her.
“Just remember this and you should be fine: Never show fear. Compliment the Chalmaster. And if you think someone’s about to attack you, they are, so react quickly. The Chal can be cutthroat. Many political fights are settled in blood.”
I stepped outside and Isilya tugged at the strings on my vest, making sure everything was neat and tight. “You take care of that girl,” she said.
“You have my word,” I replied.
Isilya looked up, her eyes widening in surprise, and then she dropped the tent’s doorflap, leaving me outside. I turned, and saw Mamba there. For all her talk about how special Halcyon’s half-elf gypsy was, Isilya wasn’t keen on speaking with her.
I waved to Mamba and walked toward her, but her gaze was transfixed on those tent flaps.
“I didn’t realize she’d be here,” Mamba said once I got closer. “I haven’t seen her in five years.”
“Isilya?” I asked. “She pulled me into her tent and before I knew it she had dressed me in this.”
“And she didn’t…” Mamba said. “She has a reputation for…”
“It was just clothing,” I said. “Nothing more.”
She smiled. “The gypsy mommas that raised me never exposed the secret of which women gave birth to which gypsy children. I loved having three mommas to raise me, but the wind always blew me toward Isilya. I think… I think she’s my life-mother.”
So I met Mamba’s mother. And I didn’t just sleep with her. Bullet dodged!
“You’re out fast,” I said. “Was Gelma able to help Brion?”
“She sent him into the forest to collect pinecones, which she’ll burn so she has ashes to work with,” Mamba said. “Gelma’s methods involve aimless work, empty ritual, and fire. He has a torch though, so at least the darkwind won’t hurt him.”
“You don’t sound hopeful she’ll help,” I said.
Just then a small girl ran up to Mamba and hugged her leg. “Pelia!” Mamba said. “You’ve grown so big.”
“Miss Mamba,” the girl said, “I’ve been practicing.”
Her hair was short, and her nose came to a cute little point. She couldn’t be more than eight, making her the youngest gypsy I had ever seen. She pulled her feet close together, pressed her arms against her sides, then closed her eyes. She let her limbs begin to flow as she set out on a dance with no music.
“Your dance is smooth and unpredictable like a marble on a cargo boat,” Mamba said. “You’ll be a beautiful snake charmer one day. When you’re older, I’ll sponsor you myself.”
“Pelia!” Gelma yelled from across Barren Moon, holding her tent open with one arm. “Get away from her. She’s not right.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Mamba,” the girl said. “I have to go.”
Mamba watched the girl run off. “There aren’t enough children like her.” When she turned back toward me, she licked her thumb and reached for my face, rubbing her finger against my lower eyelid. “You have a smudge, but it won’t come off. Like a ring of darkness that doesn’t belong.
“Oh,” she continued. “Vee said she set up the portal inside the Chal tent. Once we leave for Mournglory, she’ll build a permanent stone arch. One thing pauses my thoughts though. She’s going to sleep in Gorinor’s tent.”
“She’s an adult,” I said. “Maybe she’ll have a good effect on him. Are you ready?”
Mamba nodded and we walked toward the central tent, which now had a small statuette of Avelle installed above its entrance. Cindra waited there with her parasol held aloft, but she seemed to teeter and lose balance just from standing t
here. I opened her skill menu as I approached and saw that her AP was at 206 now, and not improving toward her max of 280. Whatever ailed her was continuing to drain her of energy. We needed to find Mercifer fast.
“Did Gelma—” I started.
“No,” Cindra said. “Whatever keeps my memories away is too far a bridge for her to walk.”
“I’m sorry you got your hopes up,” Mamba said. She glanced back at Gelma’s tent and bit her lip. Maybe Vee’s safety wasn’t the only thing that paused Mamba’s thoughts.
“Mamba,” I said. “Would you stay with Brion and watch over Gelma’s progress? We need to know what Kāya has planned for her next attack on Nola, and if there’s any opportunity to get that out of him, take it.”
Her face lit up with relief. “Yes. I’d be happy to make sure his mind survives. I won’t let us lose him. What should I do if you’re not back in time for the Chal’s meeting?”
“Make sure Brion and Vee get home safe,” I said.
I turned toward the tent’s door. “Mournglory.” The space inside the doorframe filled with green energy and I touched it. The rippling wall faded, providing a clear window into the elf lands ahead.
+34
Cindra and I stepped through the arch and onto a round stone platform in the middle of a forest, with no sign of which direction the city itself may lay. Unlike the forest closer to Halcyon, this forest held trees as wide as houses and taller than the clouds. I pulled out my map and saw that we had traveled hundreds of miles from where we started, filling in a spot of forest on the map surrounded by blank space I had never explored. Valleyvale sat a few hundred miles further south, even deeper into the elf lands.
“There’s a guard station,” Cindra said, walking toward a short wooden shack, “but it’s empty. With the portal network down for everyone else, they must have abandoned their post.”
“Great,” I said. “So which way do we go from here?”
“A negotiatrix needs someone to negotiate with,” she said. “I’m at a loss.”
There were multiple dirt paths leading from the portal arch in different directions. I picked one and started down it, knowing that we couldn’t be wrong too many times or Cindra might lose the will to keep going. Already her stride was slower than ever, and she walked with a slight hunch. She straightened out each time she caught me looking, but not quickly enough to stop me from worrying.
“Say,” I said. “When we unlocked your last skill, I was so excited to see something you could open right away that I forgot to use Skiller Instinct again once we unlocked it. I’m due for one myself since I’ve unlocked Vault. Up for a little skilling while we walk?”
Cindra agreed. I stared at her menu for a long time, analyzing the future upgrades for the skill I revealed. Beggar the Earth. It was a one-use only skill, like Vix’s Bastion, but Cindra’s didn’t seem to have any uses available, even at the skill’s final stage.
Δ
Skillmeister View of:
Cindra
Base Attrib. / XP to Next / Intended Change / Cost
-
10 Constitution +2 Bonus / 250 XP to Next / 10 –> 12 / Total XP Cost: 525
-
12 Vivacity +2 Bonus / 300 XP to Next / 12 –> 15 / Total XP Cost: 975
-
10 Strength +4 Bonus / 250 XP to Next /10 –> 12 / Total XP Cost: 525
-
11 Hardiness +3 Bonus / 275 XP to Next / 11 –> 12 / Total XP Cost: 275
-
20 Focus +2 Bonus / 500 XP to Next / none / Total XP Cost: 0
-
8 Resolve +2 Bonus / 200 XP to Next / 8 –> 12 / Total XP Cost: 950
-
TOTAL BASE ATTRIBUTE XP COST: 3,250
Stats Affected by Change
-
[Constitution] Health Points (HP): 1200/1200 –> 1400/1400
-
[Vivacity] Action Points (AP): 206/280 –> 206/340
-
[Strength] Phys. Damage Inflict Range: 140-171 –> 160-195
-
[Hardiness] Phys. Damage Block Range: 76-106 –> 81-114
-
[Focus] Mag. Damage Inflict Range: 220-268
-
[Resolve] Mag. Damage Block Range: 54-76 –> 76-106
Skills For Weapon Class: Archery
-
Moneyshot 5. Increase each arrow’s damage dealt by Hardiness x 2.1. [15 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 6, Hardiness 11].
Improve to Moneyshot 6 to increase damage modifier to 2.3. [17 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 7, Hardiness 13] [750 XP to improve].
Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
-
Heartstringer 1. Activate to add 4% chance that arrows will charm enemies, forcing them to turn on their teammates. [10 AP to cast] [Requires: Focus 4, Resolve 5].
Improve to Heartstringer 2 to increase charm likelihood to 5%. [11 AP to cast] [Requires: Focus 6, Resolve 7] [250 XP to improve].
Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
-
TOTAL ARCHERY SKILL XP COST: 0
Skills for Special Class: Negotiatrix
-
Eye of Beholding 4. Lock eyes with your target for 18 seconds to gain uncanny perception from which to base negotiation tactics. [Passive] [Requires: Strength 10, Focus 15].
Improve to Eye of Beholding 5 to reduce gaze time to 14 seconds. [Passive] [Requires: Strength 12, Focus 18] [1,875 XP to improve].
Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
-
Flirt 5. A coy smile. A gentle touch. A deal to seal. Spend AP to endear your target to you, improving the outcome of any exchange. [3.8 AP / second to cast] [Requires: Hardiness 7, Vivacity 12].
Improve to Flirt 6 to reduce AP cost. [3.5 AP / second to cast] [Requires: Hardiness 8, Vivacity 14] [2,250 to improve].
Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
-
Illusions of Grandeur 1. Perform a sleight of mind that draws one person’s perception into a world of your crafting. Maximum duration: 5 minutes. [50 AP to cast] [Requires: Constitution 10, Focus 20].
Improve to Illusions of Grandeur 2 to increase duration cap to 10 minutes. [75 AP to cast] [Requires: Constitution 12, Focus 25] [750 XP to improve].
Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
-
Locked. Beggar the Earth 1. [Skiller Instinct Preview]. Persuade the ground on which you stand to fulfill an odd request, born of curious desire, requiring a minor concession in return. Finite skill. Uses left: none. [10 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 100, Focus 100, Vivacity 100] [375 XP to unlock].
Improve to Beggar the Earth 2 to compel the ground on which you stand to fulfill an unlikely request, born of trenchant need, requiring a worthy forfeiture in return. [100 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 125, Focus 125, Vivacity 125] [750 XP to improve].
Improve to Beggar the Earth 3 to master skill and oblige the ground on which you stand to fulfill an impossible request, born of deepest desperation, requiring the ultimate sacrifice in return. [1,000 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 150, Focus 150, Vivacity 150] [1,125 XP to improve].
Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
-
TOTAL NEGOTIATRIX SKILL XP COST: 0
Summary
-
Available XP: 3,035
Cost of Intended Changes: 3,250
Precision Training Discount (7%): 228
Total Adjusted Cost: 3,022
Total Projected Remaining: 13
Confirm?: Yes / No
∇
“I improved your attributes,” I said, “but I’m confused by Beggar the Earth. It’s a finite skills, but looks like it has been used up.”
“Yet it remains locked,” Cindra said. “How mysterious.”
“I wonder if things will change once Mercifer heals you up,” I said.
My turn.
Δ
Skiller Instinct Preview: Arden Hochbright: Polearm
Locked. Upsurge 1. Double the effect of the next polearm skill activated. Stacking limit: one use. [30 AP to cast] [Requires: Vivacity 15] [125 XP to unlock].
∇
I’d keep that one in mind, but there was no hurry to unlock it.
Skillmeistering passed very little of the time we spent wandering. The path seemed to wind and curve, possibly turning us around again completely. The giant trees, spaced far apart, made our travel seem even slower. When you spend half an hour to walk from one tree to the next, you feel like a tiny little person with tiny little legs. It must be even worse for the elves, who really were tiny.
Finally, a short wooden structure emerged at ground level in the distance, seemingly built into the side of one of the forest’s massive trees. “Is that a house?” I asked. “No, it’s a shop!”
As we got closer, the sign came into focus. “Body House.” The doorframe was four feet tall, forcing me to hunch as I pushed through the front door.
“Don’t get many human customers, do you?” I asked, bumping my head against the ceiling. Inside, there were racks of handmade soap, scented oils, and other washing implements. An elf with pale yellow skin and bright yellow hair stood behind a wooden counter.
“You can’t have weapons,” the elf clerk said. “And you’ll find our offerings small for your taste. You should go.” Then her eyes gaped as Cindra walked in behind me. The slime woman was better able to handle the low ceiling, contorting her body effortlessly to fit the space allotted.