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Chapter 21 fork: Clint's Counsel
Phyr says, "I think Pannych's right: we should find Clint, and if we can’t, then we go to Plan B. There’ll be a lot going on along the coast, and we can just act like we belong there." The others accept this, and then the group disembarks along the loose gravel beach under the Sun’s last light.
As they walk along the rocky shore, Alice says, "Whoa, guys - darkness is coming."
Phyr says, “Yeah, the Sun’s going down, we know.”
“Not what I mean,” Alice replies sternly.
you could find a clearer way to introduce me, Alice’s shadow says as it rises from the ground. The others turn to the voice and bristle for combat.
Alice says, “Fine - guys, that darkness asshole is coming to tell us things. Happy?”
As the shadow’s eyes burst into flame and the blue stone glitters on their forehead in the moonlight, they continue: calm yourselves - i am not here to fight.
“You sent me to my death,” Pannych says bitterly. “I think that qualifies as fightin’ words.”
i sent you to the lowest-level enemy there was, they say patiently. it’s not my fault that you didn’t try to power-level first. besides, you seem no worse for wear. As darkness speaks, Pannych takes a long, deep breath.
Phyr thinks which of his spells he should cast first, but then realizes his mana is dangerously low after casting all day in his technomancer form. Relaxing his stance a little, he says, “Then why are you here?”
to tell you that you shall find the one you seek, but not the others. you should enter and leave as soon as possible. word of your deeds has spread over the stoneweb, and ceena’s paladins are not to be underestimated. The adventurers stand down as they try to guess how this advice could possibly lead to their doom, and Alice breathes a sigh of relief as the tension abates. also, do not ever forget that you have friends in this world, even though it seems sometimes that asking for help is shameful.
“Got it,” Phyr says, “The mission’s a success, straight in an’ out, watch for baddies, friends are great. Why not just ‘Thusly’ us on through?”
whatever. do what you want. With a wave of their hand, darkness melds back into the ground and Alice gets her shadow back.
“I don’t like that guy,” Phyr says, after a paranoid beat passes. “They’re creepy and weird. I’m trying to be genre-savvy here, but none of the options look good.”
“Not even the one where it all might just be good advice for now,” Pannych asks, “Even though we still shouldn’t forget it for later?”
“Yes, because getting bitten in the ass down the line is the part that sucks,” Phyr counters.
Pannych is stymied for a moment, and before she can process the irony of her telling Phyr he’s overthinking, Alice cuts in: “Can we please go now?” Pannych and Phyr nod at each other, and the four set off West along the shoreline.
Five minutes in, Phyr says to Pannych, “I still don’t like the fact that our only other interaction with that joker involved them lying and you dying.”
Pannych says, “They’re right. I’m fine now - I mean, I was consumed by self-loathing for a bit there, but that’s really all.”
“Dude, that’s still bad,” Vector says slowly.
“Eh, it’s life,” Pannych says with a shrug. “Same thing happens when I’m alone for too long with nothing to do. Or maybe in the middle of a random Tuesday afternoon. Point is, I’m still around doing things, so it’s fine.”
Phyr and Vector say nothing, both knowing that Deirdre does eventually get help outside. Alice is thankful for the quiet, and Pannych doesn’t want to talk any more, so they walk most of the ten miles in silence. At least it looks pretty in the moonlight.
They walk along the comfortable ground between the wet rocky shore and the dry, packed earth. Dunes loom in the distance to their left as they near Salinas. Phyr has his map out, Vector keeps an eye out, and Pannych leads Alice with her hand out while she Sees the guard situation ahead of them. While paladins have occupied the watchtowers above and patrol the streets below in triangular formation, Salinas guards roam the streets talking with citizens in ones and twos. The coastal region where they’ll be approaching has a bit of a party going on: revelers in casual dress drink in small standing groups, dance around live musicians, and watch performers spin fire or otherwise show off some skill or another.
Vector has Invisibility prepared, as well as an Ability that makes his status effect spells last until he dismisses them at will - for a constant drain of mana, of course. The four link hands, Pannych in the lead, then Phyr, Alice, and Vector. They communicate silently according to a code worked out on the way: Alice Sees ahead to plot a route and tugs Pannych’s arm left to go left, right to go right, and back to stop. Squeeze is go ahead, double-squeeze is for arrival, frantic squeezes mean to freeze and look around because of an emergency. Alice passes the signals both ahead to Pannych and behind to Phyr, who relays them to Vector. They all hope desperately that nobody notices four sets of moving footprints and freaks out.
But their stealth checks succeed, with bonuses for having a good plan and Pan’s Leadership. On top of that, the revelers are distracted by their various activities. Once they pass through the city limits and are into the city proper, Alice finds and directs them to a secluded spot where they dispense with the magical stealth and just walk down the night streets like they own the place. The docks are alive with pack animals, seaside inns and taverns, occasional tourists, and work crews. The city is definitely more active at night, now that they have a little breathing room between themselves and the brink of ruin. Phyr says, “We should get drinks somewhere.”
“What for,” Pannych asks. “I don’t think this is a good time to be drinking.”
“Not to get drunk,” he clarifies, “Just to have them. Four sharp-dressed kids look suspicious if they’re walking around in silence. But four rich-kid tourists supporting local businesses are another story.”
Thus convinced, they walk into the Sailor’s Respite, where Phyr orders four waters in ale tankards to go. He tips the bartender very generously, and they set off once more. Once back outside, Pannych holds Phyr’s “beer” while he navigates to the Mages’ Guild chapterhouse with his map. They make small talk as they walk, and politely say Good Evening whenever they cross paths with city guards. At one point when they have some relative privacy, Alice says, “Hey - act normal, but someone followed us out of the Sailor’s Respite. She’s about ten paces back.”
The adventurers bristle, and Phyr says, “I think we should nip this in the bud right now.”
Pannych and Vector nod in agreement, and Alice says, “All right - just try not to make a scene."
Phyr leads them around a corner between two buildings and asks Alice to let him know when their pursuer is within grabbing distance. After a few seconds, she says, “Now.”
Phyr steps around the corner and grabs a dwarf woman in a black-and-white plaid button-down by the collar - she immediately raises her hands in surrender and says, “Whoa! Same team!” Phyr cocks an eyebrow, and the others hold their actions. “Salinas City Guard,” she says hastily. “I’m off duty, but I wanted to let you know: Ceena’s goons have your descriptions, and they’ve got a BOLO out for you.” Phyr releases his grip and the others stand down. The off-duty guard straightens her shirt as she says, “All the city guards are on your side - nobody in this city likes Ceena. Well done on the incognito outfits, but y’all still stand out.”
They thank her for the information and send her on her way.
Now free to ignore the city guards, Alice directs the adventurers on a more direct path along the docks, Seeing ahead to steer them around the roving paladins who are all patrolling in groups of three. She needed no admonition from darkness to think twice about fighting Ceena’s goons, but she is glad the others heard it. As they twist and turn, dodging patrols by a block or two, she flits her Gaze hither and yon among the nightlife surrounding them.
Then someone recognizes them.
“Oi! Thorn-slayers!” The adventurers stop in their tracks and look at the half-orc child who has hailed them, crawling out from between and under some dockside crates. “I’m Heller’s boy,” he says in a stage whisper. “C’mere.”
They walk up to the half-orc boy, looking an urchin for all the world, and Pannych says, “Yeah? What’s up?”
The kid points to Vector and says, “You’re Vector, right?” The half-giant nods, self-conscious before this boy, perhaps only eight to ten years old. “Is it true what they say? That you went toe-to-toe with Scourge, after he disappeared Noob Town and went gunning for Thousand Bridges?”
“It’s… more complicated than that,” Vector hedges, “But true enough.”
“Whoa!” The kid’s eyes go wide, then he turns and says, “Pannych, yeah?” She nods her head in acknowledgment. “We all thought you were dead! But you’re back now?”
Pannych nods with a smile and says, “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
The boy’s jaw drops. He snaps it up with a shake of his head and says, “And you’re Phyr?” Phyr beams, and makes a proper formal bow with a little flourish. “Did you really survive being pinned to the ground with a sword, and then kill Scourge?”
“Sure as shit did,” Phyr says with a mile-wide grin. “I also turned his own sword against him!”
“Cool,” the boy gushes. Then he pulls back with a skeptical glance and says, “I thought you’d be shorter, though?”
Phyr makes a cat-butt face and says, “Yeah, well - I was. I got taller, though.”
The kid turns to Alice and asks, “Who’re you, then?”
“Alice Hart. Mystic? Zombie, though.”
“Wait, you’re the Seer to the Broken Throne,” he asks, breathless.
“I was,” she says carefully. “Now I go where I’m needed. But who are you?”
After a moment of stunned silence, the half-orc child says, “I’m Steve, but that’s not important right now. Listen: Heller thought you might pass this way again. Let me call in an escort, will ya?” Alice nods, and the others follow her assent. The kid glances around, and seeing no one too close, pulls out a speaking stone from a pocket of his raggedy pants. He says in a gravelly voice, “Hey, Bill? Where’d you leave my practice sword? I thought you’d put it back in my locker by now?”
After a brief exchange with his interlocutor, the kid says to the four, “When the paladins showed up in force, we passed a code around. They’re in on our speaking stones. But look, some guys are coming to take you in.” He points, and sure enough, two Salinas guards are headed their way. “You can talk with them. Cheers, y’all.” The kid crawls back into the pile of crates and disappears into shadow.
Once in earshot, one guard says, “Good to see you all. Where you headed?”
“Magic Guild,” Alice says. “We’re here for Clint.”
The other guard nods and says, “Right on. We just have to make you look like you’ve been arrested or something - but nice as you’re dressed, we can probably get away with just walking you in.” One guard takes point, and the other guard takes the rear; the adventurers clump up between them, walking with their heads high and hands at their sides.
Alice steers them this way and that through the docks, but eventually, they get pinned up against the shore with three separate paladin patrols surrounding them. Phyr sees one of the paladins spot his green hair, and then make eye contact. The four adventurers and two guards carry on as the paladin talks to her partners. The guards know better than to abruptly change directions, but the adventurers are visibly nervous as the paladins approach them.
“Evening,” the lead paladin says the heel of one palm resting casually on the pommel of her sword. “Who’ve you got there?”
“A few overenthusiastic revelers,” the lead guard says, projecting boredom.
“We’ll haul ‘em in,” the paladin says. “Bring up our flank.”
The other guard pipes up: “We got it. They’re cooperating.”
“I don’t think you know who you have here,” the paladin says, nodding to the partner at her right.
As the lead paladin pulls out her speaking stone, Alice shouts, “Flame!” Then she mutters under her breath, “Illusion.” The stone appears to erupt into flames, and the paladin drops it in shock. The others stutter-step away and reach for their weapons as Alice shouts to her companions, “We have to kill them, or they’ll bring every paladin in the city down on us!”
She makes good on a Leadership roll, and the effect is that the guards are immediately down to fight while the adventurers ready themselves in smart fashion. The paladins, however, were on guard for just such an eventuality as this, giving them the edge in the turn order. Chaos erupts on the docks as two guards, three paladins, and four adventurers square off for a difficult fight.
The paladins go first, and they each cast Consecrate, preventing any hostile magic from affecting any target inside the spell’s generous personal radius. Alice had briefed the others on this spell, so they know they have to bring non-magical attacks in order to have any effect.
Pannych makes a mad dash at the lead paladin. Still in her camisole and wrap skirt, she spears her armored foe and then scrambles to disengage. She takes damage from her own attack, because metal armor is hard, but she still manages to get away and up into a three-point crouch - leaving the paladin on her back. Phyr and Vector pile on the downed paladin, both grappling to immobilize her. Then the guards rush in to stab her exposed weak points: the paladin reflexively kicks one blade away harmlessly, but the second plunges deep into her waist, and she takes critical damage. Alice moves away from the melee, and takes a turn to assess the situation.
The flanking paladins both cast healing spells on their leader, topping her up. The downed paladin’s turn is lost - between the wound and her recovery, she is in too much pain to think about what to do for her turn.
Pan swaps into her power form with a bap and draws her katana while Phyr and Vector continue to grapple the paladin leader. The city guards both stab again, and this time they both hit home for critical damage, putting her at death’s door. Alice dual-casts Illusion to put a blinding spotlight in each of the standing paladins’ faces, flash-blinding them and putting them on the back-step: next turn, they’ll be at the bottom of the order instead of the top.
In the Holy Order of the Cycle - renamed from the Church of the Stars - a shield is seen as cowardice, a saddled mount as sloth, and a helmet as vanity. Accordingly, the paladins’ heads and necks are completely exposed, allowing Pan to line up and deliver a deathblow to the one pinned on the ground. Phyr and Vector disentangle themselves from the corpse and get to their feet The guards then move as one to engage another paladin - they don’t attack, but use their turn to position themselves and focus on maintaining a defensive posture. Alice holds her action for now.
The engaged paladin sees that he can’t out-maneuver the two guards flanking him, so he scoots obliquely away from them - and his Consecrated aura moves with him. He says, “Holy Blast,” and an eruption of light throws his opponents aside, knocking off nearly half their life each and disarming them, while the paladin himself is protected by his aura.
The free paladin, seeing which way the wind is blowing, pulls out his speaking stone. Alice uses her held action to cast another Illusion, this time making the speaking stone look like a writhing squid in the paladin’s hand. As he double-takes, Alice makes the squid roar ferociously while its tentacles reach for the paladin’s face, and he drops the speaking stone in surprise.
The paladins are back at the top of the order, having recovered fully from the flash-blind. One paladin attacks his own speaking stone, still thinking it’s a loud, aggressive, speaking-stone-sized squid. The other pulls out his own speaking stone and shouts, “Mayday! Mayday! We have an emergency situation!” Thankfully, that is all he has time to say in his turn.
Phyr shouts, “Ethergrasp,” and snags the largest crate he can see within spitting distance of the paladin with the speaking stone. He tries to slam the crate into the paladin, but the Consecrated aura completely dissipates Phyr’s spell. However, the entirely physical crate - and its entirely physical momentum - are unimpeded by the magical barrier. Wood splinters, metal strains, and bones break as the paladin succumbs to the overwhelming force. Pan rushes the downed paladin to deliver the deathblow.
Vector runs to tackle the last paladin, still freaking out over the illusion. He goes for an all-out attack, hoping to spear him - but the paladin sees motion in his peripheral vision, and his training takes over, lifting the tip of his blade at just the right time. Vector’s Kevlar suit does its job admirably, but he still takes considerable damage and is halted in his attack.
While the Salinas guards get back to their feet, Alice casts a Great Heal on one, using her Mana Regulator ability to completely top him up.
The last paladin standing, knowing he faces certain death, thrusts a hand skyward and shouts, “Holy Blast!” A brilliant explosion erupts in the night sky, a Hail Mary that may or may not pay off. His six opponents mob him, killing him almost immediately.
Alice shouts to her companions, “We have to move, now! That was the last patrol between us and the guild hall, but who-knows-how-many are closing in!” She ushers them through the streets, casting regulated Great Heals to top everyone up, while Pannych switches back to her cami and skirt with another bap. Once they’ve cleared the scene, Alice casts an Illusion so that anyone looking at them from behind will just see the empty street - it will stand up to no more scrutiny than a curtain with a photorealistic picture on it, but it will at least conceal them until someone physically moves through the spell’s location (or, perhaps, Dispels it).To CONTINUE READING, click here (coming 9/17!).
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