Mantle of the Gods

“What do you mean, I need to go with them?!”

Gesai slammed her fist on the side of the RV.

“Look." I pointed at the Blonde and Raven-haired women who were skipping arm in arm with Justia right behind them. I pointed at Ether and Ren, then at Oz, Fray, and myself. “Which one is the most likely to cause a scene and spend all the money they have?”

The older woman gritted her teeth. "Just…” She started moving towards the jovial group. "Be back here by lunch!”

I watched the women go into the mall. There was a small gathering of people with purple tattoos on their faces that looked like the I-Love-You sign without the thumb chanting something that they had to walk around.

Once they were inside I turned to the two who were standing next to me. "Where to first?”

Oz pulled up a map of the mall. It was much smaller than the one at Harror.

“Reace Armaments is where we need to go to get you a medium. It’s the first place here.” She pointed at it. "We can pop over to Bright Weapons, then we can go to Mogi Leathers and get our armor.” She traced the path we would travel on the map with her finger.

“Sounds like a plan.” I started walking towards the store and Oz began walking beside me. Fray followed a few steps behind us. I paused and reached back for her arm and pulled her in between us. "Come on, you don’t need to walk a few steps behind us like you’re ashamed to be seen in public with us.”

Fray looked horrified. "No that wasn’t…”

“What he means is…” Oz took her other arm. "That you should walk up here with us.”

“Okay…” Fray looked like she was very out of place, but by the time we reached the front doors, she had relaxed a little.

Besides being smaller than the one at Harror, there were also fewer people in it. It was fairly easy to navigate over to Reace Armaments. We walked in, but there was no one at the counter.

“Must be a slow day.” I turned away from the Bows and crossbows, as well as the conventional weaponry. I needed a magical focus, kind of like the one that Aelin had as a bow, but I needed one for a gun instead.

“Or they’re building a custom order in the back.” Oz began looking at the actual bows.

“You put your points into Speed didn’t you?” I nodded at the bows. "Thinking of multiclassing?”

“The ammo is cheaper than crossbows or guns, and you can make arrows in most environments if you run out.” The raven-haired woman took a white one down. " And you never know when melee might not be an option.”

“What about you?” Oz looked at Fray. "What are you thinking about multiclassing into?”

The brunette down at her feet. "My Speed and Magic are both at four, I can’t do either.”

“You’ve got eight levels until you Tier, that’s fourteen points that you can put somewhere.” I picked up a pistol and waved it. "Six points to ten, then you have eight more to put wherever you want.”

“I don’t know…” Fray looked at the gun. "I don’t think that’s really for me.”

“Okay…” I put the gun back on the shelf and turned to her. "What are you wanting to be? What class did you dream about becoming?”

The brunette shrugged. "I don’t know. I’m from a Mundane family. All four of my grandparents are Mundane, and so were their parents. None of my siblings got Mantles, so I never thought I would either.” There was something far away in her eyes as she spoke. “My parents didn’t even come to my Trial, that’s how sure they were that I wasn’t going to get one, so when I was taken to the Temple…” A tear ran down her face. "I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

I got up and hugged her and for the first time, she didn’t flinch at my touch. "You could call your family if you want, I’m sure Trent won’t mind. It’ll be okay.”

“No it won’t!” She pulled back and wiped her eyes. It was the first time that I’d heard her raise her voice. It seemed to scare her as well. “Don’t you get it? Aelin is an illegitimate daughter of a Noble, you’re Trent’s son and Rix…” She shook her head. "I don’t know what Rix is, but do you know why the teachers were treating us so bad? It’s because most of the people there KNEW that they were the illegitimate children of a Noble.” She balled her fist. "Everything about my life was a lie!”

I didn’t know what to say to that, or how to help her feel better. I looked at Oz for help.

“So make a real one.” Oz held out the bow she was holding. “Where you came from might not be the truth, but how you got here is and you are here now.” She looked the other woman in the eyes. "Hold on to that truth.”

Fray took the bone bow and held it up.

“That’s a fine choice for a beginner!” A pleasant male voice called out.

We turned, but before any of us could speak, the voice continued in a surprised tone. "Ozet?”

Oz smiled. "Hi Uncle Fine.”