Rune Seeker

After successfully repelling the Beast Wave – with only minor injuries to speak of – Hiral and his raid group once again stood with Elezad and Grandmother. This time, though, they were all gathered back around the War Table.

“Since we know you’re going – and why,” Elezad began, before drawing their attention to the War Table itself. “We thought we’d put together a list of the trials we thought you should hit. The trials – and their rewards – will benefit both you and the fortress. Some of them are trials Burs’s group has completed, while others look to have schematic-rewards we’re after.

“Of course, if you find any additional hidden trials along the way, you’re free to tackle them as well,” he finished.

“Not that we could stop you impulsive lot anyway,” Grandmother said.

“And you’re sure you’ll be okay without us here?” Ilrolik asked one more time. “I know that last Beast Wave went well, but…”

Elezad was already waving a hand to dismiss the worry. “We’re better off than I thought, actually. When Dole’s group arrived,” the Artist looked over at the newest addition to the raid party with a nod of greeting, “he came with five other B-Ranks. Them, plus a few stragglers we had from before who didn’t have a raid group, got us a lot closer to the magic number eighteen.

“And, that just filled out with another five B-Ranks arriving in the last hour, giving us our third, full, B-Rank raid group. They’re going to need some time to get acquainted with each other before they head out to start trials, which should be just long enough for Burs to return with his group for a rest.”

Despite agreeing to go with Hiral and the rest when they left, Ilrolik looked a little more at ease after getting the information about the new groups. “Who just showed up now?” the Shaper asked. “Bonders?”

“Four Makers and a Grower, actually,” Elezad said. “You know Ebidi?”

“Of course I do,” Ilrolik said. “He told me he couldn’t come down when I was rounding up people for the raid zone initially. Said he had work.”

“Oh?” Elezad asked. “He and a few of the others occasionally do council work, so maybe they were on contract. I’ll have to ask him about it. Good he’s here though.”

“It is,” Ilrolik agreed. “If he brought who I think he probably did – Makers, at least – they’d make for a strong party. Good addition to our forces here. Really means we can go without much worry.”

“Speaking of which…” Yanily said, pointing at the map.

“Of course, sorry,” Elezad said. Then, he began to hand Hiral what looked like a paper map, thought better of it, and gave it to Left. “That’s a map of the trials we’d like you to complete. For the ones we have information on, it’s included in the notes. However, there’s one in particular that just became available that we’d like you to make sure you hit as well. Look here…”

As Elezad spoke, a section of map on the War Table seemed to grow larger until it filled the space. Right up against the boundary of the fog that separated their side of the Cradle from the other faction’s, a tower took center stage. Interestingly, as Hiral looked at the overall map, he could still see it through the enlarged section, and he noticed several other, similar towers arrayed near the border.

“Defense towers?” Hiral asked.

“That’s what we think,” Elezad said. “There are fourteen of them along the length of the border, and we suspect they will play a role when the fog lifts.”

“And there’s a trial there?” Seena asked. “At each of the towers, or just this one?”

“Just this one,” Elezad said.

“Who found it?” Hiral asked. “Who went that close to the fog… and were they able to go in?”

“Nobody found it,” Elezad said. “Some trials have been appearing at regular intervals of progression towards clearing our side. This is one of them.”

“What’s so important about us doing this one?” Seeyela said.

“Well, some of the trials are about more than just the rewards,” Elezad said. “Some also seem to teach us about the… rules of the some of the Cradle’s activities. For example, one of the trials we recommend you do is about controlling territory. It’s very much a war game, with points being awarded for holding ground. But! We think it’s important, because one of our mines has some functions very similar to how the war game works.

“We think that trial is helping prepare us for contested territory, and how we maintain control of our area. Or, how we take it from the other faction when we get there.”

“And you think this tower trial is something similar,” Hiral said with a nod. “Since we have this many towers on our side, the other faction probably has them too. This will – maybe – teach us how to handle them?”

“Or at least give us more information on how the towers work. As a bonus, these trials that teach us Cradle rules tend to be pretty rewarding.”

“Consider it done,” Yanily said on behalf of the raid group.

“Good,” Elezad said. “Now, it’s important to note, this tower with the trial in it actually lies within an A-Rank zone, though the trial itself is only B-Rank. This is one of the few A-Rank areas that connects our territory with the fog wall. We’re fine if you wait until you’ve evolved to take it on, but if you don’t wait, be careful.”

“If everything goes to plan,” Hiral said. “We won’t be returning here – the only place we can move to A-Rank – before everybody in the raid group is ready to evolve. We’ve got at least seven levels to gain.”

“No small feat,” Elezad said, tilting his head back in thought. “At least one of the trials in the list is a wave-type, and probably good for experience.”

“There’s also Mechanized,” Seena said. “Which we’re planning on taking a run at before we hit A-Rank, once we’re all closer to level twenty.”

“Higher risk, more rewards?” Elezad asked.

“That’s the hope,” Seena said. “And, as tough as those Mecha-Armors were, they were good experience.”

“Then you can probably handle the tower,” Grandmother said. “And reap the same benefits.”

“Looking at the map you provided,” Left said, the paper unfurled between his hands. “I can already see a line of trials we can attempt on the way to the tower. Once we’ve finished there, we can circle back toward the city where we found The Playhouse – and Mechanized – and knock a few more trials off.

“That will actually take us through the majority of the known B-Rank trials,” Left finished.

“Sounds good to me,” Yanily said. “Like an experience and reward buffet just waiting for us to pick up our plates.”

“Knowing how quickly you all complete trials, I expect it will be exactly like that,” Elezad said. “I would be lying if I said the Trust wasn’t veryinterested in just how strong you’ll be when you get back.” The man stopped and looked and directly at Hiral. “Or how interested I am in seeing you continue to amaze.”

“Dad…” Hiral said, trying not to roll his eyes.

“Isn’t a father allowed to dote a little?”

“Kind of more than a little with you,” Hiral said, and Elezad once again waved his hand dismissively. Obviously, he wasn’t going to ever change the man’s behavior, so Hiral went back to the more important topics. “Anything else we should know or look out for as we go?”

“Everything is on the map or in the notes,” Elezad said, pointing to where Left had folded the map back up and was slipping it inside his Coat of Amin Thett.

“Perfect,” Hiral said. “Then I think it’s time we’re on our way.”

“Uh, before that…” Elezad said, then pointed over to a corner of the room where another clone of Hiral sat cross-legged in a corner. Eyes closed, like it was meditating, it was perfectly still. “Mind explaining him to me?”

“Of course,” Hiral said, his contingency plan having completely slipped his mind in front of his father’s antics. “Since we can’t communicate after we leave the keep – no faction-chat – I figured I’d leave him here in case you need us to get back here in emergency.”

“So you can swap places with him?” Elezad asked.

“Afraid not. The clones work much better for that when I can see them,” Hiral explained. “No, he’s there if you need to get us a short message. If something happens and you need us to return as soon as possible, tell the clone – keep it short, a sentence or two at most – then kill it. I’ll know what happened to it in the few seconds before it died.”

“You want me…” Elezad said as his head turned slowly to look at his son’s clone. “To kill you?”

“Not me. The solar double. Don’t worry, I won’t feel any of the pain… though, I will remember what happened to it. Nothing too traumatic, okay?”

“Not sure how I feel about this,” Elezad said.

“We’ll take care of it,” Grandmother said. “Even if this one gets a little squeamish about it.”

“Killing my son? Of course I’d be squeamish!”

“It’s not me…” Hiral pointed out.

“Sure looks like you!” Elezad countered.

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“Dad…”

“I know! Fine! And… thank you. Hopefully it won’t come to it, but if something comes up, it’s good to know we can tell you.”

“It’ll still take time for us to get back,” Hiral pointed out. “And if we’re in the middle of a trial or something, even longer.”

“Don’t worry,” Elezad said. “You saw the last Beast Wave. We’re strong enough to protect ourselves from most things the Cradle will send at us. It’s more you all I’m worry about. Be careful out there,” Elezad first said to Hiral, then turned to his wife. “Both of you.”

“And you watch over our girls while we’re gone,” Sera said.

“You know I will.”

“But don’t smother them.”

“I…” Elezad started.

“Will,” Sera finished without hesitation. “Which is exactly why I’m telling you not to.” Then she looked at Grandmother. “Keep him busy so Nat and Milly have some peace of mind, would you?”

“Plenty for him to do here, don’t you worry,” Grandmother said with a chuckle.

“But, they might need me,” Elezad said.

“And if they do,” Sera said smoothly. “They will come to you. Trust them.”

“I do trust them,” Elezad pointed out, but held up his hands in surrender. “And I understand what you’re saying. I’ll give them their space, but I won’t be far if they need me. They’re still so young for all this.”

“The world’s changing,” Ilrolik said. “Whether we want it to our not. Your girls are young, but they’re smart and capable. Seems to run in the family.”

Elezad’s chest puffed up a little in pride. “It does, doesn’t it?”

“And that’s definitely our cue to go,” Hiral said. “Why are mine the only parents around to embarrass me?” he asked quietly.

Still, even with that comment, he wasn’t able to escape the room without a hug from his father, who also gave one to Sera. Finally, though, he made it out of the keep and into the fresh air of the bustling camp. It was time to…

“There you are,” a voice shouted. “Been looking all over for your lazy ass.”

At the words, Hiral spotted an unfamiliar man striding in their direction through his sensory domain. As he turned, he didn’t recognize the tall fellow approaching them, but something about him tugged at a corner of Hiral’s brain.

“My spear broke out on the last run,” the older man said, stomping right up to Yanily. He looked Yan in the eye, then down to the Splinter of the Storm in his hand. “That looks like it isn’t a complete piece of shit. Give it to me.”

“Dad,” Yanily started. “I can’t…” he cut off at a WHAP as an open hand slapped him across the face.

“That wasn’t a ‘Yes, Sir’ that came out of your mouth,” the older man said while Hiral stood wide-eyed at the scene. “Pretty sure I taught you better than that. Now. Spear.”

Yanily’s head stayed tilted to the side after the slap, and he blinked once, then twice, before looking back at the man who was apparently his father. “I can’t…”

THWACK, the sound was entirely different as the man backhanded Yanily’s opposite cheek, snapping his head to the other side.

“Just what the hell is going on here?” Ilrolik asked, coming up to loom over the father and son pair. Loan was right there beside her, but if Yan’s father was intimidated by the two, towering Shapers, he didn’t show it.

“Stay out of this, Islander,” the older man said without taking his glare off Yanily. “None of your business.”

A quick look at Seena and Seeyela showed neither of them was moving to assist their friend – though their teeth clenched like they wanted nothing more than to do that – while Yully, Drahn, and Devison looked likewise pinned in place. Wule had a casual hand on Nivian’s arm, keeping the tank where he was, though wisps of that blue flame flickered behind the Death Knight. They clearly know something the rest of us don’t…

Eyes going to Yanily, the spearman didn’t seem to be physically hurt. He had a B-Rank body, after all, and from the looks of things, his father couldn’t be more than C-Rank. So, just why was Yanily letting the man treat him like that?

“One more time,” Yanily’s father said. “Spear.”

Again, Yanily looked his father in the eye, his mouth working like he wanted to say something. When no words – specifically of the yes variety – came out, the older man’s hand came around for another resounding WHAP.

This time, though, it was his eyes that widened as he looked at whose cheek he’d just brought his hand across.

Hiral’s.

With the energy from the Rune of Exchange fading from his palms, Hiral looked the surprised man in the eye. “If it’s a spear you need, plenty were brought down from Fallen Reach. C-Rank, right? I’ll make sure you get one. But, I’m afraid Yanily can’t give you that one. I made it for him, not anybody else. I don’t think you could even use it.”

That last part wasn’t even a lie. At least, not in the way the man in front of him would probably take it. The Splinter of the Stormwas powerful. Anybody other than Yanily trying to use it would likely fry themselves with the rampant lightning contained within the weapon.

Really, the spearman’s connection with the original Spear of Clouds was a big part of why he could use the Splinter at all. Not to mention the fact the S-Rank weapon had specifically broken off a small shard of itself and gifted it to Yanily, not anybody else. The weapon was more than custom-made for him – it was a gift from a semi-sentient, ancient weapon of unimaginable power.

“Who the hell are you?” Yanily’s father asked, though he glanced down to his hand, opening and closing it like it hurt.

That could be – just maybe – because of the ever-so-slight coating of Rejection and Impact Hiral had layered over his skin the instant before contact.

When the man looked back up at Hiral, his eyes darted to both sides at the two, nearly-identical men standing beside him. By the looks on their faces, and the way their solar energy bled into the air around them, neither was particularly impressed with the physical violence.

“Friend of Yanily’s,” Hiral said calmly. “Also, the leader of his raid group, so he’s kind of my responsibility.”

“An Islander for a friend?” the man asked, then turned and spit on the ground, the phlegm landing dangerously close to Ilrolik’s boot. He even glanced up at her with a ‘dare-you-to-do-something-about-it’ look. Luckily for him, Loan’s hand on her arm prevented her from turning the Grower into little more than a red smear on the ground. “Should’ve known,” Yanily’s father continued as he turned his head slowly back around to Hiral.

“More than one friend,” Hiral said. “Not just Islanders, either.” With his words, the rest of the raid group stepped forward – Seena, Seeyela, and the other Growers included – to form a protective crowd around Yanily and Hiral.

“Just one more disappointment to add to a life of them from you, eh?” the man called over Hiral’s shoulder in Yanily’s direction. “And you,” he said to Hiral, even going so far as to raise his hand as if to poke Hiral in the chest. A slight shift from Left and Right seemed to make him think better of the gesture, and his hand lowered again. “You’ll get me that spear.”

It wasn’t a question.

“I’ll make sure it’s delivered within the hour,” Hiral said.

“Better be a good one,” Yanily’s father said. “Not some piece of shit like my son.”

“You mean like his spear?” Hiral asked.

“I said what I mean,” the man said, looking around at the raid group arrayed in front of him. More of a crowd had stopped at the building tension, groups in each of the camps forming up as they tried to figure out what was happening. Or, more likely, what would happen. “And within the hour. Or else.”

Hiral resisted the urge to ask ‘Or else what?’, but Yanily stiffening in his sensory domain helped him hold his tongue. “You’ll have it,” he said instead.

One more glare in Hiral’s direction, then the man casually turned – like he didn’t have a worry in the world – and sauntered toward the bunkhouse.

None of the raid group moved a muscle as they watched him go, until finally he entered the building, and all eyes turned to Yanily and Hiral.

“Somebody want to tell me what’s going on?” Ilrolik asked. “Why would either of you let him get away with that?”

The Growers all looked at Yanily, and Hiral could see pain on their faces. This thing that had just happened, it wasn’t the first time.

“I have a younger brother,” Yanily said simply. “Younger than Milly. Our mother died just after he was born. Left us just with our dad, and de didn’t handle it well. Didn’t become a drunk or anything like that, but maybe it would’ve been easier. Or just an excuse.

“He didn’t know how to raise us, so he fell back on the only thing he did know. Hitting things until they stopped doing whatever he didn’t want them doing. Which, included toddlers who cried too much.”

“Yan…” Hiral started.

Yanily shook his head. “Ish – short for Ishiuna – he didn’t know any better. But I did. And, even though I wasn’t much older at the time, I could take a hit way better than him. So, I took the blame when he cried. And the punishment.

“As long as Dad got to hit something – anything – he felt better. Went away for a while until the next time something riled him up.”

“What’s that got to do with now?” Ilrolik asked quietly.

“Ish lives with Dad’s sister,” Yanily said. “Mainly because she’s got a son around his age, and they get along like brothers. Technically, Ish still has another birthday or two before he’s no longer Dad’s responsibility.”

“We have a kind of tradition,” Seena filled in. “Kids stay with their parents – or sometimes uncles and aunts – until they’re sixteen. It’s supposed to be to give them a chance to learn the things they’ll need to know as adults. Go to the surface with their parents. That kind of thing.”

“And abusing their kids is okay?” Ilrolik asked, though her eyes went to Sera and Hiral quickly. There wasn’t any physical abuse in that relationship, but nobody could argue things were really any different on Fallen Reach.

“It’s not their fault,” Yanily said. “Growers stay out of each other’s family-business unless somebody asks for help. Nobody asks? Everybody else pretends it’s not happening.”

“Yanily never asked for help,” Seeyela said. “He could’ve. Still could. We’d be there in a second.”

“Would’ve just made things worse,” Yanily said. “Been an embarrassment to Dad. If we’d both moved out, he would’ve tracked us down. Dragged us back. Or worse. This was the safest way I could think of to keep Ish safe. I gave Dad a target to hate, and he let Ish go about his life in another house. And with Dad down here, it means Ish has some real peace at home for once.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Hiral asked. “When we were stuck down on the surface that first time, you must’ve been worried about your brother…”

“I was,” Yanily said. “But, if I’d said anything, that could’ve been seen as asking for help. And, Ish is mostly safe with our aunt as long as I don’t do anything to set Dad off. If I’d died down here the first time – like they thought we did – that probably would’ve been a relief for him. He could’ve forgotten he had any kids at all.”

“Does your brother know you’re doing all this for him?” Hiral asked.

Yanily shrugged. “Who knows. We’re not really close. Dad’s gotten so used to targeting me, I don’t think he even remembers how it started in the first place. If he ever really figured out Ish was important to me, he’d use that to hurt us both. With Ish out of the house, though? Out of sight, out of mind, mostly. As long as I keep his attention.”

“That’s… messed up,” Hiral said.

“Yup,” Yanily agreed.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Hiral asked.

“Nah,” Yanily said, his easy-going smile getting forced back onto his face. “Just need to stay out of his way as much as possible, or take the odd ‘love-tap’ when he’s around. Not like it hurt. Yanily’s hand went to his cheek, where his finger scratched absently at where his father’s backhand had struck him.

“Does he even know how badly you would wipe the floor with him if you even tried?” Loan asked.

Yan’s finger scratched his cheek again. “I don’t think he believed I was B-Rank before. He might be starting to understand now.”

“He’s not going to take that well,” Seeyela said. “Vevus – that’s Yan’s dad – has always been the competitive type.”

“And he’s always been stronger than Yanily,” Seena added in. “Until now.”

“Don’t think he’s going to like that,” Wule said.

“He won’t,” Yanily said. “Not at all. But, with the way the Cradle works, he’s got a chance to make a name for himself down here. Since Ish is back at home, and we’ll be out running our own trials, he’ll focus on his own levels. It’ll be fine.”

“Want me to give him a crappy spear?” Hiral asked, and Yanily actually chuckled.

“As much as I’d love to see that, he doesn’t usually move with a party if he doesn’t have to,” Yanily said. “If I had to guess, he’s going to be one of those solo scouts. He’s always loved exploring. Anyway, he doesn’t have anybody other than himself and his weapon to rely on. Giving him a bad one would probably get him killed.”

“You sure you don’t want that?” Hiral said quietly.

Yanily took a breath before he answered. “Some days, I definitely do. Most days, I don’t care enough either way for it to matter. The rest of the time, I remember he’s a person too – if an asshole, and as much as I hate to admit it, he’s pretty good at what he does. We need that for this fight against the Enemy. No reason to start killing off people on our side.”

“Sometimes it needs to happen,” Nivian said, clearly referring back to Politet.

“True,” Yanily agreed. “I just don’t think this is one of those times. He can’t really hurt me anymore, so let’s just not worry about it. Okay?”

“Yan…” Seena started.

“Really,” Yanily said. “Let’s get him his stupid spear – one that is definitely not this one,” he held up the Splinter of the Storm, “then get out there and run some trials. You all really want to help me? Let’s get everybody to A-Rank. Nothing will make me happier than that.

“Except maybe when we get to S-Rank.”

“Sounds like a goal I’m willing to get behind,” Hiral said to his friend. “Let’s go.”