System Break

It wasn't lost on me that a Protector was to the left of me and another sat across the table so she could watch me directly.

The duke sat at the head of the table with the protector on his right and his wife on his left. The old duke sat at the other end of the table with the local nobles and the Qizhu. 

It was a bevy of ladies down the duke's left. His wife, Kysandre, Gisael, Sakaala and the local noble ladies. On his right was Alejo, me, Barrin and so on down to the Qizhu Scholar and the Old duke.

With a wave of the duke's hand serving staff began pouring wine and asking my preference. "Mead," I asked, and the staff shook their head slightly. 

Barrin chuckled. "That'll be the day you'll find mead at the duke's table."

"Water then," I said. I knew most drinks would play havoc with my stomach and I wanted to be on my toes while inside the city. While everyone seemed friendly, Gisael considered them potential threats.

I looked across the table and Kysandre was whispering to Gisael. Gisael lifted her chin to me and then tilted her head at Kysandre. "She is the one who saved Reyas."

Her head turned and her gaze met mine. I smiled and my heart swelled. There wasn't much I could say that could convey what I felt so I simply said. "I will be forever grateful for what you did."

Her mouth opened but she said nothing; She just stared at me. I smiled back and my irrational instinct told me she was a good person.

Alejo broke the reverie. "She was rapt with the bravery of your people and risked herself to help your folk."

"Really?"

He placed his hand flat on the table with his palm down. "Let's talk of other things," Alejo said. "How do you like our city?"

The duke settled in his chair and repeated. "Yes, people of the forest how do you like our city by the sea?"

Sakaala said, "I love the smell of the ocean in the morning. From our roof we can see the bay and smell the salt mist before it evaporates."

The duke smiled. "Very good. I know your guild hall, it's one of the best. The builder was very proud of it. And it has a prime location near the centre."

Sakaala smiled. "It's lovely but too big for us. And while we love your city - we're looking forward to heading home. We've been away too long."

The duke looked at me. "Will the portal storms trouble your journey?"

I bared my teeth. "They slow us down a little."

He laughed. "I recall you can run very fast. How far did you run today before you fought?"

I thought for a moment before answering. "I left the Dokkalfar stronghold a number of days after my friends. It's beyond Salastria and in the mountains east and north of here. Not far from the pass through those mountains."

He nodded and smiled. "I have an idea where it is, but I haven't been myself. I've been to Salastria a number of times and it's a fair journey. It takes us three days. Alejo if you ran to Salastria how long would it take you?"

"An emergency situation?"

The duke nodded.

"We could reach it in a day my lord if we were well supplied."

The duke chuckled. "Meaning supplied with qi cores. You always want more."

"My duke they are not only fuel but the key to growth."

The duke's smile was plastered on his face, but it wasn't mirrored in his eyes. "Everyone needs more qi. It fuels the land and it is capital to invest in our future. It is my most challenging task to balance its distribution." The duke looked at me. "Do you have these problems in the forest?"

"We do, but I don't worry about it. We hunt the monsters and bring it home to Mother and she decides how it's used."

"Mother is your leader? I studied the Svartalfar when I was a child, but I've forgotten more than I remember."

"Our culture is different to yours. She is a guide and she handles the big picture stuff."

The duke looked towards Gisael. "Did you place an adventurer in a position of protector knowingly?"

Gisael shifted in her seat, I could tell she didn't like the question. She bared her teeth at the duke and then looked at me. "Benzhi is one of us."

Alejo cleared his throat. "My lord. They would not question the decisions you make because they know it may offend you."

The duke stared at Alejo for a moment and then smiled. "You are right Alejo. My apologies forestfolk I meant no offence."

"My duke is curious," Alejo said and reminded the duke of his compliment from earlier in the day.

"Benzhi," the duke said cheerfully. "Let's discuss the fight and the abilities you used. This is something that interests me greatly."

I looked at Gisael and she stared back at me. The warning was apparent in her eyes. My eyes were drawn to Kysandre the beautiful protector because I felt her eyes on me. I grinned when I realised she'd be staring at me the whole time.

"As an adventurer," I said carefully. "We have certain ways which are hard to talk about. I am like the others; except I've been here much longer. They are what we call beta adventurers and I am an alpha."

The duke sat forward. "So they will all progress and grow in strength to be like you?"

I tilted my head. "Sort of. I'm a different race with different innate abilities. But yes, they will grow stronger over time. They will hunt the monsters and consume their qi. This qi will grow their reserves and if they're talented and determined they will learn new abilities."

"Alejo, we're similar to this?"

Alejo nodded. "But if your gorge yourself on qi cores it will go to waste. The same as eating more food doesn't make you grow ten feet tall. But if you consume a small amount of concentrated qi and exercise it each day it will grow like a muscle."

Mother must have known this. This is why she fed us a little each day while we trained.

The duke looked at me. "Your helmet – is it magical?"

I nodded. "Our sacred tree gifted it to me."

"Oh," the duke said and looked at Kysandre. "Like your sacred water but he has wood."

She looked me in the eyes and stuttered a little when she asked, "D .. does it react to your qi?" Alejo looked at her and then intently at me. He rubbed his chin and his eyes narrowed.

I met her gaze and said, "I mainly use to scare people."

The duke laughed and his wife giggled dutifully. "I think it does a good job of that; don't you agree Alejo?"

The protector nodded slowly a single time. "Yes my lord."

"Oh come on, the Chancellor was livid when he saw the forest monster."

Gisael flinched at the insult but I laughed. "That's exactly the reaction I was after."

The duke pouted. "My wife fell for it too, but now you ruined it telling us your secret." His wife looked aghast when he outed her for being afraid of me.

I shook my head. "It's not a problem. It's not meant to scare friends."

They ate several courses while Gisael, Sakaala and I nibbled on a salad prepared for us. I answered the Duke's questions as best I could without giving anything away. 

The duke yawned. "It's been a long day." He scanned the table looking at his guests. "I'm sure for everyone. My wife and I will retire now. If you wish you can mingle in the anteroom or retire as well. Good night everyone and thank you for making this an auspicious day."

I nodded to Gisael and Sakaala. We waited for the duke to leave then stood and walked to the exit. I noticed Kysandre was walking with Gisael and I raised an eyebrow.

"She will visit us," Gisael said and I noticed they were holding hands. I also noticed Alejo was watching us from afar.

I shrugged. "Sure."  I wasn't sure what Gisael had in mind but Kysandre not only possessed a unique ability she was smoking hot.

Alejo frowned in our direction so I grinned at him and gave him a salute, which would have confused him, but it amused me.

Kysandre guided us out of the Duke's castle and it didn't talk us long to reach our guild hall which was in a prime location near the city centre. 

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck tingled and I put a hand on Gisael's shoulder. She looked at me and my eyes shot a warning to her. She touched her eye and I nodded.

I opened my qi sight and it was immediately obvious that someone with a strong core followed us.

"Inside," I whispered, and I waited in the doorway. Gisael went inside first and inspected the common room, but I knew that other than our friends it was empty. When they were all inside I closed the door an put my back against it. 

It was made of wood and I willed myself to become one with it. It wasn't a qi ability; my skin tone was wooden and when I put my back against a tree trunk - it provided excellent camouflage. I was still and I watched and waited for him, or her, to come.

It wasn't an adventurer; it was someone powerful. And then I saw him scale the building across the street - presumably so he could watch our guildhall. While he was finding a vantage - I opened the door a crack and slipped inside.