“I’d leave, if I were you.” Brand’s father told him.
Brand said nothing. Just sat in his chair by his desk. He didn't know what to say. Or if he could say anything. He'd been agonising for weeks about this particular topic. If he said anything now it'd all spill out in a torrent.
His father continued. “I don't know what the future will bring for us. But I can take care of the family without you. I've held you back for long enough.” The man paused, deliberating over what to say. “Truthfully, I was hoping one day I'd wake up and you'd be gone. But I should have known you'd be too loyal. I've talked to your mother. We've packed you a bag. Leave tonight before it's too late, and go find your friends.” He was looking Brand in the eyes from across the room, as if searching for something in there. He gave a sharp nod to Brand, then turned and closed the door.
Brand waited a few seconds before breathing a heavy sigh of relief. All of a sudden the weight of the world was off his shoulders. All of a sudden he was free.
Big political changes in the town meant if he wanted to leave, to ever go on an excursion, he had to go now or never. And risk never seeing his family again. It was a torturous decision for the young man.
But he had to leave, he had been raised on stories of his parents travelling to the far corners of the strange land they lived in and always dreamed of emulating them. As a kid he'd played excursion with his best friends, Ember and Kelvin. Of evolving, and getting their own Databeasts - that was the mark of a true adventurer. They'd both gone off on their own now, whilst he'd stayed behind to help his family after his father's accident. They'd always talked about adventuring together, just the three of them. After two years, it was finally time to make that a reality.
_______
Brand walked away from his house through the darkened streets, eyes still misty.
He had gone downstairs and his whole family had been waiting for him. Mother, father, two brothers and his sister. They had all been very sad, but accepting. His parents’ Databeast, a dog-like creature named a Spinehound for the spikes that jutted out of the thick white fur along the vertebrae and the horn on the top of its head, had whined at him not to leave.
He was somewhat embarrassed at how he'd cried with them before leaving, but everybody else had cried as well. His parents had given him lots of hugs, an adventuring backpack, and transferred him some extra BITs for food and supplies. He insisted he didn't need them, but they insisted back that they'd worry if he didn't take them. So he'd accepted the transfer.
The pack they'd given him was light but well stocked. His parents still remembered their days of travel fondly, and had given him everything he could need. Food, adventuring supplies, a bedroll, a net and spear for fishing, and finally, his father's old weaponry.
The weaponry was a dense buckler and a bronze short sword. Most men didn't like to fight the monsters of the hinterland up close, but his father had always maintained it was the safest place to be.
Brand had echoed that in his youth, and played with a fake buckler and short sword with his friends, and then later with a proper set during his excursion classes in school.
He wondered if those classes would continue after he left. What would be the point, with all citizens barred from excursion and the town closed off? The town still had to fight the Databeasts that made their way into the mines of course, but that was the extent of combat they'd see. And the violence against people trying to leave, he supposed. That’s why he had to leave at night - his family might be pressured into keeping him here by other citizens, or as had already happened to one youth, the police might throw him in jail on spurious claims in order to prevent him from leaving before the new laws came into effect. Which was in less than a week. All the more reason to go now.
Brand walked past rows of empty houses, looking for the right one. This whole area was like a ghost town now, unlike when he’d played here as a kid. But he still had something to do before he left.
Kelvin was an orphan, his parents had died young, when he was ten years old. For his inheritance, Kelvin had received the house they lived in, which wasn't worth much when the town was losing people by the year, and three mid-grade elemental stones.
Now, those were worth a hell of a lot. Enough that Kelvin could have sold them and got a pretty decent house uptown with all the Cabletown elite.
But he didn't. He'd made Ember and Brand promise to take them for themselves and attune them on their first adventure, against the insistence of the two that it was far too much for them. They'd buried them in his back garden. Then Kelvin had moved into Brand's house and Brand's parents raised him as their own.
They'd gone back to that old house when Kelvin and Ember had left, and those two had collected their stones. They reburied the one for Brand by the roots of the tree. Brand hoped it was still there. He was sure it would be, given the desolate nature of the area, but his anxiety rose as he jumped the fence to get into the back garden. He had considered not burying it and taking it home for safekeeping. But he'd promised Kelvin he'd tell no-one all those years ago, and his siblings were always in his room.
And if his parents found out the existence of it, he'd want to sell it. He hated knowing there was something he could do while they struggled.
Brand approached the tree. He remembered it well, every branch and root. They’d climbed it hundreds of times as children. He knew where they'd buried the element stone. His anxiety rose as he dug with his collapsible shovel and found nothing. In the darkness it was hard to tell if he was even in the right spot, until a ding rang out. He quickly brushed the dirt aside until he saw an unmistakable glow. Soft, very soft. It would barely be noticed unless one was really looking. But that was the glow of the element within it. He had seen it several times down in the mines, but never this bright. The poor grade elemental stones he found down there were just a twinkle away from dull.
Brand took the stone out and slipped it under a specially made vambrace with a round leather indent to keep it in place.
This was a common tactic for low levels going out on exhibition. They hadn't reached the point where they could attune their element stones and absorb it inside them yet, but they needed skin to stone contact to utilise its power. The vambrace kept it locked in place, unable to fall out.
He could feel the energy thrumming through him. At level 5 he’d be able to absorb the element stone completely inside himself through a process called attunement and really be able to use it - maybe he’d even be able to create a Databeast with it!
But for now he was only level 3, so wouldn't be able to utilise much of its power, but it still made him feel amazing - alive! As if in peak condition. And it would continuously supply him with energy as long as he kept it close. That was good, he would have to move quickly to get to the gate before it closed. He took off down the street at a jog. The gate wasn’t far, but it would close at 12. It was 11 now.
_____
By the time he got there it was 11:30. Perfect timing, he figured. And he hadn’t even broken a sweat.
But there was trouble at the gate. The large, imposing walls were broken only by the gate that allowed human traffic through. Men patrolled across the top of the wall, while guards stood in front of the gate. There were two there in white armour, both holding titanium-carbide staffs. Both men would have element stones of their own and undoubtedly be higher level than him. Probably 5, maybe even 6 or 7 if they were diligent with their training.
These two guards were arguing with an irate, scruffy blond man, who was demanding to be let through. Brand approached the scuffle, recognising the blond man. His name was Tommen. Brand didn’t know him well, but they’d done some training together in their military excursion classes. The young man could scrap if Brand remembered right, but he’d never be able to take on two armoured guards on his own. The guards almost certainly had poor rank element stones.
Brand approached the conflict with trepidation. He wanted to leave Cabletown, and now. The less trouble the better.
When the guards noticed him, their attitude changed from slightly peeved to seriously annoyed. Tommen took notice of that and turned around, spotting him.
“Brand, right?” He noticed the bag on his back. “If you're trying to leave, they won't let you.”
“It's too late. The gate is closed for the day.” The guard interjected.
“What?” This took Brand back. He checked his watch. “It's barely 11:30.”
“They've changed the times apparently. The gate closes at 11 now. Just today. What a coincidence.” Tommen sneered.
“Hey! I told you not to take that tone with me!” The guard snarled.
“Come on now, there's no need for this.” Brand tried to de-escalate. It normally worked when his brothers were fighting. “It's 11:30 and the gate isn’t locked yet. We didn't know the gate would be closed early. Nobody did. Why don't you let us through?”
“Why don't you back off home, kid? It's not opening.” The other guard spoke and stepped forward, hands on his staff.
“This is completely unfair.” Brand tried a different tactic.
“Take it up with the mayor.”
“Fine!” Tommen was fuming. “You open at 6. I'll wait here all night if I have to.”
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“Wouldn't bother. You won't be getting by without a license. Effective tomorrow.”
“What!?” Now Brand was incensed. He'd just cried tears of goodbye to his family. He'd dug up the element stones. He was leaving. He was finding his friends. He'd been held back two years, he wasn't being held back any longer. “This is outrageous! I'm not having this.”
The first, most irate, guard stepped forward wielding his weapon. “Listen. Why don't a couple of traitors like you stop trying to leave and get back to your houses, and I don't book you for the next week?”
“Traitors!?” Brand was amazed at the gall it took to call him a traitor. His family had been in this small outpost town since it'd formed. Going on excursion was part of his families’ tradition for a youth - it had been a town tradition not so long ago, too. Were his ancestors traitors too?
“That's right, traitors.” Said the other guard. “You've been happy to take all the food and infrastructure we've given you. It's about time you paid something back. Stop being selfish and go home. Last warning before I show you what happens to traitors to the town.”
Brand bristled but didn't say anything, staring down the guard.
Tommen grabbed his shoulder. “Come on. It's not worth it.”
Brand looked at him for a second, then looked at the guards. Tommen seemed sure. Brand nodded. The guards weren't going to let him out. If he wanted out he'd have to find a different way.
The two young men started walking away.
“That's right.” The irate guard spat at them.
They'd got about three metres away before the other guard yelled after them. “Wait! How about I escort you two back. Make sure you get home safe, eh?”
Brand made eye contact with Tommen, who also had a look of incredulity on his face. Tommen jerked his head to the side. Brand nodded and the two took off, sprinting into the night, twisting down alleyways and belting down empty streets. The guard had started chasing when they began running, but they soon lost him. Brand figured the guard probably could have caught up, or at least tried harder to get them. Guards were just adventurers too lazy to go on excursion, he figured.
“Come on.” Said Tommen. “We'll find a different way out.” Brand agreed, but knew it was easier said than done.
_____
“What happened to you, anyway? I can't think I ever saw you after school.” Brand started up the conversation after several minutes in silence. They'd made a plan to get to one of the more destitute parts of the wall, far from the gate, in the hopes there'd be less guards patrolling there, and were now making their way over. They’d try and get up and over the wall once they’d got there.
“Yeah you wouldn’t have seen me. I worked like a dog until I could afford a low grade element stone, else I’d have left town a while ago. Finally managed it, with a fair amount of help from my parents of course.”
“A low grade element stone?” Brand was impressed. “Where did you work?”
“Deep mines. Best pay for someone with little education.”
“Woah.” Brand had done some work in the deep mines occasionally, when his family really needed the money. It was backbreaking work, especially for a low level. “For two years? That's rough.”
“Six days a week. But here we are, I made it. So I reckon with the two of us, we might just be able to get over that wall somehow.”
“Six days a week in the deep mines? Wait, what level are you?” Brand asked.
“Level 5.”
“Damn.”
Tommen's cockiness made a bit more sense now. The other man was certainly physically fit. Getting to that level at this age was no joke. He was willing to work to get what he wanted. And a low grade element stone made him even stronger - being level 5 meant he would have been able to use a fair amount of the power within it.
“So you’ve attuned it already?” Brand wondered.
“Not yet. Thought it’d be a bit daft, give my plans of leaving away. Now I might as well have.”
“Fair. Which element is it?”
“Wind.”
“Damn. We just might get over that wall.” Wind was a great element for enhancing movement.
“Ha-ha! That's what I'm talking about. What have you got then?”
“Huh?” Brand deadpanned.
“What level are you? Got an element stone? I told you mine. Fair’s fair.” Tommen explained.
“Oh, yeah…” Brand thought rapidly. He couldn't tell Tommen he had a medium grade element stone. The difference between low and medium was immense. Tommen seemed sound, but greed found ways to change a man. Especially a higher level one that might just be able to beat him. And how would he explain a medium grade stone? He could barely explain a low grade one. A poor rank stone, possibly, but if he ever used his element then Tommen would know he'd been lying - you could barely manifest an element from a poor rank stone.. And besides, Tommen had trusted him. “Level 3. Low grade fire.”
“Woah! No way. You've got a low grade too? How'd you get one of those?”
“The easy route. Inherited.”
“Oh yeah, I heard your parents were adventurers back in the day. Good for them.”
Brand mentally gave a sigh of relief. Luckily the reputation of his family preceded him. They weren’t exactly legends, but their exploits were known. “Your parents weren't then?”
“Nah. They went on a couple of excursions for kicks, but aside from that they've never really left Cabletown.” Tommen told him.
That was interesting. “What made you wanna get out of here so bad then?” Brand asked.
“Who said I want to get out of here so badly?” Tommen said defensively.
“Most people don't grind for two years in the deep mines for a low grade element stone. And most people don't argue with a guard, or plan to jump the wall, knowing it could get them locked up.”
Tommen shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to be an adventurer. My parents filled my head with stories I guess. Cabletown is so… stifling, you know?”
Brand did. There was such a cloying atmosphere around the town, especially for young people. Everything was monitored, everything was policed, and everything you did came back to affect the people close to you, socially or otherwise. Talking about going on an excursion was practically taboo. It was too dangerous to the health of the town if you died or left for somewhere else, people said.
So it was custom that a youth would just disappear in the night, not really mentioning anything about excursion to anyone. Then the family could pretend they didn't know their child would leave, and avoid spiteful comments at work or on the street. Then when the youth returned, they would have to spend the first weeks walking around shamefully, pretending they'd just made a big mistake and that they'd embarrassed their family by leaving.
Brand's father said it wasn't like this before, when he first left. The attitude had been growing then, but it was nothing like now. Now the town was banning excursions entirely.
“Yeah, I get you.” Brand said.
They didn't say much after that. The wall was getting closer and closer and a quiet tension had settled over them.
They'd made a rudimentary plan. Tommen didn't have many supplies - he'd come pretty unprepared, with basically only food, sleeping equipment and a staff weapon. Brand on the other hand had been given everything he needed by his parents. One of those things was a rope.
The wall was quite tall. About three times Brand's height. The plan was simple, Tommen would be the one to boost Brand up the wall with his level 5 strength and low grade stone. Brand would jump off the boost and grab onto the top of the wall. From there Tommen would throw Brand's pack up and he would let down the rope to pull Tommen up. Getting down the other side would be simple. One of them would drop down and the other would throw their packs down and then follow them.
As long as there weren't any guards on that exact portion of the wall, and they were quick and quiet, they should be able to get it done.
Simple was often the most effective. If they failed they'd just have to make another plan. That was something his parents had drilled into him. Simple usually works but be ready to improvise.
They were approaching the wall now. There was a large gap between the empty houses and the wall. This was one of the more abandoned parts of town. They didn't see any uniformed guards on top of that section of the wall, but knew there'd be one patrolling soon. The guards were ostensibly to keep Databeasts out, rather than keeping people in, but Brand knew that the rules had changed.
“Ready?” He asked Tommen.
“Ready.” Tommen confirmed.
Brand felt uncomfortable as they left the streets into the open area. He felt naked, unprotected. When walking the streets they could just claim they were just wandering and be merely scolded for it. Now it was clear that they were going to try and climb the wall, which he imagined would have much more serious repercussions.
I’m not doing anything wrong, Brand told himself. I’m just doing what my parents did, and their parents before them. He took a deep breath.
Before he knew it, they’d reached the wall. They took their packs off and Tommen braced himself against the wall, dropping his hips low and clasping his fingers together to create a launch platform for Brand to stand on. Brand looked up at the wall. It had a large stone lip around the top to prevent guards falling, which he would be able to grab on to. It seemed ridiculously high up once close to it, almost mocking him with its height. It was daunting and he felt nervous.
If Kelvin and Ember were here I wouldn’t feel like this, he thought. But there was only one way to get to them.
He sprinted towards Tommen and jumped, placing a single foot in Tommen’s open hands. There was a millisecond of lag as Tommen reacted, launching Brand up. Brand kicked off Tommen’s hands at the same time and he soared through the air.
Brand couldn’t believe how high he went. Once his body was on his set trajectory he seemed to keep rising and rising. As he got closer and closer to the top of the wall there was a second where he actually thought he’d be able to grab onto the rim of the wall and pull himself over and he stretched his fingers out to reach it. The tips of his fingers brushed against it and he squeezed, digging his fingers hard against the rough stone.
It just wasn’t enough. One of his fingernails bent back as his left hand grated down the side of the wall and he fell. He was so close! If just a little more of his fingers had made it onto the rim he’d have got a secure hold and been able to pull himself over.
He cursed as he fell, seeing how long he had to go. He kicked off the wall slightly so his body wouldn’t scrape down it and landed the fall well, turning it into a roll. One of his feet stung a bit from the landing, but he was okay and ready to go again. He just needed to be more confident, to kick off with more force.
“Whew! That was close!” Tommen whisper-yelled excitedly.
“We’ll try that again.” Brand told him. “Just a little more power and we’ve got it.”
Tommen gave him a thumbs up. ”Full power.”
Brand needed to get this next one. One never knew when they’d see a guard coming along patrolling the wall, and his landing had ended up being a little louder than he’d liked.
He once again got in a sprint position, but this time gave it everything he had. He ran, leaped and bounced off of Tommen’s hands. This time there was no lag between contact and being launched upwards as Tommen executed the catch and thrust upward all with one smooth motion. Brand kicked off once again and soared up towards the wall. He was approaching the wall quickly and this time he kicked off it as he hit it, keeping his upward momentum going.
By the time he’d reached the top of the wall, he was so far past the rim that it’d be hard to try and grab it as it was practically at his chest. He managed to get his elbows over it, so he was hanging by his armpits. The jump had gone better than he’d hoped!
“I knew a couple of traitors like you wouldn’t go home.” Brand heard from the ground. His stomach dropped and it felt like a cold icicle had gone through his chest. The guard from before had found them. He needed to get the rope down to Tommen now before things got bad. He swung his legs up and over the wall and froze.
Staring up at Brand in surprise was a bleary eyed guard who’d been shirking his duty and sleeping on his shift.
Things just got bad, he realised.