“Thank you so much. I honestly thought I would- oh, gods, Rait!” Silora finally remembered her assistant amidst profusely thanking the hunters and immediately went to the ruins of her wine cabinet where her assistant lay still. “Is he?”
“I still have two healing potions,” Daniel said, enhanced hearing making him aware of the conversation. “They’re in my bag of holding. Thomas, you really can’t do anything? Is this like when you fell?”
Silora stared at the giant talking cat, which on any other day would have overwhelmed her. She felt like she should say something to cover for the Cleric, but one of the newcomers she faintly recognized did instead. “He has lost his Focus,” Lograve confirmed. “Let us discuss that later. I suspect we need to get to the Eye as fast as possible before they do something truly horrendous. Like turn all the rugs in here pink or something.”
“What?” Silora asked, still struggling to keep up.
At the same time, Thomas was relieved to see Rait groan after the healing potion was fed to the downed man. It did a lot more than it would have if Daniel had used it since Rait didn’t have levels, and to Thomas’ eye he would keep the arm. Still, the Cleric looked at his friends and knew. “I can’t go with you,” he said.
“Because you don’t want to fight?” Evalyn asked.
“Because I can’t. Using Flash Balance on that maniac about took me out mana-wise. And, yeah, I don’t have my Focus.” He squeezed his hands together. “I just, I wish I had another way to help you.”
“You’ve done enough. Truly,” Lograve said comfortingly. “I doubt that ‘slip and slide’ of Daniel’s would have worked without you throwing him off balance.”
“It was Evalyn’s execution, I just had the idea,” Daniel replied, still possessing Hunter.
“Yes, I suppose our neophyte Murdon truly is growing into her scales. Careful, or I might just start picking on you too.”
“As if you don’t already,” she shot back. Evalyn looked pointedly at Lograve then, and Thomas heard her in his head. Somehow, he knew this was a private communication. Does this have something to do with reaching level 3?
Yeah. I can’t talk about it now. You have better places to be. Evalyn gave him a sad look but nodded. Despite his tendencies and the anxiety he got from his friends putting themselves in danger, he didn’t try to stop her either. It was what needed to be done. It was their purpose to protect, just like his was to heal and support.
He considered once again telling Silora to use her powers but knew it was wrong to force her to do anything. If Thomas started abusing that contract bond now, what would he turn into in a year’s time? But she can see the future, he thought to himself. They were going to fight someone who used a level 6 Assassin as a lackey. Frankly, Silora’s hesitation to use the power was stupid. If what she saw was random, then seeing her death again would be almost impossible. Unless she dies soon, but then it doesn’t matter!
Daniel’s, or as he reminded himself, Evalyn’s team was getting ready to leave. Saying goodbyes, for now. Thomas realized it was now or never and had an idea. He wouldn’t force Silora to do anything. Shaming her into it, though, that was different. “Hey, Silora, you owe ‘Wings of Craft’ your life, right?”
“Oh, of course! Rait, too.” She looked to where her assistant was now passed out again. He wasn’t in danger of dying, but it had been one Crest of a day for him. “I am in all of your debts.”
“They’re about to risk their lives for all of us,” Thomas continued, being very careful with his words. He wouldn’t say anything that could be considered a command. Just light suggestions at the most. “If they’ve done all that, and they’re about to do it all again for basically free, shouldn’t you help them?”
“I thought about this,” Lograve said, not missing the brief fear that crossed Silora’s face. “Fate, I know something of your craft. I’m assuming with your home in the state that it is, you aren’t prepared for a reading? The Shroud isn’t an issue, as you saw, but all classes have a hard time functioning without a proper Focus.”
“I wasn’t expecting guests,” she answered nervously. Not because she feared disappointment. She feared what Thomas was about to say.
“Silora can see the future.” Thomas grinned internally at the loophole he’d found in his morality, and then paused to consider if that was the best thing to enjoy finding.
“At level 5?” Everyone seemed taken aback, even the omniscient. “I have to say I’m not all knowing when it comes to the Fate class. Really?”
“It’s not something I like using,” Silora started to explain, but Thomas cut her off.
“You do owe them though, right? And that guy wanted to kill you. Doesn’t it make more sense to help them stop whatever’s happening?”
“If there is something you can tell us, it would help,” Evalyn affirmed. “We came in here almost blind about what we were fighting, and it was mostly luck that let us win. If we’re going to the Eye, we need a plan.”
Intense internal conflict displayed on the Fate’s face. Thomas had noted from their interactions so far that the Fate was a bit selfish and naturally mistrusting. To the degree of blackmailing him into helping her without even trying to just ask. He was prepared for her to say no and leave it at that, not willing to cross the line, until something surprising happened.
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“Oh, fine.”
…
Silora sat on her throne, preparing herself. Magic was still dead in this room, she was only here because it was the most comfortable piece of furniture that had survived the rampage. At least she was already planning to move. As for peering into the future, she really did fear that power, but would admit she’d played that up a little so the Cleric wouldn’t insist on making her regularly use it. It hadn’t technically been a lie, just an exaggeration. The crafty Fate was well experienced in managing people who were managing her.
She tuned out her surroundings as she worked her mana as fast as she could. That handsome Arcanist had given her only a few minutes to work before they’d have to leave. This ability did grow more focused the longer she channeled it, which meant there’d only be glimpses. Again, she hadn’t lied when she said she couldn’t control what she saw. That would imply she could go into the vision herself and change things.
Oh, but she could hone in on a strand of fate and follow its course. Silora had almost no worries about this year she’d have to spend under Thomas, assuming she survived today. On a whim, she picked the Hero. If anyone here was going to get the dramatic final blow on whoever was doing this, it would be him, and she’d like to see that.
The vision started coming through. Flashes, moments. She didn’t see the most important parts, this was truly random. First was something from just a few seconds from now, people sitting around her looking expectantly while trying to be comfortable on the remains of her poor furniture. The next series of images continued on this trend until it skipped to them leaving, already in the hallway. Up the stairs, they really were going for the Eye which gave Silora a bit of hope.
Further and further up. The landing that led to the Eye, the young Artificer healed enough to stand with the rest of them. The rate of these visions began to slow, puzzling the Fate. Thomas perhaps had a point in that she underused this power, so she didn’t appreciate all of its intricacies. What was happening?
The next image stayed for some time. Wings of Craft arrayed against three people on the Eye, two more within a barrier surrounding the central fountain. She could recognize all but one of them and was surprised by who she saw. This truly was important information. Moreover, if this was all they’d have to deal with she didn’t see any real reason to worry.
Silora saw the next flash and choked. It had skipped a bit, at least a few minutes. The flashes were coming far faster, jerking with a bit of distortion around the edges. She couldn’t understand what was going on. It wasn’t her power, there was extreme energy in the moments she was witnessing that was reaching backward in time to affect her. Suddenly, the vision flicked back to the first of the rapid-fire visions, cycling through them again and again. And she couldn’t make it stop.
…
“Flash Balance!” Thomas cried out just after he finished swallowing. The Fate’s writhing stopped, and though he’d cut whatever was happening short, she didn’t wake up. Everyone was still for a moment until he broke the silence. “Sorry about the potion, Daniel. You probably needed it.”
“I think it’ll be fine,” Daniel answered hollowly. Everyone could tell he was lying as a grim mood was set for their parting.
…
“It’s so quiet,” Evalyn commented as they neared the top of the Spire. They’d come across the bodies of spire guard now, clearly killed by the Assassin due to no one else having poisons that could do that to someone. Everyone else was aware something was going on and just taking shelter, same as the rest of the city. Outside it was still dark, a few hours before dawn, though with the sandstorm gone it was a bit brighter from the light of the moon.
They’d stopped at one point to look out and saw the destruction was not as total as they’d feared. In fact, the majority of the city seemed ok. A few blocks were rubble, mostly where the dusker zombies had come from. The landing in front of the Spire was a field of death. If Daniel had to use Quick Mind to estimate, only a tenth of the city had been affected by the direct fighting.
“What do you think she saw?” Daniel asked, still disturbed by what had happened to the Fate.
“Don’t let it bother you,” Tak tried to reassure. “It could have been anything. Or she was just bad at using that power.”
“Gods willing that’s the case.” Lograve had paid particular attention to the Divine Quarter, where the churches had begun to mobilize. They’d reached the Rose Spire first and were stabilizing the situation there. “Remember, we must discover what they are attempting to do and delay them at all costs. We have a lot of time to buy, but if we can hold them until at least dawn, the reapers will be able to regain their mana. Obviously if a better option presents itself we’ll take it. I wouldn’t mind swinging a few hammers into whatever fancy crystal doomsday device they’re setting up and legging it.”
Everyone nodded. They’d been digesting the event on the way up and discussing plans, which had at multiple times included people telling Gadriel not to needlessly sacrifice himself unprompted. Ways of escape were top among their concerns. While stopping the region from falling was important, neither Daniel nor anyone else would die for this place.
“If I can, I’ll try and take some of the Shroud to use as a shield,” Daniel offered. “It’s not something we can easily do since one of us will be leaving their body exposed, but it’s an option.”
“Still no idea why you can do that?” Evalyn asked, and Daniel shook his head.
“No. I’d ask Earth-Daniel, but if he hasn’t sent me an answer then he probably doesn’t know either.” At least there’s the emergency option, Daniel thought privately. Not knowing what it did removed some of the comfort that would have given him, but on the other hand would whoever was waiting for them up there be worse than a lightning dragon? I really hope not.
“I have…” Lograve began, but cut himself off with a troubled look on his face.
“What?”
The Arcanist peered at Daniel closely before responding. “There’s one thing I could think of that could account for this, but if I’m right… Honestly, I don’t see how that could be possible. I know we’ve been in ‘never happened before’ territory with you already, but this would violate our understanding of how the world works on a fundamental level.” Everyone stared at Lograve to continue, but he waved them off. “We shouldn’t distract ourselves with my mad ramblings. Everything goes well and I’ll explain later.”
“If that’s the case, I think we’ve stalled enough,” Evalyn observed. The Arcanist paused, then realized what they were doing.
“Yes. Quite.” They all looked up to where the Spire met the Eye. “I’ve let Farthest Run and Doran know we’re going up. It sounds like Gordon and the rest have run into a problem with their tracking Bennar and are going room to room. Quite quickly, I might add, but they're not close enough to help. It’s just us. So, shall we?”