Morning came like a sack of bricks. The sun rose lazily too, and I slouched away my sleepiness while pondering the things I learned last night, and failed to keep out of my mind, while attempting to rest.

“I mean, come on! Wadda I gotta do to get some decent shut eye? First I learn about my artifact misunderstanding and that Calden’s looking for me again, and then I dream of the poor kid… Well, I’d rather not think about what those masked goons did to him in the dead of night. It was like his guards couldn’t even detect their presence even when they were standing right in front of them!”

I palmed my face and slowly dragged the sleep from the corners of my eyes. And poor Ysdra. I didn’t think a girl her age could cry that hard. Oof.

On a hunch, and to clear my mind of the rather depressing air I awoke with, I had Uriel check my status. I ignored most of it, save for the usual jokers that were my height and weight–now 7’3” and 450 lbs if you were wondering–and the very bottom of my abilities list where I found what I suspected to: Ability: Performance lv: 16.

“Ughk. Well at least I got this one the normal way, assuming the system’s to be believed. Though that makes me wonder what determines which way I unlock the abilities? Is it a set of criteria? Random chance? The fact that nobody was in danger? The fact that I wasn’t in a rush?”

I shook my head, glanced out the window at the still slightly peachy clouds and sighed. Questions, questions, and not an answer in sight.

I waited just a second on the off chance that the system had one of its whims and felt like answering me, but when it didn’t I shrugged. “But there’s no use pondering things I can’t get an answer to, and even less when I can’t control the result anyway.”

With that said, I hopped out of bed, collected my things, and carefully headed out of my room, down the hall, and down the stairs into the tavern lest I bump my head on the way.

It was a sleepy morning, with only a few patrons lazily munching on some sausages for breakfast, and to my surprise, no guards from the tower.

Eda was behind the bar as usual, cleaning what appeared to be the same set of wooden dishes she’d had last night, distant gray eyes staring off at Suzy who remained motionlessly mounted to the wall, returning her gaze with deaf defiance.

I quietly moved over to the bar, basked in the succulent scent of sausage that hung in the air now that I was closer to the source, and gently set the key down on the counter.

I waited for a moment, but when she didn’t react I cleared my throat lightly, and Eda jumped. She nearly dropped the plate she was subconsciously scrubbing and stared up at me for a long moment.

“Oh, it's you. Here for breakfast?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, I’ve got to get going. Pressing business to attend to.”

“Ah.” Her shoulders slouched for whatever reason, and I heard a few grumbles from the peanut gallery, but she took the key and stowed it in her apron’s large pocket. “I wish you safe travels then, master, and know yer welcome back anytime. Fer free too, ifn’ yer willin’ to play again. Suzy enjoyed it especially.”

“Oh! That’s very generous of you, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you for your hospitality. “I turned to Suzy, and gave an exaggerated bow. “And I’m glad to hear you liked it.”

Out of curiosity I had Uriel give old Suzy a cursory scan and then tried not to yelp when I got the report.

Name: Suzy

Species: Crystal Moon Owl

Health: 0/120

Mana: 0/150

Endurance: 0/70

Strength: n/a

Agility: n/a

Speed: n/a

Toughness: 12

Spirit: 150

Status conditions: Taxidermied; Unconcious?; Alive?

Titles: Lord of the forest (Former); Menace to society

Abilities:

Regeneration lv: 100

Oh dear. That. That’s quite the predicament to be in, though I suppose it is effective if the monster is otherwise immortal. But it’s pretty scary that the regeneration ability is so strong that it keeps going with with no mana, stamina or way to recover what’s been stuffed. A chill ran down my spine. I don’t have the ability per se, but does my natural recovery work the same?

I nodded once to Eda, and then to the rest of the room, before heading out the rosy red door in an effort to escape my sudden cold sweat.

The outdoor air was crisp and clear, and the wide busy streets that I waded through yesterday were mostly empty as the majority of the town’s inhabitants had yet to leave the comfort of their homes.

The sun slowly climbed to banish the lingering shadows from the streets, and I walked with purpose toward the largest landmark in the settlement as things started to get livelier. I hadn't really intended to meddle so much in Calden and co’s lives, but given what I dreamed last night, I can’t just do nothing.

I muttered. “And I really need to get to the bottom of why my dreams are so weird one of these days. I mean, I’m either helping people or foreseeing some disaster. And I know that’s not normal!”

I made good time getting to the outskirts of the tall fortification’s outer walls. It was a bit strange to see in all honesty, since it was smack dab in the middle of town and the main road, for that matter. But to accommodate this the road in question split three ways, with one leading straight through the gates to the tower, while the other two went to the sides and hugged the walls, sorta like a medieval traffic circle, so things weren’t too bad.

It’s still weird though.

All other buildings were a good distance back from the inner walls, probably for security reasons, or for public gatherings, as I also spotted a sizable balcony jutting out from the tower which was likely used to make announcements and decrees, or some such.

Anyway, there were too many people, and especially guards, around for me to just wander up to the gates at the moment, so I tucked myself into a back alley, and used my favorite new coin to get a look at what they were doing in the tower.

After all, I’m not trying to get my butt arrested. So even if they’re looking for me I’m not gonna do anything unless someone I know comes out to find me, or if those masked dudes from my dream show up.

I channeled my mana through the tiny trinket, and used the scry function to peek inside the tower. I grimaced and quickly looked away when the first thing I saw was what passed for ye olde potty with an unsuspecting occupant, but, determined, I redirected my gaze and continued my search.

The first floor of the tower was expanded from the simple cylindrical shape of the rest of the structure and was something akin to a welcome hall, guard post, kitchen, and clerk’s office all wrapped into one, The next floor appeared to be the lord’s offices, with the third being his living quarters, the fourth was again, the same big meeting room I saw before, and the top floors looked to be guest rooms.

Seems to be a bit crappy to make your guests walk all the way up all those stairs, but I guess the view is probably worth it.

In the end, I had to check each individual room in order to find a familiar face, and the ones I did find were my favorite. Calden and Ysdra.

They were sitting in one of their rooms, Calden at the desk, and Ysdra on the side of the bed, with gloomy expressions, unbefitting of their youth, upon their faces.

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After a bit Ysdra asked. “Any luck?”

Calden shook his head. “No matter how hard I try to focus on the power that Anon left, I can't get a grasp of their location. It’s like they’re everywhere and nowhere all at once.”

“Are you sure that power comes from Anon? You said they were a messenger and that your blessing, as you call it, comes from the god they serve right?”

I cocked an eyebrow. Hold up. What?

Calden slouched. “I… I don’t know. You all said that Anon did something before I woke up, and I experienced a meeting with what could only be a god in a place I’d never even dreamed of, let alone heard of.”

He trailed off and Ysdra frowned. “Riight. So it’s as I said, your connection is to that god and not Anon.”

I sighed. What are they talking about? Doesn’t Calden recognize me? Did I not make that clear enough? And why do they think I’m a god? Insofar as I’m aware there's only one God, and he might be a plagiarist.

I rubbed my chin and muttered. “Though now that I think about it I suppose I did copy him first.” I shook the thought away. “What am I even thinking about? Now’s not the time for this! I need one of them to come to the gate already!”

Just as I said that Calden jumped to his feet, eyes wide.

Ysdra followed suit glancing around like the room was about to catch fire, and half-shouted. “What?! What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I need to go.”

She stopped and stared incredulously. “What? Go where? Why?”

He rushed to the door, threw it open and called without looking back. “To the gates, for Anon!”

I, for one, gawked and slowly lowered the coin. “He heard me? How did he hear me?”

I stared at the magical money in my hand, had Uriel check it again just to be sure, but it indeed lacked any sort of communication power. So how in the world did he know?

The system then spoke, smug as ever.

I slowly scowled and narrowed my eyes. Edj@f^c protection? I believe I used ??? protection, if I’m not mistaken.

My scowl deepened. Alright wise guy, lemme get this straight. The ability name went from outright unknown to totally illegible? And you call that greater clarity? How is that more clear?!

Of course, as I expected, I got no further response, so I huffed my frustration away and moved out of the alley and toward the inner wall’s front gate so that Calden wouldn’t end up looking like a psycho.

#

Barronette Barigg sat alone in his office, behind a desk covered in papers. Many were requests or forms waiting approval, but most were spell formulas, and reports sent from his men out searching for the mysterious entity known as Anon.

Marquis Dresdeth’s supporters within the empire had never been numerous, and he was one of the few true allies who remained. Though his territory was distant and his standing within the nobility was low, he was still an archmage and more than capable of defending the precious children of his closest friends.

Or so he thought.

From what Carmella said this being is a master of magic, so much so that even a prodigy like her couldn’t get a spell in edgewise, let alone use her wand. And that’s not considering how they burst from the earth, peer into the soul, or even casually ignore death!

He lowered his face into his hands. “Young Calden is insistent that they are benign, but are they really? And why would that being rely on them to get into the city? Is there some sort of restriction on their powers or freedom that we can take advantage of? Negotiate with? And that’s not even considering how we’ll get the artifact from them.”

Just then a guard banged through the door into his office. “My lord. Lord Calden is rushing to the front gates. We’re doing our best to slow him down, but we never expected the young lord to have such strength!”

“What?!” He sat bolt upright, then lunged out of the chair and heaved himself out the door.

By the time he got up to the third floor where the guard took him Calden was no longer in sight, and only a pile of gasping guards remained.

“Where is he? Where’s Calden?”

The guards couldn’t muster the breath to speak, so instead pointed down the spiral stairs toward the first floor. The Barronette grimaced, but the guard who fetched him stated. “Lady Ysdra was with him, she wasn’t helping his mad sprint, but I think she intended to keep an eye on him.”

The Barronette shook his head and lumbered his way to the bottom and then out the wide open front doors. Can this being not enter a place of their own accord? Must it be invited? Or is it simply using Calden as a toy, and deriving sick pleasure from making a noble scion prance about to its whims. Regardless, if it is out there, I must be ready.

He snapped his fingers and in a flash of blue light his scepter appeared out of an equally blue magic circle. He muttered defensive spells under his breath, and drew upon the magic matrix built into his tower to further augment his barriers and ready the tower’s unseen defenses.

He found the once shut gates wide open, both the sturdy doors and the portcullis. Any hope he might’ve had of keeping that entity out was dashed, as he found a panting Calden at the fore of a cadre of concerned guards, just outside the gate, wildly searching the crowd of bewildered onlookers for the one called Anon. He found some relief that Ysdra was right behind him, keeping a cautious eye out, but that was only until a veritable giant strode forth from the gathered masses.

That… That is Anon?

A full head and shoulders over even the tallest people this massive man marched toward Calden at a calm, deliberate, pace, one that called to the Barronette’s mind the impending stride of death as it inevitably closed in and caught up to all living things.

“Anon!” Calden cried, and beckoned the giant inside, bowing as the towering titan moved past.

Ysdra too, lowered her head in deference and let him pass, much to his own distress. I had hoped she would be sensible, though perhaps there is a mercy to this. At least now the stage will be clear of innocents should negotiations escalate out of control. I’ll use the tower to mute the lights and sound within these walls so that no strange lights or violent noises can escape to disturb the people. This, I think, is the best I can do for now. I can only hope those who went out to search return soon.

Baronette Barigg signaled for the gates to be shut, but as the portcullis was being lowered the massive figure of Anon whirled around and glared somewhere beyond the steadily lowering grate.

He wasn’t sure if it was real or just a sensation, but the air suddenly felt icy cold, his breath caught in his throat, and his heart skipped a beat before hammering into overdrive.

No one moved, and the poor people in Anon’s line of sight were utterly frozen, their lightless eyes bulging from their heads like those of dead fish as their faces rapidly paled. Only those in the gatehouse were unaffected as the portcullis soon clattered into place, before the gates swung closed behind them.

The sudden chill then subsided as Anon turned back around and quietly inspected Calden and Ysdra.

Calden then knelt to the floor, and pressed his head to the ground. “G–great one, has something offended you? P–please tell me so that I can fix it.”

Baronette Barigg expected a booming voice to issue forth, full of rage and dissatisfaction, but instead the huge hulk quietly knelt, placed a hand gently on Calden’s shoulder, and released a sweet voice that almost reminded the archmage of his mother’s or maybe his father’s?

“I’m sorry for scaring you. No one’s done anything wrong. I just wanted to keep a certain… pest from getting in, that’s all.”

The Baronette gulped. That much force for pest control? No. I know an allusion when I hear one. There’s someone outside who would’ve caused trouble had he not acted. But to go so far as to use such power. Who was it? And what are they after? For that matter, what is Anon after? All I now know is that Carmella was right to risk her credibility to warn me. This being has to be a terrestrial deity, and one at least on par with our Lady Matweirden at that.

#

I sighed and used my heightened senses to look around the courtyard. About twenty armed men surrounded me along with a groveling Calden and a frightened Ysdra. Behind that sat the tower and the pleasantly plump nobleman I saw last night. Along the walls were things like storage sheds, outhouses, and a sizable stable, but I thankfully didn’t detect any more of those masked men from my dream, and the magic wards that just went up should keep the one I saw out for now.

Honestly, I might have overreacted a bit using my intimidate ability like that, but I didn’t want to do anything flashy, and firing off spells into a crowd at a target most people can’t even see didn’t seem like it’d end well for me.

I glanced at Ysdra who was quivering behind Calden, and smiled. “It’s good to see you again. And sorry again if I scared you. Are you feeling okay?”

She nodded and swallowed down the tears I caught a glimpse of building in her eyes, before the large lord protectively moved her behind him.

He was pale as a vampire, sweating profusely, and wore an expression as if he was staring down death itself, but remarkably was still standing and moving in spite of how badly he was shaking.

I held in a sigh, stood up to better address him, and tried to quickly consider my next move. Do I tell everyone about the assassins? Only the adults? Or do I just try to resolve it on my own? Regardless, I need to decide before I advance things any further.