No matter what he tried, the frustration just wouldn’t go away. He knew, of course, he knew that magical beings could feast and influence the real world even if the non-sentient ones shouldn’t be able to enter it. The thought of his friends being the feeding chow for some mindless ethereal parasites for so long, and the fact that until now he was helpless and unaware drove him to fiery anger.
He was worried.
He checked on Lettuce, lying in the bed, sprawled like a squashed bug in the covers. Looking at the drooling man in the landfill he called his room he couldn’t help but smile. He was fine, no weird creatures or energies were noticeable around him.
Going back to his room he knew sleep was not something he would experience today. Still tipsy and sniffling he sat down to start another cycle and focus on his shaping skills.
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The pale sun barely lit up the city from behind the grey clouds. Barely managing to push his way through the people crowding the sidewalk, he entered the coffee shop where Bubble was already sipping on a huge mug of coffee. Rapidly she stood up, beaming with cheerfulness and warmth, waving her hand and calling out to him.
“Lukaniu! Lukaniu! I’m here! Hihihi! Where were you hiding?!” She finished with a fake pout, piercing her gaze into Luke.
Avoiding the look he focused on moving the leather armchair away from the table. With a huff and a bit of a tussle, he wrestled the huge backpack and plonked it on the floor with a resounding thud.
Lifting her eyebrow in suspicion she moved closer, bending over the table. Switching from the backpack to her friend, it was easy to see her head was already filled with questions.
After giving her a hug they both sat down, making that uncomfortable leather squelch on contact.
“Lukaniu!Tsstsstss, you look terrible! How are you even more pale than before? And what’s with your eye?” she said concerned.
Waving his hand to shoo away the question he just babbled something about being under the weather and overtraining.
She paused and silently looked at him. After 4 years of knowing each other, she knew that wrestling information out of him was like trying to take away a chewy toy from a pit bull.
They had their regular meet-up. Talk over current events, work, university, and about their friends. All the time Luke was a bit reserved, and tense, yet he enjoyed that time. One of the few rare constants in his life. Where he could say the most outrageous things, and stupid jokes, and still be sure he would be accepted.
Friends like her were worth their weight in gold.
After a few hours, he walked with her to her workplace. Under the front gates she turned around to face him and looking up at him, she said with full seriousness.
“Lukaniu, I know you are hiding something from me you big lug. I can see that something is bothering you and that something changed. You know how it annoys me when I see you with that constipated face. It makes me worry. But I also know that if you could you wouldn’t shut up and stop complaining about it, so just promise me you will be careful, safe, and tell me about it when you can.”
He paused, despite his inner self still being messed up from the training he felt he was filled with warmth. How could he not make sure they are protected? They have to be. They need to be safe.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“I promise” he answered determinedly. Giving her a bear hug that lifted her into the air he swayed her around and put her back down.
Saying their goodbyes he entered an ally, walking deeper into it he hid in one of the entry gates of the building and Pierced the Veil. The colors assaulted him, the sound popped while reality stretched and tightened around his body. The assault of energies trying to suffuse his body was intoxicating, you just couldn’t get used to the instant feeling of power once you cross over.
Taking a deep breath he sucked in as much energy as his mind and body allowed. Like cold, spring water it rejuvenated him. Flushed the hangover and the sleepless night instantly off him.
Taking off the amulet of illusion he flared his energies. Boosting his body in an instant and powering up more with every second.
His clothes tightened around him as his body bulged, and veins popped out from under the skin. Gritting his teeth while energy coalesced around him he shot off into the direction of the Sewers like a rocket. Vaulting over a parked car he kicked off it, then, with 4 hard kicks he easily reached the top of a four-story building, leaving fractures in the walls where his feet and arms bounced off.
Twitching from the intoxication of power and excitement he instantly started running full speed, gaining more and more momentum as the edge of the roof closed in. With a mighty push, he leaped off the roof, flying through the air and absorbing the twisted sights. He still couldn’t get used to how much the Veil had hidden, what truly lies ahead.
On his way, he passed over creatures, some mindless beasts, some automatons or constructs, and some probably sentient but paid him no mind. He made sure to seal the Void as much as possible and cover himself with a thick energy Cowl to enclose his being.
Landing from the last leap that allowed him to cross the street, he dug his legs inside the lawn next to the Waste Water Treatment Plant. Walking around to find the entry he noticed something big exit the entry to the sewers.
It was a curious thing, Monsoon might have mentioned that as one of the denizens of the city, they should be friendly and shouldn’t be a threat. Wearily he got closer while observing the thing.
Its body was all bent incorrectly, with weird proportions. Long, skeletal thin bird legs the color of ash were swiping away the muck of them on the grass. Tendons were visible with every move, the legs ended at the hips, from which the body bent down and up, making the letter “J”. The stomach was bulging in front, and the skin covering it was the color of concrete, but weirdly smooth and shiny. Two skeletally thin arms with 4 bending points adorned the top of the body, while something resembling a bush of leather feathers crowned the bent back and topped off behind the head. The head was the weirdest thing. No mouth, no nose, no ears. Just two dinner plate-sized Eyes so black you could drown in them placed on the sides of the head. The only thing beside them on the elongated skull were some small flaps of skin wiggling with the wind.
Once he got closer the creature turned its head to him, which made him stop.
“Erm…Hello?”
The thing moved with surprising grace and fluidity. One of the arms waved to him, and weirdly slim fingers that ended with small yet visibly sharp talons wiggled at him. Eyes somehow radiated positivity and warmth.
He could feel something reaching out to him, a construct of the mind creating a bridge between them.
*Ah shit I still don’t know how to do that, the books didn’t have the method for it.”
“Um, sorry if it’s rude, for certain reasons I can’t form the Mind Bridge right now, I apologize.”
The thing’s ribbed chest inflated and deflated, making “GRUU GRUU” sounds with it.
Waving away the inconvenience it started pointing and gesticulating with its hands. It moved like liquid, without any interruptions in its movement.
*Doors, a rock? No, snap snap, Monsoon, Hug? Aaah.* once the thing finished its pantomime by closing its freakishly long arms around its body, letting them go around it and lay the claws back on its chest, Luke decided to make sure he understood correctly.
“You are a friend of Monsoon’s?” he asked.
The thing puffed its feathers and clapped, then moved closer lifting its legs up high with every step, reminding Luke of chickens.
At the time his mind wandered, the thing closed to him. Covering the sunlight it looked down on him, turning its head so that only one eye could focus on it. Bending down a bit it extended its hand to him. Stunned a bit by the experience he shook the hand of the creature, which seemed to make it happy.
Taking a few steps back it waved to him again, looked up, and with a puff of the feathers on its back it disappeared. A moment later the blast wave of air pushed him back, sending Luke on his ass. He could see it in the air, traveling like a jet into the city center.
Crazy, all of it is just plain crazy.
Pushing his way into the sewers he felt the energy gets denser as he crossed the threshold.
With determination he started walking down, only the echoes of his boots and the sound of water droplets dripping accompanied his journey below the city.