Chapter 96
Tobias was preparing to leave as if he were going to war, checking his equipment, tightening down straps, and even polishing his sword. Finally, around seven bells, there was nothing left to do as he let his black blade slide home in its scabbard.
He looked down at the white rag, now covered with rusty brown stains, and sighed, "Ok, I think I'm ready."
"But you aren't moving," Riley countered.
"I know, I know," He sighed again.
"Deja Vu," Riley replied.
"One thing, you know more about this overlay than me. What do I do about the blinking?" He asked.
"Blinking?" Riley puzzled.
"There are these symbols flashing in the upper right of my vision, a line with a dot underneath, just above my status bars," Tobias prompted.
"Oh, those! Yeah, I have them too. They're notifications. It's called an exclamation point. I kinda tune them out. Just reach out to them like you would with your casting or pulling your inventory screen," she explained.
"Oh." Trying it out, a flood of information popped up in his vision.
Assassin of the Midnight Rider Level 2-6, Kinetic, Human
Assassin of the Midnight Rider Level 2-5, Ice, Human
Assassin of the Midnight Rider Level 2-4, Wind, Human
Assassin of the Midnight Rider Level 2-2, Earth, Human
Moving through the prompts detailing the damage of the battle, his eyes went wide.
"It tracked everything. Assassin, 2-4, Defeated, critical hit, Righteous Flame, Flame Wall combo; this is fascinating, but isn't second tier, just second tier?"
"You haven't noticed that yet? I'm at 2-6, you're at 2-5, check your status screen, noob!" Riley teased.
"I wonder how high it goes? I suppose it makes sense. Experience leads to deftness, which would belie a more nuanced method of classification." Tobias pondered like a scholar.
"It seems to top out at 2-10; that's what Cid was, as well as Zorna and a few others I've analyzed," Riley instructed offhandedly.
"So does that mean my potential is finite, or is it more nuanced still? I guess we'll see. You have a most unique way of perceiving our world, Riley." Stooping down, he pet her ears back.
"Thanks, it's kinda nice and kinda annoying at the same time." She replied, pressing up against his legs.
"Ready to veil us?" Tobias asked.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Riley nodded emphatically at his words.
"Then let's get underway." Tobias began moving up the stairs with Riley behind. She pulled at her power, veiling them both just as they were about to exit out into the alley.
The world dropped to a muted grey as Riley noticed the first small dip in her mana bar.
Tobias's eyes shifted up and to the right, then projected. "How long can you hold this cast?"
"Hours, if need be, after the initial investment it's the definition of a slow burn, especially given that I have access to your mana now too," Riley explained as they came to the end of the alleyway.
Tobias scanned about, looking for his opening in the morning foot traffic. Seeing his opportunity, he began to dash across the street.
"Watch out!" Riley cried.
Tobias, sensing her panic, stopped just before a cockatrice went racing down the center lane.
"Thanks. It's a little harder to move when they can't see you," He replied sheepishly before resuming his trek, crossing the lane safely, only to move down an alley.
"Well, keep to these back ways as much as possible, avoid the traffic lanes," Riley said.
As they moved, they passed an individual in a dark green cloak and hood, watching the Prancing Cockatrice intently, wearing a familiar black mask.
"What do we do?" Riley whispered as Tobias' hand fell to his blade.
"We'll let Sabine know when we get clear. I don't want to take the chance of him hearing us," Tobias projected.
"But what if they're watching your family's house?" Riley asked with a whine.
"Then they die," Tobias shrugged.
Riley hopped along in silence as they crossed another lane, moving towards the lower quarter, ever watchful, picking their way through the city.
It took longer this way, waiting for gaps, dodging carriages, and moving at odd angles toward their destination as they chased down alleyways.
The first hour passed due to their circuitous route, with their mana bar ticking down like a timer.
The alleys were not empty, though, especially as they got further from the castle. The poorest of the commoners dwelled there, just like in the cities Riley remembered from Earth. Drunks and those insane chattered and cursed at one another or laughed and shared a bottle facing their miseries in the only way they knew how, while scantily clad women waited at the entrances, calling out to the men who passed.
"That kid just took a coin purse!" Riley observed as a child dashed down the dark alley, away from the light of the open street. A man who was surrounded by three other children took it before pointing back towards another lane.
"Street rats, that man is known as a Piper, kind of a criminal ringleader of cutpurses and pickpockets," Tobias explained, sounding almost as if he were giving a tour.
"There's a difference?" Riley asked, confused.
"In method, but not intent, both will rob you blind; they just have different ways of going about it." Tobias chuckled.
"You're strangely comfortable with all this. It's a social services nightmare down here." Riley complained.
"It's life in the Ashenrealm, there, but for magic and luck would we be." He sighed, resigned to the cruelties of his world.
Finally, after a tour of the seedy underbelly, she would not soon forget, she saw, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, the small cobbler shop nestled in among the others on the lane.
"We're home!" She cried, checking her mana bar, finding it only about fifteen percent exhausted for their two hours of travel.
Her paws told the story the mana bar did not, sore from the uneven alley stones and blackened from the dirt and mire she had hopped through; all she wanted was a moment to wash and get clean.
"Not yet, Riley. We're going to do a sweep to see if anyone is trying to acquire us here. I'm not walking my family into an ambush." Tobias said, gleaning her thoughts, his voice made of hardened steel.
"Fair," She agreed, making a pass through both the alley and the lane, passing the familiar door as they did so.
"No one seems to be watching. I'll slip in and drop the cast," Tobias went to open the door but found it locked, checking his pockets.
"Oh dear, I left my key on the dresser," scanning for people one last time, he sighed, "Drop your cast, I'll ring the bell."
With an act of will, they appeared on the stoop as Tobias pulled the small rope, and a tingling bell rang just inside.
Riley could hear footfalls ascending down the stairs before Gwendolyn opened the door warily.
"Tobias!" She cried, throwing her arms around him in a hug.
Oh, you're looking fine, son, but come in, come in. Have they been feeding you? You look all skin and bones. How about some lunch?" She chortled.
"I'm fine, Ma, I made it." He reported, his voice showing a tiredness and exhaustion it hadn't before.
"Oh, and there's Riley too, in full battle dress and patches. How are ya love?" She knelt down and pet her ears back.
"I'm happy to be home." She replied as they followed her in.