Kaden and Trella followed the guards through the castle to what was clearly living quarters with a small bedroom, a common room with a heatstone and a table. The [Spy] stayed ahead, completely unworried that they might [Backstab] him, but stopped outside the doorway. Inside, another [Spy] dressed in royal purple sat.
“Please, make yourself comfortable,” he said. “I am Wan Daku, servant to the Emperor. Since your love is a spy, I will dispense with the formalities. I assess threats and oversee assassinations when permission is granted. The Fiery Dawn Sect are quite effective and well sought because their victims cannot be resurrected. It is disturbing to me that you so easily overwhelmed one.”
Kaden rubbed his shoulder. “That wasn’t easy.”
“Let me restate. I am disturbed you managed to overwhelm one at all. Is this a common power of [Beast Masters?]”
Kaden hadn’t dropped Trella’s hand even as they sat. *Ok*, she sent.
He nodded to his lapel. “There are no other [Beast Masters] and I have a talent, [Fireproof] I picked up from this [Match Lizard]. Some people claim eating one can give you the talent.”
Daku kept careful notes. “May I examine the lizard?”
Kaden carefuly removed Burny and sat him on the table. The lizard burst into negligible flame, darkening the tabletop. “Be careful.”
“Ah, it is not a common [Match Lizard]. It is their king. This one is curious, it has three levels.” Daku sketched Burny, then wrote notes, then rolled it up. “And without this [Match Lizard], you would have died?”
“Possibly. I have decent resistances and [Hard to Kill] and also—” Kaden winced as Trella’s nail dug into his palm. The moments before were fuzzy and he wasn’t sure why he’d spoken so plainly. But he had suspicions. “I’ve survived a lot.”
Trella’s stare of death said they had moved out of friendly discusion. “Any other questions? Also, lay off the charm.”
“It does not harm,” Daku answered. “And yes, I have questions. Your spirit beast, Trinity, where does she come from?”
“The southern isles,” Kaden said. That she was no longer a cute ruby hydra was his secret to keep. Possibly the worst kept secret. Maybe the secret was that she had ever been a cute ruby hydra.
Daku weighed his words. “I must ask, is she for sale?”
Kaden laughed. “Let’s ask her that. Trinity is damn near enlightened. She’s weak to—” This time, he caught it, biting his own tongue. “Trinity!”
The TriTerror sucked in her gut to squeeze out of the bedroom and advanced, tail whipping back and forth.
“Left head, you want to get sold. Right head, you want to eat this guy while he’s still alive.” Kaden crossed his arms. “I’m betting on right head.”
“Me too.” Trella leaned back and put her feet up.
The spy was not impressed, or worried. Instead, he drew a pouch from Inventory, and from it took a cluster of green leaves. “Hello, great beast. I offer you spirit herbs. Do you like them?”
Trinity crouched low, sniffing them with her center, blind head, then reached out to crunch them with her tongue, then hungrily swallow the whole cluster before licking the table.
“Your beasts do not have these. That is why they are weak and tiny,” Daku said. “By the second realm, she should be the size of a house. But these grow only here in Xiao. If you eat me, great beast, you will not get more.”
Conflict rolled off Trinity in waves.
She adored being feared but for the first time in eternity, she craved a salad, and not the kind where she went to devour a victim and accidentally bit some grass. It probably didn’t really count as a salad but it was close as she came to willingly eating plants.
Until now.
“It’s ok, girl.” Kaden willed her to back off. “So, you have questions. I want one of those plants.”
“For thousands of years, merchants have tried. Our greatest scientists believe there is only one spirit plant, and it sprouts across the land. However, I can offer you three more clusters. Feed them to the Beast of your choice.” Daku waited.
“In return for?” Trella asked.
“The Xiao empire was home to the greatest [Rune Masters]. The Emperor’s family were [Rune Masters], and the only class they ever feared were [Beast Masters]. I want a guide to your skills so we can understand.” Daku offered Kaden pen and paper.
If only they knew Kaden had left guides for the Adventurer’s Guild. It made no sense to make the next [Beast Master] discover the way Kaden had. Assuming there ever was another [Beast Master].
“Six clusters,” Trella said. “Oh, I just got a level in [Negotiation].”
“Then it should inform you that it does not grant all you desire. Four,” Daku said.
Kaden began to write, write for nearly two hours. He was certain this was meant to be used against him. The key would be ensuring he was ready. That he—and his beasts—were stronger. And if he kept certain details to himself, that was his decision.
Trella read through, dipped her quill in the ink, and added notes to explain how useless [Beast Form] was and note that most strong talents couldn’t be borrowed, and how strong surges of emotion could overwhelm him, so it was important to limit the beasts to ones with calm emotions. And dragons, how they could overwhelm.
Daku studied it. “Truly? You are weak to dragons?”
Kaden swore an oath before the system. “I was almost overpowered by Oceanus. It never happened before the second tier.”
The spy sat back, crossing his arms. “Why do you share this?”
Kaden shared the system logs for [Sole Survivor]. “I’m hoping the next [Beast Master] won’t have to go through what I did. I’d like to meet your [Rune Master]. How does their class work?”
“We have no [Rune Masters], but the records claim each had a collection of living runes. Not just a shape but a living entity which served them. The longer they used a rune, the greater their control.” Daku put away the paper, and spread four clusters of herbs. “They will keep for years in Inventory, but must be consumed quickly after removal.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Kaden accepted them with pleasure.
“I have questions for you. But no fancy plants.” Trella focused her attention as she sat up. “Why does the Emperor want Lord Sato dead?”
“Want.” Daku shook his head. “A young heir believes they can serve the Empire better and made a convincing case to remove the Sato family. The Firey Dawn Sect does not serve for free, so this heir made a major investment, proof of their commitment to the empire.”
“And we screwed it up.” Trella said. “So, we can expect that this ‘heir’ has it out for us.”
“Hardly. The Firery Dawn Sect is probably angry, but we have a principle we teach even children: understand why you failed before trying again. My report will explain what I believe they did wrong, it is their elder’s responsibility to correct the mistakes.” Daku stood and nodded to the door. He spoke to Trella. “May your victims never hear you coming. May your blade strike the innocent man’s heart, but the guilty man’s intestines, and when you sleep, may the dead surround you.”
“Thanks?” Trella asked.
Kaden pulled out the silver dagger the Fiery Dawn Assassin had used. The weapon didn’t [Identify]. “Is this not even an actual dagger? Why doesn’t it show as a weapon?”
“Let me guess on this.” Trella took it. “It’s absolutely a dagger, my skills activate when I’m holding it. Your [Guards] have a skill that identifies weapons, or people carrying weapons. This doesn’t show up on them.”
Daku nodded. “You do not mask your weapons.”
“I mask myself until I’m committed to the battle. At that point, I don’t care if they know I have a weapon because only one of us is leaving.” Trella flipped it end over end, then caught it and slammed it into the table, driving it clear to the handle. “I don’t like it at all. Feels wrong. Like I’m telling a lie just by holding it.”
Kaden wrenched it loose from the table and put it in Inventory. He wasn’t an [Assassin] and had no compunctions about stabbing people with things that were only mildly meant for stabbing.
“It is a pity you do not feel chi. Lord Sato has re-established order, and you will be guests in the merchant housing,” Daku said. “Come, we will see.”
Instead of going to the entertainment hall (or any of the other entertainment halls), Daku quickly navigated them up to a courtyard where the household employees stood by the hundreds.
Lord Sato stood with Tomoko just behind on a second story balcony. “You have heard that there was an attack on my life. But look and see. Am I dead? I swear before the system I was not resurrected. And the Fiery Dawn Sect is not known for leaving corpses. Be at peace. The Emperor’s word protects us for a season.”
Kaden watched the crowd, listening to them as they gossiped.
“What are they saying?” Trella asked Daku.
Daku cocked his head. “Apologies. The Lord assures his servants they are safe. When they have resumed their work, we will meet your friends and settle you. The sea is not gentle, you will sleep well.”
“It’s not a bird’s nest or the deck of a schooner,” Trella said. “And you’re human so you’ll fit in a bed tonight.”
Daku threaded his way through the dispersing servants. “We have many who can shift faces, and some who can shift form with speed. Please do not think I mock you, but if it truly takes days or even hours, you will never match them.”
It wasn’t any of Kaden’s business how fast anyone else could change forms, and he wasn’t going to give away information on his [Druid] friends. “I’ll get better.”
Kaden didn’t understand the architecture. Daku opened one of dozens of normal doors that all lead to the same wide workroom and held it. Inside, Sara, Ashi and Eve waited. They’d changed clothes. Sara wore servant’s clothing, while Ashi and Eve wore gowns like Tokomo.
“Thank goodness!” Eve said. “I was worried when you didn’t come back. I’m all for currying favor and making connections but I was nervous. Never underestimate a [Spy]. The first skill they learn alters [Identify] and allows them to mask their level.”
“Correct,” Daku said, materializing from stealth to the side. He savored Eve’s panic for a moment. “I appreciate honesty over silken words, but this is where I leave you in Lord Sato’s care. I must report to the Emperor and chastise the Fiery Dawn Elders. If the presence of five second tier Adventurers destroyed their plan, it was not truly a plan.”
He didn’t drop into stealth, instead climbing the staircase on the east side with slow, careful steps.
Eve sighed. “While you were gone, Ashi listened to Lord Sato with [Multispeak]. I have a decent idea of what to expect. For the next few days, there won’t be business meetings. Sailors will be free to go to the port, cargo will continue inspection and shipping, but Lord Sato won’t be meeting—or agreeing—with anyone.”
“I don’t mind. I want to meet with one of the local [Alchemists] and study them,” Trella said.
“I know.” Eve didn’t hide the pleasure. “I’ve already asked that you be permitted to observe the House Alchemist. Kaden, I hope you don’t mind, but Lord Sata has an expedition going to an island. All I heard was the name and I thought of you.”
“Drakon Island,” Ashi said. “Everything is a dragon to these people. A snake is a dragon, a winged lizard, a dragon. If a fly had scales, I would expect it to be ‘tiny dragon.’ I, too, thought of you. It was a simple ask.”
Dragons—real or imagined or aspirational—were a special topic for Kaden. “What’s this expedition going to do?”
“These creatures exude mana, so eggs placed in a hibernation holder are placed in caves under the nest. A month later they’re replaced. The lizards and birds that hatch will have special qualities,” Sara said. “They’re highly sought after in Xiao as ‘spirit beasts.’ Lord Sato does a healthy business there.”
That sounded fantastic. “Thank you, Eve. Ashi, what are you going to do?”
Ashi drew something from Inventory. The instrument she’d played earlier. “I choose to remember. I choose to enjoy these days. Tomoko brought this as an apology. The music holds special memories.”
Perfect. That left one question. “Sara?”
“Just because Lord Sato isn’t doing business doesn’t mean I’m not. I’ve got merchant quests to fulfill and a unique opportunity. I can rest when I’m dead.” Sara crossed her arms and smiled. “Mom regrets not working on a profession when she was young. I won’t have her regrets, I’ll have new and different ones.”
“Guests?” A servant man asked them. “Please, follow me. The evening has been eventful. An evening tea with relaxing herbs will be provided, and bath services. It is the custom of Xiao that musicians play to distract ghosts. We hope it will be settle your soul.”
The man’s hair was singed and his uniform burned, but he was doing a damned good job of holding up, and if his voice trembled or the tone wasn’t perfect, Kaden wouldn’t hold it against him.
“Room” was a code for “overly large quarters.”
Kaden stepped in through the door with Trella behind him and gaped at the canopy bed with layers of blankets, a heat stone too far away to actually warm the bed, and the wide doors that formed windows to show the port city below.
He summoned Trinity and unleashed Vip before setting Burny on the Heatstone. The Falcrow would come when it wanted, if it wanted. Trella checked the room over, then vaulted off the walls to hang from the rafters, searching. “Can you have Trinity do the eye thing?”
Trinity roared out an answer, which [Beast Soul] interpreted as *Eye thing. I don’t ask you to do the stabbing thing. But, I guess.*
She scanned the room, the ceiling, the rafters, while Vip ran in circles barking.
“It’s not a magic hug-beam,” Kaden said to Vip. “Why would you even think that?”
*Fast!* Vip sent back.
Trella dropped to the floor and picked up Vip. “It’s kind of a magic hug beam. I’m hugging you, aren’t I?”
Kaden wasn’t certain, but it sure looked like Vip was smug as she lay her head down on Trella’s shoulder and closed her eyes.
“Yeah, definitely a cat person.” Trella set Vip down and summoned Eclipse, who appeared in the rafters. “I’m sorry, I just like my beasts to have dignity. You’re cute but you have all the self-worth of a [Preserved Biscuit].”
Not long after, Kaden dimmed the lights, leaving Trinity to keep watch. He slept well for a man who’d been burned and stabbed. When he woke, it was to a soft knock at the door and the rumble of a TriTerror who classified door-knockers and dungeon bosses in the same group.
When he answered the door, a [Harvester] in blue bowed. “Kaden Birch, I regret you weren’t told this last night. Our boat to the Drakons leaves in less than an hour.”
Kaden rushed to get dressed, pulling Trinity into his soul and waking Trella. “Vip should stay. Eve is going to be lonely, can you make sure she takes Vip?”
Trella looked at him with blury eyes and nodded. “Get get a dragon.Or a lizard, I love you regardless.”
His armor still smelled burned but it would have to do,and Kaden scooped up his [Match Lizard] and let him take his usual place on Kaden’s collar. “Ready.” On the way out, he asked the Havestor, “So what kind of lizards are these dragons?”
“Dragon? No, No. Drakon. You will see.”
Exactly what Kaden had been hoping.