Kaden signed the agreement with the City as soon as Sara reviewed the contract. It simply stated that the vouchers were all they received. Sara seemed to think that the vouchers were excellent, even though Kaden felt distinctly like this was a Trade Token situation. For now, his priority was Trella.
Kaden took her back to the Palace, where he ordered food and sat by her as she purchased and dispatched three secure messenger birds. These silver-black birds didn’t fly—they evaporated.
Trella rocked back and forth on the bed. “You don’t understand. You can’t see what I see. I see what he was. I see what he is, and I see what he stole to get there.”
“You can’t possibly kill a Centurion,” Sara said. “Kaden managed it once and that was a fluke you can’t possibly pull off. Can she?”
Kaden still kept a [Ghost Seed] or five. “No. A random Centurion is not going to accept a gift from me. If I were a [Slaver] I’d be paranoid.”
Eve was far more focused. “Tell me about his location. I don’t care what he looked like, where in the stadium was he? Centurions wouldn’t slum it with commoners. He’ll have his own box and that’s how we identify him. Focus!”
“There may be spells which could protect against his [Bindings] but not against his attacks,” Ashi said. “I could return to Vichor to find out, but it might take days of your time. I would not risk longer. Is there a time limit on the Quest?”
Trella shook her head. “I can’t sleep, now that I know. I have to do something. I have to do it now. Kaden. You can’t come with me.”
That wasn’t what he expected. “Why not?”
“Because I can’t risk him getting to anyone I love. And that goes for all of you.” Trella spoke with Eve, explaining exactly where she’d seen the man, where he’d been sitting, where she’d been facing. The lighting had made it harder to be certain, but Trella could narrow it to one of six boxes.
“More than enough,” Eve said. “Sara, you’re always looking to expand S&K Holdings, right? In a city like this, it’s certain every Centurion is a Crafter and or a business owner. I’ll reach out to explain you’d like to send product samples to the people in these boxes. One among six is better than one among a city.”
Sara went with them, while Ashi slipped away.
Vip sat in Trella’s lap, trying to soak in her worry like rainwater. Vip ran on the dog theory, that if one person was wet and miserable, everyone should be wet and miserable with them. *Love,* she stated.
It needed no translation.
Trinity had sensed the change in Kaden’s mood, and while she was normally surly and violent, now she was quiet and violent, watching everything.Skully stood in front of the doors, having devoured enough [Mage] bones to repair himself. Kaden had caught him eyeing an attractively shaped planter, and reprimanded the skeleton.
A knock at the door had him ready to attack, as Trella [Shadow Stepped] to the door and pulled it back.
On the other side stood a misshapen man-figure with stubby arms that ended in two fingers at best and blunt legs more like uncooked sausages. One of Mistress Scylla’s Jackaroos.
It held its arm to the faceless head aproximately where a mouth would be. Probably telling them to be quiet. Another followed, running to the door Skully guarded.
Another joined the second, and another stood guard at the front.
Mistress Scylla wasn’t old for a Centurion. Her brown hair was just starting to turn gray, her face had sharper, harsher figures than Sara’s, and her cloak let all six pink octopus tentacles flare out from the base of her spine, each holding a different weapon, wand, or spellbook. “Kaden. Step aside, please.”
He did, letting her in.
She closed the door, and then rushed to hug Trella. “It’s terrifying the first time you see one. I would have taken you somewhere to experience it, but every [Slaver] I’ve found is dead, and this one will be, too.”
“You’ll kill him.” Kaden stated it as fact. A fact that didn’t bother him at all.
“Indeed. I’m—would you please ask Skully to stop?”
Kaden ran to the door and opened it. Skully held one Jackaroo in each hand and slammed it down over and over. The impact flattened the not-men. But moments later, they re-animated and continued smashing at his fingers, though it didn’t do much damage. “Skully. Stop. Those are…friends. Sort of.”
The skeleton looked his way, his beard-bones rattling.
“I said put them down.” Kaden turned around and shut the door. “Sorry.”
“It’s not like he’s permanently destroying them, but he’ll attract attention,” Mistress Scylla said. “Now, as I said, I will kill this [Slaver] and I’ll do my best to keep collateral damage down. Your Quest is the normal one. Break the bonds he’s placed. You’ll know his victims when you see them, but there’s a complication.”
“Timing,” Trella said. “The moment I start cutting bonds, he’ll know I’m doing it.”
“Correct. And the other problems are obvious once you consider his stature. He’ll have escapes planned. Far Portals in his house, Portal Mages in his possession, flying beasts. And it’s likely he’s in good standing with the City.”
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Now Kaden swore. “So when we kill him, as far as the City is concerned, we just assassinated a Crafter.”
“Until a [Slaver] is dead their class is hidden,” Mistress Scylla said. “Now listen and learn. Your talents and abilities as a [Shadow Blade] work in your favor. You have [Banal Blend] on top of stealth on top of the natural protection [Liberator] provides. He wouldn’t recognize you if you stood right in front of him.”
“That’s not how it feels,” Trella said. “It feels like he was looking right at me. And only me.”
“You are natural enemies. Slavers have no allies and only enemies. He lives with that feeling every moment of every day. Have you identified the man?”
“Sara and Eve are working on it, pretending to send business information. Ashi is trying to find a spell to protect us,” Trella said. “I could break a bond but then he’d know. I’d do it in a heartbeat, though. What do I do?”
“First, we must know who we face. We must learn about him. We must learn his schedule. His business. His acquaintances. The Sisters have trained you for this, have they not?” Mistress Scylla asked.
“Some. We aren’t required to kill. Sometimes it’s the best way.” Trella looked to Kaden. “I don’t want to live my life just to end others.”
“Kaden.” Mistress Scylla spoke softly. “I would appreciate privacy. Isn’t there some Beast you haven’t tamed? Or a demon to provoke? Why is there a lizard on your shoulder?”
“He’s out of bread,” Trella said. She took his hand. *I need space. I won’t go after him without telling you, I promise.*
Kaden stepped out into the courtyard and pointed to the door. “Protect Trella.”
The palace guards seemed less equipped to guard the palace and more equipped to, say, tell Kaden about the art hung on the walls. “Leatherworkers. Where do I find them?”
“Master Yitoru should be your first contact for any need,” the guard said.
Of course. Kaden dispatched the [Falcrow] and waited for a response.
A response that came in person.
Yitoru came striding across the courtyard. “Do you want to get me in trouble with the King? He said I was to assist. I will assist. What’s this about a Leatherworker?”
“It’s either that or a [Chef],” Kaden said, producing the piece of skin the dragon scale had come from. “Careful, this will burn you. It did burn me, and I was [Fireproof] at the time.”
“That’s Dragon Hide,” Yituri said. “The Mana Burn alone will do incredible damage. Let me see the wound.”
Kaden showed the right hand with the shriveled muscles and pale skin. “This is after a visit to the temple of Hehuhashumanyhames. Some kind of spring and growth god.”
“You’re fortunate you have an arm at all,” Yituri said. “You received this from the Fire Dragon?”
“Received is a strong word. The [Burning Dream Queen] savaged the Fire Dragon and this was left over.” Kaden lived by the loot law, if the dragon wanted it, it should have taken it.
Yituri seemed ecstatic. “I can’t even touch it. Gods above. And the meat. You told Evan this was yours. Why?”
Kaden showed the scale pattern on his hand. “It unlocked a tier two skill for me. Since there aren’t other [Beast Masters], I have to take the chances I can. Can I ask you for equipment advice?”
“I’d be offended if you didn’t.” Yituru motioned. “Come, let’s go to a workshop. We have a saying in Trunistan. Craft it out. It’s easier to think when crafting.”
Along the way, Kaden explained his problem. “I’ve got a Legendary Voucher and no clue what it’s good for, and to be honest, I’ve already got a better weapon that your Crafters can probably make.”
“Strong words,” Yituri said. “Show me.”
Kaden took out Remembrance.
[Remembrance of Battle - War Hammer]
Every day, new legends are being sung into the world. This weapon carries their echos, drawing from the past to make a future where it is once more feared and revered. If there is to be oblivion, let your foes enter it first.
Effects: Special, varied.
Seek out previous wielders to learn how to use this weapon’s abilities! Previous wielders: Traugma, [Hellscaper] (Dead). Mascasius, [Reaper] (Very Dead). Gleb [Terror Gnome] (Completely Dead), Malkoriathorax (Dark Lord) @#!==__ERROR_HISTORY_LOST.
“It’s a challenge weapon. It interacts with the Elemental Chronosium in my armor. It has effects I don’t even understand.” Kaden gently offered it to Yituri.
The Leatherworker almost dropped it. “That’s heavy. Too heavy for me, but you should be thinking more of what we could do with this weapon. How are you holding it with your hand like that?”
Not well. “I’m going to see if I can get an enchanted grip. The current one makes it hard to drop. I want it to be permanent.” It wasn’t like the hand wouldn’t close, it was just that his grip strength was half, at best.
Kaden produced the Levicon Blade. “This is my other weapon. I got it from a World Boss who outgrew his world.”
“So keep your weapons. Your armor—it’s quaint.” Yituri opened the door to a workshop. “First off, we need to flesh the hide. I have an enchanted [Fleshing Blade] which repairs the hide, but I can’t actually touch that skin.
Kaden pulled it from Inventory. “[Fireproof], courtesy of this [Match Lizard.]” He spread the dragon skin on the workbench. The scale on his hand was no larger than a thumbnail. The skin it came from was the size of Kaden’s hand, but near destroyed. The pattern where the other scales had rested still showed.
“Ah, about that, I heard you had a need.” Yituri produced a loaf of wheat bread. “I’m afraid to ask what you’re going to do.”
Kaden offered the end to the [Match Lizard], which did exactly what [Match Lizards] did. It caught fire, burning the bread, then contentedly lapped up ash. “There we go, little guy. Or girl. You didn’t think I was going to eat him did you?”
“…No?” Yituri said.
“Not without a mana potion to wash him down.” Kaden looked to the skin. “Now what?”
Yituri took a blade from Inventory with a handle on both ends. He quickly scraped across the hide. The enchanted blade glowed dull and then red and orange and then white. As it scraped the last bit, the blade shot sparks and a cloud of blue mana burst out. Yituru tossed it to the side, using a metal pan to catch the meat. “Store this.”
Kaden put it away.
Most of the heat went with the meat, letting Yituri bring out a bag of salt that glowed white. He whistled as he worked, brushing a thick layer of salt on, and then activating a skill. “This skill is named [Instant Age] but I assure you, no crafter of skill uses it like that. There’s a right speed for everything and using it just right is key.”
The salt crackled and aligned into pattern after pattern, then began to shimmer as it turned to fine powder.
Yituri swore. “One moment, just need to re-apply. Just a little more. Ok, maybe a lot. Hold on, I’ve got hundreds of pounds. We may need them all. There’s wine in the fridge, just get comfortable—damnit!”
After six times, the salt pattern locked into a circle, that then filled in with minature circles until the entire hide shone with thousands of rings that interlocked. Yituri drew a tube from Inventory and began to paint runes on the hide with exacting precision. “What will you do with it?”
“That’s a problem for future Kaden. Ashi’s looking for a hide for a spellbook.”
“You are a madman.” Yituri sounded deeply shocked. “You steal dragonhide, mana burn yourself to take its power, and you’d use it for a book cover?”
“Ashi is a [PolyMage],” Kaden said. “She could have a permanent source of Fire Mana. Her fire spells would be incredibly powerful.”
Yituri nodded. “We are not familiar with [PolyMages]. She can cast from different colleges? If so, Fire would be strong, but other spells would be weaker or have unexpected interactions. It’s so small, I’d suggest having it fashioned into a glove for your injured hand. Use one of your vouchers.”
A Messenger Bird trailing sparkles landed on Kaden’s arm. “The King would see you now to discuss the [Burning Dream Queen]. We have a proposal from the Vivomancer’s Guild that is worth listening to.”