The banshee does the dishes. The intimacy of magic. Diagraff madness. Mana transfer. An orphan in court. Keeping secrets.

After Sal and Kaixo finished eating, he brought their dishes into the kitchen. Shivaun immediately started washing up. Her cold hands in the hot water resulted in a great deal of steam as she worked, though that cooled down the restaurant even more. The heat of the day might rage on outside, but inside his café, it was a chilly heaven.

Sal returned to the main room.

The sorceress motioned to the back. “So, your banshee does dishes?”

“She does.”

“Convenient.”

“That single word scarcely gives her the credit she deserves. In a very real way, all my culinary efforts can be attributed to her. In that way, it is a personal inconvenience, though one I find myself oddly grateful for.”

Sal sat down, hauling out the books from the leather satchel. He set them on the table. “Do you know how to read Gorbin?”

Kaixo snorted. “No one knows any Gorbin. They don’t much like outsiders, and to be honest, we don’t much like them. They’re so weird.” She’d taken off her head scarves, and they lay folded at the edge of the table near the open shutters. Her stringy blond hair seemed to glow in the sunlight where her head wasn’t shaved.

Sal found himself wanting to look at the tattoo on his scalp, to get closer to her, but that would’ve been a mistake. He had to focus on the task at hand. “Before I came to Torment Island, I had a warrior/sorcerer’s Diagraff, but then, things changed, and I was given a new chart, though it was strange and locked. I don’t suppose you’d like to see it.”

Kaixo’s mouth dropped open. “No one shares their Diagraff. It’s so…personal. And you don’t know me. If I had access, I might do terrible things to you.”

“I understand,” Sal said. “But I find myself a bit desperate. Nay, I live in full desperation. To lose all my old proficiencies was a blow. Even worse, though, is the idea that I do not fully understand the rules of this new game. That you can aid me is my dearest hope.”

“I can try.” Kaixo’s brow was furrowed. Her mouth turned small into a frown. “I hate that you paid Cheryl for that tiny room. It stinks like the wrong end of a poo broom. But oh well.”

There was that idiom again. Sal found it shocking, but he moved on quickly.

“Think nothing of it. I also have this grimoire as payment. I do not believe I can use a single spell inside it.” He slid the book over.

Kaixo paused. “Ugh. Dealing with magic and strangers. This could be cursed, and you could be trying to steal my soul. Come on, Sal, you can’t just give me this book. The jewels on the cover alone would be worth a fortune.

“Verily. But I believe I mentioned my desperation.”

That made her smile. “Verily, you talk like you verily don’t belong here. But fine. I’ll trust you. You seem super excited to trust me. Which is stupid.” She opened the book to the first page and read some. “Oh, ancient Menold. It’s like Yeshin but not really. Lucky me, I can read it.”

Her eyes widened. “Wow. Talk about a page-turner. I’m even hooked by the table of contents. Lots of kill spells, some ice magic, and yeah, this is amazing. Why are you being so nice to me?”

That made him chuckle. “I have learned that being nice pays off. Now, cast the magic to look at my Diagraff. I am assuming you have that capability.”

“That I do.” She turned so she as straddling the bench. “Give me your hands.”

He shifted to match her, and then was surprised at her rough hands. They were warm and small, and he could smell her spicy scent.

She whispered a word, and then they were both looking at his Diagraff.

<<< ۝ >>>

Salvanguish Abner Ordinal

Diagraff Vitalis (Locked)

Karmic Gauge: 78% Blue! We have achieved blue!

Race: Resurrected Human, back from the dead and ready to party

Vitalis Type: Commoner, though that may change.

Vitalis Path: Porridge Peasant for now, but after some purple, this might get more exciting.

Initial Mana Potential: 10ish

Maximum Modified Mana: 11ish

Current Level/DevStep: Level 1, Developmental Step 1

Experience Point Monitoring: Not Applicable To Your Unique Situation

BodyWork Modifier: 10%

SoulWork Modifier: 10 %

Proficiencies (All Locked)

* Youngin Reflexes

<<< ۝ >>>

Kaixo dropped his hands. “Are you messing with me? You have to be messing with me. Granted, yours is only the third ever Diagraff I’ve seen up close and personal, other than my own, but come on. It doesn’t look like you even can get Experience Points. And what in the muck is this Karmic Gauge thing?”

Sal was speechless. He’d forgotten how informal his Diagraff was.

The Yanir Sorceress squinted at him. “Resurrected human? Did you get some kind of spell to bring you back? I know there are resurrection relics in the Tower, which can come in handy, but I’ve never actually met a zombie before.”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“I am not a zombie,” Sal said firmly. “And if you press me more, I cannot come up with a lie quickly enough. Verily, I cannot tell lies at all, or my Karmic Gauge would be reduced. It comes with a pain, in my heart, that I find disconcerting.”

Kaixo closed one eye. She wasn’t talking.

“Say something,” Sal begged.

“What can I say? This is all so weird.” She nodded. “Though it kind of makes sense. You were probably dead for a while, which is why you talk the way you do. Verily this and verily that. Disconcerting? Yeah, that’s an understatement.”

She then closed the book and stood up. “I can’t help you. I can’t take this book. I’ll pay you back once we do our Tower Climb. Not ‘we’, but me and my new team. Yeah, so, thanks for the egg.”

Sal pulled her back down. “Sit for a few more minutes. Let me tell you my theories.” He then explained his experiences with the Karmic Gauge, how it was increased and decreased by his actions. He even mentioned that he’d been given twenty percentage points for helping her with Cheryl. He loved that he was in the blue now, but the real question was what would happen if he reached purple and one hundred percent.

“Would that unlock my Diagraff?” he asked.

She snorted again. “Like I would know.”

For a second, Sal wanted to tell her everything, about his past, his death, and his resurrection. Betty wouldn’t like it, and it might have unforeseen consequences. Would she keep his secret? That was the real question. He simply couldn’t risk it, not yet.

Her gaze softened. “There is one thing I could try. I have a Mana transfer spell. You just might need a little boost. But wait, so you got this new Diagraff after you got resurrected. Do I have the timeline right there?”

“That is correct.” Sal prayed she wouldn’t ask more.

“I guess that makes sense. Maybe.” She sighed. “Though if you have your old soul and a new body, I would think you’d have the same old Diagraff. That’s how most of the resurrection relics work, or so I understand. Starting over would suck if that wasn’t the case. For a Climber, that would mean you’d have to be beginner again, and in the middle of a floor, that would make you useless.”

“I do not feel useless in my present state.” Sal was surprised by his own honesty. “In fact, I find this puzzle a bit fascinating. Though I remain desperate to get my magic unlocked. Running a diner with proficiencies would make my life so much easier.”

“So do you want to try the Mana transfer?”

Sal considered the option. Before he’d had a spell called Soul Steal, and he’d used it to rob people of their Mana to fuel his own magic. It came with certain side effects, however. He got a glimpse of the lives of the people he’d steal from, and if that happened, she might see into his past. Then she would know his secret.

On the plus side, he would see into her life. He was curious about her.

He summoned his courage. “Let us try. But try not to gaze into the depths of my heart. You would not like the results.”

“Same goes for you, Sal. There is bound to be some soul-swapping, and I really don’t like the idea. Just know that…that I tried to do the best I could with what I was given. Yeah? Life has a way of sending us down some bad alleys.”

“I understand that like no one else.” He found himself sweating in the chill room. His heart was pounding, and yet, he didn’t have that icy pain, and he was grateful for it.

Again facing each other on the bench, they took hold of each other’s hands.

Then she whispered a word.

Immediately, he felt the power flow into him. He opened his eyes to gaze at the woman, as dark smoke poured from her eyes. He smelled her even more strongly now, and he knew she could smell him, and he was grateful he’d just done laundry and washed himself.

Then the diner disappeared, and he saw her, younger, a child on the streets of Yanhome. She was running from some men, and in her hand was a loaf of bread she’d just stolen.

An instant later, he saw her in a dungeon cell, and she was older, a full-grown woman, with her hair cut short, though she still had half of her hair shaved. Her tattoo was new, and he could see it in detail. It was a hand with a knife thrust through the palm. He didn’t know what it meant, but he knew it had been important to her, a kind of ritual inking that probably had something to do with her magic.

And then, yes, she was in court, in Yanhome, pleading her case. The words were lost, though, and then their connection was broken.

Kaixo leapt to her feet. “A mouse? That mouse is important, probably a Gwynar maybe, though I don’t know. I just don’t know. And your father, I saw you with your father, in Caya Idle, at that tavern. Ha. That’s an old word. You’ve been to Torment Island before. Dang, were you different. I think I know what you did…did to your father, but we don’t have to talk about that.”

Sal felt a lump of pure shame in his stomach. He didn’t want her to know that. Out of his many sins, that just might be the worst.

She moved on quickly. “That’s all I got. It didn’t work. I didn’t think it would work.” While she talked, she backed up against the wall, like she wanted to flee. “Who in the muck are you, Sal?”

“A lost soul,” he said. “Like you. I saw you as an orphan, then in a jail cell, then at court. What does the tattoo mean?” He asked it before he could take the words back.

“If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.” She was then unfolding her scarves, tying them around her head. “Let’s pretend this never happened. You keep the book. I’ll pay you back. Good luck with the diner. That orange juice is going to be a big hit. Take me to court if it isn’t.”

“You don’t want to go back to court,” Sal said softly.

“Dang straight I don’t.” Her eyes were wide with shock and fear.

The whole endeavor seemed like the stupidest of mistakes.

Sal got to his feet. “Are you alright? I mean, as far as your magic is concerned. I was worried that it might affect you some way.”

“I’m fine,” she said sharply. “I’m gonna go.”

Sal walked to the front doors and pushed them open. “Please, take the book. It will help you with your climb. I cannot use it.”

She scooped up the book. “You mentioned the Gorbin before. Why?”

He pointed at the remaining tome on the table. “They have their own Diagraffs, which they call Magica Plexuses. Er. Plexi? Regardless, they access Prana, which might be another word for Mana, but I don’t think so. It could be they might be able to help me.”

“Wish you luck there, Sal.” She walked to the door and slid by him, careful not to get too close. Once outside, she seemed to relax. “Let me know when you open. You know where I live now. You could send the note with the mouse, though she can talk, right? She’s not just a mouse.”

“Not just a mouse,” Sal agreed. “Please, keep that a secret. Keep this whole encounter hidden. Can we agree on that?”

“We can. I just…I wish….” She didn’t say more.

Sal nodded. “I know. You don’t need to finish. Please tell me when you plan to do your climb. I’ll light a candle at Yeshu’s chapel. I’ll get Fabrizio to pray for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Like that would help. Maybe Alikor might throw me a blessing or two, though more likely, he’ll be too drunk to do much. But yeah, I’ll let you know. Let’s not lose touch. I want you to succeed. You’re a good guy, Sal. At least I think you are.”

“I hope I am.” And that was the truth.

She stood in the sunlight. “What are you going to call your place?” She then lifted a hand. “Oh, hi.”

Sal turned. There in the shadows, stood Shivaun, with her arms crossed. The banshee looked like a pale woman, though if your gaze lingered on her eyes, you could see there was something very wrong with her. In short, she was dead.

Shivaun lifted a hand back, carefully, cautiously.

Kaixo took a breath. “Wow. A Gwynar and a ghost. You weren’t kidding. So, what are you going to name this freakshow?” She winced. “Uh. No offense.”

Sal had some ideas. None of them were very good. He shrugged.

Kaixo grunted. “Oh, come on. That’s like the most important thing! How about the Orange Juice Café? Just get that out there. Or since this was the Dark Lord’s Square at one point. How about the Dark Lord’s Diner?”

Sal searched her face. Did she know something? “No, not that.”

“The Champion Café. You can say you serve the breakfast of champions. I mean, that’s pretty good. You are in Champion Plaza after all.”

Don’t remind me, Sal thought. “I’ll think of something.”

“Good luck with that.”

Without another word, she left him alone in the diner.

He’d be opening his café without the help of magic.

He turned and went back in, and Shivaun was there, pointing at the wall. Her frozen words made it clear what her opinion was. The Champion Café is the name. Let that be a reminder to you.

Sal sighed. “How shall I ever forget my death at the hands of the champion?”