212. WAR: WIREMU

With Kelda’s Keensight, she was picking up tracking very easily. I would have been envious if I wasn’t still amazed at her from last night. We were literally on fire last night. In passion, both our affinities got away from us. I had to create a Grantie shelter as we destroyed our tent and sleeping gear. It will be a problem if it is always that explosive. Kelda gained a level of Fire and heat resistance. I am willing to work on a solution as it is an amazing problem to have. I don’t know how Kelda can even concentrate.

By the end of the day, she had Tracking and Detect Traps. We stayed camping so she could keep levelling them. At least, that is our excuse for everybody else. We retired early each night. We didn’t bother with clothes, so we didn’t need to hold back at all. Sometimes it was explosive, and sometimes it was gently stoking the flames and building the fire slowly and burning long and hot.

By the end of the week, Kelda had Tracking and Detect Traps in Apprentice levels. And she had learned to Detect Spiritual Traps. I seriously think her Target Weakness Skill levelled as she targeted my ticklish spots. She swore it couldn’t do that at Novice levels, but I wasn’t convinced.

The week helped me as well, and I levelled Marksman and Venom Arrow went to the Journeyman Level. It now cost less and was more potent. Kelda was the big winner, though. When her Tracking went to Apprentice, she got the specialist class, Tracker, which gave her the Skill Trackers Insight. This helped her get an understanding of what she was tracking and where it might be heading. It was a combination of Physical Perception and Mental Agility and Mental Perception. Trackers like me learn where to find the next track or spore. If a creature is moving from shadow to shadow, we look for the next track in the shadow. Trackers Insight gave her this understanding now, and as it levels, she would gain more insight. Was the creature heading for water, was it looking for food, or heading to its den? As it levelled, it would be useful on more intelligent creatures with more complex motivations, like goblins and goblin shamans. When it got to Journeyman, it would give more insight into sapients. She was very pleased. This Skill was very close to being a pure Mental Skill. It uses clues from the physical, but I was impressed. Two specialisations in a week just show she is well suited for the Observer Class.

Tracker was only a four-point Specialisation, but this gave her four free points over the week. She was going to put them into Physical Perception and get another Sense, but that attribute is already over twice the others. Her fire used her Spiritual attributes, and she has just got a Skill using her Mental Attributes. I persuaded her to wait and consider her options.

We dragged ourselves back to town at the end of the week as the war on the Fiske was starting, and we needed to be close. We didn’t try to hide our relationship from the others. Tabitha and the Canine Queens gave us some ribbing, but that was expected. Kelda had a room on the top floor where she had a view. I had a room in the basement which was more fireproof. I Petrified the bed frame and invested in resistant blankets.

Liten was our best source for following what was happening in the Fiske War. We would get daily updates from Janez, but we know there were things he wasn’t told. Julija’s plan to take out the Fiske leaders in one hit only succeeded in killing half of them. One other was injured enough to be hampered for a long time, but they started to consolidate their forces and strike back. They found their enemy quite quickly, and it was due to a bond not being spotted. They had been warned about that.

The Fiske counterattack cost one of the orcs her life. Julija had rallied a number of foot soldiers and had connections with some of the Mongrel street gang, but the Fiske had long-established informers throughout the city. Tabitha was keeping track closer than I was.

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We were not long in bed when Tabitha sent Nyx to rouse us. A large dark sabertooth lion emerging from the shadows scared Kelda enough to let out a fireball. She was not impressed. When we went upstairs, Tabitha was smirking, and Kelda was so mad she was leaking flames. Saints preserve me. I hope they don’t go to war.

“We have an issue. The Fiske have hired the Claws.” Tabitha started straight in on the briefing. Ruku, Rodion and Modrica were also there. “The Claws are the gang that strongly focuses on fighting and protection. They run the cage fights in town. This is the worst-case scenario for Julija's team. They don’t know this yet, and I think they won’t have a chance to find out before they are killed. The Fiske know where they are and are planning a dawn raid. The Claws are gathering at their home turf. The Fiske will come from the other direction and bock them in. The Claws are the tougher threat.”

“So what do you want to do?” I asked.

“I was the original target, so I propose to finish taking out the Fiske leadership and hold off the Claws until we can tell them they are no longer getting paid. Ruku, you have a plan?” Tabitha asked.

“Wiremu is the best assassin here, so he takes out the Fiske leadership, and Kelda watches his back. Tabitha and Modrica are in one team, and Rodion and I are in another to hassle and delay the Claws. We will be roving skirmishers, which is Rodion's expertise.”

“Who are the leaders left?” I asked.

“The big boss is Alefasio. He is a Mer and is still limping from Julija’s first hit,” Tabitha said. “Kaelo is their Head Enforcer. He is also a Mer, one of the shark species. Kapo was running the street gangs. He is human. Finally, there is Papahi. She is a distinctive Mer with tentacles for her fingers. She managed a lot of the trade. She is smart and will have organised to be well-guarded.”

“And they are all coming on this attack?”

“They were as of two hours ago.”

“Right. I think I will be Dianne for this outing. She is a registered assassin; if I am seen, she can take the blame. How are we coordinating?”

Ruku looked at Kelda, “Can Liten carry messages? You are the one most likely to know what is going on with the wider view of things.”

“Yes, and she shares my Darksight. Do you want me to warn Julija and co?”

“Yes. Get them moving against the Fiske. Then we will face the Claws together if we need to. If you get trapped or in serious difficulty, light up the sky,” Ruku said. “We will carry flares. You have the fire. The first emergency responder is Kelda. You will also carry the main first aid kit. Any Questions?”

“Timing?” Asked Kelda.

“We will only start when the Claws start moving. Wiremu will take any opportunity he needs. Julija can move when she likes. Confusion will be good for Wiremu.” Ruku replied.

I popped downstairs, got changed, and geared up. Dianne used the short bow. While I would love to take Marksman out for a run, we would be street fighting, which doesn’t give long sight lines. If I go full lava, the bow can be sacrificed. Tāoke came and settled on my shoulder. He has taken to Kelda without a problem, although Kelda says Liten is wary of Tāoke.

The only one missing out on this fight is Težka. He is just too big and obvious. He is back in East Marin, so I guess if something goes wrong, he is not far away to save the day. A rampaging Dire Bear will bring the constables and probably the army.

Kelda and I slipped out into the night and headed for the Fiske docks.