Delve

Chapter 205: Flex

Fatigue fled Rain’s mind as his thoughts sprang into rapid motion. He’d been expecting a reaction from Barstone’s people ever since the Guild had begun spreading the story, but when no response had come after a few hours, he’d lowered his guard. Now, apparently, the Citizen—or someone in charge at least—had finally decided to get off their ass.

Still holding tight to Ameliah with one arm, Rain turned to Sana and beckoned with his free hand. “Sana, come on.”

“I—yes,” Sana said, hesitating for a moment before stepping forward.

As one, both Rain and Ameliah wrapped their arms around the officer’s back, pulling her tight against them and causing her to let out a startled squeak. Rain ignored her outburst, modulating his strength to avoid crushing her while ensuring he had a firm grip.

Ameliah launched them into the air, Sana’s squeak becoming a proper scream of terror. It only grew louder as Ameliah bounded from immaterial foothold to immaterial foothold, sending them along a zigzagging diagonal toward the iceberg ahead. The crossing was quick, but they landed hard, Rain feeling a tiny draw on his mana as Sana’s legs buckled on impact, her knee crashing into his armored shin hard enough to trigger Force Ward.

“I’ll go get Jamus and Carten,” Ameliah said, releasing him and Sana. She bounded away, leaving Rain to prop the windblown Watch officer back on her feet.

“Sorry about that,” he said, taking a step back as Sana struggled to find her footing on the uneven ice. “You good?”

Breathing heavily, Sana nodded, still clutching Dozer for dear life. “I think... I think I don’t like flying.”

“The first time is the worst,” said Samson, walking over and nodding to Rain, carrying Ameliah’s bow in one hand.

“Samson,” Rain said in returned greeting. “This is Officer Sana. Sana, this is Samson, head of Ascension’s Defense Council.”

Sana straightened, slightly loosening her death grip on Dozer as she regained some measure of control. “Hello.”

“Hello,” Samson said with a small smile, then looked back to Rain and jerked his head toward the approaching ship. “We don’t have a lot of time. Looks like they have a Water Mage.”

“Yeah,” Rain agreed, unleashing a full-powered sweep of Detection. “One hundred eleven people aboard, and nobody I’ve met before. No Guild or Watch plates. Did any ships dock with them before they headed this way?”

“Not that we saw,” Vanna said, appearing with Tarny at her elbow.

“The Citizen probably isn’t aboard then,” Rain said, snagging a steaming cup from the tray Tarny was holding. He raised his visor just enough to slip the cup beneath, then dumped the scalding liquid down his throat. Once his visor was again secure, he gestured with the empty cup. “Commander Vanna, Officer Sana. Officer Sana, Commander Vanna, Ascension’s second in command. And this is Tarny, my adjutant and possibly my favorite person right now. Good call on the coffee, Tarny.”

“Um, hello,” Sana managed.

“Welcome aboard,” Vanna said, nodding to the overwhelmed officer. “Sorry, I had a whole speech planned, but I think I’ll need to skip it.”

“Oi!” Carten shouted moments before a loud crunch announced his arrival.

“I told you to stop squirming,” Jamus said, floating lightly down to land beside the prone Turtle.

“My bow, please,” Ameliah said, and Samson quickly handed her weapon to her.

“How are we handling this, Rain?” Vanna asked as Carten clawed snow from his beard.

“We’ll let them lead,” Rain said, watching the approaching ship, pleased to see in the corner of his eye that Ameliah hadn’t gone for an arrow. She’d moved to stand beside him, holding the weapon idly at her side.

Good. Ready, but not hostile. We don’t want to start things if they don’t.

“Does anyone else want coffee?” Tarny asked lightly, offering the tray to Sana. “I’d prefer not to be holding this when I’m arrested by the DKE.”

“Nobody is arresting anybody,” Vanna said. “Officer Sana, we’ve prepared a room for you below. I think it might be best if you let us handle this.”

“I, uh...” Sana said as Ameliah reached past her to take a cup. “I think I should stay. And I don’t really like coffee, thanks.”

“Rain?” Vanna asked, catching his eye, then glancing at Sana significantly. The question was clear.

“She can stay,” he said, taking the last cup of coffee, as it was clear nobody else was interested. “She’s on our side.”

“Okay then,” Vanna said, not questioning him further.

“Do you want any stamina, Rain?” Ameliah asked. She gestured with her coffee. “Energy Well is stronger than bean water.”

Rain shook his head. “Let’s avoid using flashy magic. I doubt they’ve ever seen that skill before, and I don’t want to make them jumpy.”

Ameliah snorted, lifting her visor to drink. “You do know you’re glowing like an Illuminator’s art exhibition, don’t you?” She lowered her visor again as he had. “Someone over there must have Mana Sight.”

“I’ve been doing this all day,” Rain said, finishing another active Detection sweep and returning control to his macros. “If they have Mana Sight, they’ve already seen what I have running, and I’m not about to stop now.”

“Fair enough,” Ameliah said.

“Come on, Carten,” Jamus said, tapping the big man on the shoulder. “Let’s get out of the way. There’s a barge to unload.”

“What?” Carten said, looking at him. “But—“

“Carten, please help Jamus,” Vanna interrupted. “If this goes depthward, we’ll want those supplies stowed.” She pointed toward Temerity’s stern. “Ameliah, can you tell the barge to tie up around back?”

Ameliah nodded, then Messaged Caneb, judging from the barge owner’s startled yelp.

“Thanks for coming with me, guys,” Rain said distractedly to Jamus and Carten as the former hauled the latter away. His eyes were locked on the approaching ship, which had slowed and begun to turn as the unseen DKE Water Mage brought it alongside them. Its deck was roughly at the same level as their icy shelf, so he had no trouble reading the hostile expressions of the ranks of armed constables gathered there. That, however, wasn’t what had caught his attention.

There’s something...

“Guild vessel!” a loud but magically unenhanced voice shouted.

Somehow that was what made Dozer finally wake up, the slime’s mind becoming clear through the link, though all it held was bamboozlement. [Rain-King? Where?]

Sending the groggy slime a quick reassurance before tuning him out, Rain focused on the shouter. It was a constable near the prow, his hands cupped around his mouth as he continued. “By the authority of Citizen Barstone, you are commanded to remain stationary for boarding!” Nearby, two more constables worked a pair of cranks, angling a deck-mounted ballista toward them. A third stood nearby, his hand resting on the release lever.

Vanna looked to Rain, silently asking what he wanted to do about it.

Rain just shook his head slowly, the suspicion that had begun forming within him slowly becoming certainty. “He’s there,” he said, the hair rising on the back of his neck. He looked at Ameliah. “The Citizen.”

Ameliah didn’t react other than to shift slightly, but Rain could feel the sudden spike in her tension. Vanna, meanwhile, muttered a curse.

“Remember the treaty, everyone,” Samson said. “Do not mar his first impression of us by flouting protocol.”

There was a mechanical ka-chunk as the constable pulled the ballista’s lever. An instant later, a barbed harpoon sent chips of ice flying as it lodged itself below where they were standing. The purpose was clear enough from the rope trailing back to the DKE ship. Another crash from the right told of a second impact. A tremor shook the glacier as the hull of the DKE vessel collided with them, wood grinding against ice.

They must have a lot of confidence in their hull.

“Rain?” Vanna asked, sounding as concerned as he felt. “This seems somewhat hostile.”

“Just wait,” he said, trying to hide that concern as best he could.

Be calm. Be in control.

A pair of constables in full plate dropped a wooden gangplank to clatter against the ice not far from Rain’s feet, then knelt to secure it on their side. Standing motionless, Rain searched the deck of the DKE vessel with his eyes, ignoring a second pair of constables as they began crossing the unsteady bridge.

There.

A figure emerged from the sterncastle, and the depth of the constables’ bows as they made way left no further question.

Citizen Barstone wore an elaborately brocaded green jacket emblazoned with his white crescent moon on one side. As the constables shifted, Rain got a look at his face. It was pale—powdered, possibly—with a narrow, clean-shaven jaw and youthful features. At a guess, Barstone would have been in his early twenties if awakening didn’t call that into doubt. His wavy hair was jet-black and oiled, braided with numerous golden rings that reflected the stars more strongly than they should have. Besides those, however, the Citizen wore no obvious enchanted equipment, nor did he carry the axe he was known for. The lack of the blade did little to quiet Rain’s nerves.

“You are now in the presence of Citizen Barstone!” shouted the noisy constable, now crossing the gangplank himself. Belatedly, Rain noticed that he bore a pair of golden stars on his uniform. He stepped down onto the ice, passing the two lower-ranked constables holding the gangplank steady, then pivoted, stepping smoothly out of the way. He gestured broadly as the Citizen began to cross, then shouted again, his volume undiminished. “You may bow!”

Rain inclined his torso, stopping just past the twenty degrees the treaty prescribed. He’d hardly needed Samson’s reminder that there were certain procedures regarding interactions between Guilders and Citizens, and he had no problem with basic courtesy. This was Barstone’s turf, after all, even if they were technically out in the harbor.

Ameliah and the others likewise bowed, though Vanna and Tarny both went a bit too low. Non-Guilders—Vanna, Tarny, and Samson all never having actually joined—weren’t covered by the treaty, but as part of Rain’s ‘team,’ they had decided it would be best for them to act as if they shared his silverplate status.

Holding the bow for as long as he judged to be polite, Rain rose, then stepped forward to meet the Citizen. “Welcome aboard Temerity, Citizen Barstone. I am Rain, Captain of Ascension, Watch Custodian, and Guilder. I am glad you are here and sorry that I was unable to contact you at your palace. I believe we have much to discuss.”

“Captain, is it?” the Citizen asked in a disinterested tone, his voice surprisingly smooth. “I was led to believe the Golem was aboard this ship.”

Rain didn’t miss a beat, not questioning how the Citizen knew this was more than just an iceberg, nor how he knew Halgrave was here. “Halgrave the Golem is here, yes, but—“

“I would speak with him,” the Citizen interrupted, walking past Rain and looking around as more of his constables made their way across. “It is far too early in the morning for me to waste my time talking to a silver.” He turned, fixing Rain with a cool glare. “Especially the silver that has so rudely been spreading rumors through my city.”

“They are not rumors,” Rain said with conviction. “Three Cliffs has fallen to the Empire.”

“Rumor as the means of spread, not the fact of the message,” Barstone clarified, waving a hand dismissively. “I am not some bureaucratic fool to disbelieve what is before my eyes. That which you are so poorly trying to hide within this ice is proof enough of your story.”

A shiver ran down Rain’s spine as Barstone fixed him with a stare. The Citizen’s soul didn’t feel significantly stronger than Velika’s or Halgrave’s—it was weaker if anything—but equipment, knowledge, and connections made it likely that he was far, far more deadly. Judging someone’s strength by their soul alone was a grave mistake.

Barstone tilted his head, apparently finished sizing Rain up in return. “Will you bring the Golem to me, or will you not?”

Rain shook his head. “Halgrave is merely our passenger, and he has explicitly stated he wants no part in this negotiation. I am in command of Ascension, and as such, I am the one you must speak to.”

Barstone sniffed, then turned away. “Very well then.” Raising his voice, he called to his constables. “Search the ship! I hereby claim this vessel and its cargo in the name of the DKE!”

“Hold on!” Rain shouted as Ameliah moved to block the constables from the ramp leading to the hatch. “By the treaty of Halfstone, this vessel is not yours to claim. There were no DKE forces involved in its capture, nor was it captured in DKE territory. The treaty states that Guilders cannot be relieved of their property without—”

“Yes, thank you,” Barstone interrupted, looking out at the ocean. “I do not need the treaty recited at me.”

Rain crossed his arms, letting slip a reply before his tired brain could devise something more diplomatic. “Clearly, you do, otherwise why—”

“Silence,” Barstone said, looking over his shoulder and fixing him with the kind of look you gave something stuck to your shoe. “I was not speaking to you.”

Rain closed his mouth with a click.

Shit.

He knew, of course, that the Citizens were capable of speaking with each other over vast distances. It was one of the things he’d prepared for when he’d first sought out an audience with Barstone at his palace. With it being so early in the morning, though, and with Barstone on the very eastern edge of the DKE, he’d hoped he wouldn’t have to worry about that. Clearly, that had been overly optimistic of him.

“Constables...” Barstone said warningly, again watching the waves. “Do not make me repeat my command.”

“Sir!” one of the constables said, moving toward Ameliah. “Stand aside, Guilder.”

“How about no?” Ameliah said coldly, not budging a millimeter.

“I have my orders,” the constable said, trying to push past her, only to be stopped in his tracks. Rubbing his chest where Ameliah had shoved him roughly back, the constable looked back at the Citizen. “Sir?”

“Fine,” Barstone finally said in a disgusted tone, though clearly not in response to the constable. “I’ll tell him, only if you promise to shut up!”

Spinning from the ocean, the Citizen met Rain’s gaze. “Citizen Halfstone, who has made the treaty her whole personality despite it having been signed hundreds of years before she was born by someone she isn’t even related to other than by the legacy of her Mantle, would like me to tell you that section five, subsection three, paragraph eighteen of the treaty states,” Barstone paused to breathe, “‘Henceforth, while the signatories are not unconditionally bound by this document to an arrangement of mutual defense as defined in section two, subsection two, any signatory engaged in conflict with any non-signatory power or individual is entitled to the non-interference of other signatories regarding the furtherance of that conflict. This non-interference prohibits denial of free travel; as defined in section two, subsection seven; granting fugitive asylum to the conflicting party; as defined in section two, subsection eighteen; suspension of basic hospitality and shelter rights; as defined in section two, subsection four; so on and so forth, blah, blah, blah; and withholding of information or resources pertinent to the aforementioned conflict when such withholding does not meaningfully endanger the signatory not engaged in said conflict.’”

The Citizen looked up again at the ocean, then spread his arms wide. “Happy?”

Rain grimaced, unsure how to respond to that. Unfortunately, despite trying, he’d yet to locate an actual copy of the treaty. He only knew as much as most Guilders, the essential parts being spread through word of mouth.

Barstone stepped forward, his eyes still fixed on Rain as he waved a hand. “In this instance, the ship that you claim to have captured from the Empire of Adamant clearly falls within the definition of ‘information or resources pertinent to the aforementioned conflict.’ Thus, you, as a signatory in your capacity as a member of the Guild, and again in your capacity as a Custodian of the Watch, must turn the ship over to the DKE as demanded by the non-interference provision of the treaty.”

“If I could just—“ Rain began, but Barstone cut him off with an angry slash of his hand.

“The right to appeal any interpretation of the treaty is only granted to those of similar standing within the internal structure of a signatory organization. That means not you. Halgrave the Golem, as a goldplate of the Adventurers’ Guild, would have the right to tender such an appeal, and thus it was he to whom I wished to speak.” He raised a single finger. “Until, of course, you were so kind as to confirm that he has no interest in this matter.” His eyes rose to a point over Rain’s right shoulder. “No, Halfstone, I don’t need to tell him what ‘team’ means according to section two. Stop talking, or I will close the connection.“

His eyes shifted left further. “Yes, Kepar, I mean it.”

...

“You get her to shut up then.”

...

“Yes, I know this is important, and I wouldn’t be talking to you at all if I wasn’t so concerned about—

...

“Well, why don’t you just teleport over here and talk to them yourselves?” Barstone spun away, waving his hands as he continued. “Just because your city is on the front line—”

[Rain, we have another problem,] Ameliah sent, dragging Rain’s focus away from the ranting Citizen. [Nails says V is awake and listening to all this. She is NOT happy.]

Rain only just managed to stop himself from swearing aloud. Filth!

[Citizen ⟬filth⟭!]

[Behave, Dozer!]

“Um,” an unexpected voice said, and Officer Sana stepped forward. Dozer jiggled fiercely in her arms, intent on Barstone and bristling with hostility.

“Oh, what do you want?” Barstone snapped.

Rain listened with half an ear as Sana started arguing with the Citizen on his behalf, more concerned with what Ameliah had just told him.

If I can’t get Barstone to leave, Velika might attack, and then we’re boned. That line he quoted from the treaty specifically mentioned harboring fugitives. We’re in violation. Should we hand her over? If we don’t—

[V has Mahria by the neck, now,] Ameliah said. [She’s threatening to kill everyone on board if you turn her in. Halgrave just took out his hammer. Nails is going to wake Tallheart. We have to do something before this blows up.]

Frantically, Rain double-checked his spell settings, confirming that Force Ward was configured with Ethereal Aura. It was, but there was a lot of metal between him and where he sensed Velika below, and the skill wasn’t maxed. Besides, it was Velika.

Samson had joined the argument now, citing some precedent from some war Rain had never heard of, Vanna standing beside him. Tarny, meanwhile, hovered anxiously at Rain’s elbow, his hand resting on the pommel of a sword that he barely knew how to use.

“ALL OF YOU, STOP!”

Rain was almost as surprised as everyone else to realize that he’d been the one to shout.

Citizen Barstone turned to him slowly, seeming almost amused. “Oh? You have something to say, Captain?”

“Just because you’re strong, it doesn’t mean you can just take what you want!” Rain screamed, marching forward and shoving a finger in Barstone’s face. “Treaty this, treaty that... You’re just a bully! You think you can just intimidate people? Push them around? Threaten to kill them if they don’t comply? I won’t allow it!”

Barstone snorted, slapping Rain’s finger away. “I don’t recall threatening to kill anyone, but okay. You won’t allow it? You? A silver? Ha. Tell me, how do you intend to stop me from taking exactly what I want?”

Rain continued, furious, his tirade directed as much at Velika as to the Citizen before him. “We are not your enemies! We are allies against the Empire! Can’t you see that? Ascension took out two Incarns, for crying out loud! You should be thanking us, not trying to steal our shit like a petty thief! While we were fighting the Empire, where were you? Sitting on a cushion in your palace!?” Well past caring, Rain looked straight down through the deck at Velika. “You’d likely be DEAD if not for me! Did you forget that?! Where is your fucking gratitude?!”

Rain stopped, panting.

Everyone was staring at him, expressions ranging from outraged to mortified. Ameliah’s face was unreadable behind her visor, but from the feel of her soul and something in her bearing...

She’s...proud?

[Fight time!] Dozer sent, then vanished from Sana’s arms.

Citizen Barstone, disturbingly, began to laugh. “I love Guilders,” he said, spreading his arms wide. “How do the craziest ones always end up in command?” There was a flash, and then he was armored in full platemail, enameled green and elaborately decorated, with an odd, open-faced helm shaped to resemble a screaming owl. His eyes shone from within—not from any skill Rain recognized, but merely from mana use.

There was another flash, and an enormous axe flickered into being, resting across the Citizen’s shoulders. Its wicked half-moon blade was fully the length of a man’s torso, its shape settling any questions as to the origin of Barstone’s symbol.

[Don’t hold back,] Ameliah said, setting an arrow to her bow as the constables scrambled for the gangplank. [Be careful, though. If we kill a Citizen, we won’t live very long to brag about it.]

“I’m glad one of us is confident,” Rain muttered, watching as the space around the three of them cleared. Tarny ran to join Samson and the others, all of them retreating behind Ameliah as she approached.

“No, I will not hold on a damn second!” Barstone shouted, clearly arguing with his peers again. “This is my city! My honor to defend!”

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Rain hurriedly moved to appeal to the other Citizens, but before he could, Barstone slashed a hand diagonally across his chest.

“That’s it!” he shouted. “Thanks to you, nobody else gets to see the show. Goodbye!” He raised his axe over his head, the silvery blade brightening until it was almost pure white. He returned his focus to Rain, his smile growing to mirror his weapon. “I always enjoy teaching this lesson.”

So much for that.

Rain armed his macro, the same one he’d written to slaughter the Adamant soldiers in Three Cliffs—something he still hadn’t come to terms with. Right now, though, it was precisely what he needed, so he prepared himself to unleash hell, making a few adjustments to account for his armor’s interference. Ameliah had moved beside him at this point, an arrow nocked and ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice.

Suddenly, and without any sign of movement from the Citizen, there was a deafening screech, like metal being torn apart.

Rain didn’t hesitate. He activated his macro—

Or tried to. He couldn’t remember how.

What?!

Barstone screamed, dropping his axe and clutching at his head. Rain’s stomach twisted as a wave of wrongness washed over him, his mental hiccup swiftly forgotten. The metallic screech had ended, but Barstone’s scream continued, only to be joined by a cracking, tearing sound as black threads of lightning began spreading outward from his temples.

Is this... Is someone breaking the damage limit? Who...?

Rain vomited, hot bile forcing itself out through his visor as he fell to his knees. Purify responded to his call where his other magic had failed, wiping the coffee-flavored sick away in short order, but it did nothing for the horrible sensation twisting his guts. It seemed as if all of reality was trying to come apart. Ameliah’s hand found his, and he looked at her, seeing that she was struggling just as much as he was. Clinging to her for dear life, he looked back at the Citizen, who’d fallen to his knees.

It ended as suddenly as it had begun.

With a sharp click, the dark lightning vanished as reality snapped back together. Rain found himself sprawled on the ground, and ignoring his body’s protests, he swiftly pushed himself back up, offering a hand to Ameliah.

Barstone, too, sat up swiftly, bending at the waist as if nothing had happened. He climbed to his feet, abandoning his axe and dusting himself off. “There, that’s better,” he said, and something about his voice seemed subtly different.

Rain watched in stunned silence as Barstone walked over to the edge of the iceberg. Reaching down, the Citizen extended an arm, and when he straightened, he pulled another figure up with him. It was an old woman, tiny in stature, her face crinkled with age. There was no pressure from her soul, nothing to suggest she was even awakened, and yet...

The woman smiled as she turned to face them, and when she spoke, Rain realized what had changed in Barstone’s voice. It was the accent. It was the same as hers.

“I received your report, Custodian,” Warden Vatreece said. “I think it’s time you and I have a little chat.”