AbyssalRoadTrip
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Abyssal Road Trip - 319 - Some sin for nothing
🕑 Added 2023-08-14 10:11:19 +0000 UTCAmdirlain’s PoV - Material Plane - Quil Tris
When Pal’tran and Jal’krin returned loaded with drinks and food, they found Amdirlain still reviewing the contract options with Jan’era. Throughout the discussion, Amdirlain followed the threads in Jan’era’s thoughts. They were a flurry of mental calculations and projections that balanced the need to cover overheads with her desire to give Amdirlain an arrangement to ensure she’d stay on as long as possible. As Jan’era said from the start, a draw card to bring in other high-quality performers lured by Amdirlain’s successes.
Pal’tran offloaded his containers on a table away from the consoles, the tempting smells of foods that would be good cold as well. “If you’re hungry, I got a variety.”
“I’m not hungry yet, so how do we get impartial witnesses for our signing these?” asked Amdirlain, tapping the contract’s pages.
“You’re not getting rushed into signing it,” objected Jan’era. “I already told you it’s best to have everything lined up and checked off.”
“But you won’t let me record anything until I do,” grumbled Amdirlain.
“Gives you more time to compose local songs you like,” reassured Jan’era. “The pride has places down this way you can stay in, better than sleeping on a couch.”
Amdirlain frowned. “I didn’t bring my travel pack, only my harp case.”
“You don’t have to be the one to go back and forth getting it,” noted Pal’tran. “We can do that for you.”
“Abandoning my composer? I don’t know,” muttered Amdirlain.
“Yours?” huffed Jan’era unhappily, and she fixed Jal’krin with a hard, suspicious look. “Are you going to release the place you’re using to someone else? She deserves a better place to live.”
“I can’t go back home,” protested Jal’krin. “And I think you’re misunderstanding.”
Amdirlain kept clear of their thoughts, not wanting to intrude into their pride’s situation more than she already had.
Jan’era’s claws came out and tapped hard on the console’s edge. “You could; you just don’t want to. Alright, I’d volunteer someone else if it was only Am. Since it is both of you, I’m the only one in the four-bedroom place I use now. You could move in and grab a bedroom; at least you’ll have far more living space.”
Amdirlain's ears perked up. “The place you’re using?”
“It belongs to the pride,” advised Jan’era. “Just because you’ve not signed yet, doesn’t mean we don’t want to offer incentives to do so. A big law keeper station is just down the way, so you can stop in and make an appointment to have someone review the contract.”
“Okay,” agreed Amdirlain, and she looked at Jal’krin. “Are you coming along, or will you commute? I might have money from the plaza to pay you for composing…”
His tail twitched nervously about for a bit before his shoulders slumped slightly. “Okay.”
“My proximity is such a hardship?” asked Amdirlain neutrally.
“You lie around and snore, but mostly it’s because I’m nearer my parents down this way,” explained Jal’krin.
Amdirlain huffed and fidgeted with a warm cup Pal’tran pressed upon her. “I don’t snore.”
“You do a good impersonation of it then,” critiqued Jal’krin
Giving him a tail flick, she grinned at Jan’era. “You’re going to have to put up with two house guests. Hope we don’t cramp your style.”
“It’s work or meeting people for work which will increase if you sign on. With you two loitering in the place it will feel less of a waste than me staying there alone,” explained Jan’era, twitching her ears towards the food. “Relax and enjoy. I’ll take care of some calls and drive you over.”
“I’ll take Jal’krin back to his place and help him shift his gear,” advised Pal’tran. “Some sandwiches and food that can reheat; I was expecting us to be here all morning giving you a tour.”
“I’ve got a good instinct for people when I listen to them properly,” said Amdirlain, and she peaked into one container and found steaming squares similar to sponge cake. “These look fluffy.”
As Amdirlain considered the other containers, Jan’era moved over to the table, reached past her, and snagged one of the fluffy cakes. “I won’t be long.”
With Jal’krin’s embarrassed scent filling the booth, they ate in uncomfortable silence, but Amdirlain restrained herself from questioning. Ten minutes later, Jan’era returned from her phone call and shooed the others on their way. Taking Amdirlain and some food containers under her wing, she led her into the parking lot. Jan’era’s vehicle was a low-slung red two-seater with a lightning core within its engine.
“Do all territories’ prides operate so communally with their property?” asked Amdirlain as she hopped into the car.
Jan’era settled into her seat, slid an ignition rod into the middle console, and dropped her link unit in the holder between the seats. “What do you mean?”
“You live in a place owned by the pride and run a business for them? But where are the limits in how that operates?” enquired Amdirlain. “Jal’krin screwed up their savings, but his family didn’t have the capital to replace that.”
Giving a confused chuff, Jan’era turned slightly in her seat with the car’s engine idling with a crackling whirlwind. “He told you about that, and you’re still satisfied to have him by your side?”
“He messed up and regrets it, though I admit he still needs to learn more. But we’re talking about how your pride operates.”
“Your pride doesn’t handle living spaces communally? I always figured everyone would operate this way, from the nomads’ tents up.”
“No. Housing is a matter for the parents of the household rather than extended pride without specific arrangements,” replied Amdirlain.
Her puzzled expression didn’t fade, but Jan’era put the vehicle into gear and pulled out of the parking spot. “Odd. Safe housing and the means to keep it secure are too important to leave in the hands of one family unit. It’s a lot harder to get a new property if there is an emergency than it is to shrink the holding. And it’s important the pride always have extra space in case it expands, or one or more properties are unusable for a time.”
“How does it operate then?” enquired Amdirlain. “You said you’re using a house.”
“Each family or individual has their savings. They use places and contribute fees into the pride’s account relative to what property they’re in; they don’t own it themselves,” clarified Jan’era. “If there was an emergency, and we had to house twenty people suddenly, they’d get spread between the properties.”
“Has that happened before?” asked Amdirlain.
Jan’era wobbled her head, thinking. “Maybe eight times in the last twenty years there have been issues with the Mana grid that made blocks unlivable that I’ve been staying at. The pride has properties spread out to avoid too many getting caught in one outage.”
“So some of the pride have more personal reserves than others, but you’re not allowed to drag the pride down?” probed Amdirlain.
“Jal’krin’s situation wasn’t about him dragging the pride down. It was about what the money was for, balanced against maintaining the pride’s safety net. Since it wasn’t essential and his family didn’t have the personal reserves, he had to drop out of learning at the campus. He could apply for a college degree instead, which would have been possible,” hissed Jan’era. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, taking him on.”
“But when it’s essential?” persisted Amdirlain.
“If he’d messed up and lost money for an essential reason, we’d have pooled and sorted things out; pride looks after pride during hard times. We just would have ensured he couldn’t lose the money again. A composer’s degree from the campus is nice but not essential. If he or his sister had an ability that made it essential to be at the campus studying, we’d have arranged things,” confirmed Jan’era with a firm certainty in her tone.
The link unit in the holder chimed twice in quick succession, and Jan’era groaned.
“Problem?”
”Just all the joys of taking over a neglected business to recover our debt from the previous owner. We’ve got a few too many of these business recoveries going on because of bad debts from other prides. That also contributed to why Jal’krin and his sister didn’t get bailed out; I’m more disappointed about her situation than his,” replied Jan’era. She quickly peeked at the displayed note when they stopped at a traffic intersection.
“We can go back if there is something you need to tend to?”
“Let’s split the difference. Are you okay if I take you to the apartment and return to the studio? I’ll call the law keepers’ station to book a meeting for you,” offered Jan’era.
Amdirlain nodded happily. “Yeah, I can put the food in the ice chest and nap on a proper bed,”
“Fittings for the beds are in the room cupboards. Just pick one without blankets spread out,” instructed Jan’era. “This is part of why I would have volunteered someone else for you to live with; I’m frequently out. I’m more a caretaker for this apartment than a full-time resident.”
Jan’era parked on the street before a hexagonal high-rise and showed Amdirlain to a place on the fourteenth floor. A small entry area opened into an open living space, with scattered couches blending into a kitchen. An eight-seater dining table and a stone benchtop marked their boundary. Beyond the kitchen, Amdirlain picked out a corridor that led to four different-sized bedrooms, a couple of washrooms and laundry. Unlike Mor’lmes’ apartment, no decorations obstructed the soft white light from the walls and there was almost nothing beyond functional furniture.
A long metal panel in the living area stood out among the soft light of the hexagon panels. Catching Amdirlain looking at it curiously, Jan’era grinned. “Try not to use the receiver too much unless you’re paying the Mana costs or bill.”
“I can contribute Mana,” volunteered Amdirlain.
Jan’era paused. “I didn’t know that a Bard got Mana. It’s such an archaic Class that I’ll have to read up on it. I think the contribution panel is behind the front door. I won’t say no if you’re willing to pour in spare Mana before bed each night.”
“Your classes don’t give you any Mana?” asked Amdirlain, playing clueless to see what Jan’era would offer.
“No, I’m purely business and performance crafting; even my energy projector I just buy charge packs for,” clarified Jan’era, offloading some of the food they’d brought from the studio onto the kitchen bench. “If you’d put this stuff in the ice chest, please. I had better get back to the studio. Pick whichever unused room you want. The link unit in the kitchen has the studio’s number set on recall. If there is an alarm, follow the path of the yellow stripes that will appear mid-air. Okay?”
“Yellow stripes, got it,” nodded Amdirlain.
“Sorry to drop you and run,” apologised Jan’era
Amdirlain gave a reassuring smile. “No worries, I’m going to enjoy sleeping in a proper bed.”
Finding space in the echoing ice chest wasn’t an issue. She picked the smallest bedroom and discovered its mattress was slightly bigger than a double, with a strange woven interior she’d heard from other dwellings.
Making up the bed, she set a complex illusion of herself beneath the blankets. Though Jal’krin should be at least another two hours before arriving, Amdirlain added a notification alert if anyone entered the bedroom.
With time to herself, Amdirlain scried ahead to check out the remains of the estate. Two vehicles blocked the entrance to the estate, and four law keepers patrolled the boundary in pairs. Blinking warning markers around the partially collapsed building’s perimeter warned of magical and material hazards. They had excavated an entry into the first level of the basement through the rubble already fallen from the upper stories.
Enfolded in her concealment songs, Amdirlain reappeared at the Spellclash manor and growled in surprise. Pain erupted from her legs, and the way it slipped past Pain Eater in time with the distortion rising from the basement made its nature clear. She could feel Protean working to keep her form intact; despite its massive increases, the strain pushed it harder than close exposure to strong Eldritch sources had. Teleport took her away from the estate, but her legs still ached deeper than mere muscle and bones, though the worst eased.
While the distortion didn’t feel like it was biting any longer, Amdirlain returned to Jan’era’s apartment via a roundabout route and, once there, started to cycle. She watched the wisps working down through her legs on the first flare. With a grimace, she took in the net running through her legs, revealing microscopic fractures, splinters, and extra swelling in the problem node.
Collecting the crystal that supported the illusion on the bed, Amdirlain dismissed her concealment and lay on the bed to continue cycling Ki. It was a couple of hours before Resonance caught Jal’krin and Pal’tran’s songs coming towards the apartment block. The cycling had merged the net’s splinters into its strands and sealed fractures. The problem node’s aggravation only eased slightly however, leaving her thigh throbbing with spiritual discomfort that bypassed Pain Eater. Continuing until she heard the pair reach the apartment foyer, she poured the excess Ki into a crystal and let loose with a string of profanities.
My net is more like tissue paper than fragile. I’ll have to accept I can’t deal with the Eldritch up close until my legs heal properly. The priority becomes enabling the locals to defend themselves and deal with their foes. Meanwhile, I can still kill or clean from a distance.
Moving out into the kitchen, she registered the continued discomfort from her spiritual net that echoed into bone and muscle.
When the pair entered the front door, each carrying boxes, they found Amdirlain perched on a kitchen stool with her back to the door. Tail swishing happily about, she dug into a container from the morning.
“You’re looking more rumpled,” noted Jal’krin.
“I will admit I napped,” offered Amdirlain, spinning about to face them.
Jal’krin was carrying a couple of boxes stuffed with clothing and notebooks with Amdirlain’s travel pack balanced on top.
“Oh, I can do my laundry,” cheered Amdirlain.
Jal’krin snorted. “You can keep whether it’s vanity or necessity that is your highest priority to yourself.”
“I have minimal clothing, so we’ll go with necessity,” drawled Amdirlain, and she moved to claim it from him. “Can one of you gents show me how to use the machine in this place because I’m sure it’s not something I’ve used?”
“I’ll do that,” offered Pal’tran immediately, and he headed down the corridor. “Jal’krin, grab the rest of the boxes from the backseat. I’ll have someone pick you up this afternoon with a bigger vehicle and more boxes to move out the rest of your things.”
Patting Jal’krin on the upper arm to thank him, Amdirlain hurried after Pal’tran. He took her through the ‘washer’ that wasn’t anything like Amdirlain expected. An Artificer had taken the simple Mending Spell, figured out the runes, and streamlined it to clean stains.
“So I don’t need to soak clothing?” rumbled Amdirlain in mock confusion after Pal’tran explained its workings.
“Not unless you’ve let the stains set hard. If you’ve dyed or marked clothing intentionally, you must hand wash for the first couple of weeks.”
The stuff I must do to maintain a disguise. Oh, how I suffer for my art. Hopefully, once this is over, I don’t have to adopt a disguise like this again.
“Is there a reserve nearby so I can check how much they put in my account for the plaza?”
Pal’tran huffed. “What?”
“Jan’era said the law keeper officer got the caster stations that broadcasted me to pay up,” explained Amdirlain.
“There is one at the end of the road just by the law keeper station.”
“Cool, I’ll check later and see if I can pay Jal’krin for his time composing before I sell recordings,” chirped Amdirlain eagerly.
“A word of advice, since it seems our customs differ: be careful who you claim as yours without being clear on the criteria, Am. Some might try to use that to say you proposed a mating regardless of your age,” rumbled Pal’tran.
Amdirlain stared up at him with ice in her veins. “What are you talking about?”
“You claimed Jal’krin as ‘my composer’; among the territories, speaking of another in such a way means you intend to absorb them into your pride. For young females, that normally implies a marriage offer,” Pal’tran advised. “Always be sure to put limiters on such claims.”
Her eyes widened, and her ears stood on end. “What sort of limiters—time or criteria—is safe?”
“Not time. That means you’re offering a limited or trial mating to see if you’re fertile together,” clarified Pal’tran. “Or best yet, avoid the word ‘my’ referring to any individual.”
Jan’era was trying to warn me of ‘involvement’ with Jal’krin. That’s what I get for stopping the mind-reading.
“Maybe I should just not speak,” mumbled Amdirlain. “Our language is the same, but my knowledge of your customs is way off.”
“Jal’krin tried to correct Jan’era, but I thought you perhaps needed an insight,” said Pal’tran. “He was too embarrassed to warn you after Jan’era shut him down. I’ve already spoken to Jan’era and clarified that we doubted you meant marriage. Given your talent, some might argue it was a verbal offer and seek compensation for lost honour if you didn’t follow up. Again, referring to someone by name is safest to avoid possessive implications unless you’re part of their pride.”
“Scat. No wonder Jan’era asked if I was sure I knew what I was getting into with him,” groaned Amdirlain.
Pal’tran patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Jal’krin didn’t take it that way. He said he figured it was a regional issue since you use unbecoming words casually.”
“I’ve had lunch. I’m going to do my laundry and hide in my room until dinner so I don’t die of embarrassment,” whispered Amdirlain,
“I’ll leave you to it then,” replied Pal’tran before he headed back towards the living room.
Laundry didn’t take long and, ‘hiding’ in her bedroom, Amdirlain hung up all her spare clothing and settled down to plan. Scrying on the military base found a well-lit facility with multiple expansive barracks. Though a few thousand troops lived on site, there was parking for thousands more to come from elsewhere in individual vehicles alone.
Amdirlain examined where the world’s Mana started combining with dimensional energies within the tunnels leading to the ghost caverns. The regions of their intersection caused minerals to be drawn from across the planes. Yet it was just a symptom of a deeper working, and Amdirlain moved her scrying further along the ghost caverns’ course and continued to study their music. Her explorations had continued for an hour until Jal’krin called through the door to advise he would pack up his apartment.
The crystal rod she’d provided to Mor’lmes not only restored life with the efficiency of Resurrection, it also tagged the Soul. Amdirlain hadn’t intended it for more than checking on those Mor’lmes raised, but given she needed to rethink how she dealt with the Eldritch, she decided to check on the student whose Mor’lmes’ mate had referred to as Tulne. Cloaked in an illusion of J’s form and scent, Amdirlain went to find her.
The house Amdirlain tracked Tulne to was on the city’s outskirts. While a pair of observers were present, their minds revealed they were only there to protect against Tulne’s undisclosed attacker. Mor’lmes hadn’t given up hope Tulne might tell him, but he wasn’t leaving her unprotected while she decided what to do.
Amdirlain slipped past their protective wards and set a concealment illusion around Tulnes’ room and the corridor. Teleport placed her outside the girl’s door, and she waited to ensure the observers didn’t react. After they remained oblivious, Amdirlain gently tapped on the door, waiting for Tulnes to respond before she opened it.
The room was closer to a suite, a large bedroom with a bed against one wall and a couch opposite. Positioned on the wall between the couch and bed, a door opened into a fancy washroom that even had an enchanted massage table.
The black and silver female was tiny, barely a hundred and fifty centimetres—not an unexpected size for a teenager—and her position made her seem smaller still. Tulne sat on the couch with her back into the corner of the room and her knees under her chin. Scents of fear and loneliness filled the air. Still caught up in her thoughts, a distracted Tulne hadn’t even looked up after answering Amdirlain’s knock. The wear and fatigue in her melody showed the strain of being raised from the dead still lay on her.
[Name: Tulne, Windstray pride
Species: Catfolk (variant)
Class: Wizard
Level: 5
Health: 55
Defence: 14
Magic: 15
Mana: 300
Melee Attack Power: 13
Combat Skills: Energy Projector [Ap] (5). Affinities: Air and Gravity. Spell Lists: Gravity Manipulation, Wind Law, and Shielding Ways (at Tier I), Detection Ways (at Tier II).
Details: After gaining the Gravity Affinity—unassisted—during an arcane potential examination at fifteen, Tulne earned a scholarship at the Triumvirate Campus (despite being from a Nomad pride). Refusing offers of patronage throughout her first year of study brought her the ire of several patron scions. Among them was Cas’pan of the Whiteshield pride, who eventually manipulated Tulne into accepting what she believed would be a supervised practice duel. Despite his level advantage, her Gravity Affinity allowed her to bypass his shielding and embarrass him. Furious, he lashed out with a Lightning Bolt that crushed her duelling barrier. ]
I might have to talk to Cas’pan if no one else deals with him.
Not wanting to crowd Tulne’s space immediately, Amdirlain stayed in the corridor.
“Tulne, we’ve not met yet. How are you doing this afternoon?” asked Amdirlain gently.
“You’re one of Professor Mor’lmes associates?” enquired Tulne nervously. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, and her tail and arms wrapped around her body.
Amdirlain nodded. “We’ve interests in common.”
“I can’t tell you who it was; it’s not safe,” mumbled Tulne, and she turned her face towards the wall.
Moving inside the room, Amdirlain gently closed the door before she sat down at the furthest end of the couch. “I’m not here to speak to you about what happened. I was curious if you’re still interested in learning magic.”
Tulne regarded Amdirlain bleakly, unbothered by her proximity. “I love magic, but where am I going to learn? I can’t go back, and I’m unsure when my pride will even be near a town next to get in touch.”
Leaning forward, Amdirlain offered her hands to Tulne. “You’ve been through a lot. Is it correct that you’ve only got the Wizard Class at level five after being brought back to life?”
“Yes,” murmured Tulne, grasping tightly to Amdirlain’s hands. “Though my Skill and Knowledge progression were higher than my Class’ even before losing a level.”
Amdirlain waited for Tulne to continue, but she only shifted on the couch nervously, so Amdirlain continued for her. “So you were holding out, hoping to get a specialised Wizard Class to add?”
“That had been my plan,” replied Tulne, her voice trailing away.
Amdirlain nodded understandingly. “What elements are your favourite?”
“I only have an Affinity for one element. Gravity isn’t an element. I’ve been trying to earn course awards to learn other affinities,” whispered Tulne. Tears forming in the corners of her eyes, Tulne snatched her hands back to scrub them away.
“True, some people equate all affinities with elements,” replied Amdirlain.
“Only idiots. Gravity is a curvature of spacetime, allowing its more powerful spells to mimic some Spatial and Time Affinity effects,” corrected Tulne softly.
“Yeah, some affinities have aspects I didn’t expect,” admitted Amdirlain. “What is the highest priority on your list to learn?”
“Spatial,” shot Tulne.
“You didn’t even need time to consider,” laughed Amdirlain. “What attracts you to it?”
“I want to work out how the ghost caverns change. I don’t think there has been enough research into how the passages open up and how the caverns grow. If we could learn what is involved, even if we can’t stop them, we could predict or restrict their changes and that will save lives,” exclaimed Tulne.
Amdirlain smiled. “And it’s cool to Teleport.”
Tulne ducked her head, and her ears swivelled about.
“I love teleporting. You’ve got some time to fill. Would you like me to teach you Spatial Affinity now?” offered Amdirlain.
“It’ll take months or longer,” protested Tulne.
“However long it takes, isn’t it something worthwhile to do while you plan?” enquired Amdirlain.
Tulne gave her a timid smile. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
“Now, take my hands and close your eyes. I’ll be right here, and we’ll step through it together,” instructed Amdirlain, determined to make the child invaluable to others.
A few minutes later, as an understanding of the layers of physical reality and the spaces beyond them clicked into place, Tulne gasped. Yet Amdirlain didn’t stop, slowly taking her through the base elements until all the first tier of affinities had clicked into place.
When Amdirlain gently released her, Tulne gazed at her in shock. “Who are you?”
“That’s usually a wise question to start with. You can call me J,” replied Amdirlain.
“I could feel you in my mind, yet so many of your thoughts blazed about except the connection to each aspect of Mana,” breathed Tule. “How were you able to teach me affinities so quickly?”
“Through powers that I gained from my classes,” explained Amdirlain.
“How can I pay you for so many affinities?” protested Tulne.
“While I request you don’t tell the name to the law keepers, please share the name of the one who attacked you with Mor’lmes,” said Amdirlain, and she cocked her head when Tulne went to interrupt.
“I know Cas’pan of the Whiteshield pride killed you in what was supposed to be a monitored practice duel, but I won’t share that with Mor’lmes. You’ll need to find the courage to do so, or his people can’t properly protect you.”
Tulne’s mind churned with details about her killer, but Amdirlain resisted the temptation to learn more and act herself.
“They’ll get in trouble with his law keepers,” warned Tulne, her racing thoughts churned with so many wild tales that Amdirlain was unsure if any contained truth. “Wait, why didn’t you tell him?”
“Because I won’t be the one keeping you safe, nor is it my secret to tell. You need to find the courage to speak up to protect yourself,” replied Amdirlain. She silently created a finger-length memory crystal filled with magical lore and turned it over in her fingers before Tulne. “I’m not sure how much of what’s in here you’ve already studied, but it’s something to keep your mind busy.”
Tulne took the offered crystal and frowned in confusion. “What’s this?”
“It’s a memory crystal, or at least the arcane version of them. Their enchantments involve Mental Affinity; maybe one day I’ll return to teach you that and some other affinities. Focus on the crystal. It will present you with information on various subjects, and you’ll have to pass exams to access the deeper layers,” remarked Amdirlain as she tuned the crystal’s access to Tulne alone.
As her eyes danced between the crystal and Amdirlain, Tules’ ears frantically twitched. “How many layers?”
“Thousands.”
Tules’ gaze lost focus briefly as the crystal’s contents touched her mind; when she broke free, Amdirlain was gone.
Comments
Glenn Wright
Is that an actual story that I've managed to parallel or you teasing me into creating it :)
Håvard
So quick question, when do you start writing the cat girl tower climb storry? Afther all what better way to help the planet fight there problems than crateing towers in different locations around the world where people can level :) The apocalypse part is both in the furture and already happened. And an deamon that can grant wishes are in controll of the towers so... you are missing the we are all going to die part. However you do get extra points for having the mc and her full party be sexy catgirls ;) you aleady have the mc that came back from the dead ready, so you are just missing her party. You even have the main protagonist for the first book set up!
Lijwent
Hope we see her again in the future, would be greater to see Am giving her more affinities like she said
