Bending the Rules Pt. 13: Execution

Nuru nodded.

"Right. High Factions love family values, Low Factions too, for the most part; and everybody puts the husband at the head of the whole thing, gods only know why. But Neeoka encourages their members to build their families by 'conquest' - in other words, when the Clubbers sweep in on their mount, set anything on fire that amuses them, steal whatever loot they can carry, and one of them sees a woman or three he fancies, he'll take them away from their homes and loved ones by force and consummate a marriage as soon as possible, regardless of the women's wishes. And not necessarily in that order."

She watched carefully as the implications played themselves out on Nuru's face.

"Rape and pillage, in other words," Nuru spat.

"You heard about that barbarian that was feeding live women to a Greater Gelatinous Glob, to give it the form of a woman and have sex with it?"

"Yeah, I did."

"He was a Clubber."

"I suppose they're mostly men in that faction."

"About ten to one. I'm not sure what reason it isn't even higher, but those few women are there willingly, whatever that says about their twisted psyches, and they keep stables of men like the men keep harems of women."

"Rest assured, I have no interest in any part of that."

"I am ashamed to say I was worried you might. Their favorite battle cry is 'freedom'. But it's a strange sort of freedom, and only for those they consider worthy of it. 'We are free to take what we want. And if you're not with us, you are free to obey.' That's the bare truth of it."

"So which faction did you end up with?"

"Samba's Spectrum."

"Never heard of them."

"You're in the majority demographic - purebred, and human besides, just like the High Factions want everyone to be. Of course you haven't heard of us. But if you'd been born half, or gotten morphologically cursed on the day you took your class, you'd have found us in no time at all. We're the ones who aren't wanted anywhere else, and proud of it."

"And what are you folks all about?"

"Let's say liberation. But I think we're wasting too much time here. What are you doing for Level Eight?"

Nuru frowned, but didn't push any further, as much as he itched to. "Level Eight- block breakers, using the full-body-weight tree, since I don't carry a big weapon."

"Interesting. Not going the wall-climbing escape strategy? Your DEX is better suited to that."

"I'm not always going to have something to climb. I need a way to fight back if I get cornered by a heavy opponent."

"There are some ranger and thief rope skills you can also use."

"I've looked at that. The maintenance cost of all the accessories I'd need is too much, and my drum will be in the way."

"A delicate balance to strike, but plausible if you get in the initiative; they won't be expecting it, or trained for that. Let me know how that turns out someday. Level Nine?"

Nuru braced himself. "Scrolls. I'm going to learn to make them."

To his surprise, Furaha just smirked. "The quill; stronger than the sword, it is. Normally expensive, but if you're making them yourself... clever, if potentially bulky; and time-consuming, but that's not my problem. Level Ten, final MAG point, of course. Level Eleven?"

"There are some Volume Buffs to increase range and effectiveness of my music skills I want to use."

And then, the sprint to the finish. He hoped the succubus's run spell would be enough.

Furaha looked down at the build sheet in front of her, filled in a few boxes, and consulted a few charts.

"Most unconventional," she said. "To be sure, I'd expect nothing less. I'm not sure if praying to Samba will help - but I'm going to do it, just in case."

*****

"Alright kid, you're free to go." The mayor waved to the guard, and the cell opened.

Nuru took a few hesitant steps. The guard shoved him towards the door. "Come on, I don't have all day. I can't turn my back until you leave, lest you slip some contraband to the other inmates. Gods know how you'd have any, but that's the rule."

"I'm going, I'm going."

The air was sweet, the sunlight on his face welcoming and warm, despite it having not changed since the times he'd left on errands. It was time to go pull an EXP heist. Or at least, that's how it felt - it was all technically above board.

*****

"Mesi! I'm here," Nuru said.

"Oh, I'm so glad you've made it! Look, meet me after work and we'll go home. Have a meal, on me, in the meantime."

"Thanks. If everything goes well, I'm going to need that strength."

"I very much hope so."

*****

"Dayo! I've brought Nuru! Dayo?" Mesi opened the hut door, revealing the empty room inside.

"Working late today, you think?" Nuru said.

"Probably. They've been doing that a lot lately. I hope you don't mind waiting."

"Not at all. Big day tomorrow, I probably can't sleep anyway."

"Good luck, whatever it is you're planning."

"Thanks. I'll uh, just sit down over here."

"OK. Thank you again, Nuru."

"Oh, my pleasure."

*****

Late at night, the door opened, and Dayo came in wearing a very shapely pair of leather pants, and a hooded cloak. The bindings crossing their chest left little to the imagination, and the skeleton bangles adorning the valkyrie's arms were flashy and had a dangerously seductive edginess to them. The war paint was even feminine but aggressive.

"Dayo! I've brought-"

"Yes, I see that."

"Can we talk, love? Please?"

"I... uh... this might not be a good time."

"You mean with Nuru here?"

"Yeah."

"It's the best time. I asked him to come help convince you that I'm sorry."

"I know you are, Mesi," Dayo sighed. "You tell me that constantly."

"Well you don't seem to understand how much I mean it. You've been so down lately. I know I fucked everything up so bad-"

"Mesi, stop."

"-and I want to prove to you that it's OK. I'm OK. I didn't mean the things I said. I mean, I was upset, but I didn't want to hurt you, or push you away. This is all my fault, but I promise I'll get better, and I'll make it right. I want to make it right with you, right now."

"What does this have to do with him?" Dayo said, clenching a fist in frustration.

"I want to do it again. Your birthday celebration. Please, please, just-"

"Mesi, no, not another argument, not tonight-"

Mesi got down on her knees, holding onto Dayo's hand desperately, breaking into tears again.

"Please, just hear me out! I'll say no more, ever again, if you're not convinced! Please, I'm begging you, don't leave!"

Dayo looked lost.

"Uh... go on? What are you talking about, my birthday celebration?"

"What you wanted for your birthday! What we did with Nuru the night before he went to his trial!"

"Mesi, you said you never wanted to see a dick in me ever again."

"I know! I know that, alright!? I know what I said. And I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!"

"Mesi, nobody blames you. You don't like men. It's OK. You don't ever have to see that."

"But it's not OK. That's what you want, to be able to express yourself without fear of hurting my feelings. And what I'm trying to explain to you is that's what I want for you now! If... you know... you still like him."

Dayo cocked her head to the side.

"You want me to... fuck him? Right now?"

"And I wanna be there, my fingers meshed with yours, holding your head against my chest, sharing that moment of joy with you. I want to show you I'm not afraid anymore. I've realized how stupid it was, thinking that a man was going to take you away from me just because I was there to see it unlike all the other times. You've had dick in you before, you've told me all about it. You had boyfriends before me. And none of your field clients sent you away in search of another one. I pushed you away, Dayo, in my panic. But I love you, and I don't want to do that anymore."

"...Fuck, Mesi. Get up. Come here."

"I'm so, so sorry! Please forgive me! Just let me be there and hold you while he fucks your brains out. I'll prove to you that it's not like that anymore."

Mesi got up and hugged Dayo fiercely, burying the valkyrie's face in her frizzy hair.

"Sshhh. Ssh. It's OK. We're OK. I'm not leaving you," Dayo said.

"You're... not?"

"No. It's been hard, babe, I won't deny. I didn't understand what was happening, and I... pulled away, into the world I know, the person I'm comfortable being, or used to be. I had doubts about us, sure. But most of all I didn't know what else to do, I was lost. You weren't making any sense, the more you kept talking, the less I understood."

"I know I was hysterical. You know how I get. That's why I wanted Nuru here, to just... show you."

"That's amazing. You're so wonderful."

"No, you're wonderful."

"Mesi, I am a cranky old witch who can't pick a gender. You're the beautiful, smart, funny, owns-the-dance-floor sexy one."

"Old? It's a good thing you're a necromancer, because I'm two years older than you and I'm going to be crumbling into dust before too long. You'll have to reanimate me for a couple years before you croak."

"Oh, hush."

"Make me."

"You know I will. Nuru... I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it was raid night. I'm beat. I couldn't keep my eyes open to enjoy you even if I thought it was a good idea. And Tumelo's blessings on you both, I don't think it is, even if I don't know when we'll get another chance. But I got what I wanted from the celebration the other day, believe it or not, even with the way it ended."

"You at least wanna come see me off at the gate tomorrow?"

"Oh, you better believe I will. I'll walk with you to the next town you choose, too."

"Are you forming a long-term party!?" Mesi squealed.

"Would you be OK with that?" Dayo said.

"You bet your ass I would. I'd miss having you home every night, but I'd be anxious to hear all your new stories every time you came back. I know you miss adventuring out there in the wider world."

"Well, no promises - I have obligations to my faction."

"Like recruiting me," Nuru said, grinning.

"Stoppit you, you're not helping," Dayo said, pretending to be stern. "Anyway, I'd have to think about it. I have a lot of irons in the fire, not sure how everything would fit together."

"Don't worry, Nuru, I'll bring them around," Mesi winked.

"No rush. I'd just be in the way initially, I'm sure," he said.

"But you could power level him, out past the gate!" Mesi insisted brightly.

"Bah. Don't pester me, you know how I get when I'm tired!" Dayo yanked on the hair in back of Mesi's head.

"Oh! I be good girl. I promised."

"Let's go to bed. And sleep."

A loud scratching sound came from the back door.

Mesi screamed in terror. "Dayo! There's a rabid goostritch or something! This is why I want to live in city limits!"

"You know we can't, Mesi. Let me see who this is."

The valkyrie held a snarling purple bear face in one hand, and a scythe in the other which they used to open the door.

"Oh. Jaheem. Nuru, he's here for you I'm guessing."

The feliform backed away; the scythe and the bear vanished.

"Uh... OK, I'll come out with you," Nuru said. "!Fassada Girma! What's the matter?"

Jaheem whined.

[The graceful one hurts our ears.]

"Oh, yeah, mine too. She should be OK now, I think. Still, this is fine, outside. Why are you here?"

Grumble.

[We have a proposition.]

"Our... we... wait, Tusa? Is that you, too? I can't see."

Chomf.

[Yes.]

"Well, hey. Good to see you, so to speak, but it's late. Can it wait until tomorrow?"

[The IOU has expired. I can travel with you no more.]

"Oh. Yeah, I forgot, I don't mean to take you for granted."

[You are too kind. We know that you have not done so. Words have reached our ears, telling of a gathering. A hunt for your guilt.]

"Yeah, that was... unfortunate. Wish I could have gotten out of a sentence, but it seems some powerful forces were quite strongly opposed to that."

[No matter. The scent of those events has faded, only the memory remains. Nevertheless, we know in that perilous moment when the trap closed about you, still you thought of us, and left no blame to stain lyena hides.]

"That's one way to put it, I guess."

Tusa broke in.

[Father says... you are an honorable human. And I am beginning to see it. He says I could do worse than to travel with you, to level in my own way. I have less skill than he, and I will not merely stand by, to come on command, nor can I transport instantly as he did, yet. And the world beckons to be stalked, and savored; yet in times of great need, I will come.]

"That's... wow, that's really cool. So you're going to give me some way to call you?"

[An Oath. Not so much an IOU, as no debt now exists between us, but it shall allow you to signal me of your need in the same way, and lead me to you.]

"I'm flattered. That's very generous of you."

[Be aware, I am not sure of my strength, and do not have my father's skill to avoid harm to you in close quarters. And I must solve your problems my own way, as in the moment I fear communication will fail me.]

"OK. I'll give you the simplest version of what I'm trying to do, and you can help as best you can figure out how."

[Exactly. We understand one another.]

"I'm honored to accept this. And what will you do now, Jaheem?"

[There are young ones here who have much to learn. They are no sons of mine - but perhaps your kind, and ours, can overcome our old differences, if only someone is willing to make the first show of faith. Under the circumstances, I believe it must be me.]

"That's fantastic. I wish you the best of luck."

Jaheem gave a throaty chuckle.

[It's going to be fun.]

"OK, maybe don't grin like that or you'll scare them," Nuru said.

Tusa snorted and yelped out a laugh.

"Ow! Gods, you're just as bad!"

Jaheem and Tusa whooped harshly together.

"Gahh! Get out of here, before they send the hunters after this hideous chimera they hear!"

*****

"You ready to do this?" Ace said, putting the finishing touches on a ward.

"Yep, I'm going balls deep on this today."

"Eww, dude. That's revolting."

"Sorry, I got cock blocked yesterday, like twice. Don't meant to take it out on you."

"Whatevs. I guess I'm getting paid enough EXP to ignore that."

"You are?"

"What did you think I was doing it for? I'm taking a huge risk here, and that blasted woman wouldn't give me the slightest idea why, not the tiniest hint. Said if she told me, it would all fail. But now that I know you're involved, I'm betting this is my break. It'll be worth it, if not the EXP, then the opportunity. I'm in with her, man, I'm going places now, thanks to you."

"I'm happy for you. You want to go to the gate and see me off afterwards?"

"You bet. Wouldn't miss it."

"I've invited someone else, too. I think you'll like 'em."

"Is it a girl?" Ace said, suspiciously.

"Nope."

"Bluff check... pass. But I can tell you're hiding something."

"It's complicated. You'll just have to wait and see."

"I guess I will. Time to go turn those quests in. Make sure you're ready."

"Trust me, I'm ready."

Nuru turned and walked to the Tumelo's Chosen hidden doorway close by, not bothering to hide the way he'd gone from Ace. The man had dropped a smoke portal and vanished; if it had been a ruse, Nuru was in bigger trouble than giving away a secret location to a faction he didn't even belong to anyway.

"Ah, hello Nuru! Welcome back!" Onyekachi said.

"Don't mind helping me with some levels, do you?" Nuru said.

"Oh, not at all, not at all! We've got a bunch of quests you can take, too. I'd love to tell you about the work we're doing. Got a minute?"

"Oh, certainly. Gonna top up here as soon as someone completes a quest for me - don't you worry, I've got the build all figured out."

"Have you? Wonderful! So as you know, our faction embraces the secrets of life after death, such as they are. I'm thinking a man like you could draw some very old spirits out of hiding. We've never had a bard in all our history; it's a fabulous idea, and I wish I'd had it sooner. Sing to them, lure them out with old songs that recall the memories of better days: powerful spirits, paragons of intellect and cunning, titans of tactical prowess. There's an infamous few out there no one has ever been able to release or, better yet, capture their knowledge for posterity. You could be a star."

"Fascinating. Do go on."

Nuru listened with half an ear as he held a small hourglass in his hand, glancing down every now and then to make sure he was holding it steady. The sand ran out, and his EXP bar filled. Onyekachi began describing a deep dungeon, full of all manner of nasties that had been revived to protect the lich in a distant land that he himself had been to, fought with, and ultimately failed to capture.

"Oh! There it is. Excuse me a moment," Nuru said.

He put his hand down on the altar, let the purple image resolve into his Level Up options. He took the level, MAG+, and closed it.

"So sorry. Easy one, Level Five. You were saying?"

"Ah, yes. Without going into too much detail - a formality until you join, you understand - we give them a new home, a place of honor, and encourage them to open up about their experiences, so that all may benefit. Us especially, of course. They're like an open book, an autobiography, and a living account of history. Those who fail to learn are doomed to repeat it, as they say. There's another one not far from here, but past the gate..."

Onyekachi launched into another retelling which Nuru heard but didn't process. His mind faithfully recorded it for later, but his focus was on the hourglass silently draining in his hand. Surreptitiously, not wanting to be rude, he put his hand down again as another batch of EXP came through.

Level Six was more complicated, but he barely had to move a muscle, and the archon just kept talking. Safe Fall skills unlocked, giving him a pool of various evasion feats to enable with certain proficiency levels, and enhancing his reflexive defenses and initiative score. Maybe he wouldn't be taken by surprise as often anymore. Spatial Reasoning would be especially effective with his Eidetic Memory, and unlike most of his other skills the effect did not depend on proficiency but rather additional options could unlock the more he used it. He had to pass on Speed Music Reading; if he needed to learn from notation, he'd have to do it slow and with more practice.

The story was long, and Onyekachi was full of little asides. But Nuru was watching the falling sand with rapt attention, even though he wasn't actually looking down at it; his mind's eye followed the grains, and he glanced down casually now and then to make sure his estimation wasn't lying to him, making agreeable noises at the right times in the narrative. Then it was time again.

Level Seven. Musical Multitasking was the multiple instrument skill tree. Ambidexterity doubled up his handedness proficiency; anything he learned with one hand, he'd do equally well with the other. Mental Metronome would enhance his perception of time, to be able to keep a beat consistent no matter what was happening around him, and had a plethora of other uses, and was essential for drum progression. In fact, he no longer needed the hourglass to know when the next quest would complete. Ace was coming through exceptionally well so far, although it really just came down to turning in the quests at the right time, now that they'd all been otherwise completed.

Nuru was sweating nervously now, trying very hard not to fidget. His heart rate was as high as when he'd stared down the ghost who had imposed the new shop quest on him on pain of death. Depending on how desperate the Chosen were to gain some advantage, he might be in danger of Onyekachi turning him in for- something, he wasn't sure what- before he was able to finish.