Breaking the Rules Pt. 09

"I'll remember."

Nuru walked with him to the gate, and then sighed in quiet relief as it closed behind him. He walked to the edge of town trying to process the whirlwind of feelings to unpack, flexing his hand which still hurt from the handshake. Once he got out away from the buildings and into the grass, he couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Ace, I hope you stole something expensive."

"He paid the stupid tax, alright," Ace said, appearing at Nuru's elbow. "Here, I'll split it with you, just so I don't have to carry it all. Stupid tax is proportional, a house that big..."

"How does somebody so egotistical get so rich? He clearly doesn't adventure for a living."

"I did some poking around while you were, uh, occupied. Looks to me like he comes from old money. Parents recently passed on, probably never told him no to anything in his life. I don't know what kind of connections he has, but I don't think he gets many visitors. The money's gonna run out before he passes on, is my guess. I don't know what he's going to do when that happens, but I'd hate to be around him when the pressure hits."

"Yeah... I hate to leave Suberi there, but I don't know if there's anything I can do for her. She's bound to the guy, for bad or worse."

"I could send word to my faction, or slip it to Imamu's Legion. They'd dismantle the place with prejudice. She's been trained on a deep level, though; I shudder to think what they'd do to try to rehabilitate her. What they might *have* to do."

"A problem for another day. What really bothers me is that someone else might end up like her."

"Tell Furaha. See what she comes up with."

"Ooh. I- hmm. You sure that's a good idea?"

"Ah, I know what you're referring to. She told me what to expect, if someone tries to leverage her past against her; I don't know details, but... I think she can handle it, even so. Introduce it gently. Let her get used to it before you explain how to find him. That'll give us some time to figure out your next move, too. You looking for more of these guys?"

"No. I need to figure out if I'm going to bust this pendant, and then... I know what my next objective is."

"The Glitch."

"You heard that?"

"The guy's not exactly soft-spoken. That place echoes, even with the door shut."

"Yeah. Well, give me some space if you don't mind. I have a lot to think about."

"You got it. We're headed back to Quartz Port, yes?"

"Yeah."

"You lead, I'll be around."

*****

Nuru was approaching Quartz Port city limits when he heard something whistle by, and Ace grunted, appearing several feet away. Everything seemed to happen at once.

"Look... out!" Ace said through gritted teeth.

Nuru looked over just as something hit the ground next to him; an arrow stuck out of the dirt right by his foot. Ace was leaning over a little, holding an arrow in his side. Nuru looked up just as another arrow landed in the dirt by his other foot.

"Don't run," came a gruff voice.

"!Kafa Mara Nauyi!" Nuru muttered, hopping backward, dodging to the side and beginning a sprint in a random direction.

"Urgh!" Ace said.

Nuru spared a glance behind him and saw Ace fall with another arrow in the back. He slowed, watching to see if he could somehow help.

"I'm... s-sorry, Nuru... I c-can't stay..."

SHOOM

Ace vanished in a smoke portal, and Nuru was alone.

"You cannot escape."

A figure darted through the smoke cloud and it was only the face he saw that stopped Nuru cold, and kept him from activating Tusa's oath.

"Gram."

The Level Fifty-One Ranger, former butcher, exile from Home Town, and holder of the biggest grudge Nuru knew he had against himself, held the arrow pointed straight at his heart. He sagged with the knowledge of the futility of trying to run, even with Weightless Foot. For a long minute, they stared at each other, Nuru aghast and Gram furious. Nuru's life flashed before his eyes, pausing at a few select moments, giving him a wild idea.

One moment loomed large: the time that he'd helped summon a succubus he had thought was his own pacted demon, at the time going by the name Adana. The other was an offhand remark during the discussion in which she had taken her new name, Sanaa, and had mentioned that one of the spells her lookalike had used, she herself knew as well: a shine that deflected aggro so that enemies would not want to attack. If she was facing challengers, he hoped desperately that she had it slotted before he'd received the pendant that now blocked their connection. He wasn't sure which one it was, so he hoped against hope that the other wouldn't spoil the effect, or incriminate him further. He also knew that it had failed to keep the other succubus alive, and was not a sure solution, but it might give him a few more seconds; if he was lucky, enough time to find a way to talk himself out of it.

"!Gunung Seuneuan Hampang!...!Kyakyawa Gani!" he muttered, followed by the only plea for mercy he could think of. "I'm too pretty to die!"

He stood there, eyes squinted shut bracing for the worst, knowing he had nothing that could stop the arrow, or the axe, that the man carried.

"Graaaahhhh!!" Gram cried out, loosing the arrow right into the dirt between Nuru's feet. "Come. We talk."

Nuru's heart skipped a beat. Had it actually worked?

"I- I'm sorry about-"

"SHUT UP! *You* don't talk. *I* talk. You listen."

Nuru followed silently to a campsite.

"Sit."

Nuru sat exactly where he was standing, away from the fire.

"Oh, get over here where I can see you, dammit."

Nuru got up and moved, and sat by the low fire. Long minutes passed.

"I- it kills me to say this, so I'm only going to say it once. Pay close attention," Gram said.

The ranger battled some inner turmoil, then collected his resolve.

"I... need your help."

Nuru waited, just listened solemnly.

"No snide remarks? No dance for joy?" Gram snarled.

Nuru shook his head.

"You know, I thought you were the cockiest son-of-a-bitch after what you pulled. Fate, it seems, has a sense of irony. What could you, a lowly -Level Twelve, is it? No, still Eleven!- do for me, you wonder? I talked to my nephew, after I left. He was less sympathetic than I expected. Cold, even. And hiding something. Two things, in fact. But family is everything to me. 'Why could that be, he can tell me anything,' I wondered. And then I found out it was true, what Jaheem said: no lyena touched him and scarred him for the rest of his days. And more than that, my family is bigger than I knew. He was foolish, my nephew, not only in business partners, but in love as well. He carelessly spent his seed, and had a son, one he knew I would not approve of, even though family is everything. A drunken harlot warmed his bed, quarter orc and quarter goblin. Some whore the High Factions would love nothing more than to alchemically sterilize, but he got to her first, and now... now I have a grand-nephew. I had to give him a chance. He's family, even if I was sure he'd be a worthless hoodlum like his father's becoming. So I arranged a meeting at the Home Town gate. And damned if he isn't a lad with a good heart. I can't abandon him, like his father has.

"That's right, my own nephew has left his son to his misery. I've been giving his mother some money to help raise him. But he's not the best-looking kid, it must be said. Gets teased a lot, bullied. By rights, I'd step in and end it myself, if only... if only I weren't exiled. I know you are as well. But there's one thing- one demand I have. We will never be friends, that is clear. But if you do this for me, I will consider the slate clean."

"What can I do?" Nuru said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

"The boy needs a friend. I... hear word that Jaheem has remained behind. Playing with the young ones, even defending them from the odd monster, much to my surprise. I had to check, three times. But he won't go near my grand-nephew. Smells my son's blood in him, I think, and this only encourages the teasing and the harsh words; 'even Old Jaheem thinks he's ugly' they say. He must fear my disregard for the exile, and the hate he knows I carried for years. And were the boy better socialized, he might be right. But I want him to be accepted. And if this is the only way, it is the bitterest pill of my whole life to swallow, but I will do it. I will beg him for forgiveness, on my hands and knees. But I need you to bring him. He will come for your sake, if he will for anyone. Part of me hopes you refuse, so I get the satisfaction of killing you. But this way does seem to have the highest chance of success; I have to think of the child first. I know you must think me a monster, but I can let it go for his sake."

"There... might be a way. I have one condition," Nuru said.

"Don't push me."

"Only this: how did you find me? Who told you? How can I contact them?"

He thought he knew who it was.

"Done. You bring him, and I will tell you."

"Very well. Here, one week?"

"Come alone. You know no one else can escape my senses, any more than your thief friend could. I'll aim for the crit."

"I will need Tusa to be here as well. That's how I can contact him. I'm sure he won't let his father come alone."

"Ah. I wondered about that. Very well, Tusa can come. It may help convince Jaheem as well."

"One week. I'll be back."

Nuru got up stiffly, walked slowly away, and managed to steady his breathing by the time he reached city limits.

*****

Street lamps cast long shadows every which way. Nuru's head snapped around at every movement, expecting another attack at any moment. He reached the library almost without incident; when he arrived, he saw a familiar-looking dwarf standing outside, fighting with a couple city guards not to be dragged away.

"-an it ain't worked a bit since then! Come out an' let me rip yer ovaries out! Then we'll be square! Oi, get off me ya lunkheads, I demand justice! Ye should be on my side!"

"Come along, we'll file the paperwork and get to the bottom of this," one of the guards said.

"An' how long will that take? I gotta ship out in the morn- ye'll just let her get back ta business as usual if'n I'm not here to make my case!"

"Make a deposition, and we'll hold a hearing! Come on, don't make me take you in and miss your boat."

"Ah, feck the lot a' ya! I'll be back ye fish-lovin' elf! This ain't the last o' this!"

He turned and spied Nuru.

"Ah, feckin' hell, there ye are! Ye broke me peter an' now ye're gonna pay!"

He broke free of the guards and dashed toward Nuru. Dayo Shadow-Walked right out into the street in front of the dwarf, slamming their staff into his knees, slowing him enough for the valkyrie to spin their staff the other way and crack him across the back of the head. He went down like a chopped tree. The guards dragged him away, promising to return and get statements shortly.

"Gods, Nuru! I just heard what happened, are you alright?!" Dayo said, giving him a back-cracking hug.

"Oof! I'm OK. Is Ace...?"

"Made it to the healer," Furaha said, slipping out the doorway and all but dragging Nuru back inside the building. "Wasn't pretty, those injuries. He's gonna be out of action for a few days. Ekene didn't like it of course, but she'll get to spend more time with him this way, so I think she'll come around."

Dayo took a deep breath. "OK, since we're all accounted for, I'm gonna head home. Catch me up tomorrow on everything."

"We will," Furaha said. "Come on Nuru, let's discuss at my hut, where you won't have to repeat yourself."

*****

"...and he wants me to get Jaheem to hear his case," Nuru finished.

"Wow. May I see the amulet?" Furaha said.

Nuru handed it over. "Give it to Ekene to hide somewhere, if you don't mind."

"Strange. Never seen anything like it before. It's like copper, but..."

"Something extra mixed in. I know. The other one- I could swear they're identical. He said he makes proper metal ones that don't break easy."

"Does he put anything in them?"

"I'm guessing not. He may not have known about that- I didn't even ask him about the riddle inside, although he had an answer for it."

"Doesn't speak well for him if even the other pacted won't give him that much," Furaha said. "Or if he couldn't be bothered to read it."

"There's all kinds of things wrong with that guy. I could almost swear he's a Clubber."

"A Seal Clubber with a succubus behind him? She'd have the worst taste."

"No argument from me. We'll have to discuss his live-in slave sometime. She didn't seem desperate to leave, but... He was bragging about having drawn her blood in every room of the giant place."

"Cad. Let me chew on that. He deserves something nasty, but let me try to find a way to free her first. If she even wants that."

"I should think so. He talked about breaking bones and non-pain-suppression regen, and-"

"I- I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Sorry. Should I go for a bit?"

"No! No... don't go, please. Just... can you hold me?"

"Yes."

They settled in on the edge of her bed and sat quietly for a bit with his arm around her shoulder. She sniffled, and wiped her eyes several times, but didn't cry out. Darkness outside deepened, and full night fell.

"This is nice. I don't want you to have to give me back," she said after awhile, pulling him to lie down in a spoon position.

"What do you mean? Nobody owns you," Nuru said.

"My dad used to. You remember marriage, right? The father gives the bride away to the groom."

"I don't see him here to enforce that."

"No... he long ago gave me up as damaged goods. My job owns me now. You have to give me back in the morning."

"Surely you don't really think that. They claim your time, but they don't own you. 'You're not my real boss, boss'. That's what you said."

She turned her head and looked at him a long moment, her eyes own hard to read in the failing light but shining vulnerably with what little there was.

"Yes... I guess nobody really owns me now. My heart is mine to give away. I'll let you borrow it for a little bit."

"Thank you. I'll be gentle."

"Not always, I hope."

"...are we still talking about your heart?"

She giggled. "Nope."

"But you don't mean tonight, do you?"

He heard, rather than saw, her smile. "No. I'm teasing again."

"Ah."

"Soon, though."

They chattered about businesses Nuru had seen and hadn't had time to go inside to check out. Eventually, Furaha stopped responding, and Nuru decided she'd gone to sleep. He turned over and dropped off quickly.

*****

He woke up to the sound of voices outside. He stretched, got out of the empty bed, and walked through the door. Furaha was poking and prodding Ace, discovering where the edges of the actual wound were.

"Sure you don't want the healer to do it?" Furaha was saying.

"Nah. No sense spending all that money on a quick change of bandage. I'd have Ekene do it, but salt from the water getting in it would be more than I want to deal with."

"Alright, here goes."

She tore the bandage off in one mighty pull with a loud ripping sound. Ace doubled over in pain.

"Aaaaaahahaha, owwww," he groaned without mirth.

"That'll be five currency," Furaha said, immediately laughing.

"Oof. I didn't realize you show no mercy at everything you do. I'd have waited for Nuru if I had."

"With my proficiency, I'd only manage to rip it halfway off, and it would hurt worse," Nuru said.

"Hey, sleepyhead. I've got to get to work. Walk with me?" Furaha said.

"Ace, you got it from here, right?" Nuru said.

"Yep. I've had worse."

"OK. Let's go then."

"I have something for you," Furaha said as they walked.

"Oh? What's that?"

"Or rather, I have something for Sanaa."

She pulled out a scrap of parchment paper when they reached the library, and handed it over.

CANDAK KAPAMILIKAN GAJAH AHUJA. ANGGO NAMI LERES. ENTONG NYAIROS MUSISI.

"The heck do I do with this?"

"Show her. She'll tell you the rest."

"Right now?"

"Sure. I gave your amulet to Ekene, she should be far enough away now."

(Hey. Sorry, I know it's early, but you need to see this.)

/This better be... huh. Wait. Elephant what? What's ahuja?/

The pocket dimension, Nuru immediately remembered.

(Oh. That's the code translation for... what we were asking her to look for earlier. What does that all mean?)

/It's demonic speech. It's not important./

(What do you mean not important? Why is it in a language I can't read if it's not important!? I thought this thing was a big deal - your escape plan, or something.)

/Or more precisely, it's important that you not know./

"Huh? You're hiding things from *me* now?" Nuru said.

"Look, it's for your protection," Furaha said. "I wish I could just say it, believe me. Sanaa, tell him."

/The words are monitored. You know what I asked her to look for. I just need one more thing from her now./

"Okayyyy..." Nuru said. "What else do you have for her?"

"It's coming. I need some cash for this, though. Some real cash. You and Ace need to go raise some."

"How much are we talking? Crap, I don't know how to begin with that - regular adventuring is the one thing I've mostly been avoiding all this time. I'm already in debt, even."

"Well, figure it out. I need a hundred and fifty currency. Ekene's gift is already spent, I haven't got it to give, or I would gladly chip in."

"No, no. You need that money for yourself, too," Nuru said. "I've got... let me see."

He counted.

"Ok, assuming I keep just enough that I can eat for the rest of the week, I've got forty-five to throw in," he said.

"A good start. Sanaa? What say you?" Furaha said.

/You need to summon me./

"Summon you? Hoo boy, is that even safe?" Nuru said.

/No. And I need to talk with her alone, when she gets this other thing for me./

"Gods below. Two of the sexiest women I know are conspiring behind my back. This is either epically good, or epically bad."

Furaha cackled evilly. "I know. Isn't it exhilarating!?"

/I know I'm worked up about it!/

"Hey Dayo," Nuru said, took a deep breath and fought his growing erection for control of his brain as the valkyrie arrived through the multiversal gate.

He explained everything it felt safe to mention. "How goes your unofficial questing?"

"Good. I'm close to a few answers. I'm not sure how to distract the reaver, though."

"Ok, well, I guess I know what I'm doing the rest of the week," Nuru said, swallowing nervously.

"What's that?" Furaha said.

"Questing with Chibale."