Breaking the Rules Pt. 14

Breaking the Rules takes place in an RPG universe, and is the sequel to Bending the Rules. To understand the characters and how the world works, please start from Part 1 of either series. Not based on any particular gaming franchise or storyline, but there may be guest appearances.

Thanks everyone for your patience. I'm probably going to have to go to a three-week release schedule for a bit; life is still crazy, but I can't wait to get to some of the adventures coming down the pipe, so something had to give. Hopefully this is sustainable for awhile.

*****

"Oh my god tell me everything!" Furaha demanded the moment Nuru walked through the library door.

"Excitable aren't we?" Nuru teased.

"Do you know, I hardly slept a moment all night long? I know my home isn't yours, so you wouldn't be 'coming home to me' if you showed up at the hut, but you were walking into what could have been a trap, and I really wanted to know that you were OK. I almost took up biting my nails, even though I've never done that before."

"Aw, is somebody getting attached?" Dayo said, coming in through the Multiversal Travel Gate.

"Don't act like you weren't up at midnight with me, waiting!" Furaha glared.

"*I* wasn't," Ace said appearing dramatically.

"Should have never told you how long the anti-sneak countdown is," Furaha grumbled.

"Hey, I've got to test your defenses," Ace said. "You know I could pop out of Sneak behind a bookcase or something and then pop back in for almost as long and not trigger the gel. And if I can do it, someone else can too."

"I'd still know you were there," Furaha insisted.

"Are you sure? I actually asked one of my-"

SPLUT

"Oh... gross," a thief said, appearing in the room, covered in some noxious substance.

Dayo Shadow Walked behind and put their scythe over his shoulder, blade across his neck.

"Woah, hey, relax. I'm going peacefully," he held his hands out.

"I asked him to come here... sorry dude," Ace said.

"I added a variance factor to the countdown, which only takes effect when other people are here," Furaha smirked. "I was wondering when you'd try to push the limit."

"Ooh. We started auditing it at night when nobody was around," Ace said.

"Deron? Is that you?" Nuru said.

"Yep. I always seem to get shafted when you're around," the thief said.

"You know this guy?" Furaha said.

"I'm more surprised that *you* know this guy," Nuru said to Ace.

"Well, sure I do," Ace said. "We showed up to get that bonus stuff at the temple the day you triggered the demon alarm. The first time, that is, after your leg armor game. We all went and hung out at Thieves Guild, he liked my story about getting the Legendary armor set and we got to talking after you left."

"Even after the paladins chased down one of the other guys and made him rat on everybody that was there, then interrogated us all for hours about you," Deron said.

"Aheheh... yeahhh. Sorry about that," Nuru said. "I didn't know they went all inquisition on everybody. Nor that the alarm was going to go off, for that matter."

"Demons are a big deal in Home Town. I'm surprised pacts are even allowed," Ace said.

"Good thing that's all over and done with, eh?" Deron said.

"You got that right. Those guys were all beating on my door at ungodly hours, asking stupid questions," Dayo said.

Ace pointed at the door.

"Oops, that's my cue to leave," Deron said. "I trust you got what you were looking for."

"Yeah, you earned this. Catch you around," Ace tossed him a small bag of money.

They let him waddle out uncomfortably, wincing with every squelching step, and waited until Furaha nodded.

"Ace, what the hell is wrong with you, bringing an outsider into this?" she growled.

"What's the matter?" Ace said. "Audit consultation is a common quest for thieves, one of the most honorable things we do. You weren't discussing anything critical."

"But if we were-" Furaha started.

"-then you would have had a real problem on your hands either way," Ace said, holding up a scroll. "Look, I won't tell you your business. But I can tell you, in my experience, anything said in straight bow show from a building exit is not protected. Wards or no, all you need is somebody, or several somebodies, with a powerful spyglass and the Read Lips skill to get past everything you did here. This is a transcript of the conversation you had with that little page punk yesterday. You know for a fact I wasn't here."

"Well, I'm sorry my dinky little library isn't up to your standards as a stronghold, but this is what we have. Do I need to remind you-"

"Hold on, woah, woah. Time out," Nuru said. "Ace, do you have a suggestion, or are you just slinging mud here?"

"I do. I say we go raid the office."

"What office? What-" Nuru said.

"Gods, not this again," Furaha said. "We don't have the manpower to even scout much less raid a faction vault."

"On the contrary, I think we do. Nuru, weren't you playing timing coordinator for that gaggle of bugbears with Chibale?" Ace said.

"Uh, I guess you could say that. I got them all marching together at least."

"That's the usual issue with mobs, particularly if you haven't got direct control on the individual level. But, Dayo..." Ace said.

"Eh?" Dayo looked at Ace with suspicion.

"You just nabbed a bunch of human souls from that group of ghouls that attacked on the way here. I know you needed to set their spirits free, as they were adventurers once, but you get to process their essence and keep a portion, right?"

"I'll have you know that's confidential. But yes; I was too late to contribute to the Trouper raid pool. I got to keep it, and I sorely needed it, because I'm all out of hawk and bear, and I'm supposed to contribute to the faction coffers, not drain them. A necromancer with no souls is just a fighter's practice dummy with a light complexion."

"See, I already knew, it was a rhetorical question," Ace said. "So, since you get to keep some humanoid essence, you've got some to spare. Nuru, this is directly interfering with your goals, so you're now in the need-to-know category, and I'll abide by whatever you decide here. But we've hit a brick wall with this page investigation, and if we're going to get Furaha back into her element, we need to blow this thing wide open."

"But you're talking about a faction field office," Furaha said. "I don't care if it's staffed full of insiders, they're settled in like a tick in an artery. There's no way to get in there without raising an alarm."

"So raise an alarm. We'll be gone by the time backup gets there," Ace said.

"But the forensics - they'll send someone in there, and they'll know we-" Furaha said.

"Let me stop you right there, please," Ace said. "You got Nuru out past the Level Eleven gate without taking a single faction quest. Not even the preliminaries. And yes, you did it through masterstroke planning and execution. But there's a time for plans, and there's a time to muscle an obstacle aside."

"We're inside city limits. The guards will kill us!" Furaha insisted. "This is their legitimate jurisdiction. We break those laws, we'll be wanted everywhere."

"If we're convicted," Ace said. "On the side favoring our acquittal, is the fact that the page has been violating the Messenger's Oath since he set foot in this place. How many people has he hurt, indirectly?"

"Nobody important believes me," Furaha grumbled.

"Because you need proof for something this big," Ace said. "That proof, according to well-known faction protocol, is in the vault in the Legion office just up the street. You know it, I know it, and your superiors even know it- but they can't do anything without proof to take to a judge. All that bureaucratic paperwork is the only thing between you and a new home. They don't care about this place, but if we strike this blow to Imamu, and win the favor of all the people that stupid kid has hurt, they have no excuse for keeping you here."

"If it works. If it doesn't-"

"How would we even do this?" Nuru broke in. "Ace, you can't break into a full vault by yourself, you couldn't even unlock my cage."

Ace shook his head. "No need. We pacify the yard, and we capture the guy who has the key. There's a glyph he needs to enter at the same time he turns the lock. Turn that guy, and we're in and out."

"You make it sound like overpowering two dozen guards is easy," Furaha said. "It's your skulls out there taking the beating. You sure you're up for that?"

"Dayo, mind repeating your tactical analysis as we discussed?" Ace said.

Dayo looked unhappy, but nodded. "Two dozen, like you said. All green, all lower-level, and used to being the strongest force on the field."

"Disposition?" Ace prompted. "How would they react to facing a horde of undead?"

"*IF* we can manage it- they'll break and run, or cower in a corner," Dayo replied.

"Ace... Imamu is High Faction," Nuru said. "As is your own affiliation. How do you justify your part of this?"

Ace shrugged, then grinned. "Chaotic Neutral."

Dayo snorted, and Furaha giggled.

"No, but seriously, there's some prime beachfront property I want, and there's a particularly stubborn resident that keeps the price unaffordably high. If I can just get that bitch to move, I can snatch that hut up for a song," Ace glared mockingly at Furaha.

Her mouth opened in indignation, and Dayo covered their mouth with a hand.

"Well, Nuru, what do you think?" she said, getting into a shoving match with Ace, squeaking as he found tender spots to poke her with a finger.

"I think you're related," Nuru said. "What do you think, Dayo? Siblings, aren't they?"

"Hah!" the valkyrie barked out.

"Very funny," Furaha made a face at him. "I meant about the plan."

"You need somebody to keep the fodder marching in lockstep, do you?" Nuru said.

"Oh yes," Dayo said. "If they see a foe that looks experienced, well-directed, and willing to fight to the death, they'll bend over like a cheap whore."

Ace grimaced. "Why did you have to use that metaphor?"

"Eh, sorry. Mesi had some trouble with the weekend crew at the inn. It was on my mind."

"Ah, I see."

Ace looked pacified; Dayo, embarrassed.

"So you're going to do like we did with the bugs, where you've got a leader and a bunch of followers?" Nuru said.

"Uh, yes, except these are a bit more intelligent than bugs. I haven't made a miniboss before, but apparently this is going to be my first," Dayo said.

"Oh snap, look at you moving up in the world!" Nuru said.

"I told you we'd wreak some havoc together, Dayo," Furaha said, soft tone belying the steely satisfaction underneath.

"I've... been trying not to get my hopes up," Dayo said, smiling timidly. "Didn't want to set myself up for crushing disappointment. But I can't help it now."

"Right! Party agreement! Go forth and conquer!" Furaha gloated, whipping one out she'd clearly been saving for this moment, and passed it around.

It was a Power Leveller template, Nuru saw; meant to bring lower-level party members up to equal strength more quickly. Therefore, he'd be getting the lion's share of the EXP, but sacrificing his share of gold and equipment. It wouldn't matter, since much of the money would be earmarked for the quest objective anyway.

"About freakin' time," Ace said. "Feels like a year I've been waiting for this to happen."

"No time to waste. Important things to do. Like this; turn your head, Ace," Nuru smirked as he stepped forward to embrace Furaha. "Patience, Dayo, you'll get your turn. One more thing."

Nuru pulled a flower out from inside his drum, where he'd carefully hidden it, and pressed it into Furaha's hand as he stepped back.

"There's more where that came from," he winked as he turned to Dayo.

The valkyrie just looked at him, then looked over at Furaha, who had her hand over her mouth and was tearing up.

"Oh my god, Nuru!" the half-elf wept. "You remembered! I mean, you have Eidetic, I know, but- you thought of me!"

"Sure I did! I told you, I really genuinely like you and I think you're special," he said, feeling like he was underestimating the gesture somehow.

"Dayo... don't you dare let this idiot get himself killed, you hear me!?" Furaha demanded.

"Yes ma'am," they tipped their hat. "Come on Nuru, we've got work to do. I'll take my kiss on the way."

*****

"This is not working," Nuru chuckled as he and Dayo fumbled at each other playfully as they walked.

"All right, all right, let's get serious," Dayo agreed. "Ace, can you go set traps for some Random Encounters? Doesn't have to be lethal, we've got enough firepower to take down some decent foes. Actually, we'll want to wander North where the levels are a bit higher."

"You bet I can. You ever take thieves as valkyries? Seems like they'd go hand in hand," Ace said.

"They were some of the most famous necromancers, back in old times; had the best boss fights, with the big monsters pulling all the aggro, and they'd sit back and watch and pick off the weakest or most vulnerable party members when everybody wasn't looking. Nowadays, rebalancing and advancements in the art of warding have made it easier to do most of the same things without all the expensive equipment, and less work," Dayo said. "Still a good battle strategy for Specter Seekers. And, I suppose, there are some opportunities for thieves that learn all the same wards to do some other kind of strategy, but we haven't been seeing that recently because, again, not many recruits."

"Why are you so excited about this, Ace?" Nuru said. "Wouldn't you rather be doing all the exclusive secret-agent stuff for Furaha?"

"Yeah, that excitement wears off a bit when you realize how much drudge work is involved," Ace said. "I mean, the payoff can be pretty good in the end, but... let's just say Quartz Port doesn't have work so juicy that I stay up late with anticipation. In contrast, working with you is still kind of cloak-and-dagger, I get to work with better people, and I'm not convinced that it won't get me somewhere in her organization too. It's all kinds of win- wait. Did you hear that?"

Dayo looked up, and Ace vanished. Nuru peered around, straining, but couldn't make anything out.

"Oh god dammit, not-" Dayo started.

A big creature trundled quietly through the undergrowth, with a single rider on its back.

"Chibale," Nuru said.

A great tusked boar finally showed its face, attached to a massive slab of meat with legs.

"What. The fuck. Are you doing here," the Puppetmaster glared at Dayo.

"I-"

"Shut up, hireling. I'm here for Nuru."

"Hey, ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer," Nuru said, restraining himself.

"True," Chibale said. "So, before we were so rudely interrupted, we were ghoul tipping. You coming along?"

"Not today, got business to attend to," Nuru said, eying the nasty creature warily.

"And, what, she's your pack mule? Can't be more than that, you can't pact."

"Actually, I can. And I did."

"Dayo, you're not that fucking stupid are you? You need more than one faction represented-"

"Ace," Nuru said.

The man appeared with a length of rope in his hands, running underneath the boar and over to a fairly sturdy-looking tree.

"Say the word, boss," he said, whipping the end of the rope around idly. Half a second and he could tie the boar's front leg, stab it in the flank, and send it careening in a circle around the distant tree, until either tree or boar gave way.

"Come on man, don't be 'harshing my mellow'," Nuru said. "We got along when you understood that I have a busy schedule. I'm sure you've got better things to do than sit around waiting for me. Duties to your faction."

"So does she," Chibale spat. "Or did you forget Tumelo owns you now, noob?"

"Maybe you didn't hear, Onyekachi cancelled all my quests. Nuru's everything I have," Dayo said, weighing their words carefully.

"Bah," Chibale said, tossing a wad of parchment at the valkyrie. "That was just temporary. You were dismissed the moment I showed up. Get back to work, that's an order."

Dayo opened the roll of paper and read.

"Faction quests?" Nuru said.

Dayo nodded.

"Well that's great for tomorrow," Nuru said. "But we're already partied today, and it can't be reversed. Ace here agreed to it on condition of Dayo being the Chosen representative. It was hard enough under those circumstances, I'm afraid you're not helping me convince him to travel with you. Give me some time to sort this out and find someone else. We can't do it without another faction, I'm not willing to risk the lightning and that's not negotiable."

Chibale looked like he was ready to argue the point, but finally seemed to acknowledge that he had no counter to that logic.

"Tomorrow. Same time. Right here."

The boar turned and kicked forward with enough force to spray them all with clods of dirt and small rocks. Half a minute passed before Nuru and Ace breathed a sigh of relief. Dayo hadn't moved, hardly even seemed to be breathing. Nuru studied them a moment, carefully assessing mental state.

"Dayo," he said.

The valkyrie blinked, eyes starting to come back into focus.

"I need a hug," he added.

Nuru blinked again, and in that time Dayo was giving him a spine-cracking glomp that lifted his feet a few inches off the ground.

"Thank you... now I need air," Nuru croaked.

"Gods, I'm so sorry!" Dayo said, setting him back down. "I just can't...!"

"He's a real piece of work," Ace said. "Takes a special kind of reckless to Mount Charm a hellboar."

"A hellboar?" Nuru said.

"Just big, not actually a demonic species, but it might as well be," Dayo said, shaking off the remaining paralysis. "Eats anything, is his big justification; low maintenance. True enough, I suppose; anything you stick in its mouth... don't be expecting to get it back. That goes for you too, and your hands and whatever else gets too close. Feed with extreme caution."

"You couldn't pay me to ride that thing," Ace added. "It's got a mean streak I can see a mile away."

"He did mention he's got nothing besides his big fossil that seats more than one," Nuru said, "so no worry about that."

"Just don't become cargo, I suspect he doesn't count that," Dayo said darkly.

"How did he find me here, anyway?" Nuru frowned.

Dayo pulled out their faction amulet, and saw the purple lines standing out brightly. "Well, that answers that."

"It's got a homing spell?" Nuru said.

"For training purposes, supposedly," Dayo said. "Rank One only, any Rank Two or higher can use that function. Gotta keep the sheep in line, I guess."

"Any way to turn it off?" Ace said. "I'm sure it's secure, but..."

"No, but it only works once per day unless I charge it," Dayo said. "Which I'm supposed to do after an encounter like this, but gosh, it seems I just forgot.!Tona Asirin Da Ka Zaba Dayo!"

The amulet flared with light for a minute, and then faded.

"!Tona Asirin Da Ka Zaba Dayo!"

It flared again, and faded more quickly.

"!Tona Asirin Da Ka Zaba Dayo!"

It flashed on, then flashed off.

"That drains it faster?" Ace said quizzically. "Seems like a design flaw."

"I'm not supposed to know it activates all the spendy ritual functions if I invoke it after an officer pings it remotely," Dayo said, looking grimly satisfied. "But I'm not supposed to know a lot of things. Like the fact that it's got truthsayer auras built in, attuned to the wearer over time. If I activate it in their presence, they know if what I'm saying is truth, or lies. Used for trials against our own, it turns out. I've learned a lot of things the last few weeks."

"Been practicing your 'technically true' speaking, right?" Nuru said.

Dayo nodded. "Not that I had a good bluff skill to begin with, but now I've got another reason to practice skirting the line."

"OK. Miniboss. What are we going for here, Dayo?" Nuru said.