Chapter 19 – No Hugging Allies

  “…and that was when I decided to do some snooping around the Wenduags’ camp,” Zephyr said. She had been talking about clouds for the better part of the last hour. Victor was currently lying down on the bed in his room barely listening as she continued to recount her adventure above.

  “Oh yeah,” Victor muttered. “How was that? Wait… the Wenduags’ camp? You went back there?”

  “Well, I couldn’t find any of the Wenduags moving around in the jungle, so I wanted to know what they were up to,” Zephyr said. “There are a lot of spiders in the camp now.”

  “That was dangerous,” Victor said sitting up.

  “You’re telling me,” Zephyr said. “I barely got a look at the strange ritual Clayton was performing before I was noticed. The Wenduag chased me all around the jungle. But I haven’t gotten to that part of the story yet.”

  “Wait, wait,” Victor said. “Go back a step.”

  “Gladly,” Zephyr said. “Should I start back at the part about the cloud that winked at me?”

  “The cloud didn’t wink at you.”

  “It did so,” Zephyr huffed.

  “Anyways,” Victor continued. “Go back to the camp part. Clayton was performing a ritual?”

  “I think so,” Zephyr said. “I saw the few Daniel performed and read about a few others and this felt like a ritual, but I never seen one tattooed onto a person before.”

  Victor paused for a second at that comment. “Start over.”

  “Okay! I found this rock, but it turned out to be a pebble but looked like a rock…”

  “No, not that far… the part,” Victor groaned. “Hold on, where is Daniel? Perhaps we should get the others together so you can explain what you found at the camp.”

  “Savgar said Daniel was with the group that went to the city,” Zephyr said.

  “That’s right,” Victor said, getting up and crossing the room. “They should be getting back here soon then. Let’s go find them.”

  “Okay,” Zephyr said. “If you insist, but I haven’t even told you the best part.”

  “Let’s table that for now?” Victor said. “Just until the others get here.”

  Zephyr looked around the room. “I don’t see a table.”

  Victor had to stop himself from facepalming. He didn’t know how Daniel did this so often. “No… I just meant… Let’s just wait for the others.”

  Victor opened the door only to find Teresa and Sia outside it.

  “Is everything okay?” Teresa asked. “We heard yelling.”

  “Teresa! You’re awake!” Zephyr exclaimed. “Let me tell you about…”

  “Not yet, we still need to get the others,” Victor said stopping Zephyr. He spoke his next words directly to Teresa and Sia. “Zephyr been to the Wenduags’ camp and saw a few things. We need to discuss it.”

  Teresa looked up at Zephyr floating in the air. “Can you at least just tell me one thing? Does Clayton know where we are?”

  Zephyr shook her head. “That’s partly why I took so long. I made sure no one saw me come back here, but it might be best to only leave at night for the time being.”

  “Alright,” Teresa said. “Let’s go get the others then. Sia, can you go get Sylvian? Rayne is still in the Trial and that might take a while. We can fill her in later.”

  “I’ll go get the others and make them hurry back,” Victor said. “Meet in the community room?”

  “Yeah sure,” Teresa said. “We can eat as we discuss.”

  *~*

  “I can understand Zyne,” Jack was saying as they walked back to the Candidate’s tower. “It is inside me as weird as that is to say, but why do I have to carry you as well?”

  “I’m not built for speed,” Jasper said. “If I tried to keep up, you would quickly outpace me.”

  “I hear you,” Jack said. “That make sense. But why do you have to sit on my head? I could just hold you.”

  “It is just the most convenient spot I saw,” Jasper said. “If something happens, you’ll need your hands for fighting. Your head is useless right now.”

  “My head is not useless,” Jack said as Elaine stifled a laugh.

  “I said right now,” Jasper said. “Surely, you don’t have another use for it at this moment.”

  “Fine,” Jack sighed. “But this isn’t going to be a habit.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “Sure, let’s just get to your workshop or whatever it is you are using, and we can get situated,” Jasper said.

  “Er, workshop?” Jack asked.

  “No?” Jasper said. “But with all those Professions, I thought for sure you had some place to work on your crafts.”

  “You can see all my professions?” Jack asked. “Most can only see the main one, Akashic Craftsman.”

  “We are bonded now,” Jasper said. “We are now tied to your path and you to ours.”

  “I was not able to see them,” Ciao said from Elizabeth’s embrace. She had insisted on being the one to carry her and Ciao had welcomed the offer. Apparently, being carried didn’t violate Ciao’s no touching rule.

  “I saw them,” Zyne said peeking out over Jack’s shoulder.

  Jasper squinted his eye at that comment. “How many classes do you see?” Jasper asked

  “I… I’m not really… good at math,” Zyne stammered.

  “Name one class,” Jasper said but immediately added. “Beside Akashic Craftsman.”

  “I… I’m not really good at reading?” Zyne tried unconvincingly.

  “So, how can you then?” Jack asked.

  Jasper shrugged. “Must be a skill I inherited from when I was a System Familiar or part of my managerial nature. Afterall, how can I properly help manage or assist if I cannot see what I am working with. It is strange not having the access I use to have though.”

  “You’re not sure?” Jack asked. “I thought you were more knowledgeable than the other two.”

  “In some ways yes,” Jasper said. “But this would be the first Familiar binding I have been a part of. Some of our powers are restricted and changed by the summoner until you grow in strength. When I worked for the System, I had access to all my skills and abilities, but also abilities only the System granted. It will be the same with us, but to a much lesser degree. First step is to determine what abilities I still have and what I got from binding with you.”

  “How did you become a System Familiar?” Daniel asked.

  “And why aren’t you still one?” Elaine added.

  “Some paths you choose, some you are born to,” Jasper said. “All Familiars are like that, but I am one of the latter. Unlike the other two though, the knowledge for my summoning and binding requirements have been forgotten to this world and thus my path was cut short because of it. The System had a need for administrators and trainers for onboarding new integrated species, and Familiars of paths long forgotten are a convenient source to fill these roles. Familiars like myself can’t progress on their own, and the System was a way to keep moving, although not an ideal one. When Jack’s summoning request came, I quite literally jumped at the chance.”

  “Does that mean you can tell us all about the System and any secrets you learned?” Zajowle asked.

  “Wish that I could,” Jasper said. “Part of my leaving the System was to have any knowledge not deemed necessary removed as well. By the way, where are we?”

  “And why is it so filled with magic but also so empty?” Ciao asked.

  “This is the City of Kharzast,” Jack said.

  “Kharzast!” Ciao exclaimed, jumping down from Elizabeth’s arms. “The lost city of secrets?”

  Jack glanced at the others, but they all shook their heads. “Maybe? I only know the name of the city and that the Akashic Order is involved with it.”

  “The Akashic Order!” Ciao exclaimed again. “You kept that to yourself all this time! Wait, your class! I wasn’t paying attention to you before. What did you say it was called?”

  “It was just a few minutes ago,” Jack muttered. “I only mentioned the Akashic Craftsman one, but I also have the Akashic Champion class. Is it an issue?”

  “Then you are a member of the Order?” Ciao continued ignoring Jack’s question. “Being bound to a member of the Order. This is more fortuitous than I had originally thought. Yes, this could work.” Ciao said the last part mostly to herself uncaring if the others heard her.

  “And this city is empty?” Ciao asked.

  “As far as we know.” Jack said.

  “Secret magical knowledge sitting abandoned…” Ciao muttered. “Most fortuitous indeed.”

  “We’ll we are going to be leaving the city for a time,” Jack said, cutting of Ciao’s scheming. He wasn’t sure what the cat wanted, but he felt he might need to keep an eye on her while in the city.

  “Leave?” Ciao hissed. “You would leave?”

  “I think Ciao might have preferred Daniel as a partner,” Reuf said.

  “No,” Daniel said. “It is precisely this reason I chose a Sylph and not a Cait Sith. I may never have left the Wizard’s Order otherwise. Besides, I already have my hands full with Zephyr.”

  “Cait Sith?” Elaine asked.

  “A species of magical felines,” Daniel explained. “Most act as Familiars, like Ciao here, and they have similar looks, but I have heard of a few that shared other elements, usually always opposite elements. Darkness and light, fire and water, earth and air.”

  “Not Primal?” Reuf asked.

  “Not that I’ve ever heard,” Daniel said.

  “So, there are more of them?” Elizabeth whispered.

  Daniel nodded. “Yes, and I know the ritual for summoning them, but they can be difficult Familiars.”

  “I should go… scout a bit,” Ciao said ignoring everything that they were saying. “Make sure the area is safe?”

  “No,” Jasper said. “You are coming with us for now. There will be time later for exploring and researching.”

  Ciao tsked but didn’t argue. “Very well, then we should hurry. I am eager to hear more about this place,” Ciao said.

  “Why do they listen to you?” Daniel asked Jasper. “I have never seen a Cait Sith obey any command they didn’t want to.”

  “I already told you,” Jasper said. “I am a managerial Familiar. Most of my skills are based on managing and logistics. That includes managing difficult Familiars and pets. There are limits, but I can usually stop an impulse act.”

  “A most annoying Familiar to have joined us,” Ciao said.

  “How do you do that?” Jack asked.

  “It’s more complicated than it looks.” Jasper said. “I have a natural understanding of the nature of different things. Like political landscapes, automated processes, and Familiars and other creatures. Just to name a few. Cait Siths are difficult, but that is because they work with a different set of rules than you are used to. If you understand their complex rules and nature then you can begin to understand them. The bond we share will help you to eventually understand this as well.”

  “Zephyr and I share a similar understanding through the bond,” Daniel confirmed.

  “So, you can just make them do what you want?” Jack asked. “That sounds manipulative.”

  “I can’t make them do anything,” Jasper said. “I couldn’t force anyone to do anything even if I wanted to.”

  “No one controls me,” Ciao insisted. “I would prefer to have been bonded alone. It’s more that I noticed as we were talking that none of these buildings would allow me access on my own. I assume I will need an escort in?”

  “Or that,” Jasper said.

  “Yeah,” Jack confirmed. “Right now, only a few people have access.”

  “That could be difficult to overcome,” Ciao muttered. “I could investigate the issue further.”

  “Leave it for now, you can’t neglect your duties as a Familiar,” Jasper said. “It is a two-way street.”

  “What duties?” Ciao asked. “We never agreed to any duties.”

  “You did offer your assistance with magic,” Jack said.

  Ciao tsked at that but said nothing.

  “I don’t mind,” Zyne said. “Jasper is a nice frog. I like being close to everyone anyways. We can be closer still.”

  “Not a frog,” Jasper said. “And no hugging allies.”

  “But I can hug anything else? What is an ally?” Zyne asked, but before anyone could respond, they heard running up ahead of them. A moment later, Victor appeared.

  “Oh good,” Victor said. “Found all of you. Zephyr is back and she found something that could be important. We need to hurry back.”