Grand Game 601: Departure

You have slept for 8 hours.

You have lost knowledge of 3 stolen spells.

I awoke early the next morning and saw to my preparations. Primarily, this consisted of rearranging my face—my whole identity really—and addressing my loadout.

You have cast doppelganger, transforming your form into that of Linx, a level 230 elven blade dancer, and changing your Marks to that of: a Mark of Greater Shadow and a Mark of Kalin. Duration: infinite.

You have unequipped the: Cloak of the Reach, ebonheart, tiameten scalemail vest, wayfarer boots, wayfarer gloves, psi bracelet, aetherstone bracelet, jeweled pet, forerunner bracelet, brotherhood bracelet, and a seeking eye of sylvana.

Ghost has lost the ability: awakened slayer. Note, your familiar’s existing simulacrum is unaffected. However, in the event of its demise, Ghost will be unable to summon one anew.

You have equipped a ranger’s kit vest.

“Morning,” Safyre greeted as she walked into the cavern I’d retired to sleep in last night.

“Morning,” I replied, looking up as I finished readjusting the last ties to my new vest—or rather, the old one.

Safyre’s brows rose when she caught sight of my face and a moment later, I felt a telltale tingle ripple across me. “Kalin,” she mused. “That’s the name of the minor Power leading the Marauder faction, isn’t it? You’re going to impersonate one of his Sworn?”

I grinned. “That’s right, I am. It’s as good an alias as any. And if I get caught, well then, it might misdirect suspicion.”

“If you get caught…” Her gaze drifted to my discarded legendary gear. “Is that why you’ve removed all that?”

My amusement faded. “I can’t ignore the possibility that I might be discovered, or worse yet, be caught, in which case I can’t be carrying any revealing gear.”

Safyre nodded slowly. “You’ve removed your forerunner farspeaker bracelet as well?”

“Yes. I’ll get a clean, anonymous set for Ceruvax, the rest of the team, and me to use while we’re in the valley.” I jerked my chin in the direction of the bag of holding sitting innocuously beside my bedroll. “I’ll store everything I won’t be taking in there—including the Blood Talisman and the new netherstones—and leave them with you for safe keeping.”

“You’re taking this seriously,” Safyre observed soberly.

I shrugged. “With Loken involved, either directly or indirectly, I can’t afford not to. I have to be prepared for the worst.”

Not saying anything further, Safyre waited patiently while I began packing away my unequipped gear.

✵ ✵ ✵

You have lost a bag of holding containing 48 items.

You have acquired the tier 5 spell, disrupting ray (stolen).

You have acquired the tier 5 spell, mana strike (stolen).

You have acquired the tier 6 spell, noxious vapors (stolen).

An hour later, I was ready to depart. But I was not the only one.

As Safyre and I entered the main cavern—it still served as our base and would continue to do so until the forts and the safe zone were ready for occupation—we found four other groups waiting to depart.

The first group consisted of Farren, Regus, and Anriq. They were heading into sector 30,199 and would follow in the brotherhood army’s footsteps. After they joined Duskar’s people and the brotherhood selected the site of their nether base, Anriq would etch one of our new netherstones, opening the way for direct and permanent communication between the brotherhood’s nether chapter and the Forerunners.

Wishing the trio luck in their mission, I dropped a pair of netherstones in Anriq’s hands—one marked, the other unmarked.

The second group was just as small as the first and was made up of Nyra, Terence, and Teresa. The trio were about to begin only their second dungeon dive together, but I could tell already that they were melding well as a team.

Stopping in front of them, I laid a hand on Terence’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to say I have some bad news.”

“Bad news?” the young knight asked, his face growing alarmed.

I nodded solemnly. “I’m afraid you three are going to have to delay your departure for the guardian tower until tomorrow.”

“Why?” Teresa demanded. “What’s happened?”

At my signal, Ceruvax stepped forward. “You two kittens have something more important to attend to today.”

Teresa bristled. “Kittens? Don’t call us that!”

“Well, I certainly can’t call you pups,” the old wolf growled.

Teresa’s face grew redder but before she could retort, Nyra cut in. “What’s going on?”

Wordlessly, Ceruvax pulled an item free of his voluminous robe and set it on the ground before the others.

Terence skipped back, warily eyeing the yellowing wolf skull Ceruvax had placed on the floor. “What’s that?”

“The Skull of Souls,” I replied.

Terence backtracked further.

I smiled. “Relax. It’s nothing to be afraid of.  In fact, the day you two have been looking forward to for ages has finally come.”

Teresa’s gaze skipped from the skull to me, but she stayed tight lipped.

“Today,” I continued, ignoring her confusion, “is the day you infuse your blood with the spirits of your bloodline’s fallen.” Withdrawing the Blood Talisman, I set it down beside the Skull of Souls. “Today is the day you become true scions of Lion.”

The twins finally caught on.

“We’re going to awaken our blood?” Terence asked, reversing course eagerly.

Grinning, I nodded.

“B-but… but…” Teresa stammered, her eyes taking on a wild cast. “How?”

“You remember the Ritual Combat Circle I told you about?” I asked. “And the possessed I fought in it?”

She nodded mutely.

“Well, I have Farren and Adriel’s assurance that there were a few Lions amongst the possessed’s number that day.” I tapped the Skull of Souls. “And now their spirits reside in here—waiting for the right candidates to join with.” My face grew serious. “I would prefer to witness your awakenings myself, but duty calls, and I can’t delay my own departure further. Ceruvax and Adriel are more than capable of helping you two through this, though.”

Terence’s gaze was still glued on the skull of souls. “We’re really doing this?”

Adriel chuckled. “You really are.”

Clasping the twins’ hands, I turned to the next group, which was not really a group at all, but a single individual—Sedgwick. “You have the messages I penned for the huntmistress?”

He nodded. “I do.” He held out his arm. “And these are the items you wanted.”

I took the proffered bag, not bothering to inspect its contents. I would do that at a more opportune time. “Thank you,” I said. “About the faction tokens—”

“Procured and stamped with the Forerunners’ mark already,” the dwarf cut in. “Adriel does quick work. Anriq has the set for Duskar’s people.” He tapped his breast pocket. “And I have those for Kartara’s.”

I whistled softly. “That was quick. Nicely done,” I said, directing my praise at both Sedgwick and Adriel.

I inhaled deeply. There was nothing left to be done now, except to say my final goodbyes. “Open the portal,” I said to the last group which consisted of Shael, Mariam, Deryn, and Llewyn.

Ceruvax, the final member of our team, would join us later. Not only did he need to supervise the twins’ blood awakening, there were also his experiments with his blood-bound naga to consider. All in all, it would take the old wolf a few days to wrap up his work in Sanctuary. Looking over my shoulder, I glanced his way.

“I’ll join you in two days,” he promised. “Stay out of trouble until then.”

I grunted. “I’ll try.” Not waiting for his reply, I turned around and said farewell to Ghost, Safyre and the others, then stepped into the portal Llewyn had opened. At long last, I was back on my way to the valley.

And this time, I didn’t intend on leaving until Saya was safe amongst friends again.

✵ ✵ ✵

You have entered the safe zone of sector 12,560.

You have equipped a tier 7 concealed locator beacon and a farspeaker bracelet (1 of 6 in an unmarked set). Equipped items: 22 / 30.

“Can everyone hear me?” I asked over my newly equipped farspeaker bracelet.

“We can,” came the chorus of replies from Shael, Mariam, Deryn, and Llewyn.

“Good,” I said aloud. Glancing around the table, I took in the expressions of the other four seated alongside me in the common room of the Roost. Excitement and anxiety clouded their faces in equal measure. “Looks like we’re all set to begin, then.”

“What do you need us to do?” Llewyn asked a tad breathlessly.

For the three forsworn in particular, this mission was fraught with danger. They would be killed on sight as soon as they were spotted—regardless of whether or not they were in the safe zone. It was only the Roost’s walls that protected them.

“Nothing for now,” I assured him. “You will wait here.”

“Oh,” Deryn said. “That’s it?” He, at least, sounded disappointed by the prospect of more waiting.

“That’s it,” I confirmed. “If I get into trouble I can’t extricate myself out of, I will call on you for help.”

“What will you be doing?” Mariam asked.

“Scouting.” I replied succinctly. Extracting the envoy’s note Shael had given me in this very room over a week ago, I set it down on the table for them all to see.

The tavern keeper is not dead, but she will be soon.

If you want her back, meet me where you and she first met.

The reference to ‘where you and she first met’ was to Besina’s cave, of course. That was less than a day’s journey west from here. And while I was disinclined to believe anything the envoy said, in this instance I suspected she did not lie.

According to the information I’d received from Saya the first time I’d returned to the sector, Loken’s forces were encamped in the valley’s western mountain slopes—the very same direction in which the dead wyvern mother’s cave nest lay.

Loken had known about Besina’s cave network, of course, and presumably, he’d told his envoy all about it. No doubt, she had jumped at the chance to base her forces there. The dark environs were ideal for Shadow’s minions.

But not just for Shadow. For me too.

What the envoy perceived as a strength against Light and Dark was a weakness when it came to dealing with me.

It was the only thing in fact that gave me hope of successfully infiltrating Shadow’s base. I did not kid myself, though. It would not be easy. And the chance of failure would be high.

Which is why I would need a contingency plan.

Muriel and Tartar.

If war was still raging in the valley, as I knew for a fact it had been when I met Shael here ten days ago, then both Powers likely still had significant forces concentrated in the sector. Their armies were the ammunition I needed.

But Captain Talon, the envoy in command of the tartan legions, had already fallen afoul of my machinations once. He would be doubly wary this time around. And of Muriel or her people, I knew nearly nothing.

Still, I would need to approach both groups.

Grimacing at the thought of what I would need to do, I expanded on my earlier statement. “As much as I’d like to head directly to the wyvern mother’s caves and the envoy’s base, doing so would be foolhardy. I need to get the lay of the land first. I need to find out which factions are still in the sector and where the balance of power lies.”

“I can help with that,” Shael offered.

“No,” I said firmly. “The envoy’s spies will be on the lookout for you. It’s best that you, too, stay in the Roost, at least until Ceruvax joins us.”

The bard sighed, but didn’t protest the order. “Have you equipped the tracking device?” he asked instead.

Lifting my left leg onto the table, I removed my boot, barring the innocuous slip of iron curled around my ankle. “I have. Mariam, Llewyn, and Deryn should be able to locate me anywhere in the sector with this, and portal directly to me.”

The three forsworn nodded in agreement. “We’re receiving your location,” Deryn confirmed.

Re-equipping my boot, I rose to my feet and began casting. “Then everything is in order,” I said, heading toward the door. “I’ll keep in touch, but don’t expect to hear from me in a few hours yet.”

“Stay safe, Michael,” Shael called after me.

You have cast vanish. You are invisible. Duration: 5 minutes.

“You, too,” I replied over my shoulder, and opening the door, slipped out of the Roost.