Chapter 1-32: A Talk with Master Fred (1/2)
I waved my hand and closed the door. He considered me curiously as I sat down on the pew on the other side of the aisle from him, facing him.
“I would like to make a request of you, Master Fred. Mmm, probably several requests. It may or may not impact what you are planning to do next.”
GO ON, the flaming words gestured patiently.
“I am going to put this in context for you. I would like your word that you will not repeat what I am about to say to you to another without my permission.”
IF IT DOES NOT INVOLVE WITHHOLDING DANGEROUS INFORMATION FROM THOSE WHO CAN BE AFFECTED BY IT, YOU HAVE IT, he agreed patiently.
As expected. “Well, let me first say that I am not the girl you see in front of you, or at least, I was not her several days ago. I am a shard of the soul of a very powerful Heavenbound Theurge of another world, an alternate reality of this one, and I only arrived on this world five days ago...”
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He didn’t actually display all that much emotion as he listened, to the point where I was fairly certain he had scars on his soul and had lost some emotional range. Nevertheless, he didn’t interrupt as I went through my severing, my forced Reincarnation, the circumstances thereof, my trip out of the Shroudzone, and eventually ending up here.
THAT IS QUITE A TALE, he admitted, keeping my eyes easily. IT EXPLAINS YOUR APTITUDE WITH THAT ATTACK SPELL, IF NOTHING ELSE.
“Yes.” He wasn’t dismissing it as a flight of fancy, which was good. “If you extended your Wrath into me, you could probably feel the echoes of the Heavenbound Pact upon the remnant I am, but given the circumstances, I don’t think it is possible for me to be Heavenbound, or even swear any Pact but to the Shroud... and I have absolutely no desire to do so.”
He nodded, getting up and stepping forward, pure golden flame burning on his hand. He put his hand on my shirt, just below my throat, and extended it in.
I could feel my Shroudborn-link roiling at the contact with the holy flame, and the familiar feel of the Light rippling through me made me sigh despite myself. He was watching my eyes carefully, but then his triple-colored eyes with the square pupils looked at my neck and face, seeing things I could not.
RESIDUAL TRACES OF AN UNBROKEN HEAVENBOUND PACT. I HAD NOT IMAGINED SUCH A THING POSSIBLE. He took his hand back, stepped back, and sat back down. THIS IS AN UNUSUAL SITUATION, AND GIVEN MY SITUATION, I DON’T THINK I AM HERE JUST TO SHOOT SOME HELLBOUND, AFTER ALL, he mused. GIVEN HOW POWERFUL YOU ARE ALREADY, AND YOU ARE COMING FROM SOMEPLACE WITH A LONG-ESTABLISHED MAGICAL TRADITION, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW STRONG YOU WILL BE WHEN YOU RECOVER A PORTION OF YOUR STRENGTH.
HOW CAN I HELP?
I sighed. “My main problem seems to be that the Bloodline I inherited is forcing me down some roads I would not have chosen, so instead of building to a level of strength where I could adequately defend myself, I am being forced sideways. I am still a One, I am extremely aware of how squishy I am, and I can’t do anything about it.”
THAT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN OUR LINE OF WORK, he agreed calmly.
I flicked up my Darts, burning with vivic fire. He gazed at them with interest. “This is Vivic Fire. It can permanently kill the undead under the Shroud.”
His eyes opened only slightly. THAT... IS A VERY DANGEROUS FACT, the words scrolled past slowly. THERE ARE POWERFUL VESTED INTERESTS THAT DEARLY WANT OUR ATTENTION FOCUSED ON THE SHROUD AND NOT ON THEM. PERMANENT REMOVAL OF THE UNDEAD THREAT MIGHT WELL PLACE THEIR OWN LIVES IN JEOPARDY.
“Yes,” I agreed. “But, the difference in Karma between popping off the undead for sport and killing them permanently is immense. We’re talking twenty to one, or higher. I don’t want something noticing I’m using vivic fire on something, so I have to pull off the Wall, much as I hate it, and find my Karma elsewhere.” I made a sweeping gesture, and pointed to him. “A four Pact Warlock has literally endless amounts of stuff to do. What I need is enough Karma every day to feed my Ring and my Staff, and if I get a lot more on the side, that’s fine.
“At the same time, I’ve a Sinbound to find, and everything points to the fact that it’s going to be a long time before I can do so myself. I’m hoping you have information channels that can search for him. That child probably has a Bloodline strong enough to warrant pissing off some powerful people by stealing him.
“Also,” and I had to sigh, “I have no idea who this girl I am actually is.” I fished out her driver’s license and showed it to him.
ELRII. NO LAST NAME. UNUSUAL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE HALVYR, WHO TEND TO WAX POETIC ON THEIR NAMES...
“Yes. So, I’d like to find out more about her before I get blindsided by her family and have to dive headlong into something I really don’t want to.”
DEALING WITH FAMILY YOU DON’T CONSIDER YOUR OWN MIGHT BE DIFFICULT, he agreed. He took out his phone, snapped a picture of the license, and passed it back to me. I HAVE TWO SOURCES FOR MANY OF MY MISSIONS. THE FIRST IS NATURALLY ENOUGH MY PACT PATRONS, SAVE HELL, AND EVEN THEN, THEY SOMETIMES CALL ME TO GO COLLECT A RECALCITRANT SOUL FOR THEM... OR ELIMINATE OTHER DARKBOUND. He actually heaved a sigh at that. THE WORST IS WHEN THEY WANT ME TO SERVE AS A MEDIATOR, BECAUSE I AM ACTUALLY TRUSTWORTHY.
I had to smile at that. “And the Heavenbound have organized somewhat and reached out to other allies to help them find stuff to do?” I cajoled him, having an excellent idea of how Heavenbound tended to operate.
They looked for stuff to fight. If there was nothing to fight, they looked for stuff to do, and if that wasn’t around, they started making stuff and preparing until there was something to do. Busybodies of the highest order, that was Heavenbound. Even Paladins weren’t looking for trouble as much as Heavenbound were.
YES. HEAVENBOUND HALL IN DETROIT IS A RESOURCE FOR ALL ACKNOWLEDGED HEAVENBOUND. OF COURSE, IT IS ALWAYS UNDER ATTACK IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER BY VARIOUS PARTIES. THE LAWSUITS ARE ENDLESS.
“I imagine they’re always trying to photograph any new recruits and find out everything they can so they can kill them faster, too,” I sighed knowingly. He seemed impressed I’d think that way. “But if they can track down this asshole, I will definitely be grateful.”