Hunger: A LitRPG Adventure (Unbound Book 3), page 13
The stalwart man shrugged, but absently touched his neck. Felix saw his Guilder medallion was completely missing. "It is what it is, now."
"That's bullshit, Harn. And you know it," growled Evie, who hopped back up onto her perch. "Guild needed a scapegoat and used you and my sister to do it."
Evie's eyes were bright, but no tears came. She made a slashing motion with a hand. "Yyero blight their balls! It was wrong. Is wrong."
"What are we arguing about now?"
They all turned toward the new voice, and Felix saw Callie striding into the open warehouse. She looked like a new person, sleek armor and a slew of sharp weapons about her body. Her tawny hair was still short, cut at the nape of her neck in a style slightly longer than Portia's, and her face was clear of bruises and blood. She did look tired, though, as dark circles accented her eyes. She paused for just a moment when she saw Felix, but it was barely a stutter in her step.
"Felix," she walked up to them and nodded at him. "You're alive."
That last part sounded more like an accusation than an observation to Felix. He blinked and looked at Evie. She didn't meet his eyes.
"I am," he admitted before rubbing his chest in a flare of phantom pain. "I'm sorry."
Callie's eyes softened slightly, and she cleared her throat. "I have questions. Let's talk in private."
Felix nodded and followed her as Callie went to one of the separate rooms in the back. He could sense Evie trying to follow, but heard Harn hold her back.
"Let them talk, kiddo."
"I gotta be honest, Felix, I saw the aftermath of what happened in the Labyrinth." Callie sat down at a table in a back room and gestured for him to do the same. "I don't know how anyone survives that."
Felix grimaced and sat down. The room she had guided them to was spartan, containing only a rickety table and four chairs. The rest of the space was dusty flooring and brick walls. It felt like an interrogation room, which seemed apt.
"You saw the giants?" Callie nodded, and Felix continued. "They attacked us right as we reached the center, the vault door. Did you see that? Magda thought we needed to get inside and turn off whatever artifact was powering the fog. Maybe that would get us out of there."
Felix took a deep breath. "Grimmar and his people attacked us before we could. We… we were surrounded and hurt, and the door was closing. Magda was injured… she couldn't stand. I tried to drag her into the door, but we weren't gonna make it..."
He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, shoving it back from his face. "Magda Shield Bashed me into the vault. Said one of us had to make it through. She… uh—" Speaking of it raised the phantasms of his memories, clear and as sharp as broken glass, but Felix pushed them away. His throat ached. "She saved me, Callie."
Callie didn't move or speak for a time. They both sat there in silence, neither really looking at one another for a while.
Eventually, however, Callie stirred. "Call me Cal. Callie is… Cal is fine." Felix watched her jaw flex, as if the woman was chewing something over. Making some sort of decision.
Ah, wait. Felix fished out something from his pocket and placed it on the table.
"She asked that I give this to you, when I made it out."
Atop the rickety wooden table was a beaten triangular locket on a fine chain. The chain was broken, but Callie—Cal—didn't care. She reached out tentatively and touched it. In his Manasight, Felix saw a bloom of white-gold Mana flare gently around the locket on the table… but no answering glow on her. I thought they were paired lockets? Where did Cal's go?
Cal gently lifted the necklace and cupped it delicately in her hands.
"Thank you. This—" She swallowed. "I didn't find it when I found Magda's body. She was torn up so badly that… I thought it had been lost."
"It was important to Magda that you get it back. I lived… somehow, and when I found out where you were, I had to bring it to you," he said.
"Shit, look at me, all weepy." She laughed and wiped at her eyes with her wrist. "First bit a'good news I've had in months."
"I can't imagine it's been easy. With the Guild and everything," Felix offered.
"Ugh, blind gods, no. It hasn't," Cal growled and tucked the locket into a pouch at her waist. Her demeanor changed, growing harder. "Hunts have dried up, the Haargate locked, and the Sunrise Gate not much better. Can't even access the Domain for training and harvesting. Those conniving bastards won't be happy ‘til I'm dead or out of town. And with the Inquisition lockdown, the last ain't happenin' too soon."
"Damn," Felix said, scratching the back of his neck. "I was hoping you might let me tag along when you left. But if the Inquisition isn't letting people out..."
"Yeah, we're all screwed for now." Cal paused, pursing her lips and considering him a moment. "You’re free to tag along if we make it out. You seem good in a fight."
"What about the Domain?"
"What about it?" Cal raised an eyebrow. "We can't get in. Like I said, we're pariahs from the Guild now, even Harn, Bronze Rank or no."
"What if I could get a way in?" Felix offered.
"Then I'd say you have some wild delusions, kid. But I'm listening." Cal leaned forward.
Felix bit his lip and shook his head. "It's more of a maybe, but… but first I have to tell you something. It's important and—we're gonna want Evie and Harn in here for this."
CHAPTER TWELVE
A few minutes later, the four of them were all assembled in the empty room. Felix had used his Voracious Eye on each of them as they came in, something he had neglected when he arrived. Evie was level 23, while Harn and Cal were level 39 and 42 respectively. With his new senses and Skill, Felix could even tell that both Harn and Cal were beyond their Second Formation while Evie was just shy of her First. However, he couldn't tell whether she was missing her Mind, Spirit, or Body. Voracious Eye was extremely strong, though, so he had hopes it would grow as he leveled it further.
Even if it came from a… dubious source.
Almost without him noticing it, Felix had begun to pace. They all watched him for a bit before Evie belted out a laugh. "C'mon, Felix. Out with it. What's goin' on?"
Felix forced himself to stop and unclench his fists. His knuckles were starting to hurt. He took a steadying breath and looked at Cal. "Is there some way to ward this room against eavesdroppers or anything?"
Cal frowned. "I trust this crew with my life."
"With my life, too?" Felix asked.
Cal looked at Harn, who shrugged. The man pulled a number of blue orbs from a pouch at his waist, a familiar artifact Felix hadn't seen in a while.
"Wardstones, huh? I thought you borrowed those from the Guild?" Felix grinned, and Harn smiled right back.
"Got lost in the Foglands, the report said. Who am I to argue?"
When the wardstones activated, they bathed the small room in the cool glow of water Mana… well, to Felix's Manasight anyway. He wasn't sure how prevalent that Skill was yet. That had to change.
It's why you're doing this. Keep it up.
"I have not been fully truthful with all of you before. I mentioned to Harn and others that I had been in the Foglands for a few weeks when we met, and that is absolutely true. What I left out is this: before that, I was not exactly… here."
Evie gave him a blank look, while Cal and Harn frowned slightly.
"I was… jeez, this was easier with Magda. I told her this, too, by the way. Ok," Felix took a breath. "Where I'm from, levels and Skills and magic don't exist. I'm not from the Continent. From what Magda told me, I'm an Unbound."
Felix expected shouting, but instead the silence was deafening. Evie had gone wide-eyed, while Cal was pale. Harn, however, started laughing.
"Of course!" He slapped the table, putting a dent in the hardwood. "That makes so much more sense! Blind gods, no wonder you're so damn strong!"
Harn's reaction broke the floodgates, and soon both Evie and Cal were rattling off questions. Neither seemed particularly angry or afraid. All of Magda's talk about the Unbound being regarded as demons and worse… it was a relief, to say the least.
"Yeah, Magda knew. I told her while we were in the Labyrinth." Felix grinned at the memory. "She reacted a lot like you, Harn."
The warrior smiled back and scratched his cheek, as did Cal. "Yeah, she would've. You drove her nuts, ya know? She never could tell what your deal was."
Felix grimaced. "She mentioned that, too. I feel bad for lying about it, but honestly, I didn't know the first thing about this place when I arrived. When I met you all, I knew enough to worry what my Race or… 'foreigner' status would mean."
"Your Race?" Evie perked up. "You're not Human?"
"Oh, right. No I'm not. It got… long story, but it changed when I arrived here." He paused before barreling through. "To Nym."
That got even more of a reaction, with Harn gritting his teeth and Cal folding her arms. Evie, however, had the best response.
"You mean those star guys? From the tower walls? Did you get some good bonus stats? Is that why you're so strong?" Felix smiled and nodded at her, and Evie shrugged. "Nice choice."
"I didn't exactly make that choice. Like I said, long story. I was… assigned my Race, though I did get to choose my Born Trait. Keen Mind, like I told you once before, Harn. Perfect recall for up to a month back. That's come in handy more times than I can count."
Cal shifted in her chair, her face grave. "This is a problem, Felix. The Nym are feared for many reasons, but those who even know the name are few. They're a Lost Race, which means Ruin scoured them from the world Ages ago."
"Ruin. I've heard that mentioned a lot." Felix frowned, thinking back on the Temple of Vellus he'd found in the Void. Of the mural cut clean in half by something huge and powerful. Vellus—a goddess—was Lost, according to the Maw. "It's some sort of force? A monster? How does it extinguish entire Races?"
"No one knows, but we do know that anything deemed Lost is lost in truth," Cal sighed, half-frustrated, half-exasperated. "I wish I knew more. I've run into so many issues treasure hunting that I'd kill for an answer, Felix."
She shook her head. "But my point is, the Nym are Lost. Knowledge of them is pretty small. But the Unbound? The Unbound are myths and bogeymen, demons from the old religions. Even the Pathless talks about them. Everyone's been told an Unbound story when they were kids. They are feared and reviled, without exception."
Felix thought he followed. "So, you're saying I'm screwed if people find out?"
Cal nodded. "That's what I'm saying. Is there any way to tell?"
"Not that I know of," Felix shrugged. "My Status doesn't even mention it. I only know the term because of Magda and Evie here." Evie shot him a confused look. "You mentioned it in that cellar after we met. Briefly."
"Can we see your Status?" Cal asked.
"Hey now, Cal. That's not right." Harn growled at the woman. "You don't just ask ta see a man's Status. You don't have ta show us nothin', Felix."
"He does if he doesn't want to be blind-sided by an Inquisitor. Or do you not recall who is in this city right now?" Cal looked at all of them in turn. "Those ranked Inquisitor or higher have some Perception Skills that are Rare. Others can do stuff even I don't know about. The moment you run into one of them Felix, you could be identified and ambushed. An Unbound? They'd tear apart the city to find you."
Felix blanched, and his heart beat a little harder. A sense of smug satisfaction drifted from his Bastion, but he quenched it with an internal growl. A trilling song pushed against his mind, and Felix calmed a bit. Thanks Pit.
"I encountered the Inquisition when I got into the city. They were being dicks, so I, uh," Felix scratched his eyebrow and didn't quite meet their gazes. "I may have knocked one of them out."
"Yyero's backside," Cal cursed.
"Shit."
"Good," muttered Evie. "Blind fools can get what they deserve."
Harn placed a comforting hand on Evie's shoulder. She flashed the older man a smile before sitting up again. "So, they know who you are?"
"Not so much. Apparently the Acolyte at the gate didn't Analyze me before I, uh, slipped past her. Been avoiding their patrols ever since."
"That's good. Brainless beginning, but I'd rather be lucky than smart any day of the week." Cal huffed a breath and slapped her knees. "So. You willing to show us your Status?"
Felix thought it over a moment, but realized he had little to hide from these three. In fact, doing so would get in the way of his plans. "Sure."
He pulled it up and pushed it toward the three of them, willing it to remain unchanged. A blue window appeared before each of their faces, and Evie gasped.
"Siva's lily-white ass! What the—how?"
Name: Felix Nevarre
Level: 26
Race: Nym*
Omen: Magician
Born Trait: Keen Mind
______
Health: 864/864
Stamina: 732/873
Mana: 1458/1458
______
STR: 157
PER: 154
VIT: 175
END: 161
INT: 191
WIL: 277
AGL: 131
DEX: 128
______
BODY
Resistances: Acid Resistance (C), Level 24; Fire Resistance (C) Level 20*; Cold Resistance (U), Level 20; Heat Resistance (U), Level 22*; Pain Resistance (U), Level 42; Poison Resistance (U), Level 42; Lightning Resistance (R), Level 1*
Combat Skills: Axe Mastery (C), Level 5*; Blunt Weapon Mastery (C), Level 10*; Dodge (C), Level 30; Long Blade Mastery (C), Level 15*; Parry (C), Level 4*; Small Blade Mastery (C), Level 10; Staff Mastery (C), Level 7*; Thrown Weapons Mastery (C), Level 11; Unarmed Mastery (C), Level 29; Blind Fighting (R), Level 23; Corrosive Strike (R), Level 28
Physical Enhancements: Running (C), Level 24; Swimming (C), Level 6; Acrobatics (U), Level 25*; Free Climbing (U), Level 15; Relentless Charge (U), Level 17; Armored Skin (R), Level 41; Physical Conditioning (R), Level 24
MIND
Mental Enhancements: Deception (C), Level 12; Intimidation (C)*, Level 8; Make An Entrance (U), Level 12; Meditation (U), Level 33; Bastion of Will (E), Level 44; Deep Mind (E), Level 36; Ravenous Tithe (E), Level 11
Information Skills: Tracking (C), Level 13; Exploration (U), Level 27; Herbalism (U), Level 17; Voracious Eye (E), Level 29
SPIRIT
Spiritual Enhancements: Dual Casting (U), Level 22; Mana Manipulation (U), Level 24; Manasight (U), Level 40; Manaship Pilot (R), Level 22; Etheric Concordance (L), Level 28
Spells: Abyssal Skein (R), Level 11; Cloudstep (R), Level 10; Fire Within (R) Level 37; Influence of the Wisp (R), Level 29; Invocation (R), Level 1; Mantle of the Long Night (R), Level 17; Shadow Whip (R), Level 30; Stone Shaping (R), Level 28; Reign of Vellus (E), Level 36; Sigils of the Primordial Dawn (E), Level 19; Wrack And Ruin (E), Level 30
______
Unused Stat Points: 25
Felix just grinned at their expressions. Evie was speechless (a rarity), and Cal looked like her eyes were going to pop out of her head. Harn, however, just started laughing.
"Yer absolutely ridiculous! Ye've got even more Skills than before, too. An' so many are near or at Apprentice Tier?" Harn scratched his head. "Is this what an Unbound can do? No wonder they called ‘em demons."
"Wow, your stats are… wow." Evie poked and prodded at his Status, smile wider every moment. "You're almost as fast as me, but have me beat in every other category. You're a beast, Felix."
Felix smiled uncomfortably. No wonder this is a cultural taboo. It's awkward as hell.
"What is wrong with these Skills?" Cal asked. She was pointing to the dozen or so with asterisks next to them. Felix's smile turned into a wince.
"Those. During the final fight in the Labyrinth, Grimmar used an ability that damaged some of my Skills." Felix blew a heavy breath out of his nostrils. "It hurts to use them now. Can't even do a flip without Acrobatics frying my nerve endings. Or get too close to open flame."
"Hmm." Cal leaned back in her chair, staring at his Status for a few moments longer. "Lotta Skills, lotta magic, too. You a mage or a fighter?"
Felix shrugged. "I've had to be both. I'm whatever I need to survive. Right now, that means a little bit of everything."
Cal rubbered her chin and nodded. "You've got a way to keep this all hidden, right?" At Felix's nod, she continued. "I don't see anything here that might indicate you're Unbound, save maybe the amount of Skills. Regardless, I'd keep it under wraps. You're far stronger than someone your level has a right to be, and that'll raise questions you don't want asked."
"She's right, kid. The Inquisition starts pokin' around, they'll lock you up for a thousand years. Yer worse than Sorcery, ‘far as they're concerned." Harn drew small circles with his finger on the wooden tabletop, leaving uneven marks on it. "This conversation ain't leavin' this room, right?"
Harn looked at all of them, and everyone nodded. "Good, then we swear."
"Harn, what?" Evie turned in alarm to the warrior. "I'm not gonna spill anything."
"Kastos is right," Cal said with a sense of finality. She stood up and put out her hand, motioning to Felix to come closer.
"What is this? What do you mean by 'swearing?'" Felix looked to Harn as he stood up and ambled over.
"A Binding Oath, given freely and secured by the System itself," he said, placing his hand out next to Cal's, palm up. "We swear by our strength and power ta keep yer status, yer Race, and yer nature as Unbound a secret from all but the four of us. We break that oath, and we lose levels, stats, even our formations in some cases. The System judges us."
Felix looked at each of them, surprised at the resolve in their faces.
Evie groaned, but she got up and put her hand in. "Ugh, he's right. This way, none of us can betray your trust, whether intentional or not."
Harn waited until Felix also put his hand out, and began a low, wordless chant. It washed over them, the words themselves infused with green-gold Mana that spilled from Harn's mouth like an ocean surf. The waves hit the warded walls and rebounded gently, like ripples in a pond. The chant was almost a song to Felix's ears, a gentle noise almost beyond hearing. As the green-gold Mana built up in the room, swirling around the four of them, Felix saw increasing flashes of gold and blue across his vision, and his head began to swim. Just as it reached a crescendo, all of the Mana in the room reversed course and was sucked into the center. Around their hands.
