Mana Mutation Menace (Journey to Chaos Book 3) (24 page)

"
Medical
Mana Mutation!
"

While Eric played the fool and attracted attention, Bowa
discussed his history of mana mutation with Basilard and Nolien. He did so in a
stage whisper so that everyone could easily hear without making it seem like
Bowa was a royal crier. With Torch Day festivities, there was no lack of
audience.

"Three years ago, I was a deckhand human. Then I was
caught in a mana storm and I turned into a
beaunk
. At first, I was
depressed and there was a lot of therapy to go through, but now I see it as the
best thing that ever happened to me."

 "Really? How come?" Basilard stage asked.

"The gene that makes the stink altered my brain to
require less sleep. The extra limbs and teeth help me make my own repairs, and
the fur keeps me warm and dry, but that's not all.”

"There's more?"

Nolien’s interest was feigned. He already knew about this
sort of thing.

"Mana mutating changed my outlook on life. I came to
believe that anything was possible. Now I'm the boss of a merchant firm and
captain of my own ship. The only downside is that I stink like a dead skunk!
Gha ahahahaha!"

Tiza stayed out of sight and unremarkable next to the
laborers and hired guards. An outside observer would have no idea she was with
the mercenaries at all. Internally, she grumbled about the lack of limelight
while her humble teammate bathed in it; he didn't want it! Externally, she
swept the area with Third Eye to check for threats.

What her teammates didn't know was that she wasn't lazing
about in her hospital bed at the ICDMM; she was practicing. She examined
everything around her and Retina provided her with exercises to push her
limits. After a week of use and experimentation, she was confident that nothing
could hide from her. She spotted a number of people who
thought
they
were hidden and she could have laughed at them.

Part of Sathel's training involved hiding in plain sight.
She didn't pay attention at first because she thought it was useless. Then
Sathel said that failure would result in extra rope escape and poison immunity
lessons. Now she realized its importance. No one else noticed the subtle draw
of a dagger.

Like a spider in the brush, she scurried through the crowd
as they chambered the weapon. Without taking her eyes off her target, she
pinpointed theirs. Adrenaline rushed her system, but she was too late to stop
them from throwing it. The dagger soared silently through the air and clanged
off her shield.

"You're going to wish you didn't do that."

The attacker threw back their hood. "I don't think
so, my Little Cocoon."

"Spider Daylra?! I'm working!"

"I know and I'm proud of the way you handled yourself
on the job."

"Was it necessary to have Daylra's Dear sneak up on
me?"

Retina paused just outside of sword's reach.

"Yes," Sathel replied.

"Finally, I appreciate Butterfly's help, but I don't
need her here. Tell her to go away."

She turned on her heel and returned to the parade. No one
noticed she was gone. Suddenly, Sathel choked up and rubbed her eyes. Her
husband put an arm around her and she leaned into him.

"She would have done wonderfully in Squad Four."

"Yes, she would have."

Thanks to the mercenaries, the procession of cargo reached
the borders of Royal Town with all the attention they could want and none of
the trouble. The trouble started there. Protesters lined the civilian side of
the royal moat.

Chimera, beastfolk, demons, and other non-humans marching
back and forth with banners that declared “We Don't Need A Cure!” He saw humans
that disliked the involvement of The Trickster and his Chosen due to fear of
chaotic trickery. There was another group that proclaimed the will of Order and
Fate and told the government to do nothing on religious grounds. Next to them,
a group opposed it on fiscal grounds: waste of taxpayer money, scientific
frauds, and even one or two humans claiming that 'mana mutation' didn't exist.
Finally, there was a group proclaiming, "KUAKI!"

 I still don't understand that one.

Chimera, beastfolk, demons, and other non-humans marching
back and forth with banners urging support of a cure because of society's
stigma and their own physical pain. There were humans that supported The
Trickster and his Chosen's involvement as heralds of progress. There was a
group that claimed the will of Order and Fate stood with the taming of mana
mutation and told the government to do more on religious grounds. Next to them was
a group that supported it on fiscal grounds: more people could work without
disabling mutation, breakthroughs in science leading to moneymaking
innovations, and one or two humans countering the mana mutation deniers.
Finally, there was a group proclaiming, "KUAKI!"

I still don't understand that one.

All of them claimed territory on the edge of the moat and
for several blocks in each direction. They set up tents in preparation for the
Mana Mutation Summit the next day. They looked like army camps on the eve of
battle.

Beware a determined activist.

Grey Dengel joined the parade.
In my day, “activists” would
storm the castle.

They would need torches, pitchforks, and siege engines
for that.

Suddenly, the Sacred Fire began to flicker. Without wind,
it leaned forward and into the moat. Given its divine nature, only a handful of
explanations existed.

“Daylra, let me handle this.”

“Why should I?”

“I’m stronger than I was before and think about how good it
will look for the new guard to slay the old guard.”

By now, the Sacred Fire was about to leave its pedestal.
Eric stopped it by stuffing it back inside its jar.

"Nulso! Show yourself!"

The middle-aged photographer stepped out of hiding. For
once, there was a change to his appearance; he looked sick. He was paler,
gaunter, and his ponytail was tighter than ever.

"Eric Watley, give me the Sacred Fire. If you resist,
I will kill you.”

“No.” Eric brandished his staff. “I’ve had an upgrade
since our last encounter.”

“So be it.”

Nulso's space
warped
. It distorted as his aura
shimmered with eldritch light. He reached out for the Sacred Fire. It flickered
and leaned toward Nulso’s outstretched hand. The jar leapt out of Eric’s hand,
but he stuffed it into his pocket.

 “You can have this when I’m dead.”

Eric lunged forward to thrust and Nulso’s personal barrier
emerged to stop him, but like before, his crystal flashed gold and dug into it.
Eyes slitted, Eric slashed to the ground, then brought the spear back up and
down again into an x-formation. A second thrust to the middle of the x broke
the barrier. Nulso sidestepped and the blade followed him, nicking the old
camera.

“The Trickster is making rapid progress forging this lance
for his mother.”

“Shut up and go away. I want nothing to do with your
cosmic chess game.”

Eric pressed the attack, slicing the ordercrafter as he
avoided the blade. Jumping into the air didn’t save him; Eric followed with
grendel leg strength. Nulso crossed his hands and intoned, “By the power of
Order….Rebuke!” A spiritual force hit Eric dead center. It forced him back to
earth and into the street, cratering it.

“Nifty trick. Why didn’t you use it earlier?”

“I’m desperate.”

Ethereal constructs sprouted from his aura and waved over him.
When he had a dozen, he launched them at Eric. The mage danced across the
ground and slashed through four of them, but then the other eight grabbed him
and squeezed. Thus rendered immobile, Eric could only watch as a thirteenth
digit went through his pockets. When it found the Sacred Fire, Nulso’s eyes lit
up. He couldn’t pull it back fast enough.

“Oh no you don’t!”

Eric drew on his Seed of Chaos as he would his soul for
mana. His hair shined golden-brown and obliterated the tendrils. This so
surprised Nulso that Eric could close the distance, snatch the jar from his
hand, and jump over his head before he was any wiser. Then he mule-kicked the
boy in the gut and reclaimed the fire.

“I need this, Eric Watley! My mortal soul cannot withstand
Order’s power for much longer! Unless I become divine, I will die.”

Eric jumped up and slashed for Nulso’s neck. The Order
Shield caught it but strained under its chaotic force.

“Good! Then there will be one less person to abuse
ordercraft.”

Nulso swung his leg up into Eric’s crotch. Eric winced. Nulso
pushed him off the drawbridge and into the moat. Eric sped through the Air Disc
chant, jumped off it, and swung again, but this time, Nulso caught the staff at
the midsection. Revulsion pounded in Eric’s mind and soul and he wanted to
vomit.

“You do not understand. My soul will implode and I will
become a mindless drone!”

“You’re already a mindless drone. You made a contract and now
you want to weasel out!”

With the staff as a fulcrum, Nulso smashed Eric into the
drawbridge. In response, Eric plucked one of his hairs and pressed it against
Nulso’s palm. He winced and released the staff.

“Order cares not if the contract is Leonine or not. I had
no choice in the matter.”

A third time, Eric jumped to his feet and brandished his
staff.

“Everyone has a choice in Chaos’ world. You
did
until you gave it up.”

“If you—”

The rest of his words were cut off as the ponytailed
tightened. Eric forgotten, Nulso unscrewed the jar and allowed the Sacred Fire
past his many defenses. Eric lunged with all his grendel strength and magical
will, but those same defenses kept him at arm’s length. The fire disappeared on
contact with Nulso’s body and his face fell.

“Nothing’s happening….Why doesn’t it work!?”

His aura faded and his body shriveled further. He looked
as if he would collapse right then and there. Instead, he shuffled away from his
enemies without seeing them, mumbling about failures and missed opportunities. Eric
was about to give chase, but Basilard held him back.

“You don’t have the authority to arrest him and
self-defense no longer applies. Let the Royal Guard or the Justice Station
handle it from here.”

Nulso turned a corner and was gone from sight.

“Yes, Daylra.”

“Everyone! Over the bridge now!” Anuzat ordered. “We have a
job to finish!”

The progression crossed the moat and stopped at the
curtain wall. While they waited for the portcullis to rise, Eric heard a voice
in his mind.

I spy, with my royal eye, a mercenary who has done his
job better than I expected.

Eric groaned.
I should have known you were up to something.
Early morning advertisement isn’t big enough for you. What did you do this
time?

I can’t have an ordercrafter mucking up my Summit, so I
arranged circumstances that would forbid him from attending.

You made me carry bait and it wasn’t even real bait.
I’m your bait boy.

Why would I leave something as precious as Sacred Fire
to chance?

He tried to kill me.

Do not worry. My sentinel was in the crowd to prevent
fatalities.

 He also recorded the entire event, am I right?

If he shows his face in my castle, then I will
broadcast his crimes and hypocritical justifications. I might do it anyway; he
looks like an addict demanding a hit! It would help Abbott Tolis and just in
time for his tour....

Before you are lost in your cloak and dagger plots, may
I bring something up?

What?

You owe me. I did your slandering, I provided you with
mana mutation research, I removed a rotten egg from your poli-party, and
tomorrow, I will be the golden goose. You owe me.

Alright, what do you want?

Annala has expressed interest in the Mana Mutation
Summit. I want her to have a ticket.

Civilian tickets are hard to come by, but since it’s
you asking, I’ll see what I can do.

Thanks, Kas.

Once they had safely entered the castle and delivered the
goods, Anuzat paid Basilard the mission fee. Tiza received a bonus in the form
of a hug. Back at the guild, Mia distributed their pay and recorded the mission
in the guild’s logs. Then she gave them the rest of the day off.

“Mia, that’s not within your authority,” Basilard said.

Mia tilted her head and put a finger to cheek. “It isn’t?
Then I can’t stop you from helping the next Royal Mage in the castle.”

“On second thought, it is within your authority.”

Mia giggled. “I thought so.”

“Thanks, Pinkie. I’m going to spend the day with Spider
Daylra and Daylra’s Dear.”

“I’m off to Griffocrates’ temple,” Nolien said. “There’s
philosophy I’d like to study.”

Eric disappeared without a word because everyone knew where
he was going. On a holiday about sharing warmth, there was no other place he’d
rather be. On his way, he committed various acts of petty mischief. Darkness
magic was coming back to him, so he accomplished it all without anyone knowing
it was him.

Once on school grounds, he searched for Annala and
resolved to make her laugh. She giggled the first few times he removed a teacher’s
toupee or fake horns, but soon she sent him stern stares. Instead, he decided
on something that would amuse himself
and
meet her approval; sit in on
the classes and spook anyone not paying attention to the lecture. His efforts
backfired because when school let out, Annala pretended that she couldn’t see
him even after he dropped the invisibility. She refused to look or talk despite
his efforts until he flashed his trump card.

“I might’ve found a way to get you into the Mana Mutation
Summit.”