Eight 5.6: A New Mission

The shadows followed me through the streets of Huwata. Their watchful gazes distracted me as I walked alongside the reeve. I had to count on Yuki to store the information about the landmarks she pointed out.

It also didn’t help that the tale of the hierophant’s death must’ve preceded me. There were signs of it everywhere: in the way people ducked their heads together to whisper, in how quickly they moved across the street, and in the small gestures they made to ward off ill luck.

Each time it happened, the reeve spoke more loudly and directed my attention elsewhere. The poor thing, even though the evening was turning chilly, I couldn’t help noticing how the back of her shirt was damp with sweat.

I didn’t want to be the kind of person who inspired fear—at least not in the innocent—so I put aside the feeling of being watched and gently touched the reeve’s elbow. It felt fragile and paper-thin under my hand.

“Rumors are rumors, and I take no offense from them,” I said. “If someone wants to stand on gossip’s unsteady stone, that’s their problem.”

The reeve’s relief was only matched by her sinking realization that I had, in fact, noticed the people whispering about me. Meanwhile, I wondered at how long it had taken me to put her at ease.

Getting lost while contemplating the nature of water was one thing, but this…this disregard of other people was disturbing. I felt like the engine of my mind was revving strongly, but the clutch wasn’t working as it should, delaying my responses to the world around me.

This was a relatively new phenomenon; it hadn’t been like this immediately after becoming silvered. Then again, I hadn’t been interacting with that many other people then. My time had instead been spent focusing on the changes within Fala, Yuki, the Deer God, and myself.

An insight emerged: Because the rest of the world feels shallow, it’s natural to gravitate to the parts that are deeper—others who are silver or dark, things related to how my authority might influence the world.

I glanced aside and used my Status camera on the reeve again. The first time, all I’d done was look for anything dangerous. This time, I wanted to pay attention.

Maleina (Human)

Talents: Natural Administrator, A Healthy Outlook, Organizer

Right, Maleina, I thought. That’s her name.

###

Maleina’s family residence was three stories tall and made of quarried stone. The construction looked solid, and the interior was warm and cozy, with the furnishings seeming to be especially well made. The pieces weren’t at the level of what was found at the top of Old Baxteiyel’s pyramid, but Huwata’s artisans could certainly be called skilled.

I was welcomed into the house and offered a warm meal. A pleasant experience followed, with good food and small talk that remained inconsequential throughout. The closest the conversation came to touching upon recent events was the incident on the road with the rockhead goose.

Afterward, I expressed a desire to rest and was shown to a dedicated guest room. Like the rest of the house, the furnishings were beautifully made. The room itself wasn’t overcrowded with stuff; each piece had enough breathing room to be admired.

The bed was made of walnut, the wood engraved with an intricate geometric pattern of alternating circles and half circles. The same motif carried over to the rug on the floor, the fine chest at the base of the bed, and the desk under the window. On the wall was a portrait of Land Knight Ithia when she was younger. A fire was already lit and warming the room.

I sat on the bed to wait. If my guess was right, I’d have a visitor soon. The shadows had followed me into the house, you see. Glancing at how they danced next to the fire, I thought it wouldn’t take long.

Someone clapped outside the door after half an hour. She pitched her voice softly as she announced, “A servant of the house offering tea.”

Opening the door, I saw a plain-looking, older woman carrying a tray. Everything about her presence said she was a servant in the process of completing her duties, even though the dress she wore was too unassuming for Maleina’s household. Also, her boots were notably muddy, as if she’d been out running errands and neglected to clean them after returning. That was a good way to earn a beating in some households.

She wore her hair in a widow’s braid, and her right eye… The Taoism skill flickered to life, drawing my attention to the black marble filling the socket. Shadows fluttered inside it.

The servant moved into the room to put the tray down on the desk. She poured two cups of steaming tea, taking one for herself and sitting on the bed with sigh. A moment later, she rubbed at her right “eye,” causing shadows to spill down her face.

The shadows in the room trembled and came loose from their moorings. They merged with the inkiness flowing from Silasenei, then rushed away to create a thin film covering the door, window, and walls.

The sight was surreal: all the shadows in room were missing except for that barrier.

“It should be safe to talk now,” she said.

Silasenei the Grandmaster of the Hunter’s Lodge (Human, Silvered)

Talents: Born Hunter, Knife Friend, Persistent Survivor, Ear for Trouble, Shadow-Touched, The Hidden Piece

Nascent Talents: Dwells in Darkness

Every other time I’d met her, Silasenei had had a whipcord energy as if she were made of tightly coiled springs ready to let loose their energy. Not today, though. In this moment, she looked weary.

Silasenei pointed to the tray. “Go on, get your tea. I went to the trouble of making it, so you might as well.”

I walked across the now-shadowless room to take the other cup. The tea smelled strongly of flowers and nothing else. It was too hot to drink, though, so I just held onto it for the time being. That didn’t stop Silasenei. She took a long sip and sighed again afterward, the heat seeming to provide some ease.

“You’re not surprised to find me here,” she said.

“I noticed the shadows watching me earlier, and… well, a hunter knows how to hide, including among people. For you to show up in this house is within what I’d expect of the grandmaster.”

“The? Not our?” Her look became pointed, empty socket and all. “Are you no longer a hunter, Eight? Have you cast me aside as your grandmaster?”

I asked a question of my own in return: “You’re sure we’re safe from being overheard?”

She gestured toward the shadow barrier and said, “Yes, this ability has been tested against those determined to learn my secrets, though you know the saying… talents bend the world and soul marks twist it. So far none of have been able to pierce this barrier of mine, but that may change one day.”

I nodded. “That’s good enough for me. I’ll begin by saying that I’m Level 14.”

The shock on her face lasted only a split-second. “Our Mumu has grown clever. She’d told me you’d silvered, but not to the degree.” Silasenei managed to look both vexed and pleased at the deception successfully used against her. “Our lodge prospers when its hunters grow deft. I offer you my congratulations.”

“Thank you,” I said, bowing.

“And I assume you don’t want my job, so what is it, Eight? What are you thinking that you don’t acknowledge me as your grandmaster?”

“But I do acknowledge you,” I replied, “but I don’t know for how long it will last, since I don’t want to join the city’s land soldiers and I refuse to bind myself to Albei.”

“There are other ways to stay connected to the lodge. You’re not the first hunter with an itch to go wandering. I’m assuming that’s what it is, but…” Silasenei thought for a moment, but then shook her head. “I don’t know enough; you’d best tell me everything: what you know of the events in Old Baxteiyel, what’s happened since the race’s end, and your intentions for the future. Don’t leave anything out, even if you believe it’s information I already have. Be… be as truthful as you can.”

My hesitation must’ve shown, because Silasenei added, “Trust me, Eight, as you once trusted Inleio. I know the true source of Ikfael’s Boon and have kept this secret for you, obscuring the truth from others who’ve striven to delve into its origins. I am your ally. In my heart, a hunter once is a hunter always. And I watch over our hunters. That is my path.”

I felt moved, and a sense of camaraderie rose within me. Besides, if she knew about Yuki, then I could simply give her the same story I’d shared with my team about the events in Old Baxteiyel’s pyramid. The Deer God, my becoming a beloved of Fala, her human avatar, and the terrible magics we’d found would all remain secret, but the rest could be safely told.

So, I laid it out for my grandmaster, occasionally checking my Status to make sure I wasn’t being influenced. Then, when I got to the most recent events in Bashruuta, I handed over Sulwa’s documents, including the record book. I also provided a summary of the book’s contents along with an explanation of how to break the code so that she could read it herself.

Silasenei spent several minutes examining the materials intently, ultimately focusing on the book, her long fingers tracing the words as she went.

“Have you seen anything like this code before?” I asked.

In that moment, when she turned her attention toward me, I felt her influence prickle mine. The interaction was brief and didn’t do anything as near as I could tell. No negative conditions appeared in my Status, so… an overflow maybe?

“I am an advisor to Land Knight Ithia,” Silasenei said, “and she relies on me for things out of the ordinary.”

Yuki had been quiet throughout the encounter, but I felt them snort at the description. ‘What a diplomatic way to call herself a spymaster.’

Shush. She’s going to say something important.

“You know we’ve been hunting the saboteurs responsible for poisoning Albei’s darklight,” Silasenei continued, “and you’ve dealt with those people. We owe you our thanks, and you will be rewarded.”

“They meant to harm our Ikfael, so I had to do something.”

Silasenei nodded. “Which is why I will offer you task—one that serves you, Ikfael, and Albei combined. Would like to hear it, Eight? A way to get revenge against Maltra and spoil the empire’s plans against our Albei?”

“You didn’t answer my question,” I said, “but I’m willing to listen.”

“That’s not enough,” she replied. “The request will reveal certain information that should only be available to those more involved.”

Trust was one thing, but… “There’s no way I’ll agree to something without knowing the details first,” I told her.

“Yes, good. A hunter desires to know the land before they hunt in it.” Silasenei reached toward the barrier, and the shadow flickered in response. A sheet of paper fell out, landing in her waiting hand.

‘Oh, that’s cool,’ Yuki murmured.

The grandmaster handed the paper over. “Here is the answer to your question.”

It turned out to be a letter written in code, the same one used in Sulwa’s book. The paper it was made from was unfamiliar to me, though—thick and colored a speckled tan—and there were creases from where it had been folded. Looking at the letter’s back, I saw the remnants of a wax seal that was now broken. Putting the pieces next to each other revealed the imprint to have been of a jaguar’s head.

The hairs along my arms rose up. There was a jade mask that looked similar in the Hoarder’s Pocket. It contained the yet-to-be-decoded secrets of Old Baxteiyel’s magic.

I took a breath and unfolded the paper again. Yuki came to the forefront of mind to eagerly scan the contents.

In the background, I was aware of Silasenei finishing her tea, yet I couldn’t take my eyes off the letter. It was a report made directly to Sister Moon asking for additional funding for the “Eagle Fortress.” The research into Project Brithright was nearly complete and a working prototype could be expected within the season, assuming the additional funding was forthcoming.

Silasenei rose to pour herself another cup of tea. She nodded to the letter in my hands. “That was found… it doesn’t matter where; let’s say it was a fortuitous encounter.”

“You already knew how to break the code,” I said. From the way she’d acted, I was sure of it.

A subtle nod was Silasenei’s response.

“How?” I asked.

“Are you curious?” she asked in turn. “Shall I tell you more?”

The offer was clearly bait, but so what? My hidden allies and I had already decided to do something about the Maltrans, and we expected to receive help from Albei in the process. Silasenei appeared to be offering something more involved, however, and I questioned if we should get that entangled. I felt Yuki’s and Fala’s thoughts pacing mine.

“The curiosity on your face gives you away,” Silasenei said, “so let me tell you this: Albei is not alone in its defense against Maltran aggression. These allies have talents beyond what a small city like ours is capable of, and they are actively aiding our resistance. Their plans will mesh with our plans.”

She paused, seemingly to consider her next words. “If you accept this request, I will make an exchange with Honored Ikfael before the journey begins. With me acting as a representative of the entire Three-City Alliance, it will benefit her standing with the World Spirit immensely. In addition, I will provide the necessary resources to succeed, including access to certain spells. You already know of Thousand Arrows and Thousand Spears, but there is also Silent Kill.”

I blinked in surprise. There’d been no such spell listed in any of the lodge’s records I’d poured through. “Is this a family spell?” I asked.

But Silasenei gestured in the negative. “The spell belongs to our lodge, but knowledge of it is not public and only a handful of hunters ever qualify for it.” She went to sit on the bed once more and sipped her tea, drawing the moment out and letting the temptation of the new spells sink in.

Technically, I wasn’t supposed to have access to the Thousand-series spells yet—the minimum age for a master hunter was twenty-one. Yuki knew them, however, because of the extensions of their consciousness within my teammates, and I could’ve also asked Ikfael to exchange for the spells.

Still, I’d done an admirable job of refraining until I was legally allowed to have them. This Silent Kill spell, though… Yuki, does Mumu know about it?

‘The only way for us to be able to say is if you request us to ask her,’ Yuki replied.

That was right; the hidden mind had pledged to never reveal the private information or secrets of the people they inhabited.

Silasenei gestured, a simple sign meaning, “Go ahead.” The barest hint of a smirk came and went as she added, “Our Mumu will learn of the spell soon enough.”

Well, that’s… something, I thought. Silasenei had just made it clear she knew my team communicated telepathically through Yuki. At least it simplifies matters. Go ahead.

Yuki’s focus shifted from me to the southwest. Hints of my lodge master’s location leaked through the connection; the vibe and the clamor reminded of the Horn of Welcome inn.

I sensed puzzlement from Mumu and then a rising anger. A moment later, she was in my thoughts directly. ‘Eight, where are you and what are you doing?’

Didn’t Yuki tell you? I’m meeting with Silasenei. She has a request for me, and one of the rewards is a new spell.

‘We were trying to be sparse with the details to protect Eight’s privacy,’ Yuki protested.

The connection cooled, the heat replaced by Mumu’s hesitancy. I could almost feel her pursing her lips. The conversation around the table stilled as my teammates stopped their chatter; they’d noticed her dealing with a troublesome message.

A sigh blew through Mumu; a decision was reached. ‘What she offers you is likely dangerous, both the request and the reward. Even as your lodge master, I cannot tell you whether you should or should not accept either…’ She trailed off.

Finish the thought, I sent. It’s all right for you to speak your mind.

Mumu gestured, her sign meaning “acceptance.” ‘Remember that our Inleio believed in Silasenei. She’s proven herself our stalwart ally over many decades, and she continues to do so. Voorhei’s lodge would’ve been lost without her support. If it were anyone else, I’d say to be careful. In truth, you should still be careful, but you can at least trust our grandmaster to keep her word and to arm you well for the hunt ahead.’

There came a pause, a quiet point in her thoughts and emotions. ‘I mislike how you are being drawn into these events. How we are being drawn into them. They are so much bigger than our Voorhei, but if this is how we can protect our village from Maltra’s hostilities, then so be it. For the sake of the lodge’s future, we will have to leave Teila behind, but the rest of us will join you. Whatever the grandmaster asks of you, she asks of us—’

Silasenei put her hand on my arm. “About now, Mumu is volunteering to join your hunt. Tell her that she cannot, only those who are silver or dark may do so.”

“What? Why?” I asked, and then answered my own question: “Ah, to resist the influence of Maltra’s agents.”

The grandmaster nodded, her expression stiff. “We have learned through the worst possible ways the power of Maltra’s charm-based magics. One must be sufficiently powerful in their own right to withstand it.”

“So I would be going alone?” I asked.

“Knight Ithia and I must remain in Albei to defend the city, but the burden won’t be yours only,” Silasenei said. “You may not always know it, but it will be true.”

‘Eight?’ Mumu sent. ‘I lost you for a moment.’

A complication has come up, I replied.

‘We’ll fill you in,’ Yuki added, and the backchannel became active as the hidden mind shared the unfortunate details.

While that was going on, I sent a message to Fala, I can’t make this decision without you.

In return, I felt the steadiness of her resolve. ‘You know my thoughts. This project of the Maltrans must be stopped. My path demands it. Why are you hesitating? We were always going to accept Silasenei’s request.’

I don’t like being manipulated, though you’d think I’ve had enough practice by now. I shook my head. It’s a habit, I suppose. Or my contrary side coming out.

Silasenei rose to pour herself a third cup of tea. She seemed to be willing to wait for me to make a decision. Through the connection to the rest of my team, I felt their concern and anxiety. They waited to hear what I’d say too.

I sometimes hesitated at the strangest moments, but there was a recognition within me this time that I was at the edge of something big and uncertain and dangerous. It was normal, then, to pause to make sure of my footing before stepping out into the unknown.

And yet, a pause was all it took to decide.

“All right,” I said, “I’m in.”

“Just you?” Silasenei asked.

“Me and my hidden allies, we’ll accept this task of yours.”

A predatory grin spread across Silasenei’s normally stoic face. “There is a feeling when releasing an arrow—a rightness such that you know you cannot miss. As if the universe bends itself to ensure the attack lands true. No magic or talents are necessary. There is simply the act, pure and unadulterated.” She set her cup down in order to put her hands on my shoulders. Her gaze was intense, from both her good eye and the empty socket. “For years, I have searched for that feeling in the hidden battles against Maltra, and finally it is here.”

Silasenei went to sit again and stretched her arms up to release the tension in her back. She glanced around the room as if to record the details in her memory. Then, she chuckled. “So much chaos follows in our Little Pot’s wake. The Maltrans won’t know what hit them.”

“As it should be,” I replied. “A hunter is strongest when attacking from an ambush.”

“A truth,” Silasenei said, the grin once more on her face. “Your mission, now that you’ve accepted it, is to infiltrate Maltra, sneak into the Eagle Fortress, and sabotage their Project Birthright.”