Cursed Explorer of the Arcana

"Show yourself. You have three seconds!"

I emerge from the side streets right away, holding my hands high and letting the mana supply to my inscriptions run dry. I'm harmless, I'm young, and I'm cute, surely they won't kill me.

This was all the time I could afford for Val, I can't lead the weasels of Harven here either. Hopefully, she's out of the city by now and far enough for her signal to be untraceable.

"I mean no harm." I speak.

The blood and ashes probably don't play well into that image, or the visible inscriptions on my skin…

A patrolling knight of Valeria stands just a few paces from me, measuring the prowler in times of heightened danger. It's a woman, her hand on the pommel of her sword, and cold eyes staring at me without a hint of mercy.

She's moving around the outer perimeter, making sure nobody comes even remotely close to the second star of the Empire. Fulfilling her duty even at the cost of thousands of lives, be they young or elderly… No amount of blood is worth the risk.

"I'm with the Fist." I quickly add.

The hand does not leave the sword, merely hesitates for a moment. Rigidity and stupidity are two separate qualities, and connecting the dots is quite simple in this case. Child, still alive despite the situation, claiming to be with the Fist… one with a Blessing perhaps?

"Who is it?" The older gentleman who summoned the boat of light pokes his corner around the corner. "Ah, Elyssia! What pleasure to see you alive!" The man walks closer, relief and a wide smile on his face.

But the knight raises a hand and doesn't allow him to pass. Her gaze remains firmly locked on me and she slowly approaches, stopping only right in my face, tower above poor little me. Then she gently, but firmly rests and a hand on my shoulder and… the cold runs across my body.

It's as if an ethereal hand rummaged through my organs and veins…

"Go." She says and walks past me without another word. Nothing just happened, she wasn't about to kill me, and I definitely wasn't about to start begging.

Okay, not begging, maybe, but definitely no thoughts of a glorious last stand. I wouldn't have lasted more than a second.

"Come, come, we've been worried sick." The man ushers me closer to the center of the protective dome. "Things escalated so suddenly, I barely knew who to kill." He cackles off-handedly.

"Who's attacking?" I pose the question that's been bugging me for a while now.

The man merely looks at me and smiles wickedly. "Everyone."

I give up all attempts at chatting there, this one is definitely the sick ones who enjoy this job thoroughly. Under the umbrella of light, everything is oddly… peaceful. The sight of chaos beyond the barrier, explosions and thunder are still clear to see, yet sound is strongly muted.

At least we don't have to walk far to discover the heart of the storm watching over us.

Martha's strolling close to the prince along with Kastor's other dozen escorts and a few elite of the Fist. The prince and nobles enjoy a premium protective circle of bodies, meant to perish for the greater cause.

When our eyes meet, she glances at the ruler, who simply nods, giving his permission.

"By the Gods, Elyssia, just where were you?" She pulls me close for a hug. "I feared for the worst. How could you just disappear like that? And where is Valka?"

A little too many questions. Some I won't answer, others I won't truthfully answer. My conscience isn't a fan of all this lying in the past days, but what can a girl do?

"In short, we were bored, wandered about, and… this." I wave all around us. "We were forced to split up with Val. Things were a little hectic…"

"I thought you two were grown together, so how?" She asks in disbelief.

"We were outnumbered, and I acted as the bait. But it's not the time, things are very bad!"

"Oh, tell me about it." Martha shakes her head with her hands on her hips, as if we're talking about gossip around the village. "Negotiations got out of hand suddenly, and there was no turning back."

Isn't it in the definition of negotiations to solve things without descending into this barbaric state? And here I thought this little outing would be nothing but balls and social torture…

"How?" I demand to know.

Martha ushers me to walk a little faster, and she begins to explain. "It turns out, Mytralis has some old records on Korellia, flora and fauna alike, as well as modern geographical analysis. Those things are invaluable, especially these days, and… you can guess the rest?"

"Someone attacked the venue?" I can hardly believe it, that's suicide.

"No, no, that's suicide…" That's what I'm saying. "But looting a few of the towers in search of the answer was solid thinking."

"Did we do it?" I throw a glance at the prince.

"Not our place to question or judge." Martha answers with a lecture. "Once one started looting, everyone began looting. Just like almost two hundred years ago…"

And it's not the first time… People are just awful. Moreover, what's so great about the lands across the sea to be worth all this fuss?

A boulder slams into the barrier, making me twitch and act to defend myself. Needlessly, of course. It doesn't make it through, but does earn Martha's attentio,n who responds with a lightning descending from the skies, almost as thick as a tower.

"Killed him?" I ask, slightly curiously.

"Yeah. And using Identify reveals you had no easy way back here either." She shows me a sad smile.

[Your group has triumphed over the enemy [Follower of Wordless Whispers - Wind lvl 241] - [Etheral String Weaver - Arcane lvl 119].]

[Your group has triumphed over the enemy [Tentative Firemaker - Fire lvl 213] - [Brewer of Discoveries - Water lvl 157].]

…

[Your group has triumphed over the enemy [Deathly Steel Spider - Metal lvl 612] - [Emissary of Shadows - Dark lvl 471] - [Ironblooded - Metal lvl 233].]

Quite a few… quite powerful as well. Levels matter, but so does danger and the trial we must face to come out victorious.

[Your Class [Nature's Partner in the Dance] has reached lvl 128-> 137, +4 Free Points, +8 Speed, +4 Endurance, +15 Intelligence, +16 Focus, +2 Dexterity, +14 Mana, +16 Willpower, +2 Fortitude.]

"Damn." I mutter. "That's a lot of numbers all around. Those bastards were quite strong, huh? And persistent…"

This was one of the rare consequences where being weak and unassuming is oddly advantageous.

[Your class Skill [Arcane Mastery] has reached lvl 117-> 119.]

[Your class Skill [Action for Reaction] has reached lvl 108.]

[Your class Skill [Mana Perception ] has reached lvl 115-> 117.]

[Your class Skill [Focal Mana Trance] has reached lvl 106.]

[Your class Skill [Ethereal Stage ] has reached lvl 89-> 92.]

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

[Your class Skill [Etherinity's Spark] has reached lvl 33-> 48.]

Yeah, the levels clearly show we hadn't worked properly for the growth. Making these Skills catch up to the Class will take an eternity…

[The general Skill [Pain Tolerance] has reached lvl 49-> 50.]

[The general Skill [Premonition] has reached lvl 112.]

[The general Skill [Martial Instinct] has reached lvl 87-> 91.]

"You did well to make all the way here alive." Marthe strokes my head. "Now we must leave this damned place as fast as we can. The whale should be waiting at the docks."

"What about Val?" I can't believe my ears.

Martha struggles to look me in the eye before she speaks. "We have orders, Eli. Defying them would be treason. It could hurt a lot more people than just us present. The prince's life is worth more than any of ours."

"Well, I don't really care." I pull away, rightfully outraged. "What happened with leaving nobody behind?! Where are those pearls of wisdom now?!"

"It's… not that simple. You know I care about you, but there's a lot more at stake than just the two of you. We only have a small diplomatic contingent in a warzone." Martha sighs. "And I can't let you run out there all alone either. She might make it out alone, but if we-"

"Fair warning." I grab Martha's chin and smile right into my teacher's eyes. "You either put me down like a dog, here and now, or let me go after her! At least one of us needs to act with a spine!"

My insolence awakens something dangerous in her elderly gaze. Defiance and anger, but also a bit of shame… Maybe with time, she forgot what it meant to risk everything to get everything. If I need to choose between two lesser evils, I'd rather not choose at all.

"I really don't want to hurt you…" My mentor sighs. Then she raises a hand, and a few items appear in her palm. "You'll need these."

Two scrolls, a ring, a pouch, and a small package.

"These are…" I'm not omniscient.

"Papers to identify yourselves. The ring you're familiar with and aren't supposed to have, some coin, and a small gift." Martha shoves them into my arms. "You'll need them. Once the whale has passed the border, I'll try looking for you."

Now this is my teacher. She knows me well, but it's the trust I truly value. Stopping me would pose her no challenge, and losing two Blessed is way worse than losing only one… But she trusts I'll find my way back. Again.

"I also have a small gift." I stuff everything into my bag and offer the documents I've gathered. "Stuff I picked up along the way…"

She quickly skims through some of them with grins and frowns playing tag on her face. "Do you have any idea how much these are worth?" She makes the papers disappear.

"Enough to reconsider my stipend? And Valka's!" I grin and pack my things. "Anyway, I'm off. Don't take too long!"

Without declaring my intentions for everyone to hear, asking for some much-needed aid, or enjoying the safety a little longer, I take off between the houses. The less people know we're still wandering about, without any escorts and plans, the better.

We've met shadows today already, killed one even, so it would come as no surprise if another one pounced on me while I'm alone and vulnerable.

Flying over the buildings does sound like a bad idea, and now that I know the Valerian skywhale is resting in the docks, I don't plan on venturing that way either. That leaves walking on foot… Yeah, it's not that bad after all.

Since we were already somewhat on the outskirts of Mythralis, walking the deprecated markets and torn-up houses near the water, avoiding the most troublesome areas is simple. It only takes about a minute of jogging to find out my thinking isn't exactly unique.

Fleeing the city must be the most popular activity among the living right now, and the gates are only so wide. Mothers carrying their children, fathers hauling anything both movable and valuable, as well as pushing the way for their family, and anyone able-bodied trampling over one another…

My size and attributes offer me no advantages in this race to the other side. Using magic to demolish the wall, of either stone or blood and flesh… Yeah, I'd rather avoid that. But at least I'm pretty light and agile.

Taking a running start, I jump high with my tongue out and begin this unique game of hopscotch.

Head, shoulder, head, head, cart, box, box, horse, shoulder, head…

The footholds aren't always stable, or cooperative, and almost never appreciative, but at least I'm fast. Some hands try to reach after me, or fight through the crowd as if that'd solve anything. I guess watching me cut the line, especially considering the battles still raging behind them… it must be frustrating.

Once past the walls, things become both a lot less troublesome and way more complicated at the same time. I haven't the slightest clue whether or not Valka actually made it out, not to mention where she might've disappeared.

For now, I elect to run along the length of the wall and see if she's still around or maybe fighting a losing battle. Because none of the battles around us are in our favor…

***

After almost an hour of headless search, running my legs off and getting more and more desperate by the minute… Nothing. Not a single white lab coat or man-like hair in sight. The former is little relief when I know almost nothing about what could've happened to my friend.

"Have you seen a tall girl? White hair and… and a robust build, and a metal pet?" I ask for the umptenth time.

It's the best I can do, and I will do everything.

"Oh, I wish I hadn't!" The mother sneers, steering her children away from me. "She rushed through everything, pushing my boy away and spilling our food all over the ground. Like an avalanche that girl was…"

"Really?" My eyes sparkle, and I disregard any personal space. "Which way?"

I recognize my mistake a little too late. My reaction had revealed a little too much, and now, innocent information had suddenly just gained significant value.

"I don't remember exactly…" The woman looks left and right, feigning uncertainty. So I hand her a pair of silver. "She knocked my boy up pretty bad, so I couldn't-" Another two coins land in her palm. "Southwest."

"Bitch…" I mutter my words of gratitude.

If she were to play hard to get for another round, I would've made her poorer on a few teeth and not just silver. Can I even trust her word? Probably. She gains nothing out of lying to me, and I gave her what refugees usually need the most.

"Southwest…" I tap my chin, trying to recall the maps I've studied.

Beggars can't be choosers, I know, but she could've at least put a little thought into this. Sereban is the opposite way, and so are any potential reinforcements. I don't want this to be a repeat of last year's tour to the north.

My legs are about to fall off, I'm parched, and exhausted… Still, the longer I wait, the more difficult it'll be to find any clues on Valka's passing. She has maybe a three to four-hour head start.

Finding her is the only thing on my mind, although not by a wide margin...

***

A direction alone is precious little, but knowing Val, she most likely followed the widest road from a distance. She's supposed to hide and escape, which means avoiding busy routes, but her knowledge about the region is abysmal.

She knows she'll get lost if not for someone pointing her in the right direction.

Besides, even if I had any outstanding tracking skills, finding marks of her passing would be almost impossible. People are fleeing the city in droves. That leaves walking the path and praying I miraculously spot her.

Which is what I've been doing for about an hour now.

"How do I know if this thing even works?" I roll the ring Martha gave me between my fingers. "And what level does it show?"

What I'm doing is dumb, since when not worn properly, the ring is nothing more than a moderately pretty accessory. One that's highly illegal to possess…

No signs of Val yet, neither her nor her passing. I've stumbled across groups and families all traveling simply as far from the mess as possible. I do know how they feel, losing their home to the flames and the greed of someone who cares little about them.

I was there once… Never want to feel like that again.

"Excuse me…" A father approaches me warily. "Do you perhaps have some water?"

Glancing at the mother behind him with a small boy walking by her side and a baby in her arms, and absolutely no belongings or anything with them whatsoever… It's tough, they must've fled without the chance to pack anything.

[Artisan lvl ???]

[Labourer lvl 205]

[Human]

[Human]

And it's no surprise he stopped me, of all people. I'm not too old or threatening at first glance, meaning smaller risk and higher chance of compliance.

"Sure." I answer.

No need to be an asshole all the time, even if it's much more fun, and it's easier to ask when cordial ties are established. Or I think Martha said something like that… Anyway, it boils down to 'help them and they'll listen'.

The Fist has plenty of experience on the field.

The man thanks me extensively and hurries to quench his children's thirst. The kids drink, and so does the visibly exhausted mother… and my water is all gone. Classic.

"I was wondering, have you perhaps seen a tall, white haired girl in the past hours?" I don't have any high hopes, but it's worth asking.

The couple shares a glance. "A lot of people came past here today…" The mother mutters.

"No, Mom." The older child chimes in. "She means the lady who snuck into that cart."

All eyes immediately move to the kid. Good kid, smart kid, well worth the water.

"You saw her get onto a cart. Was it heading this way?" I point down the road, and the kid nods. Stupid question, but one can't be too careful. "Was she tall and had a funny metallic bird with her?"

"It was so cute!" The boy's eyes turn starry.

There's no mistaking it, I'm on the right track.

"Great. Thanks!" I give a short farewell and pick up the pace.

"Little miss, will you be alright all alone?" The mother asks with a hint of concern.

Huh, maybe there are still normal people in this world… Krieg feasts tonight, and people despair, yet this woman still worries about me. Maybe this is how it always should be.

"Thanks for asking, but I'm a professional." I grin and ignite my flames.

The roar of fire takes me high to make my exit truly stylish, and I keep increasing the thrust until the world below seems like a blur. Spotting a carriage is much easier than combing through the woods for signs of Valka.

And if she caught that ride hours ago, then I really need to pick up the pace.

Mythralis isn't a large country, and trying to sneak through the border, a proper checkpoint, I mean, carries its own risks. But I also need to be careful. Disregarding a thought that she might have pursuers, or worse, someone is on my tail, would be foolish.

"I'll just ask around in the next town or something."