The Ruby Magician

The perfect floors and walls of the base of Alistair flew by Wyn as he stormed further into their depths. Just behind him followed Faye and Nigel, all of them moving at nearly a jog.

"What in the gods is happening," Nigel said.

"I'll fill you in later," Faye said. "Wyn, what are you going to say?"

Wyn barely heard her. He honestly didn't know what he was going to say. But he was so angry, so full of rage against Landon for his bold arrogance, that he didn't fully trust himself not to say something stupid.

The guild meeting had just finished, and Wyn barely heard any more of it after the confrontation with the Faceless Four. The members practically ran out of the building, with Wyn unable to track them somehow. Aureus tried to restore order to the meeting, but it was mostly finished. They added some information on the floors for the third tier, mostly with Nigel assisting, then concluded with a few reminders Wyn didn't hear.

He was too busy thinking about his next move. And he decided that the first step needed to be addressing the issue at the source.

Reaching the door to Tower Master Aureus's office, Wyn didn't even pause. He turned the knob and let himself in.

Inside, Aureus was standing near his window while his assistant jerked her head towards them with a gasp. The Tower Master looked alarmed for only a moment before visibly returning to a more neutral, but still hardened, expression.

"Ardwyn, you need to calm down," Aureus said, raising his hands.

"Calm down?" Wyn asked, his voice rising. "I've come to you multiple times about them already and they're still doing whatever they want!"

"I had the issue handled," Aureus said. "I threatened them with suspension or removal of their Climber status. Is that not enough?"

Wyn laughed. "Do you think that will stop them? Or that they'll comply with any type of directive? They're not reasonable people, Aureus. They do whatever they want without thinking of the consequences of other people. They're a plague to this city."

"That's a bit harsh," the assistant said.

"Lady, you don't know the half of it," Faye said. "They attacked and beat Climbers just for information on Wyn."

The assistant's eyes went wide as she turned her head to Aureus. He looked at her with an equal amount of confusion.

"Can you confirm that?" Aureus asked.

It was Faye's turn to laugh. "Do you know about the two Climbers in the infirmary found beaten in the training hall?"

"Of course I know. I was the one who oversaw their transfer to the infirmary."

"Then how could you not know it was them?" Wyn asked.

"How can you be certain? They refused to name their attackers and there are more problem people in the city than just them. Crime happens here more often than you think."

"I can be certain because they told me," Wyn said.

Aureus went pale. "They woke up?"

Wyn paused. He didn't know if he should tell the Tower Master, but it would be better if he was involved. Maybe he could finally take action. "Late last night. Devon, the Treasure Hunter, has a unique ability that lets him find unique treasure. He found something special I was looking for, and the Faceless Four found out. They've been looking for the same kinds of item."

"What is it?" The assistant asked.

"Yea, we could have helped you look for it," Nigel added.

Wyn shook his head. "I've only found them in secret rooms. There seem to be nine pieces, and we've been hunting down the rest. I believe the Faceless Four have at least two. Maybe even three, now."

"And they're ruthless when it comes to looking for something they want," Faye said. "The rumors about them getting their masks are the stuff of nightmares."

"I can't help you about the items," Aureus said. "But if what you say about them attacking the Climbers is true, then they will be punished."

"And what will that punishment be?" Wyn asked.

Aureus snickered. "I don't have to tell you my decisions, you know. But... attacking others is subject to being expelled from the city and their climbing status being revoked. After I send word to the authorities they will likely be imprisoned as well."

Wyn felt like he was slapped in the face. Expelled? Their climbing status revoked? Even imprisonment felt unjust compared to their crimes.

And that was if they willingly complied with their sentence. Wyn had a strong feeling they weren't going to accept their ruling easily. Plus, they weren't going to be able to rid themselves of their masks. Wyn knew it was going to get far worse before it got better.

Aureus narrowed his eyes. "You don't seem satisfied at my answer."

Wyn shook his head. "They won't accept that. Those masks are a part of them, now. Taking them off means they'll die. And I have a strong feeling they'll fight to the death before that anyway."

"How in the hells do you know that?" Faye asked. "No one knows about their masks."

Wyn didn't hesitate. There was no sense in keeping information, now. "They asked me to look at their masks because I have an item that lets me see and read magical runes. What I saw was… concerning, to say the least."

"They're the biggest mystery in the city," Nigel said, "and all you're gonna say is they're concerning?"

"They're powerful. Orange-tier effects. But they also have terrible curses that prevent them from taking the masks off without injury and eventual death."

Faye leaned against the wall. "Gods. No wonder they never take them off."

"You're sure of this?" Aureus asked. "Cursed items are incredibly rare."

"Very sure," Wyn said. "Which means they won't relieve themselves of their masks. Being expelled from the city just won't work."

Aureus sighed and sat in his chair. He ran his hands through his hair as though he carried the weight of the world for his next series of choices. As though he knew what was right but not necessarily easy. Looking at Wyn, his gaze was serious but somber.

Wyn understood what he wasn't saying. The realization was strangely comforting, as though he was being given permission after giving himself permission not long ago. "It's alright, Aureus. They won't be expelled."

"They won't?" The assistant asked.

"Wait, Wyn," Faye said. "What are you going to do?"

Aureus kept his gaze locked on Wyn. His eyes were unwavering. "Yes, Ardwyn. What are you going to do?"

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Wyn smiled. It wasn't a pleasant one. "They're rabid animals. What do you do with rabid animals?"

"Hold on," Nigel said. "You're talking about killing them? What in the hells, Wyn! That's absurd!"

Wyn looked at his guild mate. "It wouldn't be the first time, Nigel."

Nigel's face went pale. He stared at Wyn with shocked surprise, unable to look away.

"You're talking about some of the strongest Climbers in the city," Faye said. "Wyn, I know what you've been through during your time here. I know it hasn't been easy. But this isn't some rookie Climber charmed into a cult! These are dangerous people who clear floors with only the four of them!"

"I know," Wyn said. "But they hurt my friends and threatened my family. I have to stop them before anything worse happens!"

"If you do this, something worse will happen," Aureus said. "Someone is going to die. And it may be people you're trying to protect."

Wyn looked back at the Tower Master. "That also wouldn't be the first time. But like those times, I have to try. I always have to try."

*****

Arabelle put her cup down, enjoying the after lunch tea. It was a pleasant meal of pheasant and leeks, not too heavy but seasoned perfectly. Since Cal had returned, their guild had been spoiled with his cooking, surpassing even the chefs and restaurants of the city Arabelle used to enjoy visiting.

But even that paled in comparison to enjoying the meal with Adam.

Roger, a Swashbuckler from Nigel's group, suddenly burped, causing a serious of laughs and disgusted replies from the table. Arabelle tried to hide a snicker and leaned into Adam. The rest of her team and Nigel's group started up a new conversation from that one act alone.

She and Adam weren't exactly on a date, but he hadn't quite had the courage to ask her privately. Not yet, she hoped. She could tell he wanted to but was being bashful. That was alright with her. She had no plans to rush things for her future.

Taking another sip from her tea, her attention was pulled when one of the cleaning staff came running into the dining hall. She looked frantic and upset.

"Mary?" Arabelle asked. "Is everything alright?"

The woman stammered over her words but composed herself quickly. "There's… there's someone at the door. I mean, there are people at the door. Asking for Wyn!"

The table quieted immediately and everyone turned to Arabelle. She hated having so much attention on her. Sometimes being the sister of the guild leader came with unwanted influence, though.

"Tell them he isn't here and to check back another time," Arabelle said.

Mary visibly swallowed then started wringing her hands as though washing them. "I already… I did that, ma'am. They won't leave."

Arabelle felt frustration rising inside her. Who in the hells would be there asking for Wyn?

"What do they look like?" Adam asked.

"They're that masked group, sir."

Arabelle's annoyance drained out of her, instantly replaced by dread. The Faceless Four. She grabbed Adam's arm by instinct and squeezed. He turned to look at her with concern, unbothered by her reaction.

"Come on," Oren said, standing up. "We should tell them ourselves."

Arabelle felt like her body was moving on its own as the entire table stood up. All eleven of them moved to the front door. She wished that one of their leaders were there, but they were gone. Faye and Nigel were with Wyn at the guild meeting. The rest of Nigel's team was getting lunch with her team after a morning training session while Wyn's team were all managing their own responsibilities, and Faye didn't really have a team.

There was no true leader currently at the guild. Though Arabelle knew everyone there would look to her for decisions.

Arriving at the door, Arabelle paused seeing the one person standing in the open doorway. It was the member she hadn't met, the one wearing the sphinx mask. Wyn told her about all of them, though. This one's names was Octavius. She committed all of their names and masks's information to memory in case the worst would happen.

She sincerely hoped the worst was not about to happen.

"Ahh, hopefully here's someone who can help me," Octavius said, his hands on his hips.

He addressed the group, but faced towards Arabelle. She couldn't see them, but instead could feel his eyes pierce her.

The two teams paused in their mass, with most of their heads turning towards Arabelle. Exactly as she expected and feared.

Arabelle cleared her throat. Now wasn't the time to be meek. She thought of her father and all the shit he put her through. She stood up to him despite being afraid, and she would stand up to this group, too. "Wyn isn't here. He's still at the guild meeting, as you should be."

The man shook his masked head. "No, no, the guild meeting ended about a half hour ago. He should have been back."

"I don't know what to tell you. Anyone here can vouch that he isn't back. None of his team is."

"Maybe they grabbed lunch in the city," Adam said. He narrowed his eyes. "Not that it's any of your business, anyway."

Arabelle wanted to chastise him. Even if he was sticking up for her brother and the guild, that was a terrible way to go about it. Being aggressive was not the answer.

Octavius stood a little straighter. He paused before responding, clearly choosing his words carefully. "We are wanting to make one final offer for him to help translate the stone tablets, at my request. This isn't something to ignore, and he needs to carefully decide whether he wants to -"

"Shove off," Adam said, stepping in front of Arabelle. "If he wants to make a deal, you'd know it. You're trespassing on our grounds and need to fucking leave."

Arabelle put a hand on his shoulder. He was tense.

Octavius sighed, shaking his head. "Always the hard way. If you really want me to leave, well... you'll have to make me."

Adam stepped forward and grabbed Octavius, shoving him out of the doorway and down the stairs. The man surprisingly rolled with the move, twisting and rolling down the stairs with an impressive amount of agility. Adam moved forward out of the doors as the others followed, Arabelle included, but then stopped abruptly.

Arabelle's breath caught in her throat as she saw Octavius stand up with two people beside him. They weren't there a moment before, and seemingly appeared out of nowhere. It was the same pair that confronted her in the street late at night. The woman and the large man, Jane and her giant brother Corbyn.

"What in the hells is this?" Adam asked.

Jane laughed. She actually laughed out loud under her mask, making Arabelle's skin crawl. "This is us getting what we want one way or another. If Wyn won't willingly help us, then he will by force."

A red aura enveloped Adam as he tightened his fists, making him look like a red-flamed torch in the day's light. Corbyn responded by shrouding himself in a similar red aura, except his looked like a raging bonfire. It was easily twice as large, thicker and taller. Adam took a hesitant step backwards at the top of the stairs.

Arabelle knew it was too late. They weren't going to leave peacefully. The damage had been done, either with Adam making it worse, or with the masked group finally deciding to take that final violent step.

What happened next happened in a blur. The giant masked man moved with a speed that was faster than any strength-based Climber Arabelle knew, jumping and clearing the stairs to reach Adam in the span of a breath. He picked him up and threw him down the stairs as though he weighed nothing.

The other members of her team and Nigel's team responded in kind, moving to attack the brute of a man. Several colored auras flared to life, and punches and kicks rang out while people tried to attack the man that just attacked their guild member.

At the same time, a bright light formed between Jane's hands in a swirling motion that was clearly some strong magical attack. Octavius summoned a golden staff in his hands and raised it high, sending a protective barrier around both Jane and Corbyn.

Each of the guild member's attack bounced off the man as though punching a stone wall. Four of them that connected all stumbled back, while Penny moved to grab him and wrestle him in a move that Arabelle recognized Marcy had taught her. Penny wasn't as big as him, but was still the largest guild member there. Surprisingly, Corbyn was taken to the ground and thrown down the stairs behind Adam, who was rising to his feet.

It was the brute's turn to laugh, and he twisted and sprang to his feet with a sound like a laughing bull. The cloak around his body bellowed in the wind of his movements, revealing tattered clothes and copper skin that looked more like dried leather.

Arabelle watched in stunned inaction as Jane unleashed a magical attack against the guild members still at the top of the stairs. Several barriers were quickly erected around the eight or nine remaining people, but they shattered like panes of glass as the blue magical ball exploded. Cries of pain and surprise rang out as the Climbers were thrown in all directions.

Adam stood and ran to the mage, yelling a war cry to attack her. His fist met a golden barrier that repelled him, though he wasn't deterred. He started punching the barrier repeatedly, and the woman leapt backwards to escape his attacks.

That was when Corbyn suddenly appeared beside Adam and kicked him so hard in the side Arabelle heard bones break. Adam was sent sprawling to the ground nearly twenty feet away, rolling further as blood splotched the grass from his face.

Penny cried and ran to the man, sending a stout kick at his back. He let the attack hit him, and it lurched his body forward though he didn't lose his footing. Instead, he turned and punched her in the gut, doubling her over as she gasped out the breath in her lungs. The masked man then grabbed her shoulders and hoisted her in the air, laughing a deep, rumbling laugh as he spun and threw her near Adam.

Arabelle was no stranger to being a victim. Her father had laid hands on her when he was especially drunk and angry. Men at the tavern would use words that cut her down or made her feel sick, like a smaller and lesser person. During those times she had retreated and wondered why the world was the way it was, crying and cursing her life.

Now, though, she was a different woman. Since that fateful trip to Alestead on the road, being chased by the thugs of the Assembly, she had grown. Magic helped her find her voice, her strength, her sense of worth. And the friends and family she made had bolstered that power within herself.

Fear was still inside her, but it didn't grip her. Not like before. Now, watching Adam and her friends being hurt, the small seed of courage that had been planted inside her grew. That seed that was the promise of a new life, watered by Wyn, Daniel, and others.

A seed that was now threatened to be uprooted by this guild and their selfishness, their greed, and their violence.

No, fear wasn't what rose. Courage took over, pushing down that fear. That past life.

No longer would she let others hurt her. Even if it cost her part of herself, she wouldn't succumb to that anymore.

Activating her Strength Up skill, Arabelle rushed towards the closet member of the masked guild. She wasn't wearing her equipment and didn't have her whip, but she didn't need it. Moving towards Jane, she reached back and swung as hard as she could to punch the woman in the back. The golden barrier around her shattered, slowing down Arabelle's force but not enough to fully stop her. Her fist connected with the woman's side, crunching her ribs and knocking her sideways onto the ground.

Jane spat out a pained cry as the surprise attack caught her off guard and sent her sprawling onto her stomach. Octavius, standing nearby, raised his staff and pointed it at Arabelle. She was surprised to see him try to attack her instead of heal the woman, but she didn't care. Moving to close the distance, she cast Flame Bolt through her boot as she reached him before he could cast a spell.

Kicking him directly in the chest, her boot exploded outward in a fiery heap, completely covering the man in a blaze as he was launched backwards several feet. He screamed from the flames, rolling on the ground and losing his staff as more golden light surrounded him like some holy aura.

"NO!" A voice yelled, catching Arabelle's attention. She turned with wide eyes to see Corbyn stomp her way with enough force that craters formed in the ground with each step.

Desperate to avoid being trampled, Arabelle lunged at the last second to the side, hoping to clear enough distance he would miss her. She landed with a thud on the ground, untouched but not safe. Looking up from the grass, she stared in horror as the man had a heavy foot raised to stomp her into the ground.

Then the world around her moved in a blur. A loud crack filled her ears as she tried to blink away the sudden appearance of the bright blue of the midday sky.

Turning her head to try and orient herself, she realized she was kneeling on the ground about ten feet away from the hulking man. His leg was stuck in the ground up to his knee, and he just stared at the rubble as though confused she wasn't crushed underneath him.

Arabelle felt hands on her shoulders. Whipping her head around, she nearly collapsed in relief.

"Make sure the others are okay," Wyn said, his voice flat and frighteningly serious. His eyes looked past her with such intensity that the fear she buried threatened to return. It was a look she had never seen before, not even by her father's drunken outbursts. It wasn't anger at the world for cursed luck. It was pure, directed rage.

Several auras surrounded Wyn far denser than Arabelle had seen, nearly as pronounced as the red aura still coating Corbyn. Then a small burst of white magic appeared as Wyn stood and summoned a sword in his hand.