NOVEL NEXT 3.05: Protected
It turns out that it was very hard to locate any of the other orbs.
Henry was now on his fifth try, and no matter how hard he pushed or how much conceptual energies he added to the spell, he failed. It wasn't that the spell was fizzling out or anything of the sorts. No, as soon as the skill tried to latch to one of the spheres with the intent of finding the rest of the set, there would be a pulse of something, and his skill would break down. Dispelled. As if the sphere didn't want to be used in such a manner. Interestingly, this rejection did not occur when he just used triggered the spell without directions.
Zerathstra and Velistraine had been closely watching as he made his attempts, and after the last try, the ape hummed. "Anti-divination for that specific scenario, I'm guessing. But maybe there are other angles we could use?"
"Try to find out where they'd been created," Velistraine said, eyes intent.
Henry nodded and relayed the instruction to his navigator. Observing the spell being cast by his Octomind, he watched as it built up before it was snuffed again.
"How about who made them?" asked Zerathstra.
"Rejected," said Henry a minute later.
Velistraine groaned, then paused, eyes vacantly looking to the side as she thought of another angle. "Try… try to find any books or experts that can tell us more about them?"
Henry grimaced. He didn't think that one would work, but it was worth a shot. Unfortunately, he was proven right. This time, though, the spell completely fizzled out by itself, as he'd expected it would. Henry was pretty sure that was just because the request was not actionable for the magic. It was too… indirect, for a lack of a better word. Trickster's Pathfinding wanted simple, clear requests, and this one might be too complicated for the skill to figure out.
Velistraine clicked her tongue in annoyance, glaring at the three orbs as if they'd personally insulted her. "Then why do they point up at Seavaria?"
The ape hopped up to his feet and stretched, and Henry followed suit as Zerathstra answered. "It must be the default function," he mumbled. "Whatever that is… But maybe it would change if we find more of them? We know where one of them is, at least," he added, giving the captain a wide grin.
Velistraine wilted, and a pleading, pained groan escaped from her throat. "I know you're probably right… but man, I'd rather eat my belt than head over there. Maybe we can ask around? If we have three right here, then they might be more common than we think."
Henry had to agree there. What were the odds that three orbs were this close together? He glanced up at the captain as she slowly picked herself off the floor. "Where did you find yours, actually?"
The captain paused mid-stretch, then picked up the orb before she made it disappear back in her ring. "We found both mine and Atall's in a buried vault. In the Reach. His was gold. The bastard."
Zerathstra gave her an arched look when he heard that. "And you let him have it?"
She crossed her arms. "I don't want to talk about it," she said between gritted teeth.
Henry continued listening to the two ribbing each other as they went up the stairs, but one part of him couldn't help but think of the one being who could give them answers.
The System would know, I bet. But I got a feeling we'll get nothing there, even if there was a way to summon it.
He paused. Was there a way to summon it?
Henry had never seen it outside of the occasional evolution. He looked up at the two A-ranks ahead of him. "Could we ask the System about this?"
The arguing immediately died out, as if Henry had just doused them with a bucket of cold water. Still, Velistraine gave him a grin and shrugged, while Zerathstra answered. Though his voice was pretty neutral, Henry suddenly found himself tempted to take a step back.
The ape rarely let his heavy presence slip out of his control, and even though it wasn't pushing at Henry right this second, it somehow felt like it was about to be. Though fortunately, the ape quickly regained control over his aura and answered.
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"It knows what they're for. Most likely. And I'd say it's listening to us right now, so if it wanted to clarify things, it could. But I doubt it," he added, with some heat in his voice as he spread his arms, looking above and around for a couple of seconds. "System? We're waiting. Any help?"
Nothing answered him, aside from the whistling winds and the gentle sound of the waves below.
Zerathstra let out a sigh, then gave Henry a tired smile. "See? Things would be so much easier if it answered some questions. But it won't," he said, looking up at the sky, his sharp teeth bared. "It only shows up to push us forward. To ascend. Without ever telling us why or what happened to all those who did before us." He looked back at Henry and shrugged, a small smile on his lips. "Anyway. We'll figure it out. We always do."
Henry nodded and stayed quiet as the three continued climbing up the stairs in silence before Velistraine asked the ape for some spellscrolls, at which point the ribbing resumed.
They really don't like it, huh?
Henry was curious to find out what was actually happening with the System. And as he looked down at the coppery-orb still in his hand, he wondered.
Whether the System was malicious or not, Henry had a feeling these metallic orbs might be part of the answer.
***
A few moments ago….
"Fish and fruits! Come get your fish and fruits. And the fruits don't smell like fish," Maurice added, glaring at the neighboring stall. In response, the older man harrumphed, but Maurice could still see the half-smile across his lips from his angle. After all, he wasn't really behind the stall. He was standing right next to the cuts of tuna, invisible, while behind his stall was a red-headed teen with multicolored eyes, smiling at the staring shoppers who frowned at him, not recognizing him. A few weren't fooled, of course, quickly noticing his real form, but for every one who noticed, ten didn't.
None approached, though. And whenever they looked toward him and took in his produce, they turned their nose before moving on to another shop.
Damn. Maybe Bran's right. But if I hide the fish right now, I'll never hear the end of it. That smug bastard…
Frustrated, Maurice rubbed his pincers together, torn between spite and reason as he hesitantly peered down at the fish. A fly landed on one of the cuts of tuna, but when he tried shooing it away with a claw, it ignored him.
Oh. Right. It can't see me.
With a flicker of movement, he gripped it with a pincer, studying the creature while he came to a decision.
Yeah… Bran's right. Dammit.
He was definitely going to hit him with a "I told you so". And Maurice hated that. Annoyed, the crab crunched the fly between his mandibles, shuddered, then spat it out.
Tpft tpft. Ugh, gross, he mumbled as wiped away the bits. He turned and scuttled toward the fruits to store them away, but before he could, someone spoke behind him.
"Hey there. Are those Sparkfin tunas, young man?"
Maurice turned, then tilted his eye-stalks back to take in one of the largest humans he'd seen so far. He was wearing a set of brown pants cut at the knees, an open red and black vest that revealed a pristine yellow and blue shirt. The man was leaning over his stand, peering at the cuts of tuna, and behind him two young people were staring at his illusion. A girl and a boy. Teenagers. Probably the same age as Sera. And behind them, a small group of people were glancing around, wearing similar black and red vests.
Oh? New people?
Of these strangers, an older man was staring directly at him, brows raised in surprise. Maurice waved, defeated.
Henry was right, we need to upgrade Invisibility a lot more, Maurice thought with a sigh as he dismissed his invisibility and his illusion, making the large man and the two teenagers jump back with start.
Using Summon Illusion, once more, he spoke to the large man. "Hello! Yes, this is Sparkfin Tuna. But it isn't all that we have available. We also carry Otodus meat, crab meats, and kraken… um. Meat. Yes. Kraken meat only. Nothing else."
While thinking of the valuable product he had in storage, Maurice almost slipped up and mentioned his kraken roes, but those weren't up for sale. They couldn't pay him enough for that. As for the Ambercrisp apples, he had none. He would have been tempted to display a couple just to pull in more shoppers, but Henry was hoarding those.
Maurice rubbed his pincers as he waited for the stunned shoppers to recover. "So? What would you like?"
The large man burst out in laughter, and glanced back. "Ray! Axel! Where's the captain? Come check out this little fellow!" Turning to Maurice, the man grinned. "Tell you what, friend. Give me a barrel of each!"
Maurice rubbed his claws together in anticipation. Finally, he was getting his first client! Then, realizing he was about to conduct his first transaction, he remembered something.
Wait… how do I get paid?