Wrath Reincarnated

JULES

Jules sat with his back against the door to Katarina's room. After hours of restless waiting, he heard her stir inside. He knocked, and the door creaked open. Still some time before the sunrise, her room was dark as night. He stepped one foot inside.

"Kat?" he whispered. Two emerald eyes peered out in the darkness. "Kaaaat?" His vision focused again, and he saw her armor-clothing hanging up from a clothes rack. Wait a minute… An emerald eye winked. "Whiskers!?"

Katarina groaned from the side of the eyes, woken from a deep sleep. "Huh?" She rose and sat up. "What? What!?" She grabbed sheets and yanked them up. "JULES GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!!" Jules sprinted out the door.

Jules sat down next to Cyrus in the mess hall. He hunched over his plate of food and stared directly down at it. Cyrus cast a sideways eye at him. "OK, you're acting weird. How are you feeling after your first night of real sleep, Kat?"

"Feeling great. Like I'm ready to fight. Ready for battle. Ready for a war." She speared a piece of meat with her fork, then ripped a piece off of it with her mouth, not bothering to use a knife. Jules shrank into his chair. Katarina grabbed a bone from Rukia's plate, who also sat at the table, cracked it in half, and offered one end to Jules. "My vision is bad, but I'm healing."

"This food is delicious, but man—I'm just so full." Cyrus grabbed Whiskers and Rukia by their napes and retreated from the mess hall. You yellow-bellied bastard.

"You know, my vision wasn't so great earlier, either."

"Take it." Katarina waved the snapped bone around.

"What?" She tossed it in the middle of his food.

"Oh nothing, Jules. I just thought you wanted me to throw you a bone."

Do I? Should I? But he's been so loyal to me. He's fought by my side for years. And we've gained so much trust. I'm a good friend, aren't I? And I'd never betray someone. I've always been the loyal friend, who sticks it out to the end. Right?

Right?

"Whiskers let me in," Jules said quickly, practically all crammed into a single word. Guess I'm not loyal after all…

"I knew it!" Katarina exclaimed.

"Then why are you still mad at me!?"

"Because you saw me naked!" Heads turned all around. Katarina fidgeted with her necklace, hidden inside her shirt.

"I had dreams last night. New ones."

"Well I didn't, so I don't care. First time in days I didn't live in some nightmare, and especially without The Painter—Oh Salvos, Jules?" What? Oh—

"Nope. Nooope. I dreamt of fighting a demon on a volcano. Nope."

"Ugh, let's go."

Jules looked forlornly at his messy plate, then followed Katarina to the Arcanians Headquarters, where they joined Cyrus and the others, The Painter, and Argyle.

"Welcome. You're late," The Painter said. "Argyle here will be observing your training for as long as he sees fit. Consider it a trust exercise for our communal safe harbor."

"But we're…" Jules cut himself off. "I'm a wanted Sin."

"We don't care about that," Argyle said.

"In fact, you all practically worship one here, eh?" Argyle grumbled some response. "There will be no magic or Skill grinding lessons today. At least to start. We'll deal more with history and wisdom. Hm, is it almost fall already?"

"Who cares?" Jules asked.

"Why yes it is," Argyle said. "You know what they say, when the leaves fall…"

Jules looked around. The others are just as confused. What is this, another stupid test? Already?

"…It is fall?" Jules answered.

Argyle grunted and smiled at the same time. "Quite so. Think I've seen all I need to see of this lot." He took his leave, and Cyrus raised his hand.

"Yes, Cyrus?"

"Why is this place so weird? It's rubbing off on Kat and Jules, too." Katarina shuddered.

"Let's quit wasting time on pointless questions and get on with it, eh?" I hate The Painter. "Tell me what about your last assignment and your new Vessels. You screwed the pooch pretty badly in Siren's Cove." Ah, so we're going to learn about Vessels today.

"I single-handedly captured the Shrine while fighting this idiot," Cyrus humbly admitted, "but a chick in some pirate cosplay stole the Vessel from right under my nose."

"We'll disregard how much I question your account of events, but do any of you know what that Vessel does?" His eyes rested on Jules.

"It pointed her to me, that's all I know. I got the Sound. You saw it in action yesterday." And that's all I have to say about that.

"I captured Lighthouse Cove and received Tensa. It heals whatever it cuts."

"I'm sure it does more than that, eh? How did you learn what it does?"

"I, uh, removed a dagger from my heart with it."

"Not gonna tell him the rest, loverboy?" Katarina asked. Cyrus went red in the face. "About how your girlfriend tried to rip out your heart when she broke up with you?"

"You mean Selene?" Everyone turned to face The Painter. He raised his hands in self-defense. "What'd I say?"

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"How do you know her name?" Cyrus asked slowly.

"I met her when you all did—at the Hydromage tryouts. And before that, at the plaza with the Iron Maidens. I knew where you went on your days off, young Cyrus. How you got your business off the ground from shady dealings in the underworld, which by the way, is your company still open to investors?"

This guy knows everything. The more he lets on, the higher the mountain he seems to sit on. We really need to stay on his good side.

"I told you I'd consider it," Cyrus said. "I even rehearsed an answer for you: Not at this time."

"So that was really lame. Anyway, I got an eye in Marina Veridia. It's cursed, and it doesn't have a name, and it's a piece of crap." The Painter squatted down to her at eye level and inspected her Vessel.

"Oh, my sweet Envy. It most certainly has a name, and you'd do well to learn it. Now, I've heard rumors that might be related. Tell me about the Djinns."

"They didn't have them," Cyrus said. "I've already thought about it. Since you're curious, it must mean that Sins don't have Djinns in their Shrines, and there are Shrines specific to Sins."

Why is The Painter smiling again? And does that mean that Virtues have Djinns? Wait—Surely there's no way he knows Maddie is Diligence.

"Have your Vessels been useful to you?"

"Absolutely."

"In a way."

"Hell no." Katarina crossed her arms.

"Seem you've been having a problem fitting it into your life's vision, eh?" Katarina scatted a laugh-stifling Whiskers. "I know a way to fix that. It comes at a heavy price, though."

"Screw you."

"Hmph. Not even in your dreams." The Painter fell backward to the floor, but landed in a bag chair that materialized. "Make yourselves comfortable. We'll be here a while. Have you noticed anything different since you got your Vessels?"

"Meh, I don't know. Tough to see myself answering that question." Katarina ignored a paw-bump from Whiskers, and she took a seat.

"We got them around our System Unlocks, so they were kind of overshadowed when our Ryoku shot up."

"We do use less Ryoku, though," Jules added. "I've noticed a significant decrease in the cost of Scripts."

"Yes, you should be able to endure a lot more, too," The Painter said. "They are indestructible, and don't run out of charge. No Enchanting or Master Forger needed." He winked at Katarina. "Have you noticed any limitations?"

"Besides you? Nah." Katarina crossed her legs.

"Ah, I am disappointed. Vessels have Levels, too—though they are closer to Ranks." He stared at Jules. "You will discover this new feature soon, I suspect. Now here's another freebie: each Vessel is tied to one Skill or Skillset, and you need to find the right one to most effectively use it, but that is a hack you can find out for yourselves. Coincidentally, it is tied to the three questions I asked you all to think about—and how are we doing on that, by the way?"

"We've had so much time to think about it," Katarina said.

"I mean you had two years," The Painter whispered. "But enough on that until you've completed my task! And if I don't allow Cyrus here to ask a million questions first, he is going to explode like Mount Fury." Interesting that you'd use that analogy.

"Oh Salvos, no…"

"Oh thank Salvos—I've been more patient than Patience himself. I've come across a few more Alters since we left."

"You have a knack for that." Why does The Painter not seem more interested?

"Two real Alters, I mean. Davy Jones and Musashi."

"Oof, worse than The Nomad himself, that Musashi," The Painter said with a grin. His face dropped. "What do you mean real Alters?"

"There are obviously more than seven," Cyrus said, ignoring the question.

"Of course, of course." The Painter motioned his hands as if asking, Who, me? "Who are the others you suspect?"

"How has that been kept a secret for so long?" Jules asked.

"Please, Wrath, do not interrupt when the adults are speaking." Why you…

"The Iron Maiden, though not directly."

The Painter's eyes flashed for a moment. "She's as much an Alter as I am. Is that it? You've met just four?" He seems a bit disappointed in Cy again.

"You know, Davy Jones gave me the same advice you did to become an Alter."

"Oh, I'm sure he did. I taught that man everything he knows."

"How old are you really?"

"Old enough to be your father." Jules looked back and forth between the two. No way… "But, alas, I am not an Etherealist, and I assure you, I am not your father."

"I already knew that. You wouldn't have happened to see Isolda, would you? She wasn't in Coralhaven. Someone was disguised as her and framed for her—alleged—crimes."

"I have not seen Isolda in quite some time, I'm afraid."

"My money's on her being an Alter, too." What!? Isolda? No way. But The Painter's not cracking. "And do you have any leads on a place called Nowhere?"

"Nowhere is no where to be seen, young Cyrus. But back to the Etherealists… How is Anya Naqri?"

"She seemed to know you." Jules' eyes narrowed. "And she's not a fan. Said some crazy things, like you'd been to Coralhaven. I reassured her that she must be mistaken."

"Now Jules, sarcasm doesn't fit Wrath. I believe she resents the Inked Arts, not me, but who am I to guess?"

"Who is she?" Jules asked.

"And how are the Etherealists related to all…this?" Cyrus added. The Painter focused on Katarina.

"Many go searching for their Runes because they are given certain…immunities, from the old ways."

"You searched for it. Why?"

"And how would you know that, Envy?"

"An info broker never plays her cards. I believe you taught me that."

"Ah, I see your listening has improved with the loss of your eyesight. I am a Rune seeker, after all, and quite curious as to what that one does."

"Who else wants it, the Nomads?" she asked.

The Painter straightened up. "It seems your foresight doesn't match your eyesight. We will get to the Nomads soon. I feel like there's one more burning question, first." Jules and Cyrus nodded at each other. Should be safe.

"Do you know anything about the Magi?" Cyrus asked.

"There's a high price to pay for that knowledge."

"How much?" Jules asked. Kaizen won't say anything, maybe you will. "And what's their purpose?"

"Where did you hear about them?" the Alter asked.

"You value that information, don't you? We'll tell you each source for a piece of info each."

"A scrap of info, each."

"Deal," Cyrus said. Guess I'll trust your judgment on this one, Cy. "Zeke first mentioned it to Wrath-possessed Jules, and then Davy Jones and Musashi both seemed to know about them. I'd wager all the Alters do, given your lack of surprise."

"They're identities escape me. Currently. There are three. And numbers are very important."

"So any real information comes at a high price?" Jules asked. Cyrus looked at him. I'd rather keep Kaizen's knowledge of the Magi to us for now. Jules shook his head. "Then I guess that's the best we can ask for today."

"A shame, eh? I'd hoped to learn something more useful today, as well, but it seems we must move on. Now, how are you all doing with your Classes?"

"Honestly, we haven't really thought about it," Jules said.

"Tsk, tsk. You need to make that a priority, after finding Lust, of course, which brings us to our history lesson, and then your assignment."

"Sweet Salvos I wish I was still unconscious." Katarina laid down flat on the floor like a starfish.

"Pay attention: The first fourteen Wars of the Wastes were mostly political battles for land, resources, and strongholds. They eventually evolved into control over The Verdant Domain's magical sites, like the Elemental Wastes—before the Elementalists of Obsidia claimed it—the Arcane Divide, the Ethereal Rift, and whatever it is that lies beneath Hinomura…"

"Wait, what?" Jules asked. I've never heard of that story before.

"A story for another time, and off-topic today. Here's what you need to know about the first wars: they determined our current national geographies and placement of Factions, and they ignited the centuries-long blood feud between the Nomads and Elementalists.

"The 15th War was all related to the Prophecy of Salvos, and your coming births, Envy and Wrath. There were many who took advantage of the chaos to look for Scripts the ancient Elders left behind long ago in The Verdant Domain. This is also the war that our fellow Arcanians and Etherealists really joined in, though in lesser known roles. The Alters Kazuma and The Nomad agreed to a ceasefire and split up, with either to be rarely seen by anyone again."

I'd wager you're one of the lucky few to meet with both, though.

"I already told you that the 16th War was to capture Greed. For some reason, the Etherealists dropped out of this fight and never explained why, though I'm sure our sweet Anya holds an answer, if not some small version of the truth.

"And today, the 17th War of the Wastes approaches. The pieces have all fallen into place—despite my sincerest efforts to stop them—and Shinsora ignited the short fuse to its explosion."

"OK, that was a complete waste of time," Katarina said.

"I never waste time when I'm with Cyrus, dear Envy. There is an Elementalist spy in the Eldertree Enclave network, and I need to find him. Preferably today. He could be with the Guardians or the Arcanians; I'm not sure."

"How do you not know?" Jules asked.

"I don't know a lot of things. Life is still hard work for Alters."

"Uh huh," Katarina said.

"Your reward will be further knowledge."

"Great."

"Easy, Kat," Jules said. "We need more information."

"Listen to Wrath. There are secrets everywhere here for you three to uncover. You have two hours, starting now."