Unbound

Chapter Three Hundred and Thirty – 330

Chapter Three Hundred and Thirty – 330

Congratulations, Autarch!

You Have Recruited A Faction!

The Henaari (Night Talons Tribe) Have Joined Your Fledgling Nation!

+25% To All Positive Relations With Henaari!

+25% To All Positive Relations With The Endless Raven!

The Henaari gave an Oath, similar to the Frost Giants' own, but unique to their people. It didn't reference the Raven directly, but Felix knew what "swear to find light in the dark" meant in context.

"You really want to hitch your wagon to mine?" Felix asked. The Farwalker chuckled, his lean face still smiling. He hadn't put his cowl on again for some reason, and Felix found it refreshing to be able to look in his eyes.

"Your star is rising, Felix, of that I have no doubt. But that is not my only interest in aligning with your Territory. My people are nomadic by nature, but it was not always that way. Once we had a home, a permanent one among the mountains to the far east. Our Farwalkers and Farhunters would still push into the wilds, looking for hidden places and secrets, but they could return to a place of safety." The man's face took on a wistful tinge.

"What happened?" Felix asked.

"Strife. We collect secrets, after all. Eventually we became a fruit too ripe not to pick." He surveyed his people, now dispersing back toward the lakeshore. The bound Matriarch had been dragged off somewhere while they had sworn their Oath. The Farwalker read his gaze easily. "As the wronged party, you had the right of judgement. We will take care of her from here."

Part of Felix wanted to ask what the old man meant, but he didn't doubt it would be what the woman deserved. "As long as she doesn't interfere."

"That will not be an issue," the Farwalker said. "Now, I should go oversee the Dawnguard. Without the Matriarch they are a touch aimless."

Aimless, huh? Felix thought on his menus, and an idea sparked to life. "If you're in need of a task, I could use some aid in scouting these forests. I spent my fair share of time here, but there are countless miles that I know nothing about; I'd like to get a catalog going of useful plants and dangerous monsters. Would that be something your people would be interested in?"

As the final syllable left his mouth, power coalesced with a sudden trill. A blue window appeared before the Farwalker, visible to everyone.

A Quest Has Been Offered!

Hunting For Opportunities!

The Autarch has need of an accurate accounting of his lands. He has asked that you and your people begin to scout the area directly around his Stronghold. Battle with dangerous beasts may be necessary, but it is not required. Information and samples of both flora and fauna are requested.

Rewards: XP, Varies

"Now that is something I've not seen in a long, long time," the Farwalker said. Wyvora read the window just over his shoulder and looked up at Felix in awe. "Proper Quests."

Felix was a bit surprised at their appearance, though Vess seemed unfazed. Probably something she saw all the time, her father giving out Quests and stuff. Authority things. "I had meant to just ask you, but this is better. I'd rather you be rewarded for the aid."

The Farwalker grinned. "We will of course accept. This applies to all my people?"

Felix hesitated, but Vess nodded. "Everyone that wishes to join the Quest may do so."

"Excellent. Not all of our people are of a martial tilt, nor even walking the Wilds. If you do not mind, I will have our craftsmen build our homes here, nearest the water." His eyes flicked to the rough, Stone Shaped dwellings Felix had made the day prior. "We can also work on your homes, as well."

"Feel free," Felix said with a chuckle. He knew his attempts were utilitarian at best. "I plan to make this place far more secure shortly. I don't see why it can't look nice, too."

The Farwalker clasped Felix's hand in his own. He squeezed with a surprising strength, though it was only a faint pressure on Felix's skin. "It will be nice to have a home again."

The Farwalker moved off, pushed along by Wyvora. She gave him a strange look as they passed, but Felix brushed it off. The Henaari were settled, for now.

"That Farwalker is entirely too clever," Vess said. "He may not have orchestrated the Matriarch's deceit, but he played her as well as any Court Noble."

"A formidable ally," Felix said. "But yeah. I hear the warning."

Vess only nodded. Then she bit her lip. "I should go see Evie. She'll be excited to hear about these hunting Quests you're handing out. It might keep her mind off...certain things." She added the last with a glance at the modest structure of Manawrought ice nearby. The Giants were making themselves at home.

"That'd be for the best, I think. It'll give me time to really dive into these menus. There's" Felix sighed. "There's a lot. Oh, that reminds me. The Quest I just gave...where does the XP come from?"

"The rewards? Those should be System generated. As a Territory Lord you can generate Quests, but the System has control over what it will give," Vess explained. "You may put in an additional reward, such as physical object or service, but the core of it is from the System."

"Oh. Good. I had a weird thought that the XP would come from my own total," he said in relief. "But what stops a Lord from issuing enough Quests to power level everyone up?"

Vess tilted her head, just slightly, and squinted in brief confusion. "Power level? Oh, you mean assisted growth. While that is possible to accomplish with a team of individuals, Quests feature safeguards that prevent that sort of thing. You will find that you cannot issue Quests for simple or trivial tasks, and the XP rewards are always commiserate with the task itself."

"I'm learning all sorts of things today," Felix said with a smile. "What would I do without you?"

"You would always have me, Felix."

"Yes, thank you Karys," Felix deadpanned. Vess fought back a laugh, but ultimately failed. It was a throaty sort of chuckle. Felix was sure his own face was ready to crack from his grin.

"I will see you soon, Felix," she said, gathering herself for a leap.

"Soon enough," he agreed.

Vess leaped away, soaring back up the cliff face in a series of impressive jumps.

"What were you two laughing at, Felix?" Karys asked through his sword. "You two seem quite close."

"Don't go getting ideas, Paragon," Felix said. He realized he was still smiling and let it drop. "She's next in line to be a Duchess."

"And you are an Autarch."

Felix stopped, mid-stride. He...hadn't really thought of it that way. Felix shook his head. "That's not important right now. We have to get this place fixed up, and quick." He looked at the Henaari, standing close together and discussing something. Likely the Quest he'd offered. The way they were squinting at one another though, made Felix almost slap his head in realization. "Ah, right! Before I forget."

He brought up his Territory menu and selected his Defensive Array tab. Under the active column, where Mirk Enclosure was shown, he poked around until he found a piece just below it listed as 'Exemptions.' His name, Pit's, and everyone on his team were on that list. Not only that, but Haarwatch was listed. Just the city name. That explains why I couldn't see the fog as it spread out, or why none of my friends were complaining about it. Did I exempt them automatically?All of Haarwatch too?

"Karys?" Felix inquired before explaining his question.

"Ah, yes. The array would have picked up on those directly subordinate to you and given them exemptions to the array," his sword explained.

"Then why not the giants or the Henaari once they've sworn their Oath?"

"New Factions must be manually exempted from large scale defensive arrays due to the nature of fledgling alliances. It is a protective measure built into the process. I feel I have seen it...go wrong, in the past. Though I am unsure."

It made sense, as most things the System did once you've worked it out. Felix decided to test it, however, to see if he could take people from the Exemption list at will. He chose himself, and when he was taken off the Exemption list the area around him was immediately inundated with a fog so thick not even his Perception could pierce more than ten feet of it. Another effort of Will had his name back on the Exemption list and the fog blipped out of existence. Like a poorly loaded video game animation.

Dang, I should totally add Zara and the others to this list too.

So, with a quirk of Willpower, he added Zara and her away team as well as the Night Talons Tribe to the Exemptions list. Distantly, he heard sudden sounds of wonder from their people, but Felix was focusing on holding two separate thoughts in his head. Not everyone in those groups should be able to walk free. Exempt my allies and the tribe...but restrict the Matriarch.

He didn't even know her proper name, but something rang softly, a tuning fork just barely humming away. It had worked.

"Great," Felix slapped his hands together. "Next step: Fortifications."

It turned out his options were relatively limited. Under Improvements, there was a tab for Fortifications, but under that were only two Tier III patterns.

Fortifications

• Bulwark - Defensive Fortification, Tier II

• Effect: +0.01% Defensive Strength Per Unit Installed

• Square Tower - Defensive Fortification, Tier II

• Effect: +0.02% Defensive Strength Per Unit Installed

• Limit: 1 Tower Unit Per Every 2 Bulwark Units

According to Karys, the Tier was determined by the level of dwellingin this case a Strongholdand if it were a simple Home he would be able to access only Tier 0 patterns, if there were any. Tier II, by contrast, were fairly complex structures. They weren't just stone piled on top of each other, but imbued with sigiladry in elaborate arrays throughout their construction.

He had considered just throwing Stone Shaping together and making walls himself, but the pre-set options had benefits. Felix doubted he could match the boost the Bulwark and Square Towers could afford by themselves. What was most interesting, however, was the Stronghold Map allowed him to plan out the structure before committing to any design. Each wall section was about thirty feet long by ten feet thick by forty feet tall. A solid design, as far as his amateur eyes could tell. It was no orichalcum wall of Haarwatch, but he figured that was a bit above his Stronghold's paygrade.

For now.

Using the Map, Felix envisioned a continuous wall extending around the base of the cliff to the south, into the eastern forests where it would curve north and finally terminate against the banks of the lake. The squared towers would fit between every two sections of wall, adding places for future guards to watch the surrounding areas or even launch Skills from on high. The towers themselves were fifteen feet taller than the top of the wall, after all, and had crenelated tops. If he had siege weaponry he could place them atop the towers, too. Felix's Mind raced, thinking on possibilities, but he refocused himself back on his current task.

The patterns.

Wait a second.

He could hear them, just as any Skill or System construct. Placing them all out on his Stronghold Map had created enough resonance that it became an obvious song. They hummed through his Affinity, a mesh of light he could almost see. If Felix hadn't had his Perception and Affinity stats so high, he might have missed it entirely, but now a new world opened up. With his Keen Minda Born Trait that allowed him to have perfect recall for thirty days prior, and a higher chance of recall after thirty daysand Journeyman Temper, Felix could memorize the shape of the patterns with extreme accuracy. It took him several minutes to get it down, due to all the detail, but he did it.

"Karys, if I used my Stone Shaping and Cardinal Flame to make these defensive fortifications, could I get the same amount of Defensive Strength?" Felix asked.

"Perhaps. Most likely not. Even with your Skill set, replicating the complexity of System patterns would require more than simple stone and a few sigils. I do not have the senses to parse their constructionnot anymorebut I know even Tier II fortifications are complicated works of art." Karys hesitated. "But if you were somehow able to match the System's patterns exactly, then your personal power would certainly boost their effective strength."

That was good enough for him.

Felix had an idea. If Stone Shaping wasn't enough, then what about other Shaping Skills? He knew of a few people in his camp that had such Skills, and his new Path made him far more efficient at earning new Memories and Skills.

His steps took him to the Frost Giants' side of his Stronghold. The Risi had constructed an ice wall easily as large as his prospective Bulwark, and likely as sturdy too. Felix had been feeling them building something all this time, so it wasn't a surprise; yet the construction of it left much to be desired. It was a jagged wall of crystalline shards so cold they steamed in the summer air, likely adding to the fog the giants still perceived. Indeed, when Felix walked up he surprised the two Risi Warriors standing guard at the gate.

"Step back, stranger, you" one began, but was soon interrupted.

"Geir, hold your tongue. You speak to the Autarch," the other warrior said. He looked at Felix with a stoic face, though his Spirit trembled with equal parts anger and fear. "How might we help you, my Lord?"

Felix simply walked up to a section to their left, where the jagged pieces of their ice wall protruded just slightly. "How would you prevent someone from climbing this wall?" he asked.

"It is...a working of our people. The Witches have ensorcelled it to repel those who wish to harm us," the second guard saidHolger, according to his Voracious Eye. "Those who test it will find themselves in dire troubhey!"

Felix snapped off a piece of the wall, a chunk bigger than his torso and dripping with ice Mana. Workings flared along its length, but Felix batted them away without looking, sending blunted blocks and razor sharp claws of ice smashing back into the wall. His true attention was on the piece he'd broken off, and the...sounds he heard from it.

He blinked after a moment, realizing where he was, and smiled sheepishly at the Risi Warriors. "My apologies. I should have warned you. I'll be taking this piece with me, alright?"

The Warriors only stared at him as he walked away, their blue skin turned almost grey. "O-of course."

Chthonic Tribute!

Only bothering to step a few dozen yards away, Felix consumed the chunk of ice wall with no little impatience. Immediately he could hear more of those same sounds as when the wall's defenses had discharged. They were like...flavors, but texture and noise. The abyss within him rumbled, hungry for whatever he held above his core space, but it was always hungry. He ignored it.

The flavors were more like rhythms. Patterns of vibration. Of Mana? He'd long ago learned everything was made of Mana, and then he'd learned that had been not quite true. Mana made things up, but vibrations were what constituted Mana itself. The Grand Harmony. Even Dissonance seemed to have a role to play, annoying as it had been in his life.

So Felix felt at and listened to the different vibrations of the ice he consumed, while the dross of the physical structure melted away. The black smoke that Felix took in with his Titheand now Tributealways held secrets buried within them, as long as you had the eyes to see and the ears to hear. And Felix had both in spades. Buried within the Essence that had been the ice shard, Felix found light. He gripped that stuff between his Will and Intent and let the rest filter down. Half fed into his abyss and the other half into his cores. Power pulsed but it was a faint wisp, quickly absorbed by his Skills nearest his cores.

Left in his grasp were a collection of patterns and lights. Skills and Memories. The lights were dim and unfocused, and the vibrating patterns were small and faint, but it was precisely what he'd been searching for.

Chthonic Tribute and his stats could sift the wheat from the chaff, now.

Felix grinned.

The Skills and Memories were thrown to his [Cardinal Beast Core], quickly consumed and experienced in a way he'd never done before. The Memories themselves were brief and vague. More sensory impressions and emotions than anything else, and didn't even take him to that strange liminal space he often experienced. Those impressions flitted against his Mind, containing a certain amount of rage from whomever built the wall. Rage at being subservient to a Human, even if he was the strongest Human they had ever seen, coupled with a keen desire to kill and conquer that was being stymied by the Witches. The Memories soon guttered out, like candles in the wind.

The Skills, however, were more interesting.

Ice Breath (Common), Level 1!

Cold Resistance (Uncommon), Level 1!

Frost Claws (Rare), Level 1!

Hoar Hammer (Uncommon), Level 1!

All four were usefulthough he already had a version of Cold Resistanceand were clearly part of the defenses that had just activated against Felix. But they weren't what he was looking for...thankfully, he found something that almost fit the bill.

Frost Touch (Common), Level 1!

It wasn't quite a Shaping Skill, as he had with Stone Shaping or Kikri had with her Green Shaping. But it was a way to directly manipulate ice Mana. Felix was looking for a way to work with more materials on a base level, and if this worked, he'd ask to sample some of Kikri's Mana as well. So while it wasn't exactly what he'd searched for, Felix was interested. Even more so when he felt a familiarity with its pattern. Its edge looked quite similar to Cold Resistance, the rhythm and thrum of it repeating a comparable pattern.

One that he could, perhaps, combine.

Felix had more than a little experience with combining Skills. His earliest attempts had required arrays and monster cores and quite a good deal of pain. But, as he was now, he didn't need all of that. He'd proven that in the Path. He just needed energy. And if there was one thing Felix had, it was an excess of energy.

Thief of Fate Title Engaged!

Forge Of Cardinal Thunderflame Title Engaged!

Synergy Detected!

Ice Breath (C), Frost Touch (C), Cold Resistance (U), Hoar Hammer (U) and Frost Claws (R) Are Compatible!

Do You Wish To Combine And Evolve?

Y/N

Yes.

The System blipped as the five Skills surged with light and power taken from Felix's core. Essence dwindled a bit and his Mana dropped by hundreds of points, but the pain was barely felt anymore. He'd had far worse.

Instead, Felix focused on the pattern of his Stone Shaping. Fixing his attention on its loops and whorls and clutching tightly to the System's process. He had a Shaping Skill. Follow this pattern, System!

A trill of sound accosted him, far sooner than Felix expected, and notifications streamed past his eyes.

You Have Combined Ice Breath (C), Frost Touch (C), Cold Resistance (U), Hoar Hammer (U) and Frost Claws (R) Together!

New Skill!

Rime Shaping (Rare), Level 1!

Ice bends to your Will! Seize direct control of ice Mana in your environment or your core and perform wonders. Precision, strength, and speed of manipulation increases slightly with Skill level.

Felix grinned and got moving. He had an Elf to see.