System Break

Reyas was first to enter the tower above the gate. "Glum," she called and one of the warriors pointed up. We climbed the ladder to the top of the tower.

"Glum," Reyas said. "How can we help?"

He peered at us. "You can leave, we don't need help from the likes of you. I told the men not to let you in, but there's still some who are disobedient."

I enjoyed the expression on Reyas' face and wondered how long Glum had to live. As her temperature rose and fell I let my focus shift to Demon Bird. He flew high above the fort, no altitude seemed to worry him and if any beastmen were nearby and out in the open, we would find them.

"And my father would be dead," she seethed and pointed at me. "Benzhi healed him." Then she pointed at Glum. "No council has declared you chieftain so you had better take care not to fly too high because the fall will be farther and maybe fatal."

"You threaten me in my home?" He snarled and his eyes were full of hate. His meaning was clear, it was no longer her home. They say that love and hate are close, and this cuckold had once desired Reyas. He reached too high then too.

"There are no beastmen in the open," I said. "Where did they come from?"

An old warrior said, "They raided Trovas Clan last week and killed the chieftain."

"What did they take?" I asked.

"Qi cores," the older warrior said.

"What happened here? Did you repel them all?"

"Two attacked and we beat them," Glum said.

"Two?" I said and tried to hide my scorn. "The main hall is full of wounded."

Reyas peered at Glum. "And you are uninjured."

"They are powerful, I hope you run into them when you leave," Glum said. 

"Are there only two or are there more?" Reyas asked.

Glum shrugged. 

Reyas looked out over the battlements. "If you beat them how do you know they were after qi-cores? Were they injured? Did they retreat to recover?"

Glum snarled. "You ask too many questions. Leave before the sun goes down or I'll throw you out in the night." He then climbed down the ladder. I think he was running away from us and was rude to deter more questions.

"They were looking for something," the old warrior said. "They were not defeated, they left."

Reyas said, "What? What could they possibly want if not the fort itself?"

"The land core," I said. "They're looking for it. First the Trovas Clan and now here. I think they'll attack the Bravrak Clan next. And then they won't find it, what will they do?"

"They'll torture people until one tells them where it is?" Reyas said.

"Can they talk? I've never seen a beastman."

"They could talk," the old warrior said. "I have never seen them in this world and once in the old world when I was young."

"If two of them fought all these warriors, wounded Ulfgrim and then left when they couldn't find the land core - they are tough bastards."

"One was a wolf and the other an ape," the old warrior said. "The wolf captured lightning and wielded it like a whip. The ape was tremendously strong. A powerful axe strike barely cut them."

I said, "They're naturally strong and wield advanced qi-techniques." I looked at Reyas. "You know where we should go and where we could go. Choose one."

She nodded. "Follow." She climbed down to the base and hefted her pack. "Should we leave the skins here?"

I nodded and we dropped all my pristine skins off at the leatherworker. "You're improving," Gleig said. 

"Practise makes perfect," I replied.

Reyas hugged him. "I'm glad you're safe."

He chuckled. "You are the ones who need to stay safe. What do you want with these?"

"We have new companions, two male and four females. We'll pay in qi if you can make new sets."

Gleig frowned. "What size?"

Reyas smiled. "They are Svartalfar, they are all the same size." We had to leave soon, so I didn't mention Kysandre was not Svartalfar.

Gleig looked at me.

"Not him. The others," she said.

"I can do it. I have the sizes." Gleig said. "No returns. If I cannot measure then you cannot complain."

"How much?"

"One pound," he said and brought out a scale. He peered at her leathers. "All the fighting you do, and they are in perfect condition."

She laughed and kept adding qi-cores until the scales balanced at one pound.

"Thanks," she said and flicked her head. "Let's go." Gisael and I followed like tourists in a foreign city. Reyas had been careful not to mention our destination and it made me wonder. I held my tongue and would ask when we were a long way gone.

"We're leaving," she shouted and waited for the gates to open. This time it was quick – they wanted to be rid of us.

We followed her over the mountain and then the next. We travelled in silence. She pointed straight ahead. "The Bravrak Clan is that way." And then we changed direction. "The Shaman's cave is to the northeast."

"There is not much trust for your kin anymore," I said as I watched her cute behind pick its way along the winding path.

"Oh, I trust my kin. All but Glum and his cronies. I wouldn't put it past him to shout at the beastmen where we were headed - if they returned - and that our packs were full of qi-cores."

"There is one way to deal with one like this," Gisael said and we knew what she meant. She was ruthless.

We moved as fast as we could. Gisael was improving and she practised her qi techniques the entire time we were in the mountains. 

"Another," I said and handed her a small qi core. I wanted her full in case we ran into the beastmen. Demon Bird was flying towards the Bravrak Clan's fort as we moved in the opposite direction.

I touched her arm and ran my finger up it. "You want your qi to flow through these muscles. It will come from here and flow down to your wrist." Then I touched her shoulders, back and core muscles. "These are all used when you fight and climb. Once you have the arms down we'll begin working on them."

"What about me?" Reyas said.

I nodded. "You're right. You can improve your innate qi-strength, I made several adjustments based on my former training and knowledge from my old world."

When we travelled, we trained. The fresh air of the mountains. The views, the tranquillity and the exertion made for the ideal environment. The only distraction was when I gave feedback or instruction. Or when Reyas guided us to the cache. 

"This is the closest cache to the Shaman's cave. We can arrive there early in the morning." 

She entered tentatively, but I knew there were no beastmen hiding within. 

"It is clear," she said. "No one has been here in a while." She prepared the fire and then lit it. Darkness had fallen, and the smoke eked across the roof of the cave then up into the night's sky.

I removed my mask. "Demon Bird hasn't found them," I said. "He was circling the Bravrak fort until sunset and it looked unprepared."

Reyas swore. "He didn't even send a warning."

"If you can write a message Demon Bird can deliver it while we visit the Shaman."

"He can fly here and pick it up?"

I nodded. "He can fly to us and I'll hand it to him. Put it in something sturdy that he can grip in his claws. What's here?"

"I can make do," she said and scrummaged through the cache. She crafted a message and used a piece of leather to wrap it up.

We trained hard all day. We moved as fast as we could through difficult terrain. You'd think we'd have no energy for lovemaking but there's something about a fire, furs, and beautiful women that triumphed over weariness.