System Break

The pitter patter of steps sounded from behind us as we walked through the cobblestone streets. Gisael glanced back and then up at me and I shrugged.

I looked left and right. "Which one was it?"

Gisael peered up the unfamiliar streets and then turned back. "Where is the abode of the white cloaks?"

Peppin halted and a mix of emotion ran across her face. It was like we caught her with her hand in the cookie jar. She titled her head and her eyes narrowed then she pointed.

I stood with my hands on my hips until she took the hint and took the lead. Despite not carrying the humungous qi core we were still a sight as we walked up the streets of Salastria. The city folk were different shapes, sizes and colours but I only saw humans - or as we called them in this world - men.

I chuckled, the thing that finally unified humans were other humanoid races. White, black, and brown quickly put their differences aside when there were others who they could hate and fear together. It was the mural in the duke's main hall which prompted this idea; although it was beautiful, it was men in battle with the other races – the Alfar races, Qizhu and another couple I didn't recognize.

"Who are the red looking people in the mural?" 

Peppin turned with an eyebrow raised. "What?"

"They mural. In the Duke's hall. There are men fighting different races, including Svartalfar. What are the red ones with horns?"

"Oh," Peppin said, "Mogui." She walked on and then added. "They are tricksters and magicians."

"Really? Someone said Orks were tricksters, but I didn't have a problem with them."

Gisael bared her teeth. "You are more cunning than an Ork." She spat the last word which made it sound like a criticism and not a compliment.

I laughed. "I thought I was an idiot bear, which is it?" I pushed at her playfully but she skipped out of reach.

She genuinely thought about her answer. "It is a mystery. You are sometimes idiot bear and other times cunning like a fox."

I chuckled because she was right. Most of the time my heart was in charge and I was carefree but when a fight got serious my training and tactical mind took over.

"There are times to be relaxed and times to get serious," I said. "These Mogui are there any here?"

Peppin shook her head. "Maybe in Loctris, but none here."

"Have you been to Loctris?"

"A few times," she said.

"Are you going to leave the protectors here and join them instead?" I asked.

She shook her head. "The dukes won't allow this."

"Treaties?" I asked.

She nodded. "But not just that, it's a long held tradition. And the fact it would escalate tensions if one city were to disrupt the status quo."

I bit my tongue and did not mention that the status quo was  - Salastria was weak, it's just the other cities didn't realise it.

She flicked her head and her ponytail followed. "The guilds are here." There was a row of buildings down the street each with a long vertical banner hanging out the front. The whitecloaks were easily spotted their banner was simply white with an ornately written W in the centre.

"Thanks," I said.

"Wait,' she said, and I turned back to face her. We were in the middle of the street in the trade district of town. Men pushing carts and donkeys pulling them went up and down the streets.

"Take me," she said and stood confidently yet expectantly awaiting a response.

"What here?" 

"No, to the north. I need to leave and …" She looked at Gisael. "I sense things are different with you. The way you fight - the way you lead. You aren't what you seem to be."

"And what do I seem to be?"

She hesitated and looked down at the ground. She sighed and answered softly. "A monster from the forest."

I laughed which surprised her. Her head snapped back up and her eyes were questioning. 

"That's exactly what I'm going for." I put my hands on my wooden antler mask; the roots retracted from my skull and it slowly came free. I held it under my arm.

My hair was long, blond, and flowed down past my shoulders. My skin was the same timber colour and my eyes speckled green like Gisael's. There was no visible sign that the wooden antler helmet was attached to my head with embedded roots moments earlier.

She gasped. "That's a helmet?"

I grinned. "Sure, you can call it that."

She laughed dryly. "It's effective."

I glanced at Gisael. "What do you think?"

Her features were implacable while she considered Peppin. "The fort will need protectors."

"The whitecloaks?"

She chirped her derision. She didn't think much of adventurers and with good cause.

"Will you submit to my command?"

Her mouth opened slightly, and she looked me up and down. "What does that mean?" she asked nervously.

"I will train you, support you, but you will be one of us. There can be no divided allegiances. You will obey orders and swear an oath to our core. If you agree to this you can join us."

She gulped. 

"Think on it, there's no rush," I said. "I'd rather you be certain than regret it later."

She looked at the ground and held up a hand with her palm facing us. When she looked up her eyes were determined. "I sensed your strength at the river and I've never sensed anything like it. I want to learn from you, and I will take the risk. It will be hard, but I feel it's right."

I sighed. She was naïve. She'd been in this world all her life but stuck in the prison of Salastria. I could already see there was a wider world out there and I was just the first being with power that she'd met. The Qizhu, the Myrkalfar, the Mogui not to mention the gatekeepers and the prime world races. She was a little bird in a cage and from her perspective I was the only way out of this cage.

Perhaps she was right. Perhaps she'd be like Reyas, join me until she found her feet and then leave to pursue her real calling.

I nodded. "I will make you swear an oath, but if you find a higher calling - that is not against us - you will be set free. I do not wish to cage you forever little bird."

My words brought tears to her eyes and she threw herself at me. She wrapped her arms around me as she forgot herself. After a minute of amusement dancing in Gisael's eyes Peppin pushed herself off me.

"Thank you," she said.

Three whitecloaks stood on the stairs to their guildhall looking at us and wondering what we were doing in the middle of the street.

I waved and put my helmet back on. Then I grabbed both women by the hands and pulled them to the guildhall.

Peppin glanced at Gisael who bared her teeth at the young woman. Peppin said, "I am not a threat to you."

Gisael chirped in amusement and said, "I know."