System Break

The other students departed and the old man headed towards the kitchen. He asked for a bottle and the staff peered suspiciously at him but eventually handed over a small bottle of liquor.

He turned and walked back to his favourite chair near the window so I sat down and joined him. I placed a spoon down on the small round table between us and then I scanned the room for any onlookers. 

His eyes fell on the spoon and then me. "What? Want me to show you how to bend it? I cannot do that anymore I'm afraid."

Without a word I shook my head and pointed at the spoon. He looked and I sent my qi towards it. My tendrils of qi floated through the air like a wiff of smoke and I lifted it off the table. My qi twirled around the spoons length, like wrapping it in string and then squeezed. It became soft and I bent it into a U shape. I let the spoon down gently then reached out with for his bottle of liquor simply with my hand.

"The bet was for during the class," he said.

"No," I said, and insisted he hand over the bottle with a hand gesture. "One day," I said. "That'll be hard enough for you."

"Why do you hide your ability?" he asked.

"Why do you drink like a fish?"

He looked out the window. "That's a long story."

"I don't want any of these assholes to know what I can do," I said and put the bottle down.

"Why show me then?"

"You're a drunkard, who'd believe the spoon actually bent if it was only you who saw it and they all think I'm a useless idiot already."

"But why?"

"Because you're a wealth of information and I'd like to be your friend."

"Risky, I'm a drunkard after all."

I leaned forward. "Risky? I'm a person who's considered an inept idiot by the people you consider useless adventurers. Where's the risk?"

He smiled, leaned back, and arched his fingers together. "You're interesting. I'll give you that. What sort of information are you after?"

"That's it? You don't want some sort of payment?" I wanted to pay him, I wanted it to be a mutually beneficial relationship, so he'd be less likely to fuck me over.

His smile showed his rotting, yellow teeth but his breath was sanitized by alcohol. "Let's be friends if that's possible. I'll help you and when I think of something you can help me."

I imagined I'd be bringing him a case of spirits. "Are there any Qizhu in the city?"

He nodded, "A few. They operate the ornithopter and there's traders and the like. Why?"

"I'm after an artifact that they make. It converts cores into concentrated qi."

He chuckled. "You are interesting indeed. The ones here won't have one to sell you and word would quickly spread that a lowly adventurer had inquired about one well before they import one for you."

I gripped the bent spoon and straightened it as best I could. I was glad I took the risk to approach him; I would have stumbled right into that one. 

My main problem was gaining influence and getting noticed to get close to the Chancellor, but in the process of getting noticed for suddenly becoming capable would blow my cover. I was caught in a jam; a catch 22. I had to find another way.

He was staring at me. "I notice now that you think deeply, and I'd not noticed you at all before yesterday." He thought for a moment before adding. "Or if I had - I have forgotten your face." He chuckled. "But I do know of such an artifact. There is one here in the city."

I sat bolt upright; he got my attention. "Go on."

"One of my old 'friends' is in possession of one. And its probably gathering dust on a shelf with his other prised possessions of conquest. Do you know of the Janissare House?"

The blank look on my face was his answer.

He cleared his throat. "You are green aren't you. This will be dangerous enough to procure because he will not part with it for any price. The head of the Janissare House is Fredrich, the owner of the artifact, and he is a former head protector when the Red Cloaks were a more dominant faction."

"I'm sorry," I said and shook my head slowly. "What are the main factions? And how do they relate to protectors?"

He peered at me. "You never listened at all… or…. Are you new?"

I nodded. "I am new."

"And you know nothing?"

I nodded.

"And you are extraordinarily gifted."

"That part must remain between us …"

"Or … I get it." He chuckled. "I wasn't born yesterday." He spoke softly and winked. "I always wanted a gifted apprentice."

He moved his hand to open the bottle out of habit, but he stopped himself and put the bottle aside. "There are many factions in the city but the nobles who give birth to most of the adepts and protectors are from two main factions. The current Duke is from the faction in the ascendancy, the green cloaks and the minor faction is the red cloaks. I am a red cloak."

"You don't wear one."

"Here? Never, but even so I am persona non gratis. Which means I'm an outcast." He sighed and cleared his throat. "Most people who are gifted come from a long line of gifted ancestors. It's hereditary." He peered at me. "But every generation there are exceptions to the rule. These are outliers."

I waved my hand indicating the whole city. "I'm not from this gene pool."

He nodded. "True. But my point is the two factions initially came from a single family hundreds of years ago. It is all about bloodlines and strengthening the bloodline. If your talent were to become well known they would fall over one another trying to marry you off to one of their eligible daughters. Even a married woman or two would sneak into your bed to accidently become pregnant."

I shook my head. "I am not interested in this."

He sighed in mock disappointment. "What are you interested in?"

I met his gaze, "Just the artifact for now."

A bell sounded at the other end of the common room. He leaned back and smiled. "Your little guild holds a briefing."

I grimaced.

"Go, have your meeting - I only have one more class today. I will prepare a few things for you and maybe we can take a walk after dark. Do you own a dark cloak?"

"A black one?"

He shook his head. "No, that's not a good idea. Dark grey, blue or brown."

I nodded. If there was one thing that Junior had it was clothes. I held out my hand. "I'm Gunt."

His smile was genuine. "Well met Gunt. I am Leonell."

I stood, turned, and said, "Thanks." Softly over my shoulder. I liked Leonell and I hoped I didn't have to kill him.

The red cloaks gathered, and my guesstimate was somewhat accurate, twenty were present. At the head of the assembly pranced my favourite adventurer – the Red Queen.

I merged into the back row next to Waylander. The Queen was on a raised section and a high backed chair was ready for her. With her were four swordsmen who were her favourites. I didn't recognize any of them from the tournament, they were just mediocre enemies whom I crushed.

My eyes were drawn to the Red Queen and I tried my best to look at her in awe. This spy shit was hard.