Fell Champions

Kir left her guards behind, which honestly felt like she’d discarded a knife at airport screening while having an automatic rifle still strapped to her back. It made Otter feel a little bit better as they ascended the walkway to Sureya’s house. Not a lot better, but a little. 

The door was a brilliant lime green with awful splashes of yellow and blue painted onto it. Otter had no idea who’d told Sureya that was a good decoration choice, but she assumed that at some point they’d been executed for it. A lot of Ri Oa’s overuse of colour vibed with Otter, but this was going way too far. 

Rua stopped at the entrance, and somehow Kir managed to be the first to put a comforting hand on her shoulder first.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m here.”

“That’s part of the problem,” Otter muttered. “None of you can just leave her be.”

Kir nodded her head and let her hand drop. 

“It’s just a door,” Rua said.

“You’re right. It’s just a door.” As if to demonstrate, Otter walked backwards to it, and then spun and kicked it as hard as she could. She didn’t quite take it off its hinges, but it definitely didn’t sit right in its frame afterwards.

“Oops,” Otter said, walking through the entrance first.

New Pact Ability Unlocked

Fate Sense

Passive Effect

Feel the convergence of fate.

Otter stumbled. “Uh… is it normal for a Pact to evolve twice in a row when doing mundane things?”

“What do you mean?” Kir asked.

“Mind your business, I was asking Rua.”

“Twice?” Rua asked. “As in, twice right now?”

“Well, once when we were back at your house, and again just now. That’s weird, right?”

“It means something momentous is about to happen, and you’re the focal point,” Kir said. “Are you certain you’re not interested in a duel? I would really enjoy–”

“Leave her alone,” Rua growled.

“What did you get? Attack? Defense? Manifestation?” Kir asked, completely ignoring her sister. “Call it professional curiosity.”

“Uh… Passive. Not sure what it…” She felt a buzzing all about her, like every single nerve in her was set to vibrate for a second. “Okay, think I figured out how it works, just… not sure what triggers it.”

“Don’t tell her anymore,” Rua said. “She is technically the enemy.”

“You wound me, sister.”

“If someone could wound you, I don’t think we’d have half the problems we do right now.”

“A fair point. If only someone could stab me. Alas.”

“I could stab you,” Otter offered.

Kir’s eyes narrowed. “If that was an attempt to proposition me with a stabbing utilizing your cock, I may just have to get violent with you.”

“Who? Me? I would never.”

Rua winced in pain. Kir looked at her, and then at Otter pointedly.

“I mean, honestly, I don’t even know who I was hoping to convince with that one, even taking into account the human lie detector. In my defense, you are distractingly pretty. Can you turn it off somehow? I’d rather not have to worry about tripping over my own erection every time I look in your direction.”

Kir frowned. “Turn it off?”

“Yeah, your Allure. Is there a way to like, I dunno, hit the dim setting or something so I can actually see if you have a personality under all that supernatural charisma and duty nonsense?”

Oddly enough, Kir smiled at that. “No. There isn’t. It’s a curse I have to bear.”

“Yeah, must suck serious donkey dick to have to constantly be the prettiest person within five hundred square miles.”

“Most people would rather just stare at me than try to communicate with me.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I could stare at you all day long, but then I’m reminded you could probably do with a good punching, but then Rua also vouches for you, so then I also want to hear your side of things, and then that makes me just want to actually have a conversation with you, and then I hear your voice, and then it’s right back to thinking about sex again.”

“I have no idea how to take that.”

“Preferably doggy style, I’m so sorry, seriously, can you turn it off, if you do, I promise I will.”

“I can’t. I guess we’ll just both have to suffer.”

“Oh, I won’t be suffering. I have a girlfriend I’ll be railing tonight while trying not to think about you.” Otter leaned forward and resecured her grip on Rua’s hand and pulled her through the door.

“Hey,” Rua said.

“What? It’s not like you won’t be thinking of her the whole time as well, I’m just being honest about it.”

Rua grumbled something, but her cheeks turned red in embarrassment. 

Otter led them further into the house, but wasn’t exactly sure where she was going. The hallways were poorly lit, save the odd window, and there didn’t seem to be anyone about.

“Where is everyone?”

“Aunt Sureya is a traditionalist.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Silayans of old didn’t have servants, outside of guards. So, Sureya doesn’t have servants, except for guards.”

“Well, where are all the guards? I just kicked the door down, they seem kind of shit at their job.”

“They’re probably outside,” Kir said from behind them. “Watching my men, to make sure they don’t stir up any trouble.”

“And what? Sureya doesn’t think we’re a threat?”

“Why would she? It’s just two Seats and a pretty idiot who can’t keep her mouth shut.”

“Fair.” She leaned into Rua and whispered, “She called me pretty, think she’s checking out my ass?”

Rua gave her a playful swat, and she led them down a hallway to the back of the house, for which Otter was grateful. She’d wanted to take the lead to be brave in Rua’s place, but it didn’t make a whole lot of sense when she didn’t know the way.

Still, Otter felt a little victorious, because with all her chatter, that feeling of nervousness she’d felt through the link with Rua had now eased away. There was less of an edge to it, and it’d settled more into a grim wariness. 

Now if only the buzzing in Otter’s fingertips would stop. Or at least hold off until later that night and actually cause vibration of some kind, because then she’d have a use for it.

Rua knocked on the door they arrived at, waited for a muffled reply, took a deep breath, and then entered. Otter tried to follow after, but Kir shouldered past her. Just that slight touch was enough to send a jolt of arousal through Otter that threatened to bring her to her knees. 

Entirely unfair. She had to actually earn her skills in fuckomancy and learn the hard way. How dare Kir be this good and she probably didn’t have even a fraction of the experience.

The room was a study. The kind of things you’d expect in a good study. Hardwood floors, shelves lined with books, wide windows with a great view, a solid desk, someone dutifully writing something behind said desk, and a chained up Sunny in the corner.

Wait. What?

Sunny had clearly seen better days. The fluffy fox-like ears were new, but she was unconscious, and looked like she’d been in a hard fight. There were a number of holes and bloodstains adorning her clothes, as if she’d been stabbed multiple times. A lot of defensive wounds around her sleeves, from where she’d blocked some kind of blade, but otherwise, Otter recognized the grouping patterns of the wounds Sunny had apparently taken. They were almost like a signature, tight and compact, all done with the kind of precision to go between ribs and hit lungs and heart.

How many times had Otter seen the work of Il-Su? She’d never looked at it with disgust and anger in her heart. Not until now.

“Rua,” the woman behind the desk said, not bothering to look up. “Kirhaela.”

That buzzing feeling in Otter’s fingers went wild, extending up her arms. 

“Me,” she said.

Sureya’s pen-scratching ceased, and she looked up. Those eyes of hers were like iron, hard and uncaring. She was aged, and Otter got the impression that she wasn’t infirm, but rather a sword that had seen a few too many battles. Notched and scarred, but still of solid use, and deadly.

“Pelanoa,” Sureya said. “I don’t recognize you. Pink hair. The one I’ve been hearing about, who assaulted a guard at the gates.”

“Otter Kaos,” she said. “I’m new in town. Been in, uh, the Jiridion Belt? Then shipwrecked on Ashborne’s Island. It’s been a whole thing, let me–”

“Lie,” she said, in that same infuriating tone Rua made.

Okay, so maybe her delivery wasn’t the best. She was kind of proud of the fact she was bad at lying. It wasn’t exactly a skillset one should try to cultivate. 

“This is her?” Kirhaela asked, pointing towards Sunny.

“Do you mean the Fleshcrafter Vexurian that Rua somehow managed to free from her armor, and then kept secret?” Sureya asked. 

“Yes. We need to–”

“What we need,” Sureya said, cutting her off, “is to discuss the taking of Pruana Isle, as well as the murder of Juala.”

Kir stiffened. “I’m sorry for–”

“Fuck your sorry. I loved her like a daughter.”

Otter felt a flash of shock through the link, followed by a tidal wave of fury.

“Lie,” Rua growled.

“Not in front of the Mikovian,” Sureya said, standing up. She turned from them, opening one of the windows, and gestured outside. “Do you see what it’s like out there? There will be rioting tonight. Blood will be sought after. And the three of us, right now, need to sort it out before it comes to that.”

Otter ignored it, crossing the room and squatting next to Sunny. She checked her over, making sure that she was still alive, and nothing was broken. 

“She’s drugged, and harmless,” Sureya said. “Which is how she will remain until I determine how much of a threat she is.”

“She isn’t a threat,” Rua said.

“She most certainly is. A Criobani Vexurian? And a Fleshcrafter, no less? She’s lucky I didn’t just plant a blade in her throat as soon as I found out she was out of Will.”

“And why didn’t you?” Kir demanded. “You’re normally very… hostile to outsiders.”

Sureya waved a hand at that. “I’m hostile towards threats from the outside. Outside influences that are useful can remain.”

“So long as they don’t influence your culture.”

“I had hope for your kind. The Mikovians share many Silayan values. We have the same enemies. And many adapted well to the Islands. Yourself included. But some of you are proving to be a stain that must be cleansed.”

“And that’s my cue,” Otter said. “I know an ethnocentric agenda when I hear one. Wow, I’ve been wondering who fucked up Rua’s head. I mean, I figured her dad had a part, and the whole occupation, and was worried it might be this whole place, but then I met someone who’s apparently married to… well, that doesn’t matter. 

“What does matter is that we came here to find Sunny, and protect Sureya. Well, we found Sunny, we’re taking her back, and fuck protecting this piece of work. She can ‘cleanse’ my entire asshole.”

“And does this one speak for you?” Sureya asked. 

Rua stood locked in place, not looking at either of them. Through the link, Otter could feel Rua was terrified. Otter tried to send a pulse of reassurance to Rua, but didn’t try to force anything. Otter wasn’t the boss of her, and couldn’t dictate her life decisions.

She put her arms under Sunny and lifted. Even accounting for the chains, Sunny felt heavier than she should. She stirred slightly, and then snored softly.

This kid.

“Meet you back at the house,” Otter said. 

“No,” Rua answered. “I’m coming with you.”

In a moment, Sureya was between them, one hand gripping Rua’s chin.

“The Fleshcrafter stays with me,” Sureya said. “I don’t know how you freed a Vexurian, but we need to run tests. See if it can be replicated.”

“It can’t,” Otter said. “Now let go of my girlfriend, or I start kicking bubblegum and chewing ass, and I’m all out of… wait, I think I said that wrong. Can we go from the top?”

“Sureya’s right!” Kir said. “But as always, for the wrong reasons. We can’t let a Fleshcrafter loose on the streets.”

Rua pulled herself free from Sureya’s grasp. “I’m not letting anyone run tests on her. Nor am I letting anyone use her as a weapon.”

Kir drew her sword, the rasp of steel clearing its scabbard echoing throughout the room.

“Those weren’t the options I was going with.”

That tingling sensation hit Otter’s heart. It was like she was in the middle of a massive drum, and someone was beating it with Mjolnir. 

This stupid Fate Sense ability really needed to come with an instruction manual.

“Okay, everyone fuck off for a second,” Otter said. “I think something’s…”

Otter saw it out of the corner of her eye. Something small and dark and trailing sparks and smoke arced through the window and into the room. It bounced twice, then rolled, coming to a stop in the middle of all of them. It looked kind of like a clay ball with a fuse coming out of it.

Otter turned, putting her back towards it and tried to shield the defenseless Sunny as best she could. It was all she could manage before the bomb went off.

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