For a moment, nothing happens. But it is only a moment. Then the Wanderer’s eyes roll up in his head, and he begins to convulse. Deletrear expects this, so he is not entirely concerned, but Lahab is less composed. With a sharp gasp, she is off her chair in time to support the Wanderer’s weight as his legs crumple beneath him.

“Deletrear?” she asks, trying to keep her voice calm.

With a hearty chuckle, he nods, stroking his long beard. “Oh, yes, my dear,” he tells her, turning around to put his ingredients back in their places among the rubble-like mess littering his tables. If experience was anything to go by, the Wanderer would be in quite the state for a while yet. He’d had quite the nasty experience, and his was a simple memory block prank his friends had put on him as a child. This… This is something advanced. He consults his Book Intrusion skill for a moment, checking the boy’s condition in his Guide.

“Removing a memory block of that magnitude is no easy feat! But he’ll quiet down in a bit – his Energy is depleting quickly. And I haven’t even removed the Energy and Life Force drains yet!” He taps his fingers on a nearby table as he flips through the Wanderer’s relatively empty book. There are many pages, which suggests that everything is simply being concealed. He calls upon the Wanderer’s Curse.

Wanderer’s Curse

Classification:

???

Caster:

???

Curse Effects

Strength:

(-1) per day

Energy:

(-2) per hour

Life Force:

(-5) per hour

Other:

Amnesia

“There is great difficulty in removing another spellcaster’s curse, you know. Nobody can say for certain what the side effects might be. Some even lay clever little traps – try to blindly remove their curse, and you can risk activating any range of consequences.” He sighs, rubbing his temple. “It can help to know whose handiwork it is, of course. I know a range of my fellow spellcasters, know how they like to work. It would make matters infinitely simpler if I could just find out the spellcaster’s name. Alas, his Guide will not reveal its secrets so easily, it seems...”

Lahab says something that sounds like a question. He hardly pays any notice; Deletrear is preoccupied with this Wanderer’s book. How strange, he thinks, engrossed in this new enigma. So much is hidden from even my eyes.

???

Wanderer of Realms

Age

???

Life Force

???

Echelon

???

Energy

3

Strength

???

Defense

???

Dexterity

61

Instinct

???

Speed

???

Intelligence

43

Status: Cursed

His unique attribute, the Invisible Eye, has allowed him to enhance his Book Intrusion skills to a level leagues beyond what others are able to accomplish. At times, it even allows him to see hidden skills and attributes that people are not yet aware they have. But not with this child. Try as he might to untangle the string-like knotted mess of the Concealment, he cannot see.

The layout of his personal information is unchanged from birth. Even a block would not change back a person’s custom layout. And everyone makes their layout their own, often organized so that they can see their main skills and relevant information rather than a random mixture of default conditions. Does this mean this young man has never done so? It isn’t impossible, but it is highly unusual.

Also highly unusual are the levels recorded on the page. His intelligence is high enough, but not particularly impressive. But then… His dexterity is higher than any I’ve encountered so far. With such a high level of dexterity, he could be a professional athlete – and a renowned one at that. No… he doesn’t seem the kind of young man who would be an athlete. What, then, does he do with such a high level of dexterity? Does it have something to do with his title? The Wanderer of Realms...

He is so utterly submerged in solving this riddle that he does not notice them until it is too late. Much too late. With a resounding crash, an intruder flings their way through one of the windows at the far end of the room, tumbling onto the floor.

“Young man!” Deletrear barks as the intruder pulls himself to his feet, his skin making a strong suction noise as he pries his bare hands from the floor. His eyes are wide, green, his jaw set as he crouches into a pouncing position, and he is completely unaware as Deletrear flips through his book. Sticky Skin. An easy one. “I do have a door!”

The door of which he speaks is next to go. Chunks of thick, splintered wood whiz past the spellcaster’s head as he turns to see another young man lower his leg from the kick, striding in through the mess he’s made to stand just steps away from Lahab and the unconscious Wanderer. This one has a head of hair long overdue for a shave, and it’s a wonder he can even see through the mop on his head.

Deletrear tsks. “The door was unlocked. What foul manners,” he sighs, shaking his head. He flips through this one’s book as well. Tough Legs. How tough, I wonder? “It was a brand new door, too. Only ten years of age. I quite liked that door.”

“Silence, old man!” the green-eyed lizard growls. “Where is it?”

Defense Mechanism Endless Pit has been engaged. Locating target...

Deletrear sighs. “I really should update this old thing,” he murmurs to himself. “I mean, he’s standing right there! What’s there to locate?”

“What’s he blabbering about?” the hairy one demands.

Defense Mechanism Endless Pit has been engaged. Target found.

The ground beneath the green-eyed intruder with Sticky Skin seems to disappear, transforming into a pit, and he falls through, arms instinctively shooting out to take hold of something – anything – to keep him from falling. True to his unique attribute, his hands smack onto the floor and do not budge.

But even his Suction Grip skill is of no use to him now.

There, too, the ground disappears, and his hands are left with nothing to hold but air. Deletrear watches with satisfaction as he disappears into the darkness.He isn't truly gone - it's an illusive defense mechanism, one that makes you believe you are falling endlessly and there is nothing to hold on to. Perfect for someone with sticky fingers.

“Now, then,” he says, turning to the second man foolish enough to intrude upon a Guardian’s lair. “What shall we do about you?”

“What did you do to him?” he demands, and for one miraculous moment Deletrear thinks he sees his eyes. His accent is thick - not from this region - but then, mercenaries come from a range of backgrounds, and this tells him little. His age, on the other hand, tells him more. For a mercenary, this young man doesn’t seem very experienced – and neither did the other one. New recruits, perhaps. Why send them instead of more experienced mercenaries? And - more importantly - who sent them?

“I would show you, but I really only had one of those traps left, I’m afraid,” Deletrear tells him with a shrug. “I wasn’t expecting unannounced visitors today, you see. I’m a bit unprepared.”

“So that was your last trap,” the man replies with a smirk on his face.

“Last trap?” Deletrear echoes in confusion. Lahab snorts and turns her attention back at the unconscious Wanderer, who is now groaning in his sleep, much calmer than he had been mere moments ago. “Oh, no – that was the last of that particular trap. I have – hold on a moment, do let me check... – 37 other defense mechanisms in place. Which one should I use on him, my dear?”

“I’ve always been partial to your bladed nets,” Lahab murmured distractedly.

“Yes, yes,” Deletrear replies eagerly. “Oh – but they do leave quite a mess to clean up, and I’ve already got my work cut out for me,” he says, glancing dejectedly at the glass and wood splintered all over the floor.

“But they are quite satisfying,” she offers. “Cuts them up into nice little cubes.” She glances at the man standing behind her. “Though I wouldn’t want to be in range of the... splatter.”

The intruder gulps, all traces of the confidence he had moments ago swept from his features. If Deletrear’s eyes are not deceiving him, the poor boy looks a bit pale. Inexperienced, indeed. Deletrear already knows just the right trap for someone with his kind of attribute - and perhaps his decision is also fueled by petty revenge, but he doesn't dwell too much on that.

“There’s always the incinerating funnel,” he suggests, stroking his beard. A load groan from the Wanderer. “Quite right, dear boy. The scorch marks are terribly hard to get rid of. I’d have to get the whole floor redone.”

The man is looking more nervous by the second. He takes a tentative step back towards the door, his leg muscles tensing in preparation.

Defense Mechanism Flying Blades has been engaged. Awaiting target...

“How about something a little less flamboyant for now?” Lahab asks, patting the Wanderer’s wet brow with the hem of her cape. “Something old-fashioned.”

“I’m not sure. He’s standing in a good spot for the boulder, but I feel somehow that would be slightly inelegant.”

The man takes another step back, and his fear gets the better of him. “Listen here! Just because you’ve gotten rid of us, it doesn’t mean we’re finished with you!" He jabs a finger Lahab's way, and Deletrear cannot help but notice the tremor that runs through his hands. He almost feels bad for the young lad. Almost. And then he goes and says something like this: "He wants what you stole, and he’s going to get his hands on it one way or another, even if it means burning down that little forest of yours to get it.”

Deletrear sighs. Antagonizing him was a poor choice, but antagonizing Lahab is... Well, put it this way: her Flaming Lungs are not so easily extinguished once they are set ablaze. He really doesn't want to deal with scorch marks again. The last time she was here - well, he did end up getting the whole floor redone.

“The boulder sounds nice,” Lahab says, all traces of amusement long faded from her voice. “I won’t even mind the splatter now. Or maybe I’ll fry him myself.”

The mercenary - Jeri, from what Deletrear has learned at a cursory glance at his Guide - takes another step back.

Perfect placement.

Defense Mechanism Flying Blades has been engaged. Target has arrived.

They whistle through the air, coming at him from left and right, and dig into his legs. With a loud yell, the man falls to his knees, then to his side, clutching his legs in pain.

“My apologies, my dear,” Deletrear tells Lahab. “Perhaps you can fry him another time, yes? Somewhere outside - preferrably where your surroundings are not quite so flammable and valuable.” He steps past her, looming over the unfortunate intruder. “Your unique attribute said Tough Legs. I was expecting something more powerful, but you’ve completely overlooked durability, haven’t you? What a waste. But quite fortunate for us. The blades cut through your muscles like butter.”

“Quite impressive,” Lahab agrees, satisfied.

Deletrear uses his Book Intrusion skill once more, prying into the whimpering man’s inner mind as he tries to find out more about this artifact and Lahab’s role in everything. He hasn’t seen her in years, but she is still the daughter of a dear friend, and that is all he needs to know to get involved.

The man struggles, his Book Protection skill slightly more developed than Deletrear had expected. It cannot stand against his skills, but nevertheless this mercenary’s struggle turns into an irritating nagging at the back of his mind, especially with his currently pained condition. With a huff, Deletrear strides over to one of the many cluttered tables of his workshop and plucks out of the mess a small jar. “This will help you relax, my friend,” he tells the man writing in pain as he returns to him, and takes a pinch of powder from the jar, blowing it into the intruder’s face. Almost immediately, he goes limp. “Now, where was I?”

Quest: Retrieve the Artifact

Goal

Retrieve the artifact stolen by the Noble Guardian of Ildenwood from the Ruins of Ateeq and return it to the Quest Owner.

Reward

50,000 G

Additional Bonus

Kill the Guardian of Ildenwood.

Bonus Reward

Strength Serum x5

Quest Owner

???

“It seems,” he says, turning back to her, “they’re looking for something you carry. They don’t know what it is, only that they’ll be rewarded handsomely for bringing it back.” In fact, he does have a slight suspicion what this artifact might be. If memory serives, the Ruins of Ateeq hold only one artifact important enough to chase after... But he does not wish to assume the worst.

Lahab’s mouth presses into a thin line. “They have been following me since Ildenwood,” she says. “I thought I had lost them with a simple confusion enchantment, but then I felt I was being followed upon entering Miraya. I know not if it is the same men.”

He has promised himself not to pry, but with Lahab’s life on the line… Well, the previous Guardian of Ildenwood would have his hide if he didn’t watch over his daughter. Inventory Crawl. This skill does not give him a detailed look at everything in her possession, but it does list them for him to scroll through.

As he searches through the items she possesses – many of which are impressive artifacts, most probably handed down to her from her father – Deletrear finally comes upon one that strikes him with dread.

Muna: A legendary artifact of great power.

Yes, indeed. With such an artifact, he can well understand why Lahab is being pursued. As far as he knows, this Muna has not been unearthed for millenia - and the last time it was brought into the world, many kingdoms and peoples fought over ownership of the artifact. Alas, it was stolen and hidden - hidden in a place only Guardians know of now. Hidden in a place that just so happens to be a battlefield at the moment. The Ruins of Ateeq are an unassuming location for all apart from those in the know. But a war... Yes, he can certainly see a battle revealing that which must remain concealed.

“No doubt countless would be interested in taking that which you carry,” Deletrear murmurs, stroking his beard again.

Lahab grows stiff. She looks away, focusing on the Wanderer again. “Yes,” she says. “I carry something invaluable – you must know what it is by now. Nothing escapes your eye, does it? And, if you know what it is, then you also know that I cannot allow them to take it from me.” She rests a hand on the Wanderer’s chest as though feeling for a heartbeat. “After all, it is our duty as Guardians to keep destructive forces from finding artifacts of great power. We must keep the peace.”

“Our duty, yes. But even the noblest of minds can be swayed by such power. You must take caution with such an item in your possession,” he warns her. “Even Guardians can lose their way.”

And, if this artifact is anything like what the legends tell, many Guardians will.

* * * * *

More information about the Unique Attributes introduced in this chapter...

Invisible Eye Noble Guardian of Miraya: Deletrear The Invisible Eye attribute allows Deletrear to see into the minds of others more clearly - and, by extension, into their books. Because of this, Deletrear has a Book Intrusion skill by far more developed than anyone else, and can steal into people's minds undetected. Deletrear has also used this attribute to develop a range of other skills. Suffice it to say that nothing can be hidden from his eye... Sticky Skin Mercenary: Laska The Sticky Skin attribute results in skin that has a sticky surface, caused by naturally higher friction. This can allow Laska to "stick" to items, buildings, and more. He has developed this into a Suction Grip skill that allows him to climb walls by maintaining a near unbreakable grip on surfaces. Tough Legs Mercenary: Jeri The Tough Legs attribute gifts its user with a range of possibilities. With naturally stronger and more durable legs, Jeri is able to deal more damage by using his legs, among many other things.