Chapter Twenty: Parliamentary Deliberations

Chapter Twenty: Parliamentary Deliberations

Right, then, Tom Cutter, let us get your uplift dealt with so we can go, Rosa said.

Are you sure? He said, enjoying teasing them after theyd made him wait. We could always go over yours and Darius again.

Darius snorted, but Rosa was not impressed. Do or dont, Tom. I dont care. I need get to Horizon, now.

Guilt welled up in him. He had spoken without thinking. Im sorry, Rosa. That was thoughtless of me. Lets do this quickly and get going, then.

Rosa rolled her hand at him, encouraging him to go on. It is okay. I am sorry too. We are just very close, and I am getting impatient.

Right, lets get this sorted then.

What did you uplift, Tom? Markus asked.

Tom smiled. Quiet Under Moonlight. Its my familiar skill for Sus and Sol. He gestured to where Sol was napping on Dustys back. Tanyas stoic mule familiar tended to spend most of his time idly grazing in the same spot, and had become a favourite perch for the sleepy owl. Sus was gliding in circles high in the air above the group. Tom could feel him grumbling about the heat and brightness through their bond.

What are your options then, Rosa asked him with a smile, offering to put their brief argument behind them. It was one of the reasons Tom liked her so much. She was fiery, certainly, but she never held a grudge or nursed resentment.

Quiet Under Moonlight had uplifted the night before, when the group had been sharing a silent libation for Eli and Meri. He had been considering the silence, the space produced by the absence of two friends. The melancholy in that silence was similar to the cold left after a hug. One produced the other.

Tom nudged his status through their party. Take a look.

Uplift Threshold Reached.

Skill Three (Consummate): Quiet Under Moonlight (Ritual (Familiar)).

Mana cost: Extreme.

Cooldown: Extreme.

Requirements: Sixty life essence, ten hunger essence, ten blood essence, two sound essence, two silence essence, two dark essence, and two wild essence.

When summoned: Familiar can make moderate damage physical attacks. Familiar has an attack that deals low magic damage up to short range, and trivial damage up to medium range. Familiar has a channelled ability which causes trivial magic damage while channelled.

When subsumed: The casters movements are completely silent. Caster can see in the dark. Extreme buff to casters sense of hearing. Moderate buff to casters coordination.

Uplift Option One:

Skill Three (Consummate): Quiet Under Moonlight (Ritual (Familiar)).

Mana cost: Extreme.

Cooldown: Extreme.

Requirements: Sixty life essence, ten hunger essence, ten blood essence, two sound essence, two silence essence, two dark essence, and two wild essence.

When summoned: Familiar can make moderate/high damage physical attacks. Familiar has an attack that deals low magic damage up to short range in an area, and moderate damage up to medium range to a single target. Familiar has a channelled ability which causes trivial magic damage while channelled.

When subsumed: The casters movements are completely silent. Caster can see in the dark. Extreme buff to casters sense of hearing. Moderate buff to casters coordination.

Uplift Option Two:

Skill Three (Consummate): Quiet Under Moonlight (Ritual (Familiar)).

Mana cost: Extreme.

Cooldown: Extreme.

Requirements: Sixty life essence, ten hunger essence, ten blood essence, two sound essence, two silence essence, two dark essence, and two wild essence.

When summoned: Familiar can make moderate damage physical attacks. Familiar has an attack that deals low magic damage up to short range, and trivial damage up to medium range. Familiar has a channelled ability which causes trivial magic damage while channelled.

When subsumed: The casters movements are completely silent. Caster can see in the dark. Extreme buff to casters sense of hearing. Moderate buff to casters coordination.

Additional: Familiar gains access to casters skill Hush.

Mana cost: Moderate.

Cooldown: Moderate.

I like the second option too, said Tanya. The skill might not be as strong now, but itll grow in time, like as not. I took Dustys storage space as his first uplift. Its gotten bigger each of the last two uplifts, even though each time I chose a straight strength upgrade to improve his stamina.

Darius looked serious. An extra two of these interesting debuffs could have made the difference before. The assassins shadows resisted you, but they did shake -I saw it! If you could have hit it twice more, maybe this would have changed things.

Tom nodded, conceding the point. Darius carried on.

The orcs, too. They may not have had many skills, but having extra of these silences in your sleeve would be a good assurance, I am thinking. But what do your owls think?

Bout time someone asked! Sus sent. I want to shut people up!

I like silence Sol said, slowly blinking at them all with his sleepy yellow eyes.

The choice was made for him then. He picked option two with a grin.

Sus immediately let out a piercing shriek. Fuck yes! She cried. Come at me!

Easy, Tom chided her gently. Were still in the Grounds. We dont want to draw any more sprites.

Sus grumbled wordlessly in his mind, but remained silent physically, at least. Although the owl had picked up on Rosas penchant for bad language, she was still reasonable.

Small blessings.

The group spent a little more time admiring Daisy as she buzzed around collecting more honey for Darius. It seemed his new familiar, and talk of Toms newest uplift, had drawn everyones minds to their own familiars.

Coro lay against Markus, his massive head in his lap. Its feline eyes blinked languidly as Markus worked his fingers through its mane.

Dusty stood nearby, munching on grass, with Sol fast asleep on his back. He whickered softly and flicked his tail as Tanya cocked her head towards him, a smile on her face.

Granny had been purring next to Darius since he had first summoned Daisy. The healer was still captivated by his newest summon.

Coal simply stood behind Rosa. Every line of his tall, dark grey body was proud and powerful. He was pointed unerringly down the road, towards Horizon. It was clear he was picking up on Rosas anxiety. Tom watched as the stallion dragged deep, slow breaths in through his nostrils. Suddenly, he bridled, dancing on the spot.

Ha! Rosa screeched. She gave him a playful shove. Ha! Fuck you, Tom Cutter!

Hah! Shame! Sus sent.

Wait sent Sol.

Everyone looked confused. Tom guessed what had happened immediately. Running with the Wind, her familiar skill, had uplifted.

Alright, alright! Tom said, battling her away as she continued to try and wrestle him. What options have you got?

She had a supremely satisfied look as she settled herself down again. She ticked her options off against her fingers as she recounted them.

First is a straight strength upgrade. Nice, but my Coal is not lacking in stamina or speed for the moment.

Second increases his subbed effects. Her head wobbled side to side, indicating her ambivalence towards the option. Coals sub effects allowed Rosa to adjust her weight, and gave her a buff to her speed, endurance and stamina regeneration.

She pursed her lips. Nice, but it would be better if I had gotten access to his discorporation.

The third option is for giving him access to my In a Puff of Smoke. She grinned at him triumphantly.

In a Puff of Smoke was her short range teleport. It created a small smoke cloud at her origin and destination. Tom knew he should be focusing more on what she was saying, but she looked so damn beautiful when she smiled. She had not been happy enough, as of late. There was not much to be done about it, except to get to Horizon, but his heart sang for her joy.

He pulled his mind back to the topic. Thats amazing, Rosa! Hes already fast and nimble, but this youll be untouchable.

Yes, but also no! she sang happily, wriggling in her seat. Of course your first thought is for my safety, you fucking goober. She swatted him. Think! I will be able to reposition in an instant, and create far more smoke now. When I pair it with his channel now that will be some good damage.

Tom let out a low whistle. Everyone else looked fascinated, but not wholly comprehending. They werent as intimately familiar with Rosas skillset as he was.

This would be an enormous boost to her fighting style. She could control smoke with her pinnacle skill, and together with Where theres Smoke, deal damage to enemies with it. She would be an untouchable ghost on the battlefield, wearing down her enemies and obscuring her allies before she struck out with her finishers.

Rosa preened under the attention from everyone, satisfied with the knowledge that the cosmic wrong of Tom uplifting more skills than her was slowly being righted. Still, she had a way to go to catch him.

Tom had uplifted eight of his twelve skills now. He only needed to uplift Misery Loves Company, Hush, Whisper Shield, and Wild Strike before he would reach Consummate tier. Rosa currently only had six uplifts.

Eventually, even the joy at uplifting another skill was replaced again by anxiety for reaching Horizon, and Rosa once again became impatient. The group began stowing gear and readying themselves to ride.

They still had another four days journey. They needed to be on their way.