Library of Rain

Rain snuck out of the back of Mr. Markson’s shop, having successfully escaped both Ise and Svend’s watchful eyes. Getting a coin out of the manor so she could slip away without anyone noticing had been a bit tricky at first, but then she realized she could send a servant to buy something for her and give them a bound coin to pay for it. 

 

It was a gray spring day. Rain covered her mouth and nose, putting on the goggles that hung around her neck to protect herself from the lightly falling ash. The goggles made the people about their business with their heads down look like blurry, featureless things walking around the street. They almost looked like something that belonged in her library. Smiling to herself, Rain set off; she had a bit of a walk ahead of her.

 

There were only two days until the coven of Zimir. Rain was out of time. She needed to lower her corruption now so she could learn about the Zimir before she landed herself in a position she wasn’t ready for.

 

Fortunately, she had finally managed to contact Mr. Mirage in Ms. River’s dream world. Though she had only managed it through messages left behind with Ms. River. Rain wasn’t sure what he was doing these days now that the Ash Grifters were gone, but he slept about as little as she did. 

 

After a half hour of walking, Rain reached her destination. Checking the note she had written down after waking up, Rain looked back up at the modest Mid Ring home. This was where Ms. River said he was staying right now. Rain shrugged. There was enough ash falling right now that everyone was wearing their goggles and covering their mouth and nose. Even if this was the wrong place, no one would recognize her. 

 

Rain knocked on the door. A moment later, the door opened, revealing a blurry young boy with tousled red hair. The boy's eyes got really big as he looked at her before he slammed the door.

 

“Monssssttteeerrrrrr!” 

 

Rain could hear the boy's squeaky voice as he ran deeper into the house. All she could do was sigh and hope she was in the right place. Maybe she should have brought Ise along. No one was ever afraid of the sunny girl. 

 

Running footsteps approached the door; these ones heavier than the last. When it opened, it was to the blurry image of Mr. Mirage. 

 

“Lady Tyix, come in. Sorry about Eak; he’s just a kid, so please forgive him.”

 

Rain simply nodded and removed her goggles. Mr. Mirage looked good. His ears were still hidden under his cap, and his tail was tucked away somewhere, but with the nice gray Mid Ring clothes he was wearing, Rain would never have guessed that he used to be a gang member in the Low Ring. She still didn’t know how he was escaping the Tineak guard - he should be well known to them - but she was happy he was doing well. 

 

Rain looked around, wondering how much they could talk about here. It was unfortunate they didn’t have time to speak in the dream world first.

 

The building was modestly decorated with few furnishings, but the little that was there reminded Rain of a simpler version of Orom Manor, with a simple but well-polished spear hanging on the wall.

 

“You said you met someone who needed my help?” Rain asked. 

 

It was the main reason Rain had come out here without waiting to talk to him in the dream world. Rain needed to lower her corruption, and she didn’t have time to learn all the details. But still, what was Mr. Mirage doing here? 

 

She had given him a chance to go to Estom Island along with the other Ash Grifters, but he turned her down. He said there was more opportunity for his sisters and him in the city. Rain had seen enough of his words to know he wasn’t trying to harm her despite his awful caginess when she tried to press him for details. 

 

“Yes, while spreading word of your power, I met someone I think could use your help.” Mr. Mirage said, opening a door and letting them into a simple room that was a cozy mixture of kitchen, dining, and sitting rooms. 

 

“Priest, who is this?”

 

The speaker was a muscular girl of maybe fifteen with blond hair pulled back into a braid.

 

“This is Lady Tyix, the one I was talking about, the one who can help you gain a class.”

 

The girl's eyes widened at that revelation. 

 

“You can help me get a class! Please, I’ll do anything!” the girl said, standing with her hands planted on the table in front of her.

 

Rain considered the girl for a long moment. She would help the girl, but she needed to know more about her before deciding how to handle her.

 

Stepping forward, Rain had her cloak change into her Lady Tyix outfit. She was glad she had thought ahead and brought her belts. With that, Rain removed her goggles and smiled at the girl. 

 

“What’s your name?”

 

“Ady, your uh lady?” Ady said, clearly unsure how to address Rain.

 

“Good. Now Ady, why do you want to become a classer?”

 

Ady’s face darkened at the question; colorful smoke rose from her mouth as she answered through gritted teeth. 

 

“To prove my father isn’t a traitor, to get revenge on the man who set him up, and to take back my dreams!”

 

Rain was immediately interested. Not only did this provide her with plenty of leverage on the girl, but it also sounded like something straight out of a play.

 

“Explain.” She asked, sitting down across from the still-standing girl.

 

“My father was a squad captain in the eastern quarter of the Tineak city guards. He’s been a guard ever since he was a boy and always did his best to protect people from thugs and murderers. I wanted to be just like him and trained my whole life to join the guards. But a few months ago, we got a new commander in the eastern quarter, Commander Bartel. 

 

When Bartel took over, everything started to change. Father said that the guards who overstepped their bounds stopped getting punished; then they all started getting orders to do things that were against the law. 

 

When my father told Bartel he wouldn’t follow those orders, Commander Bartel backed down. My father told me that he was hopeful he could turn the guards back around. I remember how happy he was that night as he talked about it.”

 

Ady’s voice cracked with emotion as she spoke, and every word was the color of truth. 

 

Rain felt for the girl. She didn’t know the full story yet, but she could recognize pain, and a part of her ached for the girl across from her. Rain had to remind herself that she was both creepy, unwanted, and playing the part of Lady Tyix the black classer. It was the only way to stop her from going over and hugging Ady. Instead, she simply listened as Ady went on in a voice raw with emotion.

 

“But the very next day, Bartel ‘discovered evidence’ that my father was taking bribes from gangs in the Low Ring. By the end of the day, my father was imprisoned. 

 

I tried to join the guards to find proof that my father was innocent, but they refused me, saying I was too weak despite the former Commander promising me a place when I was old enough. 

 

They stole my father and my dreams.

 

I need to find proof that Bartel framed my father, and take back what he stole from me, and the only way to force them to let me join the guard is if I have a class.”

 

Those last words were said while Ady gave Rain a pleading look, tears in the corner of her eyes as she begged for the power to save her family and her future. Rain leaned forward and smiled. The flicker of fear that crossed Ady’s face as Rain did wasn’t lost on Rain, and it did put a damper on her mood, but that didn’t matter; it was time to rebuild her minions.

 

“Ady, let's make a deal.”

 

With those words, Rain produced a feather pen and ink well full of her blood from the depths of her coat, then stretched out her left hand and summoned her contract in a flurry of darkness.

 

“The deal I propose is simple. I will give you access to my library, a place full of books that grant unique classes but also twist the minds and bodies of those who read them. You will be fine, though, as long as you aren’t too greedy or very unlucky. 

 

In return, you will never share any information about me with anyone without my permission and will fulfill the tasks I assign you.

 

If either of us fails to fulfill our part of the bargain, then the other will have the right to claim the life, mind, body, and soul of the bargain breaker. Do you accept?”

 

Ady replied immediately, “I accept.”

 

Two emotions warred in Rain, and the excitement at getting a new minion lost. Rain sighed and gave Ady a look.

 

“You can negotiate the terms if you want.”

 

“I don’t care. I have to save my father!”

 

Rain shook her head. It would be so easy to take advantage of Ady; Rain needed to teach her a lesson.

 

“Ady, who was the boy who answered the door earlier?”

 

Ady blinked at the random question.

 

“That's my little brother…” 

 

“Do you realize that by the terms you were about to agree to, I could order you to kill your little brother, and you would have to, or you would lose your life and soul to me?”

 

Rain watched as the color drained from Ady’s face before she continued.

 

“I don’t need a stupid minion, so think carefully this time and tell me what changes you want to make to the contract.”

 

Rain was glad to see the girl giving weight to Rain’s words as she thought over the contract. After a few minutes, Ady spoke again.

 

“I won’t do anything to hurt my brother, father, or myself. And I won’t do anything to dishonor my family.”

 

Rain thought about that for a moment before adding an amendment of her own. 

 

“I want you to be my warrior, so let's change that to ‘I can’t force you to go into certain death fights, but I can still order you into danger.’ All the other changes I accept.”

 

Ady nodded at Rain's words, and Rain wrote out the terms of their agreement on the contract in her own blood. When she finished, she lifted the contract to her lips and kissed it. The moment she did, she felt a rush of energy leave her, and the pain in her soul flared hotter.

 

As Rain lowered the contract and passed it to Ady to read and seal, she noticed that the words now glowed like jagged red rifts in the black vellum.

 

Ady took the time to read the contract - which Rain was glad to see - before kissing it herself. The moment she did, the words on the page flashed, and the whole scroll burst apart in a flash of crimson. 

 

“Alright, Ady follow me to your future.”