Spire's Spite

All told, telling the tale of his Climb only took Fritz around fifteen minutes.

His audience of Thea and Jess responded just as he hoped with gasps, laughs and cheers as he told of his fights, friends and victories. Even Eli who started off stubbornly sceptical eventually became enthralled by his story and was staring intently at him with equal measures of awe and incredulity as Fritz described his heroic stand against the Hound.

In an act of staggering modesty, he only added in a few favourable flourishes, engaging embellishments and outright lies about his valiant and vital role as a fearless, peerless captain and deadly, daring duellist.

Fritz, however, also avoided telling them of any of his Sense Abilities or anything about the Sunken Spire itself. He skipped over the trap floors and most of the worst fights while fabricating an ordeal with a monster swordfish from which he acquired Quicksilver. Much to his chagrin he also had to keep secret his meeting with the Duskmoth and faerie-kind in general, even though he knew it would delight his sister immensely as she loved faerie tales almost as much as he did.

"I had spiked the vile beast with Quicksilver, I had triumphed, but it was no comfort as I felt my end coming. Beaten and broken I lay there. Dying," Fritz said darkly and Thea cupped her hands over her mouth to stifle a sudden intake of breath.

Fritz tried not to smile, and continued "As the world went black my trusty companions, Sid and Bert, carried my unconscious form up the stairway. Up and away, to the Well to heal my wounds. I awoke, mended and whole and all rejoiced. Then upon selecting our Paths and Traits, and not willing to push our luck further, we left the third floor, victorious," Fritz finished with a grin.

Thea applauded excitedly, smiling wide and Eli nodded as if he only believed half of his story, while Jess merely ruffled Fritz's dark hair and said, "That was a tale almost as tall as you, is your Path one of a storyteller?"

"More like a Liar," Eli supplied smirking.

"I resent these accusations!" Fritz proclaimed in mock offence, noting that a Spy was awful close to both. "Where did Quicksilver come from then, if not from a monster swordfish?"

"Bought it from some climbers?" Eli stated. "Or you stole it."

"Both reasonable assumptions," Fritz allowed amiably while getting up off the couch and striding in front of the window. "But, Behold!"

Grasping his Dusksong, and finding it wasn't yet restored enough for the whole spell he drew the rest of the energy needed from his Stamina, his shoulders sagging somewhat from the drain.

Once he had the shifting power in hand he shaped a sheet of shadow between him and his audience.

Thea gasped as did Jess, and Eli stood suddenly in surprise, thumping his leg on the small table causing the biscuit tin to rattle. Fritz quickly, quietly darted to a shadowed corner and felt Cloak of Dusk's cool embrace in the low light.

He waited and watched as Thea waved her hand through the grimy sheet that must've looked pitch black to her eyes. Eli made to pull her arm out of the darkness and warn her against touching the unknown magic but upon seeing it was harmless he merely looked at the Illusory Shadow speculatively.

"It's a… wall of shadow?" Thea theorised.

"Seems so," Jess agreed.

Eli strode up to and put his head through the thin sheet. Obliviously expecting to see Fritz on the other side and finding no one he frowned and searched the room, his eyes sliding right over the corner Fritz stood in.

It took a lot of control not to burst out laughing at Eli's scrunched features and confused glances. However funny hiding from the guard had been this was much, much more amusing to Fritz.

"He's gone," Eli said as the sheet dissipated.

It was now the ladies' chance to look confused and in Jess's case a little worried.

"Where'd he go?" Thea asked with wide eyes.

"Disappeared? Invisible?" Jess asked in turn.

"Hiding, and probably going to-" Eli began before Fritz surreptitiously pulled out a copper triad from his pouch and tossed it so it struck the tin and ricocheted inside with a plink and clang.

They jumped a little from the surprise as the sudden noise interrupted Eli's too-canny warning.

Fritz silently slunk up and behind Thea and Jess as they stared at the newly appeared triad, then he sat back on the couch, right where he had been sitting before his demonstration of Illusory Shadow.

"What do you mean hiding? I'm right here," Fritz proclaimed.

They jumped. Thea screamed and Jess squeaked while Eli let out a high cracking yell. They spun on where they heard the voice, to find Fritz lounging and grinning from ear to ear.

"Bastard!" Eli burst out.

"Arsehole!" Jess shouted.

"Not funny Fritz!" Thea shrieked.

Fritz just laughed uproariously as they told him off, he wished Bert and Sid were here to see their shocked faces, they were priceless.

Once the uproar had died down and they were done telling him in no uncertain terms that he was an idiot, a fool and had less sense than a skulg, Eli eventually, begrudgingly asked, "So you really climbed a Spire?"

"That's what I've been telling you, haven't you all been listening?" Fritz said, as if offended but knowing full well that he wouldn't believe him either.

"Well.. you know," Eli said, scratching the back of his neck and looking to Thea and Jess awkwardly.

"I believed," Thea admitted adamantly.

"I'm convinced," Jess hedged.

"Good, now that we're all sure that I'm the mighty hero I say I am, we can get back to what's important. How are all of you holding up, no problems? No cruel and capricious instructors?" Fritz said with a teasing glance at Jess, who scoffed at the implication.

"No, nothing like that, and Jess is a wonderful teacher," Thea said frowning at Fritz. "Apart from you missing your visit, things have been normal."

"Thea's being modest, she does well in most academic pursuits and has been noted as a particularly swift study and sprinter," Jess said, as Thea glowed from the praise.

Fritz nodded happily, saying, "That's great Thea, I'm proud of you."

He then turned an expectant stare onto Eli.

"I've been offered extended lessons in combat and fencing," Eli said, his grumpy tone bubbling with barely suppressed pride.

"That's marvellous!" Fritz exclaimed. "We'll have to have a bout one of these days. I'll show you a thing or two." The comment elicited an eye roll from Eli but he didn’t object.

With that they began chatting about their schedules and classes, relaxing into gossip about instructors he used to know and some he didn't. It was fun, cosy and surprisingly easy to talk to the three of them, but something tingled in the back of his mind. It was no Sense ability or Attribute warning him but a feeling that he had to keep moving, that he needed to prepare for his next climb. And that meant securing his and Bert's Treasures and wealth as soon as possible.

Something kept urging him to go but he ignored it for the moment, determined to spend some time with family and friends. After all, he didn't know when he'd see them again and he knew he would regret it keenly if he cut their time short.

For an hour they talked until Thea said, "You look distracted, is something bothering you?"

"No… well, yes," Fritz admitted. "I have some things I have to take care of, and it's going to be a little difficult."

"By difficult do you mean dangerous," Jess asked disapprovingly, a frown creasing her brow.

Fritz smiled. "Of course not," He lied. "Just a small job to get some gold, I have to save up for my sibling's climbs you know."

Jess looked like she wanted to argue but seemingly she saw something in his eyes that quieted her complaints. So instead she said, "Just be careful."

"Yeah, be careful," Thea agreed glaring at him.

Eli was silent but Fritz could read him well enough to know that he agreed with the sentiment too.

"Well it's time for me to head, out and I'm sure you all have classes or other things to do," Fritz said standing quickly as his eyes began to blur. He sniffed. And wiped away any tears before they could form. Thea stood and hugged him from the side and Jess lay a hand on his arm.

"Come back soon," Thea said seriously.

"You're welcome to visit anytime," Jess added.

Fritz nodded a smile at Jess and squeezed Thea tight for a moment, then once she had let go and stepped away he offered his hand for Eli to shake, which he did with a firm, calloused grip.

Must be working hard. We all are in our own ways, Fritz thought idly as they said another round of goodbyes and he eventually left the room, then the hall, then the orphanage.

He stepped into the rain with a smile on his face, a certain calmness in his chest right next to the empty tin under his vest and Quicksilver wrapped again, held loosely against his shoulder.

With a lightness to his steps and a flighty song in his heart he planned his next steps and what he'd need to achieve them, first he needed a place to hideout and rest for a bit, then he needed a secret place to transfer his treasures. The first was simple, he'd return to his previous lair in the loft of the abandoned herbalist's shop and see what remained of his meagre possessions.

The second was a more difficult ask, as he couldn't safely use any of his or Bert's previous hideouts. He decided he'd have to go exploring, which could be fun in and of itself when the mood hit him. Which he supposed it might, once he got some rest.

As he walked he suddenly stopped before a shop that seemed to sell various pieces of useful equipment, such as packs, bedrolls, metal canteens and all kinds of other survival gear. A bedroll, or perhaps just a pillow, wouldn’t go amiss at the moment but what he was more interested in was a grappling hook that would suit his current scheme.

He was in and out within a minute, haggling the owner down and handing three of his precious silvers and a handful of coppers for a durable, wool-stuffed pillow and a sturdy grappling hook. Tucking them under his other arm he made his way out of the store.

Fritz knew he’d probably been fleeced at least a silver triad due to his rich appearance, but he was too drained, both physically and emotionally, to really care.

He yawned as he made his way out of the busy and bustling thoroughfare packed with carriages and people. Glancing idly as rain slipped around many of the carriages like they were protected by an invisible glass dome. He knew it to be rainshielding, either from the drivers or runic enchantments, it was a common enough Ability but highly valued to those not of the Merfolk.

No one but them liked to be wet all the time. Even if most coats, hats and shoes were some variation of waterproof, dryness came at a premium in Rain City.

He strode away and into the streets, heading for a gate that led into the desperate district. Again he was surprised that the guards only stopped him to warn him of danger, as there had apparently been some dead bodies found in the streets and alleys recently.

"S'not safe, but we won't bar you, Sir," The drizzler said as Fritz strode past the man.

Fritz scoffed inwardly at the warning, of course, and went on his merry way. People were murdered, mugged and mangled every day in the desperate district he knew that well enough. He'd survived there for a whole eight years, there's no way he couldn't be aware of the dangers.

He pressed on, passing by the beggars and glaring gangs where they congregated in the sparsely peopled streets and dark, deserted alleys. Using his Cloak of Dusk he easily slipped past the toughs and thugs who would normally go out of their way to menace and mug him, quickly finding his way to his old lair. He went in through the empty door frame of the storefront and spotted the door itself rocking on the ripples of the slightly flooded room like some abandoned raft.

Bastards knocked it off its hinges when they kidnapped me, Fritz thought annoyed.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the last of the damages done to his abode, it seemed someone had rooted through his things and stolen what little they could use or sell, including his books. His precious only slightly soaked books. He cursed them silently and when that didn't make him feel better he prayed insincerely.

“Oh, wise Ton’var, brilliant lord of knowledge and discovery, I beg of you to smite those book burglarising blasphemers.”

Sighing he climbed up into the creaking rafters and found his hidden sack of rough, commoners clothes. Fritz jumped down and began to change out of his fancy garments and into something more adequate for his needs. A rough grey linen shirt and black trousers. Again he sighed, annoyed he'd already had to get out of the far nicer, softer outfit, but he couldn't go exploring in such delicate fabrics. He didn't want to tear them to pieces after all.

Stashing the sack away again Fritz debated taking a nap, the night and consequent morning had been rather draining so he decided to take a small rest. He lay in his mostly undisturbed nest of rags, set down his new pillow, lay his head upon it and was asleep instantly.

Even with the luxury of a real pillow, he fitfully tossed and turned as his dreams cascaded into nightmares.

Fritz woke, and it was the normal way to wake, which is to say it was bad. He took some time to get his bearings. In his waking daze he was scared he was still a leveless urchin but as his memories rushed through his bleariness he exhaled a breath, relaxed his tense shoulders and rubbed a knot out of his aching back.

He looked out a rotted hole in the loft's wall to gauge the time and was dismayed that it was dusk or approaching it, he'd overslept and now he'd have to put off his exploration. It would be too dark to see anything.

Idiot you have Night Vision and Perception, he reminded himself.

Fritz slapped himself on the forehead and rattled his still-dazed mind into full alertness. He smiled, shaking his head at his prior foolishness he stood and checked his surroundings. There was nothing amiss so he set out, jumping down into the slightly flooded room below. He landed with a much heavier splash and thud than he expected. It was somewhat jarring but it wasn't painful, just unexpected.

I really have to get used to these moonsilvered bones, Fritz told himself.

He left through the front door then headed towards the ruins of the drowned district, strolling and letting out a jovial whistle as if he had not a care in the world.

Fritz had left his new grappling hook and Quicksilver behind, hidden in his bed of rags which he reflected was definitely the right idea as he found himself needing both hands free to scrabble onto the roofs of flooded buildings. However, the exploration was not nearly as difficult as he expected it to be, his Grace and Agility letting him pull off some acrobatic and athletic feats he would have never been capable of before.

He was always adroit in such things but even he had to be surprised when he was able to run down a thick wooden pole, without a wobble or a slip as if he were an expert tightrope walker.

He exalted in his Attributes and started pressing his luck and his capabilities more as he got deeper into the district. Fritz turned the slick slanted roofs and their deceitful, decrepit rafters into something of a ramshackle obstacle course and made a note to use it as training when he had more time to spare.

As soon as he was about twenty minutes into the district he started to push on his Door Sense and Awareness. Looking for somewhere to hide their Treasures, once they got them back.

To his delight, he detected many doors both beneath the water and above it and could get a sense of their condition and make. He limited his search to dryer areas and sturdier doors until he sensed something peculiar in a large, three-story manor.

The tall structure was made mostly of grey stone and had been obviously built to last, to endure as long as its family's blood remained, but its lower floor was completely below the gentle waves, and the second floor was ankle-deep in murky water. The finery and furniture were long gone and while the floorboards were a rotted, patchwork mess, the stone walls and foundations stood strong even if they were covered in the wretched skulg.

Fritz climbed in through the roof and gingerly slunk down a groaning stairway, then sloshed through the second-floor hallways to find what had felt with his Door Sense. He soon came upon the room, or rather the door that had piqued his interest.

Being careful not to step through a hole in the wood Fritz entered the empty room and looked around. Finding nothing with his eyes but a faint impression pulling him to the sturdy stone wall to his left. He trudged to it carefully, running his fingers over and tapping on the wet bricks until he felt a change. He was lucky and heard a distinct hollowness in the sound of his taps on the fourth brick from the left corner.

Cheering inwardly and grinning, he pried the stone free and found a metal ring underneath, one suspiciously like the handle of a trap door. He slid his fingers through it and pulled. It was stuck fast. He pulled again this time with all his weight and strength. There was a creaking and a scraping, then with a loud crack the wall came loose and Fritz fell on his backside onto the water.

He cursed but then laughed as he saw a section of stone brick open outwards as if it were on hinges, which he supposed it was. Behind it was just what he'd been looking for, nay hoping for. Fritz grinned ear to ear and ran his hand over the wheel of a large, rectangular, black-iron safe.

He looked it over eagerly, it was a little rusty on the outside and the key was obviously absent, long gone like the manor's owners. His fingers ran over the cold metal then he pulled his hand back rapidly. Cautiously, Fritz searched for wards, reprimanding himself for touching the safe before he looked. He found some, however, they were dull, old and marred with rust. Probably drained of all mana over the decades, maybe centuries, it had been hidden here.

The last test was to see if its mechanisms still worked, hopefully they weren't corroded or consumed by rust. Fritz found it was an annoyingly difficult lock to pick, complex and tricky, but also sluggish and sticky due to its age and disrepair. Without his Grace and Agility he didn't know if he could have possibly picked it, but eventually, he did, his two small metal bones clicking the last tumbler into place and causing the safe to thunk almost imperceptibly behind the iron door.

With bated breath he turned the stiff wheel, rust flaked off as he pushed, and with a snap it moved smoothly until it clanked and the safe's door swung open. Just as Fritz suspected, the safe was empty, cleared out when this place was abandoned. It was also surprisingly spacious, Fritz thought he could probably lie within and fit in his whole body if he pulled his feet in a little.

He shuddered, as he thought about being locked in the safe and trapped by the dark by walls of iron.

Shaking his head free of the terrifying image, he smiled wide. This was just what they needed. He quickly shut both the safe and the concealing stone brick hatch. He dusted the rust off his hands as it made his skin feel itchy, he then washed them in the water for good measure as the smell was far too pungent for his liking.

Step one, complete. Onto step two. Equipment.

Climbing back to the roof was easy work and Fritz noted the landmarks of the 'safe house'. In the distance, he could see the steady stream of clouds from the aptly named steam district and made a mental note to get Quicksilver a hilt when he could spare the time and triads.

He made his way back to the desperate district then back to his hideout, he would have to wait for dawn for the rest of his acquisitions, but felt he had made good progress. It did irk him a little that he was out here doing all this work while Bert was out celebrating and having fun, but he reasoned he would be too distracted by his plans to unwind anyway. He could relax and go wild once their Treasure was secure.

He wondered what Sid was doing. Probably something heroic, he mused. Then his thoughts turned to others like Naomi, Veronica, Lynn, Toby and Jane. His mood soured somewhat when he thought of the last two but he tried not to begrudge their abandonment too much, they were only looking out for each other. Who's to say him and Bert wouldn't have done the same thing?

We wouldn't have, Fritz told himself but he didn't exactly know if it was true.

Itching to act but forced to wait, he then recalled his meeting with his siblings and smiled. Jess was also something of a surprise, a pleasant one to be sure. He wondered if he could convince her to Climb with him or maybe do something more... romantic.

He stifled those thoughts quickly, not because it made him feel a little guilty, but more because those sorts of things were distractions he couldn't afford at the moment. When will I be able to afford and enjoy a little distraction or two? He grumbled silently.

He dozed off in his bed of rags and in no time the bubbling, gurgling and popping shrieks of the skulg stirred him to unpleasant wakefulness.

Dawn had come and he made his way towards the docks.