The Fool's Freedom

The rattling was coming from the depths of the dark room and Alan carefully took a step forward, only to backpedal as something crunched beneath his foot.

“Hello?” he called again and took out a candlestone.

The light chased away the darkness only to reveal more bones. Piles and piles of bones, a floor covered in what appeared to be something like chicken bones… or others, different, left from meals long consumed. Who knew the guy’s name would be so literal? It was so over the top that Alan couldn’t even find it funny. It was creepier than having shadow people in your visions.

One of the piles moved and Alan almost drew a dagger. The bones cascaded down only for a strange man to crawl out. A few lone hairs were adorning his shiny head. His eyes were sunken and his cheeks hollow. If there was no skin one could say they were staring at a skull, rather than someone from flesh and blood. He was dressed in leather armor with many small bones tucked in pockets and holes. He looked more like a crazy shaman from some ancient tribe than someone holding massive magical powers.

“Hello,” Alan said for the third time. “You’re Bonez?”

The man jiggled his head and the bone earrings hanging from his lobes followed.

“Kind of. I sell charms to ward off bad dreams, lice, gas, and hiccups. I set bones, carve bones, decorate with bones, make bone armors, and bone the wives of your enemy. The last one is extra. Hehe Hehe.”

Oh no.

Alan fell silent for a few seconds, wondering how to respond when Bonez finally graced him with a deep calculating look. The man’s eyes grew wide, his bored expression turning to a terrified one. “No!” he yelled and knelt on the dirty floor. “No!”

Alan felt it then, as mana stirred. The familiarity he had felt from the strange girl that had chained him to Emerson and sent him here. He felt it as clear as ever and grew excited at the prospect of learning more, although the strange reaction had made him step further back, toward the exit. He then frowned as a strange presence took over Bonez and two bone-white eyes looked at him as the [Warlock’s] face slackened.

Something deep inside of Alan seemed to stir like it had when the Deathless Plate had taken hold of him. He could almost see two dark eyes that consumed all color open somewhere deep inside of him. His mana rushed out only to fizzle like a wet wick. In the next moment, the strange presence was gone and Bonez was a heaving heap on the floor.

“Oh shit. What the fuck did you do? The Lord is annoyed! Oh shit, oh boy. He wants to talk. Fuck me.” Bonez stood up from the ground before dropping down on yet another pile of bones that Alan realized held the vague shape of a chair. “You had to come and ruin my nap, huh?”

“I’m not sure what’s going on,” Alan sincerely said.

“Of course, you aren’t. Fucker. Alien bastard. I’ll make it simple for you. A patronless [Warlock] walks into a shop and meets a second [Warlock] whose patron likes to take on new projects—following the joke? Guess where this is going? But then, shocker, the patron decides that it isn’t worth it for some reason, and leaves seconds after taking over his humble servant’s mind and body, draining him almost completely of mana, sanity, and desire to continue with this shit fucking job!”

“Well, that was not my intention,” Alan replied.

“Yeah, yeah. Ignorance deserves forgiveness! Ha! Oh, how my bones ache. Oh, my bones.”

“Listen, if I wasn’t ignorant, I wouldn’t have come looking for the only other [Warlock] I’ve heard about. So, tell me, are you going to keep being an ass, or are you fine with having a conversation?” Alan countered.

Bonez grew silent and their eyes met. After a tense few moments in which Alan grew more and more certain that a fight was imminent, Bonez grinned. The bones on the floor shifted and became a bench for Alan to sit on. It was quite uncomfortable looking.

“You got booze?”

Alan nodded. “Not the best. I’m from a new world, and the guy I got it from is still new to magical brewing. He seemed to know his stuff though.”

Two bone goblets appeared, and a small table of bone appeared between them. Alan noted that everyone he met controlled their chosen ‘element’ or ‘attribute’ with precision and freedom unlike any he had achieved. Was that what ‘take control’ meant? For a brief moment, he considered the many shadows all around. Could he twist them, use them, make them his own? A strange desire rose inside of him. [Monochrome Armor] made the world look more beautiful and more manageable. And it felt great. He took a deep breath and focused on the [Warlock] opposite of him.

Bonez didn’t comment on the candlestone, nor did he take action to provide additional light to the room, so Alan put it down on the table between them. Alan took out his flask and poured some of the leftover beer from Arley. It was almost over, but there was enough to fill Bonez’s goblet a few times.

“So, listen. The Lord is kind of antsy about you, he saw something he didn’t like, so he retreated. He might want to have a chat with you down the line, but at least for today, we’re free. I don’t have the means to facilitate a meeting and unless you use [Pact] and hear out the offer, all you got is me.”

“I’m more comfortable talking with you, no offense to your patron,” Alan said.

“Yeah, yeah. Scary super strong and super weird beings that can make you pop out of existence with a thought are not a very desirable chatting partner. What you wanna know?”

“How does everyone know I don’t have a patron? Or that I’m a [Warlock]? I can’t see or guess anyone’s classes.”

“Ah, you are green. Maybe it's good that you have remained as you are. Now, stronger classes have ways to tell such things, be it artifacts, skills, or enhancements. The towers too identify anyone who enters the outpost, for safety reasons,” Bonez explained. “I don’t have such skills, but the Lord sensed you through me, and that’s why he descended for a moment. He didn’t like something he saw though…” the words trailed off and Bonez squinted toward Alan. This was the second time he had mentioned that and, whoever Bonez’ patron was, they hadn’t shared what they had seen in Alan. A shame, as he was curious too.

Alan shrugged. “Weird things have been happening with some of my skills.” He didn’t want to share more with someone he had just met.

“Tell me about it.” Bonez emptied his goblet in one go and sighed, “Good stuff. Weak, but decent. Listen, if you are a [Warlock] you need a patron. Sure, you will get skills as you level up either way, but a patron guides the choices, helps you advance the skills, and provides you with power you cannot imagine. They function the same way a God does for their [Clerics] and [Priests]. However, a [Warlock] has a much more personal and mutually beneficial relationship with their patron. I hate some of the stuff the Lord does sometimes, and some of his asks quite frankly make no sense, but I get a LOT out of it. You have no idea, really. So, if you are here to ask whether to push through without a patron, or pick one, I say go for it. Though, I don’t know what will happen considering your current level and state. I assume you have lots of skills that won’t mesh well with whatever patron you choose unless you find one suitable. It’s a small price to pay for having such a backing, though.”

Alan listened and nodded. It did sound like a good deal, but it also meant losing some of what he had already gotten, which could possibly be a good thing. The vision kept playing at the back of his mind and Alan wondered if that was the way some potential patron was trying to reach him. He didn’t want to talk about it yet. Plus, the way Bonez’ said ‘Lord’ rubbed Alan the wrong way.

It didn’t sound like the relationship was much different than that of a master and a servant, especially considering the way the so-called Lord had taken over Bonez in an instant, leaving him exhausted. Was it a recruitment shtick? The [Warlock] must’ve sensed something in Alan as he continued talking.

“Listen, I don’t really fancy you getting a piece of my Lord’s power, but if I convince you I will get a reward too. He is very powerful and generous, especially considering some of the other patrons I met during my first time using [Pact]. Which is mostly a one-time skill, by the way. You use it, bond then it changes to represent that bond. Think about it.”

Alan didn’t like where the conversation was going. He had gotten some useful information, but there was a creepy feeling he got from Bonez. As if he was a present to be given to that Lord or whatever. He stood up and Bonez followed with a bit too much enthusiasm.

“I will think about it, thanks. I will go now, I just wanted to greet a fellow [Warlock]. Thank you for everything.”

“So soon? Pity, pity. But we’re all busy, so I get it. Here, take this.” Bonez unhooked a… surprise… bone from his vest and threw it to Alan who caught it. It was carved with strange symbols and runes and there was certainly something weird about it.

“What does it do?” Alan asked.

“Oh, it’s for good luck. Don’t worry. Just carry it on you and it will help you in your search for advancement, and maybe even in some fights.” The smile was the type that said ‘I’m lying, but you will believe me’.

That’s fishy as fuck.

Alan plastered a fake smile of his own and nodded. “Thank you so much. I will return the favor one day.”

Alan held it tightly in his hand. The small piece of bone was almost burning his skin. It was probably only his imagination; he couldn’t wait to put it away in the shadow inventory. Or maybe that would be another mistake. He didn’t know what the thing did, but he knew it did something.

Alan said his goodbyes and quickly left the place. He still opted to put the bone away in his shadow space and made a note to consult someone more knowledgeable later. He was bound to meet many new people in this place.

The way back was pretty complicated, but he found a place selling cloaks and bought one for two mid-grade cores, which was probably the most expensive thing he had bought. Not that he had a concept of how much they were worth. The cloak was nice, very dark inky blue, and possibly made from some very soft poor alien animal.

He also looked out for some guards, and when he saw people dressed in armor similar to the one of the elf and the green one, he asked them how to fulfill jobs. To his surprise, his new card functioned as a task giver and he didn’t have to go anywhere to receive one. He just had to browse the list and choose one he found suitable. The gnome hadn’t mentioned any of that.

Alan did so on the way back to his room. The jobs mostly consisted of cleaning the surroundings of parasites or joining the battlefield. While the large battle ahead sounded very intense and like a good opportunity to grow, Alan decided on a hunt in the nearby hills. The guards would provide a map, and he would have to scan the cores he got with the card, to track the progress of his job.

The outpost would then take 1/10th of his profits, while in return giving him credit which could be traded for basic services or improvements to his living conditions. Overall, it sounded like a great deal considering everything. The map itself was worth its weight in gold, not that it weighed anything as it was projected directly in his mind.

He didn’t really consider joining a team of unknowns for now, as most of the tasks that caught his eye seemed easy to handle. The elf had mentioned following, but Alan didn’t really feel like he needed yet another babysitter.

His first experience in the fractal hadn’t been so bad, apart from all the walking and the fact that he almost killed himself.

However, as he finally reached his room, he saw the elf standing in front of it, with a grin.

“You sure took your time,” he said.

Alan was surprised. It hadn’t been that long. Or maybe…

“Just out of curiosity because I’m an airhead sometimes… how long ago did you leave me here?”

Feyrith kept smiling as he responded, “Four days ago. I thought you would be itchy to get some action and level up.”

Oh wow. His strange meditation seemed to have taken longer than he thought…