Mana Mutation Menace (Journey to Chaos Book 3)

by Brian Wilkerson

  “Grendel, release Princess Annala and you might live to see another day!”

  “I will not do that, Tahart,” the monster replied. “Outside, she has been attacked by orcs and trolls and evil sorcerers. Only here, in my lair, will she be safe.”

  The lady looked from the monster to the human with the same fearful eyes. Then she stepped back as far as the leash would allow and watched them fight. The monster refused to let go and so she was yanked back and forth as he dodged the human’s sword. Her neck was already rubbed raw and now it was beginning to bleed.

  “Release her, Grendel!” Human demanded. “Do you not see how your selfish actions cause the princess to suffer!?”

  “You’re the cause of her suffering, Tahart,” Monster replied. “You started this fight.”

  The lady did not cheer for the human to come to save her. Instead, she whispered her hope that they would kill each other. It was a whisper both of them heard and ignored. When the human finally triumphed over the monster, he took the leash into his own hands and tugged twice. She did not resist but instead meekly obeyed.

  “You belong to me body and soul.”

  The lady stiffened and, suddenly, she thrashed in her bonds. “No I don’t! Let me go!”

  “Silence! I order you to be silent and still.”

  The collar on her neck forced her to comply.

  “I think I deserve a reward for freeing you from that monster.” He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. She glared at him. “I order you to tell me that you agree.”

  “I…I…” The collar flashed. “I agree. Do whatever you want with me.”

  He did.

  Eric woke up in a cold sweat and spent five minutes trying to rid his mind of the dream. Just a nightmare; fear made manifest in my subconscious. I would never ever do that. Casting aside his blankets, he got out of bed and grabbed an energy shot from his desk. Unscrewing the top, he downed it and checked his stash. He would not get any more sleep tonight.

  When morning came, he ran to the public library instead of the guild. There was no way he could focus on his missions until he made sure that his nightmare would never happen. He waited outside Annala’s apartment until she walked out. When she did and she saw him, she jumped and touched the collar. Then, just as he feared, she narrowed her eyes.

  “You’re not turning into an abusive and controlling boyfriend, are you?”

  “No. I came here to make sure that never ever happens. Annala, I order you to refuse any and every order I give you, including an order to ignore this order, except for this order. The end result will be that this order is the only order you ever have to obey. No matter what the order is, I want you to refuse it. Understand?”

  The collar flashed. “Yes, Master Eric.”

  “Okay, let’s try it out. Annala, I order you to….strip naked right now.”

  “No.” She smiled. “No!” She hugged his neck. “Thanks. Oh, and while you’re here, I should tell you the good news! I spoke with my mom last night and she’s already making something to nullify the tracking function.”

  “2/4 is progress.”

  “In the meantime, I have class and you have guild work.”

  “How about a date afterward?”

  “I’m afraid there wouldn’t be any dates as long as Lawful Scary is around.”

  Fairtheora was standing behind Eric and cast a dark and intimidating shadow as always.

  “Pretend that I am not here. It will make my task easier.”

  In the Dragon’s Lair, Mia gave Team Four their latest mission while Fairtheora stood in the background. She lost focus because she was distracted by the large orc in armor standing in the corner. This happened three times before Basilard said, “Mia, focus.”

  “That guy’s scary. He’s scares me. I think he’s going to jump over my desk and eat me.”

  Without change in posture or demeanor, Fairtheora reached behind his back, pulled out a pair of pink bunny ears, and placed them on his head. Mia giggled.

  “I assume this is better, Miss Bladi?”

  “Yes…tee hee…thank you.”

  A mana storm touched down to the northeast of Roalt the other day and the Royal Department of Trickster Management and Maintenance determined that precious minerals were generated by it. Ax from the Arsenal Lodge bought a claim to this lode and hired Dragon’s Lair Team Four to retrieve it for him.

  “The area has been classified a Class F Chaos Zone, so it won’t be too dangerous, but the fact that it is a Chaos Zone at all means this mission is a Rank C. Be careful out there.”

  At the exit to the guild lobby, a noble stood in their way; a noble about three years younger than Nolien. Like Nolien, he had dark blue hair but unlike Nolien, he had glasses below them. He wore a silk shirt under a sweater vest with the crest of House Heleti sewed in, a jeweled belt whose buckle was another crest, and over his back was a cape with a third crest. In one hand, he held an ornamental rowan staff. On his neck was a red and black band bearing the insignia of the Crowned Tiger holding a mouse by the tail. He was surrounded by five attendants: Two wore the livery of the Royal House of Ataidar and the other three were Heleti.

  "What are you doing here!?" Nolien shouted, bird poop on his pants. "If you want to apply for membership, then you have to start as an apprentice like everyone else."

  "No thanks," Dosh said. "Apprentice would be a step down for me."

  He made a show of appraising the lobby.

  "Since the day you disappeared, I wondered what could possibly delude you into giving up your place in the illustrious House of Heleti." He looked over Nolien to Eric. "Now I realize that he was so desperate to get out of my shadow he'd hid in this hole."

  Nolien's fists clenched. "It is clear that you are the one hiding. At the Spring Joust, I was healing the wounded. When Duke Selen of Esrah attempted his coup, I was the one who healed Her Majesty. At the Mana Mutation Summit, I defeated a rogue healer who infiltrated the castle and attempted the kidnapping of a guest. At none of these events did I see you."

  Dosh's stance tensed. "I assume you also didn't see me at Isle of Tsiaq collecting poop, nor knee deep in the Patling Swamp gathering moss nor failing to rescue a co-worker." He raised his chin slightly. "Speaking of absences, I don’t see your ‘Heir of Heleti’ medallion. Instead, I see the ‘spare heir’ medallion that used to be on my desk. Do you wish to be like me so much that you resort to stealing my possessions?”

  Nolien took the medallion out and dangled it before his brother. “This thing? I recovered it from the rogue healer. He was about your height, used your spells, sounded like you…If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was you.”

  Dosh snatched it back and placed on his own neck. It hung below the mark of shame tracker. “More likely it was The Trickster teaching you to place more trust in your family.”

  “Back off, Brat Brother!” Tiza said. “Leave Tenderfoot alone.” She poked him hard enough to knock him back. “Got it?”

  “You’ve found a girlfriend, I see,” Dosh muttered, rubbing his chest, “and she’s quite protective of you.”

  Tiza blushed. “I-I'm not protecting Tenderfoot! It’s ah...force of habit because he's some squishy healer I have to take care of!” She punched Nolien's shoulder. “See!? No muscle at all!”

  Dosh laughed. “If there’s one thing you and father have in common, it’s your weakness for tsundere.” Suddenly, he became sinister. “And your failure to protect them.”

  Everyone knew that Nolien wanted to attack him then; Mia, Eric, Tiza, Dosh, Dosh’s guards—everyone. With tranquil fury, Nolien said, “That’s what Father wished for us, isn’t it? To find a girl with strength, loyalty, and beauty that we could love enough to consider breaking the Griffocratic Oath to ‘do no harm’? Have you come to congratulate me on my good fortune?”

  Dosh was silent.

  “Well? A noble should not be flat-footed in speech or in battle.”

  Dosh grit his teeth. Then he cleared his throat and said,
“I came for no reason other than to deliver an invitation."

  Nolien raised his eyebrow. "What kind of invitation?"

  "Mother and Father are making preparations for their vanguard diplomacy trip to Dnnac Ledo and wanted to make sure their dear firstborn son was aware of this." Dosh shrugged casually and Nolien's shoulders tensed. "You know, just in case the ‘missing’ eldest child decided to show up. I'm sure they'd also like to formally meet your dirty-nailed tramp.”

  The killing intent radiating from Nolien was intense enough to spark Eric’s monster instincts. It was fascinating to feel such potential for danger coming from someone that he didn’t consider a threat.

  "Until then, my honorable elder brother, farewell."

  Dosh turned on his heel and walked straight out, his attendants following. There was silence in the lobby. After Eric no longer sensed a threat, he asked, "Were you guys like that all the time?"

  Nolien looked to his teammates guiltily. "Thank you for playing along.”

  “We knew you’d tell us when you were ready,” Tiza said.

  “Are you mad?"

  "Why would I be mad?"

  "I'm a tent! An abyss-cursed tent!"

  Tiza scoffed. "No, you're not."

  "I'm...not?"

  "Oh sure, you're soft and tire easily and...freakishly clean...but you're not a tent."

  Nolien let out a breath. Eric suspected he had been holding it for a long time. He gave Tiza a look. Together, they each put an arm around Nolien's shoulders and guided him to the lobby's table. Their healer smiled appreciatively at each of them.

  "You wanna talk about it?" Eric asked.

  “Not with Lawful Scary in the room!”

  Fairtheora considered this. “Mr. Watley, do you understand what will happen if—”

  “I get it! I have to be supervised—go.”

  He stepped outside. Nolien hesitated only a little longer, and then it all came out.

  "Ever since we were kids—ever since we were old enough to retain memories—Dosh has been showing me up. He was always the better student, the better healer, the better son! Any activity I picked up, he would pick up, just to show how much better he was at it than me!"

  Nolien paused and Tiza rubbed his back.

  “He's the youngest, you know. Me, our sister, then him. The odds of him inheriting the Heleti estate is minimal, and so he always hated Hailey and me. Just for being older. I was the oldest and so I was the worst.” His shoulders shook. He blinked and swallowed. "The only worth you have is your age. Every. Single. Day. And I couldn't say anything!"

  Mia pulled out a box of tissues. Nolien stared at it.

  "You'll feel better."

  Nolien stared at it a little longer, dove to Tiza's shoulder, and cried. Eric felt his body shifting involuntarily and his instincts shouting for the death of this threat. For this “Dosh” boy was clearly a threat to his younger brother and, by association, a threat to his younger sister. Thus, ripping the threat’s head off his shoulders was the logical and moral course of action.

  “Don’t.”

  “What do you me—ah...that is, what do you mean?”

  Nolien wiped his eyes and stared into Eric’s. “You were thinking about ripping Dosh’s head off his shoulders and I’m telling you ‘don’t do it.’ I won’t have you put down like a rabid dog because my baby brother is an asshole.”

  Tiza looked at him in amazement.

  “I understand that you won’t appreciate my self-restraint, but this is how I—”

  “Tenderfoot, I’ve never heard you use such filthy language. We’ll make a mercenary out of you yet!” She patted his back and continued, “Tell you what: I'll go with you to your home and if Brat Brother gets mouthy, I'll cut his tongue off."

  "Tiza! What did I just say? You can't do that!"

  She chuckled. "Oh, if I got a copper every time you said that..."

  Nolien smiled despite himself. "But what about your Third Eye training?"

  "Daylra's Dear gave me stuff to practice over the holidays anyway."

  “You’ll be surrounded by tents. You might even have to dress like one.”

  Tiza shrugged. “We all make sacrifices for friends.”

  "All right, since you'd show up anyway, I'd be happy to have you."

  "Great!"

  Eric looked at them, hugging and smiling, and slowly untangled himself from the big hug. Once he was out of range, Mia took a picture. The pair jumped apart, the former scratching his head and the latter wringing her hands. Both looked red and shy, leading to another picture. Tiza glared, but the effect was lost in her red cheeks.

  "I don't like Tenderfoot!"

  "Uh-huh," Mia said, nodding. "Then why are you blushing?"

  "J-just give me that scry!" She lunged, but Mia held it behind her back.

  "How come?"

  "Because!"

  She yanked Mia's arm out, but the scry was gone. She grabbed the other arm, which was also empty. She look at Mia, who looked away innocently.

  "First Kallen, then my brother, and now you!?" Nolien asked. "I just said all that to get under Dosh’s skin.”

  Now Tiza turned on him and frowned. “You mean you don’t think I’m strong, loyal, and beautiful?”

  Nolien blushed. “Uh…you’re the fighter, so of course you’re strong and loyal.”

  Tiza’s arms folded under her chest. “So you think I’m ugly.”

  “No, but you’d get mad at me for saying either one. The girls I used to talk with at home would either be flattered or ignore it as sycophancy, but you get mad at me.”

  Tiza dropped her arms. “I guess I do. Sorry about that, but, what do you think, really?”

  “I like what I see.”

  She made a rueful smile. “How diplomatic of you, Lord Heleti.”

  Eric made a trickster grin. “How insightful of you, Lady Heleti.”

  Tiza punched his shoulder. “Call me that again and I’ll break it.”

  Nolien frowned. “Are you saying I’m not good enough?”

  “No! I…haha, turnabout is fair play. Any girl would be lucky to have you, Tenderfoot.”

  “Any girl?” Eric asked.

  Tiza blushed, scowled, and punched him two more times.

  The walk to the north gate was uneventful. Although many sent hostile looks at the team’s grendel, not one of them made a move. This was because they noticed Fairtheora watching him. Eric pondered this. Fairtheora was, in his opinion, much scarier than he was in his grendel form and also more powerful given his orc heritage and specialized armor. In comparison, his grendel form was just a big thug; an unarmed peasant vs. a plate mail knight.

  That’s the key difference…

  Orcs, as a whole, valued Law as much as elves valued Freedom, which made them ideal as guards. This one was a sentinel for their beloved queen. Eric himself was a mercenary, the Trickster’s Choice, and now a demon. The difference was their faith in the orc’s trustworthiness vs. their belief that he would pull their pants down or punch their teeth in for petty amusement.

  I just might do the former, provided I can blame it on Tasio….

  At the North Gate, Zettai waited for them. She was carrying a backpack and a sword, and her blood red hair was tied back. Basilard took one look and said, “No.”

  “Why not!?”

  “We’re going to a Chaos Zone. It’s too dangerous.”

  “The Bladi compound is too dangerous! Someone sent me a death threat!”

  “Really?”

  Zettai handed him two rolled-up pieces of paper. One of them said, “The disease will be expunged.” Another one said, “The Exile lives on but not for much longer.” He put them in his pocket and rubbed his forehead.

  “No one is going to kill you as long as I’m here.”

  “That’s the problem! They think I’m responsible for your defeat at the castle; that I’m ‘siphoning your power’ or something.”

  She stared at the ground and gripped the straps of her travel bag.


  “If you die, they’re going to kill me. They’ll hunt me down and kill me in some painful, ritualistic fashion to make sure their stupid precious blood doesn’t fall into anyone’s hands.”

  Nolien cleared his throat. “Daylra, may I remind you that we met Miss Zettai at her execution and that she looked as though she were mistreated while in police custody?”

  Basilard's muscles tensed and his eyes chilled. Then he examined Zettai. He saw shadows under her eyes, a nervous posture like a cornered rabbit, and a backpack for traveling. At last, he let it out with a breath of air.

  “Alright, Zettai. If it makes you feel better, you can come with us.”

  Zettai nodded and joined Eric’s side.

  “While I sort things out with the clan, you can move in with Mia.”

  “Mia? You mean your niece at the Dragon’s Lair?”

  “You’ll like her,” Eric said. “She’s the sweetest girl I’ve ever met and she’d love the company. I bet she’ll want to braid your hair.”

  Walking out into the cold winter air made everyone shiver. Eric was grateful for the city’s magical heating system on days like today, but he still wasn’t used to it. Years of growing upon Threa had instilled in him an instinct to dress warmly during the winter because the outside everywhere was guaranteed to be cold. Zettai had dressed as warmly as he had, likely because Ceiha was similar to Threa in terms of magical technology.

  There’s another possibility…Basilard no doubt considered it.

  Their destination was miles away from the city, but even from the gate, Eric could spot the chaos zone. That pillar of marble had not been there a month ago and Eric doubted it would be there next month. People like Ax would send people like himself to cut it up until there was nothing left. It was a peculiar aspect of this world’s economy.

  Mana storms blew in out of nowhere and generated random objects of value on a random piece of land and people purchased them for use in their products. These things were essentially created from nothing, like the scales Tasio shed during his fake Tazul attack, and yet they greased the wheels of capitalism similar to the discovery of a gold mine. On the other side of the coin, monsters appeared out of nowhere too. They helped and hindered this cycle.