Ashborn Primordial

Chapter 70: Into The Sewers

The sewer entrance wasnt difficult to findVir let his nose guide him to a gate in a small alley, where a black-bearded city guard sat on a stool. Hed never seen anyone look so bored.

But Vir didnt approach the man just yet. Though the bestiary had said that Jatu were mostly harmless, especially for someone of Virs skill and power, he wasnt going to take any chances. Not when there was still low hanging fruit to be picked.

Vir Danced up to a nearby rooftop with clothes hung from a line. Dahans tended to make good use of their flat roofs for drying clothes, though the Vimana that floated overhead likely reduced the efficacy of that tactic.

Hopping over to another, more empty rooftop, Vir launched into his experiment. Empower had so many useful combat applications that they were almost impossible to list.

Yet, as hed found, it had proven difficult to pull prana from his feet all the way up into his hands. Kicks were useful, and his Kalari training allowed him to incorporate prana-empowered kicks into his fighting style, but punchesor katar swipes and thrustswould be far more deadly.

He was sure there was some way of getting prana into his arms, but until then, perhaps a quick workaround would suffice.

Vir touched a hand to the roof and evacuated blood from his arm. Though he was on a rooftop, the clay construction conducted prana well, and it only took a second before Ash affinity prana came surging up into his arm.

Then it was just a matter of willing the prana to accelerate his katar slice.

Similar to when hed learned this technique for his legs, the first several times he attempted it, he either used too much or too little prana. That caused his arms to shoot off with extreme forcestraining his shoulderor just petering out to no effect.

The nice thing was that overall, his arms consumed less prana than his legs, which made sense since they were smaller and had less blood flowing through them. This would normally make prana-empowered arm attacks weaker, but weapons more than made up for that.

Satisfied with his progress, and unwilling to drain too much Ash affinity prana from this area, Vir Danced back down and approached the sewer guard.

Id like to enter the sewers. Brotherhood business.

The guards eyes slowly meandered over to Vir, and the man spoke in an equally lazy drawl. Initiation, I spose?

Vir nodded.

Well, go on in then, he said, unlocking the gate for Vir.

Uh, you dont need to see my Brotherhood writ?

Boy, you think anyone sane wants to go into that place? Only people who eer come here are Brotherhood folk seeking initiation.

Vir had to wonder whether this was the real reason the Arbiter told him not to ask anyone for help. The exam would be rendered useless if word got out. Then again, it sounded like someone would tail him to ensure there was no foul play. Either way, Vir wasnt about to cheat. Not like he needed to, anyway.

Vir descended the stairs into the sewer tunnel, thankful hed heeded the librarians advice and changed into rags. The stench was something else.

Knock when you want out. And be sure to be back before dusk, else yell have to stay there overnight or find yourself another exit.

Liquid detritus ran in the center of the cramped tunnel in a canal, while a narrow stone walkway ran along one side. The tunnel was made of arched stone, damp and wet. Virs head spun at the sheer intensity of the smells.

Tying a rag around his mouth helped just enough to allow him to function.

The tunnel extended into the darkness in both directions, so Vir just picked one at random. He really had no clue where these Jatu might make their nest, so either worked.

After only a few paces, the light from the entrance died away, leaving him in complete darkness, apart from what Prana Vision told him. With the ability flaring at its maximum, the tunnel appeared even brighter than the alley hed come from, making navigation a nonissue.

He ran into the real problem just a hundred paces away, where the tunnel branched into two forks.

How am I gonna find my way back?

The first solution that came to his mind was to etch a mark on the wall at each junction, but unlike with regular vision, these kinds of details were muddled to Prana Vision.

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No, the best option was something that blazed brightly to his eyes, and that meant only one thing. Setting his pack down, Vir rummaged for something that looked different to his eyes. In the walls where the brown Earth affinity dominated, Lifes white color was completely missing, making it an ideal choice. Vir pulled out a vial of salve hed put together some time back. Made from various herbs, water, and alcohol, it made for a great disinfectant, but more importantly, was made almost entirely of Life and Water affinities.

He only needed a few drops on the wallthe contrast made the salve obvious. It wouldnt last forever, but itd certainly be there hours later when he returned.

The rushing of the liquid refuse filled the sewer with water, which would ordinarily blind Vir to any other presences, but here again, Prana Vision bypassed that issue.

For hours, Vir searched. For hours, he failed to find even a single trace of Jatu or any other organism.

The monotony broke when he heard, rather than saw, several voices in the distance. Men shouting, hurling expletives, and another voicethat of a girlyelping in fright.

Vir ran to the source of the sounds. Though it was none of his business, he needed to know whether these people would pose a threat to him in the future. And, if someone was in danger, hed be remiss not to help if he could.

The sounds suddenly stopped, and Vir came to a halt, straining to see something. Prana Visions resolution decreased dramatically with distance, so he couldnt tell what was going on until he got closer.

Just when Vir thought everyone had passed by, he heard a single pair of footsteps, growing louder, and the silence was broken again by

Giggles?

It sounded like the girl from earlier. Whoever they were, they sounded young, and without a care in the world.

Finally, light began to flood the tunnel Vir was in. He stood still, allowing the girl to approach, monitoring her prana signature as it got brighter and better defined.

She held a Magic Candle, which provided paltry illuminationjust enough for her to see a handful of paces away. Though she was now less than thirty paces away, Vir remained invisible to her.

If he did nothing, shed eventually find him, since there was only one path through the sewer, but Vir didnt have cause to panic.

When she was twenty paces away, he activated Dance of the Shadow Demon, disappearing into the shadow realm. He re-emerged behind her, following her in the darkness, observing her as she walked along, blissfully unaware.

Everything about her screamed harmless to him, except for the dual affinities she possessed. Water and Lightning. Both lesser affinities, though.

He tailed her as she walked along, skipping her way through the sewer as if she were on a stroll through a beautiful garden. The stench didnt seem to bother her one bit.

Vir activated Dance periodically to study her in more detail. The slim framed girl wasnt a girl at all, but a boy who wore holey rags that looked like they'd gone unwashed for months, and his greasy black hair looked no better. He looked to be around the same age as Vir, or perhaps slightly younger.

What interested him the most, though, was how well he knew his way around the sewers. As if he had a destination in mind and knew exactly how to get there.

The boys affinities were of a surprise, but even if he happened to be a mejai in disguise, Vir was confident he could take him on.

He decided to contact himif he could guide Vir to the Jatu, then hed take it. Any more time in the stinking sewers, and hed vomit.

But just as he was about to pop up in front of the boy, sounds echoed through the tunnelthe boys pursuers from earlier. Panicking, the boy ran but in the wrong direction. At his pursuers. The tunnel echoes made isolating sound direction difficult, but Vir was sure he was heading straight to them.

Approaching the boy from behind, Vir reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

Youre going straight to them, yknow? he said in a low voice.

Unfortunately, the boy screamed and continued to scream as he cast his Magic Candle upon Vir, right until Vir clasped his mouth shut.

I shouldve expected that Vir thought. Popping up out of nowhere in the middle of a pitch-black tunnel would scare anyone.

Sure enough, the footsteps of their pursuers grew louder, and the sounds of their voices were now distinct enough to discern. This way! He went this way!

Come on, Vir said, grabbing the boys skinny wrist. We need to lose them.

Together they ran. The boys untrained footsteps rang like sirens in Virs ears with each step, making him cringe.

Luckily, a fork presented itself, one that Vir had already been down. He took the path he came from, and only when they arrived at the subsequent junction and took a right did he allow them to rest.

They waited with bated breath while the footsteps grew louder, then finally dissipated. While the boy was likely worried about being harmed, Vir was more worried hed be forced to use Dance to slip away.

The fewer people who knew about that ability, the better.

So, uh wh-who are you? the boy asked, averting his eyes.

You first, Vir said. Why were you running from those people?

The boy pulled out what looked to be a loaf of bread from under his clothing and sneaked a grin. Vir mightve seen it through Prana Vision if hed paid closer attention, but only if hed been standing very close to the boy.

I kinda stole some bread.

Vir narrowed his eyes. Theyd chase you into the sewers for swiping some bread? I find that hard to believe.

Ha ha yeaaah, well, he replied, scratching his head, times are rough, yknow? Ha ha ha.

Really? Vir said. Rough times, even for those who possess dual water and lightning affinities?

Shock flickered across the boys face, but only for the tiniest instant before it was gone, replaced by a look of suspicion that made him look several years older. How could you know that?

I have my ways, Vir replied. Who are you, really?

Hmm. Well, I can see why he sent you. Youre better than you look. You pass!

Sorry, what?

The boy grinned. Im Riyan Savars contact. Welcome to Daha.