Chapter 25: Greywall


    He gagged, squeezing his eyes shut in disgust. When they opened again, he was sitting on his bed in the Whiteheart house. He scrambled to his feet and darted out of the room, nearly bowling into Be.


    She slipped to the sided and Chance rushed down the stairs, gagging out an apology. He sprinted to the sink and gargled water for nearly a minute before spitting it out into the sink and dry heaving.


    Are you okay? Be asked, stepping down the stairs.


    Chance wiped his mouth, trying to press thest vestiges of the foul taste away from his memory. His chest cooled until it was only ufortably warm. Yeah. Yeah, Im fine.


    What happened? Did you eat something rotten?


    I  something like that, Chance said. Yamishs warning to keep their meetings to himself was still fresh in his mind, and he didnt want to put anyone  including himself  at risk. Im fine, really.


    Be shrugged. If you say so, I wont press. None of my business. Did your cultivation go well?


    It did, Chance half-lied. Fighting was probably a type of cultivation somewhere. Nearly dying definitely was. What about you?


    Better than Id hoped, Be said, a small smile passing over her lips. That proctor was right. I was relying very heavily on an ability that wasnt really mine instead of pursuing my own cultivation path, and that was holding me back.


    You were using an ability?


    The water. I was using pre-determined forms for it, simr to a technique but not exactly like one. Be chewed her lower lip. I got it from you know.


    Ah, Chance said. Would I be prying if I asked why? I mean, he didnt seem like the type of person to help anyone.


    He isnt. Bes hands clenched at her sides and her face grew stormy. The less I use of what he gave me, the better.


    Is that why you dropped out of the tournament?


    Part of it. I didnt feel like I waspeting with my own abilities, Be replied, her cheeks going red. I know that sounds really stupid. If I can use them, theyre obviously mine. It just didnt feel right.


    Nah, I think thats really respectable, Chance said. Not that I didnt respect you before, of course. I just think wanting to make sure youre only using your own abilities topete is an honorable thing to do. So if the water was Ve  uh, our mutual enemys, what are you using now?


    Belle extended a hand. A thinyer of ck ice stretched across it. The crystals grewrger and more defined, forming into a rough gauntlet before it fell away. Not all that different from water. But its my style.


    Ice for the ice queen, Yeo called from the top of the stairs. They both spun toward him and he grinned, sliding down the handrail. Having a chat without me?


    Im not an ice queen.


    You certainly were one. Well, Im not so sure about the queen part, but you were a royal b  a


    Bes eyes narrowed and she sent a pointed nce at her hand as ice started to grow across it again. Im not one to hit someone unprovoked, but Im not beyond challenging you to sparring match and seeing how far I can fit my foot up your ass.


    Yeo burst intoughter. He punched her on the shoulder and gave her a thumbs up. Now thats some good shit talk. Im d you didnt open with it, though. I wouldnt have been able to make as much fun of you.


    d to see youre in high spirits, Chance said.


    Well, its been a few days. I got over it.


    Chance choked.


    <em>What?</em>


    Days?


    Got lost in cultivation, huh? Yeo asked with a snicker. The tournament was almost a week ago.


    <em>What the hell? What did Yamish do? I swear it was only a few hours at most, not a day!</em>


    Idly, Chance sent Essence into his third eye and studied Be and Yeo. Strands of essence erupted around both of them like blooming flowers, with so many that he could barely count them all. Each of them had a connection to him, but it was almost translucent, and he couldnt make out the images within it. Not wanting to invade their privacy too much, he dismissed the ability.


    Its normal to lose track of time when youre meditating, Be said. You must have had a pretty productive session.


    Yeah, Chance said. I suppose I did. Just didnt realize how productive.


    Maybe youll avoid getting kicked out of the next tournament then, eh? Yeo said.


    Ill do my best. Wheres Pete?


    Hes off hunting. Hisst job took out several buildings, so now hes trying to pay it off, Be said, shaking her head. Hes a menace. In the years that Ive known him, I dont think hes ever managed toplete a job without spending nearly every coin he earns.


    You ever see him working? Yeo asked.


    No. Hes ranked highly enough to work on his own, and thats all he does. I dont think he could get any teammates. Because of, well, the whole negative profits problem.


    Makes sense, Chance said. But what should we do, then? Wait until he gets back?


    No need. Be pointed to the kitchen table, where two scrolls wereid out. We got some offers for jobs yesterday. He gave them to me before he left and said we could do them whenever we want.


    Oh, sweet! Yeo eximed, darting over to the table. He grabbed one of the scrolls and broke the red wax seal on it, unfurling the parchment and scanning over it. Chance and Be walked over to join him and peered over his shoulders. To Chances annoyance, he couldnt read a single word of the scroll.


    <em>I suppose I should have expected that. </em>


    Whats it say? Chance asked.


    Its a lost pet request, Yeo muttered, tossing the scroll back down and grabbing the other one. Id rather do literally anything else.


    Helping people sounds nice, Chance said, but even Be looked unimpressed with the quest.


    This is more like it! Yeo said. It looks like there are a lot of missing pet cases, and several kids were attacked by a monster in the Graywall district. Its reported to be a Lesser Imp.


    I assume thats weak? Chance guessed.


    Yeah, pretty weak, Yeo confirmed. More than a threat for some kids or weak pets, though. At least this is an actual hunting job.


    My votes for that, Be said.


    Works for me as well, Chance said. Do we have any more information?


    No, but weve got the addresses of several people that put in the request, Yeo replied, rolling the scroll up. We can stop by their houses and get information. You got your gear?


    Its still in my room. Are we going now?


    Might as well, Yeo replied, patting the leather pouch at his hip. Im more than ready.


    As am I, Be confirmed.


    Chance nodded and jogged upstairs, attaching the leather pouch to his hip after fumbling around with it for a few moments. He grabbed his urumi, wrapping it in its protective casing, then headed back down to join his team.


    Our first mission! Yeo crowed, holding the scroll aloft as the exited the house. His grin faltered for a moment. Not exactly the incredible start to my story that I was hoping for, but I guess everyone has to begin with stuff like this.


    I killed a fully grown Soothound as my first mission, Be said.


    <em>I just killed one of those myself. Im pretty sure Yeo would have a heart attack if I told him that, though. Might have to take that secret with me to my grave. </em>


    Well, youreme, Yeo dered. Come on.


    He started down Shikari Lane. Chance went to follow him, but paused as he saw that Be wasnt walking.


    Whats wrong?


    The Graywall district is that way, Be said, pointing in the other direction.


    Yeo pulled the scroll back out and studied it. He grimaced, then walked back over to them and handed it to Be. Maybe you should lead us there.


    Maybe, Be agreed, taking the scroll from him and setting off with them at her side.


    ***


    The Graywall district was near the center of Gleam, although it wasnt quite at the very middle. Chance knew the schr-city was huge, but he hadnt quite conceptualized the scale  until now.


    It was several hours of walking through the city streets just to reach the Graywall district  and Shikari Lane was also supposed to be at the center of the city. Chance was pretty sure it wasnt even realistically possible to walk across the entirety of the city in any reasonable amount of time.


    In just the few hours they walked, Chance felt like hed walked through half a dozen different environments. Gleams streets were like self-contained viges. Many of them, like the market street off of Shikari Lane, seemed to be focused towardmerce.


    Colorful lights glowed above stores in some, while others were lit just by the glow of therge sun. The architecture of the buildings they passed changed significantly as well. While most were stone and brick, they walked by several streets that were full of wooden shopfronts, many painted in vibrant colors and with sloping, pointed ends that drew their eyes.


    Its hard to believe this is all one city, Chance said as they walked down a crowded street, moving quickly to keep up with the foot traffic.


    It really is, Yeo agreed. This ce is huge. Think of all the things theyve got to have waiting for us to buy. Im going to get all of it.


    Not until we improve House Whiteheart, Be said. Or you arent going to be able to store anything you buy.


    I can if half of it is food, Yeo replied. They turned down a smaller side street paved with gray cobblestone, mercifully leaving the majority of the traffic behind and buying themselves some room to breathe.


    After a few more minutes of walking, Be looked down checked the scroll, then nced up at a sign hanging from a post. Were here.


    Graywall district lived up to its name. Rows ofrge houses lined either side of the street, made mostly of gray stone and the asional ent of color. Most of them were several stories, though there were no gardens or greenery in sight. The road, while made of in stone, was well kept.


    Fairly nice ce, Yeo observed while Be walked up to a house, checking its address.


    Not that nice, or they would have had a better Shikari group on this, Be replied with augh. Ive been to some of the <em>really </em>impressive ces in Gleam. Its like an entirely different city.


    Oh, like where?


    The inds, Be said, craning her neck back to look up at the floating masses ofnd above them. The golden pathways connected them glimmered, even in the daylight. Some of those honestly, itll be better if you just see for yourself. Id rather not spoil anything.