HERA

Hera gently wormed the last herb into Igel’s mouth and closed it as the evening climate settled on her home. With that, he should be well off to move by morning. It was a natural remedy, unfortunately, and not a Healing type sigma, but it would have to do.

Zeta brushed his hands off as he finished treating Berto, a big, warm grin on his face. If nothing else, Hera was astonished. The man knew nothing of sigmas, but he expertly handled another’s care.

“You should give up on being a ‘hero.’ I think medicine is a better practice for you,” she said.

“Come on, you know I don’t like that term. If you’re going to mock it, at least get the name right.”

“I’m not completely mocking it. I’m serious. Be a doctor. God knows Aspic needs a permanent one.”

“Hmm. Something tells me an arrangement like that wouldn’t last long in this city.”

You don’t know the half of it, she thought.

“Be cautious. When Berto and Igel wake up and see you here, they’ll likely return to violence.”

“Then they’ll return to a state of unconsciousness.” Zeta tapped the pommel of his sword. He gazed to the door and around the room, frowning. “I see your neighbor hasn’t come home yet.”

“Oh, right.” She didn’t want to admit it, but Mrs. Olgue was missing, and Hera had little time to investigate. Before Zeta arrived, she suspected the old woman just woke up and went elsewhere for the day. It was none of Hera’s business, so she didn’t pry; the last thing she wanted was for her neighbor to investigate upstairs in retaliation. Homelessness was not on the agenda.

But that very morning, after Zeta had already arrived, the front door never opened once until the two of them left. Mrs. Olgue had never come home. Where is she?

Zeta snapped her out of her worry. “So when are you going to return what’s rightfully mine?”

“What?”

“The sigmas you stole yesterday. Sure, I was bloody and beaten, but we’re allies now. Let’s start off fair and return old possessions.”

She crossed her arms. “I consider those spoils of war.”

“What, the war I won?”

“You never won a thing!”

He gestured to the home they stood inside. “Didn’t I?”

“If you want to use that to bargain, then I’ll acknowledge your stay here as your back pay. You never asked for the sigmas during our deal, so I have no obligation to give them to you.”

“That’s called thievery,” he said

“It’s called business.”

“Well, then I’ll take them back from you.”

“With what? They’re in my Pocket Inventory. You can’t pry that open.”

“I bet there is a sigma that can.”

Her lips curled into a foxy grin. “There is. I could sell you one for a silver Nibble.”

Zeta scowled, but there was stir behind him. Berto slowly lifted his head and blinked, trying to regain vision. “Whe–where am I?”

Hera moved to his side. “It’s okay, Berto. You’re safe and healthy. Igel too.”

“I–I don’t remember what…that man?” He turned his head and saw Zeta. “That man!”

“Berto, don’t–”

Berto swung, but Zeta sidestepped with ease. Berto’s body was still fatigued, and he could hardly find the balance to move. He tumbled into Igel, who received a much more painful awakening.

“Berto! Ow!”

“We gotta kill him! He’s back.”

“Berto, Igel, calm down. Let me tell you everything.”

She explained Zeta’s new role among their group. How an enemy became a friend. Despite her warm tone, her partners were reluctant to accept it. She understood. It was still jarring for her as well.

“An ally, huh?” Igel said. “Why him of all people?”

“Yeah, he’s too weak to fit in with us,” said Berto.

“I knocked the two of you out, remember? Want a reminder?”

“Calm down, Zeta.”

“I am calm.” He was right, but his stoic approach to beating people up was unnerving for her. Hera still planned to research recent asylum breakouts.

“What will the Lion think, Hera?” Igel asked.

She grew cold at the name. A bead of sweat trickled along the valley of her back. “He doesn’t need to know. Our personal organization matters little so long as he receives his share.”

Then came the question she dreaded to hear from Zeta’s annoying voice. “Who’s the Lion?”

Damn it, Igel, why did you have to drop his name. It was a part of her life she wanted to delay telling Zeta.

“He’s…my boss.”

“I thought you were independent?”

“I am…kind of. I’d call myself a client more than a direct employee. Not my choice, mind you, but unlike some people, I value my life and that of my partners. So we fell in line.”

“Sounds like you don’t like this man. What’s his name?”

No, no. I don’t like where this is leading.

“Balder Rex,” Berto said. “He calls himself the Lion of Aspic.”

Dammit, Berto! Why didn’t the two of them just stay asleep?

“Sort of like how Hera here calls herself the Harpy of Aspic?”

“I don’t call myself that! That’s what the city named me. In any case, I know what you’re thinking, and I’m going to tell you right now. Zeta, stay away.”

He took a chair and sat down in a leisurely manner, leaning back and smiling. “Sounds like a story.”

“No, no, no. No story. Not for you. Earn it.” Nothing he could do would be worthy, but that wasn’t the point.

“You might as well tell me,” Zeta said, gesturing to Berto and Igel. “Or I’ll get it from them.”

“My lips are sealed, asshole,” Igel said.

“Mine too!”

“We’ll see about that,” Zeta said, gripping his sword.

“Stop! Fine! No violence! Just promise you won’t be rash, Zeta.”

“I–” he hesitated. “I’m listening.”

“That didn’t sound like a promise.”

“Take it or leave it.”

“Ugh! Why didn’t we kill you when we had the chance?”

“Now you regret it?”

“Be quiet, Igel. Fine. Balder Rex is…less than reputable morally, but nevertheless, he’s our boss. Don’t. Cross. Him. Especially not when you’re under the Harpy’s banner. I’m not going down with you.

“Balder Rex controls the entire sigma trade in Aspic. It’s a monopoly. Any and all competitors that are not his associates have been found dead on Axle Island’s other coast. Sign up or die. It’s a significant loss in revenue, but it’s still a decent living. I’d rather not upset the status quo.”

“Sounds like you lack ambition.”

“Zeta! Rex is practically the mayor of the city! The real one is conveniently away on some other continent, supposedly on business. We haven’t seen him in three years, Zeta. Balder Rex is our leader, even if the Technocracy won’t acknowledge that. Everyone who’s anyone here works for or with him.

“Not even you can take that on. You understand that, right?”

Zeta sat there with the most punchable smirk on his face. He sat in silent contemplation for approximately a minute. “I do.”

“You–” Wait, he’s agreeing!

“There’s one thing that’s been bothering me, and I know we’ll have to confront it sooner or later in our…’arrangement.’ I can’t with good conscious let you continue mugging people for sigmas.”

“You can’t make that call! That’s not what he agreed!”

“I know, so I have a suggestion. This ‘Balder Rex’ is apparently a problem. He seems to be the root of the sinister operations here, and he needs to go as well.”

“Zeta!”

“Let me finish. Hera, Berto, Igel, the three of you are crying in pain from an injury you don’t even know you have. Rex offers no advantage to you, he just keeps you in line through fear. I won’t tell you to uproot your livelihood, at least not now, but you can work for a better person, yourselves. Why don’t you fill the void that Balder Rex leaves as leaders of the Aspic sigma trade?”

“Don’t speak as if you can just walk up and kill the Lion of Aspic, fool,” Igel said.

“I’m not saying that. Operate gradually, taking down small segments to weaken Rex until you can make the true coup happen. Of course, it’s all if you’re willing to adopt that banner. Are you, Harpy of Aspic?”

It sounded awful, suicidal. There was no way they would succeed, yet…maybe it was possible. They had Zeta here, and for all his faults, he appeared competent in battle, even if he would be often outmatched.

A part of Hera wished to blow out the match before it burned her hand. Impulsively, she said, “Yes. Let’s free ourselves.”

Now it was done, and there would be no retreat.

IVAN FOXWELL, an associate of Balder Rex

“Come on, Berto. The Lion wants to go to sleep, and this report is the final thing on his agenda,” Ivan said. He had found Berto wandering the streets, heading home a little earlier than he should have been in this business. Clients chose their own working hours, of course, but that didn’t stop his curiosity.

“Wha–what is it I’m supposed to tell him?” the idiot asked.

“Mr. Rex hasn’t heard from the Harpy in a couple of weeks, not physically anyway. He’s hurt, even if he has received his share of your profits, which were lower than usual, I might add. We’re concerned, Berto. Is everything holding up well among the Harpy’s crew?”

“Well…not exactly.”

Berto was kind enough to tell Ivan about some stranger that delivered a thrashing upon them. Come to think of it, he did notice the scrapes and bandages on Berto’s body when they entered better lighting, and the man had been clutching his arm throughout their entire walk.

What really caught Ivan’s attention was that the Harpy was now working with this assailant, and Berto didn’t quite understand why. He had a general idea but gave a shoddy framework of a description. All he knew is that it involved the Lion of Aspic, and as soon as that name dropped, Ivan refused to let Berto go home until he elaborated to Mr. Rex.

Ivan placed his hand on the doors to the underground bar, the Den, which required Mr. Rex’s specially established passcode, known only to members and clients, powered and opened purely by the Lock and Key sigma. Ivan was the one who possessed and created the sigma door, it was one of his proudest contributions to Mr. Rex. “Corticus,” he said, and the seal opened.

The Den was packed tonight with thugs and members of The Lion’s hierarchy getting wasted, dancing and shooting into the air to create an atmosphere of chaos. It was wonderful. This anarchy was Mr. Rex’s dream world. Only once contained in a small space could the beauty be appreciated.

Near the back of the Den, a large table with three figures sat isolated from the rest, surrounded by bodyguards to cordon the area away from the clients that dominated the club. Ivan took Berto there without a second glance.

“I fold,” said the figure on the left, a skinny scythe wielder, Terrent Gust, the Curved Storm.

“Tonight I imagined you actually had a chance to beat him. Shame, bets on you are a scam, Terrent,” said the figure on the right. He considered himself a gunslinger before joining them years ago. A migrant from the deserts of the Western Shelf, Marc Crue of the Ghost Gun.

And at the center of the table sat a man who now claimed all the chips from their game. The Lion of Aspic, Balder Rex. Standing in his presence was pleasantly thrilling. Ivan wanted to bow but figured that was a bit excessive.

Marc Crue noticed him approach. “Got something, Ivan?”

Ivan gestured to Berto. “Our friend has quite a tale. Go on, Berto, tell Mr. Rex what you told me.”

Reluctance was emphasized with every note in Berto’s voice. Nevertheless, he reiterated his information about the Harpy’s new associate.

When he finished, he gulped in fear. Terrent and Marc didn’t seem to care, but Balder sat back in his chair and smiled. “Interesting.”

Lock and Key - Craft, Defense, Larceny: Can establish a particular code phrase or gesture required to open a door. No other methods can open the locked door except for an extreme, suitable force. (492).

(A) Place hand on the targeted door. Say either 'phrase' or 'gesture,' then subsequently speak or perform the desired code. (Hands may be removed from the door for gestures). Anyone, even beyond the owner, who placed delivers the passcode will be permitted entry. Note that people can slip inside while doors are transitioning, even if they did not perform the passcode. Lock and Key will search for registered mechanics such as basic hinges or massive gears within a door and it's frame to determine precisely how it is opened and closed. If these cannot be found, Lock and Key cannot apply. Only the owner of the same Lock and Key sigma that created the door can remove it, regardless of the original creator. As with any sigma, if the owner dies, Lock and Key is automatically out of effect. Lock and Key will not work on doors with a surface area greater than 5 meters squared or doors with a weight greater than 200 kilograms.