Amber

Hot damn! These shoes are good! A grin infected her face as Amber ran to the brambles.

Returning Mathew's shoes to his empty room felt good. One fewer debt between them. This infusion footwear felt worlds better than that. A touch of freedom magic and the boots grew luminous wings of light. Each step cradled her like stepping onto a cloud and launched her in whatever direction she wanted.

This experience is one she wanted for everyone.

Putting her happiness aside for the mission, Amber focused in with free scan and tracking running information back and forth to keep her pinned to her quarry.

[New skill awarded: Free movement 1

A pillar of freedom. Free movement redirects momentum without loss of energy. Leverage required]

Reaching the bramble's edge, Amber vaulted to the top. Compared to the dark danger lurking in the brambles underbrush, this was a bright paradise. Sun-kissed flowers greeted the wind and sky while the uneven floor looked like one of Crazy Gran's crochet projects.

Pushing aside a spark of worry over Cee Gee (Crazy Gran) and all her other friends and family, Amber flexed her new bow back to full draw. Holding her breath out of habit, she lined up the shot where the bird was running.

Twang.

An errant wind blew her clear shot off target. Relief that her aim didn't suck flared with frustration at this beast that refused to die nice and clean. The blasted white emu-looking thing was throwing her good aim off target.

Switching to her backup plan, Amber's free movement skill started to get a workout. Finding footing required her to shift her direction into a zig-zag pattern casting her shadow chaotically across the green vines.

Still, the flightless bird was far more disadvantaged in the thick of the interlocked growths. So Amber could position herself however she wanted, for the most part.

One of the periodic clearings, courtesy of large near surface rock, presented an opportunity. Herding the pseudo-monster into position with arrows lancing into the undergrowth was a novel experience. Hunting was never something Amber would have thought to do on the run. Sure, you could lean out the window or stand in the back of a pickup. But that wasn't running through the forest and real wilds.

Running ahead of the bird, Amber dove headfirst into the clearing. Fear welled up at the insanity of diving headfirst at a slab of rock from three stories up. Activating the second armament of her living skeleton armament, a gold-tinted spear sprung into her skeletal hand.

Free scan triggered as the pseudo-monster broke from the vines under her.

[Windlove

Another beautiful story. This one is about the Night Stalker taking the wind from this now flightless bird, but their love held on and now the wind favors this terror bird wanabe. Uses magic to push projectiles away]

Before the wind could buffet the living projectile Amber had become, a golden glow from her spear cast flashed the budding gust. Exploding from beside Amber, the air slipped around her, doing nothing more than pealing away extra heat.

Landing blade first through a feathered neck, the Windlove's squawk was cut short.

[New skill awarded: Free movement 2. Free movement 2 overrides free movement 1]

This should make Harper happy, Amber nodded with self-satisfaction.

Picking up the hundred-pound bird without doing a field dressing felt wrong but her newly developed strength and endurance could keep up with the demands of transportation.

Detouring to the road running up the middle of the new Territory only took a few minutes. The road had lights hung a dozen feet in the air and where she stepped, a blue glow filtered up around her. That simple light would protect her from most of the poison this caustic land produced.

One light jog later and Amber returned to the Hub, mission complete.

Harper waited in the 'courtyard' with Stephanie. Amber tried to live up to the expectation she was raised with but not having anything nice to say ran into the limits of her ability to stay quiet around Stephanie. It wasn't a generous thought but given a choice, Amber wouldn't pick to be stuck in a prison with her. Better to focus on Harper.

"Here ya go! Told you I'd keep ya fed," Amber dropped the flightless bird with a wet slap on the rock.

"It's not for me," Harper gestured to Stephanie. "So what does your intelectus say?"

Stephanie swallowed, and her immaculately groomed eyebrows furrowed together. "Eh, it says I can convert that one, but it'll cost me my willpower. I, I don't know that I can do this."

"Sure ya can," Amber smiled to her teeth. "If you run low on willpower, it just takes some time, and you'll get it back."

"Amber!" Harper started.

"What? Sometimes the only way forward is going through," Amber shrugged. "Don't blame me cuz good advice looks rough."

"She's right," Stephanie's voice broke through and only sounded a bit like nails on a chalkboard. "Okay. I can do this."

The pseudo-monster corpse started to rise into the air. Feathers and bones flexed as the bird warped in with a creaking noise. Each fold impossibly reduced the size of the body.

Stephanie gasped. "I can't, I can't, I—"

Blessedly quiet, she shut her mouth and leaned into the work.

The whole body folded up into the large hooked beak the size of a coffee can before shrinking down to the length of Amber's palm. Catching the new item as all the force levitating it faded, Amber's free scan went to work.

[Windlove trophy

Can be used in one of three modes. Generate a weak aura that redirects projectiles, generate a weak aura that aids movement, or mildly empower projectiles to hit their target]

[Equip: yes or no]

"Stephanie, are you there?" Harper asked.

"No, sorry," Stephanie answered. "She did get several skill levels. Each one reduces the cost of making a trophy, so hopefully, you will see less and less of me."

"What do you want for this?" Amber hefted the trophy, noting that it had a hole in the top for a cord to fasten through.

"Like, I don't want it," Stephanie.. er not-Stephanie said. "Consider it payment for helping level the trophy crafting skill."

"Thanks." Gosh, it sure is nice to have more people around. Even the people I don't take a shine to open a world of opportunities.

"Earth to Amber?" Harper waved her hand."

"Sorry, just thinking," Amber said. "What'd you say?"

"So I'm swamped with things to do, but Hint just told me that the survivor in Clare's Territory popped out," Harper put her flyaway hair behind her ear. "Thankfully, he's in good health so we don't need to rush for first aid or anything. Anyway, can you go pick him up?"

"Sure," Amber shrugged. "An escort mission. What could go wrong?"

"Oh no. Don't say that!" Harper glared at her.

Laughing, Amber walked away.

[Equip: yes or no]

Yes.

A pregnant moment passed between Amber and her quarry of only a few minutes before. A question stretched out. I want aided movement for now. Amber thought to the charm-like trophy. Her new trophy, combined with free movement, lent her limited leverage while in the air.

I need to be more generous with people. Stephanie ain't so bad. This is what civilization looks like. Everybody don't have to like everybody else, but we still benefit each other. This is what we've risked our lives for.

A warm nugget of satisfaction rested in Amber as she went gliding around and down the Spire. Once fridged, the sensation of cold that wrapped the Spire was muted against her higher durability.

I bet I could land on my face and not get hurt!

With a whoop and a beaming smile, Amber jumped forward while doing a back flip. Powerful muscles launched her further than she'd anticipated, but her new totem buffeted her as she willed it to. Stabilizing an over spin and transitioning her into a running landing. By the time she'd gotten to the border where the giant slabs of the Spire met the crumbled gravel and boulders of Clare's Territory, Amber found the limit of her skill at a quadruple back flip. Well, to be fair, the limit of her courage. Going more just felt like a guarantee of landing on her face, and just because she could didn't mean she wanted to.

Huh, what am I supposed to do now? Amber thought while securing the trophy with the leather tie to her new jacket.

Clare was pretty particular on some things. Maybe trespassing is one of them? Mathew had told her about some irritation from having invaders cross the border into his Territory. The last thing Amber wanted was to irritate a mentally unstable powerhouse.

But a survivor was waiting. Just like Clive aided her in making these boots and Stephanie made the trophy, each survivor was a wealth of opportunities.

Maybe I can be free from bothering her?

Amber touched her magic, and at the thought of resolving this irritation, an interconnection of webbing overlayed all her sight. In her vision, a structure larger than a sports stadium ballooned out of the ground.

Knowing how much her freedom liked to jump from one bond to another and then cause runaway effects, this was just asking for trouble.

Maybe she'll consider this a trade expedition? Amber's thoughts were interrupted as Clare arrived. Still having her external freedom vision, Clare was shown with a lot of ties. Amber's magical vision wasn't really blocked by anything. It just only went so far, so she could see the cruel violet threads tying a ball of webs tight against Clare.

The urge to cast her magic and set Clare free fought with her better judgment. For all Amber knew, carelessly applying freedom could let that ball of spider instincts take over all the way.

"Do you need something?" Clare's visage was frosty.

"Ah yeah, I was fixing to figure out how to get ahold of you from out here on the border," Amber said. "Oh shit, am I on your side? I don't mean to irritate ya."

"No. You have not crossed my border yet," Clare was wearing her new corset, though it looked as though one of the bones that gave it shape was broken.

"Harper sent me down to pick up the survivor from your Territory," Amber smiled. "But I'm always willing to trade. Looks like you could do with a repair."

"This," Clare fingered her top. "A gift from your leader. Is that your scheme; trade me a good, break it and then offer a repair?"

"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand. What happened I should know about?" Amber asked.

"Do not play dumb with me!" Clare yelled.

"Whoah now," Amber put her hands up. "Ain't no play. I'll have you know that I been kinda partial to my handiwork on that one. Damage to that is an insult to me. Tell ya what, you tell me what happened to it, and I'll fix it for free."

Clare's forward motion stuttered as she neared the junction of the two Territories. "Better stick with me then."

Amber did a gut check. Should I follow into Clare's seat of power and leave my solid allies behind?

Have to give trust to be worthy of trust.

Amber nodded and stuck herself beside Clare and just listened for a bit. Mathew being standoffish the last few days made a lot more sense now. He was beating himself up as well he should.

"You truly did not know this?" Clare finished.

"Not a smidge," Not one to be shy Amber started asking away. "So you didn't really fight him, not like you coulda. Why not?"

"I can not say," Clare shrugged. "Some of me wanted him to succeed even while I felt betrayed."

"Did he? Succeed, I mean," Amber asked.

"Yes, I think so," Clare's eyes got distant as they walked. "That is part of the problem. I was so clear-headed for a few days. Was that really pushing the other side back or just making me feel like I was better?"

Amber got the sense that Clare needed some time to work through her feelings. So she talked about all the new changes happening across the Hub. The influx of new people, Amber's new shoes. Small talk was a skill refined by many a night spent around a card table with friends and kin.

By the time they got to the newly constructed emergency shelter, they were back to the rut of their working relationship. Sure Amber did most of the talking, but Clare wasn't listening from an emotional distance anymore. It was in the crinkle of her eye at a joke and the subtle nod that said she heard.

Approaching the door, a set of hexagonal panels rolled aside.

[Rose Vin Baker

Outworld human

No class]

The man was covered in camouflage and pockets. A military style backpack stuck out around his shoulders, only obscured by several long rifles and sidearms.

"Howdy," He smiled. "Do—"

"Is that a Mossberg?" Amber asked. "We'll be able to reload that without crazy precision.

"The shotgun?" Clare asked.

"Firearm," Amber and Rose said at the same time.

"What's the difference?"

Amber spoke over Rose's answer. "Nothing here. ATF is a world away."

"Fair enough," Rose adjusted quickly. No signs of being upset at being interrupted. With her enhanced cognition, Amber could pick up on the minor reactions that most people didn't even know they had.

"So what type of name is Rose for a man?" Amber asked.

"I go by Ross, actually. My mom misspelled it on my birth certificate," Rose shrugged. "So, can either of you tell me what's going on?"

"On the walk," Amber gestured for him to follow. "We got a safe place set up for humanity. First rule, don't go shooting nothing without permission. We got plenty of monsters that work for us... uh, it's a few miles that slope up a little to a lot... let me carry your bag for you."

Rose chuckled and grunted with the effort of swinging the backpack down, "Here you go."

"Second rule, we're in a fantasy world now, so don't make any assumptions about what you think you know," Amber tossed the weight on her back with one arm a slight gust of wind helping her stay balanced.

This is what saving people is about.

Getting Rose up to speed, they walked back to the edge of Clare's Territory.

"So whatcha think?" Amber looked to Clare.

"In regards to what?" Clare asked.

"You, Mathew, sanity. That whole mess," Amber shrugged. "You've had time to think it over, and I'm headed back. I can deliver any message you want me to."

Emotions played across Clare's scarlet eyes ending with a stern resolve. Amber memorized every word she spoke.