Soulforge Legacy Series

The sound of my foot hitting the floor echoed against the stone walls just as my other foot slipped from the rung. Like last time, the place was nearly devoid of light. Unlike last time, the light that did make it in was enough to see by.

“Hello,” a voice rough from overuse murmured from the single door in the room. “Are you yet another new traveler, or just another sad soul stuck coming back to our city after failing to flee to the next city?”

Why did he sound so sad? It was almost as though he was resigned to whatever was going on. And given how he had phrased his words, shit hadn’t gotten better since leaving. In fact, it almost sounded worse.

With a single flick of a tail, I summoned a flicker of flame. Just enough to provide some light for him to see me. After all, might as well see how he would react to my non-human status now, before we got somewhere he could call for help in subjugating me. If he wanted help, he would have to run to get it which would give me time to get out of here.

Hands up, I spoke in as soft a tone as I could manage. “I am not here to make any trouble. I am just simply passing through.” He didn’t need to know that I would have to hide out for a bit before I could safely leave.

Muscles tightened as I prepared to run when his eyes flicked to my ears. Surprisingly enough, he didn’t yell. He didn’t even tense up. In fact, he almost slumped against the wall.

A hand gestured for me to lower my hands. “No need for any of that. You and those like you are safe here. At least, as safe as anyone can be in this god-forsaken town.”

That wasn’t right. What did he mean that my kind was safe here? Kitsune? Foxkin? Or just non-humans in general? And why was he reacting so much different than the first time I had come through?

Yeah, this was the same man as before, but he looked older. More worn down. “What is with the change in heart?” While I didn’t demand the answer, my voice was a bit harsher than it should have been. “Did something happen since I was last here?”

His gaze swept over me, as though he was looking for something. Probably trying to figure out who I was and if he had ever met me. Unfortunately for the both of us, there was no way for that to happen.

“I know that my memory is slowly going, but I would like to think that I would recall someone such as yourself passing through these blessed halls.”

“Yeah,” I grimaced a bit only to stop as I realized that this might be a good thing. I was just a new person in a new town. A no one. A stranger. “Let’s just say that a few things happened since I was last here.” I didn’t let him ask the question I knew was on the tip of his tongue. “But that still doesn’t explain the change of heart.”

His eyes glazed over as his entire body stiffened. As though he was recalling something that had utterly pissed him off. Yet, he stayed silent. The entire room stayed silent save for our breathing and the soft patter of water against stone.

Finally, with a flat, emotionless voice, he spoke. “Not long ago, non-humans lived in this city. While the majority of the human population treated them as little more than slaves…actually, slave is not the right word. To most of the city, they were little more than playthings. Objects to do with as they wished.”

A shudder ran through his body and his eyes shut as he tried to control his emotions. With nothing else to do, I asked him a question for no other reason than to try and distract him from whatever he was seeing. “But the city isn’t like that anymore?” God I hoped not.

Slowly, his head slipped from side to side. “No.” My shoulders sagged a bit in relief at the idea that the fight had caused the population to grow up. For the discrimination to end. That relief was cut short at his next words. “If anything, it got worse.”

“What do you mean worse?” I struggled to keep from yelling at the old priest. How in the fuck had this place gotten worse? Fuck, what did the humans do?

“There was a fight between the guards and most of the stronger non-humans.” He waved a hand. “Scratch that. There were a few humans that fought alongside the non-humans. People willing to stand up for what was right.”

Wait, was he talking about the day we had escaped? If not for what he had said about things getting worse, I would have smiled at the fact that, even in this small of a way, I was remembered.

“They managed to release most of the non-humans and get out of the city before vanishing.” So they had made it out. Good to hear. “And while that likely saved those people from those that lived here, it created problems for the entire town. Problems that did not make themselves known for a few days.”

“At first, it was the lack of guards. After all, most of them had died in those fights and it would take months to get more. Still, that wouldn’t have been an issue. I mean, when the city has issues with security, they could hire adventurers.” He shook his head as he continued. “And the city tried to do just that. They asked for people to man the walls long enough for the repairs to be completed. But do you know how the guild responded?”

He waited for me to answer and when I shook my head, he continued. “They recalled all of the guild personnel.” His groan was deep and long. “The guild pulled out of the city. I have never heard of such a thing happening.” A fist hit the stone wall. Not hard enough to more than sting.

“Not that I blame them. Not when the guild stands for freedom. Freedom to join or leave. Freedom to choose what jobs you will do or how to do them. Freedom of who you will work with or even talk to. Freedom to be who you are no matter your background. Freedom to travel from city to city while still earning enough money to eat. To rely on your skills and sheer luck to make a living.”

I wanted to stop the man’s ranting. To point out there were times when people in the guild were not free. When the very rules that made the guild free also imprisoned those inside. But he didn’t give me a choice. It was almost like he suddenly didn’t need to breathe as he continued.

“It was something the city council did not take lightly. They didn’t even wait an hour before they declared the guild illegal within the city limits. Oh, and they took the chance to form a guild of their own. One in which they were in charge. Where they chose the rules and how to enforce them. Before the day was out, every adventurer within city limits was rounded up and stripped of everything. Money. Weapons. Armor. And even their magic.”

The image of the magic eating band flickered into my mind. As he finally took a breath, I jumped in. “But they can’t do that.”

“The moment the city was attacked, they declared martial law. With that, they had the power to do anything they wanted.”

“Surely the population would have stood up to them?” Sure, I get the humans not standing up for the non-humans. After all, if it doesn’t affect me, why should I care? It was a common issue with humans throughout history. But the loss of the guild would have affected everyone.

“A few tried.” His face told me all I needed to know about what had happened. “It turns out that those in charge are willing to go to any lengths to keep power. Even going so far as to hire assassins to take care of any problems. Not that they had to do that more than once. What with the population taking care of the issues first.”

It felt like the floor fell out from beneath me at his words. Not only had the people not risen up to stop those in charge, they had actively helped them take down those that had. If what he had said was true, then it wasn’t just the higher ups that were rotten. This whole town was done for. The people in it were irredeemable.

A pit formed in my stomach as something occurred to me. “Tell me there are no more non-humans in the city.” Please tell me they got out. That the humans were all that were left in this place.

“I can’t.” My heart broke in two at his words as I tried to not think about the horrors those left here had experienced. “The other priests and I have worked hard to help get the few we could out before the blockades went up, but there was only so much we could do. So many we could get out. Now we can do nothing but shelter them. Keep them hidden and safe until help gets here.”

“Have you managed to send for help, or are you simply praying that some…” I started to ask out of curiosity than anything.

“While we pray,” his tone was a bit wry as he interrupted me. “Every person we manage to smuggle out carries with them a letter addressed to the church that explains the situation.”

Silence descended upon us as he let me think about everything I had heard. Sure, I was stuck here for a bit until my debuffs wore off, after that I could just leave. My human form might even let me do so now. But could I look myself in the mirror if I left all of these people behind? If I could help get them out of here, especially as it was partially my fault that all of this had happened.

With a resigned sigh, I realized I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t just leave these people to suffer. Even if it was a bad idea that ended up doing more damage, I wanted – no, I needed to help these people.

“AI, call Xander.” The priest shot a confused look at me, but didn’t say a word as I held a hand up.

“Calling Xander…” The voice was a bit faded, as though it was coming from a source far away. One of an ever growing number from my system back home. Likely from some power fluctuations or something. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be affecting the pods.

Or were they affected? It wasn’t like the pods really housed anyone. So, if they were affected, would we know? In fact, with so many people from Earth here, how many were back on Earth still? Was there even enough to keep everything running? If not, how long until things started to fail?

Sure, the systems were mostly automated and could keep going for a while, but that assumed they were well maintained in the first place. That hasn’t been the case for longer than I have been alive. In fact, most of the infrastructure was patched together with little more than duct tape and bubble gum. I wouldn’t be all that surprised if some of it had already failed.

If a pump station failed or the lines providing it power were cut. At that point sections of the city would lose pressure. Not really an issue in and of itself, but if enough pressure was lost, the micro generator stations that relied on that water would E-Stop to prevent damage. With the loss of power, more systems would fail. The issues would cascade out until everything failed.

“Alex,” Xander’s voice pulled me out of my terrifying thoughts and back to the present situation. “Last I heard, you were in the middle of the central spire getting questioned.”

“Yeah,” I grimaced at the reminder of how I died. “I kind of died.” An eyebrow lifted on the priest’s head but he didn’t say a word. In fact, given how he relaxed, I almost wondered if their systems had a similar function or not.

I could hear the hand as it hit his forehead. “Tell me you set your respawn to somewhere in the Gravepoint.”

“I didn’t know I had to.”

“Let me guess, you need a ride back to the city?”

“Sort of,” I grimaced. “I also need a bit of your help with a local issue.”

“Local as in that small town?” He asked. “Because you do know that place is likely unstable as hell after all the damage you all did on your way out, right?”

“Yeah,” my voice came out a bit higher than I intended. It wasn’t my fault that any of that happened. And based on what I remembered, it was going to happen one way or another. With or without me. “A local let me know about some of the things that have been going on.”

“And you need my help?” He didn’t sound all that thrilled.

“Just in getting the people to the next city.” I wouldn’t ask him to get involved in the city again. Not when he had gotten in trouble for me last time.

“Rescue?”

I watched as the priest’s eyes widened in panic as I answered the question. “People that have been living in hiding who need help getting away before someone discovers them.” While the priest didn’t go screaming or attack me, he looked like he was a second away from doing one, or maybe even both.

“Fine.” Xander sounded tired. “Let me see what I can do about getting permission to come save you from that stupid city. But the moment we return to Gravepoint, you are resetting your spawn point.”

“Sure…” I agreed. I mean, it wasn’t like I could disagree with his demand. If I had known I had to do it before, I would have. “Just let me know so that I can make a plan.”

“I will give you a call back within the hour.” The connection closed before I could say another word.

With a shrug, I spoke to the priest. “One of my friends is going to see what he can do.” To my surprise, the priest relaxed. Almost as though he trusted me and my word. Which was odd given that he didn’t know me or what I might be after.

“Good, good.” The man said as he got up. “Let us get you some refreshments and introduce you to those that need your help.” I guess it was time to see what I had to work with.