Apocalypse: Fairy System by Macronomicon (fox in socks read aloud txt) 📕

Jeb grinned into the camera, his jaw clenched behind his smile.

“And…cut,” Brett said, plucking the spherical camera out of its placement and pressing the button on top.

An invisible sense of tension was cut, like a wire that had been holding Jeb up until this point, and he sagged in relief for a moment, free of his Debt to Zlesk.

Once the emperor was certain the camera was off, his bird-neck twisted, fixing Jeb with a steely gaze that seemed to bore right into his soul. Jeb’s spine straightened again.

“So. Jebediah Trapper. You didn’t show up when I rerouted all the survivors of the Impossible Tutorial to Mestikos. Why is that?”

He pinched Jeb’s hand experimentally. “I assumed it was because you were far stronger than me, which made sense at the time, but you can’t have more than thirteen Body. I could sneeze on you and you’d break like tissue paper. If you’d had more Myst than me, you would have melted the suppressor like so much cotton candy.

“Here I thought I had someone who could potentially destabilize the empire as a whole and cause some serious trouble for me, but you’re actually rather weak. What happened?”

“The gods punished me for smelling wrong. You probably tried to summon me while they were discussing it.”

The kitri’s eyes went wide, his neck waggling minutely. “Seriously?”

The bird cleared his throat, regaining his composure before he patted Jeb on the shoulder. “Now that I’ve seen you, I’m more comfortable inviting you to Mestikos.”

“What’s in Mestikos?” Jeb asked.

“The capital, and more specifically, a bunch of your rewards from completing the Impossible Tutorial. Your whole team pitched in.”

“They’re probably safer in your hands.”

“True,” the emperor said. “What good is a magic blade if a man could tear it out of your grip with his bare hands? In any case, you’re more than welcome to swing by any time you like and pick up some or all of what you are owed.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that,” the emperor said, turning toward his throne and ascending the stairs. “You’re the kind of Citizen I wish I had more of.”

“Speaking of Citizens you wish you had more of, is Zlesk okay?” Jeb asked.

“Zlesk who?” the emperor said as he sat.

“Zlesk Frantell, former sheriff of Kalfath. The keegan who helped me. He got captured at the same time I did. I just mentioned him?”

“Oh, him.”

The emperor took a breath, and Myst rippled toward him before echoing outward as he spoke.

“Zlesk Frantell.”

“Jeb, are you okaYYY!” Zlesk’s voice echoed from the room above them as Zlesk slipped on something above them, tumbling through the hole in the ceiling to land directly in front of Jeb.

“Ugh.” The keegan groaned, pushing himself up.

“He seems fine,” the emperor said, leaning back in his throne.

He’s literally controlling causality, isn’t he? Jeb’s thoughts were awhirl as his mind unpacked the potential.

The list of names fell into his hand because he was going to say them… I was here with that list because he was going to say them. If he says a name, they show up, through dumb luck or simply by already being present.

Jeb’s brain hurt a little as he tried to process how a Myst Core could manipulate luck in order to trigger its own activation, the last remnants of the Attribute Sickness making it difficult to think.

Is he…in control of his power, or is he getting dragged around the empire by his own Myst?

It might be a bit of both.

A glint of copper caught Jeb’s attention as the table above them slipped some more and sent itself and all Jeb’s gear raining down onto the floor around Zlesk.

Jeb’s copper plate with Vresh’s symbol clattered on the marble floor, attracting the emperor’s attention.

“Ah, I see,” the emperor said, gazing at the Mark. Jeb’s headache resurfaced for a moment, then quieted down again.

“I could think of worse roles for you than serving as Vresh’s deputy,” the kitri said, his head cocked to the side. “And I understand why she was reticent to reveal your identity.

“Once her suspension is over, I will direct her to continue your arrangement. You may leave, with my blessing. This mess is for my sworn vassals to clean up.” The emperor waved dismissively.

The imperial guards stepped away from the double doors in one smooth step, allowing them to swing open.

So I just go, then? Jeb thought, glancing around as a flood of nobles re-entered the room from the outside, gaping in astonishment at the sheer carnage.

Some of them looked less than happy, and a few of them were looking at Jeb. The people slaughtered here were the nobles’ friends and co-workers, so they were understandably testy.

Yep, time to go, Jeb thought, bundling up his clothes and gear and taking the walk of shame out of the mansion beside Zlesk. He made damn sure to find his severed finger before searching the crowd for Amanda. If Brett was here, hopefully the healer wasn’t too far off.

He didn’t want any more stumps.

Jeb was lucky, picking out Amanda’s blonde hair among the stream of incoming nobles, and he was able to beg a healing off of her on his way out, reattaching his finger in a matter of seconds with a jolt of chilling white Myst.

It was a little stiff afterwards, but that was a hell of a lot better than gone. Jeb thanked her as profusely as he could before heading for the exit, the eyes of the surrounding nobles burning into his skin.

“Hey Jeb!” he heard Brett call. When he glanced over his shoulder, the underwear model continued. “Beer later?”

Jeb gave him a weak thumbs-up and kept trodding along.

When they got back, they found the orphanage