RE:volt! Chapter 26: Breaking Curfew

  Staring at his spellbook in the cool night, Ark began reading over the boxes of floating text he'd neglected during his altercation with Irelix.

  [SPELLBOOK LvL 1]

  [SPELL USES]

  [QUESTS]

  T1: 3/3

  [EXP:5/100]

  [Spell Slotted: T1 Fire: Heated Hands: Will fire mana to your hands, coating your palms with scalding energy/(Learn More)?]

  [Tutorial Information: As you fulfill tasks assigned by the SPELLBOOK, your body will become better optimized to handle magic spells.]

  [Key Items to Note]

  [Every full day cycle, spells slotted may be exchanged.]

  [Spell activations require verbal command until SPELLBOOK is upgraded.]

  [As you grow in strength, your SPELLBOOK will also grow, unlocking other functions.]

  [Tasks can be found under the QUESTS tab]

  [Within the REALITY SPHERE, spells used do not consume spell slots and can be changed freely. However, whichever chosen spell within the REALITY SPHERE will remain locked in unless changed.]

  [Thank You Ark… for using this SPELLBOOK. This is the culmination of my entire life's work. Every bit of my knowledge is contained in this system. I hope you use it more wisely than I.]

  Ark closed his eyes and circulated his mana, sitting there for a while to gather his courage and thoughts.

  “What are you doing?” Thirty-Four asked, climbing out of the hole in the roof to eye Ark sitting underneath the starry night sky.

  Thirty-Three soon joined her, the duo then approaching behind Ark who seemed to be in a trance.

  “Are… you ok?” Thirty-Four asked, touching Ark who's eyes slowly opened, revealing a glowing red aura.

  Thirty-Three went wide-eyed, immediately taken aback. From her studies with Bruno and his demonstration of mana, what she was witnessing was something she was still striving to obtain.

  Mana.

  “Y-you-” Thirty-Three squeaked, the muscular short-haired girl caught off guard as Ark raised his finger to his lips.

  “You can use mana?” Thirty-Three asked, her voice dropped to a whisper as her sister's jaw dropped.

  “H-how?! Teach me!” Thirty-Four immediately demanded.

  “I pay attention,” Ark said, urking Thirty-Three as he turned off the light show and circulated his energy. “Now I need you two to pay attention.”

  “Huh?” The two girl's said, looking at one another with confusion.

  “If something happens to me. Make sure you two take care of each other.”

  Thirty-Four and Thirty-Three looked at one another again before shifting their eyes back to Ark.

  “What are you planning to do Six-two-six?” Thirty-Four asked, a worried look on her face.

  “Go out.” Ark said, his brow furrowing as his energy circulated around his neck. “But if anyone asks, you know nothing. You heard nothing. Do this for me, and I’ll teach you how to use mana.”

  Thirty-Four blinked, her head turning towards her sister at the opportunity presented.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “A-are you leaving?” Thirty-Four asked, her voice laced with a tinge of fear as one of her greatest fears was playing out before her.

  “No.”

  Thirty-Four’s shoulders sagged, the rising tension settling from her body as her face contorted with confusion.

  “Then what are you doing?”

  “I need to leave the barracks for a bit.” Ark said, standing up. “Give me your shirt.”

  “My shirt?” Thirty-Four said, cocking her head.

  “Yes, I need it for where I'm going, but I'll be back.” Ark said as the girl took off her shirt without a second thought and handed it to Ark, exposing herself.

  “How are you going to do that? The moment you step outside the fence you'll get shocked.” Thirty-Four whispered, tempering her excitement that she would be taught new things with fear that Ark would be in trouble.

  “I'll show you how in the future.”

  Thirty-Three’s gaze shifted from Ark to her sister, blinking as her jaw clenched, the gears in her mind turning.

  Stealing trash and reading bedtime stories were one thing, but sneaking out? Entering into restricted areas? Despite her stature, Thirty-Three wasn't an idiot. If Ark got caught…

  Ark's eyes drifted to Thirty-Three, the two staring at one another.

  Through bribery of knowledge, Thirty-Four was wrapped around Ark's finger but for Thirty-Three? He had no such leverage over her besides her sister and a debt of gratitude.

  If she thought Ark could get her sister in trouble, she wouldn't hesitate to turn in Ark.

  He knew it, she knew it. She was willing to pass on items stolen by Ninety-Nine to her because she could always pass it off as an adult giving her an item, but this…

  For Ark it was a test of loyalty.

  His cards blatantly laid out. Would she turn him in or would she aid him? If she did, he had a contingency of course, better she betray him now than later.

  Thirty-Four placed a hand on her sister's shoulder.

  “Please.” Thirty-Four whispered, the girl aware of her sister's inner turmoil. “He’s too valuable.”

  A moment passed, then another as the muscular teen clenched her jaw.

  “We saw nothing…” Thirty-Three said finally, turning away and dragging her older sister with her as Ark nodded and wrapped his head with Thirty-Four’s shirt.

  ***

  With the pair away, Ark took a breath before he deftly slid off the roof of his hovel and onto the cold ground.

  He scanned left and right, looking for roaming lanterns that were telltale signs of guards before moving towards the fence nearest to the woods.

  “Are you sure it was wise to clue them in on your secret?” Irelix asked as Ark examined the wire fence coated in glyphs.

  “Better I know where their loyalties lie now so I can dispose of them when they're vulnerable rather than later.” Ark replied, surprising Irelix.

  “My, how cruel. Disposing of children…”

  “As if you have room to talk. How many kids died under your rule?” Ark hissed as he circulated his mana, allowing the energy to pool around his neck. While he couldn't prevent the collar from activating when he crossed the border, he could mitigate its effects using positive energy around his neck.

  At least long enough for him to get clear of the wire.

  “What's the plan if you get caught?”

  “I won't.” Ark said, reaching out and touching the fence. The obstruction wasn't physically enchanted but rather acted like the batons the helpers used, activating the collars to their absolute limit if someone passed it. Enough to kill if one wasn't careful.

  Ark climbed the fence where immediately his collar lit up, sparking with electricity that zapped at his throat.

  He winced, the pain usually enough to knock anyone to their knees. However for Ark, it was as though someone had thrown a punch at him, only for said punch to be dampened by armor. It still hurt, but it was manageable, allowing him to bypass the defenses.

  Quickly scurrying over the defenses, Ark made his way into the trees, keeping along the outskirts of the estate as he used the moon and torches to guide him.

  From what he garnered, the property itself was massive and separated into three parts.

  The fields at the rear, the slaves area beside it, followed by the overseer’s and helper’s quarters, then the Constantine manor itself.

  Most when snooping about undetected would no doubt go for the biggest prize, the manor.

  But not Ark.

  From what he knew with his discussions with Ninety-Nine, the owner of the land was a mage and an artist, a sculpture to be exact, who's works had granted him the title of a low noble.

  Ark had never met the man and he didn't intend to. Unlike the Knight caste, mages were more finely attuned to the presence of mana, potentially exposing him. In Ark's time, mages made up only ten percent of the total mana users. They were a rare breed, most of which ended up as nobles who rigged their domiciles with traps and monsters.

  He wouldn't chance it. For now, Ark's goal was the overseer's offices, something that was always in view but never accessible to Ark save for the occasional interrogation.

  Tonight would be different.

  Crouching his way through the bush. Ark silently placed one foot in front of the other, moving slowly, but steadily, only stopping when a lantern drew near.

  He made his way along the fence, eyes tracking the enemy as they moved until he was close to the brick buildings that served as the overseer's offices.

  Ark made his way across the fence again, clenching his jaw as his collar lit up. Still he pressed on, enduring the pain until he was just outside the door.

  Now would be the most dangerous part of this ordeal. Once he entered he'd lose the cover of the night and open air. From here, it would be long hallways and corridors, areas where anyone could be lurking. But this was the risk for knowledge.

  “How nice would it be if you had an invisibility spell.” Irelix commented as Ark reached, pulling at the handlebar, and opening the door enough to enter and close it just as a patrol neared.