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Chapter 15 - Chapter 14-Path of Recklessness

THWIP—BOOM!

A chair shattered across the table. Both froze.

"I think that's enough you too" Duo drawled, lips twitching into a grin. 

Shriek didn't flinch. She leaned back in her chair, boots on the table, mug raised.

"What Duo?" she said calmly. "We're just grieving. That's all. He's lucky I don't make him give me this bag to repay all my men he cycle'd."

"Like I told Duo it was a misunderstanding, anyway I know you're not trying to recruit me with shaff like that in your ranks. I mean using Lobby? Come on, he was easy and what was this big scheme he said you had?"

Shriek eyes gleamed bright as she looked at Duo smiling then turned back to Dwarven.

"Oh you wanna know that big news I hinted at? Well while you've been lecturing me about systems and crews, you've got no idea—we're about to join the largest rebel force on the planet."

Dwarven's eyes narrowed. He glanced at Duo.

The blond smirked and gave a single nod. "Haven."

"Is that word supposed to mean something to me?"

Shriek poured herself another drink, almost giddy.

"Oh my sweet dear Dwarven haven't you heard the rumors. Gangs getting wiped out, law slowly returning to the South. Its all Haven they're bringing peace to Tere and wiping out any crew that won't join them. I'm not stupid enough to resist the tides of change, best go with the fall and all we have to do is hand Haven that girl you were with, toss in some of this Luzid Metal to sweeten the deal…" She raised her mug toward him, smile cutting across her face.

"And BAM! We're a battalion in the rebel army. That's the dream, Dwarven. We join Haven, spark a real war against those Godhand bastards and get bloody rich in the meantime."

"The Reach?" Dwarven scoffs "Their aiming at the wrong side of the world."

"Rokk, once The Godhand in the Reach is taken down, of course Belheim is next. I wouldn't waste my time on the bastards but they see a point to it." Shriek tried to empathize with Dwarven.

"While they wage they're war against the giant whale, my people are being forced to suffer in mines so they can create technology we can't even afford. So sorry I don't have time to wait in line and she would say the same."

Shriek sighs "Really not going to let this go huh? Listen, Not to pry too much, Rokk," Her fingers began drumming the bag of Luzid metal "but without us backing you… you're not worried the Sage will catch your scent? We could give you cover. Stick with Haven, and this Luzid Metal you're hauling? Can change your life."

Dwarven's eyes narrowed. He sat back, exhaling low, tight.

"If you're not going to help me, then going back to Belheim's suicide. Hell, just visiting would get me jumped. Bandits would be on me faster than a cut can bleed."

His jaw clenched.

"Sure, I could join you, put it in my rear view, circle back when I'm older but when I think about that place…"

The words scraped out raw.

"I feel fire. That whole government? It needs to burn so people can be free."

Duo let out a low whistle, crooked grin tugging at his lip.

"Gods, kid. You're really drinking your own nectar if you expect us to believe your only doing this for just the people.."

Shriek smirked, patting the bag of Luzid Metal. "So what is it you want, Rokk? What do you really want to do?"

She leaned forward, smile gone. Dwarven took a minute then to her surprise said.

"Sell me the other half of Mav's Pattern."

The room stilled. Duo stopped mid-step, head snapping back toward the table, eyes narrowing.

The silence hummed like a drawn blade.

Duo and Shriek glanced at each other—then burst out laughing.

"You think I'd hand you that sigil?" Shriek slapped the table, wheezing. "Rokk, you're killing me."

Her laughter thinned, a thought creeping across her face.

"Wait… does that mean you actually have the other sigil?"

Duo frowned. "Boss, what's the big deal about the sigil?"

Shriek turned her head slowly, incredulous. "You don't know what makes your gauntlets so special?"

He smirked, shrugging. "Ha! Fuck no. I just put 'em on and start thrashing fools."

Shriek rubbed her temple with a metal hand. "Saints save me. Alright, listen. When I first had an Onyx craft those gauntlets, they weren't just made to look pretty with those designs, that design is the sigil and those seals in it are what let your gauntlets do that sticky-fingers trick you love so much."

Duo scoffed. "I already know that. That's basic shit."

"Yeah, well, dumbass, then I'm surprised you don't know what a sigil is." She leaned in, grinning cruelly. "A sigil's the part of a Pattern that holds the seals, while the Pattern itself holds the sigil. See the chain? Seal → Sigil → Pattern. Normal seals are fine on their own. But when they're bound to a sigil? Whole different league. Intrinsic traits. Built-in power. Like your sticky seal. On its own, it'd just attach a web to one thing. But with the sigil? You can link to multiple things. That's why you can juggle a room full of poor bastards instead of just one."

She jabbed him in the chest with a glowing fingertip. "You get it now, numbnuts?"

"Yeah, I'll just focus on the thrashing."

Dwarven leaned back, cool, and slid a hammer from his belt onto the table. The weapon landed with a heavy thud, Luzid runes faintly pulsing along its head.

"Used it to make this Mechanica."

Shriek's smile faltered. She leaned in, picked up the hammer, turning it over in her hands. The glow deepened as she attempted to connect with it, her expression sharpening.

"All this talk about being an Onyxsmith but theres one simple question I must ask. Do you still have that one problem?" she asked quietly.

Dwarven's jaw tightened. He gave a single nod.

Shriek's face hardened. With a snap of her arm, she flung the hammer back onto the table.

"Then it's useless, and you were gonna let me connect to it without saying anything."

Dwarven lunged, snatching it up before it settled. His voice cracked the air like a whip.

"Watch how you treat my shit, Shriek. I just– need some more time to figure it out."

Her eyes narrowed. "And in the mean time, what, see if i was gonna lose my fuckin' mind off something you made? You're overstepping Dwarven, you try to buy the sigil that makes us who we are—and you think I'm disrespectful?" She tapped her temple with a steel finger. "Get your head checked."

Her GlyphGlass chimed. She glanced at the message, rolling her eyes.

"Duo, We've got a meeting.".

Shriek stuffed the Luzid Metal back into the bag and stepped up close to Dwarven, close enough for him to smell the liquor on her breath.

"Look. Stay put. Maybe we work something out when I'm back, yeah?"

"Yeah," Dwarven muttered, but his grip on the hammer whitened his knuckles.

"Good." She clapped him on the shoulder with her metal hand, hard enough to rattle his bones. "Come on, Duo. Move."

"Hey!" Dwarven stopped her, "What about the girl? Does Haven need her or just her bag?"

"None of your business, I'll see you when we get back."

Shriek swept out the door, Duo trailing.

Dwarven stayed behind, staring at the door in the back. His reflection glinted in the hammer's head, eyes burning and pondering his next move.

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