The Hrafn: Oden’s Will

After her conversation with Orin, Muninn returned to the bar. Johnny was waiting, his curiosity barely contained as he glanced at her with a knowing smile. She could see it in his eyes—he was itching for gossip. Instead of indulging him right away, she slid her empty cup toward him, a silent demand for more bourbon.

Johnny caught on instantly, a hand on his heart in mock indignation. "Ah, extortion, is it?"

Muninn simply shrugged and waited for him to make the next move. She could all but see him calculate in his head the price of the alcohol against the price of new gossip. She saw the moment his curiosity won out and he grabbed the bottle with a theatrical flourish. He poured her another glass, the amber liquid catching the warm light of the hearth.

"For a lovely lady like you, it's on the house." He said.

"Thanks," Muninn replied, lifting the glass with a sly smile. She took a slow sip, savoring the rich, spiced flavor. "I suppose I could share a little something with my new favorite barkeep. You see, I just had to know if what you said about him was true. Getting kicked out of the Artificers' Guild? That kind of scandal doesn't happen every day."

Johnny leaned in, "So, it's true then, not just a rumor? He really got the boot?"

"Oh, he did," Muninn confirmed with a nod. "And now I'm curious. What happens to someone who keeps working after the guild throws them out?"

Johnny chuckled, but there was a nervous edge to it. "Thinking of getting involved?" He paused when her gaze didn't waver. His tone turned serious. "Look, it's not like the Monster Hunters Guild, who'll rough you up if you cross them. The Artificers' Guild is worse. They don't need fists—they've got influence. Blacklists, bans, you name it. No enchanters, runesmiths, or invokers will touch you. Even the banks won't deal with you. That's why folks steer clear of anyone they've kicked. You're steering clear too, right?"

Muninn didn't answer, instead she took another deliberate sip and kept his gaze with a smirk.

"Oh, I've seen that look before, didn't know I was dealing with such a dangerous troublemaker," he muttered, half exasperated, half amused. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

He sounded serious but the grin that spread across his face betrayed his enjoyment of the unfolding drama. Clearly, he was already looking forward to seeing how this would all play out. The thought of coming back to regale him with tales of her success crossed Muninn's mind—although she'd probably have to kill him afterward, which would be a shame. He was her new favorite barkeep, after all.

"I have another potential ally, but you are going to need an alibi." Huginn's voice entered her mind.

"An alibi, what is going on?" Muninn responded mentally. 

"The target got herself into a bind with the Monster Hunters Guild." Huginn said. "They are trying to teach her a lesson. I will highlight her location on your map."

"Ah yeah, how do I open the map again?" Muninn said with some embarrassment.

Huginn sighed audibly in her mind, annoyance dripping from every syllable. "How many times must we go over this? You locate the file for the kingdom surface scan. It's labeled ser.llk/145d/21475. Not exactly spellform micro induction..."

Muninn blinked, zoning out as Huginn rattled on. Her mind wandered as she imagined herself navigating through endless, meaningless folders and sub-folders, each more obtuse than the last.

"...Then simply click on the sub-directory, then align the node with the third quadrant," Huginn continued. "After that, you'll need to input the access key. I encrypted them so open the data packet from—"

Muninn snapped back to reality and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Stop. No. This is absurd," she cut him off. "Can't you just... make it easier? Like, one word, a hand gesture, something that doesn't require me to memorize the entire filing system and go through several encryptions? There are just two of us, why would we need all of that? You deal with the files, Memory. I just need practicality."

There was a pause before Huginn responded, his tone begrudging. "Fine. I'll simplify it. Next time, just say 'activate map.' Satisfied, Will?"

Muninn knew he was frustrated but all of that for the map was asinine and he knew it. She was the one on the ground the guy up in space had all the time in the world to go through and sort files. She also liked his new nickname. 

"Immensely," Muninn replied. "Now, let's see where our damsel in distress is."

"Find an alibi first and make it quick." Huginn said.

She looked around the bar and saw the man that tried to approach her. She sighed seeing a perfect willing and living alibi.

"Hey, can you alter people's memories?" She asked mentally.

"No," Huginn said. "But I can change dreams around to make people believe they were real."

"Well, then I see my alibi, I am going to take that man up stairs and knock him out. You give him memories he won't forget."

"I don't like that plan, I have to render those memories." Huginn said.

Muninn ignored him and drained her drink in one swift gulp. Johnny raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. She shot him a wink before sauntering toward her mark. The man that had approached her earlier perked up at her arrival. It was easy to get him to follow her up to her room. A few flirty words she got from her human studies lexicon courtesy of Huginn. A light touch on his arm and chest was all it took to get him eagerly following her. Once inside, she wasted no time. A quick strike to the back of his head, and he was out cold, sprawled on the floor.

"I will say this again. I don't like this plan." Huginn said.

"Yeah, yeah," Muninn muttered, shrugging off her cloak. "Just give him a dream he'll want to brag about. Make it vivid. This guy needs to wake up thinking he's had the night of his life."

"Fine," Huginn sighed. "I've uploaded the memory chip to your inventory. Place it on the cervical spine; it'll keep him unconscious and dreaming until it's removed. And set this down before you leave."

"Cervical spine?" Muninn asked.

Huginn sighed loudly. "Back of the neck."

"Just say that next time," Muninn said, offended. "We just call that the neck where I am from."

The chip appeared in her hand a moment later. It looked like a small rectangle with a needle poking out of the center. She kicked the unconscious man over to his side and placed it as instructed. The second item was a little different. It was a cube with no apparent function.

Cognitive Data Relay… Scanning… Object Description

Item: Speaker

Quality: Excellent

Magic Potential: Magic conductivity: Excellent, Material conductivity: Excellent

Composition:

Outer casing: Enchanted obsidian, finely polished for durability and resonance.Internal components: Arcane silver filaments interwoven with runescript channels, optimized for sound amplification and spell resonance.Power core: Embedded mana crystal, capable of sustaining prolonged use and enhancing magical conductivity.

Description:

A sleek, compact device designed to amplify both sound and magical energy. The speaker produces crystal-clear audio and can project spells with amplified potency.

She raised an eyebrow. "What's this for?"

"For authenticity," Huginn replied. "His buddies are currently pressed up against the door, eavesdropping. The speaker will... enhance the illusion."

Muninn groaned, her face heating as she placed the cube on the ground. Seconds later, sultry, exaggerated sounds filled the room. She cringed, her cheeks burning.

"Seriously?" she hissed as she yanked open the window.

"Hey, you wanted an alibi," Huginn said smugly.

"I know but, I don't sound like that." Muninn sighed. "I hope."

She pulled her hood over her head, then vaulted out the window, leaving the embarrassing performance behind as she disappeared into the night.

***

The streets zipped by in a blur, but Olivia wasn't fazed. She wasn't like most people—she was a cursor harpy, a proud member of a race that lived for speed and the thrill of the chase. The city's cobblestones blurred beneath her as her powerful legs pumped rhythmically, talons scraping the stone with each rapid step. Her wings beat in perfect sync, and with each downstroke, she channeled her ki, the celestial energy she attuned to which was drawn from the moon and stars.

That night, the full moon bathed the world in silvery light, invigorating her in ways the sun never could. She felt the cosmic energy surge through her veins, sharpening her senses and fueling her every movement. It was the perfect night to let loose. The streets were quiet, the few people out and about scurrying out of her path as she flew by. With fewer eyes watching, she didn't have to hold back.

Every few strides, her wings gave a powerful beat, and her ki surged, propelling her forward with a burst of speed that rivaled even the fastest magic techniques. Flash Step might grant momentary speed to other material users, but it couldn't match the precision or control her natural abilities gave her.

Two of her pursuers learned that the hard way. As they tried to keep pace, a carriage suddenly appeared, cutting across the street. Olivia reacted instantly, her body dropping into a fluid slide beneath the vehicle. The smooth motion left her unscathed, while the clumsy duo crashed headlong into the side of the carriage with a resounding thud.

Olivia smirked as she emerged from the other side, already back on her feet and accelerating. The third and fourth pursuers hesitated, clearly debating whether to continue or cut their losses. They didn't stand a chance in speed and soon the decision was made for them. With another pulse of ki, Olivia disappeared around a corner, leaving only the sound of her talons striking the pavement like a distant drumbeat.

Human settlements had strange, unwritten rules—at least, that's what her people always said. Olivia hadn't done anything wrong, but that didn't stop a group of men from chasing her through town for what felt like hours. Actually, it might have been hours. She was finally starting to feel the burn in her legs, but the thrill of the chase had kept her going.

With a powerful beat of her wings, she vaulted effortlessly onto the roof of a nearby building. Sure, she could've taken to the skies and flown away ages ago, but where was the fun in that? She landed softly, her wings folding neatly behind her as she surveyed the streets below.

A sudden flash of light caught her attention, and before she could react, a gleaming chain shot through the air, wrapping tightly around her legs. Another chain followed just as quickly, binding her wings then her arms before she could reach for her sword. She was sent crashing onto the rooftop with a dull thud. She slid perilously close to the edge, her talons scraping against the tiles for purchase. A fall from this height—a solid three stories—would hurt, but with her level of cultivation, she'd survive.

"Well, well, look who we caught," a mocking voice drawled. A man emerged from behind a chimney, his grin sharp and predatory. "I was starting to think you'd never take off, little birdy."

Olivia tilted her head, her expression almost playful. "So you've been waiting for me to fly this whole time? Why bother? What do you even want with me?"

The man cracked his neck, his grin widening. "At first? Just a friendly little message. You've been stepping on the Monster Hunters Guild's toes—killing monsters without contracts, not paying your dues. That's a big no-no around here. And me? I'm the Enforcer. I get called in when problems need… fixing."

Olivia frowned. "I don't see the problem. My people hunt monsters; aren't we on the same side?"

"The problem, girly, isn't that you hunt monsters. It's how you do it—for free. That's bad for business. You're stealing jobs from hard-working folks." He gestured lazily toward the edge of the roof just as four familiar, panting figures clambered over the side. "Like my associates here. You've been running them ragged for the past three hours."

Olivia offered a sweet, almost innocent smile. "Oh, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

One of the men whose face was red with exertion and fury stepped forward, fists clenched. 

"Sorry? Sorry!" The red man said with increasing volume. "You cost me weeks of pay. You think a sorry's gonna fix that? I'm gonna make sure you're really sorry after I break those fancy legs of yours!"

"Steve," the Enforcer said smoothly though his aura made everyone freeze. "I was talking. Now," the Enforcer continued, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement, "as I was saying—these three were just supposed to rough you up a bit, deliver a message. You'd pay back what you owe or work off your debt at the guild. Simple. But…" He crouched down next to her. "The guild decided you're too much trouble. They want me to make sure you never hunt another monster again. Tsk, tsk, such a waste," he added, shaking his head in mock regret. "You might've made a decent monster hunter."

"Wait, we get to kill her?" Steve asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

The Enforcer smirked. "No you get to have some fun with her, but ending her is my job."

A new voice cut in. "Wow, that's pretty messed up. Especially for someone who's been doing your job for you."

All heads snapped toward the source of the voice. Perched casually atop the very chimney the Enforcer had hidden behind was a hooded woman. Her dark clothing blended seamlessly with the night, and though her face was obscured, the confidence in her posture was unmistakable. She hopped down from the chimney, landing with grace. She stood, seemingly unbothered by their glares, brushing some soot from her gloves.

"This doesn't involve you, whoever you are," the Enforcer said, his voice low and menacing. "I suggest you walk away before I decide you don't get to live."

"Hmm," she mused. "A ferrokinetic mage. Rare, but not exactly impressive." She shifted her gaze to the three men and a woman behind the Enforcer. "And you Four? Barely competent lifeforce users. Honestly, this whole setup is kind of… embarrassing"

The Enforcer's eyes narrowed, his smirk fading. "You've got a sharp tongue, lady. Let's see how well it works once I've ripped it out."

The hooded woman ignored the threat entirely. "Here's the deal: you let her go, and I only break one of your legs each. You crawl back to your guild, tell them she skipped town, and this whole thing stays between us. Fair, don't you think?"

The rooftop fell silent for a moment, broken only by the distant sounds of the town below. Then the Enforcer barked out a laugh.

"Funny. I like your sense of humor," he said, his grin returning. "But you've got it all wrong. Now we've got two bodies for the bonfire."

His companions chuckled darkly, their confidence bolstered by their leader. The chains began to rattle in his hands, gleaming ominously as his mana coursed into them anew.

The hooded woman stood her ground, her posture relaxed, almost bored. "You really should've taken the deal. Now, tell me—out of five people, how many does it take to deliver a message to your guild?" She let the question hang in the air for a moment before answering herself. "One. The rest of you? You tried your luck fighting a monster on your own. Pity you didn't make it back. You would have made fine monster hunters."