“You are Glitched now,” Cipher explains. “You will be able to wield many items you could not before. You will also now have a mana bar as well as your XP. Both of you. This will need to be filled as you progress through the Tiers in order to use certain attributes of your glitch. For this particular weapon, Vespera, you do not need mana to wield it, however, you will be fatigued quickly if overused at this tier. There is still one item in your chest.”
“There is?” I say, frowning and looking down. I hadn’t seen anything, but now that I look, I see that there is another item sitting in the bottom of my chest. “Oh.”
“I only got a weapon,” Locke grumbles. “Of course you get something extra. Fucking System favorite.”
When I lift the item out, I realize it’s a mask of some sort, but when I turn it to face me, my whole body seizes in shock.
“What is it?” Locke asks, leaning closer. His brows furrow. “Is that a?—”
“Hyena,” I finish, nodding. “It is.”
“What does it do?”
“Hyena mask,” I start to read as the menu pops up. “Initiate Beast Bound relic. Type: mask / headgear. Material: hardened bone, stitched leather, and faded tribal markings. Handling: worn over face, snug fit; slightly enchanted.” I look over the special attributes and clutch the mask tighter. “It slightly improves visual acuity while wearing it and heightens perception of nearby living creatures faintly. It can also help regulate corruption levels, but it doesn’t explain how.”
“Well, that’s fucking cool,” Locke grunts. “How come I don’t get a mask?”
“Bone Breaker’s do not rely on outside tools for battle,” Cipher surprisingly offers. “Your fists will be better weapons than any mask.”
Locke’s expression eases. “Well, I can’t argue with that perk then, can I?”
Cipher doesn’t answer, and I can feel that disapproval through the link again, but he doesn’t tell Locke anything else. He doesn’t direct him, or comment about how he starts cracking his knuckles before he spins his hammer in his hands. Instead, he speaks to me directly.
“Keep a close eye on the Bone Breaker,” he warns.
“Why?” I ask for what feels like the thousandth time, but again, Cipher doesn’t answer, letting his warning hang in the air before me.
“Let’s get to the safehouse,” Locke says, not even realizing we were talking about him. “I hope it’s another AppleFrog’s.” He pats his stomach. “I could use a good meal after that nasty fish.”
“Nasty?” I repeat. “The fish was amazing. But I could use some more of that bacon from AppleFrog’s.” I slide on the hyena mask over my face. It’s a perfect fit. “Let’s go.”
As I follow him to the trees, my senses stretch and pick up everything around us. The caimans in the river, hungry and waiting. Small furry creatures in the trees that run away as we pass.
The insects in the soil . . .
TIER 1 – SCAVENGER’S BOND
Wastrel, entry-level
STRENGTH: 10
AGILITY: 11
VITALITY: 10
WILLPOWER: 11
CHARISMA: 10
LUCK: 10
BOND LIMIT: 1
BOND STRENGTH: 30%
CORRUPTION: 5%
CHAPTER18
