Chapter 243
The gaps between the first few buildings were close enough that most Users even partially specced into Agility could have covered the gaps easily. This last one however, was significantly longer. Id had Audreymy flowerfang summonfashion a makeshift harness for Iris, using her mostly thornless mobility vines. My sister had fallen silent since the Minotaur Chimeras interception, and despite a reasonable fear of heights, hadnt reacted to any of it.
I pinwheeled on the loose gravel of a rooftop, balance returning to me. Then turned, ready to catch Sae as she leapt across.
Sae cleared the gap easily. Shed put too much energy into the jump if anything, and I grunted as she clung onto my forearm to steady herself, feet sliding across the gravel roofing. Her eyebrows shot up, her mouth set as she saw something behind me. Bird!
I spun. The raven shot upward, attempting to hover out of reach. Its wings and oversized body werent built for that, so the result was an awkward climb. Still, that climb placed it out of the effective area for my hand-crossbow.
There was a chance I could still draw my bow and make the shot, but if Miles was right that they were communicating, any second now it would broadcast our location to the rest, and wed be overrun.
No choice.
I didnt have time to feel it out or test the waters for its reaction to my influence. And as much as I didnt enjoy using the ability as an answer for everything, nothing else was fast enough.
As of now, I am your favorite human. Do everything you can to help me and mine.
A wave of exhaustion tugged at my eyelids as nearly half my mana drained away. But none of the mental pain from a failed attempt. Itd come down to a wager on whether all the necromancers creations had psychic protections, and Id guessed correctly that the birds would be more simple than their human counterparts.
The bird swooped down and landed.
It hopped frantically on the gravel and cawed at us angrily, flapping its wings and kicking up dust. For a moment I thought it had shrugged off the effects of the spell, or that it had some sort of resistance that kicked in, before I realized it was pushing us towards the roof access structure.
Matt? Is it about to peck our eyes out or do you have it? Sae yelled.
I tossed it a third slab of meat, then withdrew a fourth, much to Audreys dismay. I withheld the final slab, tearing raw pieces off as I went.
How many are there?
The raven leaned backward doing something unseen then placing a pile of gravel. It used large pieces as markers, counting to nine until it shoved a pile of gravel in from the roof.
A lot.
Any chance you can speak your masters name?
The raven huffed.
Thats a no.
I ran through a few more questions with mixed results until I came to the final query.
We have some ground to cover. This is a lot to ask, but now that weve bonded, any chance you can provide oversight? Help protect us from threats on the ground and steer the other flocks away before they see us.
A hesitation.
More treats? It turned its head to either side, listening carefully for an answer.
Oh, yes.
A confident squawk gave me my answer.
