Vex was not in a good state. She hadn’t been since they’d entered Conan’s Fall settlement. The damned curse had taken to the place like a flame to grease. Vex had gotten good at tuning out the voices. If she didn’t focus on it, they were little more than a constant drone, like the sea. But since Vex had entered Conan’s Fall, that sea of the damned turned into a raging tumult.
Everywhere she touched with her spiritual sense was a greasy smear of trauma, pain, and suffering that left a stain on her psyche, adding to the countless sea, step by step she took. Conan’s Fall had earned its name for a reason. Several ages ago, there was a brutal slaughter. Humans had invaded the settlement of wolf vhenari and slaughtered everyone down to the last pup.
Vex felt sick. The screams of pain made her stomach churn. She wanted to curl up on the bed and tell the whole world to screw off and die. A hot coffee and cuddling Potato wouldn’t go amiss either. But no. First and foremost, Vex was stubborn and defiant to the last. And that Rat had ordered her to stay.
Vex stormed back and forth across her inn room. The drab and stained saman-painted walls pissed her off. The matching threadbare sheets and pillows ticked her off more. Tro leaned against Vex’s bed with his arms crossed, patiently waiting out his sister’s tantrum.
“Who does that damned Rat think he is?!” Vex fumed as she stormed back and forth between the walls of her room. The team had rented out five rooms in a neat row on the second floor of a Wayward’s Inn complex on the west side of town. The wall-integrated dresser looked like it had gone several rounds with a strength-enhanced Adroit, dented and scratched as it was. Vex didn’t feel bad about adding a dent or two to the dresser. Installed into the back wall was a full-length digital mirror that displayed graphic bugs from the waist down. Set against the wall above the bed’s headboard was a holo-window displaying a lovely, cut-and-paste scene of a sun rising over a field of grass and flowers.
“I can’t believe he did that!” Vex snapped. “I’m supposed to be the lead of this lance, and he goes throwing out orders like he’s the alpha.” She threw her hands into the air in frustration, almost tossing Potato from her shoulder. “I swear! I’m going to strangle that man when he gets back.”
“Zen,” Tro warned in a gentle tone.
Vex spun to face her brother, pointing an accusing finger at him like Tro was the source of all her anger. “I’m locked in another tower. I’m supposed to keep safe.” Vex seethed before spinning away to continue her enraged pacing. “I CAN’T STAND THIS!”
Vex stepped over to the opposite side of the bed from Tro with a heavy foot. She scooped up her gun belt and mounted it with practiced, if angry, motions. “I’m going out,” Vex said in a more level tone.
“But-” Tro started, but Vex cut him off with a slash of her hand.
“No,” Vex spoke in a commanding tone. “No buts. I can feel the Roses getting closer through the brand. And I’m not about to follow the Rat’s orders.” She looped her thumbs through her gun belt. “I’m gonna do my own hunting for this Drake guy.”
Vex opened her bedroom door, stopping long enough to ask over her shoulder, “You comin’?”
Tro gave a resigned sigh before pushing himself from the bed to follow. Vex entered the hall to find Ex waiting in the hall, his Tomb Shell carried over one shoulder. “You ready to go?” he asked with a smirking tone.
“What’re you talking about?” Vex asked with false innocence.
“Don’t give me that, Lady,” Ex said, and Vex could hear the grin in his words. “The whole floor heard your tantrum.
“And?” Vex demanded. “What are you gonna do about it?”
Ex gave her a conspiratorial waggle of his digital brows. “I was going to be bored shopping all by my lonesome. Figured you could come with and ask around.
“Just…ask shop owners if they’ve seen some shady dude with red hair and gold teeth?”
Ex gave a casual shrug. “Better than waiting around here. Am I right?”
Vex rolled her tongue piercing around her mouth in thought. As irritating as Ex could be, he was certainly better company than dealing with that egocentric Rat and klutz Immortal. “Fine,” Vex said reluctantly.
“Great!” Ex cheered as he pulled away from the wall and started down the hall toward the stairs.
The three left the complex to wander the streets. The day was still bright and clear, with plenty of daylight to spare. Vex carefully picked her way along the road, avoiding psychic stains where she could. The crowds on the streets gave Ex a wide berth. Vex assumed that would be standard for a metal and bone machine man carrying what looked like an oversized coffin. So Vex and Tro used the Soulforged as a spearhead to cut through the rather furry crowd. As they passed people from all walks of life, Vex caught muttered words like “Freaks” and “Nothing but trouble”, but Vex paid them little mind. She was already desensitized to discrimination.
If it wasn’t her half-blood nature, it was her obvious Witchyness, or the clearly illegal gear she carried. Everyone always looked at her like she was about to cause problems, but no one ever thanked her when she solved problems. Just sidelong glances of weariness as they hurried from whatever scene Vex had caused.
Vex knew that Tro got much the same treatment. Neoforms were far from a normal sight on any street. His bat ears and strange eyes were clear giveaways to his nature, even if his mouth was kept out of sight. However, neither of them held a candle to the intimidation Ex expressed, just by walking down the street. Everyone must’ve thought he was an Executioner bounty hunter. Little did they know, the guy was more of a goofball than anything.
“Do you really expect me to just stumble across someone on the street who’s seen our guy?” Vex griped with her hands in her pockets, and her head hung low. Potato nuzzled her cheek in an effort to cheer up his grumpy master.
“We’ll never know if we don’t try,” Ex said in a chipper voice. “I’m just happy that I don’t have to go shopping on my own. I think I’d scare most of the shopkeepers into browning their pants, and I’d rather not.
“So you expect me to do the talking for you,” Vex guessed accurately in a grumpy voice.
“I mean… Tro could.” Ex said over his shoulder in a mocking tone.
Vex growled, and Potato followed suit. The Witch was quickly calmed by Tro resting his hand on her shoulder.
Ex spun around, walking backwards to speak to the two following. He threw his hands high as he said, “Guys! I’m kidding. I can do the talking, but I think I’ll be less scary if I’m not alone.
Vex glared to the side while she chewed the inside of her cheek, half in thought, half in defiant pout. Finally, she gave a single agreeing nod without meeting the Soulforged’s eyes.
“Chill,” Alex said in a tone that spoke to a grin. “Now, Tro, can I ask why you talk the way you do? Archi seems to already know, and Sin doesn’t seem to care. But I’m out of this in-zone.”
Vex shared a look with her brother in an unspoken question. Tro gave a single nod of confirmation. The Witch took a long breath in before she started. “Trouble’s speech systems are underdeveloped.” Alex half turned and changed direction to enter a shop. The door chimed as the group entered an adventuring equipment shop. “When he was supposed to be taught how to speak,” Vex continued while Ex browsed, “the trainers were a bit busy beating him for misbehaving. He could only develop the skills to speak right when he was young, and before his coding fully solidified.”
“That’s messed up,” Ex said as he turned and walked back the way they had come to collect a shopping cart. “But he doesn’t seem to misbehave anymore.” He came back to the two before stopping the cart to return to eye the goods on the shelves. “Tro, you said that you were a failed weapon, right?”
Tro nodded as Ex knelt over to pick up a box of meal rations and set it in the cart. “Well, was it for misbehaving?”
“Yes,” Tro said bashfully.
“But you’re not misbehaving anymore.” Alex picked up an emergency beacon in one hand and waved it at Tro. “Doesn’t that mean you’re a functional weapon now?”
“No,” Tro said firmly. “Don’t kill. Don’t hurt. Not unless must.”
“Really?” Ex asked even as he set the beacon in the cart and started moving again. “So those shots during the brawl with the Roses. They weren’t meant to be lethal?”
“Yup,” Tro said with a proud air. “Follow rules, live good life.” The Neoform propped his sleeve-hidden hands on his hips and stood as if he had accomplished something of note.
“Rules?” Ex asked as he stopped by a display of enhanced cigarettes.
Vex blew a stray lock of hair from her face before she said, “My father gave Tro ten rules to behave and ten rules to live by in the field.”
“What’re these rules?” Ex asked as he lifted a carton of energy-enhanced cigarettes and rested them in the cart. “Must be some good stuff if it's got someone with the name Trouble in line.”
“Damnit,” Vex cursed with no energy. “Here we go again.”
Tro puffed up before reciting “Trouble’s Behave Rules:
One, always control self. Two, never hate. Three, do not kill needlessly. Four, do not harm needlessly. Five, do not attack unless provoked. Six, do not take unless it is needed. Seven, pay as often as you can. Eight, aid those in need. Nine, be polite. Ten, Do not break things unless necessary.”
“Hmm,” Ex grunted in mild interest as he walked up to the checkout. “Those are honest rules to live by. Not quite my style, though. I need a bit more leeway for bar fights and punching out jealous husbands.”
Vex shot the Soulforged an irritated look, but he was too busy chatting at a terrified cashier to notice. The poor human girl was cute enough, but clearly wanted nothing to do with their metal companion. The girl leaned away from Ex as he scanned what few items they had collected. “You know, your eyes are so pretty,” Ex said with a gesture to the girl’s face. “If you want, I could find some earrings that would really make your eyes pop.” At the word ‘pop’, Ex splayed his hand like a firework.
The cashier’s eyes bulged, and she fled from the store screaming. Ex rested a hand on the top of his head as he looked to the ceiling, his shoulder slumped, and his legs looked weak.
Vex pinched her lips shut. Despite everything, she felt a pang for the guy. The way he talked about his past, he must’ve been a star with the ladies. From being told just how amazing you are by admirers to being disliked by everyone around you. That had to hurt.
To help out, Vex pulled off her hat and packed everything from their purchase into her pocket-space. She then flicked the credit price for the items to the register and led the way out. As Vex stepped from the store, she spoke over her shoulder to Ex. “Hey, without a therra, how are you supposed to get Archi’s list?”
Ex gave a morose shrug. “I was just going to get the basic needs. Food, and all that.”
“And stimulant smokes are a basic need?” Vex asked as she pulled up the H.U.D of her own therra.
“It was always a basic need for me. If we’re running a stakeout somewhere, we’ll need to stay awake.”
“Ex… My dude,” Vex said slowly, as if speaking to a simpleton. “You don’t need to sleep anymore. If we need to stake anywhere out, we’ll just plant you like a metal tree and let you keep watch.”
“Oh…” Ex trailed off in thought at the realization.
“Ah, wait,” Vex said as she pointed to an image only she could see on her therra. “The Rat messaged me the list,” she opened the message with a muttered, “Let’s see here.” Vex read the first few lines, and her face flared beet red. As she continued down the message, her expression shifted to calmness, then confusion. “Dear Miss Vex,” she read aloud, “I am well aware that you have likely snuck out from our rented quarters, despite my recommendation. Since I assume you likely followed Alex, simply for something to do, here is the list. Please aid the brute as needed; everything on here is critical.” Vex then rattled off a list of several dozen items, most of them mechanical components or alchemical ingredients.
“Lemons and spicy peppers?” Alex asked in obvious confusion.
“Yeah,” Vex confirmed. “And ten pounds each.”
Ex shook his head in bafflement. “What the hells is that mad Alchemyst thinking?”
Vex closed the message and list with a pair of jabs of a finger before looking to Ex. “You get all that?”
“Yeah, yeah. I hear you.” Ex said, peeling off from the group to head for the nearest alchemical shop.
Vex and Trouble stopped on the sidewalk, looked either way before turning to each other. “Munch?” Tro asked.
Vex snapped her fingers. “I like the way you think. We can look for our Drake guy at the local bar. I need to shut up these voices. ”
“Vex,” Tro warned.
“What? I-” Vex was abruptly cut off as her hat leapt from her head and Sparky zipped out.
The drone peered around, then swiveled to track Vex. “Good. I have caught you before the trouble.” Faith’s voice came from the drone.
“I note that Sin is not with you,” Faith said in a scolding tone.
“I can’t see what your failure of a brother has to do with anything.” Vex snapped. “And what trouble.” Vex shot a look to her brother, who went on high alert.”
“My brother was sent with you in large part because he disables most scrying around him. His anomalous nature means that while he is near you, all scrying attempts on you will fail.”
“Damn it.” Vex spat. “And you’re only telling me this now?!” Her eyes shot around her, seeking the danger. She could put two and two together.
“Having seen into your future, this was the surest way that you would take the information to heart. In most other methods I could have used to express this to you, would have resulted in you discarding him in one gamble or another; in most instances, you are then tracked and captured or killed. You have a high likelihood of succeeding in this brawl… As long as you have Mister Stehling.”
Vex checked her Black Hound Brand mentally and found Mesarra was still far off and to the north. Tro snapped his fingers to get Vex’s attention, then pointed into the crowd across the street. Fee Fee glared at Vex from across the street. There was vengeance in the Fury’s eyes.
“Damn it!” Vex cursed. “You’re faster than me, Bro. I need you to track down the metal idiot.” She commanded Trouble. “Tell him to suit up and come in swinging.”
Trouble dropped to all fours and bolted in the direction of Ex like a hound on the chase. Vex pulled her Witch’s hat from her head and brought it down for Potato to crawl into safety. With her brother gone and her pet safe, she could unload.
Vex drew her hex-gun, pointed it skyward, and fired two shots. The crowd emptied on reflex, leaving only an ash and ember-eyed Fury cracking her gauntleted knuckles one hand at a time. Vex just had to buy time.
The scene does a great job showing Vex’s personality—her stubbornness, sarcasm, and stress from the curse make her feel very alive. What exactly are the “Roses,” and why are they specifically targeting Vex?
Vex is on the run from the Order of the Gilded Rose. While it will be explained later, I don't mind a spoiler: Vex was kidnapped by the Order, and convinced to work for them as a tracked Adventurer. They want their "property" back.
Thank you for the explanation! That backstory about Vex being kidnapped and forced to work for the Order makes the tension in the scene make a lot more sense, especially why they’re so determined to track her down. It definitely adds a darker layer to her situation and makes her struggle feel even more intense. Also, I was wondering—would you be comfortable connecting with readers on another platform to discuss the story in more depth? I’d really enjoy talking more about the worldbuilding and your writing process if you’re open to it!
Of course!!! I love discussing my work with fans. I'm always looking to improve my work. You can hit me up on Discord. There's a link to my server on my Anogwin page, or you can search my pen name, Valravn D. Just let me know you're a fan and not some scammer trying to sell me art... again.