by J E Reed
“Maltack?”
“Is that you Kiuno?” It was her turn to run, to wrap her arms around someone she’d been praying would survive. After everything she’d suffered, after all the sleepless nights, she miraculously found herself in the presence of three people she loved dearly.
Maltack had been a young man of sixteen when they met, but he seemed to possess the maturity of someone older than herself. He was smart, level headed and navigated people much like Scorpios did. Always watching, learning. That was two years ago.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
“Out searching for all of you.”
Scorpios interrupted as she wiped away tears. “She’s injured, perhaps you can take a look?”
“Of course.” Maltack gestured her forward and they came upon a dying fire.
“Mal has learned a lot concerning things of a medical nature. He should be able to help your shoulder,” Scorpios said.
She followed him to the fire where Blue fed it to give them light. Scorpios sat against a nearby tree, observing. Kiuno cringed as he pulled back the bloody cloth and she fed her arm through the sleeve. Liam hovered, his worry palpable, watching Maltack’s every move.
“Anyone else would need a lot of stitches,” Maltack said.
“Anyone else?” Instead of replying, a faint light emitted from his fingertips, and an itching sensation crawled beneath her skin. In the firelight, she could see the area patch itself together.
“I won’t be able to heal it completely, but it’ll be enough to stop the bleeding. It should just feel bruised come morning.” He rubbed a salve over it and helped her slip her arm back in the sleeve.
“That’s a relief,” Blue said.
“What about her ribs?” Scorpios asked.
Maltack moved his hands over her sides, prodding the tender areas. She winced, but tried to stay still. “They’re all right, bruised I’m sure, but nothing is broken.”
“I’m surprised,” Kiuno said. “You shouldn’t hit people so hard, Scorp.”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t lurk through the woods at night.”
Blue interrupted, “So tell us where you’ve been, how did you end up here?”
Kiuno hesitated, anything up to that point included Elliott and Kikyo. “For now, let’s just say it’s been a long journey.”
They were silent, exchanging glances before Scorpios spoke. “In any case, we’re glad to see you alive and well. I ran across Blue in the second realm, then we found Maltack in the third. As of now, we haven’t come across anyone else. Have you been able to locate Elite or Silver?”
She shook her head. “There were people that talked about someone looking for me, but I don’t know who they were. That was back at the beginning.”
Blue said, “You think they stayed back or—”
“I think they’re moving toward the front. We met some recruiters about a month in, but they hadn’t heard of them. We were one of the last they visited from the first realm.”
“Have you been told anything about the front?”
“Very little.”
“They’ve amassed a few groups with their own leads. Smaller armies line the borders that operate on their own terms. They worked together to break through to the fifth realm. From what I understand they’ll be there for a while,” Scorpios said.
“They pushed forward through winter?”
He nodded. “I’ve talked to a few recruiters and they’re pressing everyone along. The first realm has been cleared, at least as far as they can tell. The second is almost empty, though my information could be dated. Many are afraid to move to the more dangerous realms, especially with the amassing violence and murders.”
“It’s gotten worse?”
He sighed. “Unfortunately. It’s my hope that supplies and food are the main motivators, but that doesn’t always seem the case. We believe that’s what happened to the little village over there.”
“Are you sure they aren’t still around?”
“We didn’t find anyone. The fire is pretty dim, and coals will burn for a while.”
“I can’t believe this is what we’ve come to.”
“It’s the world we live in now.” Silence followed, the crickets singing their nightly song. Blue moved back from the fire, folded his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes.
“I’ll take first watch.” Scorpios stood and sat beneath a tree, placing his staff over his knees.
Kiuno walked closer to the flames and sat beside Liam, pulling her blanket from their pack. She imagined he felt uneasy being around strangers. She laid back and winced when she tried to lay on her side. Everything hurt, but exhaustion brought sleep, and she drifted off into the realm of nightmares.
REALM: 4
DAY: 200
Kiuno ran through the unrelenting darkness, a veil covering her vision. She searched for those missing, mind swirling in uncertainty. She had to find them, to prevent this threatening abyss from swallowing them forever.
She turned—
They stood at a distance, laughing amongst themselves. Blue playfully pushed Scorpios at some joke he made. Why couldn’t they see the danger that surrounded them, the demons crawling from the shadows? Kiuno cried in desperation, but her voice remained mute as the flames lashed out and seared their bodies.
Blood dripped from an arrow.
A blade pierced tender flesh.
She bolted upright screaming, her heart racing as beads of sweat rolled down her face. Kiuno’s eyes scanned the tree line, and everyone was on their feet, weapons drawn.
Silence. Nobody moved until they gradually calmed, turning to her in question. She shook her head apologetically. They looked at her concerned, but laid down and attempted to rest once again.
Scorpios sat against a tree in silence, the only one who hadn’t jumped to his feet. She shuffled over to him and sat down. “I can take over.”
“You didn’t sleep long.”
“I won’t be able to now.”
Questions hung in the air and she shifted, uncertain. Perhaps she shouldn’t be so at ease with them. She’d known these people in a game. A world where none had interacted much beyond those imaginary borders. Who was to say it hadn’t all been a façade? They shared the occasional story about their lives, but did she know them on a personal level? Her eyes drifted between them. Each seemed comfortable around the other, but what if—
“You’ve been through a lot,” he said. She remained silent. “What were you dreaming about?”
“Someone I lost.” He didn’t comment, so she continued. “I met them in the first realm. I think Elliott reminded me of you in a way. He always kept an eye out.”
“You said them?” She smiled to herself. Same old Scorpios. She’d never been able to get anything by him.
“Kikyo was much younger. Around my age.”
“You bonded with them.”
“I did. They taught me everything I know.”
Scorpios looked off into the night, to a place beyond the trees. She was afraid he might ask for more details, things she wasn’t quite ready to recount.
“This world is dangerous.” His eyes fell to his staff, and he wrapped one hand around it. “This idea of a weapon is a joke, even for people like us who know how to use them. A blade could easily slice through it. I’m glad you thought to alter your own, especially with us headed to the front.”
“It was a gift.” Always observant. Considerate. She thanked his switch in conversation. “You plan on coming with me?”
“I can’t let you wander away now that we’ve found you. We’ve been trying to track down our former team. If you think Elite is headed toward the bigger alliances, then that’s where we’ll go. There’s too many untrustworthy people out there for friends to separate.”
“I know.”
“Have you been taught to use a sword?”
“Just the basics.” Kiuno didn’t want to elaborate. The thought of murdering anyone again left a bitter taste in her mouth. Regardle
ss of their intension, killing someone wasn’t the best option. Back home, it never would have happened.
“Then I’ll teach you.”
“You can do that too?” The way he used the staff was beyond anything she’d seen so far. Was he as good with a sword?
“I’m a bit rusty, but I spent several years training. I’m sure it’ll come back to me.”
“How about Blue?”
“If you remember, he practiced in the martial arts as well. Kama’s are more his thing, and he’s good with them. No reason for him to change. He can use a bow, but I think most have picked up that skill as a necessity.”
“Was such a strange weapon just lying around?”
“No. He had a blacksmith make them. It was before we realized metal was scarce in the first realms.”
“Is it more abundant now?”
“You could say that. I think the creators have a hand in the way things were distributed. I imagine they wanted to see who could survive without metal first.”
“That’s barbaric.”
“Indeed.”
“What about Maltack? Are you teaching him?” Kiuno tried to recall if he’d had a weapon.
Scorpios laughed. “Yes, but I don’t really need to.”
“Why?”
“He defends himself with magic.”
Kiuno breathed a sigh of relief. “What kind?”
“Everything.”
Her brows raised. “What do you mean?”
“He can manipulate all the elements and heal as well, though that particular skill is somewhat limited.”
“Is that why you weren’t burned?”
“Exactly, he protects us from the rear and usually settles most fights before they begin. You caught us off guard. Blue had simply gone out to relieve himself.”
“In my defense, he attacked first.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
She’d been worried over Maltack for nothing. If he could use all the elements that made him one of the most valuable people in the game. He could create barriers, attack, heal—
“What color is his stone?”
“It resembles an opal. Have him show you in the morning.”
Not blue then.
“You know. Mal hasn’t stopped worrying about you since we figured out you’d be here.”
She felt the same. Kiuno looked at Maltack and Liam curled next to the fire. Both were gentle at heart and would hopefully form a strong friendship. They needed strong bonds if they were going to survive this place with their sanity.
THEY LEFT with first light, putting some distance between themselves and the burnt village. Each step made her feel more at ease. Scorpios said they’d reach the void by evening and her heart sped with the news. They were almost there. Almost to Elite.
Scorpios yawned as they walked, and she wished he would have let her take over, but their conversation had been a welcome distraction. Unlike herself, he remembered exactly what he’d been doing seconds before appearing in a forest. He’d been getting his young son ready for school when the world spun out of control.
At first, he hadn’t been sure what to make of it. He thought he might have been hallucinating or perhaps was killed and brought to the afterlife. Without an explanation and nothing else to do, Scorpios wandered and found a settlement that, just as her own, couldn’t provide answers.
“How did you say you ran into Mal?” she asked.
“It wasn’t until the third realm. When I saw what looked to be a firework display, I got curious.”
“Fireworks?”
“It was the first time we’d encountered magic. Fire was shooting in all directions and it seemed items were being thrown from thin air.” He couldn’t suppress a smile.
“What did you do?”
“Helped the poor kid of course. He seemed to be holding his own, but these—” he paused, “things, were chasing him. He’d been traveling on his own, mostly observing and had about as much information as I did. He’s quite amazing.” The pair looked at their young friend who held an odd expression.
“You give me too much credit,” Maltack said.
Scorpios laughed. “Rather, not nearly enough. I can’t count the times you’ve had our backs.”
“That’s gone both ways,” Maltack reminded him.
Kiuno couldn’t help but smile. Their playfulness and ease around one another reminded her of happier times. It was only meant to be a game, something she’d dabble with occasionally. Her cousin had been the one to introduce her to it and convinced her to create an alliance. Before anyone knew what happened, they’d turned into a family.
Good times, bad times, they shared it all. Maybe they were the same, maybe she had nothing to worry about. Maybe for once, she could breathe.
“Scorp told me about your stone,” she said.
Maltack shifted his pack and pulled back his sleeve. It was a beautiful, almost transparent opal, with fire shooting through the core. Various shades of blue and green lined the red in a powerful display.
“Beautiful,” she said.
“We’ve come across a few that were similar, but none of them could use all the elements. Even Mal has trouble with earth and he can’t use water unless there’s a source,” Scorpios said.
“Is water created from the body’s energy like fire?” she asked.
Maltack shook his head. “Those that use it generally pull the molecules from the air, but I find it too slow. I imagine if they were in a desert, they couldn’t use it at all.”
“That makes sense. How does earth work?”
“By pulling from the ground, but it’s—” he paused, searching for the right word, “heavy.”
She laughed.
“I noticed your fire was a little strange, do you know why?” Maltack asked.
“What do you mean?”
He seemed to think. “Everyone I’ve come across uses it directly, but yours doesn’t follow a pattern I could grasp.”
She glanced at Liam, remembering Vincent’s mention of something similar. If Maltack could manipulate magic, then he should be able to explain a few things but—she gripped her wrist. Kikyo wanted her to keep it hidden.
These people were her friends, but could she trust that they hadn’t changed? What if they reacted like Tyler? Scorpios would be strong enough to subdue her and with Maltack at his side, the magic wouldn’t help. Then there was Liam’s safety to consider.
“Kiuno?” Scorpios caught her attention and his eyes shifted to her wrist.
Shit.
She tried to force a smile. “Sorry, lost in my thoughts, I’m not sure, I’ve never had much control.”
“What color is your stone? he asked.
Her heart jumped as she tried to divert her eyes from Scorpios. He already knew something was up. How could she deter them without causing suspicion? Should she just tell the truth?
Kiuno took a calming breath. “It’s nothing special, just a cloudy red.” For a moment she thought he wouldn’t buy it.
“I haven’t run across anyone unable to control it. I’m sure there will be others once we reach the front that can explain it better.”
She turned back to Scorpios, but his intense gaze hadn’t shifted. He knew. He knew she was lying. She hadn’t been able to lie to him in a game, what made her think she’d be able to in person?
“You don’t have any control?” It wasn’t the question she expected. Her gaze drifted to Liam. When were his bandages last changed? All eyes fixated on her until Liam caught her stare.
“I’m fine Kiuno.”
She sighed. “Not much, I burned Liam a few days ago when we were attacked.”
“How bad?” Maltack asked, turning to the boy.
“Bad enough to scar,” she said, feeling sick with herself.
Liam waved both hands, trying to deter Maltack. “I’m fine, really, there’s no need to get worked up—”
Maltack grabbed his wrist, making him wince. “Burns can get infected, let me look at it.”
>
She watched in wonderment as Maltack unwrapped the bandage, cleaned the wound and set to work on knitting the skin.
“How bad is the control?” Scorpios asked.
“I can send it in a general direction, but after that I lose connection.”
“Are the wild flames harmful to you?”
She shook her head. “Just things around me.”
They watched Maltack re-wrap Liam’s arm. “Can you predict how far they travel?”
“Not really.”
Scorpios approached the boys. They’d moved to sit on a fallen log. “Mal, we’ll need you to shield us if Kiuno has to use her magic.”
He looked back at Liam’s arm. “I can try, but it might be better if she doesn’t use it at all. It burns hotter than others I’ve encountered and blocking all four of us will be hard.”
Scorpios rubbed his chin. “Then we’ll distance ourselves. I hope to avoid confrontation, but if it comes down to it…”
She nodded. “I’ll be careful.” They shouldn’t be having this conversation. Her friends should be able to rely on her.
“Don’t think on it too much,” Scorpios said. “Remember, Maltack can shield us long enough for you to get space if the time comes.”
“Now that that’s out of the way,” Blue interrupted. “How are you feeling?”
Everyone turned to her as they remembered what happened last night. She’d been trying to hide her discomfort.
“I think I know what it feels like to be hit by a truck.” The group laughed.
“If you need to rest, let us know.” Blue said a little more seriously.
“I’ll be all right, it won’t stop me from walking.”
“Until Scorpios tries to take out your knee,” Blue snickered.
“I’ve apologized a hundred times.”
Upon her confused look, Blue explained. “We were sparring and Scorp took a cheap shot, sweeping me with his staff. Let’s just say wood colliding with your leg is not a pleasant feeling.”
“I assumed you’d be able to block, don’t blame me for your lack of focus.”
“I blame your speed. Wait till you spar him Kiuno, you’ll know what I mean.”