The Oathsworn

by Liandra Jake

  "Then we have to ask ourselves, is it worth the risk of possible Guild war to protect him?" Kronth asked. "I don't know about what you guys think, but I think he's been though too much hell already to deal with what Axis might put him through."

  "I don't care what the cost is. He said it was a Great War remnant, but I didn't think it would be a possible cause of one of them. An army of people who can take that kind of abuse untrained would be almost unstoppable. We have to protect him." Hunter said.

  "Who are you to decide such things?" Kronth demanded.

  Francis, the bouncer, sat down where Arend was. "It's my break, what are you discussing?" He asked.

  "Fighting Axis to prevent possible war and further experiments on Arend." Hunter replied.

  "Jesus Christ that's dark." Francis exclaimed.

  A man draped in shadow appeared from behind Hunter. Only their table seemed to notice him. "Nem!" Nate exclaimed with a horrified look.

  "Make sure he uses this somehow." He said as he set a stone into Hunter's hands and disappeared.

  Hunter looked down at it. It was a grey that matched Arend' hair. Around where Hunter made contact with it, orange webbing appeared in the stone.

  "Let's keep this to ourselves okay? I'll tell Kyrel later." Hunter said as he slipped the stone into his pocket.

  The five of them each held out consecutive fingers in a circle, with Kronth placing her whole hand on top of the circle to make five. They broke the circle and scattered. Nate stayed for his drinks with Jenifer, Kronth left, and Francis returned to work. Hunter walked out of the bar to get to his own business.

  -Drive!-

  "You really live here?" Kyrel asked, looking around the back room of Mr. Prickett's shop.

  "More or less." Arend replied as he packed his belongings into his bag. "We turn on the crystallizer and grind up trash we collect from our work to heat up the place in winter."

  "That explains the boxes of trash and the logic of a crate of Korvan." Kyrel as he began playing with a rolling chair.

  Arend tossed his filled bag at Kyrel along with a military grade duffel bag as he rolled by. "I don't have much else, but we'll have to wait for my uncle." Arend said as he retrieved a second rolling chair.

  "Have you tried the surfing position?" Kyrel asked as he placed one foot on the top of the back of the chair, pushing it down and bending it backwards. A gentle breeze pushed him around the room. Leaning in as he took a corner, two of the wheels of raised into the air.

  "Sorry, but I can't do that." Arend said as he pushed off of the wall. As he rolled across the room, he spun a few times.

  "That's too bad; then again, it's hard to control it this way." Kyrel say as he and the breeze passed Arend.

  Arend turned to the doorway when the bell on the door ringed. "Uncle?" Arend called to the front room.

  Mr. Prickett was hanging his coat by the door. "Arend? Why was the door locked?" He asked.

  "I was out for a bit." Arend replied as he hopped over the counter.

  "Okay then." He said, glancing at Arend' bandaged head.

  Kyrel, with Arend' stuff in hand, rolled through the doorway at a quick speed. The wheels caught on the lip of the uneven floors between the two rooms and Kyrel was sent flying. Colliding with Arend, the pair was sent sprawling onto the shop floor.

  "Are you leaving?" Mr. Prickett asked when he saw Arend' bags.

  "Yup!" Kyrel exclaimed as he jumped up.

  Mr. Prickett raised an eyebrow. "BluZeph?" He said.

  Kyrel quickly pulled out a pair of large orange sunglasses that looked like a pair of two obtuse triangles joined at a single point. His eyes both turned to dark orange as the sunglasses tinted.

  "Ow!" Arend exclaimed as he stood up. "Next time watch where you're going Kyrel!" Arend exclaimed as he picked up his stuff.

  "Arend, where did you meet a BluZeph?" Mr. Prickett asked.

  "BluZeph?" Arend asked slowly.

  "It's my family name." Kyrel replied before Mr. Prickett could open his mouth.

  "Oh. I met him down the street at the Battle Bar." Arend explained.

  "I take it you're in a Guild?" Mr. Prickett asked. Kyrel didn't reply. "It doesn't matter." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Arend, I have something for you before you leave." Mr. Prickett said as he walked up a staircase at the end of the store.

  "What's with those?" Arend asked, pointing at Kyrel's sunglasses.

  "Something you wouldn't understand." Kyrel replied. Arend frowned.

  Mr. Prickett came back down the stairs before he could ask about it again. He was holding a brown leather satchel filled to about the size of Arend' fist. "Throughout my time in this city, I managed to obtain a large amount of rare items. I think you could use them better than I could." He said as he gave it to Arend. "Good luck Arend. You're going to need it to handle whatever Guild could interest a BluZeph."

  Arend placed the bulging satchel into his already stuffed bag.

  "I suggest you get going before I make more work for you." Mr. Prickett said with a crooked smile.

  "Aye!" Arend exclaimed as they hurried out the door.

  Kyrel had Arend' bag slung over his shoulder. "I take it you have a problem with your eyes?" Arend asked as they walked back towards the Battle Bar.

  Kyrel didn't reply.

  Arend confronted Kyrel. "We're not going anywhere until you tell me." Arend said.

  "Arend, I'd rather not talk about it." Kyrel replied.

  Arend snatched Kyrel's sunglasses off his face. The sunlight blinded him briefly. "Give those back!" Kyrel yelled angrily.

  "Tell me why your eyes and family name make you so upset!" Arend replied.

  "Because they shun me!" Kyrel exclaimed angrily. "Because of this orange eye, I don't have the eyesight the rest of my family does. They cast me out as weak and don't include me in the family business unless they have to. I got tired of people recognizing my odd eyes so I hid them with those sunglasses." Kyrel grabbed the sunglasses back and put them on his face.

  "If your orange eye is a mutation, then how did my uncle recognize you?" Arend asked.

  Kyrel paused. "That's a good point. This mutation is a closely guarded secret. How did he know?" Kyrel said aloud to himself.

  "He didn't care who you were anyway. I don't see how you should worry about how people treat you for your oddity. It's not like it changes how you think or behave." Arend said.

  "How would you know that?" Kyrel asked.

  "The way you behave and look. Even now, you attract people's attention with how you look. It would be easier to get a contact then wear those sunglasses." Arend replied.

  "Look who's talking." Kyrel snorted as he brushed past Arend.

  "Do you know what my family name is?" Arend asked. Kyrel stopped and looked back. "Myshcell. I personally don't know much about them. I looked them up, but not much was listed. You're lucky enough to know your family. All I have is my memories and a list of family member names." Arend said. Kyrel blinked.

  "Myshcell? I haven't heard anything about them myself. But I don't see your point." Kyrel replied.

  "My point is: get over it. You have a family who has a history; I have literally nothing to tell me about who I come from. I might a high risk to a disease or like your family, a genetic trait that gives me an advantage, or enemies who do know my family and might come after me. I have no idea. If your family can't get over a difference of eye color, then they aren't your true family. Accept that they're a bunch of shallow assholes and don't let them make you worry about your image." Arend replied.

  Kyrel shook his head. "Let's drop this and move on. If it makes you leave me alone, I'll talk to my younger sister to get an update on the family matters." He said as he walked down the street.

  "So what is your Guild called anyway?" Arend asked after a short silence.

  "Dragon's Den. It's not that big and isn't very well known. We might get a mention somewhere, but it's usually brushed aside for more interesting news." Kyrel replied. "
Our ride should be here shortly." He said as they crossed the street to the Battle Bar.

  "Ride?" Arend asked.

  The loud squealing of tires could be heard as a car flew around the corner. As the driver accelerated out of the turn, yellow smoke billowed from the tires. After a brief shredding of the pavement, the car came within a hundred feet of Arend and Kyrel. The driver wiggled the car and slid to a halt by the side walk. It was very sharp in design with numerous flat edges.

  The car body was slivery white, with a blue line that cut across the length of the car, bursting towards the back. A pair of acute angles created an arrow towards the front. It was a two door built like a rally car. The mud flaps swung back and forth from the fast driving and sudden stop. It appeared to have 'hips' as the frame bent around the doubled up tires in the front and back. The door popped open. A man about Arend' age and a little taller than him stepped out. He had short brown hair and reddish brown eyes.

  "So this is the new recruit eh?" He asked, glancing at Kyrel as he looked at Arend.

  He was dressed head to toe in blue. A dark blue jacket with a grey shield set on a red dragon with its wings spread to either side was stitched across his chest. And one his right shoulder. Arend noticed the same symbol on different parts of the car as he walked around it. He also had a pair of matching gloves and a pair of blue jeans ripped at the knees. His neon, electric blue sneakers stuck out from the rest of his outfit. A pair of blue, faceted goggles were on his forehead.

  "The name's Rusty Johnson." He said as Arend rounded the car. He held out his hand.

  "Arend Myshcell." Arend replied.

  "Are you sure this one can handle the pressure you put on it?" Kyrel asked, looking at the car.

  "Unlike the last four, this one operates solely on Korvan. I got a gas back up if that ever fails." Rusty replied.

  "Is it electric?" Arend asked.

  "Of course not! This baby's built with a modified Drive." Rusty replied.

  "Drive?" Arend asked, intrigued.

  "Let me show you." Rusty said as he raised the hood.

  A large octagonal box frame was anchored to the middle of the engine housing. A small gasoline engine was tucked in the corner. Set in the metal box were five Korvan, four set in a metal ring that rotated freely and a fifth in the middle. The mechanics to the device were hidden behind a thin layer of metal.

  "The four in the outer ring is what controls all the attributes of the wheels; speed and brake intensity among other things. The one in the center acts like computer that delivers my input from the buttons on the steering wheel and dashboard to each outer Korvan individually. This allows me to control every aspect of my vehicle. The design of it uses the natural flow of Orenth from the Korvan to make its power, which is delivered straight to each wheel which has even smaller Drives to make them spin. The torque I get from it is amazing." Rusty explained.

  Arend reached down and touched one of the Korvan. It spun in its socket along with the ring it was set in. "I see… So the loose socket allows the Korvan to shift polarity as it wants. This reacts with the field generated by the spinning ring passing over an alloy of Uxium coating a Fluxitite crystal's field. The contradiction of these fields makes them push each other away, and then as they pass, an admantinium plate negates the field's affects, letting the next Korvan pass over it before the fields collide again. The central Korvan controls when the plate covers the alloy coated crystal, preventing the fields from twisting too much and binding up the engine. It's kind of like a turbine." Arend said with little pause for breath.

  Rusty was speechless. Kyrel was looking at him like he was crazy. "It took me a week to figure that out! And another to get the assembly right! In less than thirty seconds you figured that out and act like its child's experiment! That technology is state of the art, you have no idea the hell I went through to get the blueprints needed to make it!" Rusty exclaimed.

  "And I can make it work better." Arend replied, tapping the Korvan. Rusty was shocked again.

  "Who the fuck are you!?" He demanded.

  "A shut in Master Kruxsetter. And I'm not bragging about that title. Give me five minutes and not only will you get maximum output, you would be able push it to its limit to your heart's desire." Arend replied.

  "Go ahead; just tell me how you know you can do that!" Rusty replied.

  "As you know, a large number of variables attribute to a Korvan's unique Orenth field. Purity, Size, shape, and so one. " Arend explained.

  "Yeah yeah." Rusty said.

  "But did you know that your computing Enhancement Korvan has a different set of variables? Purity and the like are the basic set of variables. Rules that all Korvan follow. Enhancement Korvan however, are different. They have unique variables unseen in others. These variables are what give the user abilities. Like Kyrel's sunglasses, and your goggles. Enhancement Korvan is what increases your vision, or automatically tint when you put them on. They can interact with the Orenth flowing in your body.

  "Users of these Korvan don't realize that these Enhancement Korvan can be affected by your Orenth flow as well. Certain feelings or visions of colors can affect the Korvan. Even flavors or certain rhythms can trigger a change in the Korvan. And reversely as well. They can make you taste or hear things that aren't there or you normally can't." Arend explained as he scanned each Korvan in the Drive. "If I can make your Enhancement Korvan tune to the color blue, whenever you wear those goggles and all that blue clothing, the strength of the fields of both the crystals and Korvan will triple."

  "Good lord Arend. I don't think anyone can retain that kind of information." Kyrel said from the backseat of the car.

  "Well you should at least remember the important part. Dressing according to a theme or color that matches the Korvan you use will make it even stronger than before. Alexander knew this. I could tell from his clothes and the minute details the tournament people get from his Korvan. That's how I knew he could do such a powerful overheat while being Ranked so low." Arend explained.

  In exactly four minutes and forty five seconds, Arend had finished his work. "You ready to unleash this beast?" Arend asked.

  "As ready as I'll ever be!" Rusty replied.

  Arend climbed into the back seat, sitting on the left side. The car could seat a total of four. One up front for Rusty set in the middle of the car; three could sit in the backseat.

  Rusty climbed up front. "You ready for this Zeph?" Rusty asked Kyrel.

  "Get on with it already!" Kyrel replied.

  Pulling down his goggles, Rusty turned on the radio to hard rock and started the engine. All that could be heard of the engine was the spinning ring sliding against the metal it rested on. The car frame however, was shivering from the rapidly rotating Drive. "It seems a little unbalanced. I'll fix that when I get it back to the shop." Rusty said as he pushed down on the accelerator. From zero to sixty in the blink of an eye, the car shot forward like a rocket.

  "HOLY SHIT!" Kyrel exclaimed as they rounded a corner at seventy miles an hour.

  Rusty twisted a knob a dozen times to up the resistance of the accelerator. After rounding a few corners, they reached an on ramp to the gigantic highway system that ran over most of the city. Rusty immediately changed to a road meant only for high speed vehicles. Arend could see other cars on the lower roadways.

  "Let's see how fast we can go." Rusty said as he pushed down on the accelerator. A bright orange rally car flashed by them as it sped on its way.

  "Why is it so empty?" Arend asked as Rusty drove faster.

  "This is meant for Guild vehicles that can drive at insane speeds. Races are held every so often, most of them illegal but no cops would be able to do anything about it." Rusty explained as he pulled slowly past the orange rally car.

  About five people were crammed inside. A yellow fox was painted in flames on the side of the car. "Thermal Ignition. A Guild that races cars for a living." Kyrel explained.

  The driver glanced over at Rusty. He gave him a look of disgust an
d pushed something on his dashboard. The grill of the car slid open slightly to let in more air. They quickly pulled past Rusty.

  "Rusty, I think now would be the time to cut loose." Arend said as he watched the car drive past.

  Rusty grinned. "Alrighty, hold onto your stomachs!" Rusty exclaimed as he turned the accelerator's resistance all the way down and put the pedal to the floor board.

  All eight wheels let out a screech as they started to spin out. Rusty twisted something on his steering wheel and they shot forward so quickly they ignited the trail of rubber they left behind them. The driver of the orange rally car watched with a loose jaw as Rusty shot past them.

  "Two hundred and sixty!" Rusty called out as he started to turn.