The Oathsworn

by Liandra Jake

  [X]

  A massive downpour drenched anyone who dared step outside. Hunter stared gloomily out his window. "It just keeps coming down."

  "You really shouldn't stare at it like that. It'll put you in a bad mood." Juilio, the band's drummer said. The seven of them were chilling in Hunter's room, spread out and doing their own thing.

  Stiller "Sterling" Karpender and Martin "Moth-man" Lewis, the roadies and soundmen, were playing a game on the only T.V. Faus and Caus Kileik were looking over the band's instruments. Starlik Cross, the only one who could play bass, was napping in the corner. Hunter didn't reply to Juilio. A single car drove by.

  "Do you think it will stop in time for our next gig?" Faus asked as he fiddled with his keyboard.

  "It should clear in a few days. Maybe then Hunter would be out of this funk." Juilio replied.

  "Mmm." Hunter said at the mention of his name, still looking out at the dark and wet city. His phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling off his headphones, he answered. "Yeah?"

  "Wanna grab some drinks?" Rusty asked. Kyrel could be heard yelling in the background.

  "No. I'm not really in the mood right now." Hunter replied.

  "That's okay, but if you keep staring out that window I'll throw you through it." Rusty said. Hunter glanced down at the road. Rusty was waving from his car, drenched to the bone. Hunter smirked.

  "C'mon already! We need someone to keep us in line!" Kyrel yelled, his face pressed against the back window.

  "Yeah! The Duke commands you!" Duke yelled.

  "We are all here, a true gentleman's event!" Pike called out, his peculiar accent piercing though the chaotic mess that came though the phone.

  "ALRIGHT, alright!" Hunter exclaimed, waking Starlik. "If it's really such a big deal, I'll come." Hunter shut his phone.

  "What's going on?" Starlik asked.

  "Some sort of guy's night out." Hunter replied.

  "Oh. We'll make sure to lock up when we leave." Starlik said as he laid his head back against the sofa.

  "Have fun!" Faus said as Hunter left the room.

  Hunter pulled his headphones back on and headed for the ladder sticking out of the middle of the hall floor. He quickly made his way down seven floors until he could use the elevator. As he stepped out, he saw Rusty and the others waving frantically through the new glass doors. They had moved the car so Hunter could hop in easier.

  Hunter walked across the empty lobby. He stepped though the doors and hurried to the car. Everything around him was drenched, and by the time he squeezed into Rusty's car, he was as well. The air in the car was warm and uncomfortably humid. Hunter sat next to Rusty facing the back seat on the floor of the car. He shut the door and Rusty started forward.

  "Where are we headed?" Hunter asked.

  "The usual place; the Blue Brick Battle Bar." Rusty replied.

  Hunter chuckled softly. "That name never gets old." Rusty's normal speed was impossible on the slick roads, but he had no qualms on drifting around the corners as fast as he could.

  By the time they arrived at the B'B'B'B', Hunter and the others were bruised and sore. Kyrel stumbled headfirst out of the car. "You think you could have driven a little smoother?" He asked as he stood up and stretched.

  Rusty stepped out of the car onto the sidewalk. He had parked directly in front of the building. "Get inside already. This rain is insane." Rusty replied as he hurried inside.

  Soon all ten of them were seated a pair of tables. Even in the civilian section, the bar was relatively empty. The waitress that had served Arend stood facing the two tables.

  "I take it ya'll are going to want the usual?" She asked.

  "Not me my fine lady, I am the driver for the return trip." Pike said from the closest seat.

  "So what will you have?" She asked.

  "Some tea will be fantastic." Pike replied with a smile.

  "Riiight. Your drinks should be here shortly." She paused. "Where's the grey-haired kid from before?"

  "He left to do some training. He should be back eventually." Rusty replied.

  "Good for him. He's too slim to be an effective fighter. A few extra pounds would really help him out." She said before walking away.

  "About that kid, how come he's off training after only one request?" Tawny asked.

  "Because he lost to Alexander in the Hunter tournament, remember?" Nate said. Tawny shrugged.

  "I wouldn't call it a loss." Vladd cut in.

  The others looked surprised. "I thought you hated him." Jacob said.

  Vladd scoffed. "I have respect for him. The bastard cut a Legendary Weapon. I may not agree on his points, or trust him so easily as you all seem to be able to do, but I have to admit when he's got me beat." Vladd snagged his drink from the tray she brought back.

  "The rest should be ready in a sec." The waitress said as she passed out three more drinks and headed back to the bartender.

  "Can't argue with that I guess, except maybe the trust part. He paid me all of the winnings he made from the tournament to cover part of his debt." Jacob said as he chugged part of his drink.

  "What debt?" Kyrel asked.

  "His True Safeguard was going to pay for a new condenser, but Arend promised me a Maxim Vulcanus in exchange for it. His money has gone into a savings for a two and a half million Ere machine." Jacob replied. Kyrel nodded.

  The waitress brought the last six orders, including Pike's tea. "Now then, it's time for an announcement!" Rusty stood up with one leg on his chair. "I've been accepted into the first Drive-powered Cross Country race!"

  "Congrats!" Kyrel called out, raising his glass. Rusty sat down once the soft applause of the few people in the bar died down.

  "So that's the reason you brought us all together." Vladd said as he sipped his drink.

  "Yep. You, Nate, Jacob, and Tawny are in charge of maintenance. Kyrel and Cris are my back up drivers if something happens, Pike and Duke will be handling security."

  "And me?" Hunter asked.

  "More importantly, why do we have to be involved?" Vladd asked.

  "Because I already signed you all up. It's a Guild-only event." Rusty replied. He turned to Hunter. "You're going to race as my partner!" Rusty said with a thumbs up.

  "How long will this race be?" Cris asked.

  "Here to the Southern Mountains." Rusty replied.

  "That's almost three days from here!" Tawny exclaimed.

  "If we travel at eighty miles an hour. Your forget Guang Blau's top speed is two-sixty right now. With a little work, we can boost that further; maybe even up to three hundred." Rusty replied.

  "When is the race?" Nate asked.

  "Two days from now. Whether or not the rain stops by then, we'll be on that starting line." Rusty replied.

  "What's in it for us?" Duke asked.

  "30,000 Ere each along with the blueprints of the other cars, their Drives, and the originals from the creator of the Drive." Rusty replied. "We also get permission to use Drives in anything we create or produce."

  "That's a lot for just a race." Kyrel said.

  "How exactly were you allowed to make Guang Blau and the Cold Steam if you didn't have permission?" Vladd asked.

  "The Cold Steam was an experiment and doesn't have any Drive function. It was meant to test the limits of the Drive itself, and we actually don't get any profit out of it." Tawny replied with a half shrug.

  "That and they don't know about it." Rusty said with a wink.

  "What about that Arend fellow? Didn't he gain a fandom by creating a Drive or something?" Pike asked.

  "Yeah well…" Rusty shrugged nervously.

  "He got a little flak on that one." Tawny laughed.

  "The only reason I didn't get sued is because 'his designs were too advanced for me to come up with.'" Rusty retorted.

  "So that's why those men in suits showed up and asked for you?" Vladd asked.

  "Yes. And frankly they could have done much worse than insult my abilities." Rusty grumbled.

  "So th
en," Kyrel leaned onto Rusty's shoulder. "Shall we stop moping and griping and start with the celebrations?"

  He received a medley of positive exclamations from everyone. Rusty raised his glass lazily in agreement. "Let's get shit faced drunk then." Rusty said before chugging his drink.

  As everyone around him got progressively drunker, Hunter quietly sipped his drink and thought to himself. 'I wonder how Kronth has been holding up.'

  - - Journeys - -

  "Yeah, I know that! Just give him the damn kibble already!" Kronth exclaimed.

  "Fine-fine! Calm down why don't cha'!?" Her brother, Kurt, said as he dumped the remaining food from the bag and into a large metal container.

  King gave him no quarter and nearly tackled him to get to the food. Beside him, Oragè calmly ate his food out of a matching container. Kronth had brought King along to meet her parents. Her brother was annoyed he was going through three bags of kibble a day. Oragè only needed one, but King needed no less than two or else he would get agitated.

  "This'll put me in the red if he keeps eating like that." Kurt grumbled as he rolled up the bag and tossed it with the others in an unused stall. They were in a barn on the family estate. The concrete floor was covered in straw. Kurt began sweeping up around the canines, depositing the straw in a second stall. "It's great you can visit and all, but the Pendragon is a pain." Kurt said.

  "His name is King. I suggest you start to respect him." Kronth warned as she tickled the chin of a winged serpent-like dragon on her shoulder. It chirped cheerfully and snuggled close to Kronth.

  "Listen Kronth, I know you can understand them, but don't forget they're just monsters." Kurt said as he finished his sweeping.

  Oragè only twitched his tails at his remark. Once King had finished, he swiped the container to the side and walked to the open end of the barn. "Where does he think he's going?" Kurt asked, glancing at Kronth.

  "Wherever damn well please." King replied with a dark look at Kurt as he passed. Kurt dropped the broom and stepped back rapidly, tripping into the swept straw.

  "Did I forget to mention that Pendragons don't have a language barrier?" Kronth asked with a chuckle. Once King had left the barn, Kurt hastily rolled the metal container to the wall and leaning it against it. He did the same with Oragè's. "You think they're back yet?" Kronth asked.

  "No idea, they've been gone a week before you got here." Kurt said as he started down the hall to her. "Why the urgency?" He asked as he popped up the broom into his hand.

  "There's some private things I need to discuss with them is all." Kronth replied, turning to the open end of the barn.

  "Oh?" Kurt said as he leaned close to her as they walked. "Does that mean you have another boyfriend?"

  Kronth pushed him away. "It may, but that's none of your business." Kronth replied.

  "Cassy and Joseph would have a field day if you did."

  "Are they here?" Kronth asked with a surprised look to Kurt.

  Kurt was a head taller than Kronth. He had a well defined upper body cloaked by a thin tank top and a pair of stringy legs were hidden in his faded blue overalls. They were rolled up just above a pair of black rubber boots.

  Kurt shook his head. "They have been talking about it, but have yet to show themselves. Looks like it's just you and me for now."

  The Shichland family owned a large spread of land, mostly grassy hills, at the foot of the Continental Mountain range sometimes referred to as the Southern Mountains. The range stretched across the entire edge of Karakas. Kronth and her siblings, in order of age; Kite the oldest brother, Claressa the oldest sister, Kirk the second son, Celelly the second daughter, Kurt, Kronth, Cassy, and finally Joseph.

  Stephen Shichland, their father, didn't want all his daughters' names to start with "C", and his sons' names to start with "K", but his wife and her side of the family insisted. He managed to declare Joseph's name before they could do otherwise. All eight of them rarely got together at the same time. The ranched consisted of various fenced off fields where both monsters and animals could roam freely. The main house was on the tallest hill on the property; one valley over from the barn.

  "So you think you could tell me something about 'him?'" Kurt asked.

  "I don't see why I need to. It's none of your business." Kronth replied.

  The winged serpent on her shoulder flew up into the sky. A shadow passed overhead; another one of the winged serpents. Kronth watched them fly away together.

  "Hey look," Kurt tapped on her shoulder and pointed to the dark northern horizon. "Looks like a nasty one."

  "Yeah. I noticed it brewing before I left Sareville. Isn't it time for lunch?" Kronth asked as she headed for the house.

  [X]

  Arend swore profusely. "I told you shorts were a bad idea." Richard said as he hacked though the briars in front of him.

  Michael helped Arend with the briars wrapped around his leg. "How much farther to Loushin?" Arend asked.

  "It should be fairly soon. If we stuck to the road, it would have taken another six hours." Richard replied.

  "Bah! It's not like we saved any time by coming though this mess." Arend said as he stomped the base of a patch of briars.

  "Watch your head." Richard warned as he pushed through a low hanging branch.

  Arend was promptly popped in the mouth by the flexible sapling. "That's it!" Arend exclaimed, throwing his hands up in defeat.

  He began digging through Michael's bag. "What are you doing!?" Michael exclaimed. Arend pulled out a small Korvan powered lantern. Detaching the base from the lass covering, he tossed the covering to Michael.

  Arend began to fidget with the Matrix, inserting two bright red Korvan from his bag. Pushing Richard aside, Arend turned the lantern on. A massive plume of flame shot out from the nozzle. Corenden watched curiously from above. With his makeshift flamethrower, Arend quickly burned a path through a mass of briars that turned out to be a large clearing filled with the spine-ed vines. Arend turned it off when the nozzle began to melt. The green briars didn't start any fires as they fizzled out.

  "Not what I was expecting, but still effective." Richard said as he returned the machete to Michael.

  Corenden floated down from above, picking through the large briars at the center of the clearing. He pulled a green stone with little black specks from out of the dirt.

  Arend rushed over. "It's a Korvan!" He exclaimed, looking it over before returning it to Corenden.

  "Think it's natural?" Corenden asked.

  "Who knows? It may come in handy." Arend replied.

  "Can I have my lamp back?" Michael asked.

  Arend removed his two Korvan and tossed the lamp back to Michael. "The city is about a mile from here. The forest thins out significantly as well." Corenden said.

  "Correct. They've harvested lumber here for a long time and they don't let this section of the forest get too dense." Richard replied as he led the way.

  Arend took the time to explain something about Korvan. "Since Korvan in itself is crystallized energy, too many, or strong Korvan of one kind in one place can alter the area round it. Like those briars back there. The Korvan Corenden found may have been there a long time, long enough to create that massive clearing of briars. The likelihood the Korvan itself is natural is low. Those briars can't absorb enough Orenth to crystallize."

  "So fire Korvan could cause droughts, deserts and even volcanoes?" Michael asked.

  "Possibly. If the Korvan is strong enough or there are enough of them." Arend replied.

  Richard rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How come if Korvan can alter the environment like that a city like Fírstŏn isn't inhabitable?"

  "Fírstŏn?" Arend asked.

  "It's a city back in Karakas, west of Sareville. The city's Guild uses solely fire Korvan, and create many of them there." Richard replied.

  "It may be an unknown human element, or some other factor that would affect how Korvan work. It's not really my strong point." Arend replied.

  "Then what
is?" Michael asked. "You have a wide range of knowledge about Korvan, but you keep on saying something is not your 'strong point.'"

  "'Kruxsetting; the process of placing Korvan into a Matrix in order to achieve a desired effect or to produce work.'" Arend replied.

  "Don't quote it at me! What part of Kruxsetting are you good at?" Michael demanded.