by Liandra Jake
The bandits were imprisoned and the two boars were sent to the butchers. Arend was given some water and a cloth to clean himself off. He returned half the water with a "Thanks" before returning to his work.
Two hours later, Hunter returned with Hector. Half the wall had been completed, now leaving the top half and the raising of the gate. Arend was still working hard even though he was drenched and sweat and breathing heavily.
"I think you can handle the rest." Hunter said as he handed Hector a pink piece of paper. Hector nodded, using a nearby stone to sign it.
"The help is nice and all, but it would be best if you didn't return here. I've gotten too many complaints about his terrifying strength and what he did to those bandits doesn't help matters." Hector said with a nod at Arend. Hunter and Arend left without a wave back. They were back on a train headed straight home by five thirty.
Arend was out like a light as soon as he sat down in the seat. Hunter was forced to share due to a missing seat, taking the window side with Arend next to him. Hunter let him fall against him as he stared out the window in deep thought. He glanced briefly at Arend.
'Why do I find this so comfortable? I rarely step out of my circle of friends, and even then, I rarely fell much towards them. I know they'll protect me, and I feel the same in return, but there's nothing deeply emotional there. But with him,' Hunter looked back at Arend. 'I feel happy.'
A soft smile crept onto his face. 'I can't help but smile now. There's something about his presence that's changed. Something about being alone with him. He relaxes like everyone, but he still thinks about my feelings. He listens to what I have to say instead of just talking about himself.'
Arend shifted in his sleep, his head nestling against Hunter as the cabin rocked slightly. Hunter didn't move to do anything about it. 'No, that's not it. Not really. This is more than just friendship. It's not that I enjoy his company, it's that I miss when he's not there.'
Hunter watched Arend, his face blushing slightly with his next thought. 'It's that I enjoy his warmth. It's that I long for his touch when he sits so near.' Hunter's smile grew. 'It's that, for once in a long time, I feel attracted to someone again.'
Hunter leaned back slightly, resting his head against the back of his seat and turned up his headphones to drown out the sound of the train.
[X]
Hunter and Arend were woken by the conductor. "We're back at the Nest. The train will be retiring for the night, so you two need to leave."
Arend sat up with half closed eyes. He glanced around, breathing deeply. "That's going to mess a little with my sleep cycle." Arend said as he stood up and stretched.
Hunter slid out of the seat and did the same. "Not with how hard you worked to day."
The conductor shut the door behind Arend and Hunter as they stepped out onto the platform. The train slowly chugged on as they headed for the Request Office. "Do you want to go get dinner or something?" Hunter asked as his money was handed to him by the lady behind a protective layer of plastic.
"Sorry, I've got plans." Arend replied as he accepted his grey case and double checked the contents. Arend wiggled the case as they began to walk away. "I plan on splurging some of this on Kronth tomorrow. So saving what I can for after my bill payments is important. Besides, nothing good is open this late anyway."
Hunter paused briefly before breaking away. "I'll guess I'll be seeing you later then. Maybe we could hang out late tomorrow?"
Arend shrugged. "Unless something comes up, Kronth and I plan on spending pretty much all of tomorrow together. I'll see you when I'll see you." They shared a wave as they walked down two different streets. Hunter turned towards the shops and restaurants, and Arend headed straight towards the central pillar.
As he walked up the long stair case, Arend occupied his mind with thoughts of Kronth; some about what to do tomorrow and some for him and him alone. As Arend popped out into the lobby of the Den building, he heard Nate call out to him. Arend saw him sitting at a small table with his dinner and a small box. Arend joined him at the far side of the table.
"Sorry to pull you away from whatever you were doing, but it's time we finally talked. Not much has happened between us."
Arend nodded. "Though my trip east didn't help in that regard."
"Well anyway, I was confused as to why you don't have any Exo-suits?"
"Easy," Arend replied. "I have no need for one. My body's strong enough without having a booster."
"Hmm." Nate grunted. "A good point. And you were too green before your powers were unlocked for us to simply give you one. Your Pendragon side makes an Exo-Suit pointless, but something like a shield or armor can save your life. I may fight in a steel can, but I make sure to have some kind of defense on me personally."
Arend nodded. "I'll consider it. It may prove useful when I don't fight with the Dragon Drive." He glanced at the box. "What's in there?"
Nate grinned. "A little project of mine. Since we got a dual Drive working in Guang Blau, I'd thought I'd go a little further." Nate opened the box and pulled out a metal tetrahedron that was a little too big to fit comfortably in one hand.
The three sides were identical, miniature Drives that were connected to a free-spinning locking mechanism in the base that accepted input torque. Nate stuck his finger in the mechanism and wheeled it around, slowly turning the three Drives. "Not only does it increase the production of manipulatable Orenth, it allows for increased control and can provide three different types of Orenth if I put in three different types of Korvan." Nate explained.
Arend spun it on this finger, making it spin with the Drives in a whirling drill-like motion. "Took a bit from oil drills?" Arend asked.
Nate smirked. "Yep. Though I don't plan on using it like that."
"So no putting it on a Drive then?" Arend asked with a raised eyebrow.
Nate took it back. "If you want to scar the planet with an explosion of Orenth."
Arend nodded. "I suggest you put it in a stable environment before testing it, and running at greater than full capacity before trying to use it in the field. You don't want it to start failing in the middle of a fight."
Nate raised his eyebrow. "That's surprisingly good advice. You're nowhere near as green as you used to be."
Arend shrugged. "I learn from my mistakes. The Dragon Drive taught me that one. Truth is, I had to weaken it slightly by 'throttling back' if you will. Or else it would tear itself apart. Centripetal force and all that." Nate nodded as Arend stood up. "We can talk more later. I need to sleep." Arend said as he walked away. Nate waved absently as Arend walked into the elevator.
[X]
Arend yawned as he shut the trapdoor in his floor. He slowly shed his crap as he snagged a protein bar on his way to bed. As he hung his hat by the staircase, he was surprised to find his bed already occupied. He smiled softly at Kronth, fully dressed and curled up on his bed. Tossing his pants and shirt at the foot of his bed, he snuck the blanket out from under her and let her resettle with her head resting on his chest.
[X]
The streets of Sareville were busy even in the middle of the night. Still, Isaac found himself walking alone from Kronth's apartment. 'She must be bunking elsewhere. Probably with that grey-haired bastard.'
Isaac's normally cool exterior was nonexistent. His curled lip and hostile glare hushed those he passed. He happed to pass through Neon Street on his way to the Nest. Late-night partiers weaved past with little though to Isaac's short fuse. He nearly made it through without incident.
A man burst out from an underground club and ran straight into Isaac. Isaac had him by the throat up against a lime green light post. His fingers tightened to silence the man's squeaking.
"I suggest you shut the hell up." Isaac tossed him against the wall of the club and through the club's trashcans. "And stay where you belong." Isaac continued to walk down the street.
"Hey jerkoff!" A women shouted.
Isaac glanced back. Isaac only saw a flash of color as he found hi
mself sliding on his back down the middle of the street. The man and the women were long gone by the time Isaac was able to lift his head from the asphalt.
'Hot damn!'
[X]
Arend and Kronth were woken by the same knock. Kronth was surprised to find Arend underneath her; she expected him to wake her up when he got home. As she got up to answer the door, Arend went the other way to hop in the shower. Kronth could hear him turn the water up as she answered the door. Nem and Kronth were both surprised to see each other.
Nem slowly raised an eyebrow. Kronth shook her head. "None of that. At least not yet." Kronth stepped aside to let Nem in. "Arend will be down to cook breakfast in a few minutes. Have you had eaten yet?" Kronth asked.
Nem shook his head. "I got up an hour ago. I was hoping Arend could help me with something."
"Oh? Don't you know he and I are spending the day together?"
"Yes… but it's something no one else can manage."
"And that is?" Kronth asked, rolling a hand.
"Training with Legendary Weapons."
Kronth nodded. "Yeah, I guess you've got a point there. Arend is by the far the only one who could handle himself." Kronth and Nem chatted briefly until Arend came downstairs and began to prepare eggs and muffins. Nem watched with great amusement as Arend tutored Kronth in how to mix the batter as he flipped the eggs.
"So you're a Master Kruxsetter, a powerful fighter, the face of not only Dragon's Den but the whole of Sareville, a part-Pendragon Pendragon Beastmaster that climbs like a monkey mixed with a gecko; and you can cook a good omelet?" Nem listed off as Arend helped Kronth prep the muffin pans as he ate part of said omelet.
"Most of that is because of what I came from. My dexterity and strong grip from my work, the climbing from an annual trip to the mountains with my uncle, and I didn't do much other than work and cook my own meals." Arend explained.
"So you and your uncle go rock climbing every year?" Nem asked.
"No, he visits his college friend and I occupy my time climbing the nearby cliffs. I've met more than a few enthusiasts who were willing to show me a little in the beginning, and by the fifth year there, I didn't need any of their equipment to climb." Arend replied.
"But he isn't a very good swimmer." Kronth commented.
"And he doesn't pay much attention to the world around him." Nem added.
Arend waved his spatula threateningly. "Enough of listing my talents and flaws; this isn't an interview."
"Well, I don't really know the guy living in my old home. I'm sorry if that bugged you."
Arend flipped the next omelet, grumbling.
"There's no need to be grumpy." Kronth leaned back in her chair to poke Arend' back.
"Well excuse me if I don't want to always be the center of attention; being stalked in the market when buying groceries is different from showing off to show off. I'm tempted to hire someone to run my errands." Arend pulled out the muffins. "The Nest is fine and all; being business-centric it doesn't have many people with free time, but I'd like to go out to eat at a nice restaurant without being swarmed by fans."
Arend placed a plate of pristine, mixed berry muffins onto the table and sat down to eat his half of the omelet he shared with Kronth. Nem picked one up cautiously. Arend buttered his toast as he chewed his bacon. Kronth and Nem's prodding ended when they began to eat.
"Remind me to come here every morning." Nem said through the first bite of his third muffin.
"Not if it means an interview." Arend replied.
Nem carried a plate of six freshly baked blue berry muffins down the ladders of Dragon's Den carefully. He met Kronth and Arend in the lobby, who each had a cup of coffee. Arend had a little cardboard cup holder with the rest of the coffee he bought.
"Vladd and Kyrel have been trying to help Duke, but he's been struggling with adjusting to a type of Orenth he knows little of, and the difficult nature of the weapon itself." Nem explained.
"If it's a type he struggles with, why was he given the weapon?" Arend asked.
"Because he had untapped potential." Nem replied. "He likes to use Earth because it makes his attacks hard to defend against, but he gains very little power from it. His Fire powers however, are astounding. With the proper training, he could gain both serious power and his original overbearing nature."
Arend nodded, thinking back to his first encounter with Duke and what he did to King. "With how the Legendary Weapons operate, having a preference outside the weapon's base element is a big handicap. I still haven't looked the weapon over yet, so I don't know what to expect."
Jacob was watching Kyrel and Vladd spar with a small group. Duke was distracted, fidgeting with the Drives attached to his feet. The crowd parted as Nem and company approached. Jacob snagged a muffin from Nem as Kyrel and Vladd stopped when they saw Arend.
"Where's the Dragon Drive?" Vladd asked.
"With King." Arend replied. "I don't need to keep it on me constantly."
"And he is…?" Vladd rolled his hand.
"Probably talking with some Serephs." Arend replied as he gave Vladd his coffee. "I still haven't talked with him though. So I don't know where he is."
Vladd frowned. Kronth nudged Arend. "I think you should. Even you can't handle a Legendary Weapon with just you bare hands." Arend twisted the ring on his finger. He felt a pulse of Orenth in reply. "It should only be a few minutes. King wouldn't have left the city." Kronth said. "
"In the mean time, you can help me with these things." Duke said as he wiggled a foot. Arend had Duke take off the Drives as he worked on them and Duke enjoyed the muffin and coffee.
'Alright so far, standard craftsmanship.'
Arend popped the spinning ring off from the body of the Drive. Underneath was a bike chain that hooked onto the spikes on the ring.
'Pure Adamtinium. Neat.' Arend thought as he poked the chain. 'With Mithril pins.'
The Korvan used were a matching pair of red spheres attached unmoving the center of the Drives. Arend tried to wiggle it to no avail. He frowned. The chain itself was driven by a single Torque Korvan Motor, throttled by pressure points on the harness that held it tight to any kind of shoe.
Something on the ring caught Arend' eye. He flipped it upside down, holding it at a slight angle until he could see a sparkle of red in the metal. "Hmm…" Arend pulled out a magnifying glass.
He smiled. 'Sneaky little bastard… You coated the outside to try and hide it.'
Tiny, almost invisible Korvan crystals were arranged carefully on the outside, and he figured on the inside as well. The metal was a bland gray Orenth-neutral that was used in Matrixes for that exact reason.
Arend turned his attention to the large Korvan in the middle. 'It seems like just an ordinary Korvan, but something's not right…' Arend replaced the ring and started the Drive. The small motor spun the ring at a steady pace, blurring the faint warps in its metal venire. Arend waved Duke over.
"Have you tried feeding it yet?" Arend asked.
Duke shook his head. "Whenever I try, the motor locks up and I have to discharge before it will start again."
Arend motioned for Duke's hand. "Show me." As Duke reached for the Drive, Arend stopped him and turned his hand palm up. Arend poked the center of his palm, revealing a hazy brown aura.
"You're feeding it Earth. This is a Fire weapon."
Duke frowned. In an instant, the brown haze was replaced by a warm red shimmer that Arend didn't have to reveal. It was so powerful that Arend could feel the flow of Orenth in Duke's fingers. Arend watched carefully as Duke placed his hand on the Drive.
Arend could hear an immediate increase in the motor's speed; it was small, but it was there. Arend nodded as Duke retracted his hand. "A Torque Korvan Motor is powered by the flow of Orenth in a Korvan. This one has a semi-neutral Korvan that leans towards Fire; you can start it with any kind of Orenth, but the stalling comes from the pure Fire Korvan in the ring rejecting the faint traces on the Adamtinium chain, resisting to the point the
entire thing locks up. To get it to function properly, you need to use Fire Orenth exclusively."
Duke frowned. "Is there any way around it? Can you rig it up so I can use Earth Orenth?"
Arend shook his head. "If you can find Korvan just like these, I could remake the entire thing for an Earth base, but unless I can speak to who made this, I can't make it fully functional. And then it wouldn't be a Legendary Weapon. I have my doubts I can call this a Legendary Weapon. The original is somewhere out there; a more proper title for this would be a Pseudo-Legendary Weapon."
Duke sighed. "So there's no way around using Fire?"