by Atlas Kane
Cade thought about the story he was told, and cast a furtive glance at Ketzal. She was studying the rim of her wine glass, not giving him a single hint. He thought of questioning her, using his thoughts to ask her advice. But no doubt Vormer was doing the same. Imagining being assaulted in your mind by two opposing forces seemed an exquisite torture.
Instead, Cade thought about the quest he’d been given and read the information available.
Quest: Recon the Rebel Camp
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Reward: Further trust with Vormer. Additional Weaponry and Equipment. The use of a female servant of your liking.
Description: Vormer has asked you to scout the rebel’s encampment. Its location, along with the location of several known food sources, have been highlighted in your map. Find the camp, and avoid being spotted. Discover the total number of their group, how many fighters they have, and what classes are represented.
What the fuck? A female servant of my liking? This guy’s a psycho! Cade bellowed in his mind. Ketzal blinked a few times, but otherwise didn’t move. But he didn’t care to keep these thoughts to himself. This was insane.
Vormer stared at him expectantly. “Finished reading? Not to worry yourself. I should have known you were a man of taste. No need to choose an apple by its color when you can have a proper taste instead.”
The lion turned and called aloud, “Fetch the girls! And tell them to be quick about it.”
The cold command left Cade feeling sick. He took another drink of wine, hoping to bolster himself for whatever horrendous display Vormer prepared for him.
In no more than a minute’s time, a door in the back of the room opened and a procession of decorated creatures emerged. A line of six beautiful women walked out, their eyes as detached as their bodies were covered with garish ornamentation.
Two men with silver, smiling masks that reminded Cade of the guards followed behind bearing strange instruments. They began to play at once. One man began to beat an octagonal drum, its many sides emitting distinct sounds. His skill was admirable, and Cade wondered if he’d chosen a Class that allowed him to play so well or if the man had simply practiced.
The other played a wind instrument. When the complex melody rose in the air, it sounded like a dozen flutists were playing at once.
And so the girls danced.
Cade observed that the three women from the bath were present, their features less obscured than they had been by mist. Being forced to dance and gyrate before an audience, small as it was, had driven all sense of ease and enjoyment from their faces.
The other three were far less human looking. One woman, the tallest of the group, had blue and yellow plumes growing from her skin. Her arms were long and ended in tiny hands covered in elegant scales. In the center of her face, a beak curved down to a point, hooked and powerful. The bird woman’s eyes blinked rapidly, as wide and intense as a hawk’s.
Though her features were anything but what Cade was used to, her body seemed familiar. And unfortunately, for the woman’s sake at least, far too much was exposed for his enjoyment.
Vormer laughed, snapping a finger along with the tune and nodding his head in time with the music. Cade wanted to skin the bastard. Who does he think he is? Some kind of king?
The song continued, and Cade studied the women, wondering what the proud humanoids would look like in armor, or even in regular clothing. Though what they would consider “regular” would most likely be strange to him.
At the far end of the line of dancers moved a woman who was clad in scales. She was black as the night sky, an inky sheen to her scales making them reflect the light in the room. Yet her abdomen and chest were crimson. Her breasts were almost indiscernible, and he had to admire the protruding scales along the backs of both of her elbows. They were thick and dangerous looking. Cade could image her using them as weapons.
Finally, the shortest of them all danced in their midst. She was perhaps only four and a half feet tall. Her body was curved and moved with peerless agility. He wondered what her people were called. She looked to be a type of gnome, but that was an Earth word.
Her hair was knotted intricately, weaving back over her head like an Elizabethan mohawk. Her fingers were tipped with sleek talons. And though she lacked scales or plumage, Cade detected a sheen to her skin, which made her appear amphibian in nature.
The song continued, and Ketzal drank more wine than simple thirst demanded. This was a daily practice, Vormer prancing women about like prizes. And she had to sit there next to him and pretend all was well in the world.
Vormer smiled, a pair of fangs emerging from his mouth as he did so. How fitting is that? Cade thought. He didn’t care any longer if Ketzal knew of his disloyalty, so he stopped trying to guard his thoughts. He has the teeth of an animal too.
The golden lion glanced at Cade, then frowned. He’d noticed Cade’s displeasure and clapped his hands at once. “Enough! Silence you two!” He snapped at the musicians. “Now hold still. Our guest is displeased.”
Obediently, the groups of terrified women grew still. The men disappeared, bearing their instruments away with them.
Vormer spoke again, this time in a calmer tone. “I do apologize. Musical taste is a hard thing to predict you know. In fact, some barbarous races deny the pleasure of it altogether. Now I know you have yet to leave on your quest, but I wanted to let you at least get acquainted with your prize. You may choose any of them that suits your tastes. And in time,” the lion drew out, his eyes filled with promise and intrigue. “You may earn another. You’ll come to see that I reward those who follow me. Now tell me, Cade, which woman has caught your eye?”
Cade ground his teeth and shook his head. What do you tell a man this twisted? Where even to start?
Noting his obvious discomfort, Vormer added, “If the reward was issued improperly… I can have a male servant assigned to—”
“No! No servants are needed, for Christ’s sake. In my world we prefer to have the company of those who choose to give it.” The gravel in Cade’s voice made his emotions obvious.
The servants flinched at Cade’s outburst, and Ketzal looked ready to crawl under the table.
Again, however, the Commandant wasn’t offended or ruffled in the slightest. Rather, he gave a wry smile. “We’ve discussed the intricacies of varying cultures. In my world, the powerful take what they desire. I won’t make you do the same. The reward can be modified in many ways. The servants enjoy a rich life here in Tanrial. Have you not noticed the jewels and clothing I’ve given them?”
“I have, Vormer. I’ve also noticed their lifeless eyes. If you respected them at all, you’d allow them to choose their own fate.”
The host laughed, his voice sonorous and deep. He indulged his humor for a good while before taking a delicate sip of his wine and clearing his throat. “What strange notions you have, Cade. I respect their value as I do yours. Yet you are not free to wander about. I am sure you have noticed that. But I must know if you can be trusted to serve. Is the task I’ve mentioned something you are willing to perform?”
Cade stared at Ketzal’s down-turned face, anger and guilt writhing in his guts. She was not here of her own volition either. But Cade wasn’t strong enough to do a thing about it now. He couldn’t kill a single guard here, let alone this asshole.
There was only one approach to this situation. He had to make this asshole think he was obedient. So far, he wasn’t doing such a good job. What would Vormer do to punish the women in this room if their charm hadn’t succeeded in winning Cade’s loyalty? He shuddered to think about it.
So, still clenching his jaw, Cade looked up into the man’s eyes, and said, “I will, Vormer. I am here to serve, and I am sure I can grow to… appreciate your prizes.”
He swallowed hard, hoping the women around him, Ketzal especially, knew he didn’t see them as the shiny baubles Vormer did. Then forced his mouth into a smile and asked, “When do I depart?”
9
&nb
sp; Killer Boots, Man
Cade was unsure what sick plan Vormer had originally planned for him regarding a potential quest reward. Would he have given me an hour with whatever poor woman I chose? Or would she be my slave wifey? There was no way of knowing, but the contractual mind of the leader was too creepy to dismiss.
This time, as he walked out of the city, passing through streets empty but for occasional posted guards, he did so alone. Somehow, he had gained Vormer’s conditional approval if not trust. All he had to do was kill a drakeling and survive an encounter with the Kotani Ma.
If he had to meet that beast again, Cade was sure he would not survive. Yet a deep curiosity rose within him. What did it look like in the light of day? Was it as intelligent as he presumed?
Shrugging, Cade took a sip from his new waterskin and descended a flight of stairs. Even those were queerly fashioned. Each step was a foot and half tall, yet a smaller ledge was cut out of the middle of each. It was almost like walking on two sets of stairs built into one another. He took the larger ones easily enough but imagined that a shorter creature, like the gnome woman he’d seen, wouldn’t be able to walk the same path without struggling. She would just take more strides to do so.
He saw the grassland before him once more, and he realized he’d only ever seen this north and easterly view away from the city. Antinium was vast for being so unpopulated, and he was curious about the rest of it. What beasts lurked in the depths of the desert here? Were there dragons in the mountain tops so far away?
A voice called his name, and he turned to see Ketzal running up to him. He looked down at his feet when he noticed how much of her chest was struggling to remain in place. Even a half breastplate wasn’t enough to support her fully it seemed.
As she slowed, her face flushed with the effort, he smiled and greeted her. “Hey Ketzal. Sorry I almost made things worse for you back there. He doesn’t make it easy.”
“I know,” she said between breaths. “But you did well enough.” She stood, her hands on her hips, and gave him an exasperated look. “I didn’t think I would have to sprint so far to catch you. Sorry to seem so flustered.”
He shook his head, amused at her chagrin. She was a lot of woman, and he, too, would have been winded from such a run if not for his increased Constitution Attribute. “Don’t worry about it. You’re cute when winded. An uncommon trait.”
She laughed, then caught herself. Worry passed over her brow, as it so often did. “I didn’t come to flirt, Cade. I wanted to warn you. I am not sure that these villagers are truly evil, but they are dangerous. They escaped the city some time ago, and Vormer has been angry about it since I’ve known him. I just want you to be careful.”
Cade looked her in the eyes until she glanced away. The poor woman had learned to fear men. That was just one more crime Cade promised to repay Vormer for.
He cleared his throat and looked back to the jungle to make Ketzal more comfortable. Standing beside her he continued to speak. “I’ll be careful. I don’t want to die. Did you hear anything else about these villagers? How many they are? Why they left the city?”
“I haven’t heard anything from him, but I am quite confident they left to escape Vormer. As you’ve seen, it is not easy living under his rule.”
Cade leaned closer, allowing his shoulder to brush against hers. It was the safest way he could think of to show her physical support. When she pushed back against him, he knew he’d judged correctly.
The wind shifted, and her scent touched his senses. Cardamom and the clean smoke of lingering coals came to mind, though her perfume was as difficult to describe as the woman’s infinite charms. Of the women he’d seen in Antinium, the dancers in all their glory, none were so beautiful as Ketzal. Had the circumstances not been perverse, he would have chosen her affection above the others.
“Maybe you could leave with me?” he suggested. “We could find this village together and beg to stay. Or fuck it all,” he continued, passion taking over his voice. He pointed to the tall mountains of the north. “We could go there. Find our own mountain to claim and raise a shitload of goats! I don’t care.”
She laughed, her shoulder jostling his as she did so. “Goats, huh? So is that a jab at my horns?”
He laughed as well despite the intensity of his emotions. “I will have you know that few goats are as sexy as you are. I’ve only ever seen a few, actually.”
“Well, I am just glad to be held in such fair company.”
Cade let the moment linger, not wanting to come off as pushy, but then he pressed her again. “I know I just met you. There’s little reason to trust me more than Vormer. I just don’t think you are happy here, Ketzal. Why stay?”
He saw her head droop from the corner of his eye. “It isn’t that I wish to. And I knew from the moment I saw you weeping in front of a mirror at your gorgeous face that you were twice the man Vormer is. But things are complicated. He has bound me here as he will inevitably bind you. Go on this mission and prove yourself loyal. Return and find a way to live under his rule. Or else leave and never return. There’s no in-between, and that choice is no longer an option for me.”
A strong urge to ask her how she was bound filled him, but she pulled away and faced him once more. “I must go now and so must you. Good luck, Cade. If I see you again, I hope it is in better circumstances.”
He groped for the right words to match her own, but settled for nodding and holding his hand up in a too-formal gesture of farewell. Watching her sway back towards the city, he threw out a final, “Good bye, Ketzal. I hope we meet again under any circumstances.”
She paused a moment, still facing away from him. Then he saw her shoulders lift and fall in a sigh. The demoness kept walking into Tanrial.
Leaving the city itself behind was easy. For some reason, the ancient, futuristic city felt like it could never be his home. It was too cold, too alien, for his tastes.
Were it not for Ketzal, there would be nothing for him there. Wait a minute, he thought. She called me gorgeous! He chuckled and rubbed his face, suppressing the many emotions washing over him.
Shaking his head to clear it, he strode out on his quest.
The boots Vormer gave him chafed at his feet. They were a bit too large, and though they made his toes feel more protected, the way he clomped about in them made him second guess the decision to bring them at all. When he got closer, he might just take them off and sling them over his shoulder.
But the pants and shirt were excellent. Made of a simple brown fabric, they were nonetheless expertly crafted and fit him perfectly. Better yet, the material stretched slightly, and was thin enough not to add too much heat.
His belt hung reassuringly, much more secure than the previous strip of knotted leather. Cade felt more confident moving about with it on despite the added weight of the dagger. When he’d inspected it, he marveled at how sharp and light it was. It felt like it was forged of aluminum, but Vormer assured him it could pierce armor if wielded properly. Cade didn’t exactly know how to wield a knife, but was hoping he might learn. Maybe Tanrial had trainers. That would be awfully convenient.
The best part about his new attire was the axe sling. It rested high on his back, so with a quick grasp over his shoulder, Cade could pull the axe free of its sheath. A loop of leather held it in place, but it was easily unwound. He timed it, of course. Cade could draw the weapon out in less than two seconds. That was good enough.
Checking his map, Cade saw the village rested near the Waterfall District. Thankfully, it was further west, closer to the grasslands. Returning to the waterfalls would be lovely someday, when he was a good deal stronger and preferably once he had companions to back him up. Today was all about moving in, gathering intel, and getting the hell out of there.
Cade walked north as far as the clearing would take him before plunging once more into the dense vegetation of the jungle. As he traveled, he occasionally checked his map. There were two food locations marked on his map between the city and the sup
posed location of the rebel camp. He intended to hit both and fill his Inventory as much as he could. No sense getting hungry again when he didn’t have to.
It was midday, the sun burning like a scornful lover, burning the back of Cade’s neck, when he found the first location. No specifics were mentioned on the map marker, so when he found a group of large Cobalt Plantain trees clustered together, he was happily surprised. The fruits tasted like normal bananas, but with more flavor. Not just a bland, starchy taste, but a milk spice as well, something like cardamom and clove. These would make for fantastic banana bread, Cade surmised as he climbed up the nearest tree.
Cade made a pile of the fruits, each at least twice the size of an ordinary plantain, some so large they weighed nearly a pound. When he was done, he counted forty-seven cobalt plantains in a pile. He set six aside, and ordered the rest into his inventory. Again, he felt a slight increase in weight. Certainly not enough to account for all that was in there though, wherever “there” was.
He peeled the first fruit and called out in a cheerful voice, “Oh, Pablo! I am in need of your services!”
The demon appeared soon after, a placid purple blob. “What is it you require, Caderick?”
“This Inventory thing. How do the items I am carrying not weigh a ton? I have half a drakeling and a heap of fruit, yet it feels like I weigh five or ten pounds heavier.”
“It is a spatial depository. When you add items to your Inventory, they leave this realm of existence. The physics of Antinium assigns them a portion of their original weight, placing that load onto your own body. It is highly complex. It isn’t that you aren’t carrying anything at all, but that Antinium has assigned you a slightly higher amount of gravity. I could tell you the math, but it would take an hour, and I doubt you could retain such information in a useful sense. No offense.”