The Great Game Trilogy

by O. J. Lowe

  He felt out for the rail, grabbed it and held tight, sucking in breath as the boat lurched on a heavy wave. Several others did the same. Jess swore angrily as she nearly toppled over. That brought a shout of laughter out of Pete. She shot a glare at him.

  “You’d think they’d have thought this through better,” he said. Thousands might have been exaggerating. Hundreds wasn’t. Hundreds of people coming off the boat, moving towards the waiting island, ICCC officials and volunteers from all around the five kingdoms standing ready to accept them, some of them had leis and other useless ways of greeting them in the name of the local spirit, some had drinks, some of them were there hawking their wares, everything that the travelling spirit caller would need to get by in life.

  There were, Scott noticed, a stupid number of young, pretty Vazaran girls floating about wearing not much indeed. A nice sight, he had to admit. Plenty of firm dark skin and delicious curves on show. And they were already having takers there. Some of the new arrivals were taking photos with them, some looked like they were already having the time of their lives, plenty of credits were already changing hands to get new supplies. He wouldn’t be surprised if some of them were prostitutes arranging business for the night. He shook his head, turned his thoughts away, noted it wasn’t just local Vazarans that had come out to sell stuff. It looked like people from all over the five kingdoms who were trying to make some easy credits.

  “Container crystals for sale! Cheap! Twelve for the price of ten!”

  “Get your Quin-C t-shirts here, official shirts of the tournament!”

  “Try the local brew, it’ll blow your mind, start your adventure with a bang!”

  “Mugs! Quin-C mugs! Come on, send them home to the family, rub it in that they’re not here!”

  “Upgrades, who wants genuine quality upgrades for low, low prices!”

  “Buy your maps here!”

  “Want to win? Buy my book on crafting golems. Remember, spirits of stone are the only way to stay strong! As endorsed by Brendan King!”

  “Stuff for sale! Poor quality cheaply made stuff for sale! Tell your friends!”

  At least that last guy was probably honest, he had to smile as he heard the words. More than a few people were congregating around his stall, checking him out to see if he was as good as his word. Might have been someone in a playful mood. It was the sort of thing his old friend Barry Harrison would have done amid a crowd like this. And then he remembered the two of them weren’t talking anymore, felt the familiar sting of betrayal in his heart.

  Scott jammed his hands in his pockets, deciding he’d heard enough. He wasn’t getting anything. He didn’t need supplies. Although… He reached out, took a lei from a dark skinned Vazaran girl in a bikini top and jean shorts, placing it over Jess’ neck with a grin. She returned the grin, blew him a kiss through scarlet lips. He tried to avoid looking at the girl he’d taken it from, the only thing he really remembered about her being her hair. Blond cornrows mixed together with dark skin wasn’t something you forgot easily. Although she had looked nice in her bikini, he had to admit to himself.

  “What, nothing for me?” Pete asked with a smirk. He, on the other hand, had bought a map and was already jamming it into his pocket. Paper wasn’t common anymore, but they still had printed the maps on it. The top edges of it overhung, leaving it half in and half out. “Think you probably just got ripped, mate.”

  Scott rolled his eyes. “Hey, when you start doing certain stuff for me, I’ll start doing stuff like that for you,” he said, shaking his head. “Can’t believe I just said that. Must be tired.”

  “Yeah, sleeping on a bench can do that for you,” Pete said rubbing his neck. “I never want to do that again for as long as I can help it.”

  “Look on the bright side, guys,” Jess said brightly. “Really, really luxurious hotels on this island. It’ll make our hotel in Burykia look like a pile of crap. At least until Scott gets us thrown out again for freezing a swimming pool up.”

  Running a hand over his sweating brow, Scott had to shake his head. “Do you realise just how unlikely that is out here? Ice won’t last long. I’ve been in ovens that were colder than this.”

  “You haven’t though, have you?” Pete replied quickly. “Because you’d be covered in bad burns and stuff.”

  “Okay, I’ve been near them then. Besides, it was Pete who froze the pool, not me!”

  “Not the same thing though, is it?” Pete gave off the impression he was enjoying seeing Scott squirm a little too much, eventually to the point he shrugged and turned away. He had a habit of doing this, pushing past the point of being annoying and then abandoning it without a word.

  “So, if this is the port then…”

  “A port. Think there’s like four or five of them around the island,” Jess said. “It looks pretty good so far, right? Very pretty.”

  Below them, the ground had been paved over with a smooth layer of marble Scott thought might once have been a pretty shade of snow white. Now however the dust had dulled it to an almost grey colour, though it was easily wide enough to carry the bulk of the crowd towards more steps than he wanted to count, stairs leading up a small cliff face. A sign at the bottom told a reader, in a fancy golden lettering, that ascending would lead to the resort. The sign itself had been posted in the grass, a lone riser above the immaculate green lawn. Around the edges of the cliff, twin long beds of red, gold, blue and violet plants had been laid giving the place a rich vibrant summertime feel. They could hear seabirds coming away from the cliffs, alien squawks and calls filling the air.

  “Shall we then?”

  If he was honest, Scott found himself relieved to get away from the dock and inward into the island. He hadn’t been lying earlier, he’d never really liked travelling by boat. The sea didn’t hold any delights for him. Maybe it was safer than travelling by aeroship. It undoubtedly was cheaper. But there was just something about it that didn’t sit right with him. He could swim, he just rather wouldn’t if he didn’t have to. Besides if you weren’t near water, you couldn’t drown. It was a statistical certainty. No water. No drowning.

  About the only problem now was the crowds weren’t thinning out the further they got from the boat. If anything, the reverse was true. It felt like they were getting denser, more than once he had to grab Jess’ hand to ensure that she didn’t get lost in the throng of people. He’d felt her stiffen as she’d done it, that felt like a kick to the stomach. More than once he’d wanted to tell her to do one then if she was going to be like that over it.

  “Come on,” he growled. “What’s the big holdup here? They stopped for a break?”

  “Must have,” Pete muttered unsympathetically. He’d found himself stuck behind a big bald man who Scott could hear panting from several feet away following the ascent up the stairs. Must have been a spectator come out. He didn’t look like anyone Scott recognised as a famous spirit caller. Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t. Just that it was more than likely he wasn’t. Some people shouldn’t be allowed to wear leather either. Admittedly, Scott was sweating himself, he’d dressed for the tropics. In comparison, that guy looked like he’d just gotten out of a shower. “Maybe there’s just a lot of people. You ever think that? Almost like there’s a big tournament on or something. But that might just be crazy talk, I think.”

  “Hey Pete.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Anyone ever tell you you’re not funny?”

  “Nope. Although just for your information, I was named funniest man in the five kingdoms last year. There was a big award ceremony; I banged three supermodels after and then did drugs with Carlton Bond in the bathroom. We spent four hours trying to climb up the wall because the floor turned into a sea of rabbits and we didn’t want to step on them. I got a trophy the size a dragon egg and fifty thousand credits to spend how I want in ensuring that laughter never dies. I’m surprised you didn’t see it in the news. So that shows what you know, Scott.”

  “You’re a dick, do you k
now that?”

  Jess had long since removed her sweater, now she was tying up her shirt under her breasts to expose her stomach. “That’s better,” she sighed, stowing the sweater away in her bag. Privately Scott was amazed she’d taken this long to remove it. Her skin was thick with sweat and her face creased up with squinting, her skin flushed from the heat “That’s better. Can’t wait to get out of here and into the cold.”

  “Out of here?” Scott sounded puzzled. “We’re here for the long haul, love. Not going home anytime soon. Well, Pete might. Me, I’m staying to the bitter end.” He looked at the sky as he said it; already one of the stadiums could be seen over the horizon, protruding into the air like a great silver monument. “Hey, check it out!”

  “Did they ever sort that problem out; you reckon?” Pete wondered. “You remember how back when they first said it was going to be held here they were going to air condition every single seat in the stadium so that nobody felt like their ears were going to melt off?” He grinned as he remembered it. A Quin-C in Vazara? Of course, there’d been a whole amount of usual pre-tournament scare stories, it wouldn’t have been the same without them.

  His favourite had been the potential presence of giant centipedes supposedly to be found in some of the hotels. He hadn’t guessed how that’d bother a spirit caller. Best case scenario there, those unlucky enough to wind up in one of those hotels would probably be unleashing giant mutant centipede on their opponents when it came to the start of the tournament. Idly he found himself wondering how he’d best use one if he happened across it. A spare container crystal rested in his pocket for just such an occasion.

  “I might be doing some melting of my own,” Jess said, shifting her body to avoid walking into a tall woman with a single black strip of hair rising high out of her skull, the combination of heat and moisture flattening it out in patches. “Wonder how long it takes to get used to this.”

  “Just think, least you’ll be able to chill out on the beach at some point,” Scott said. “I mean, just think. We wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t so awesome.” He ignored Pete’s burst of laughter cutting above the chatter of the crowd briefly. “I’m sure it’s not going to be this overbearing all the time.”

  “This crowd don’t help,” Pete groaned. “You want to just stop? Find a bench somewhere and wait for it to die down. I feel like I’m being digested.” He mopped at his forehead theatrically.

  Scott ignored him as he continued talking, more for something to do rather than for something to say. “I mean I know we had to leave Burykia pretty quickly but isn’t this better? I get to showcase my skills; you get to chill on a beach or around a pool or something else and Pete gets something else to moan about when he inevitably loses in the first round to some no-mark nobody ever heard of. What’s the downside here?”

  All while talking, he hadn’t noticed Pete push his way out of the crowd, moving towards the side. He didn’t hesitate in stepping over a flowerbed and onto an immaculately maintained lawn, Jess already following him out there. For a moment Scott stayed where he was before he felt the tug on his hand and then he noticed, mentally kicked himself and followed them out. It did feel good to get out of that crush of people. Out of it, the heat wasn’t quite as overbearing.

  “Now, where was I?” he asked. “I was just saying…”

  “Don’t, please!” Jess groaned. “You’re giving me a headache.” She dropped her bag down to the ground and dropped down against it with a sigh of relief. “Hey, that’s comfy. Let’s just hang here for a while. We still got something in the flask? Bit thirsty.”

  “Yeah, I think so,” Pete said. “Should have got something down at the docks. Could have made a day of it.” He dropped down to the grass and took his pack off, resting his head against it. “Look at them go by. Can’t believe nobody else had this idea. I am so smart.”

  “And modest,” Scott muttered.

  “Screw modesty, I want to be the best. And I want everyone else to know that,” Pete laughed, leaning back to rest his head on the grass, exhaling contentedly. “What’s so wrong with that? You don’t get prizes for second place, do you?”

  “Well you do here,” Scott said. “Runner up gets quarter of a million credits, remember?” He gave Pete a sarcastic smirk, before dropping to the grass himself, pulling one of the bags over to him. He slid the zipper back, rifling through the contents with methodical efficiency.

  “Suppose we could wait here a while. Let it die down. After all, what’s the big hurry? It’s not like getting up there now will make the tournament start sooner.” He found what he was looking for at the bottom of the bag, one of the flasks filled with water. He took a deep drag of it, made a face at the bitter warmth gushing down his throat before tossing it to Jess who caught it one handed. She shot him a glare and then wiped the mouthpiece. Wondering what he was supposed to have done now, he glanced back at Pete who was still staring at the sky.

  “My point is; nobody remembers the loser. I mean, three months from now when it’s all died down and we’re reminiscing about how I won this thing, you think anyone is going to remember the mush who I hardily battered? Nah, they’ll be talking about how masterful I was. And good looking.”

  Jess made a disgusted sound as she closed the flask up. “I wonder why I hang out with you both sometimes. You’re both as bad as each other. You’re both delusional. Neither of you are so good as you can just think you’re going to show up and win. I don’t think anyone here is.”

  “What do you know, you’re not even a caller,” Pete muttered. That turned out to be a mistake as she shot a glare at him. It might have been more effective had he opened his eyes to acknowledge it. Realising that hadn’t worked as she intended, Jess instead opened the flask back up and chucked water over him. Pete sat bolt upright, soaked and sputtering in surprise at the sudden attack.

  “I don’t have to have lived in a henhouse to know how to cook eggs, you moron! I’ve seen you both in bouts before. I probably know your techniques almost as well as either of you do.”

  “And you needed to soak me to prove that point?” Pete demanded. “Honestly, Blake, no need, right? Are you out of your damn mind?” Some of those still in the slow-moving crowd came to a complete halt, suddenly interested in what was going on. A few of them even began to smile. One man even voiced aloud if the organisers had arranged for the entertainment specially.

  Scott wasn’t too worried. He’d seen it before. More than once. Almost to the point it was starting to get ridiculous the way it kept happening. Once or twice you could let go, these days it felt like an argument was ready to break out every other hour. If it wasn’t between Pete and Jess, then it was between him and Jess. Strangely never between him and Pete. Might be the famous last words, but for all their ribbing of each other, and the potential for it to get nasty, they’d never had a full out argument with each other. All he was going to do was let the argument run its course. Sooner or later one of them would have to stop for breath. That momentary lull usually was enough to ensure it calmed enough to avoid turning violent. Maybe it was the heat. Tensions running wild and all that.

  Eyes closed, he heard Pete gasp as he glanced past Jess and into the crowd, followed by a sudden “no way!” of surprise. Scott followed his gaze and smiled. This should make things interesting. Pete immediately clamped his hand over his mouth and tried to make himself as small and invisible as possible, as if he regretted speaking. Scott would have found it funny had he not been too busy focusing in on the woman Pete had seen. She didn’t turn her head, hadn’t seen them yet.

  “Hey,” Scott said. “Isn’t that…”

  “Don’t,” Pete muttered. “Don’t grab her attention.”

  “Aww, old girlfriend?” Jess teased, nudging Pete in the ribs. She’d gotten the bit between her teeth now, wasn’t about to let it go. She’d smelled something in the air and was determined to make him pay for it dearly. “Someone you want to avoid. Shall we call her over? You can see if she got fat without you.” />
  “Jess…”

  Her smirk grew. “Oi! Blondie!”

  “That’s not an old girlfriend,” Scott said as the woman turned her head. She saw the three of them and her face lit up. She wasn’t a super attractive woman, in his opinion. But there was something about her that drew the eye. She did have a nice smile he had to admit. But it was her eyes that were the most striking. They were a pair of deep sapphire pools that sparkled with intelligence behind her glasses. She wore a big floppy cream coloured hat with a pink and white spotted dress with sandals. Twin bracelets adorned each wrist, a metallic chain around her ankle sparkling as it caught the sunlight.

  Scott knew who she was. More than that, he knew why Pete hadn’t wanted to talk to her.

  “That’s his sister,” he muttered in Jess’ ear. “Well, half-sister.”

  If anything, the look on Jesseka’s face as it had been explained to her had been worth it. She’d gone the same colour as her hair, which was just fantastic where Scott was concerned. He was going to live off this moment for ages. No point letting it go to waste. Every chance he got, he was going to bring this back up and watch her squirm. She’d given Pete an apologetic look, quickly explained herself to Sharon as to what she’d thought and done. Of course, there was little doubt now as to her identity. Sharon Arventino, THE reigning champion in all Serran. Of all the callers in that kingdom, she was regarded as the one who’d proven herself to be the best

  “Nice to see you” Pete said. “How you been, sis?”

  She grinned at him, a warm smile. “Fine. I see you made it. That’s good. Really good.” She took his hand and gave him a hug, something he didn’t look entirely at ease with. Right then, Scott found himself torn between being glad that he didn’t have a sibling to pull this crap on him and being kinda sad he didn’t. It was bad enough what had happened to his mom. And when your dad runs off shortly after you’re born, it makes it hard to end up with a brother.