Chapter Sixty-Four
“You know, there was a part of me that didn’t believe you,” Chloe said, a small smile stuck to her face. “A part of me that thought I’d have to start again from scratch.”
They were gathered in a circle now in the center of the battlefield, ears still ringing from the battle. KieraFreya stood beside Shikora, a glowing white presence.
“I told you, Chloe. Why would the gods punish the blessed for rescuing one of their own?”
Chloe shrugged. “I haven’t had the best luck in life, okay?”
Her eyes found Gideon’s and she suddenly looked at the ground, abashed. Sure, she had been blessed with a life of privilege and luxury while many within her party had had to work for everything they received, but that didn’t mean her life had been easy.
She thought about her brothers and sisters, her mother and father. About her so-called friends, who hadn’t even bothered to ask anyone she knew where Chloe had disappeared to over the last few months. Although she had been gifted with more money than she could handle, she had struggled to find her place in that world.
The runt of the litter.
The thorn among the roses.
But in this world known as Obsidian, she had just helped save a city. Together, alongside friends she would never have dreamed of meeting, she had defeated the darkness and completed a quest that should have been impossible. Against all the odds, she had made it.
She had won.
Gideon stepped forward, unable to meet KieraFreya’s eye. “KF? I just wanted to say thank you for all you’ve done to help us. This quest has easily been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Thank you for messing up so we could fix you again.”
KieraFreya laughed, the sound holy and beautiful. “Thank you, Gideon. Thank you, everyone here. This would never have been achievable without you all. From the smallest efforts to the greatest trials, you banded together for the sole purpose of uniting me, and I am eternally grateful.”
She took a deep breath and looked at the sky. “Though there is still much more for me to fix, I have been granted the passage to return home. There I shall meet with Mother and Father and beg for forgiveness, then take my place once more among the gods of light and look down over this world. Fukmos and his sisters will be pissed, so it’s now more important than ever to monitor their activities and maintain the balance.”
“Fukmos is still alive?” Tag blurted. “I thought you killed him!”
KieraFreya shook her head. “Have you learned nothing, young dwarf? You can’t kill a god. You can only weaken them to the point that they have to regather their strength.” She pointed at herself. “Exhibit A.”
They all laughed.
“So, you’re not continuing with us?” Veronica asked sadly. “I thought that…maybe you’d be able to accompany us still and help us on future quests.”
KieraFreya shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I have retribution of my own to pay, and together you can achieve anything you want to in this realm. Watch out for the darkness and stick together. Divided, you will fall.”
“Okay,” Ben said. “I know you stole that one from our world.”
KieraFreya arched an eyebrow.
“United we stand, divided we fall?” Ben said incredulously.
KieraFreya shrugged. “That’s what I just said.”
“I… Oh, forget it.”
Somewhere in the city, a horn blasted. It was joined by another, then another, until the din carried across the battlefield in a tumultuous wave. Cheers rang out from the remaining fighters as the battle was officially pronounced finished. The final enemies at the walls had been taken down or were now sprinting toward the forest.
“My time has come,” KieraFreya said. She turned to Chloe. “Chloe, I cannot thank you enough for your efforts on this quest. I know it has not been easy, and we have traveled far together. Know that I will be watching over you with interest to see how your journey in Obsidian develops.”
Chloe fought back tears. “We got off on the wrong foot, but I wouldn’t change a single part of our journey. Thank you for…all of this.”
KieraFreya held her shoulders and stared into her eyes fondly. “It was all you, girly. All you."
They embraced once more, armor clanging against armor. Shikora snorted impatiently.
“Fare thee well, KieraSlayers.” KieraFreya laughed and shook her head. “KieraSlayers…who’d have thought…” Her eyes widened. “Oh! And remember, if you choose to align yourself with me as your goddess guide, bonuses can be granted.”
They all nodded and said their goodbyes, waving as a troop of soldiers led by Abe marched across the battlefield toward them. KieraFreya nodded, and a second later, disappeared in a blinding flash of white light.
Chloe stared at the spot where she had been, feeling an emptiness inside of her she was sure she wouldn’t be able to shake for some time.
“Well, KieraSlayers,” she said, trying to mask the tears rolling down her cheeks, “I suppose we should get back to the city and try to unwind. It’s been a long few days, and we’re all in need of some well-deserved rest.”
The others agreed, nodding as they turned to meet Abe and his men.
As they returned to the city, Gideon walked alongside Chloe, arm around her shoulder as their heads rested against each other.
Chloe awoke disoriented and confused.
She wasn’t sure how long she had been asleep. Couldn’t tell what time of day it was. She was still getting used to the feel of cotton sheets on her skin, adjusting to the fact she could now remove her armor and sleep in comfort.
The city was noisy outside—nowhere near the din of the battle, but loud, nonetheless. She stood up in her cotton pants and shirt and crossed to the balcony.
The dwarves were at work again, wielding hammers on stone. Accompanied by the mages, they had made great progress in cleaning up the city. Two weeks had passed since the battle, and the wall was almost back in place. The rubble in the streets created by the fury of the dragon had been cleared, and houses were being rebuilt.
What else was there to do once victory had been obtained but carry on?
The fields were a wholly different matter altogether. A month ago, they had been full of crops and vegetation. During the battle, they had been littered with the bodies of various creatures. Now, they were nothing but bare dirt. Farmers had redrawn their boundaries and were planting again, but it would take some time before the land recovered and food would grow again.
Chloe dressed in her armor and went to find the others.
The past two weeks had been a mixture of shrugging off admiration from the townspeople and saying goodbye to old friends. Tag’kir of the cowladites and Finley of the Sherikans had stayed for only a day or two before returning to their homelands.
Chloe and the KieraSlayers had pitched in, updating the Heroes-for-Hire board and coordinating the clean-up efforts with Therese and Abe. Veronica’s group had ducked in and out of the game whenever they needed to return to the real world, and even Ben, Tag, and Gideon had had to log off once a week to tend to their obligations.
It was during those periods that Chloe felt especially lonely. Although she was more than glad that they had completed their quest, there was an emptiness within her where KieraFreya had been.
Not even Blueballs, the only one of their company to be locked into the in-game world, was enough to satisfy her need for companionship in those lonely hours.
Days passed with an increasing repetitiveness. Gideon, Ben, and Tag brought smiles and jokes, while the others discussed upcoming quests and looked at where they could go next. A lot of time was spent gathering intel on rumors of other missions of epic proportions, and soon the city was repaired and the party ready to hit the road.
It would be during that final night at dinner when Chloe would reach her decision and announce the thing that had been plaguing her mind ever since KieraFreya had returned to the heavens.
“A toast!” Abe said
, rising and standing on his chair.
The room fell quiet. Everyone gathered along the length of the table hushed and reached for their cups.
“To the bravery and honor of the KieraSlayers, and to every one of you in here who raised a sword and fought to claim back the lands which are rightfully ours.
“Hear, hear!”
“Hear, Hear!” the company chorused.
When they returned to eating, Gideon waited until everyone was deep in conversation before he turned to Chloe and asked, “What’s wrong, Chloe? You’re strangely quiet tonight. You know that all this is for us, right? For the kingdom, and all we’ve achieved.”
Nearby, Gan’gor slurped his food, shoveling fistfuls into his mouth. She gave a small laugh, wondering if he’d ever get used to the idea of using cutlery.
“I know,” Chloe said. “It’s just…” She debated not telling, then thought better of it. Out of everyone, Gideon and her party had a right to know.
“I think I need a break,” Chloe said. “I need to return to the real world and decompress.” When she saw Gideon’s face, she added, “I’m not done here. Not by any stretch, but I need to surface for air. Like you all do. It’s been a long journey and, as much as I’ve loved every second of what’s happened, now that the main quest is over…I miss the real world, y’know?”
Gideon nodded in understanding. “Is it even possible to leave? Y’know, with your setup?”
Chloe told Gideon it was. That she had spoken to Mia and the doc, and they had already put everything in place to make it so. Gideon smiled at her. “You deserve it. Out of all of us, you should have that break.”
They told the rest of the party as the night wound down, with Chloe fending off protestations and demands for her to stay a little longer. She told them to go on ahead without her. She would find them, just keep her updated in the chat.
Then the morning came, and the KieraSlayers and various Hammersworthians were in her bedroom, standing at the end of her bed. Chloe bade them all goodbye and watched them leave her room. Beverley fussed around her, but she didn’t care about that. She’d rather Beverley keep busy in her room than piss off Therese, who had already annoyed the king by stating that she would journey for a while with the others.
Chloe laid her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes. She opened her menu, hit the Reply button on the doc’s latest message, and sent the order.
After you, Doc. I’m ready.
Chloe relaxed and let her mind go blank.
Chapter Sixty-Five
Chloe had experienced hangovers before, but nothing ever like this.
“Easy, Chloe. Easy. Take your time.”
The doc’s voice was anything but soothing. Her head pounded. Her head swam. She tried to open her eyes but adjusting to the light was more difficult than she’d imagined.
“Can’t you just inject mercury into my veins and get this over with?” Chloe groaned, surprised by the dull tone of her voice. “Or get me a cosmo?”
“A cosmo?” The doc laughed. “You’re back in the real world for thirty seconds, and you already want a drink?”
“Hair of the dog,” Chloe said, chuckling dryly, the movement hurting her body. “Cosmos are the true nectar of the gods. Let me sip from their subtle teat.”
“You’re right,” Mia said. “She has been in there too long.”
Fifteen minutes later, she was sitting up in the pod. The doc placed an arm behind her for support while Mia checked her vitals and made notes on her laptop. “This pod was not meant for early ejection. I’ve had to run a few shortcuts to update the system and allow you to resurface. There may be some…side effects for a short while.”
“Can’t you just turn the pain receptors down again and let me return to normal?” Chloe asked without a hint of irony.
“No pain receptors in the real world, Chloe. Not unless you want me to anesthetize your whole body.”
Chloe gave a thumbs-up.
The doc eased Chloe up onto shaking legs and helped her out of the pod. She stood drooping with her arm around his shoulder. After a moment, she took her first steps, stumbling slightly. Another few minutes and she was walking again, reminding herself of all the times she had stumbled around her bedroom after a heavy night with the girls, doing her best to rehydrate and eat before entering the boardroom and going back into business mode.
By lunchtime, Chloe was close to her normal self. She sat at the breakfast counter and chatted with the doc and Mia about their adventures. Physical exertion was limited to short walks around the apartment and trips to the bathroom while they provided her with an endless stream of snacks and water.
Demetri couldn’t stop smiling, happy that Chloe had chosen a day when he would be off work and Mia was able to work from home. They showed Chloe the leader boards of Obsidian and shared the websites littered with KieraSlayers merchandise. The pair even wore their Blueballs t-shirts and laughed as Chloe rolled her eyes.
“You’ve really created quite a stir out here,” Doc said. He took a sip of his coffee. “The internet is alight with KieraSlayer fans, particularly those who love you and KieraFreya.”
“What are they saying now that the quest is over?” Chloe asked.
“They’re sad, obviously,” Mia said. She was at the counter, multi-tasking as she spoke. “But there’s excitement building about your next adventure. They’re wondering what’s next for your group and what trouble you’ll get into.”
“Trouble? I don’t know what you mean,” Chloe said coyly. She thought for a moment, then asked, “I don’t suppose anyone else has been asking after me, have they?”
Demetri thought about this. “Your mother and father, of course. Your daily updates have now become weekly updates since they’ve learned to trust you within Obsidian.”
“They’re probably more concerned about the numbers than about me,” Chloe said.
“Actually, I think you’ll find they’re rather impressed with what you’ve done. Granted, it’s all a little unorthodox. I mean, diversifying your income by gaining a percentage of the profit made from the sponsored pods of your party mates is genius and a very modern idea, but they’re impressed, nonetheless. You’re making the Lagarde estate money, and that’s something to be proud of.”
Mia looked up from her computer and gave Demetri a look. “And?”
“Oh! Yes. Henry and Henrietta have been asking after you. I think they’re suspicious about all the changes that have happened in the VR arena since you’ve left. They’ve been poking their noses around for weeks now. It might be worth getting in touch and talking to them?”
Chloe dismissed the idea.
“Well, coincidentally, I think your brothers and sisters are all in town this weekend for the annual family board meeting. It might be a good place to resurface and let everyone know you’re okay.”
“The board meeting is this weekend?” Chloe did some mental calculations. “How is that possible? I thought it was months away.”
“Remember, time ran differently in Obsidian, Chloe,” Mia said. “You’ll feel disoriented for a while yet. Take it easy for a few days and get used to your body again. You’ll return to normal.”
But as the days passed and Chloe caught up with the doc, she realized she didn’t want to return to normality. Normality was what had driven her to Obsidian in the first place. Her family didn’t care about her, and her friends hadn’t asked after her; why would she want to stay in a world where she wasn’t appreciated?
“Not like the KieraSlayers.” Chloe smiled, mumbling to herself one night as she watched Gideon’s livestream on the Obsidian site. The group was in some valley, taking on a horde of goblins. Blueballs was shaking one in his mouth like a dog with a chew toy. Gideon was blasting magic like he had an endless supply.
Chloe felt a swell of pride for the mage.
When the weekend came, Chloe felt the butterflies in her stomach. It had been weeks since she had seen her parents. It had been more than that since she had seen m
any of her siblings.
The annual Lagarde board meeting was ordinarily a dry affair, a time when Chloe would sit quietly, doing her best not to draw attention to herself while the others bragged about their recent successes. Her parents would work their way around the room and discuss the wins and losses of that year, being particularly scrupulous in ensuring that everyone knew what the losses meant for their family estate.
When the finger would point at Chloe, she would normally flush red and blubber something about exploring possible leads. At age eighteen, they were already expected to be investing, but several years after her eighteenth birthday, Chloe still had nothing to show for her efforts.
Until this year, that is.
Chloe hadn’t said anything to anyone about the meeting. Also, she had bound everyone in the know to secrecy. She would surprise them all. She wasn’t even sure her siblings knew she would be in attendance.
And what a shock it was. Chloe hesitated outside the boardroom, hearing them all chattering inside. Her heart was in her throat as she opened the door and let herself in, greeted by the sight of her seven siblings dressed sharply in their power suits. Her mother and father had taken seats at the head of the table, and all chatter died when they saw who had arrived.
Chloe froze. “H…hey everyone.”
Was that a smile on her mother’s lips? And on Henry’s and Henrietta’s too?
“We weren’t expecting you to join us,” Hector said from behind the steeple of his fingers. He turned to his father. “I didn’t see Chloe in the roll on the agenda.”
“We weren’t sure she was going to be joining us,” Hugo crooned. “Still, Chloe’s got some updates that I’m sure you’ll all be very eager to hear. Take a seat, Chloe.”
Hugo motioned to the chair beside him, and Chloe flushed again. She never had a spot so near the head of the table.
As usual, they made their way through the family, displaying various charts and tables, indicating new project leads, and highlighting each other’s successes.
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