Know Thy Enemy

by Dawn Chapman

  They were headed out to find Pierce, Drayk’s new friend. He wanted to be prepared. Haal knocked on his door. “You ready?”

  Drayk stepped outside. Haal looked him over, “I’ve got some other things you can borrow for now. I know you’re not getting earnings, so we’ll have to do it for you. We can; we don’t mind.”

  Drayk patted the armour he had, but then he accepted the package Haal offered.

  Opening it, a popup came up.

  YOU’VE BEEN GIFTED

  WARRIOR’S ARMOUR

  STRENGTH + 10

  “This is too much. I’d never be able to pay for these kinds of treats.”

  “You’ll pay for much more in the long run. You’re almost what we’ve been searching for. Altus is going crazy as he wants to join us.”

  “He has to stay here, manage the village.”

  “Actually,” said a voice behind them both. “I don’t have to stay with the village. I’m more than capable of joining you on this rescue mission.”

  Drayk glanced to Haal who nodded. “I can’t stop him.”

  “You also have one more who wishes to come,” a soft voice said. Altus turned to see Amy standing behind them.

  “Seems we’ve a healer as well.”

  “We’re still pretty short on people; regular teams are five to six players.”

  “Then we need two more. Who else do you have in mind?”

  “I can think of a couple of people who might like to join us.” Drayk said, “if you’d let them.”

  Haal nodded. “We’ll meet you out at the main gates in fifteen.”

  Drayk slipped the armoured suit into his bag, then rushed off. Only one other person I really want to ask. And he headed off toward the café to find him.

  Drayk hurried inside the café to find several people sitting, eating. Marik glanced up, then to the clock. “I thought you weren’t coming. Let me get my pack. Be right with you.”

  “We picked up someone else on the way.”

  “Of course.” He nodded, as he indicated for them to leave. “You’re a long time coming, but it doesn’t mean we’re not ready.” Marik moved to the end of the corridor and knocked on a plated steel door. “Bahol, you in there?”

  A gruff voice came back. “Where else d’you think I’d be?” The door opened, Drayk took a step back. What stood towering above was a man much larger than Haal. The gruff voice asked, “You really think this puny guy has something to offer the resistance?”

  Marik glanced to Drayk. “No, but together he and his human counterpart might.”

  Drayk spoke up, feeling no confidence, but the need to impress. “We need to go find them; I fear for their safety.”

  “How many are there? What’s their levels?”

  Drayk wasn’t so sure about opening up. “The highest level is female. She’s an original Araratian warrior. Here from the start of the war.”

  “Seriously?” Bahol asked.

  “Oh, she’s real, been hiding amongst a scientific team in the mountains, waiting for us to come along.”

  “Can she be trusted? There’s some turncoats in the resistance.” Bahol had managed to squeeze out the door into the corridor with a stoop. He’d tied on two double axes and a broadsword.

  Drayk was so overwhelmed he didn’t know where to look. “We’re meeting Haal and Altus out by the main gates, and he’s got Amy with him. Are you alright with that?”

  Drayk wasn’t happy, something in his mind told him she was the one not to be trusted, but then again Leenz was the one who’d saved his life.

  “Yes, we’ve known her a while. Whatever we come across, we’ll deal with. If your friends are hiding out, then we must find them soon. Or they’ll not only have one raid to fight but several others.

  Drayk nodded, leading them out, back into the main streets toward their meeting place.

  Haal and Altus were discussing things when they met up. “How can they get in so close when we’ve fighters everywhere?” Altus’ anger seemed plastered across his face. “You can’t be serious in bringing the old timer along?”

  “That old timer is one of the highest stat Tanks we have.” Marik motioned toward Bahol who had held back a little. “If you can bring me along, he’ll not fail us.”

  Drayk nodded to Altus. “We’re going in to bring three out. How hard can it be?”

  Haal scowled at him. Altus turned to Drayk with a smile. “You’ll need to send out the party invitation. This is your quest. We’re just along for the ride.”

  Drayk brought up his stat screens, located their names, then sent out the requests. Within a moment they’d all accepted.

  “Hey,” Bahol asked, “how come I can’t see your levels?”

  Drayk tapped his head. “Technically, I’m not here. Put it this way, I’m the group’s lowest, so just keep me at the back, I’ll deal out what I can to help.”

  Haal nodded. “Bahol, I’ll lead, followed by Marik and Altus. You and Amy can keep the rear clear.”

  Drayk glanced to Amy. “I’ve enough healing to help, but if you can aid me, it’d be appreciated.”

  They set off following several paths Drayk hadn’t used before. The trail ahead was much harder than earlier. Sweat ran down Drayk’s brow much quicker, way before the sun had risen to its highest spot. Altus handed out drinks. “You said they’d be hiding in a safe spot. Do you think they’d have moved off for any reason?”

  Drayk shook his head, stopped to stretch his back and spine out. “No, only reason why I think they might was in case a patrol was about.” Drayk nodded, then he edged closer to Haal. “The trail was west of here. Why are we going this way?”

  Haal brought out his map, pushed it toward Drayk. “A party was spotted about two clicks from here. Fourteen strong, I don’t think even with Bahol’s stats we’d want to take on a party that big.”

  Drayk looked closely and agreed; they could cut across and back through what looked like the mountain’s section. “We’re not going underground again are we?”

  Haal shook his wavy hair about. “I’ll need to prepare a lot of stuff before that happens.

  “You think we can?” Drayk asked. “I mean… do you think people believe in me enough to trust my judgment?”

  “You know there’s a ship under the mountain, don’t you?”

  “Yes, a big one,” Drayk said. “I want to do everything I can to get it flight worthy.”

  Haal stopped in his tracks. “You want what?”

  Drayk motioned toward the ground. “It won’t be easy clearing out all the corridors, the rooms or storage facilities. But, I want to take this fight to them. I know we can win this, but it has to be on their turf.”

  “I believe you can. I’ll support you in any way I possibly can.”

  “Thank you. If Cale is out there, I’ll find him. I won’t give up.”

  “A ship the size I think she is, is going to need some work. If you think you can get it out of the mountain…”

  Drayk paused although they still walked steadily uphill. “You know more than me how big this mountain is.”

  Haal nodded. “You want to save Cale out there with a ship but also from in here. That makes me believe you think he’s still fighting a war but inside a game.”

  Drayk knew Cale was but, convincing everyone else of the full truth…a different matter.

  “I’ll keep you posted, but the more I do, the closer we’re getting to some serious answers.” Drayk glanced to where they were and then to his map. “I like the way we’re all thinking, but one step at a time. We need to rescue this human, see what happens from here first.

  Drayk stepped back toward Amy.

  “You have such spark in you. Did someone light your energy up?”

  Drayk smiled remembering, “Yes. She did.”

  “A good job; do you mind if I take a look?”

  Drayk allowed her, and his scales rippled when her hand touched him; energy flowed into him.

  “I’ve never seen the Maxol respond like that. Your
scales are changing, hardening. I’m not sure how it’s even possible. I think they’re becoming more like the armour they originally were when your species first started to talk.”

  “Don’t be sarcastic…”

  “No, no I’m not. I mean it in the best possible light. You natural warriors have defence mechanisms we humans don’t.”

  “You think I can thwart off a blade with my scales?”

  “Do you think they’re changing for any other reason?

  Drayk ran a hand over his scales feeling a slight difference; it was more prominent.

  Amy’s touch enlightened him, he could see she meant well this time, but to trust her fully was something he had to do.

  “I want to give you one of my nanites. Would you accept?”

  “You think it’ll help me, in some way?” she asked.

  “I actually think if I spread them about, I can keep track of them, and you. And I think that’ll really benefit us all especially where we’re going.”

  Amy hesitated, jerking back.

  “Up ahead,” Haal almost whispered, and they both froze.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Drayk

  Haal and Bahol moved closer to the team, then huddled in. “I’ll go see what’s ahead, but there’s something moving.” Haal said.

  “It’s not animals.” Drayk was sure.

  “It’s people,” Amy said. “Can’t you hear them.”

  “You can hear from that far?” Haal asked eyeing her tiny ears.

  “One of my many skills to counter the fact my eyesight is poor, yes. I hear better than most. They’re coming this way. We either stand now, fight. Or we move back, hide, out of their way.”

  Drayk stood his ground. “No, if they’re bandits they shouldn’t be getting away with the things in this forest; it belongs to the people of that village.”

  Amy agreed, “Ready, Altus?”

  Altus nodded. “I’m not the party leader, but I do agree with Drayk. We can take these few; I’m sure of it.”

  Drayk motioned to the higher grounds. “Then we’ll fight. Let me see what we’re up against, then we’ll shout the bandits over.”

  Drayk knew as soon as he started to climb the tree, that Zelak was ahead; he’d been looking to take him out.

  That meant there’d be much bloodshed coming his way. He’d be hurt no doubt, more than he wanted to be, ever. But wasn’t that why he played these kinds of games?

  He called down to Haal. “This guy is a mage. He’s pretty powerful. Pull back. We don’t want to fight him now.”

  Drayk heard Amy sigh. “There isn’t much choice now. You’ve been heard. His mage ears are attuned to the forest’s sounds. You broke many a branch on your way up that darned tree.”

  Drayk slid down, moving to take a fighting stance. “Then we wait for them to…”

  And then all hell broke loose as several flashes of light came hurtling toward Haal and Bahol. They quickly raised their shields and just managed to stay on their feet.

  However, when Zelak’s people entered the clearing and surrounded him, he saw they weren’t in fact much more than children. Some were very young, maybe four or five years old.

  “We’re not here to fight you,” the mage shouted out. “We’re here to help.”

  Drayk looked to Altus, who shrugged his way. “I don’t believe a word he said. Do you?”

  Zelak stepped forward his hands in the air. “Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but really I want to see Graylin, I’ve no beef with you or him. He’s my best friend and I want to fight with him again.”

  Drayk stepped closer to Zelak and in-between Haal and Bahol. “You hurt him, a lot.”

  “Oh, what friend doesn’t do something stupid now and then? We’ve been in this game a long time and I made a couple of bad calls. The worst was not killing you when I had the chance of course.”

  Haal gripped his sword and almost struck out at him, but Drayk placed a hand on his shoulder. “The decision should be Graylin’s, not mine. He’s a great warrior.”

  “Yes, he is, and I’d like to see him again please. I really am sorry.”

  Altus moved toward Zelak, “These children, where did you find them?”

  “They were wandering the forest, with no one looking out for them. I said I’d feed them and help look after them and so I have. We’ve not been apart for long, but I’m trying to right some of the latter wrongs.”

  Altus, motioned to the first child, a young teenage girl. “You’re Araratian. Where’s your parents?”

  “They were killed, sir. A few weeks ago, south of here.”

  “And were you heading to the village?”

  The young girl nodded, glancing nervously to Zelak.

  “Then I believe you were from the Croel party. You should have arrived a few weeks ago, and didn’t.”

  Tears flowed down her face, and a smaller girl pulled her into a hug.

  Altus stepped forward once more and placed a hand on her shoulder. “No matter child, you’ve found us now.” He then stepped toward Zelak. “You sir, have done these children a favour and I’ll see to it you’re rewarded well enough when we return to the village. But for now, I really must ask you don’t disturb us while we find your friend.”

  Zelak motioned toward the kids, “I need them to be safe, but I can’t let you go now.”

  Amy stepped forward. “I’ll take the children back to the village. Zelak can take my place if you’re willing.”

  “I don’t know about that. He’s killed people.”

  “Actually, I am not the one who did the killing. You were the one who stabbed me. Graylin never told you we weren’t murderers, did he?”

  “No,” Drayk admitted, “I just presumed so, there was something inside me that said you were.”

  “That was part of the disguise, I found people who were almost on their death beds, and I gave them something to help, kind of like a suicide. It meant they would be safer and reborn and leave me with something to gather up.”

  “You were just a bandit then? Nothing more?”

  “Now, that’s a shorter term for us, when we’re not just looters.”

  Amy nodded, “You’re the funniest kind of looter I’ve ever come across.”

  “Opportunists is all.”

  Drayk laughed, it was something so funny all of the children surrounding them laughed as well.

  “These kids are good,” Zelak said. “Get them to safety and I’ll do anything I can to help you, my friend.”

  Drayk and Altus nodded to Haal who let him through and into the middle of the circle.

  “We accept your offer.” Then to Amy: “Take the kids back. Zelak, will you accept this invite?” Drayk flicked his hand and advanced the invitation toward him, worried for only a second that there was a way they could be double crossed.

  “There’s one thing I am not sharing,” Zelak said, “my loot.” and they all laughed again as Drayk accepted him into the party.

  Zelak’s stats were higher than Amy’s, especially in spells and healing. He also now had full chance to recoup and was much stronger in his energy reserves.

  “I am glad to have you on-board,” Altus said, holding out a hand for him to shake.

  “Friendship means more to me than anything…and my brother. I’m doing this for him, and for the village and planet.”

  Zelak grinned. “Then we’re on the same page. This planet is beyond beautiful, and we should stop them from destroying her. The human armies are south of here, and there’s one other to the west. The mountain itself is stopping them from crossing over. They won’t go through it like you were going to attempt and your smaller human friend did with the Araratian female.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Because I know there’s something else in those tunnels I can’t talk about. The evil in there is more than anything I ever want to meet, and more than we should want to. They’re not right in the head, and no one should go back there!”

  Pierce


  There wasn’t much time for them to panic. They’d been safe up to now, but Pierce heard something in the distance and knew things were about to change.

  Drayk had said they’d be no more than a couple of days. They were to wait for him, but the waiting was starting to get on Pierce’s nerves.

  Leenz had wanted nothing but to check out the computer she’d found, and once she’d done that her attention had turned. She’d been brutal at first, but she calmed down; trained him nonstop. Pierce was happy to be increasing his stats in many ways, but he’d soon grown tired; the pain in his legs and body never dissipating.

  “Hold on,” Leenz said, moving over one morning. Had he been struggling that much? She dug some roots from her pack, “These’ll take away some of that pain.”

  “Thanks, but I’m good.”

  Leenz wasn’t taking No for an answer. She sat to prepare the roots. “You’ll eat them. They’re not only pain relievers, but they’ll help with your energy levels.”

  When she laid a hand on his leg, something else rippled upward: pleasure. He considered his desires for a moment, when their eyes locked, though he hesitated. Leenz looked away first, but Pierce couldn’t tell if the rush of heat up her cheeks was her form of blushing or if she was embarrassed to touch him.

  She stood and moved away. “I’m going hunting, you rest up. We’ll train again this afternoon.” That was something Pierce wasn’t ready to accept, but the pain throughout his whole body had gotten much worse, his legs had started to fail him. He chewed on Leenz’s roots, instant relief flooding his system.

  Pierce heard their chatter much sooner than he saw them. They were quite open considering there were bandits around. A small pang of jealousy rushed through his system; he moved to go and help.

  Pain reverberated. His legs gave out. His face hit the dirt with a sickening thud. He could do nothing but let out a moan.

  Leenz rushed to pick him up. “What is it?”

  “Back in my world,” Pierce picked out bits of muck from his teeth, “An accident—killed my whole family. Left me with—I can’t walk. The only time I’m able to—is in here, the game.”

  “But what’s failing now? The nanites? Drayk can fix it, yes?”