by Dawn Chapman
“Yes, he’s many a demon in there, not helping him with the things he needed to complete. I believe he’s above that; we’ll get to see the real Pierce now.”
At that moment, Pierce stepped forward, motioning to the bodies, “You guys going to even look at what all these dudes dropped in loot?”
Drayk laughed at Leenz. “Oh, I’m sure we’re going to see much more from his personality.”
Drayk held a hand out for Leenz, “I want you on my permanent team. I know we need training, and we’ve a lot to do. There’s two other people I think we can have with us, for sure, if you’re in agreeance.”
Leenz didn’t know where to look. “I am not sure what you want me to say?”
“That you’ll join us, see this through. Fight for all the right reasons, despite what you’ve been through—what we’re going through.”
Tears appeared in her eyes; she reached out and took Drayk’s arm.
“I’ll—I’ll protect you. Your honour, all of you. I’ll fight for the right reasons.”
“I’d still like to lead. Think they’ll all follow?”
“You want to mix the species? We’ll have influence over our own?” she smiled at Drayk. “Ask Amy and Altus to join us. They both have connections, the power we need to make this work.”
“Of course, there’s many reasons that I need to have all of you with me, good and bad.”
Drayk watched Pierce and the others gathering up loot from the creatures, digging around in the filth that had splattered all around them. He grinned when Chopper rushed out of the forest and went straight for his master.
“There’s something so different about their species. I really want to get to know him, don’t you?”
Leenz smiled, nodded. Then she blushed too.
Haal managed to lope over to them with his arm and chest bandaged up. “Heck of a fight there.”
Drayk checked his stat and nodded, “We’ve several other units here with us now, and I need you to take names, rally them together. We’ll look after them, we take no heed in their past, what they have done, we just want to know they’ll be with us, to join the new guild.”
“What?” Leenz spat out.
Haal took a double take. “A new guild.”
“You don’t think we can have unassigned fighters running around, do you? They need to pledge allegiance, or they’re out. No freebies. No such thing as mercenaries where I want to be. They’re with us, or they’re not.”
Drayk motioned to the others, as he checked his stats. He’d still not seen levels he knew were needed.
But Leenz stood by him. “I’ve the required necessities you need to do what you’re thinking of. Besides, there’s lots of loot here we can sell also.”
Drayk regarded her. He didn’t know what to do, Accept or not?
“Call it a loan. You’ve not got the cash advantage of being in the game for so long, but I have.”
“Nor the stature, either.”
Haal stepped forward then, offered her his hand. “I support Altus 100%, but I’m in. I’ve the stature you need to do this. We can do it together.”
Drayk reached out and took his brother’s best friend’s arm. “Together.” He called Pierce over, who was grinning, yet still so injured he limped. They carried the gear to drop in the centre of their now obvious circle. “What’s up?” He grinned, seeing their more sombre nature.
Haal blinked. Drayk knew that Leenz was supporting him with the money that this task needed. Haal, smiled, dipped his head once, then within a few seconds, they all received a popup.
You’ve been invited to join Guild ‘White Snake’ once you align yourself to this guild your decision can’t be altered unless there is true death.
Drayk didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve named you as Guild Master,” Haal said. “Even though I am the Guild leader.”
“There’s a difference?” Pierce asked. He smiled as he noted his new tasking. “I think I like this new idea a lot!”
They stood, staring from one to the other, Drayk looked out to the others in the surrounding area. “Don’t think Altus will have as much room for us as we may actually need.”
Altus moved beside them, placing a hand on Drayk’s’ back. “You’ve got my full support. There’s a village section I’ve held off giving to someone. It’ll fill your needs greatly. One main house, several smaller holdings. It’s free land.”
Drayk nodded, bowed his head in thanks. He wanted to shake Altus’ hand off, but something made him stand-off. “This lot will be a big strain on the village, so we’ll manage ourselves. I think we’ve enough people who know what needs to be done. Well it seems so. We fully intend to help you and yours, Altus, to be there for you.”
“We should do whatever it takes.”
“Whatever it takes indeed.”
Drayk let him go, and Altus moved away. Drayk noticing the steady influx of guild members as they accepted their offer, joined with their full allegiance.
“For now, we move out. Grab as much loot as you can, we’ve a full days’ walk back to the village then we can settle into the new home, sort out skill sets, training where it’s needed more. Is this acceptable?”
Haal nodded and started to move out with the others.
Drayk waited for Pierce. Leenz saw that they needed some time to talk. She stepped away.
“I think and feel we’ve a lot to learn from each other.” He paused, letting the feeling wash through him. “I’m not saying watching you kill my brother hasn’t had an impact on what I’ve seen and learned from you, but it did hurt.”
Pierce’s eyes narrowed. “I know. Glad you didn’t hold it against me; you could have let those nanites ruin me. You could have won all this without me around.”
Drayk nodded, his tongue flicking out, tasting the air around them. He got so much more than the human before him ever could by doing this. The taste in the air was sorrowful, full of raw emotion and intensity.
Pierce was a very complicated character. Drayk wanted to know as much as he possibly could before he might finally condemn the man to something like a real death or vengeance for the death of Cale and Drei in the game.
The trek back to the village was uneventful, but Pierce stuck to Drayk’s side, didn’t let him out of his sight.
“Your stats aren’t like mine; did you even look at them to see how they’d altered? Mine started to alter my DNA but yours … what has it done? What do you notice about you that is different?”
“I’ve not noticed anything really. The pain is easier. It’s still there though.”
“When we get back, I’m going to sit you under Altus’ main computers. You’ll be okay with that?”
Pierce frowned, the scars across his face moving in a way that Drayk hadn’t seen before. “I’d like to see too,” he added. “Just may I see yours too, to learn from you as well?”
“You seem to trust me,” Drayk said.
And then Pierce stopped dead in his tracks, the little blue light in the side of his face lit up.
Drayk shouted. “Hold.” Everyone stopped.
Pierce held up a hand, waiting as several flashes happened on his visor.
Then he spoke out clearly, concerned.
“Wayne is that you?”
Drayk saw the horror on his new friend’s face. Then he watched as Pierce ripped the device from his ear, straight out from its link to his veins. Drayk, shocked at this, moved quickly to grab a bandage to stop the bleeding as it poured down Pierce’s face.
“What the hell—”
Pierce’s eyes glazed over, he almost passed out. “—visions, it looked like Wayne. In the enemy camp,” he choked out. “He’s somehow been captured; they’ve got him.”
Leenz supported him from the side as he repeated the screens, the visions he’d seen.
“How is he even in the game?”
“I went off grid. They thought I died, but they couldn’t revive my body, so they’re keeping me in suspension at the moment.”
<
br /> “Can they wake you via any other means?”
“I don’t know, if they do I’ll vanish from here, I’m sure.”
Drayk worried straight away, “They could also do that for me, if they find Altus’ hideout. I wonder if they actually are looking for it.”
Pierce nodded. “I think they are. I’ve a feeling they know, and suspect us on this whole collaboration.”
Drayk sighed. “I think so too, but there’s one thing I don’t know. The first time I came in here, I saw an alien creature, a massive thing, with so many vid screens it was impossible to watch them all. I think I saw their main lair. I think we should also head there one day.”
“You think you have a location for that?”
“No, but we’ll find out more in the main ship.”
“You really think that it’s a space ship?”
Pierce looked confused, but then Drayk held out a hand. “When you were in the midst of your blackout and panic attack, your nanites wanted war on your body. My thousands invaded your system under my command. I fought your boss into submission. He’s yours to command now. Learn to use him.”
“How did you learn that?”
“Last minute when you lay on the floor dying. I had no choice but to take over an army.”
“There’s something different you have that I don’t.”
Drayk nodded, “Some species can handle magic, you can’t. It’s simple, but your brain can handle multiple functions. You can manage to take control of what’s inside you, use the nanites, and the interface you were given. Push as far as you can. Always.”
Pierce nodded, calming slightly, “I’m listening. Is there something you think I can teach you?”
Drayk smiled. “I am more than sure, there is. I know nothing about the weapons you use, how to handle them or myself in long-range fire.”
Pierce nodded. “We’ll learn from them, in our down time, we’ll learn from each other, yes?”
Drayk placed his hand on Pierce’s shoulder, “Yes brother, sounds like a fantastic way to be taught. And we can learn things the others have no clue on, like how best to lead them between us.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Drayk
The village was a whole lot of hustle and bustle when Drayk, Pierce, and the others finally strolled back through the gates. Something’s in the air. Drayk saw a few familiar faces waiting on them. Amy stood with the children around her, then he noticed Drei.
She smiled, then managed to jog toward them. When she met him, Drei placed her forehead to his, an intimate gesture.
Drayk allowed her scent to fill his nostrils, tasted the air around her.
“Miss me?” he asked, hoping.
“When I was killed I’d no idea. I thought I’d lost you forever with some strange perma-death. I’d never experienced one like it. I’m glad you didn’t die like me.”
“No, but I did die,” he said.
“I heard. Amy told me what has happened, you’ve done more good here than I think I could have.”
Drayk saw they already had a small following of children giggling, cooing around them. He grinned. “I hope you don’t mind me cleaning up a bit first. Battle always leaves you bloody dirty.”
She moved away. “Yes indeed, but your smell, I’d want around me anytime.”
That one line made Drayk melt. She was stunning, such a charmer. He wanted to be with her more than anything, ever. “Later.” And he meant it, with every cell in his body, but his mind pulled him in a different direction.
A knock on the door, but he wasn’t expecting anyone. Pierce’s gruff voice came through. “I’m in need of some assistance,” he said.
Drayk stood, moved to answer, noted that Pierce was in just a towel, nothing else. Pierce slowly turned around, and Drayk saw several markings now etched into his back.
“Do you know what this means?”
With a shrug, Drayk answered, “Actually I don’t. I think there’s something around that I can associate with that language though.” He moved to pick through his bag, rooting until he found the journal from the cave. He said, “The language is computer code, nothing bad. Just means you’re marked, the intricate outer designs showing the nanites are strengthening your bone structure. But, let’s get you to the lab; I’ll have some more findings to show you there.”
Pierce grabbed his hand, “I don’t want anyone else knowing what is going on inside us okay.”
Drayk nodded, “I know, I don’t either. We’re something different, in sync, but also not in sync with this world around us.”
Pierce’s eyes drifted to the floor. “I’ll get dressed; meet you at the door in five.”
When Drayk had gathered a few things and put his shoes back on, he headed out. Altus waited for them.
“I know what you want and I agree. I just hope one day you’ll feel comfortable in sharing it with me.” Altus lowered his eyes even though he was the village leader. Drayk moved to follow Pierce past him, though Altus grabbed for his arm. Fire spread within. Drayk couldn’t help but shove past him. Not looking back.
Drayk’s distraction, his hurt was evident in all the testing he’d put Pierce through without even speaking.
“We’ll come back for all the results,” Drayk said, exhausted. He needed space to think, more than to be with other people.
From behind him, Altus said, “I’m glad you came back.” “I wasn’t sure if you’d—”
“There were many things that made me want to run, you know that.”
“I know. But there’s something else you’re not seeing…”
“And that is?”
“You’re a born leader, a wonderful voice of conscience to others.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“No, your ‘game’ to most is one of those things that come and go as do the players behind them, but you’ve spent more time around here than most ever did.”
“I want to be here, to help.”
“They know that. Marik and Bahol have done nothing but sing your praises in the café and the taverns all night.”
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re a very challenged young man with lots of inner struggles.”
“And Pierce?”
Altus paused, “I’ve spoken at length with Amy about the young man, a human soldier, but trained to do as much damage as he possibly could. Yet, he’s actually not interested in killing. He’s always looking for other ways out of that.”
Drayk nodded. “I agree, I don’t think he could hurt someone at all if he thought for one moment they were real people.”
“Do you not think that the NPCs here are just well programmed?”
The thought had crossed his mind; he wanted it to be wrong of course.
Drei’s voice entered the corridor with Haal’s gruffness. Then her brother Torin’s.
Altus turned away. “I’ll leave you to it, but please do come talk to me, anytime. I’m here to help.”
Drayk nodded, as Drei came into view, the sashaying swing to her hips mesmerising from a hundred feet away.
She smiled, and his heart somersaulted. Drayk moved to intercept. He linked his arm in with hers, suddenly feeling all eyes on him.
“Sorry, but I need to take this private,” he said.
Drei lowered her face to the others. “Please excuse us.”
And she walked away arm in arm with Drayk.
“Why did you do that?”
“I need to see you alone, to know how you’re doing. We’ve done nothing but train the last week. I’ve had no time for me, for us.”
“There’s an us?” she laughed.
Drayk tried not to flush. “You’d sooner be with Altus?” she probed.
“No, no I wouldn’t.”
“Drayk, we’re not committed to one another. You know that.”
Drayk had no option. She was never going to accept that he didn’t want anyone else. So, he did what he had to stop those feelings. He faced her, placed a hand on his ri
ght upper arm.
Drei’s eyes widened; she saw his intention, “You can’t!”
But he did. The final scale between his arm and shoulder blade. The thickest, the one that carried his full family mark. He tugged. Removing it wasn’t so easy. It took a second attempt before it popped out, a small sliver of blood tracing the outer edge.
“Drayk why?”
“You know why. I’m lucky to have you. I want you to be mine. I want a family with you.”
“It’s just your pheromones.” Drei swallowed. Yet, her hand drifted toward her shoulder. Her scale wasn’t as detailed as his, but she quickly pulled on it, the blood loss less than what she’d just witnessed from him.
She held her scale out, “You’re sure?”
Drayk nodded, linking arms. They stared into each other’s eyes. Drayk recited the mantra first. At eighteen, he never thought he’d find someone until much later in life, to want to fight more than to mate, but his hormones were really taking over.
“Drei, I offer you my blood, my family. From now until my death departs me from this world.”
Drei smiled. He could see she wasn’t sure on taking the offering, but she did. She ran a finger over the intricate markings from him. And licking her lips, she said. “I accept your family name, your intentions. I reciprocate. I am yours, and you are mine. Always.”
Drayk took her scale from her trembling hands. “This bonds us for all our lives, for eternity.”
And with that, he leaned in, and his lips met hers.
“You want to be alone with me tonight?” she said, breathing into his neck.
“What Maxol wouldn’t?” Drayk ran a finger lightly down her cheek, then her neck and exposed shoulder blade. To his own excitement she shivered. “You’re more beautiful now than the day I met you. You seem to grow more so each day.”
“You’re just biased.”
“Maybe,” he took her hand in his, steadying her trembling, but he felt like he was the one who was shaking more. Great fire spread through him from his heart to the tip of his tail.
“We don’t need to do anything either of us aren’t ready for,” she said, and he knew that.
Drayk entwined his fingers with hers and squeezed strongly. Drei let out a squeal at this. “I know I want you. I know you want me too.”