by Dante Doom
The door to the lighthouse opened up then and four men emerged, carrying a clearly wounded woman.
“Well, we found our leader!” the men cheered as they began to walk toward the north.
“Where are you going?” Savannah asked.
“To the north is a portal to a Med Center. We gotta get Sheila back to full health before we can find a decent base somewhere,” one of the men replied.
“Hmmm,” Fingers said. “We could take the portal to the Med Center and then find a cross-portal leading to Fieros. That might be a better solution than looking for Fieros out here.”
“I thought you could only get to Fieros through the Dream Lands?” Savannah asked. “It would be a waste of time to head to the Med Center and then have to find another portal to the Dream Lands to get to our destination.” There’s a Med Center in Fieros; it sucks to keep going with injuries, but I think we should.”
“Why are we going to Fieros, again?” Timon asked.
Savannah paused. The only reason they were heading to Fieros, she realized, was because that was where Elanor had wanted to go. Maybe it would be a better idea if they found somewhere else to serve as their destination.
“Our fine and noble lady wants to go there, and in case you haven’t noticed, she’s bringing us a lot of points,” Fingers said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, okay, but since she’s not here, I’m going to be honest with you all,” Timon said. “I don’t like her, and I’m positive she’s up to something shady. The only way she can be in the game is if she’s entered illegally. She’s probably here to stir up some kind of political trouble, and having us around might make us targets, too.”
“Targets of what?” Fingers shrugged his shoulders, his hands fingering the holsters at his side. “I’m in this game for life and Savannah’s a Grinder, so it’s not like we have anything to worry about. Are you worried about her killing you for your points? She’s aiming for the Queen level; it’s gonna take her ten times as long as you to get to where she wants to go. I doubt she’d waste the energy trying to kill an innocent player. Makes more sense to work with you—after all, the more you have in your group, the less of a chance there is that all the baddies will be focusing fire on you.”
“She’s been pretty friendly so far,” Savannah said as she shook her head. “Timon, be honest with me—why don’t you trust her?”
Timon sighed. “Look, you have no idea what it’s like being in the courts, okay? The scheming, the intrigue, the lies… all of it never ends. I watched my father and mother struggle for most of their lives with working to protect themselves from assassination attempts or being ousted. A Noble sends their children into the Grind anonymously, hiring Grinders to guide them because a Grinder will protect their Noble from in-game assassins.” Timon shook his head, staring off into space. “Power is finite. Every time a Noob makes it to the level of Noble, everyone loses some of their power, and there are those who would do anything to stop that.”
“I get it. It’s like a pie. Everyone gets a smaller piece if there are more folks wanting some,” Fingers chimed in. “I really miss pie.”
Timon shook his head, chuckling. “That’s exactly it, Fingers. All the Nobles want a bigger piece of pie, and they aren’t interested in sharing.”
Savannah frowned. “So you think she’d murder you to avoid having to share? What does she care? She wants to be the Queen.”
“Don’t even get me started on royalty,” Timon said. “King Leopold has been brutal in his reign when it comes to dealing with people inside of the Grind. It’s not a coincidence that only nobility get extra life tickets, Savannah.”
“You’re telling me it’s rigged by the King?” Savannah asked. She crossed her arms. Maybe this was something she didn’t want to know.
“I’m afraid those are the facts,” Timon replied. “King Leopold is a very powerful man, with a great degree of influence and control inside of the Grind. Those who wish to rise up in the ranks must be willing to bend the knee and kiss the ring. Otherwise, he will see you as a threat.”
“So, you’re telling me that Leopold approves of you being here?” Savannah asked. “He’s okay with you becoming a Noble because, what, you took a knee and kissed his ring?”
Timon only sighed in response. A look of shame came across his face and he started to shift his feet nervously. Fingers chuckled and pointed at Timon.
“You’ve been caught, haven’t you? You’re as big of a sell-out as the rest of them,” Fingers mocked.
“It’s just how the world works,” Timon replied. He took Savannah by the arm and walked her out of Fingers’ earshot. His voice became hushed. “The King is the man in charge, so I do what he says. We all answer to him one way or another; he’s our ruler. Unfortunately, thanks to his tight-fistedness, he’s also ensured that only those he approves of can end up as Nobles.”
Savannah took a step back. “Wait a second… what about our arrangement? If Leopold keeps a tight fist on everyone, why would you ever let me become a Noble?”
Timon smiled faintly. “You’re coming in without a house, or any kind of allegiance. King Leopold is always open to outsiders taking positions of power, as long as they are willing to swear fealty to him and do as he asks.”
“I don’t know if I believe you,” she replied. This little revelation was starting to change everything she knew about Verre. If the King really did control who became a Noble, there was no way she’d have a chance of reaching the higher ranks.
“Well, I wouldn’t have much of a reason to lie about any of this,” Timon said. “Although, this kind of information isn’t widely known. I doubt the peasantry would do well to know the system is rigged.”
Savannah sighed deeply. “Yeah, I guess you don’t have a reason to lie.” Her heart began to sink as she pondered his words. If the King really had his hooks into the system so deep, there was no way she’d be able to make her way to the highest ranks.
Timon placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ve talked about you to Leopold already. He seems amenable to the idea of you joining the High Court.”
Savannah glanced up at him. “Really? You’ve talked with him? About me?”
“The King likes to know his future supporters on a first name basis,” Timon explained. “He contacted me upon my entering the Grind earlier.”
“Yeah, right,” Savannah scoffed. “Why would he do that?”
“My father is a very powerful man in the court,” Timon said. “He has many allies, and commands a lot of loyalty and respect. Leopold wants to keep House laRange on friendly, speaking terms. Soon I will be by my father’s side and will serve the King as he wishes.”
“Politics are really intriguing,” Savannah muttered. “So, he’s okay with me joining?”
“Perhaps—it’s hard to tell what Leopold’s motivations are sometimes,” Timon replied. “But do you understand my hesitancy surrounding Elanor now?”
“If she wants to supplant the King, it means she’s your enemy,” Savannah replied.
“Yes,” Timon said quietly. He seemed rather neutral about the whole thing. “But I’ve sent word to the King, and have been awaiting his reply on what to do.”
“You don’t think we should kill her?” Savannah asked.
Timon shrugged. “That’s not up to me, although I doubt we could actually take her out.”
Savannah shivered a little. This new information cast Timon in a new light. She realized just how little she knew the man. “So, you’re really okay with the King having rigged everything?”
Timon shook his head. “Not by a longshot, but there’s little I can do. My family has a long history of fealty to the King. It’s not my job to tell him what to do, and maybe there’s a good reason for that. I don’t know. But my job is to do as my family needs. Someday my father will die, and I will inherent his estate. I can’t do much with an estate if I’m of the lower class. I serve the King as part of my duty, the same way you earn money to support your family.”
“I get it,” Savannah replied. “But, do you think Leopold’s a good person?”
“Hard to judge anyone when you can’t see all the moving pieces,” Timon replied. “But I certainly wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.” At that moment, Timon paused and looked up slightly. His eyes darted back and forth rapidly, indicating he was receiving a message.
“Well, speak of the devil,” Timon said. “That’s Leopold.”
“Really?”
“About time,” the Noble muttered as he walked away from Savannah, moving around the lighthouse.
“You done conspiring yet?” Fingers called from a distance.
“Not yet,” Savannah replied. Was Timon really speaking with the King? A little bit of nervousness welled up in her stomach. Maybe this had been why Hem had never really taken her dream of becoming a Noble so seriously. If her father had known the truth, though, that the King could control who became the elite, wouldn’t he have told her?
“Savannah!” Timon called from behind the tower, breaking her concentration. “The King wishes to speak with you.”
“What?” Savannah gasped. “He… he does?”
Coming back into sight, Timon nodded and beckoned for her to come over to him. As if there were weights in her legs, Savannah slowly made her way up to Timon. What would she say before the King? She had imagined meeting him dozens of times, but in th future, when she’d be a member of the High Court, and this was very different from those fantasies. She was a nobody right now, so why would he ever want to talk to her?
She turned around the corner to see a shimmering projection of a man who could be none other than King Leopold. He was tall and vibrant, with a thick black mustache and hair that was wild and free. He was adorned in the traditional golden robes of royalty.
“Ah, is that her?” Leopold asked.
“My-my king,” Savannah squeaked as she threw herself onto her knees before him. In spite of all the times she had practiced meeting him, she had no idea what to say.
“Rise, rise,” Leopold said with a chuckle. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
“You have?” Savannah asked as she took Timon’s hand for assistance as she stood.
“Indeed,” Leopold replied. “When Timon mentioned your aspirations, you caught my attention. It’s rare to hear of someone from the lower classes actively working to achieve the rank of Lady of the High Court. Most would happily stop at the position of Baron, or just a regular Lady.” His words were kind and charming. He glowed with a congenial warmth that eased the butterflies in her stomach. “Let me ask you, Savannah deForge, why do you seek such a high position?”
Savannah struggled to figure out what to say. What would the King want to hear? Finally, she began to answer. “Ever since I was a girl, I would look at the second wall, the one around the inner city of Verre, and wonder what went on. I would hear stories,” Savannah said, her eyes growing wide, “stories of people who were so elegant and full of grace. People who lived meaningful lives, who worked not with their hands, but with their words, commanding for the good of Verre.”
“Sounds cute, but really, cut the crap,” Leopold said abruptly. His eyebrows narrowed, and his tone became harsh. “Why do you really want to be a Noble?”
Savannah’s face grew red with embarrassment. “Err… in reality, I just want to live well, and I want to take care of my family and the community around us. I live in a hovel where we worry about freezing to death each winter. We barely have enough food to get by, and if one of us gets sick, we have little chance of surviving. I’d rather not… not live like that anymore.”
“Well said,” Leopold said with a grin. He nodded at Timon, who had not spoken a word since Savannah had arrived. “She has the right motivation, that’s for sure.”
“As I said, sir,” Timon replied, “she truly is an outsider.”
“Do you know why most people stop once they reach the lower tier of the upper class?” Leopold asked as he walked around a little bit, his holographic form shimmering with each step.
“Not really,” Savannah replied.
“Simply put, it’s because most people don’t actually want to be in the higher ranks. Sure, they say they want it, but what they really mean is that they want to live comfortably. You can live well when you’re a Baron. You can live even better when you’re just a lower court Lord or Lady. So, they settle for less, as soon as they have the chance. Why? Because they aren’t even honest with themselves. Would you settle, my dear?”
“Never,” Savannah whispered.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not interested in second best. I want to have a house name that will echo into eternity.”
Leopold grinned. “I like that. So, are you aware of my power in this world? Of my connections and influence?”
Savannah shook her head. “Timon told me a little, but… not much.”
“As the King of Verre, it is my job to ensure that only the right caliber of person can get into the upper ranks. I pay little attention to a person until they start to cross the million-point threshold. Then I must determine if they are worthy of attaining status. A unworthy Noble could cause a lot of damage to Verre. And we can’t just let anyone become a Noble. Imagine, for a moment, that some moron who was good at the game managed to reach the High Court. A rube without a lick of common sense, sitting amongst the Lords and Ladies, commanding armies and deciding policy. That would be insane, wouldn’t it?”
“I guess…” Savannah said.
“So, it is the sacred duty of the King to ensure that only the right people get in. So, my question is, Savannah, what makes you the right person?”
Savannah was at a loss for words. She had never prepared to answer a question like this before. In her mind, she had always assumed that winning points would earn her that right.
“I see you look confused,” Leopold said as he strolled up to her and leaned in close. “But allow me to assuage you of those confusions. There is only one thing that makes a person worthy of sitting before me in the courts—loyalty. Loyalty to me, to my policies, and most importantly, to my orders.”
“I understand,” Savannah said.
“There are those on the court who aren’t loyal to me, though,” Leopold said, his expression growing dark. His eyes narrowed as he quivered a little with rage. “They seek to supplant me, to fight against me in secret. One by one, I find some way to control or remove them. And it’s high time that Elanor be removed from her position.”
“So, what does this have to do with me?” Savannah asked. She could guess where he was going with this discussion, but she wanted to be sure.
“You know the answer already. I see it in your eyes. You’re a lot smarter than most of the peasants I’ve spoken with,” Leopold replied. “With Elanor gone, her seat on the High Council would be vacant. If an ardent supporter of mine, someone new to the scene, were to take over her position, it would strengthen me considerably. I see no reason not to hand you this position of power. If you can prove your loyalty to me.”
“By killing Elanor?” Savannah asked.
Leopold grinned. “Exactly. If you take her out, it will show me that you’re the right kind of person. You come from nothing, and you have nothing. I’m perfectly willing to give you everything you desire, as long as you do as I ask.” He paused for a moment to lean in closer again. “But make no mistake, Savannah, this is the only way to reach the rank that you want so badly. I have powers in here beyond what you can dream of. I have eyes everywhere. If you think that you can become a Lady of the High Court without my blessing, you are mistaken. I can send a lot of firepower to make sure that you can’t make it.”
“Then why not send people to fight Elanor?” Savannah asked. She understood his need to threaten her, but at the same time, if he was so strong, how was his enemy still around?
“Are you saying you can’t handle this job?” Leopold asked as he took a step away from her. “Because, sure, I could find other
Grinders to do this job, but what would be the point when I have the ability both to take her out and at the same time replace her with someone like you?”
Savannah glanced at Timon, whose arms were crossed. It was clear by the expression on his face that he wasn’t particularly happy about the arrangement. “What do you think?” she asked.
He shrugged. “If you want to join the High Court, this is the way. It’s up to you.”
“So, all I have to do is kill her?” Savannah asked.
“The best part is that you’ll get all of her points when she dies,” Leopold said. “Ensuring that you’ll reach your rank. Elanor will finally be eliminated from the game, she’ll lose her rank, and your family will move into a luxurious estate by next week. Sounds like we all win.”
Savannah nodded at that. She looked at Timon again. He shrugged at her. “It’s your call. I’m secure either way.”
Savannah shrugged. “Killing her is going to be really hard, but… I’ll do it. I want that position.”
“Excellent,” Leopold said. “Don’t let me down.” He turned to face Timon. His expression became cold. “And I expect that you will help her in any way that you can. If Elanor gets her way, we’re all screwed, understood? This isn’t just about me.”
“I get it, I get it,” Timon grumbled. “You’ve rambled enough at my father to gain his support. House laRange will do as you please.”
“Excellent,” Leopold grinned. “Then do what you need to do. I will be eagerly awaiting an update.”
Chapter Eleven
Savannah and Timon came around the corner of the lighthouse to see Fingers and Elanor speaking. Fingers was in the middle of a big story, sweeping his hands around dramatically as he spoke.
“It was at that moment that I realized the gun in my hand was a healing potion!” Fingers said, eliciting more laughter from Elanor. She seemed charmed by Fingers, but Savannah couldn’t tell if it was genuine.
“Well?” Fingers asked as the two approached. “How was all that secret talking?”
“It went just fine, thank you,” Timon said. He was calm and collected, speaking as if nothing had happened. Savannah was surprised to see how well he could hold his composure. She felt nervous as she looked at Elanor.