“It was my pleasure, Jarvis. If anything, I should thank her. Without her aid when I first arrived in the city, my path would have been very different.”
“She told me of the cutpurse, sir,” Jarvis replied. “You did yourself the favor by assisting her. I wish you a pleasant day.”
“You as well, Jarvis,” Alburet nodded and headed home just after noon, ready for some hot food.
While he walked he opened up the guild UI and unlocked the quests. He then sent out an alert informing the guild that in three days Alpha Company would be on the move and the quests would lock again.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
When he finally got home, Alburet encountered a number of Alpha Company guild members rushing away from the guild hall. Exchanging hellos with the smiling members, he dodged around them as he made it to his door. Inside, Stacia, Karen and Fluff were all on a sofa talking with a woman seated with her back to the door.
“Welcome back Alburet,” Mother said from her seat, her head not even turning. “Have you made all of the arrangements?”
“Mother, I didn’t expect to see you here,” Alburet replied, covering his surprise at finding her there. “I did complete the arrangements I was hoping to make today.”
“Good. Have you thought about where you are going to take them? The Dead Lands are vast.” She turned to look at him with sparkling eyes.
“We don’t know where any of the keeps are, so it’s going to be fun finding one,” he moved to stand beside the sofa.
“I can tell you where one is, if you would like,” Mother leaned forward, her eyes sparkling even more.
“What’s the catch?”
Mother’s lips quirked up, “Very good, Alburet. You know to ask for the catch, but this time there isn’t one. I said before that you don’t understand just how well you are viewed by those in His court. Consider this a small gift, a wedding gift if you will, that is a bit overdue.”
“It is inside the Dead Lands?”
“Indeed, well inside the Dead Lands. Some two weeks travel due East from the fort you used last time. It is quite something to behold, if you are willing to try for it.”
“We should do it, Asthore,” Stacia told him.
“It beats walking through a desert at random,” Karen added. “Two weeks, though. That’s a big chunk of time for us to invest. Not sure if the entire guild will want to do it.”
“I’ll try it,” Fluff added, her hand resting on Karen’s leg.
“Well, it’s at least solid information,” Alburet mused. “I’ll send out a message letting the guild know. We’ll just have to see who wants to try the near impossible.”
Karen jumped up from her seat with a cheer, giving Alburet a tight hug. “It might be a big time investment, but it will be so epic.”
“I second her opinion, master,” Stacia said, joining in on the hug.
“It will be with friends,” Fluff added as she hesitantly joined in the group hug.
“It is good to see so many happy people,” Mother smiled as she got to her feet. “My mission here is done. Conquer the Keep of Gwain and claim it as your own. I’m sure we will be seeing each other again.”
Quest: Capture Gwain’s Keep
Rewards: Control of the Keep and increased reputation with the Dark Lord
Alburet looked at Mother, who returned his gaze with knowing eyes, “Thank you, Mother.”
“It is my pleasure, Alburet,” she pulled a Homestone from her small bag. “Keep my granddaughter happy, as well as these others who love you as well.” She was gone before he could reply.
Alburet coughed a minute after Mother had left, “Ladies, you can let go now.” Once they freed him, he informed the guild about the new quest as well as the general time frame. He made sure to emphasize that the quest was not mandatory, but he would like as many guild members as possible to come. “Now that that is done, I should see about lunch. We should also decide what we need to get done before we attempt this.”
The rest of that day they spent getting weapons and gear so that they wouldn’t be left without if anything broke. Alburet sent out reminders that everyone making the trip should have extra weapons and gear in addition to the camping gear they’d need, since they would be out there for such a long time. They returned home to find Alistern, Lilith, Grimgar, Stewart and Almira just turning away from his front door.
“Just stopping by to say hi?” Alburet asked, sure it wasn’t the case but still hoping.
“Came to ask why ya will be takin’ me daughters into the Dead Lands,” Alistern asked, his tone filled with worry.
“Ah,” Alburet opened the door, motioning the crowd inside. “Let’s talk inside.” Once everyone was seated and had been handed a drink by Lilith and Stacia, he began to explain the purpose of the trip. When he finished, he looked at Alistern. “Stacia will be perfectly safe. Deidre is the one I’ll worry about the most. It is her decision, though.”
“There is a reason it is called the Dead Lands.” Stewart rubbed at his temples, “You do understand that many of us natural Alpha Worlders die the final death on those sands?”
“I have been given that impression,” Alburet agreed. “Kim and Rolland Magiblood will be going with us. Sir Ioaniss Jones and possibly Sir Vladimir Dracon will be along as well. She will be fine. The dangerous part will be the fight for the keep, which the guild will do without help from the others. If it’s that big of a worry, though, you really should be speaking with her.”
Alistern got to his feet, locking eyes with Alburet, “Ya word on the Dark Lord’s name, tha’ ya will keep me daughter safe all the way to the keep.”
Alburet bowed his head, “My word.”
Quest: Safeguard Deidre Crowley to Gwain’s Keep
Rewards: Increased reputation with all Dark Lord factions and followers
“I be goin’ to speak with me daughter,” Alistern and Lilith left the house, Lilith giving Alburet a smile in parting.
Grimgar got to his feet, “A keep be a big thing. Iffin ya do manage to take one, let me know, aye?”
“Me as well, please,” Almira said as she took Grimgar’s arm.
“Either way I’ll send word,” Alburet replied, seeing them out.
Face twisted into a frown of epic proportions, Stewart stewed. “If she should die the final death, Alburet, I will be very upset.”
“I hope that everyone returns safely, even the guards going with us. I will do my best Stewart, just as I do for Stacia.”
Standing, his face still twisted with fear, Stewart locked eyes with Alburet, “I will worry the entire time.” He left with those words, not waiting for any reply.
“Your family is very protective,” Karen stated.
“Aye, as any family should be iffin their child mayhap be facin’ the end of their life,” Stacia agreed.
“Stacia,” Fluff cut in softly, “are we doing the double memory tonight?”
“Aye. Did ya wish for them to see this one as well?”
“If you think it’s okay,” Fluff replied.
Dinner ended up being a simple meal of steaks with mashed potatoes and gravy. Afterward, they gathered around Fluff in the guest room like they had the night before. Stacia reminded them again to just watch and be there for Fluff. “Tonight, we be lookin’ at two memories side by side. One be the truth of what happened, the one to the right be the way she recalls it. This be more taxin’ to her, so she will be sleepin’ in for a bit tomorrow.” Stacia started her song, pulling them down into Fluff’s memories with her.
The found themselves in Mindblown’s lobby on the day the immersion test had launched. They followed the hunched Fluff into the lobby, after a long pause outside the doors. From the moment the door opened, the two views became very different. On the left side, which showed how the event had really gone, only a few people glanced at her before going back to their conversations. On the right side, the way Fluff remembered it, everyone had looked at her with looks of pity or disgust before turning away from her.
She found Marysue and was asking about a shirt when Karen came into view. The words were as Karen recalled them from the left-hand side. The tone had changed on the right side, though. Fluff’s memory showed Karen flinching away, as if she’d seen something unpleasant when Karen had seen her face. On the left side, Karen was clearly transfixed with awe at the sight of Fluff.
Marysue led Fluff to the table to get her a shirt, speaking to her the entire time as if they were old friends. But from the right side, the words sounded condescending, almost dismissive. Gerald appeared shortly, after that kneeling to look up at Fluff. Both visions showed his mouth dropping open and his eyes widening. The one on the left was obviously tongue tied by her beauty. The false memory showed him sneering at her until Karen led her away.
The memory continued playing out, ending just before Marysue, Karen and Fluff disrobed for the final medical exam. Stacia turned to Fluff, “Do ya see now, Fluff? Do ya see the way ya let ya past twist ya views?” Stacia stood between the two images, her hands hovering just behind the head of each version of Fluff. The one on the right was plain, marked with old and new bruises and bordering on ugly. On the left was the doll-like ephemeral beauty she really was. “Look at Alburet and ask him which be the truth iffin ya need to.”
Fluff glanced at Alburet and he could see her struggling to ask before she turned away with a shake of her head. “Julia,” Alburet said softly, pulling her eyes back to him. “Julia Petrov is indeed a beauty, Karen will agree with me.” Karen nodded emphatically. “Moreover, Fluffball is beautiful as well,” he continued. He reached out his ghostly hand to touch Fluff’s ghostly shoulder. “More than just your outward appearance, your spirit is even more lovely.”
“Aye,” Stacia agreed.
“He is right, Fluff,” Karen added. “I liked you here long before we met at Mindblown. I still like you now, you’ve been a good friend. Maybe we can expand on that?”
Fluff seemed to shrink slightly, but her hand reached out tentatively towards Karen, “Really?”
Taking Fluff’s hand gently in her own ghostly hand, Karen stepped over and gave Fluff a hug. “As slowly as you need to, so you are comfortable, but yes.”
“Okay,” the whispered word hung in the air for a moment.
As the word hung there the memories around them began to dissolve and they blinked in surprise to find themselves back in their real bodies. Fluff was curled into ball, purring in her sleep as she kneaded at the pillow she was holding. Karen sat down on the bed next to her and gently stroked her ears, “Maybe she’s coming along better than I had thought. Her past is so full of tragedy.”
“Aye. Keep her company tonight. We will take tomorrow night away from her dreams. It be good for her to have a night or two to recover, an’ tha’ way she will be refreshed for the Dead Lands.”
“That’s a good idea,” Alburet gazed down at Fluffball on the bed. The damage she’d endured pulled at his heart, and he felt a strong desire to protect her and keep her from being hurt again. He looked up into Karen’s eyes, seeing a reflection of his feelings. They shared a silent moment of agreement, then Alburet took his leave. “Goodnight, Karen.”
“Sleep well,” Karen replied as she stayed there gently stroking Fluff’s ears.
Retreating to their room, Alburet stripped off his gear as he considered just how damaged Fluffball was. She’d been the victim of abuse for years, which had driven her away from trying to form relationships in the past. From the little she had said, the one time she had tried, the guy ended up stalking her.
Soft warm hands began to knead his shoulders, “She be improvin’, master. I be thinkin’ she will be able to open up a little more over the comin’ weeks. Fluff mayhap bloom before our eyes.”
He relaxed into her hands, leaning against the wall for support. “What about me, Kitten?” The question was asked softly as he recalled Mother’s assessment that his mind was even more fractured than Fluffball’s.
“We will work on it,” Stacia whispered to him, her breath tickling his ear. “I will be goin’ slow with ya, but at some point ya will have to confront thin’s ya would rather nay.”
He shuddered slightly as something deep inside him rebelled at the idea. His eyes closed even as he forced his head to nod, “I will do this.”
“We will do this, me lovin’ husband,” she corrected as she stopped massaging him and took his hand. “Tonight though, we will just sleep. Ya mind is still in turmoil over this mornin’.”
He glanced at her and saw only loving acceptance, “I still don’t know what to feel about that.”
She laid him into bed gently, “Ya do, ya just be fightin’ yaself still. We can tackle tha’ first, iffin ya wish it.”
“How?” Alburet asked, a little confused.
“We can walk back through the memories and feelin’s ya had each time we had Karen with us,” she told him as she curled up with him in bed. “It be nay just the scene I can be showin’ ya, but the truth under ya thoughts as well. It be up to ya, but it can be done.”
He lay there, his arms wrapped around and her leg hitched up across his waist. “Maybe we should. If you can help me cut through my doubts and confusion, maybe then I can be free of them.”
“As ya wish, Asthore,” she nibbled his ear. “We can do tha’ now iffin ya want, or we can…” Her voice trailed off as her hand reached below his waist.
His breath caught as she grabbed him gently, “Well, right now I think you have this issue well in hand. We can tackle the other later,” he moaned as she expertly handled him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Two days later, after visiting a few more zones for quests and dungeons, the group leveled once again. They took the time to hit Pablo’s Provisions one more time, to be sure they were stocked up on all the things they were going to need.
They gathered Alpha Company in front of the Portal guild, just before ten in the morning. Fifty of the members had opted to undertake the mission.
The gathered members of Alpha Company were double checking their equipment. Tents and Campstones had flown off Pablo’s shelves over the last few days, as well as a wide variety of travel food. Everyone carried a number of potions on belts and in bags.
Alburet had used guild funds to lay in a stock of potions for when they got to the keep itself. Along with a Raidstone set so they would all be able to stay in touch easily during the battle.
Alburet and the other officers moved from group to group, checking that they were all ready to go. The sound of a contingent marching caught the attention of those assembled. Alburet moved forward, joined by the officers to welcome Ioaniss, at the head of a group of fifty men in uniform.
“Sir Jones, it is a great thing to see you here today,” Alburet said, shaking hands with him.
“I would hate to miss history being made. And maybe I can pick up something for the museum.”
“We’ll see what we can do,” Alburet laughed. His eyes scanned over the crowd, widening slightly when he spotted Captain Roberto in the group behind Ioaniss. “Captain?”
Roberto smiled, “Sir, Captain Roberto and squad reporting to help with the mission, sir.” He snapped a salute which was echoed by the men behind him.
Returning the salute, Alburet shook his head, “It is our pleasure to have you, Captain. Are you in charge of these men?”
“Yes, sir,” He stepped forward and lowered his voice slightly. “It’s been a long time since I last saw the sands, but we will get you to any destination you choose.”
“I have the utmost faith in you and your men,” Alburet said, loud enough for the guards to hear him. “We’ll have others here shortly.”
A coach rolled up to the curb, followed by a mob of people, all heavily armed and equipped for traveling. The coach had barely come to a stop when Vladimir stepped out. “I have brought men as requested, Alburet.”
Alburet went to greet Vladimir, leaving Gerald to coordinate with Sir Jones and Roberto. “It is a wonderful thing to see. My th
anks, Sir Dracon,” Alburet bowed from the waist. “Will you be joining us?”
“Alas, no. Renful will be going in my stead.” Vladimir motioned and Renful came out of the coach in ornately embroidered black robes. “He is a master of the dead and should prove useful to you.”
Turning his eyes to Renful, who was trying to hide his unhappiness, Alburet grinned. “Renful, it is a pleasure to have you with us. Speak with my first officer Gerald about where you’ll be in the formation.”
Renful nodded and went past Alburet without speaking. Vladimir sighed, “He is displeased. I haven’t sent him away from my side in some years. But be assured that he is very skilled and will do his best for you. Even if he is a bit reserved.”
Alpha Company (Alpha World Book 3) Page 36