by Power, P. S.
Hunger gnawed at him, perhaps more strongly than he could ever remember it having done before. Even ignoring it, pushing it out of his mind as hard as he could, he felt it.
“Merri, could you make me something to eat? I think the healing I just had took a lot out of me for some reason. A lot of food, if it's not too much trouble?” The growling from his middle stirred her into action. She told him to go and change, since his clothing looked all wrong and half ruined, and she'd bring it to him in the living room.
In his room he found a sleeping Libby. She woke a little when he kissed her on the cheek, after having slipped on some new clothes, a pair of jeans, blue pullover shirt and some comfy socks. Just because he knew that he needed to stay ready for anything from now on, he added his good running shoes as well, even though he didn't plan on going out.
Libby stirred a little.
“Is everything all right?” Sleep thick in her voice, she fought to come awake, sitting up finally.
“Zack? You changed back again? I thought your leg...”
Kissing her again, on the cheek, knowing that she always worried about having bad breath when she first woke up and not wanting to make her uneasy, he explained that his leg had been healed in the void.
“I'm going to the living room. I think people will have some questions, and I finally have a few answers for them. Not everything, but enough to be worth getting up for. If you're too sleepy though, I'll tell you in the morning. I don't think it's anything that won't keep...” He saw her Shadow surge, picking up his sense of urgency, driving her body, still slow and leaden, out of the warm and comfortable bed.
“Nah, I'm up. Just let me brush my teeth and I'll meet you in a few minutes?” Reaching out to him, she placed a hand on his arm, concerned that whatever he had to say might be bad news.
He went to the living room, finding Claire, Val and Hilda waiting for him already. Claire and Hilda sat next to him, one on either side. Val pulled a large, comfortable looking chair in front of them and sat, almost touching Claire's leg with the edge of it.
On the Shadow level they clamored for attention, for answers, wanting to know why he'd gone running past Merri as Maria and come back, hours later, as Zack.
Libby came out a few minutes later, followed by Troy. Libby pulled up a chair like Val had, though Troy just stood, unsure what he should do. This looked like a secret meeting to him, something that he may not be invited too.
“Troy, you need a chair too, and Merri will when she gets here, she's making food. I'm really starving. I think that's everyone for now. You can tell the others later, if they want to know. I mean those not eavesdropping now. None of this is really secret. It's just information.” The scent of something cooking came to him, Pancakes and eggs he thought, though he didn't know for sure. That sounded good to him though, maybe he could get some later, if this turned out to be something different.
They all just sat, waiting for Merri. Listening to his stomach making noises.
She came in with two serving trays on a small push cart, the first, loaded with, as he had hoped, pancakes and a huge pile of scrambled eggs, she put in front of him, the legs resting on the fake leather of the sofa cushion, Claire and Hilda scooting over just a bit, away from him to make room for it. The second tray had only slightly less food on it, and the small woman set it up in the same way for the Trolleinkein girl, who had to eat about the same amount that Zack did each day. A lot of the time they shared meals, for that reason.
Eating first, for a bit, he finally started talking when he had finished half the pancakes, covered with real maple syrup and a large part of the eggs.
He explained what had happened, trying not to leave anything out for once. This meant that it took a while to get through everything. What had happened to him as a child, how it had all been planned to break his mind, creating a bridge... More like of a sense of traction he explained, that these Old Gods could use to reenter the world.
“Where they are doesn't exist, at least I think that's basically the idea. So they can't leave. By breaking me in the right way, and throwing me into the void, they, the Arch-Demons, had hoped to create enough reality for that place to let them climb out.” Eating some more for a minute, he waved his fork, real silver, in a small loop describing something unknown.
“This is part of what we have to deal with here. I just told you what I had been told, but I know for a fact that it's mainly wrong. Not a lie, but something that I can't understand at all, it being too different from what we know. On the good side, we don't have to worry about most of that. The gods that remain, the little gods and servants of other things that I wasn't even told about directly, it's their job to keep reality moving correctly. We just have to stop anyone from breaking some other mind in the right way to build that bridge or traction or path, whatever we decide to call it.”
He kept explaining things, even as the morning light peaked through the windows, showing him that it would be time to work soon.
He decided to sum it all up for now, even though they hadn't had a chance to ask a lot of questions.
“Nothing here has been a coincidence, almost nothing. Even back before any of us were born, things had affected each of us, to bring us to this point, this group, all of us, probably everyone we know, has been pushed and pulled into the current shape by at least two different groups. I know we have free will and choices, but some of those choices have been so strongly influenced for us that I doubt any of us really even considered the alternatives at the time.” They all looked at him, thinking, he could tell, of things that had happened in their lives, things that steered them, guided them toward what they were right now.
Troy sat back suddenly, relaxing his body into the chair and opening his arms a tiny bit, making a small wave toward the rest of the group.
“I can see it. You guys are like something out of a movie. Things like this, this group, don't happen by accident. Seriously dude, you're my bud, but neither of us is so great that we'd be hanging with this crowd based on looks.” He grinned, reaching out to touch Hilda's arm, brushing Merri's leg with his as he did it. Neither even looked at him funny. “Not that I'm complaining, but face it, the only reason I'm even here is because I happen to know you. I'm not special or anything.”
Zack laughed at this, soon the others had joined, Troy looking a little sheepish, ducked his head.
“Sorry, I guess that was a bit obvious...”
Hilda set the shining silver and bamboo tray aside, which still had been across her lap, though the food had vanished long before, and moved around, so that she stood behind Troy's chair.
“That is not why anyone laughed, silly!” Her arms wrapped around him. It wasn't just playful, but seemed caring. Almost loving.
Everyone nodded, except Val, who thought of something and pulled her legs up to her chest, holding them tightly, looking down at Zack's legs.
Zack spoke.
“Troy... I wouldn't be here if not for you. I very literally might not have survived the last few years if you hadn't been there to prop me up. Even after all this stuff started to happen, and I remembered who I really was, you've been pivotal more than once to things working out.”
Looking baffled Troy didn't say anything.
Claire looked at him and smiled. Then she explained.
“During the crisis, when war looked imminent, you came and answered phones for me... I never told you this, but perhaps it's time. Remember talking to a man named Luther? Who kept calling and asking your take on things as a Human? That advice you gave him, to look for peace even when things got hard, it caused him to not push for war with the Demons. He's the leader for my kind, all of us. You didn't know it, but you kept him from making a huge mistake, and bought Zack time to think of an alternative.” Her gaze appraised him evenly.
Val spoke next, starting to shake a little as she did.
“When...When mom was killed, I wanted to kill those men, I really did. But I couldn't move. Then you did it for me. I never
thanked you, I didn't... I don't, know how. Hilda too, you both did what I should have and couldn't...” Tears broke free from her eyes where they had pooled, running down her cheeks, where she wiped them away.
Troy jumped up and ran to her, wrapping his arms around her. Hilda did the same.
“No, no... I failed. I couldn't finish the job, Hilda had to do it for me. I got to the women and I couldn't do it either...”
Hilda shook her head, holding both of them tight. They couldn't see, but she smiled over their heads.
“Val, you aren't a warrior or a killer. Troy acted because of this, knowing it would have been wrong for you to do it. That carrying that weight would have broken you, if not then, at some later time.” Standing back to look at Troy her smile grew even wider.
“Troy...Isn't it obvious why you didn't kill the evil females? Your whole culture has taught you not to harm women. Oh, if they'd come at you with weapons, you would have done it, but hurting them, even to execute them, would have been going too far for you, stepping into being a monster. My culture is different though. To me it was an honor to help my friends like that...”
After a few more minutes of hugging, Merri broke in somberly.
“Let's not forget the most important thing Troy has done though.” She stopped talking until he looked at her, wondering what else he'd done.
“He taught me how to beat the final boss level of Enigma Seven.” She held her face still, not smiling or teasing at all.
He smiled then.
“Okay, so I don't suck. Thanks guys.”
Merri hopped up, looked at Zack and ran off, coming back two minutes later with her arms loaded with two wrapped bundles.
Then she presented them to Troy with a small bow.
“This was to be your Christmas present, but if Arch-Demons are coming after us, you'd best have it now. This,” She handed him the large bundle first. “This is your armor. It's spelled by my people. Glen did it himself, so you know. He does excellent work. It took him three weeks of work, without stopping except to eat, to complete it.”
The small package she unwrapped, freeing it from the cloth around it. A sword appeared, about three feet long, with runes dancing over the surface.
“This is a true summon sword. In all this world only one other Human has one. Once keyed to you, both sword and armor will come to you when called, or in times of need.”
Not speaking Troy first looked at and then took, the sword when she handed it to him.
“Cool! I have my own magic sword. Does it teach me how to fight too, because outside of video games I don't think I've touched a sword before.” Eyes big, he looked at the dancing patterns on the surface, they moved slowly, but never rested, seeming to be etched into the living metal itself.
The small Alfric woman shook her head in answer.
“No, you must learn how to use it yourself. I can teach you though, or... Or maybe my brother, if you don't want to learn from a woman.” Her natural shyness around men suddenly came back.
“Why would I care about that? I'd love it if you would teach me. I've never done anything like this before though. I hope I can learn it.” He looked at the sword in his hands without blinking, transfixed by it.
Zack looked at all of them, and remembered something that they should know.
“Oh! Right, as I understand it, the Arch-Demons and those above them have to play by some rules. They can't attack any of you directly, they have to send someone within a certain level of what you can handle. It's not fair, by any means, so don't think that they aren't dangerous. Human children having to fight Demons and things like that are well within their guidelines. But they can't hit you with a minor god, or even a lesser servant. Arch-Demons aren't really even related to Demons, you know. They can just pretend to be, like I can. So while this may be tough, you won't have to fight at that level.” He noticed relief flood over them, except Hilda, who stared at him hard, from where she had knelt down beside Val to hold her.
“We are safe, but the way you said that sounded funny.” Standing she faced him, her body language demanding answers.
He shrugged.
“Well, I killed one of them, a minor one it turns out, but still, it kind of bumped me into the next level as far as they're concerned.”
Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly he filled in the rest of what Big Shadow had told him.
“So, now, it seems, I'm pretty much fair game. For everybody.”
Chapter twenty-two
Kaitlyn had gotten the donuts and coffee as usual, setting the box down on the front counter, not saying anything at all. Her Shadow told him that she'd heard everything, understood it, but didn't know what to say yet. What her part should be in all this, if she had a part at all. Eating a glazed donut, she carefully stopped thinking about anything except what she did at the moment, tasting, chewing, swallowing.
He watched her openly as he ate. She still looked so young, he thought, as he considered what to say to her. It became clear what he should do then, even though he'd miss her greatly. For her own safety though, she needed to be gone from this place for a while, while whatever happened took care of itself.
“Kaitlyn... We need to discuss some things. This isn't going to be easy to hear, but I need you to do something for me.” He finished the buttermilk bar, still hungry even as he ate his sixth donut.
Her eyebrows raised she let a hint of a smile touch her lips.
“We aren't dating, so breaking up with me seems a little over the top. Unless...OOH! Have you changed your mind about that?” They both knew she teased him because she feared what might be coming.
He tried to set her mind at ease as quickly as possible.
“No, it's just that, well, you heard. I think things may get pretty bad around here soon. It may not be soon though. I need for you to be safe somewhere, so, I was thinking, have you thought about college?”
Face going blank and head tilting she looked perplexed, apparently this line of thought didn't mesh with where she imagined him to be going.
“College? No, I hadn't thought of that at all. My education has been a little spotty, so I just figured it was done and I'd get by learning what I needed on my own.” He noted that her thoughts as related by her Shadow seemed, oddly all right with the idea though. There was no regret, or sense of loss over it.
She spoke out loud, explaining though.
“A lot of Alede do go to college, especially the big party schools. It's kind of the reason they are big party schools, for the most part. It gives a nice bridge between the end of their real education and going out into the world on their own. I used to want to go to the University of Florida. I figured I could just sleep my way into decent grades and collect as many lovers as I needed to stay fed for a few years. Kick back and have some fun while mom footed the bill. Then, you know, my problems. Almost going rogue and all. I kind of forgot that I should be doing anything except this.”
Touching her chin, she posed carefully for a second, trying to look smart instead of sexy.
“What do you think? Maybe some glasses, do a whole slutty geek girl thing? Take some science courses, or something?”
Nodding he told her what he had planned.
“We'll find something close to a Node that you like, then get you situated there, you'll need your own room if I'm going to be coming and going, so that you can be fed regularly. That way maybe you can actually get your grades by studying, instead of sleeping with your professors.”
Eyes going wide in mock shock she pretended to be horrified, cringing back from him.
“What? Earn my grades like a real student? And break all those decades of family tradition?”
They agreed that she'd go, on the condition that she be at least kept in the loop, information wise. Zack left her there to think about what kind of school she might want to go to now, having a lot more life experience than most girls that looked her age, and went to talk to Patty about it.
He'd expected her to be more r
esistant to the idea, though it turned out that she'd been planning something like it for some time, and just hadn't mentioned it to anyone yet. Her reasons were simpler though than Zack's.
“She needs to get out into the world for a while and find out who she is. Right now, I know she doesn't see it... But right now she's mainly you. Not her own person. You both even shrug the same way all the time. I think that if she stays with you too much longer, she'll never really be what she was supposed to be. I don't know if that makes sense...” Inside she wondered if she'd insulted him with those words, before she could try to explain though, he told her that he understood.
“I've noticed it. Even Maria is less like me than Kaitlyn is in mannerisms. It's a little scary, to tell the truth. I wonder sometimes if I haven't broken her forever, trying to fix her. It's why I did so much less with Felicia. Just getting her to the point where she can manage without needing to worry about hurting anyone by accident.” Swallowing a bit, he sat on the fainting couch behind him, covered in real leather, he saw and felt the being of the animals, more than one, it had come from, and ignored them.
She waved away his worry though, her cream colored silk shirt being smoothed under her fingers as she, inadvertently he saw, sent out sexual cues one after another. He ignored them too, trying to keep his mind on business, even as his body reacted to her.
“Without you, she'd be dead by now. Felicia too. You have nothing to be sorry about there. It's just time to take the next step and let them go.” Her tongue licked at her lips sensually, calling his attention to her mouth.
Patty told him that transcripts and paperwork had proved to be a problem though. While the Alede had private schools, their system had been designed to integrate with the normal college entrance experience. Kaitlyn had been taken out of that system at fifteen, so the records from that wouldn't work. If Patty could get to the campus for a month or two, she could probably seduce all the right people to get her daughter in, or, for that matter the girl could do it herself.