“Well... he did narrowly escape death," the Captain said. "Nearly ran himself to death with all those Nilum at his heels. And him, with only his two legs."
“Oh, Light and Love, Ruin! I'm so sorry!” Aeria said. "I thought you were abandoning us! I'm sorry! I didn't know!”
“I… I… I...” I struggled to speak and she leaned in close. "I… I got Hoes to the left of me.” My hand pointed limply at the Captain and then over to his nephew. "And Hoes to my right…”
The expression on her face... I can't even describe it.
I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath and my sides hurt. Maybe Aeria would heal me later.
“He seems to be confused,” the Captain said with deep concern. "Myself and my nephew are the only Hoes here.”
Aeria looked up at him, confused. "What?”
“Nnnnooooo…” I wheezed breathlessly. "No mooore…”
“I am Captain Hoe and this is my nephew, a Private. He’s a Hoe, too.”
She looked back down at me, apparently aghast at the sheer immaturity that rules my mind. I wasn't the only one though because I heard a few giggles and snickers from the other Subaults while the Centaurs all looked on in confusion.
“You all! Shut up!” Aeria told the others before looking down at me and lightly kicking me in the ribs. "And you! YOU! Get up! You scared me half to death after you enraged me half to death and now I'm… I'm… Stop laughing!"
“Can't… hurts… tend… laugh when...pain...”
She knelt down, placed her hands against my sides and sent her magic into me. I felt the gentle warmth seep into me. Soothing the various aches, stings and burning bits of pain.
I relaxed and finally took a deep breath, which seemed to cleanse the hysterical laughter from me.
I savored the lack of pain and said, “You've gotten better at that.”
“I should,” she said irritably, standing up and continuing to glare down at me. "I've done it enough times by now.”
“You're welcome." I smiled, kicked to my feet and said, "Now for the important questions. How much is my take of the loot? When can I get it? Does chocolate exist in this world? Can I eat my weight in chocolate?”
Aeria crossed her arms over her chest, turning her back to me before saying, “I don't think you deserve a share of the loot after what you pulled."
“Really?” Vicious’s voice was as dry as vampire dust. "I seem to remember someone saying something about Ruin sacrificing himself to save us all and how we better not try to take his share of the loot, or else. Because somebody would - “
“Shut up!”
Vicious shut his mouth.
She turned to me. "Shut up!”
I closed my mouth too.
Then she turned to Tahamira and grumpily asked her what the grand total was.
The Shadow Elf had already summoned her interface and was looking through it. “We have a total of four hundred and two Whatsit eyes, thirteen copper coins, one silver coin, three silver rings and three earrings, also silver.”
I blinked and asked, “How are you carrying all that?”
She shrugged and said, “Whatsit eyes aren't that big or heavy. That plus, well, magic.”
After some debate the ember eyes were divided up evenly and the rest was divided according to what the guards estimated their value as.
After we divided up the loot, Dash came up to me, and without preamble, apologised.
"What for?" I asked.
"Vicious and Savage wanted to defend you. But I'd heard things about you and I talked them out of it. I shouldn't have.
"Savage would have reserved judgment and Vicious would have seen your reputation as an advantage. All I saw was a threat. I'm sorry. If you ever need anything from me. Back up on a quest or whatever, tell me. I’ll help."
I wasn't sure what to say to that so I asked, "How is Savage? I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. Well, yes, yes I did but not those kinds and now I - "
Dash stopped me with a shake of his head, then tapped his temple with a finger before saying, "Vicious and I are mentally linked with her through a contract. I promise. She has more than enough going on inside her head to submerge those memories. And when they do… come up again, we’ll be there for her."
I couldn't think of anything else to say so I just thanked him. He nodded, a little stiffly, and went back to stand by his Chain.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to settle my thoughts. It didn’t work.
I summoned my Soul Tome and debated where to place my hard won experience.
After several long seconds of just staring at the page I got fed up and said, “To the Pits Of Unpleasantness with it. I'm tired of running out of magic.”
I spilled it all into magic regeneration to get it to 4.0, then I distributed some into vitality and into my magic pool.
Then I flipped to my Abilities (left page) and Skills (right page) where I found a semifun surprise.
Learned Spells:
Force Spike: (Cast On Release) A short spike of energy, that causes damage at close range.
Rank: Competent. Level 5
Note: This spell was imprinted upon you in the realm between, as you reshaped your soul.
Force Spike 2: (Channelled) A short spike of energy, that causes damage at close range.
Rank: Basic. Level 3
Bounce: (Channelled) (Modulated) A burst of energy used for blasting away objects.
Rank: Competent. Level 5.
Bounce 2: (Modulated) A burst of energy used for blasting away objects.
Rank: Competent. Level 5.
Bounce 3: (Channelled) A burst of energy used for blasting away objects.
Rank: Competent. Level 5.
"There we go! Excellent! Well, except I won't really use the other two Bounce spells and they're kinda of an eyesore."
Since renaming spells worked the same here as it did in Midian, I tried using the same gestures to minimize spell descriptions.
I tapped and held a finger down on the description, then used my index finger and thumb to minimize the now static spiral before dragging it to the bottom of the page.
"Much better," I said in satisfaction and did the same for the other Bounce and for Force Spike 2.
Then I renamed the modulated Bounce 2 as Bounce.
Skills:
Blades: Two handed Swords, Long swords, Katanas, Curved swords, Short Swords, Small Blades, Thrown Blades, etc.
Small Blades Rank: Basic. Level 1
Hand To Hand: The use of the body as a weapon. Though you may use hand weapons in battle your main weapon is your body.
Claws Rank: Basic. Level 10.
"Really," I told my book. "Basic? They're claws. How much finesse do you need? Oh, and goodbye Blades. Ya Basic. And you annoy me."
As I minimized Blades heard one of the Centaurs quietly ask another if I was talking to a book.
I turned to him and said, "Yes. Yes I am. But don't worry, it's only when the book starts talking back that you need to worry."
I closed the Soul Tome and turned it sideways. Opening and closing it like it was talking as I said in my most 'Demonically Possessed And Loving It' voice, "Mmm, hello random Centaur man. Have you ever wondered what your fellow Centaurs taste like? Num num! Num! Numnumnumnumnum!"
He stared at me for a long moment before slowly backing away from me.
I laughed to show that I was just kidding. For some reason that made him back away faster.
When the Captain called me over and asked about what he called "The Incident" I gave him all the facts and only a few embellishments.
When he was done with me he called the others over. Apparently I was the last to be interviewed.
Once all the Fallen were together he told us that we would be escorted to the city gates. After that they would leave us with the three Centaurs who found us and continue on their patrol.
After the battle we were all a little shaken up and many of the soldiers engaged us in conversation. I
think partly to calm us down but more to learn what they could from us.
They seemed especially interested in Taren and Resynthia, the other Dwarf.
When I asked David about their obvious interest he said it was because of the Dwarves usual "magical" nature.
Apparently the Native Dwarves not only tended to lack magic but actively distrusted it.
The Centaurs seemed confused by those from Neon and slightly wary of those of Midian. I was sure that last bit wasn't my fault. Probably.
It wasn't until we got closer to our destination that I registered the fact that he said city and not village.
And come to think of it, villages don't have armies do they? But did cities?
Then I started to smell the people. The lots and lots of people. We emerged from the edge of the woods into an enormous clearing where we got our first view of the “Village”.
And its fifty foot high stone wall.
“The sign said village,” I accused David. "This is a city.”
He shrugged. "That sign is really old. No one's gotten around to changing it.”
“Not gotten around to it? For how long? A thousand years!”
He shrugged again and smiled. "Welcome to City of Sunnydale.”
Chapter Nine: Sunnyvale? Seriously? Well... At Least Its Not Springfield.
The gates were open and the massive wall encircling the city was patrolled by non Centaur soldiers. As I looked up at them I saw many who watched us with a mix of curiosity and concern.
I waved cheerfully at them and one of the soldiers hesitantly waved back. Another soldier standing beside him smacked him in the back of his helmet and berated him.
I snickered but quickly sobered as I noticed all the people going in and out of the gate.
I was in a hurry to find the rest of my Chain and to make sure they were all right. But a feeling of dread, a feeling that only worsened when I saw the people of the city, kept rising up whenever my mind wasn’t effectively distracted.
They all seemed to be Elves, and only Elves. Native Elves or a few Fallen Elves.
Not all of my Chain were Everkin, of Elven stock, and aside from the Centaurs, Elves were all I've seen so far. Even Taren would be considered a type of Elf in Aegis lore.
I didn't like what that implied.
There was also the possibility, a remote chance that my Chain had a stay of execution. It was about as likely as them escaping but still.
I wasn't sure how I felt about them staying on the Outside. Escaping to the Outside, to freedom, while I was stuck here.
Well… yes, I did. I would be happy for them. While simultaneously being horribly lonely.
It was the third alternative that I truly feared. The idea that the transfer from Earth to this world had somehow failed.
The information the Overseers gave us didn't say anything about the possibility. But then again, they wouldn't have, would they?
I pushed the fear down as deep as it would go. Down to the part of my mind where my insecurities and nightmares fought for dominance. Letting the fear drive me wouldn't help.
Fear was power, it gave you strength, made your heart beat faster, your legs pump harder, your will burn brighter, it blurred the line of coward and fighter.
But if you let it drive you when you have nowhere to go, you would only end up more lost and alone than you were before.
I took a deep breath and made myself focus. Made myself think. I saw no Elsekin, no Aegis Orcs or Neon Trolls. I only saw Everkin, Neon Elves, Aegis Elven stock. I smelled Eves of all kinds, Native and Fallen. Which meant this was an Elf city. Which meant that each race may have their own starting zones.
So, Three and Five should be here since they were Everkin. We would find wherever Two and Four was. But what was important is that they were here on this world and, hopefully, safe.
After reassuring myself, at least a little, I focused on the wealth of sights, sounds and smells of the city.
Outside the wall I had seen stables for horses. I knew they were for horses and not some strange fantasy mounts because of the smell.
Inside the wall, there were stone houses, each with a flat roof and a garden on top. Every windowsill held a little garden under it as well, both inside and outside the glass windows.
The farther we went into the city, the taller the houses became. Until they were less like houses and more like buildings.
Everywhere I looked there were plants. From public to personal gardens, to vines growing inside and outside every structure.
The thick, flat slabs of stones that made up the roads were carved with images that flowed into paths. When Taren asked about them, David, our official escort, explained that each path led to a different part of the city.
“Each section of the city, residential, governmental or commerce, has their own unique imagery. The more wealthy the city, the more creative and intricate the pictures. This is a pretty standard Half-elf city. Not poor but not exceedingly rich.”
“Half-elf?” Tahaniria and Aeria both spoke at the same time.
The two Elves looked at each other before Tahaniria asked, “What do you mean Half-elf? Elves can only breed with Elves.”
The Centaur was quiet for a long moment before speaking. "It is a sad tale. One you will learn sooner or later, so you may as well hear it now.”
Now he had our full attention.
"Once, thousands of years ago, there was an ancient race. A race of people called ‘Humans’.”
We looked at each other for a second and I restrained a smirk as I said, “Hmm… go on. And what did these ‘Hoo-mahns’ look like?”
“Humans,” the Centaur corrected. “They were a strange and terrible people. Capable of great good or incredible evil.”
My eyes widened. "You don't say…”
“Yes,” the oblivious centaur said. “I have only seen a picture of them once, a male and a female. They looked a bit like Elves, except fatter and hairier. They also looked a bit like Dwarves, but weaker and scrawnier. With tiny, little round ears without proper points, a little like Dwarf ears. Some had beards like dwarves but others couldn't grow beards at all. They were by all accounts, a bit ugly.”
The others scowled and I grinned “Please! Tell us more.”
The half wolf person smiled sheepishly. "I don’t actually know that much. I'm not a scholar. All I know, is that they were the only people who could breed with Elves and they all died during the zombie apocalypse.”
“Wait…" I stopped, "who did in the what now?”
Everyone else stopped, too.
David kept walking several paces until he noticed we weren't walking with him. He stopped and turned to look at us quizzically.
He turned around to face us fully. "The Humans. They all died. In the zombie - “
“The zombie apocalypse, yes!” Aeria said impatiently. "Say more things! About that!”
Looking slightly taken aback, he said, “Well… Humans didn't really live very long, I think it was only a hundred years or so?
"Some believe it is for this reason that many of the most powerful magic users became obsessed with eternal life. When we die we are reincarnated into a new life and while important memories endure, the details don't. Which means we have to start over, well mostly start over, to advance to where we were in our last life.”
“What do you mean ‘mostly start over’?” Vicious asked.
I cut off whatever David was going to say, “Nuh uh. Fate of Humanity first. Secrets of the afterlife next. We go in order.”
Vicious shrugged and we all went back to looking at David expectantly.
The Centaur seemed confused about why we were so interested but he answered anyway.
"Alright. But I really do need to escort you to the meeting so…" He turned around, started down the road again and we followed as he continued. “Necromancy, the magic of death, was the purview of Humans. Other races couldn't use it or at least, use it very well. Possibly because Humans were more susceptible to those en
ergies than any other race.
"I don't know the exact details and I doubt anyone else does. But from what few records survived the aftermath, it is surmised that a great spell went wrong. The necromantic energy swept through the world, killing or corrupting every Human it touched.
"Every race, including the remaining Humans, banned together to hunt down the resulting undead. There was one band of heroes, whose names were lost to history, that eventually faced down and destroyed the Arch Necromancer. Ending the undead plague forever.”
We were all silent for a long moment, each thinking our own thoughts. For myself, I was wondering how much of that history was written by game developers and how much of it was real. It sounded like a standard game lore.
Living in this world, I thought I'd be able to tell if it was created construct or a discovered reality. So far, evidence had me leaning toward the creation idea but...
Queen' s Behomian Rhapsody started playing in my head.
"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality.
Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see.
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy…"
I noticed everyone was looking at me and realized I had been singing out loud.
"What? I was thinking about the nature of this reality and it just popped into my head! We don't know if this world was created or if it evolved naturally."
David gave me a sidelong look, "Of course this world was created. It was created by the Gods."
"Well...I mean. That's just..." My protest died away. I mean for all I knew this world was created by Gods. It existed in a different paracosm after all.
In the resulting silence Tahaniria spoke up, "My parents had a full immersion VR pod and it felt real, almost. It was convincing but… there was something slightly off about it. Something I could never really pinpoint. A lack of..."
“...being present?” I suggested, “A feeling of being here that was there.”
She hesitated, thinking about it before finally nodding.
The others started talking about similar experiences. Comparing what they experienced on the Outside verses here.
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