by Rick Scott
I hear a faint goddess laugh come from behind the wall.
Your Awareness increases by 0.4!
Skill Up! Your Awareness is now 40!
Val?
I hold my breath to see if I was hearing things, but I don’t hear it again. Could she be next door? I exit my room and knock gently on the door to the adjacent room. “Val, is that you?”
A flurry of commotion comes from inside and about a minute later, the door swings inward to reveal Maxis standing there. “Yo, wassup? ’Bout time you got here.”
He’s dressed in a robe and has a bead of sweat on his brow.
What the heck?
“You okay?” I ask when I see him breathing heavy. “I thought I heard Val Helena in there.”
“What?” he says, bunching his eyebrows together, clearly attempting to look confused. “She’s on the other side, man. Come on. I was waiting for you to get here. Let’s go hit the baths. I smell like a Billy goat.”
“Um . . . okay.”
I try to get a peek behind him into his room, but he quickly closes the door and pushes me down the corridor. “Let’s go, let’s go. You smell like one, too.”
Okay . . . Mike’s acting weird, and I’m pretty sure I heard Val Helena’s laugh. But I don’t push it. As we walk down the hall, I try not to think about what I might have just interrupted in there. And honestly, I don’t know whether to puke or laugh.
All I know is, I can’t wait to tell Gilly.
* * *
Mike and I enter the baths, and it instantly feels like I’m in a spa or something. Marble tile is everywhere, and the constant splash of an unseen waterfall fills the air with a gentle hiss. The air itself is warm, and wisps of steam rise from the surface of the pool-sized tub where Rembrandt’s already soaking neck deep in the water.
“Oy, ’bout time you got here, Max,” Rembrandt says. “Where you been, mate?”
Maxis jerks his thumb toward me. “Was waiting for this slow poke to show up.”
Yeah, right. I wonder if he and Val didn’t make a bee line straight for the baths as soon as we split up. Still, I’m not going to let him get away with that slow poke remark.
“Slow poke?” I say. “Race you to the tub, old dude!”
Mike flashes me a competitive grin, and we both disrobe and sprint for the bath.
“Hey, no running! That’s bloody dangerous!”
We pay Rembrandt no mind as we dive into the warm water feet first. We hit with a combined splash that sends a wave up and out of the pool. I honestly can’t tell who won, but I claim the victory anyway. “Beat you!”
“No, you didn’t.” Maxis splashes me with another wave.
Rembrandt shakes his head at us. “Something’s wrong with you two.”
“Hey!” I hear Gilly’s voice from behind the partition that’s running down the center of the pool. “You guys wet up the floor on this side, too!”
I laugh. “Sorry, babe!”
The warm water feels amazing. It’s a translucent blue in color and effervesces with tingly bubbles. It also seems to have some kind of mineral that works like soap. I scrub myself and feel the dirt and grime strip away.
Val Helena then enters the baths on the women’s side, dressed in nothing but a towel. She’s smiling like I’ve never seen before, practically glowing from the inside. We can all see her since she’s so tall, and tall enough to look right over the partition, too, which she does with a mischievous grin.
“Hey!” I shout in protest, covering myself.
“Oy! No fair, Val!” Rembrandt joins me.
Maxis, however, just grins back at her with a wink.
“No peeking,” she says coyly in her sultry voice.
She lets out a goddess laugh and turns her back to the partition, removing her towel. I get a full view of her chiseled back and a glimpse of side boob from behind. I can’t help but feel a bit embarrassed at the reaction it causes. Val Helena is sort of like a big sister, or even a second mom to me, but still, she’s one heck of a hot lady.
An elbow from Maxis breaks me out of my trance. “Eyes to yourself, bro.”
Eesh! I redden a bit as Val Helena disappears behind the partition and another wave of water comes shooting out from under it.
“Hey!” Rembrandts says. “You could have at least given us a tsunami warning or something, love!”
Gilly laughs through the partition. “That’s called payback!”
We all have a good laugh, then.
We settle into relaxed conversation as we all de-stress. I can’t think of when I’ve ever experienced anything like this before. I send some PMs to Gilly to tell her about my suspicions regarding Val and Max. It gets the reaction I figured it would.
Gilly: Ew! Gross! xD
After a while, she sends me back another one.
Gilly: Hey, do you find me . . . attractive?
Whoa. Where’s this coming from?
Me: Huh? Of course I do!
Gilly: Are you sure? :/
Now, I’m really confused.
Me: What makes you think I don’t?
Gilly: Well . . . because Val is all like . . . ( o ) ( o ) and I’m more like (.)(.). I just need to know if . . . well, you know . . . ?
What the heck! My mind is so blown away by her revealing ASCII art that I almost forget to answer her. I also fear that she somehow figured out I was staring at Val Helena just now. I hadn’t given any thought to how Gilly might feel comparing herself to Val, but I guess seeing her naked over there might make any young girl feel kind of inadequate. I try to think of the best way to answer her.
Me: Gilly, you’re perfect the way you are, and I wouldn’t have you any other way.
Gilly: You really mean it?
Me: Of course. Plus, Val is a giant! What do you expect?? xD
I hear Gilly laugh from behind the partition.
Gilly: Thanks, Reece. <3 You’re the best.
A bell sounds behind me, and I turn to see the fat guy—Xavier—standing there with the two male knights, Thomas and Ziegfried. He gives a little bow, concealing the small bell within the sleeve of his robes.
“So sorry to disturb you,” he says, loud enough for the girls to hear on the other side. “But the banquet will commence in a half hour, and I must insist that you do not be late for the king’s arrival.”
“Guess that means bath time’s over, mates,” Rembrandt says.
“Thanks,” I say to Xavier. “We’ll go get ready.”
“Ziegfried and Thomas will escort you when ready,” he says. “And do remember to wear your provided attire. The king is very particular about appearances.”
With that, he gives another bow and the trio leaves the baths.
“So,” I say. “Any thoughts on how we should approach this King Braxus guy?”
“Just let me handle the talking,” Maxis says. “I got it covered.”
I wait to see if Val Helena is going to say anything about that, but she doesn’t.
Part of me wonders if what I interrupted this afternoon has anything to do with her newfound silence.
“Okay, bro,” I say to him. “Guess we’re in your hands.”
Chapter 22: King Braxus
When I get back to my room, I find my dirty clothes have already been removed. Guess that old lady doesn’t mess around when it comes to laundry. I check out my new duds next.
Royal Emerald Tunic
Only the finest silk was used to make this garment fit for royalty.
Royal Emerald Slacks
Only the finest silk was used to make this garment fit for royalty.
Royal Emerald Slippers
Only the finest leather was used to make this garment fit for royalty.
Looks like regular clothing. No stats at all. The tunic and slacks fit snugly and adjust to my size as soon as I put them on. I can’t say it looks flattering on me—as in, it’s not something I’d wear to look good in the real world—but for a fantasy realm, I think it’s pretty top shelf. Plus, they’re c
omfortable. I put on the sandals and am about to leave the room when I glimpse the storage chest.
Something goes off in the back of my mind, and I have a dark premonition that I’ll not be finding my weapons in there when I go to look inside. I’m probably just being paranoid again, though. If this King Braxus was truly going to do something bad to us, surely he would have had no better opportunity than when we were all naked in the baths just now. Still, I grab my key from my robe and unlock the chest, half expecting to see it empty.
My two Dark Steel Kunai are still safely inside.
I feel a little silly then, and nearly close it back up again, but instead, I take them out. I don’t think it’ll look kosher to head to the banquet with these on my hips, but I don’t want to leave them behind, either. Just in case. I could store them in my inventory, I suppose. I’d have to spend more nano to recreate them again, but I’ve got more nano than I know what to do with right now.
The blades turn to dust as I store them, joining the two Level 85 weapons that Blacktop gave me. If this king dude is going to try to pull something, at least I’ll be armed. I have half a mind to share my thoughts with the others, but somehow, I don’t get the vibe that everyone else is feeling the same way. Blacktop said Braxus was a prick, but my brother seems to think otherwise. And if Mike is right, I don’t want to be the one overreacting like some dweeb and messing things up.
A growl from my stomach sets my thoughts on far simpler issues.
It’s dinnertime.
* * *
Maxis, Rembrandt, and I follow behind Ziegfried as he leads us up a flight of stairs toward the dining hall. We’re all dressed in our “princely gear,” as I’ve decided to call it—emerald green with gold trim. The same rules for fashion must not apply to the staff, because Ziegfried is still in his full plate armor.
When we enter the dining room, I see Gilly dressed like I’ve never seen her before. She’s wearing emerald and gold, too, but in a flowing, strapless dress that has her looking like a princess. Under the light of the crystal chandeliers, she looks stunning, her short hair brushed and styled, but still covering her pointed ears. Dang. I didn’t even think to do something with my hair. I hope I don’t look too scruffy.
She’s seated at the huge dining table, along with Val Helena, who looks equally gorgeous in her giant version of the same dress. One glance at Maxis and I can see he’s drooling over her already.
The room has a ceiling that’s two stories high, and large windows that reveal the night sky beyond. The equally large table could easily seat thirty people, and is center stage for the affair, dressed with silverware and wine glasses. I have a mild panic attack when I see all the different forms of cutlery. I’ve only ever eaten with a simple fork or spoon. It makes me think back to my dinner date with Gilly and her parents. Boy, I sure hope I didn’t make a fool of myself too badly back then. One look at all those forks and knives, and I just know I won’t know which one to use. Of course, my brother probably won’t either, but neither would he care.
Standing against the wall of the dining room, away from the table, is Lady Diana. I try to wave to her, but she’s staring straight ahead, standing at attention. Next to her is the other praetorian guard, Thomas, standing much the same way. When we reach the table, Ziegfried shows us to our respective seats, and then becomes a wallflower as well, taking a spot next to Diana.
“You look great!” I say to Gilly as I take a seat next to her.
She gives me a great big smile that makes her look even more radiant. “You look good, too!”
“Yes, very handsome,” Val Helena comments from across the table.
“How about me?” Maxis says, plopping down next to Val Helena.
The half-giant goddess gives him a playful grin. “Not as good as your brother, but you’ll pass.”
“What?” he says with mock protest. “I’m way better looking than him!”
“As if!” I say.
“Oy, no fighting at the dinner table, you two.” Rembrandt gives Mike and me a preemptive warning as he takes a seat next to me. “At least you didn’t try to have a race to your seats.”
We all get a chuckle out of that.
A bell chimes, and the chief executive, Xavier, steps into the dining room. “All rise for his royal majesty, King Braxus.”
It almost feels like a joke to be standing for just some other dude from the Shards, but the pomp and circumstance seems to demand it. As we stand, the king walks in. He’s nothing like what I expect him to look like. Especially with a name like Braxus.
He’s looks barely older than I am, and has one side of his blond head shaved. The other side he’s grown long, down to his shoulder. He’s not overly tall; he looks spindly, in fact, and his back is kind of hunched. If I were to guess, this dude looks like he’s a 100% accurate scan of his true self or something. An average face, average height. Only his clothes, which are comprised of a ridiculous-looking red robe with leopard-fur trim, give the impression of someone important. To me, however, he looks more like a nerd who dressed up as a pimp for Halloween.
“Hey, what’s up, you guys?” he says casually as he takes a seat at the head of the table. “Oh, go on and sit. Xavier’s always overdoing it with the protocol.”
“Apologies, my lord.” Xavier gives a short head bow.
“See?”
He grins, and we respond with a polite round of chuckles.
“I don’t know what you guys like to eat, but I’m sure you’ve never had Savarian Lobster before.”
Val Helena smiles. “I may have had it once or twice.”
Braxus smiles and points a finger at her. “Ah, right. You’re the one who’s been here before, aren’t you? I recognize your name.”
“I was here for a little while, yes.”
“Well, even so. You won’t have experienced anything like this before. Fresh as you can get. I made a saltwater pool just to keep them handy for special occasions.” He snaps his fingers and serving women appear, bringing in platters of bright red crustaceans. “If you’re allergic to shellfish, then you picked the wrong disad.”
That gets some more laughs, and I feel myself easing up a bit. This guy doesn’t seem so bad. I wonder if I was overreacting, after all.
“One rule,” he says. “No small talk on an empty stomach. So dig in.”
He leads by example, grabbing a whole lobster and unceremoniously snapping off the tail. “Music!”
Elegant dining music begins to play from somewhere unseen. It must be magical in nature, because it sounds like its coming from the chandelier.
“Nice sound system,” I say.
“Thanks. You guys drink?” He snaps his fingers again and more serving women come in with crystal decanters filled with red wine.
“Not the youngsters,” Maxis says, much to my chagrin, pointing to me and Gilly.
“Bring them anything they want,” Braxus tells the women, and they do just that, serving us fruit juice when Gilly and I ask for it. We eat for a bit in silence, then, and I have to admit, I’ve never tasted anything quite so delicious. The lobster meat is firm and sweet, and when dipped in the hot salty butter, it creates a symphony in my mouth.
“This is amazing,” I whisper to Gilly.
She nods with her mouthful while cracking open a lobster leg.
“So . . .” Braxus says, pointing a half-eaten lobster claw at my brother. “I’ve seen your name before, too. Top of the game in PvP, right?”
He shrugs, but more to look cool than nonchalant. “I suppose.”
“And what about you two?” he asks, looking to Gilly and me. “What’s your claim to fame?”
“First time here,” I say. “Still getting used to the place, really.”
Gilly elbows me. “He’s being modest. Reece, here, is a Dodge Tank.”
“Oh,” he says, looking nonplussed. “Not sure what that means, but good for you.”
“Yeah,” I say, feeling a bit embarrassed that Gilly even mentioned it now. “Thanks.�
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“And congratz on getting here,” he continues. “Crazy transition, right? Wouldn’t trade that experience for anything, though. Granted, my first thirty seconds here nearly turned out to be my last. But thank goodness for quick thinking. Seriously, coming here was the best decision I’ve made in my life. I feel sorry for all the poor suckers who said no when given the choice.”
I think back to my own decision to travel to the surface not so many days ago. It’d been a hard one, torn between my loyalty to Val and saving my mom and brother. Turns out, I made the right choice in the end, but it wasn’t easy taking that leap of faith. I had good people to do it with me, though. I give Gilly a smile. She returns it, oblivious to just how appreciative I am of her making this journey with me.
“So, which Shard are you from?” Gilly asks.
“Era of Empire.”
I don’t think I’ve even heard of that game. “What genre is it?”
“Strategy. Turn-based.”
I focus on him to check his character.
Name: Braxus
Race: Human
Class: Ruler
Level: 85
Guild: Era of Empire
“Dang, your class is called Ruler?” I say.
He shrugs. “Don’t let that impress you too much. It’s the default the game slots you into when you enter a combat shard.”
“There’s no combat in that game?”
He shakes his head. “Not up close and personal like you’re probably all used to. Hats off to you guys who can beat a world boss on the combat Shards. Especially Nasgar. That place spawns the hardest bosses, you know? Put me in that kind of situation, and I’d probably crap myself.”
He laughs, and we all laugh goodnaturedly with him.
I’m not sure how to feel about Braxus now. I had assumed he would be some hot-headed asshat from his name and Blacktop’s opinion of him. But this guy seems okay. Plus, he must be some kind of master tactician or something. It’s no wonder he was able to take over and expand the city so easily. And singlehandedly, it looks like.