Downtime and Death (Apocalypse Gates Author's Cut Book 5)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Yes,” Alvin said, sipping his. “A lot of people drink it here, though everyone has different ways of enjoying it.” He nodded at Becky and Kuro, who were adding cream and sugar.

  “You drink it without modifications?” Desiree asked as she picked up her mug.

  “I like it that way,” Alvin grinned.

  Desiree sipped at the coffee, her smile fading some as she put the mug down. “It lacks any kick.”

  “Jarvis, do we have any whiskey?” Alvin asked.

  “We do,” Jarvis said, bringing out a bottle and a shot glass. “I wasn’t sure she would like it.”

  “Pour her a shot.”

  “What is this?” Desiree asked as Jarvis handed her the small glass.

  “An alcohol from this world,” Jarvis replied. “Some say it burns too much, but others enjoy it.”

  Desiree looked at the single ounce of liquid before slugging it. A broad smile spread across her face, “That’s more like it.”

  “Irish coffee,” Jarvis said, pouring a shot into her mug. “See if this is what you had hoped for.”

  Desiree quickly picked the mug up and sipped at it. “Yes, much better. Thank you… Jarvis?”

  “That is my name, miss. Please enjoy your drink.”

  “Now that you have a drink that suits you,” Alvin chuckled, trying not to laugh too much at the stereotype, “why don’t you tell us about your world? You’ve seen ours, and have been here for a few days, at least.”

  “Forgeheart is a beautiful place,” Desiree said, sitting back in her chair with the coffee. “You saw a little of it. The small part of your world I’ve seen has more trees and large animal life than I think I’ve seen in my entire life. The surface of Forgeheart is all tall, icy peaks, and deep valleys where life can survive outside. Our homes are built into the mountains, where we find the minerals to build and the heat we need.”

  “What do your legends say of your past?”

  “Our myths? Our world was born from the frozen core of Delhome’s Heart. Mordan slew the wicked god and formed Forgeheart from his enemy’s heart. The creation sent sparks spiraling into the valleys, and it was from this that my race was born.”

  “Mordan is your god?” Becky asked.

  “Mordan is one of the legendary beings that crosses the darkness above the world. You can see them at night, their life force glowing for all to see. Their children go racing across the heavens sometimes, leaving trails that glow behind them.”

  Alvin exchanged a look with Becky before asking his next question, “Your world came from two of those beings meeting in conflict?”

  “That is what our myths say,” Desiree giggled softly. “What we have found out is that our world is a globe that circles a bright globe, and that is what gives us light and darkness as we face it or away.”

  “Our world had many creation myths,” Alvin said. “Yours would have fit right in.”

  “What are your cities like?” Kuro asked.

  “Grand monuments to our engineering prowess,” Desiree proudly stated. “Mithril stretches for many miles into the mountain’s heart and climbs nearly to its peak. Mithrilblood guides the clans from there.”

  “Your people are clan based?” Becky asked.

  “Aren’t all people based around clans?” Desiree asked. “Your family is part of a community. Isn’t that community a clan?”

  “In our past, yes,” Alvin said. “More recently, it wasn’t clans but nations that people belonged to.”

  “Nations…” Desiree said slowly, the word strange. “What an interesting word. It brings to mind the four major clans of Mithril Core.”

  “What is that?” Alvin asked.

  “The largest landmass on our world.”

  “If all of those clans united into a single unit, that would be a nation,” Becky nodded.

  “How do they manage to work? The four clans can almost never agree on anything,” Desiree asked, “even with Mithrilblood leading them.”

  “How, indeed?” Alvin laughed. “Most didn’t. They were constantly changing leaders or ideals.”

  “How messy,” Desiree said, taking a long drink. “But these nations are no longer around?”

  “No, they vanished with the apocalypse, or change, as you know it.”

  “I’m sure that fa… the clan leaders are having a hard time adapting, even with the dreams,” Desiree nodded. “I can only imagine how bad that would have been for a ‘nation.’”

  “What of your world… Mousie?” Desiree asked.

  “My world is divided between the Queen and King,” Kuro replied with a smile. “The Queen is preparing to finally make her husband listen to her, thanks to Hero.”

  “Hero has helped other worlds, has he?” Desiree asked, watching Alvin over the top of her mug.

  “If the price is right,” Becky added. “We don’t help people for free, normally.”

  “But you saved me from the fungals,” Desiree rebutted lightly.

  “You were on our way,” Alvin said. “We had no idea who we were helping when it happened. While we are more than happy to have helped you, we are hoping to come to an agreement with you and maybe one of your clan leaders to facilitate an exchange of XP and items.”

  “I’m sure that Mithrilblood would be willing to make a deal if you have ways of helping with the fungals.”

  “How did the fungals come into being?” Becky asked as she set aside her coffee.

  “The fungals were discovered after the last time the portals came. A day after the portals closed, the first fungal appeared while we were pursuing the last of the longears. It was in one of the valleys, away from our cities. That valley is now known as Fungus. The plants there were changed, and began attacking the pursuers. Back then, we didn’t have the armor we have now, only the first iteration, which had no weapons melded with it and didn’t seal. They were forced to retreat from the valley, but they were followed by the first fungals,” Desiree paused for another long drink from her mug.

  “Small, fast, and fearless, they swarmed the line. Dozens of them were cut down, but they didn’t care, pulling down the armored in return. When the battle was over, the survivors headed for the closest settlement, but another group fell ill and died on the way. The clan of the area, Steeleyes, assembled an army to go forth, and they killed every living thing in the valley.”

  Desiree looked pained, but continued, “They celebrated their victory, while their losses from spore inhalation mounted. They didn’t realize that they had only helped the fungals grow. Every dead fungal spawned at least two to replace it, and weeks later, the fungals attacked Steeleyes. The few survivors of that attack reached Copperheart and warned them about the fungals and how their clan had been slaughtered by an enemy they’d thought defeated.”

  “How long was it before the clans realized the fungals had to be burned?” Becky asked.

  “A dozen clans fell before the way to kill them was discovered,” Desiree said, setting aside the empty mug. “By then, the fungals had spread, and their most insidious way of spreading was just being discovered. They produce a spore that doesn’t make you ill or kill you, but grows a fungal inside of you. Thankfully, it’s rare and strong drink can kill that infection, which is when my people turned to the drinks we now prefer.”

  “The old sets of armor... did your people use those during the raids into the portals?” Alvin asked suddenly.

  “Of course,” Desiree said.

  Alvin got up, “Be right back.”

  Returning a minute later, Alvin set the Twurgh relic on the table. “Do you know these?”

  Desiree leaned forward, reaching for the item before stopping, her eyes wide. “Where did you find these?”

  “Recovered from Mousie’s home world,” Alvin said.

  “Could they be…? May I examine them?” Desiree asked.

  “Go ahead,” Alvin said, taking his seat again.

  Desiree picked up the collar and reverently ran her hands over it. Bringing the gem up to her face, s
he stared at the symbol in it. “Doomin’s armor…”

  “You know them, then?” Becky asked.

  Desiree blinked before setting the collar back down on the table. “This used to belong to my clan. Doomin led the party into the longears’ world, but he never came home. This armor is a treasure to my clan.”

  “Hmm, what do you think your clan leader would pay for these?” Alvin asked, indicating the pieces of the set.

  Desiree took a long moment before she spoke, “I don’t know. How do you put a value on family?”

  “Looks like we’ll have a lot to discuss when we meet with your clan leaders,” Alvin said as he picked up the relic and put the pieces back into his bag.

  “Dinner is ready,” Jarvis called out from the kitchen.

  “Thanks, Jarvis,” Alvin said. “Ladies, shall we eat?”

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Desiree took the seat to Alvin’s right. “Your servant stays here and cooks for you?”

  “Jarvis? He’s my butler, and a friend.”

  “I stay inside the base,” Jarvis added. “I can serve no other but him.”

  “Interesting,” Desiree smiled, turning her attention to her plate. “I’m honored to be given such a meal.”

  Alvin looked at the steak, watercress, and roasted potatoes. “This is fairly standard.”

  “Meat is common for you?” Desiree asked with surprise.

  “Yeah, but given what you’ve said about your world, I guess you don’t have large animals,” Alvin said. “Jarvis, what is this?”

  “Châteaubriand steak, sir,” Jarvis replied as he took his seat last.

  “Meat is reserved for meals of importance, even for the clan heads,” Desiree said slowly. “How different our worlds are...” Picking up the steak knife with a solemn air, she paused before cutting into it. “Would access to meat be a thing we could barter for?”

  Becky’s smile was sly, “Oh, I’m sure we can come to an agreement about sharing meat.”

  Alvin glanced at Becky and got a wink in return. “Beef, chicken, pork, and more can be arranged,” he told Desiree.

  “I guess I should taste this,” Desiree said, slicing a small piece off and putting it into her mouth. Eyes closing, Desiree chewed slowly, clearly savoring the moment.

  “It’s good, Jarvis,” Alvin said. “The Béarnaise sauce is good with it.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Very good, Jarvis,” Becky nodded, still watching Desiree.

  “I agree with them, Jarvis,” Kuro added.

  “This is amazing... I’ve never tasted meat like this,” Desiree commented, opening her eyes to look at Jarvis. “What animal did this come from?”

  “It is beef tenderloin from a cow,” Jarvis replied. “Please try the side dishes, as well. They do compliment the meal.”

  The other three watched Desiree with amusement as she gushed over the food between bites. Jarvis was smiling broadly at her continued praise.

  “Thank you, but there is still dessert,” Jarvis said as he got to his feet. “If you’ll pardon me.”

  “Does he perhaps have a brother or sister who cooks as well as he does?” Desiree asked Alvin.

  “No, but cooks of his skill level can be found on our world, although rarely.”

  “Hmm, that is good to know.”

  “We can discuss that along with the other items after dinner,” Becky grinned.

  “It seems my list of asking points only grows,” Desiree sighed. “I doubt I can barter for everything that I would like, but Mithrilblood can,” she continued. “That is, if you would be willing to help me return home.”

  “I think I’ve heard something like this before,” Alvin chuckled.

  “Look what that got us last time,” Becky winked at him, her hand resting on Kuro’s shoulder. “I don’t see a problem with helping her out, Hero.”

  “Here we are,” Jarvis said, pushing a small wheeled cart to the table.

  “Banana split, Jarvis?” Kuro asked hopefully.

  “Close, but not quite, Mousie. Tonight, I shall serve bananas foster.” Smiling, Jarvis lit the single burner and began to cook off the rich, buttery sauce. After a few minutes, when the mixture was bubbling, he added the alcohol and ignited it with a flourish.

  Desiree watched him intently. When a dish was placed on the table in front of her, Desiree stared at the artfully arranged dessert. “All of this is new to me. What should I expect?”

  “The bananas and sauce are warm, while the ice cream is frozen. It is very sweet throughout, with complementary flavors of banana, vanilla, caramel, and rum,” Jarvis explained. “The brown crunchy bit there is part of a waffle cone to give it a different texture. Enjoy.”

  The other three had already started eating before Desiree took her first small bite. A moment later, she dug into it with gusto, taking large bites of ice cream and sauce. When she was almost done with it, she let out a grunt and clutched at her head.

  “What is this? Why does my head hurt?”

  “Brain freeze,” Alvin said, holding back his laughter. “Just give it a minute and it will stop. It happens when you eat something cold too fast. It’ll fade.”

  Desiree stared at him, but like he said it would, the pain faded and she finally nodded. “I’ve never experienced anything like that before. The ice cream causes this?”

  “Anything cold can, but ice cream is the most well-known for it,” Becky told her. “As long as you eat it a bit slower, you’ll be fine.”

  “I see,” Desiree said, picking her spoon back up. “I shall go more slowly.”

  Once they had finished their desserts, Jarvis was quick to replace the empty dishes with coffee. “I hope you enjoyed it, Desiree.”

  “I did, Jarvis. My thanks for letting me sample such grand dishes,” Desiree smiled as he added whiskey to her cup. “Can you leave the bottle?”

  Jarvis looked to Alvin, who nodded. “Gladly, miss.”

  “Let’s go to the sofas and talk there,” Alvin suggested.

  They moved to the living room, and Desiree eyed them speculatively. Alvin sat on one couch, flanked by Becky and Kuro. “I didn’t realize that both of them were attached to you in that way.”

  “Our relationship is different. We both answer to him, but Mousie answers to me, as well,” Becky smiled.

  “Ah, a clear delineation of who is in charge of whom,” Desiree nodded. “That, I understand. There was a time my people would have been shocked to see two females attached to the same man. Our society has shifted in the course of the Fungal War.”

  Alvin could feel the conversation slipping away from where he meant it to go, and quickly tried to take control of it. “What are you hoping to gain from us?”

  Desiree sat forward in her seat, her demeanor shifting to serious. “Everything I can get. I’m sure that my world will have things you want.”

  “Your armor system, for one,” Alvin nodded. “Not sure what else we really want since we have no idea what your world offers.”

  “That makes it hard for me to attempt bargaining in good faith,” Desiree sighed in rueful agreement, sitting back. “As for the armor of my people… I’m not sure it will work for you.”

  “Why?”

  “The way the armor works… you’ve never heard of the power source before,” Desiree replied. “I can’t go into more about it.”

  “That does make it difficult to bargain,” Alvin agreed. “Is there anything else you can think of that we would find appealing?”

  Desiree’s eyes flickered to Becky and Kuro before going back to him. “If we can get to Mithrilblood, I’m sure he can find something to interest you. Our world is rich in metals and minerals and my people are fine crafters. We excel at making armor and weapons.”

  “Can we try your armor?” Becky asked.

  “No. Armor bonds to the first person who dons it,” Desiree replied. “The relic would work for any of Doomin’s line, as the limitations weren’t as narrow in that time. That armor isn’t as advan
ced, though, either.”

  “I guess we’ll settle in for the night and head out in the morning, then,” Alvin said. “That doorway there has—”

  “Hero,” Becky cut in. “I’m sure Desiree would like to refresh herself. It has been days since you had a proper shower, hasn’t it?”

  “That is the bathing device you showed me earlier, yes?”