Rise of the Wolves

by J E Reed

  Kiuno tugged her hand away. “You should save your energy for someone who needs it.”

  “All right, but K.J. is asking for you.”

  Kiuno bit her lip, but she followed Palindrome toward the rear part of the field. They stepped over countless dead bodies and the scent of burning flesh filled the air.

  Several people carried the injured and Kiuno’s heart tugged when she saw how many wouldn’t see tomorrow.

  The pair paused at the end of the first row and Kiuno waited outside while Palindrome went in.

  Her heart pounded at their hushed whispers. She averted her gaze from the tent and viewed those lying in the sand. Trees and waterways formed before her eyes, weaving their way between the injured. She didn’t want to imagine what this scene might look like without magic.

  Palindrome exited, gave Kiuno a warm smile, then marched off to tend to the wounded.

  Kiuno took a step forward then paused. She wondered what kind of scheme he might have concocted about her supposed betrayal. Perhaps he needed time to evaluate her recent actions.

  “You can come in.”

  Kiuno’s heart skipped and she entered the stuffy tent. Why in the world would Palindrome keep it closed in this heat?

  Apologies can come later.

  Had those words been true or just a play on her emotions to ensure his men’s survival?

  She bit her tongue. No, K.J. wasn’t like that.

  Kiuno avoided his gaze, studying the floor as if something of interest could tear down the wall of awkward silence.

  “How do you feel?” she asked.

  “Shitty is an understatement.”

  She grimaced. “Do you want me to get someone?”

  K.J. repositioned himself and shook his head. “They have enough to worry about. I’ve had worse.”

  “I doubt that.”

  He chuckled. “So, how did you do it?”

  “Do what?”

  “Convince the alliances to come.”

  She shrugged. “They know what I’m capable of.”

  He raised a brow. “Kiuno turning to threats as a negotiation tactic? I must have missed a lot.”

  “My friend was running to his death. I was desperate.”

  “Tell me.”

  She folded her arms. “I threatened to take away everything they built and expose them for the cowards they were.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve definitely missed a lot.”

  Heavy silence settled over the tent again and Kiuno shifted her feet. “I’m sorry.”

  He sighed. “I’m the one who should apologize. The idea of you betraying anyone is laughable at best.”

  Her voice cracked. “People died because of my stupidity.”

  “People died because of an ally’s betrayal. That ally wasn’t you. I should have known you needed more reassurance.”

  “You have too many people to worry about as it is.”

  “My officers are the ones I concern myself with. That’s how leadership works. Knowing you as well as I do the fault goes to me for neglecting your tactical opinion.”

  Kiuno let herself collapse to the ground and took a relaxing breath. “So, where do we go from here?”

  “Before the ambush, I was informed of a cavern not too far away. It should be able to house the lot of us. At least for now. Our biggest challenge will be establishing order with the leaders in such a tight space.”

  “From battle to politics.”

  “Honestly, I’d take the battle any day.”

  72: Complications

  Realm: 6

  Day: 386

  Kiuno sighed, tugged the braid from her hair, and fell face down onto the fur blanket lining their space in the cavern. She buried her face in the fibers and let out a long exhale.

  “I don’t get it. Why can’t they just shut up and come to a reasonable agreement?”

  Elite unbuckled his sword and leaned it against the wall before lowering himself to her side. “They don’t trust one another. What did you expect?”

  She huffed. “They didn’t have a problem with it a week ago.” Kiuno propped herself on her elbow. “They’re leaders. They should know how this works and it’d go a lot smoother if they just picked a job and stuck with it.”

  “You’re expecting people to work together who never have.”

  “Yeah I know.” Kiuno threw up her arms. “I’m surprised they haven’t argued which hand is better to wipe their own asses.”

  He leaned toward her. “The left.”

  Kiuno shoved him over, but he wrapped his arms around her middle and planted a playful kiss on her neck. The two lay in one another’s arms and Kiuno remained quiet as she listened to the sound of Elite’s heartbeat.

  “Think of it this way. Each of them is a dictator who’s been forced to receive permission from a council.”

  “Councils have their advantages.”

  “Councils also eliminate individualism.”

  Kiuno huffed again. “Well, if the majority agrees upon a decision then those noncompliant should conform.”

  “Like you did when the others suggested letting K.J. fight his own war?”

  “That was different.”

  “But you see what I mean?” Elite moved her hair aside and kissed her neck again. He trailed tender kisses to the edge of her jaw, and she couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. “You need sleep. The worries of tomorrow will still be there when you wake up.”

  “And more worries on top of it.” Kiuno closed her burning eyes. Sleep sounded nice. Peaceful.

  After the battle it’d been nothing but decisions and politics.

  Kiuno winced when she turned over. Her scars burned, but it was minimal compared to past times.

  Elite’s slow rhythmic breathing soothed her body and her bound muscles relaxed as he rubbed her shoulders. Kiuno let the luxury lull her back to a time when her only concern had been to find Elite safe and lie like this every night for the rest of their lives.

  73: The Creator

  Realm: 6

  Day: 387

  Kiuno rubbed sleep from her eyes as she trudged through the cavern. The damp musky smell of moss assaulted her waking senses, but it served as an improvement to the dry desert air.

  Others, some appearing more tired than she felt, muddled along to complete their assigned tasks. There’d been no end to them in the last few days.

  K.J. stood beside their meeting area and gazed out over the sea of faces with glassy eyes. Always the first to arrive.

  Kiuno yawned. “I miss coffee.”

  “You and me both.”

  “Do you think we’ll be here much longer?”

  “I—” K.J. cut himself short as the world shifted. Colors merged into one another and swirled through a whirlwind that moved faster and faster until everything blended into a cloud of gray.

  Kiuno clenched her eyes and fought the sinking feeling in her gut as the room spun out of control. She reached for something. Anything to steady her spinning head.

  Her feet hit solid ground and Kiuno tried to focus on her surroundings. Nausea tugged at her empty stomach, but she bit back the rising bile.

  K.J. took her arm and steadied her.

  Once Kiuno had gathered her bearings, she glanced at the people around them.

  Thousands.

  No, more than that. Far more.

  Kiuno met the confused faces of Scorpios, Blue, and Liam.

  But they were in the fifth realm. Right?

  She took a step back and tried to absorb the scene.

  Was this… everyone?

  Kiuno shook her head and examined the room. The ceiling, floor, and walls all seemed to stretch forever in each direction. An endless sea of pure white.

  “Thank you so much for coming.” A booming male voice echoed around the room. Several, including herself, took a step back as an apparition materialized above their heads.

  She drew her weapon, as did many others, but the man only smiled as his body slowl
y descended.

  “To make our lives easier, I thought I’d bring everyone in the game, those still alive at least, to this holding place.” He held up a finger. “But don’t worry, as soon as we’re done, I’ll return each and every one of you to the exact location you came from.”

  His gaze searched the sea of faces and stopped when their eyes met. A slow smile spread across his face and she could have sworn she recognized it.

  He clapped his hands together. “Now, I’m sure you’ve all been dying to know where you are and how you got here. As a reward for passing into the seventh realm, I’ll give you some answers.”

  Seventh realm?

  He paused and Kiuno’s stomach sank when he pointed at her. “Will you come forward my dear?”

  Those around her tightened their circle and the man clicked his tongue. “Come now, I won’t bite.”

  Kiuno gave each a quick look then took a few steps forward. She kept her hands firmly clenched around the hilt of her sword.

  Hundreds of screens flashed into existence, each double sided and suspended overhead.

  “I was surprised when you revealed yourself as the lightning user. Mind you, it’s made this even more fun. But for those who still don’t know,” He raised his voice, “This is Kiuno. My special player.” He tucked a hand behind his mouth as if to whisper, but his voice still echoed. “And my favorite as well.”

  More whispers started behind her. The man continued staring as if she were a toy he’d longed after for years. “I’m sorry, this is just so exciting. I’ve dreamed of meeting you for so long my sweet Kiuno.”

  He stretched his arms wide and floated closer. “I’m happy to finally tell you I created this entire world just for you.”

  A chill ran down her spine. “What does that even mean?”

  “Exactly as it sounds.” He lowered his hands. “I’ve watched you for a long time. I saw how sad you were, how often you cried. It hurt and the solution was so simple. All you’ve ever wanted was to be needed.”

  He spread his arms wide again. “So, I made this extraordinary world just for you.”

  Watching her? Creating a world for her?

  “Who are you?” K.J. demanded.

  He sighed and lifted his gaze from Kiuno. “Ah, the one that bites. Well, since you asked, I used to be a good friend, at least until someone threw me away as another failed alliance leader. That hurt, you know, but I’m capable of forgiveness.”

  Failed alliance leader? From the game? Then this man also played Chronopoint, but there were hundreds of failed alliances. That was just part of Chronopoint’s structure. His entire motive couldn’t be centered around an injustice as insignificant as that. It was easy to start over in a game.

  The man’s feet touched the white floor and he clasped his hands behind his back. “I’ll admit. At first, this was all an act for revenge. I wanted to create a purgatory where I could watch each of you suffer. Your lives were boring anyway.”

  His gaze fell back to Kiuno. “But then I saw you. It stirred something in me. Being thrown away wasn’t your fault. It resulted from the pain inflicted by others. I knew I had to do something.”

  He spun around and looked over the crowd. “You see, all your lives were dull at best. The modern world has made us lazy and resentful. We bicker about the stupidest things instead of appreciating the gift of life.” His head tilted back to her. “But here, you’ve learned to appreciate every breath. Every moment.”

  Kiuno’s body trembled and her hands curled into fists. “It’s your fault. You’re the one who killed them.”

  He placed a hand over his chest and looked appalled. “My dear, I haven’t killed anyone. If we’re going to point out who has blood on their hands…” he raised a brow and looked pointedly at her.

  “I created this world, yes, but I don’t control it nearly as much as I’d like. In fact, I seem to lose more control day by day. It’s a dilemma I didn’t foresee.”

  K.J. took a step forward. “You don’t have control? What would have happen if Kiuno died? Since she’s your key player.”

  The creator roared and his laughter echoed through the crowd. “Kiuno? Die? Please tell me you’re joking. This is Kiuno we’re talking about. She can’t die.”

  Did he honestly believe that?

  “You’re insane,” Kiuno said.

  He tilted his head. “The same could be said of many who revolutionized the world.”

  “So, what, you just watch us on your little camera and enjoy the show?” she said.

  “I used to, but that got boring, thus I inserted myself into the game.” He took a few steps toward her. “A long time ago, I might add. I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out.” His gaze drifted behind her and his familiar smirk shifted into place.

  “You never suspected.” Two voices echoed. “Not once.” One painfully familiar. He walked through the crowd and those gathered in the vicinity stepped as far away as possible. “I’ve had so much fun watching you from this angle,” Liam said.

  Kiuno stared and cold rage spread through her veins. She remembered all the times Liam had been by her side. A silent shadow.

  He’d been there the night Kikyo died. He’d been there when she thought she’d lost Elite and Scorpios. He’d listened to all her doubts and fears as if he were her friend. All this time—

  The man before her stood as an older version of the kid she’d have given her life to protect. She’d spilled blood to defend him. Blood that could have been avoided.

  Kiuno’s eyes ran down the older Liam’s arm and rested on the scar where her fire had burned him.

  That meant he could be hurt.

  Kiuno turned back to the younger version and her eyes widened as Liam’s small form smiled one last time before melting into the floor. Kiuno turned back to the creator. Back to the real Liam.

  Lightning sparked around Kiuno’s body against her control. Several yelped and shoved through the crowd to separate themselves from her magic. It flowed like lava in her veins and melted the final strands of control she had in place.

  He knew all her promises. All their plans.

  He watched. He blended, and the most sickening part was how well he’d done it.

  Kiuno charged and swung her blade in a wide arch over his head. It collided with an invisible shield that even her lightning couldn’t penetrate. She screamed in rage and pressed her sword against it, hoping to crack his defense through sheer force of will.

  “So, the little wolf bites too.” He clicked his tongue. “You’re angry with me? Do you know how long I’ve waited for this moment?”

  Kiuno clenched her teeth. “Because of you thousands of people are dead!”

  He tilted his head. “I’ll admit the experiments were harsh.” His eyes hardened. “But let me make one thing perfectly clear. Without me, you’d be nothing.” His hands opened to encompass the crowd. “These people you call friends would have drifted away and in a few short years they wouldn’t even remember your name.”

  “At least they’d be alive.”

  “True. Just like you to sacrifice your happiness in order to prevent another’s pain.”

  “Go to hell.”

  “I’ve been there and so have you.”

  He pointed up and a rift in the seam of their reality ripped open behind him. Sun shone through and a grassy meadow filled the space on the other side.

  “If you wanted to see them again. All you had to do was ask.”

  Shadows stepped forward. Shadows she recognized and Kiuno’s heart shattered all over again.

  Kikyo.

  Elliott.

  “I can give you anything your heart desires. All you have to do is stay here with me.”

  A dry patch formed in the back of her throat. “You think a fake reality would satisfy me?”

  “Hasn’t it thus far?”

  Her entire body trembled and Kiuno’s vision dropped to the scar on Liam’s arm. “I’ll stay, but only until the day you’re vulnerable enough for me to run
my blade through your heart.”

  His jaw twitched. “Such unappreciation.” Liam’s gaze lifted past her. “Honestly Elite, how do you do it?”

  “Leave him out of this.”

  “You think I’d kill him? I already told you, I don’t kill people. At least not on purpose.” He tapped the side of his face. “But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying a few games.”

  Liam lifted his arms and a portal opened beneath Maltack’s and K.J’s feet. The two disappeared in seconds, their voices the only thing left in their wake. People around them screamed in horror.

  Her frantic gaze shifted back to Liam. “Leave them alone,” she yelled.

  “Relax, they’re still alive. I’m adding a twist.”

  Two portals appeared on either side of her. Both swirled a familiar purple mist and the cold air tore at her clothes.

  “I’ve placed both in a predicament of sorts.” He pointed to the portal on her right. “Maltack is in the first realm, though the beast that lives there might not welcome his company.”

  Liam pointed to the portal on her left. “K.J. is in the eighth. A terrible area you have yet to discover. Rest assured, the terrain is far worse than the creatures who occupy it.”

  He pointed up and a set of numbers appeared above their heads. “You have twenty seconds to decide who you will save. Of course, there’s also Reece to consider and the people you’ve chosen to lead.”

  Her heart skipped. Reece was alive?

  Liam tilted his head and gave her a crooked smile. “So, tell me. Who will you choose?”

  The number above flipped. Then flipped again. And again.

  16

  15

  She had to choose? Maltack, K.J. or Reece? She had to choose one of her friends?

  13

  Her heart and mind raced. One warring against the other.

  The people could care for themselves. They had leaders like Palindrome, Leena, and Scorpios. They would thrive in her absence just as they’d done before she arrived.

  10

  Kiuno turned to Palindrome. “Don’t kill Reece.”

  8