Delvers LLC: Adventure Capital

by Blaise Corvin

  There were scary people in the capital, and a lot of them were in the Officer Academy, in particular.

  “She’s going to school with us?” Aodh’s honest face was painted in shock.

  Suddenly, Tanushree didn’t feel quite so frightened anymore. If these two were going to school with her, and if they attended as her allies, perhaps she would not be at such a disadvantage. Maybe she wouldn’t be so lonely. She made up her mind.

  “I will wait three days,” she said, giving her answer. Her magic might still be weak, but her intuition was strong. It was how she’d survived this long in the first place.

  Origin of Species

  Vitaliya rode her magicycle and wondered when the group would stop to make camp. High Priestess Keeja still needed to tell the rest of the party a number of things that Vitaliya probably already knew.

  She glanced back and noticed Mareen in the turret of the Battlewagon, looking mopey as usual. Vitaliya turned back to driving and rolled her eyes. The other woman was about her age, but she always acted so dramatically.

  Mareen’s husband was alive. The ‘Bonded woman knew this and she should be happy. Was she? No. She just acted more tragic. Meanwhile, poor little Aodh was out there somewhere with Mareen’s idiot husband and nobody was there to protect him. Nobody was with him that even knew his secret.

  Of course, others couldn’t could know his secret, even Aodh; it was too dangerous. But that was why Vitaliya needed to be with him, to protect him. The sweet, weak boy wasn’t ready for some things. Some lies could be kind, after all.

  Vitaliya clenched a hand and willed her emotions down, preventing her magic from manifesting. She couldn’t wait until she earned an orb one day. Most people, if they got a choice of orb, avoided orbs like Mareen’s. Strength and endurance was useful, but usually presented a cap in realistic power.

  However, Vitaliya had more magic than she could handle. Other mages needed to practice growing their power, building their potential. Vitaliya had always been the opposite. She had to limit her magic so she never accidentally killed herself of scorched the entire landscape.

  If she could get her hands on a toughness orb of some kind, she’d be unstoppable. Meanwhile, Mareen, the crying child, had gotten exactly the type of orb Vitaliya wanted and used all that power to just pull back a bow.

  What a waste.

  Vitaliya didn’t hate Mareen, but she found herself increasingly irritated by the other woman. At least everything would be okay after they all found sweet, defenseless little Aodh again. But the longer he was all by himself, in Berber of all places, the less patience Vitaliya had with people that weren’t actively contributing to getting there faster.

  If anyone had hurt little Aodh, she was going to kill them. She’d mercilessly torch them. It would feel good to hurt her enemies, to keep hurting them, but Vitaliya was better trained than that. The faster a woman killed her opponent and put them in the ground, the faster she could move on to the next enemy. It was more efficient that way.

  The red-haired young woman grinned, showing all of her teeth. Her eyes were wild as she drove at the head of the group, magic dancing in her pupils.

  Nobody must touch Aodh. He was one of a kind. He was more important than the rest of them put together. He was more important than her.

  ***

  Jason had a lot on his mind. It’d been about a day since Keeja had come back to the group, and he was getting antsy. He’d been on Ludus for going on a year, and still felt like he hadn’t really found any meaty answers to his endless list of questions. Keeja had shown up, said she was going to fill in some of those holes, and then promptly floated above the group for the next day.

  It was maddening.

  He glanced up and was almost startled out of his skin when he noticed Keeja’s apprentice, Philana, soundlessly hovering above him. “It is early, but stop and make camp soon. Keeja is ready to talk.” With that, the beautiful, inhuman woman was gone.

  Even in that short amount of time, Jason had felt his thoughts and body changing. He shook his head roughly. It’s like being a thirteen-year-old boy at the beach around her, but she’s like the entire beach. With a toot of the little horn Henry had mounted next to his driver’s seat, and a few hand signals, Jason directed the group to a location to start setting up camp. He was both looking forward to, and dreading the coming conversation.

  The Delvers moved through a thin stretch of trees to a clearing that Jason had seen. The next hour or two would be spent setting up camp, clearing out monsters, and setting some basic magic alarm systems.

  Two hours was a long time to wonder what Keeja would say. Oh well, Jason could wait.

  ***

  A couple hours later, Jason stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the side of the Battlewagon. The camp was set, the surrounding area was relatively safe, and everything that needed to be done before nightfall was already complete. The sun was just beginning to set in the East.

  All the Delvers and the two spies were in a loose semicircle around Keeja. Bezzi-ibbi, on watch, was the only member of the Delvers missing. The Mo’hali boy was far enough out that he could still be seen, but he also maintained a bubble of hero negation power around himself. It was paranoid, but they were a paranoid group lately. Philana was up in the sky somewhere. The males of the group had still not quite gotten used to her presence.

  Keeja stood with one hand on her hip. Her other hand held her enormous, all-metal halberd. Jason had seen it before, but most of the group hadn’t and were goggling. It wasn’t doing anything special, but this close it was possible to feel that the weapon was not ordinary.

  “All right; pay attention. This talk is long overdue, but this is the first time I’ve been able to give it. I’ve just spent an entire day actually going through all the things that I can actually say, and what might get us all killed.

  “The fact is that this group, and Henry and Jason in particular, are special.”

  “We already knew that,” said Uluula, shaking her head.

  “I don’t mean you value your lives and love each other and all that sort of thing.” The demigoddess rolled her eyes.

  “I know exactly what you meant. You may be old and powerful, Keeja, but we are not stupid, either. I highly doubt that Dolos personally visits other adventurers. I also highly doubt that many other women have experienced watching their orb-Bonded husband turn into living starlight and duel a High Priestess to a standstill in the sky.”

  Keeja waved a hand. “Fine, Daughter of the Blue, point scored. You are correct. Dolos has been getting better than average data from this group as well as a small number of others. This is why I was assigned to watch over Henry and Jason in the first place. But in addition to the data getting more interesting...some things have changed.”

  The ancient Areva woman paused and thought for a moment before she spoke again. “I have spent the last day finalizing how to explain some of this to you. I think Uluula can help.”

  “Me?” asked the white-haired Areva woman, frowning.

  “Yes. I can tell by your expressions sometimes that you want to say things but think better of it, which has been wise. There is a reason why Dolos has encouraged the countries on Ludus to be so large and stay segregated by race. Terrans make better test subjects if they are ignorant of how the universe works.”

  “I feel like I should be offended here, but I’m not even bothered,” said Jason. “I also noticed that Gonzo is over there looking entirely unfazed. I figure at least some of this will be a recap for him?”

  “Pretty much, but you never know,” said Gonzo. “Plus, being given information directly from a high priestess, much less Keeja herself? That’s worth listening to.”

  There was a pregnant silence before Keeja spoke again. “Like I said, I will have to start with the basics. The universe is old, older than Terrans can ever imagine. The first thing you need to know about the history of the universe is its controlling powers. I have to be careful in how I list these due
to the rules I am still under.

  “We believe that the first, long-lived, intelligent life were the Old Ones. Later, the Host came into existence and locked the Old Ones away. However, the Old Ones are so old and powerful, they can still effect the world sometimes, like a prisoner sticking fingers through a cell grate.

  “Later in the history of the universe, The Host fought against the greatest enemy this reality has ever known. Let’s just call them The Enemy for now,” Keeja said, giving Uluula an arch look. Jason’s wife nodded in understanding.

  “Wait,” Jason said, holding his finger up and cocking a brow at Uluula. “You knew all this stuff?”

  “It’s common knowledge in Quadrant, my love. Most of this conversation is for your benefit, it looks like.”

  “Joy,” muttered Jason.

  “During this war, the First War,” continued Keeja, “The Host realized they were not enough to stop the enemy, even with their great technology and personal servants fighting for them. Planet after planet fell.

  “New sentient beings were created and elevated. Among the first of these were the Areva, uniquely suited for living on starships.”

  Jason blinked. “Huh?”

  Uluula answered. “We are slight, smart, and pragmatic, my husband. Most of us also have an inborn talent for physics.”

  “Yes, but Areva also breed slowly,” said Keeja. “This is not ideal for mortal soldiers. And altering us was not most efficient for The Host. Out of necessity, other peoples were born. Mo’hali were created. The various races of Adom came to be.

  “Also at this time, tools, powerful weapons were forged to arm the mortal allies of The Host. These included cage blades,” Keeja said, shaking her halberd, “and even some of the oldest starships among the Areva Quadrant fleets. But the greatest achievement of this age, the single greatest invention among The Host was by Hephaestiel. I cannot actually speak the name of these weapons. Perhaps Uluula can.”

  Every eye in the group swiveled to Uluula, and the white-haired woman nodded. “Artifices. If I am not mistaken, you are an Artifice Holder, are you not?”

  Jason’s eyes turned back to Keeja and the demigoddess answered, “Yes. I cannot say that name, and I would caution you not to speak it again, either. This world only had a set number of these ancient weapons, actually a high concentration compared to the rest of the universe, and they are all held by a High Priestess. If mortals talk too freely of these devices, people have been known to disappear. Dolos can be petty.”

  “What a shock,” groused Jason.

  “When the war ended, Hephaestiel vowed to never to craft another weapon again. However, there is a great need for such things, especially as the universe grows. There would be great opportunities for rewards and influence among any that were able to recreate such a feat.”

  Mareen, quiet until now, held up a hand. “So Ludus, the orbs, all of this...is just so Dolos can find a way to mimic these...Artifices?”

  “More or less. And everything was working on Dolos’ timeline in the past. That was before his kin issued her challenge. That was before dark gods began meddling on Ludus, and it was definitely before the last news I got from Dolos, news that changed everything.”

  Keeja closed her eyes. She slowly opened them and announced, “The Enemy might be returning.”

  Uluula gasped, and even Vitaliya and Gonzo looked disturbed. Jason took that as a bad sign. He asked, “So this planet just became a lot more important all of a sudden too, eh?”

  “Jason Booth, this planet may be one of the most important in the entire universe right now. As such, it is no longer a mystery why so many powers seem to be finding this place recently and attempting to exert some kind of influence.”

  “Speaking of which,” said Jason, folding his arms, “what exactly is Dolos? He calls himself a god, but I’m not sure that he is. Then there is The Host you just told me about, and the Old Ones. Is Dolos one of those, or something else? Are gods real? What about God? Is God real?”

  Keeja sucked in a breath through her teeth. “You ask dangerous questions, Terran. I cannot answer them. Perhaps you can ask your wife.”

  Uluula said, “My guess is that Dolos is Griseus, one of the Host that Fell but did not turn to the dark. The Fallen that are not dark and still hope for some sort of redemption are generally referred to as Griseus. They call themselves by this name as well.”

  “Wait, what?” Jason’s mind swam with all the unfamiliar words he was hearing.

  “During the First War, some of The Host, about a third, abandoned ranks, joining with The Enemy. They were cast out, abandoned by the rest of their race and their home. These beings became The Fallen. However, there were others, researchers and scientists that didn’t take either side. During the backlash over The Fallen, these Host were cast out too. They became Griseus, gray, neither light nor dark.”

  “And what about God?” asked Jason, his voice small.

  “We have talked about your religious beliefs. Your idea of God is so limited, I don’t know if I can even answer your question yet, my heart,” said Uluula, shaking her head. “Plus, there are still arguments among Areva about the nature of the universe and the creator.

  “Gods, as in extremely powerful, mysterious beings do exist, and they take several forms. That is an entirely separate discussion. I think Dolos is too powerful to be one of them, though."

  Jason shook his head, not saying anything for a while. Finally he asked, “Why the hell am I just hearing about all this stuff now?” He was frustrated, and tried not to be angry at Uluula as a rule, but hearing that the entire universe was a shit show of war and weapons was grating on his nerves.

  “It’s not like we’ve exactly had a reason to talk about the history of the universe, my love,” Uluula said, unfazed. “Plus, I have noticed a distinct lack of other Areva discussing these things, and felt they were better left alone. I am Areva and you are orb-Bonded. We have at least a couple centuries to get to know each other unless we get killed. If that happens, it wouldn’t really matter if you knew or not, right?”

  Jason’s brows drew together. He didn’t want to argue about the matter in public, but he’d definitely be having a terse, private discussion with his wife later about what is and is not important enough to bring up in conversation.

  “So Dolos is, what? A fallen angel?” The idea seemed absurd. Then again, they were talking about a giant man who wore all the colors of the rainbow and created his own personal fantasy world.

  “By the very limited Terran understanding and frame of reference…” Keeja paused, opening her mouth and closing it again. “Actually I can neither confirm nor deny that.”

  “It seems highly likely,” remarked Uluula.

  Vitaliya stepped forward, hands on her hips, shaking her head. “None of this is the best part, though,” she said.

  Gonzo nodded. “Yes, Keeja hasn’t explained yet why all the other races are so afraid of us Terrans. Well, most of the people you’ve met so far haven’t been, Jason Booth. But just wait and see how cold the reception is if you step foot in an Areva country on Ludus.”

  Jason already knew that Areva didn’t like Terrans, but Gonzo was making it sound much worse than he’d thought it was. He did always get the feeling that Uluula was holding back on him in regards to what Areva really thought of Terrans. “Yeah, it’s like a racial thing, right?” He glanced at Uluula for confirmation but she turned away.

  “You’ve come this far, you should tell him,” said Gonzo, nodding at Keeja. “Tell him why Dolos is sending so many Terrans for guinea pigs on Ludus. In fact, tell him why we keep getting transported here, moved from one experiment to another.”

  “What is he talking about?” asked Jason, his mind reeling.

  Keeja sighed. “Before the First War was won, the prospects of victory were grim, and more and more desperate plans were explored. The first Terrans were the perfect engineered soldiers. Big enough to use serious weapons. Strong enough to kill with muscle power alone. Small en
ough to fit into most small places and still use Areva weapons. Hardy enough to survive almost anywhere with a few modifications. Smart enough to create their own technology, even developing atomic weapons every time after their species was wiped out, their race begun anew.”

  “After the First War was won, your people were confined to a single planet,” said Uluula dully. “Terra is under quarantine.”

  “What...what are you saying?” asked Jason.

  Gonzo grinned without humor. “We Humans are a Griseus experiment, Jason! Always have been. You and I got transported from one experiment planet to another. Congratulations! Now you know we are freaks, the boogeymen of the universe. We’re lab rats with access plutonium and a high birth rate. Even demons fear us! They consider us the most dangerous, warlike race in the universe.”

  “No…” replied Jason softly.

  “Want to know the best part?” asked Gonzo. “We used to have the same male to female birth rate as Areva and most of the other civilized beings in the universe. Unfortunately, we bred too fast. We also offered fewer generations for research and testing.” The Latino spy began to laugh, turning and walking off. “Lab rats!” he crowed.

  Vitaliya’s eyes tightened and she walked away as well. Mareen wandered off to her tent when it became clear that Keeja was done talking for the time being, floating into the sky.

  Jason didn’t know what to think. Some of what he’d heard didn’t bother him that much, at least he didn’t think it did. But if that was the case, why did his heart hurt? Why did he feel so lost?

  A small hand slipped into his, and Uluula stood beside him, not saying anything. Jason felt unshed tears in his eyes. Where is all of this coming from? I shouldn’t be emotional. What the hell? I’m glad Henry’s not here to make fun of me.