“So you give up and grin about it like a mad man?” Actaeon snapped.
Kenshiro laughed. He looked around then leaned in close. In a whisper, he said, “In no way does that mean I’m not actively looking for an escape. My eyes are always open, Actaeon. Keep your’s open.” He took another conspiratorial look around. “I believe these little outings provide the best chance to escape. Keep your eyes open.” He leaned back against the bars and closed his eyes. “For now we are in for a long ride with not much to do.”
“What level are you?” Actaeon asked.
Kenshiro opened his eyes and leveled his gaze at Actaeon. “No one taught you Analyze?”
“No. Tanveer taught me spear thrust. Other than that no one has taught me anything.”
“That is unusual. Skills are taught to us in order to make us stronger combatants. Although…” he tapped at his chin with his finger. “Tanveer’s philosophy does differ from any one else I have fought or trained with. I believe her desire to train the body is one of the reasons she is such a powerful combatant. But I feel not teaching you Analyze was a mistake. The more you know your opponent the better your chances of victory. Would you like to learn?”
“Hell yeah! What do I have to do?” Actaeon sat up straighter.
“We're rolling!” A man at the head of the wagon train shouted.
“After we are under way I’ll teach you,” Kenshiro said.
Actaeon watched the wagons in front of his start pulling forward. One by one whips were cracked and the animals pulling them started ambling forward. The creatures looked like a cross between a cow and a spider. Large fur covered bodies with eight legs and a bulbous head. The pair in the front of his wagon were brown with large black spots.
The Ferralin driver of his wagon cracked the whip. The creatures lurched forward causing the wagon the jerk. Actaeon grabbed onto the bars to keep from falling over. Kenshiro chuckled. The purple man hadn't grabbed the bars. He had just swayed with the motion.
“I wish I could tell you that it gets easier from here,” Kenshiro said. “Unfortunately, the ride is rough. I think the suspension on these wagons was made using rocks and nightmares.” He laughed.
Actaeon opened his mouth to respond just as the right wheels hit a rut. The bed of the wagon jumped. Actaeon’s rear end left the seat and slammed back down. The back of his head collided with the metal bars of his cage. “Ouch!”
“Like I said, rocks and nightmares.” Kenshiro chuckled. “Grab the bench like this.” Kenshiro made a show of grabbing the bench on the outsides of his legs. “Hold on tight to keep yourself firmly planted. It is uncomfortable, but it will help your strength and stamina skills grow.”
“That’s good to know,” Actaeon replied. He gripped the board as shown. A moment later the wagon hit another rut in the road. The wagon dropped and jerked back up twice as the wheels dipped into the rut. Actaeon’s teeth slammed together and his body lurched. His rear did stay planted on the board though.
The pair of slaves remained quiet until the first stop. Both focused on staying on the board and not being tossed around. When the wagon came to a full stop Actaeon released his grip. His hands and arms ached. His fingers fought his efforts to straighten them.
As he rubbed at his aching muscles he pulled up the blinking notification. The first was the blinking of his health bar which indicates he was down to 62% health. If this ride continued it was literally going to kill him.
Strength +5
Stamina +7
As usual, hardship seemed to equal stat bonuses. The entirety of his situation was fucked. Trapped as a slave gladiator with no way of logging off, but a silver lining was a silver lining. All he could do was make the best of it.
“The Ferralin will be by shortly with water to rejuvenate our health,” Kenshiro said.
“Do we get to stretch our legs during this break? My ass needs a break from this damn bench.”
“I wish. We’ll be stuck in this cage until we break for the evening. At which point we will be expected to train. No rest for the wicked, I’m afraid.”
“That's a load of horse shit,” Actaeon snapped.
Kenshiro tilted his head to the side and gave Actaeon a quizzical look. “Load of horse shit? I don’t see the correlation.”
Actaeon let out a long sigh. “It figures you’re not familiar with earth sayings. It means we’re getting a raw deal.” Kenshiro’s expression did not change. “Short end of the stick? Up the creek without a paddle? Fucked in the ass with no lube? No? How about the situation is wrong? Does that do it for you?”
“Ah yes.” Kenshiro nodded and smiled. “This situation is indeed wrong. All of it. The enslavement, forced to fight, death at the hands of other slaves, stolen from our lives. All of it wrong,” Kenshiro said.
Barrackus’ arrival silenced the men. The Ferralin passed a ladle full of clear liquid through the bars. Kenshiro motioned for Actaeon to take the first drink.
Actaeon grabbed the ladle. The clear liquid was cool and had a hint of strawberry taste. Right away his health started to rise. He passed the ladle back to Barrackus. The Ferralin dipped it into the bucket he carried and passed it to Kenshiro.
+5 health every second for 30 seconds.
Actaeon turned his attention to the wagon in front of theirs. Kenishera was staring at him. She smiled when he looked at her. Her eyes moved up and down as if weighing him to see if she could lift him off the bench. The constant gaze made him feel uncomfortable but he found it hard to remove his eyes from the beautiful woman’s own.
He did look away eventually. Tanveer sat with her back against the bars and her eyes closed. Her legs were crossed on the bench and her hands rested on her knees. The pose reminded him of meditating. He wondered if she kept that pose while the wagon was moving. He was going to have to take a break from his misery long enough to see if she would once they were underway.
“Are you ready?” Kenshiro asked.
“Huh?” Actaeon’s head spun around. He half expected Kenshiro to want to spar. Such was the life he lived under Tanveer’s tutelage.
“To learn Analyze. Now is a good time to teach it before we start moving again,” Kenshiro said.
“Oh… OH!” Actaeon sat up straighter as he remembered Kenshiro’s promise to teach the skill. “I am absolutely ready.” Excitement made the pitch of his voice rise.
Kenshiro laughed. “Very well, hold still. This may be unpleasant.”
“Huh?”
Kenshiro placed his hand on Actaeon’s head. Pain surged through his brain.
It was the worst migraine headache he had ever experience times ten. Then it was followed by the lack of pain and a metallic taste in his mouth. A notification popped up.
You have learned the skill; Analyze
When this skill is active you can see information about others.
Cost: 10 Mana
Cast time: Instant
Cool down: 10 seconds
All that was left was to try it out. Actaeon focused on Kenshiro. He thought of using the Analyze skill. Blue letters appeared over Kenshiro’s head.
Kenshiro
Level: ???
Class: ???
Status: ???
Relationship: Friendly
“That’s cool and not helpful at the same time,” Actaeon said.
Kenshiro chuckled. “Don’t be disappointed, Actaeon. Even the lack of information is helpful information. For example, you now know that I am at a minimum of thirty levels higher than you. But you also see that I am friendly to you. Both valuable bits of data that allow you to make informed decisions.”
“That it is,” Actaeon said.
He looked over at the wagon and focused on Kenishera. He activated Analyze and was surprised by what he found.
Kenishera
Level: ???
Class: ???
Status: ???
Relationship: Attracted to you!
CHAPTER 20
The wagon continued onward.
Once again Actaeon found himself in a cage, on a wagon, holding on for dear life. But he didn't mind it so much. For one the act of holding on was going to level up some of his stat points. That is never a bad thing.
What really made him feel better was the relationship status he saw when he used the analyze skill on Kenishera. Up until then the thought of having relations, or a relationship for that matter, had not occurred to him. While he didn't know Kenishera at all he did know she was stunning. It was not something they could build a relationship on, but it didn't hurt as a starting point.
The wagon hit a particularly deep rut in the road that yanked him violently from his thoughts. Kenshiro and Actaeon strained to keep themselves seated. Which resulted in pained muscles and tendons as well as a dip in health.
The pain soured his mood enough that Actaeon changed his focus from hope for the possibilities to dread over having useless hope. As a slave he was free to fight and die at someone else's whim. Anyone good at math could see the two plus two of it not adding up to four. It was a failed equation. Doomed to end with Actaeon bleeding out on an arena floor.
“I know that look,” Kenshiro whispered in Actaeon’s ear. “I have seen it on many men before you. Do not give in to despair, Actaeon. I like you too much to see you give up and die.” He looked around conspiratorially. “I am also aware of my sister’s attraction to you. I would hate to see her heart broken by your passing.”
Actaeon shook his head to clear the melancholy. “I'm not going to do anything stupid,” Actaeon replied. “It's just hard to stay positive on this fucking bench. Every time we hit a pothole I feel like my damn arms are going to be torn out of my torso.”
Kenshiro chuckled. “I understand and appreciate that sentiment. The pain will lessen as you grow stronger.” Kenshiro looked at the wagon ahead of theirs for a moment. “Perhaps there is something I can do to help alleviate some of the discomfort. Have you ever heard of a mind link skill?”
“No,” Actaeon said as he shook his head. “Tell me about it.”
Kenshiro nodes once. “It is a racial ability my people posses. It allows for close family members to communicate with our minds. Over time the skill grows with use eventually allowing the parties communicating to occupy a mental space and become removed from the world around them.”
“Are you saying what I think you are saying?” Actaeon asked. If what he thought was about to happen happened he might get to be free of the shitty wagon ride for a little bit. “You want the two of us to chat in some psychic virtual space where we can ignore the ride for a time?”
Kenshiro smiled. “You have grasped the concept well enough, but my intention is a little different. You see, I can only link to another with the skill, but I am able to pull one without the skill into the link once it is established. I’m asking if you would like to spend some time with my sister while we travel?”
“Wait, you are trying to hook me up with your sister?” Actaeon couldn't believe the words he was saying.
“If I understand what 'hook you up,’ means then no. I am trying to put you in a position to get to know her a little. The bond you form with her, a friendship much like the one we are building, I hope, will strengthen us as a combat team. My intent is selfish. I don’t wish to die or see my sister killed. We have to be a good team in order to achieve that goal. Do you understand?”
“I do, Kenshiro. And I would like to get to know Kenishera,” Actaeon said.
Kenshiro smiled and offer a slight nod. “I will establish the link. Hold fast to the bench and tense your muscles. This will keep you from falling once in the link.”
Actaeon nodded once more. Kenshiro smiled, then he closed his eyes. The muscles in his arms bulged. Kenshiro’s face went slack. Actaeon tensed pulling himself downward. A moment of searing pain dragged on.
You have received an invitation to join a psychic link.
Do you accept?
Yes / No
He focused on the Yes button. The window faded. The world vanished. Along with it the pain and focus needed to continue pulling down. He was in a dark space standing next to Kenshiro. Across from them stood Kenishera.
“Hey handsome,” she said.
“Um, hi,” Actaeon said. A torrent of butterfly's crashed against the lining of his stomach.
Kenishera laughed and it was the most glorious sound he had heard since coming to this fucked up game world. Her mirth caused him to smile. “I won’t bite, Actaeon. Don’t be so shy, come sit.”
She waved to her right. The darkness shifted becoming a cozy room with two recliners. Between them sat a small table with two mugs on it. Theirs contents sent steam drifting lazy in the air. A large fireplace stood before the chairs and at its center burned an orange and red flame.
“I hope you like tea?” The tone of Kenishera’s voice barely hid her own nervousness. That helped to put Actaeon at ease for a little while.
“Yeah, tea is fine. Thank you.”
Kenishera sat in one of the recliners and waved him over. Actaeon took the proffered seat and sniffed the tea. It was warm without being too hot and smelled like a field of wildflowers. It tasted of honey and peppermint. It was perfect.
“This is delicious. How does it smell so different from how it tastes?” He asked. Actaeon settled back in the recliner and nuzzled the mug to his chest. He warmed both hands on the pristine white surface of the cup.
“This place is a construct of the mind,” Kenshiro said. “All things are possible here.” Actaeon looked over his shoulder at the man. “Unfortunately, I can’t leave without taking you back with me. So I’ll drift off as far as the connection will allow and entertain myself. Don’t fear me over hearing. I’ll give you the privacy you need.” Then Kenshiro was gone.
“So,” Kenishera said. “I could not help but notice your relationship to me read as interested. It was surprising to say the least.”
“And why would that be? You’re beautiful, Kenishera. I bet every man you see would show as interested if you analyzed them,” Actaeon replied.
Kenishera looked down. Her smile meted away. Actaeon felt like the biggest dick in the world, even though he didn't know what he did wrong.
“That is not the case. Most men think of me as a purple freak. Some stay away from me and some wish to conquer me. You are one of a very short list of men to be interested in me. It really surprised me how closed minded these people are.”
“I'm sorry.” Actaeon reached over and placed his hand on hers. “I wish this world was one devoid of hate and bigotry. Which is ironic coming from a man full of hate right now. But I'm sorry about what you experienced.”
“You are full of hate? Right now?” She looked up and met his have. Her eyes were rimmed in red and full of unshed tears.
“Yeah. I hate being a slave and being expected to fight and kill. I hate that little green fuck Lurge. I’m afraid that hate will translate to hate of any other little green guys I come across. And I hate any world that would put you in chains and make you feel like you are anything less than beautiful,” Actaeon said.
Kenishera smiled. Her face lit up in genuine pleasure and made his heart flutter. She really was beautiful. The words hadn’t been lipservice to make her feel better. He felt the corners of his own mouth move up and form a grin.
“Thank you,” she said. “But you shouldn't let hate fill you up. It is a poison that’ll eat away at you until it kills all the good inside you. I think you are stronger than that, or I hope you are. Cause right now, I can kick your ass without breaking a sweat. I would hate to think your character is as weak as your level is low.”
“Haha,” Actaeon growled. Kenishera laughed. “Let's make a deal. A little promise between us.”
“What did you have in mind?” Kenishera used her free hand to tuck a stray lock of her behind her ear. That was the first time he saw her pointed elven ear. It made her more exotic than her purple skin had, and no less stunning. The question did come up though as to why Kenshiro did not have pointed ears?
He would have to ask at some point.
“I’ll get stronger and you promise not to let the opinion of others make you feel bad about yourself. Deal?” Actaeon proposed.
“It is a deal,” she said. “Can I…”
A bright flash interrupted what Kenishera was saying. Then there was the feeling of being thrown backwards. The light gave way to the vision of a bright blue sky as seen through black metal bars.
A cluster of status messages appeared.
Psychic link broken!
You took 5% damage.
You are stunned!You will be unable move or focus.
Duration 10 seconds.
You have fallen and you can't get up!
You took 15% damage.
Due to the stun effect he couldn't clear the status messages which blocked most of his view. He was not sure if he could make out what was happening if they were gone. Everything had gone blurry. He could move his head from side to side but the action was sluggish. It was like his head had been dunked into a clear container full of viscous fluid that was slightly opaque.
The timer ran out for the stunning effect. He willed the messages closed. He was on his back hands still gripping the bench keeping him in place. A rock from the ground stuck up far enough to jab into his ribs. He moved enough to make the pain stop.
To his side Kenshiro was unconscious and a line of blood, which was blue, ran from his nose down the side of his face.
Are you okay, Kenshiro?” No answer. “Kenshiro!” Still no response. Actaeon cast Analyze.
Kenshiro
Lvl: ???
Class: ???
Status: Unconscious
Relationship: Friendly
Analyze is now level 2!
You can see the health, Mana, and stamina of those you analyze.
That was cool. He assumed using skills would increase their level and make them better. Now he knew he was right. Actaeon cast Analyze on Kenshiro again.
Kenshiro
Lvl: ???
Class:
Health/Mana/Stamina: ???
Status: Unconscious
Relationship: Friendly
The Quest Page 9
