by Matt Moss
Something’s wrong.
“What?”
“Shut up,” she tells me, then stands to her feet, scanning the land. Unable to find the source of her discomfort, she turns around to speak. Her eyes narrow at me, and she quickly draws a couple of daggers from her sides.
I take a step back, ready to draw Thal’s Sword of Eternity, thinking she’s suddenly about to strike. Then I realize that she’s looking past me, not at me. Slowly, I turn around.
Gage folds his arms and cocks his head. “Well, I’ll be damned. It really is you,” he says to me, the same hostility in his tone from the last time we spoke in Faldron’s Keep.
“How’d you know we were here?” I ask.
The Bloodhound sneers. “I can smell your stench from miles away.”
To his side stands Deana. Her eyes shift from me to each one of my companions. “What are you all doing here?” she asks.
Faster than I thought possible, Fance brings out a bow, notches an arrow and draws it back.
Seric takes the spear from behind her back and prepares herself to strike.
The Bloodhound shakes his head. “I wouldn’t do that.” He looks towards the army, then back to me in warning. “Shall I call for backup?”
I hold my hand out to signal the others to lower their weapons, but keep an eye on Gage. “No need for hostilities.” I turn to my group. “Deana and Gage are friends of mine. Put your weapons away.”
Gage scoffs after I say the words, indicating that we are most definitely not friends.
“What are you doing, Ace?” Deana asks.
I look at her. “I just wanted to see what became of my old guild.”
Gage spits to the side, then steps towards me. “Doing much better without you, as you can see.” He waves me on with a hand. “C’mon then, let’s go.”
I cross my arms. “What are you talking about?”
“Dead or alive, you’re the most wanted man in Alterlife. I’m taking you into the guild’s custody. The gods will decide your fate.”
I shake my head. “You and I both know that’s not going to happen.”
Gage pulls out a bullhorn. “One blow, and the guild will come running. Now we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. Your call, Ace.”
Fance steps towards him in anger. “Go blow yourself, Outlander. The Creator damn you all.”
Gage raises his eyebrows at the insult. “Big mouth for such a small man.”
Seric defends her friend. “Fance is the greatest Scout in Alterlife.”
“Ha! Now I’ve heard everything.” He looks to Deana in amusement. “He’s never heard of the Bloodhound, has he?” Looks back to Fance. “I’m the best Scout in Alterlife. You’re just a small, tiny man.” The grin disappears from his face as he looks back to me, motioning me to move. “I’m waiting.”
I shake my head.
He blinks. “Have it your way, then.” The horn goes to his mouth.
Deana looks to me, worried.
I prepare to open a teleport back to Atlantis.
Seric grabs my arm. “If you do that, we’ll have to kill them both. No Outlanders may go to Thannadas.”
My gaze goes from Seric to Deana, and I can see the confused look on her face at the mention of Thannadas.
Gage prepares to alert the guilds.
A gush of wind rises beside me. As if materializing out of thin air, Precious appears behind Gage, one dagger pressed against the inside of his neck and another angled just above his groin.
“Put it to your lips and that’ll be the last thing you ever kiss.”
Gage freezes and the horn inches away from his mouth.
Fance grins. “The best Assassin in Alterlife stands behind you with a knife poised to spill your blood and end your life. It would seem that you have a choice to make. Now we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. Your call.”
“Enough of this,” Deana says and steps in between everyone, unarmed. “Gage, drop the horn.”
He reluctantly does what she says and lets his arm fall. Precious releases him but stands close by.
“Fine.” He spits on the ground, then speaks to me. “This changes nothing. Everyone will soon know that you’re back, and there won’t be a place in all of Alterlife that you can hide.”
“And how will they know that he’s back if there’s nobody to tell them?” Fance asks Gage, stepping towards him aggressively, implying that we may not let him leave alive.
Seric reaches out to stop him. “Fance, enough.”
Fance stops mid-step and becomes a statue. I look to Seric and Precious, and they’re both the same—frozen in place.
Gage chuckles. “How about that for some timing, huh?” Waves a hand in front of Precious, then flips her off. Shakes his head with a grin and speaks before putting the horn to his lips. “Logout limit is a bitch. Weird, though, that all three of them got hit at the same time.” He takes a deep breath, preparing to sound the alarm.
Deana rips his arm down. “Gage, stop.”
He steps back and throws his arms out. “What the hell are you doing, Deana? This son of a bitch is a criminal and has it coming to him. The virus and the war against the gods—all the deaths and destruction—it’s all his fault! How can you still take his side?”
“His fate may be sealed, but his judgement won’t be decided by us today. We both know that he won’t go willingly, and there will be more lives lost if we try to take him in. The blood will be on your hands then,” she tells him.
Gage turns, takes a few steps, spins in a circle and curses. “Gah. Fuck it, then! Fine. You get to save your boyfriend today.” He points at me and speaks a promise. “Your time will come, you son of a bitch. You’re going to pay for everything you’ve done.” He looks to the line of ants marching in the distance and nods at himself. “I know that you’re back now. And soon, they’ll know you’re back. All of Alterlife will know.” Looks back at me with hateful eyes. “Your end is near.”
I watch as he runs away, leaving Deana alone with me. He’s going to tell everyone and soon the gods and the GMs will know that I’m back. They’ll know that I’m coming for them.
Shit.
There goes the element of surprise.
You should have just killed him.
No. Gage is my friend.
Really? I think we have different definitions of what friends are.
You’re right. I need to let go of my hopes that they’ll come back to me. That they’ll somehow see my side of things. Right or wrong, what does it matter? Some bridges burn, yet still remain standing and can be mended. Other bridges burn to the ground.
I grin at Deana. “I think he missed me.”
She chuckles and shakes her head. “Same ol’ Ace.”
No. I’ve changed in more ways than you know.
“It’s good to see you, Deana.”
“And you.” She nods towards Seric. “What was she talking about?”
“What do you mean?”
“Thannadas? What is that?”
I look to Seric and can practically feel her vacant avatar calling for me to keep quiet. Begging me not to say anything.
“It’s a place.”
Deana cocks her head. “I’ve never heard of it before. And I’ve been all over Alterlife.” She looks back to the army, then to Baleton and the war camp. “Gage will tell them about you. You should probably be going.”
“Deana…”
She looks into my eyes, desperate all of a sudden now that we’re alone. “Take me with you.” Steps close to me and softly clasps her hands together. “Take me to Thannadas. I don’t belong here with these guilds. I never have. I belong with you, Ace. Where you are, is where I should be.”
I stare into her eyes and can see the conviction. “I’m sorry, it’s not my call.”
She takes my hand. “Please.”
She wants out, and you know that she would be a valuable addition to the Saviors.
She looks towards the city and her pu
pils shift. “The gods must know you’re here. They’re coming this way.” Eyes return to normal and she turns to me. “I can help you. I know all about the Soldiers and the King’s Blood, and can provide valuable information. I can detail all of their comings and goings, along with what their plans are.”
That would be very useful information to know. Face it, she’s the best chance we got at having someone on the inside, and we could really use an informant.
I nod and squeeze her hand gently before letting it go. “Alright. I’ll speak to someone about this. If it were up to me, I’d let you go to Thannadas right now.” I look towards the gods and can now see the three moving towards me in the distance. “I’ll convince him of your loyalty and make it happen. I promise.”
My three companions finally fade away, logout complete.
I take my scroll and open the portal. Give her one last look before I leave.
“Text you soon.”
She steps towards me, body tense and longing to go. “I’ll be waiting.”
Before my vision fades into the blue light of the portal, I see the three gods coming at full speed, leaving a wake of dust and debris in their path. A grin creeps across my face and I can barely wait for the fated time to come—for the day they meet their end by the edge of my sword.
14
The New Girl
Back at home, I greet Jenny with a smile and a kiss.
“My, my, aren’t you in a good mood today.” She closes her eyes and kisses me again. Pulls back and gives me a suspicious look. “Something I should know about?”
I grab her hands. “Just a little good fortune inside of Alterlife—something that’s going to give me an edge and will help me win the war. It’ll all be over in a couple more weeks, max.”
“That’s fantastic, John! Just promise you’ll be careful.”
“I will.”
We walk into the kitchen. “Where’s Carla?”
Jenny grabs a rag and wipes down a counter. “She’s in the backyard, playing.”
I go for a glass of milk. As I take a drink, it’s colder than normal, which I always find intriguing and extra pleasing.
“I’m glad you had a good day,” Jenny says with a smile, briefly glancing at me over her shoulder while she cleans.
“Me too, Jenny. Someday soon, all our days will be good. You’ll see.”
The next morning, the sun is shining, the radio is playing nothing but good tunes, traffic is light, and the temperature outside is just right. With windows down, I relish the drive.
Pulling up to the cleaners, I see Giovisi’s van parked out front. Odd. He usually parks around back. Must be in a hurry to go somewhere this morning.
The doorbell rings, and both Giovisi and Yuna are working in rapid fashion. She irons suits while Gio arranges them and hangs them on the rack.
“Busy morning?” I ask.
“Wedding party decided to push the date up and they need their ten tuxedos by tomorrow morning. I’ve got seven here, but will need to go to my other shop to get the remaining three.” He hangs a suit on the rack, his sleeves rolled up and shirt untucked, and looks at me over the top of his glasses. “To answer your question—yes, this is a busy morning.”
With duffle bag in hand and ready to log in, I ask him a question before heading to the back. And I don’t really give a damn if he says yes or no. Deana will join the Saviors. “I have a friend who’s a member of the Soldiers of Justice. She’s a long-time personal friend of mine, and she wants out. She wants to join the Saviors.” He doesn’t say anything. I continue. “She’ll bring much to the table. Valuable information about both the Soldiers and the King’s Blood, the gods, and what their plans are. We won’t find another resource like that in all of Alterlife, I can promise you.”
Busy with his work, Giovisi speaks to me. “Do you trust her?”
“I do.”
He unrolls his sleeves, and turns and addresses me as he buttons them back up. “Normally, I would say absolutely not. But considering who you are, and that you vouch for her, then I will permit her to join.”
“Fantastic. I know bringing someone to Thannadas is a big deal. I promise that you won’t regret this decision.”
He puts his hand on my shoulder before leaving. “Bringing someone to Thannadas is unprecedented. She will be the first. I hope, for both our sakes, that I do not regret this decision.”
The doorbell rings as he leaves, and Yuna continues to iron the clothes like I’m not even present.
“Have a good day,” I tell her as I make my way towards the back. Inside the room and behind the locked door, I text Deana.
hey.
i got you in.
when do you want to meet up?
Before I can even unpack the NueView, she texts back.
Right now. Faldron’s Keep.
“Are you ready for this?”
She glows with anticipation, smiling the way she used to back when everything was peaches and cream.
Nods. “Ready.”
“I’ve only one piece of advice.”
“Greet everyone with a smile and say how grateful I am to be in Thannadas?”
I shake my head. “Watch out for the monkeys.”
Not wanting to overwhelm her with all the people and whatever questions or suspicions they may have, we turn around on the bridge and make our way to Giology’s palace as fast as we can. A few stare along the way, curious as to what the new girl is doing by my side, but none bother us.
“It’s so beautiful here,” she notes, gazing about the mountainous jungle and its majestic waterfalls. She runs to the edge of the bridge and looks to the river far below. “That’s a long way down.” She returns to the middle of the bridge and walks beside me.
“That’s Giology’s palace up ahead. He’s the Guildmaster of the Saviors.”
“Is he a good leader?” she asks.
I don’t quite know what to say. I barely know the man, let alone how he conducts himself to the guild when I’m not around. “He seems to be. Everything in Atlantis is in good order. And the players here; just wait until you meet them. All of them are top-shelf. This place is truly magical.”
“I can’t wait to meet them.” She looks to me. “No matter how good he is, he’ll never be you. And it’s you that I will follow forever, Ace. You’ll always be my Guildmaster.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “Thanks, Deana.” I crack up. “But you should know that’s the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
We slow to a walk as we reach the end of the bridge, and she wipes the bangs from her face as she looks down with a shy grin and chuckles. “Yeah, it was, wasn’t it? Sorry about that.”
I touch her arm. “A little cheese is okay sometimes. C’mon, I’ll show you the inside.”
Going through the gardens in the courtyard, the NPCs are busy tending the grounds. Halfway to the entrance, a monkey jumps from the bushes of the jungle and shrieks at us. More monkeys emerge—five, ten, dozens of them, all staring at us and acting aggressive.
“Monkeys?” Deana asks, a bit confused and a bit amused.
“Monkeys. Run!”
We take off in a sprint towards the door as the monkeys rush at us from both sides, screaming and howling.
“Run! Faster!” I say, trying my best not to burst out in laughter.
We reach the palace, go inside, and quickly shut the doors. Both of us take a step back and begin to laugh.
“Crazy little beasts, aren’t they?”
I catch my breath. “You have no idea.” I nod and lead the way. “Gio’s room is on the second floor.”
As we walk through the hall, I’m glad the NPCs are at least controlling themselves and not putting on a show like they did before.
“Are you sure he won’t mind me being here? In his home, nonetheless?”
“He’s an open-minded guy. I’m sure he won’t mind at all. You’re one of us now, Deana. A Savior.”
We climb the steps to Giology’s room and walk to th
e balcony.
“Magnificent,” she gasps as she gazes over the jungle city.
I grin, watching her take it all in. “Pretty awesome, right?”
She nods slowly. “Is that the Roman colosseum over there?” she asks, pointing.
“A replica of what it looked like when it was first constructed, yes. That’s where we’re training for…”
She looks at me. “War?”
“Yeah.”
“Is this where you’ve been the whole time?”
“I thought you didn’t want to know what was going on with me?” I raise an eyebrow at her. “No, this isn’t where I’ve been. I’m telling the truth about how I just got back online. As a matter of fact, this is only the third time I’ve visited this city. Everything is still new to me. Just the other day, Giology introduced me to the guild and announced me as Commander.”
“You move up fast in this game, don’t you?” she notes, turning to me with a grin.
“I’ve been lucky, I guess.”
Is that what you call it? Lucky?
I put both hands on the rail and look over the city. “You’re going to like it here, Deana. Everyone here is very polite and welcoming. Most are skilled beyond any I’ve ever seen, yet still treat others as equals.”
“I’m sure they’re starstruck by you,” she says.
“They were at first, but the prestige has worn off and now they treat me like any other member in the guild, which I like.”
“People under your command can’t be your friends, Ace.”
“Don’t get me wrong, they still respect my position and obey my command. It just doesn’t feel as ominous as it did with the Black Knights, you know what I mean?”
“No, I don’t.” She spins around, leans back against the rail and folds her arms. “So, when are you going to introduce me to the guild?”
“Giovisi will probably be the one handling that. I’m sure you’ll be inducted later on today or tomorrow, then he’ll set up a time with you that works best. If it’s the same for you as it was for me, he’ll gather the guild in the Colosseum so everyone is in attendance.”
