Awaken Online: Dominion

by Travis Bagwell

  And hope that George didn’t read too much into their brief encounter.

  Chapter 34 - Tense

  Alex’s gaze panned across the rooftop terrace from his perch on one of its many elevated sitting areas. Spectral magic drifted above the crowd, a product of the drones that buzzed silently in the night air. His eyes came to a stop on the nearby elevators, Jason’s cloaked form looming over the guests as they trickled into the event. Of course, his father had decided to honor his rival instead of Alex. Had he not conquered a city as well? Wouldn’t his angelic wings have been similarly impressive?

  He knew that the explanation for his opponent’s popularity was due in part to Jason’s role in the CPSC hearing. He was quickly becoming a lightning rod for both sides in the conflict. In many ways, Alex had caused that problem – enlisting those two teenagers to break into Jason’s home. That had been a mistake. One that had led his father to invite Jason into the Cerillion Headquarters building and pushed Jason further into the spotlight. If he hadn’t made that move, would it be Alex’s image adorning the rooftop terrace?

  He sighed heavily. His eyes were still searching the crowd, discretely looking for someone – an errant flash of crimson among the party-goers. He knew that he wasn’t really upset about Jason, but his would-be nemesis was something easy and tangible to grasp onto. Their rivalry was ingrained at this point, the emotional channels well-worn and easy to navigate. The voice in the back of his head whispered to him, taunting and insidious, urging him to think about Jason to avoid the more painful thoughts lingering in the back of his mind – the reason he kept looking for her.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” a familiar voice spoke from behind him. He whirled to find Evelyn standing there, wearing a rose-red cocktail dress that perfectly accentuated her curves. “Although, I suppose we could both afford more than a penny,” she added with a smirk.

  Alex eyed her in surprise, vainly trying to control his expression. “I was actually just admiring the view,” he said, trying to dissemble. He didn’t want her to know that he had been hoping she would take him up on his invitation. He was having trouble admitting that to himself.

  Evelyn came to stand beside him, her hands resting on the railing. Her gaze followed his to the images of Jason that lingered about the party. “It seems your father is rather taken with this Jason character,” she observed, watching Alex’s reaction.

  “He is just another weapon in my father’s arsenal,” Alex retorted, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. “He needs Jason right now. However, I suspect he will treat him like any other tool at some point, disposing of him when he’s no longer useful.”

  “That’s not very high praise of your father,” Evelyn observed, her lips pursed in thought.

  Alex shrugged. “I suspect I don’t have to explain to you that this isn’t a matter of personal sentiment. What is the expression? All is fair in love and war? They should have added business to that list.”

  He tried to shift the subject away from Jason and his father – not wanting to poke at those mental sores. “So, what made you decide to come? You seemed rather ambivalent when I offered the idea.”

  It was Evelyn’s turn to shrug, but he didn’t miss the way she glanced at him furtively before she replied. “As you said, it was an opportunity to network and to get to know my new business partner better.” She touched his arm gently at this last statement, her fingers lingering for only a moment.

  Alex immediately wished she would do it again but then hated himself for thinking that almost just as quickly. Why did he want this woman’s approval and affection so badly? What was different about her? He fiddled with the case in his pocket, suddenly feeling uncertain. He hadn’t known whether Evelyn would attend, but he had still prepared this gift for her – or at least he had paid someone to make it for him.

  “I actually have something for you,” he offered hesitantly, hating the weakness he detected in his own voice. “I suppose you could consider it a token for taking a risk with my fledgling kingdom.” As he finished speaking, he pulled out the case and handed it to Evelyn.

  Her eyes lit up in amusement, the corners of her mouth curving upward almost imperceptibly. “Ahh, well, I never say no to presents.”

  She proceeded to open the case, and a frown fluttered across her face, her lips pinched together as she observed the contents. Alex wasn’t certain what reaction he had been expecting, but Evelyn didn’t exactly seem pleased.

  “I thought I would recreate one of the badges for your new guild. Between our first encounter at that gala and your guild emblem, you seemed to have a fondness for daisies,” Alex explained quickly, trying his best not to sound worried.

  Evelyn lifted the insignia out of the box, the small wooden square tailored to look like an exact replica of her guild badge. “I-I…,” she began but trailed off, her brow furrowed as she stared down at the insignia.

  “My apologies if this was off base,” Alex offered tentatively. He was experiencing a strange sinking feeling in his stomach and was beginning to wonder if he had eaten something that had made him sick.

  Evelyn seemed to remember that Alex was watching her, and she glanced up quickly, a grateful and somewhat confused expression on her face. “No, not at all. Actually, this is very… sweet,” she murmured, looking down at the insignia again. “Thank you.”

  “Think nothing of it,” Alex replied.

  Evelyn coughed delicately to clear her throat. “Anyway, this reminds me that we are nearly ready to launch our expedition,” she said, clearly trying to shift the subject away from the gift. Alex noticed that she discreetly placed it in her purse. “Our spies informed me that the Twilight Throne’s forces have made their way south and east as we predicted.”

  “Good,” Alex said with a nod, turning his gaze back to the terrace. He couldn’t seem to stop thinking about Evelyn’s reaction to that stupid trinket. Had he misjudged the situation? “Then I suppose we can prepare our troops and strike the villages along the western border soon. Hopefully, we can hit them too hard and fast for them to launch a counter-attack.”

  “That would be the plan,” Evelyn replied with a grin, regaining some of her composure. Her eyes had shifted to the crowd below them. “Although, speaking of the devil himself…”

  Alex followed her gaze and found himself looking at Jason – the real Jason – standing beside a small cocktail table. He appeared to be speaking with a woman dressed in a blue dress, her back to Alex. He could feel the presence in the back of his mind stir restlessly at the sight. It was bad enough that his father had made Jason’s in-game image the focal point of the party, but he had also invited the help? That was just galling.

  Evelyn placed a hand on Alex’s arm, startling him. “Perhaps you should go and try to tease out some information? You might learn something by speaking with Jason.”

  “Certainly,” Alex replied through gritted teeth. He felt like this might be the ultimate test of his ability to maintain his composure. While he might hate his rival, this wasn’t the place to make a scene. He offered an arm to Evelyn. “Would you care to accompany me? You are my accomplice, after all.”

  A genuine smile graced her lips. Her Core let out a soft chime, and she glanced down at the device on her wrist, her expression slipping just briefly. Alex noted a hint of concern in her eyes as she met his gaze again. “Perhaps in just a moment. I need to visit the lady’s room first.”

  She hesitated slightly, looking a tad awkward. “Actually, I have an odd request. Is there any way I could visit a restroom on another level? The line up here was rather long when I passed by a moment ago.”

  Alex tilted his head slightly. If he helped her, Evelyn could rejoin him more quickly. That was to his advantage in talking to Jason since he had found her to be incredibly perceptive. Or, at least, that’s what he told himself.

  “Certainly,” he replied, tugging his Core from his wrist. “You will need this to access the floor below us. The ladies’ room is down the hall and t
o the left as you exit the elevator.”

  “Thank you,” Evelyn said, snatching the Core from his hand. As she moved to leave, she hesitated once more, stopping and turning to Alex. Before he could react, she stepped forward quickly and placed a kiss on his cheek. “And thank you again for the insignia,” she said quietly, not quite meeting his gaze. “It was a sweet thought.”

  With that, Evelyn disappeared down the stairs and into the crowd. Alex stood there for a long moment, his fingertips just barely touching his cheek. He could still smell her perfume and feel the hint of her kiss lingering on his skin. For some reason, the entire exchange had unsettled him and made him feel uncomfortably warm. He had never experienced that sensation before, and he couldn’t decide whether he enjoyed it or not.

  Feeling somewhat flustered, Alex’s gaze returned to Jason, and he tried to settle his thoughts. He wasn’t certain what had just happened in his exchange with Evelyn, but he knew Jason. He understood him. That was something he could control. A grim smile drifted across his face. He was looking forward to speaking with his rival again.

  * * *

  “Hey, are you listening to me?” Riley asked, waving a hand in Jason’s face.

  His eyes were fixed on a familiar blond-haired individual approaching through the crowd. “Uh, yeah,” he said. “I’m not sure how to sugar coat this, so here it goes… Alex is heading this way.”

  “Shit, what?” Riley asked starting to turn.

  He grabbed her hand to stop her for a moment. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have warned you that he might be here. It’s his father’s company, after all. If you want to leave, I can deal with him.”

  Riley looked back at him, anger flaring in her eyes and her expression hardening. This was the Riley he knew – the Fury. “Fuck that,” she hissed. “I’m not giving him the pleasure of seeing me run away.”

  “Fair enough. Just try not to make a scene,” he urged her. “I still need this job. I’m not saying you should be nice to him. Maybe just don’t try to shank him with a wine glass.”

  “I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises,” she growled, and he noticed her hand tighten around the stem of her glass.

  “Well, what do we have here?” Alex said as he neared them. “I didn’t realize that my father was inviting the help this evening,” he sneered at Jason. Riley’s back was still to him. As she turned, Alex seemed to do a double take, his eyes widening slightly – although he recovered quickly. His cruel smile widened further.

  “Ahh, and I see you brought Riley,” he added, gesturing at her. Alex leaned toward Jason conspiratorially. “Be careful with this one. I hear she gets around.”

  Riley wrapped her arm around Jason’s waist and smiled, the expression barely veiling the intense hatred in her eyes. “I do have a bit of experience,” she replied without wavering. “That’s how I can say confidently that I upgraded to something much bigger and better.”

  Alex’s sneer faltered at her implied insult. “What do you want, Alex?” Jason asked finally, hoping to make this a quick encounter. “We were having a nice evening, and we don’t want to cause a scene here.”

  As the blond-haired man met his gaze, Jason resisted the urge to shudder. There was always something so lifeless and cold about Alex’s eyes. “Trust me when I say that I understand the importance of appearances. Despite our history, I will not do anything to undermine my family’s company. For now, you are useful,” he spat. “For now.”

  Then Alex’s mask reappeared, a smile curling his lips and his eyes softening slightly. “Besides, I just wanted to check in on my in-game neighbor. Perhaps it’s time to mend bridges.”

  “It will be a cold day in hell before we make a deal with you,” Riley said bluntly. “Or should we believe someone else staged undead corpses in your city and in Vaerwald? And I’m sure you know nothing about the attacks on one of our outlying villages known for smuggling undead slaves?”

  “That truly was unfortunate. The brigands these days are certainly becoming more aggressive,” Alex replied, his smile widening as he blatantly ignored Riley’s accusation. “It was a real shame that that village was unprotected and so far away from your little city. That must make it difficult to deal with these sorts of attacks.”

  “That won’t be a problem much longer,” Jason replied, recalling the enhanced fortifications he had built in Fastu. “I suspect anyone who tries that move again will be in for a surprise.” He saw a glimmer of doubt flash across Alex’s face.

  Is he planning something? Jason wondered suddenly.

  “I don’t doubt that,” Alex replied with dry sarcasm. “Especially with the rumors that there is some sort of terrorist group plaguing your city. This is on top of your problem recruiting new players, right? I can only guess that your forces are spread quite thin right now.”

  He seems to know a lot about the situation in the Twilight Throne, Jason thought. That probably isn’t a good sign. Could Alex be in league with Thorn? Or somehow responsible for the growing strength of the native undead outside the city?

  “I think we will manage. It took very little to defeat your army the first time,” Jason retorted coldly. “How many of your troops did I kill by myself?”

  “Jason!” Riley reprimanded him, swatting his shoulder. “You’re also forgetting the explosive finale!”

  “Ahh, I’m sorry. You’re right. Alex here did go out with a bang, didn’t he?”

  Alex grimaced, covering his reaction with a forced laugh. “I think you might find things different now,” he said with feigned amusement. “Some of us have been busy since our last engagement.”

  “I agree,” Jason replied without skipping a beat. “A lot has changed since then.”

  Alex leaned forward, lowering his voice. “I am curious, however,” he said. “Our friendly banter aside. Have you heard of these gates?”

  Jason didn’t give away his surprise. Had Alex’s goddess mentioned the gates to him? They had only discovered the mention of the portals from Thorn. Perhaps he should consider talking to the Old Man about a possible violation of the covenants.

  “I’m not sure what you mean,” Jason answered, feigning confusion. He glanced at Riley. “Maybe he’s going mad. He always has been a little unstable.”

  This seemed to touch a nerve with Alex, and he took a threatening step forward. Jason found that he didn’t find his former bully that intimidating any longer and he rose to the challenge, his hands clenching into fists. He instinctively adjusted his weight – preparing to defend himself. His newfound muscles shifted beneath his skin as he recalled the hours spent in combat training in-game. Jason silently thanked Alfred for his foresight.

  “Think carefully,” Jason murmured quietly, his voice threatening. “There are dozens of witnesses here, and you are threatening someone who has killed two people. Do you think I couldn’t take you down right here?”

  Alex glared at him from only a foot or two away, his eyes having gone lifeless again. “I think you overestimate yourself,” Alex said grimly. “You overstep, and you don’t realize it. Deep down, you are the same weak boy who used to cower away from me and the girl beside you is nothing more than my old plaything.”

  Jason’s gaze didn’t waver. “Those were different people. You are looking at the fucking Regent of a city and his right hand now. Don’t misunderstand me, Alex. I won’t make a scene here. But if I see you in-game, I will fucking kill you with my own hands – without hesitation.”

  “If I don’t beat him to it,” Riley said from beside him. “You would do well not to underestimate us again.”

  The tension hovered in the air, Alex looking between the two of them. Several of the guests had noticed the confrontation and had begun murmuring among themselves. Both Alex and Jason were easy to recognize. Alex caught sight of security drifting through the crowd, the black-uniformed men making a beeline for their position. His father was also watching from across the room, and he didn’t look amused.

  A voice suddenly filled
the air, projected from the drones that hovered over the terrace. “To all our guests, thank you for attending our event this evening. We have prepared a small display to show our gratitude. Please make your way to the southern edge of the terrace.”

  The voice seemed to disarm the conflict and Jason couldn’t help but wonder if someone had decided to make the announcement early. Alex slowly backed down, withdrawing a step.

  “Well then, I think we understand each other perfectly,” Alex said, still watching Jason and Riley with those dead eyes – his mask gone. Without warning, he turned and started to walk away, the security hesitating as they saw the potential conflict unwind. Alex paused and glanced back over his shoulder. “One word of warning, however. The two of you might have just grown into power, but I’ve lived with it my entire life. Don’t think for a moment that either of you have seen the full extent of my abilities.”

  With that final comment, Alex stormed off.

  “I hate him,” Riley said quietly. She was still visibly tense – her fists clenched tightly as she watched Alex disappear. Around them, the guests were starting to drift toward the southern edge of the terrace, chatting amiably and carrying their glasses.

  Jason grabbed her hand, uncurling her fists. “I know. He’s a sadistic asshole, but let’s not let him ruin our evening. I’m here with you. I could weather anything,” he offered with a small smile, trying to regain their previous good humor.

  Riley looked up at him, slowly beginning to relax. “You really can be sweet sometimes – especially for a guy that plays with corpses all day.”

  Jason nodded. “Although, the corpses are easier. They don’t talk back and challenge me quite so much. Or stab me.”

  Riley punched him in the shoulder. “Or punch me…” he added. This earned him a laugh as they joined the group of party-goers trickling southward.