by Michael Ryan
Some of the crowd cheered, some booed.
“Gamblers,” Dale said.
Partially filled mugs of mead and beer flew out of the stands, and one hit Dale in the head and splattered smelly amber liquid all over him.
Smith laughed. “It’s better than blood.”
“Smells like dwarf piss,” Dale answered.
“How the hell do you know what dwarf piss smells like?”
Before Dale could find a witty retort, the rhino was struck with an electric-blue lightning bolt from the stands. Algrothist, who’d fired the shot, yelled in a battle scream, “No more animal charms, you sneaky bastards.”
He downed a drink and tossed the mug into the arena.
“A new betting round is now open. The two survivors against the rhino. The odds are even money!” he shouted.
“Will this ever end?” Dale asked.
“I guess if we kill the rhino?”
“Prepare to be squashed!” Algrothist roared.
The rhino stopped running.
It reared up like a warhorse and threw Smith to the ground. Then it charged towards Algrothist and rammed its horn into the wall. The coliseum shook from the blow, while the rhino grunted and fought to remove its horn, which was firmly implanted into the stone and mortar.
“You stupid beast, attack them!” Algrothist blared, shaking his fists. “Even money bets! Even money bets! Place your wagers, you gambling fools!”
One of the blue creatures floated down and spoke into Algrothist’s ear. He smiled, laughed, and then announced a three-minute break to keep the wagering open.
Dale helped Smith to his feet. “You need a healing charm or anything?”
“No, thanks, I’m good,” Smith answered. “I guess we have a slight reprieve so the house can collect more bets.”
“Everyone has to make a living,” Dale said. “Let’s eat a quick feast since we have a couple of minutes to kill.”
He spread a battlefield feast, and they dug in.
Feast consumed!
+20% Buff against horned attacks for five minutes.
Hint: Rhinos are nearly blind, but they have good hearing. They also taste good when prepared with barbecue sauce.
“Suggestions?” Dale asked when the countdown to restart the battle drew close.
“Rhinos are close to indestructible,” Smith answered. “I mean, two guys with swords against that thing? We’re in deep shit. I wonder if we can bet against ourselves and at least collect some gold.”
“I’m sure that’s against the rules.”
Dale: Ërin?
Ërin: I can’t help you, but good luck.
Crap.
Dale bit his lip and put his mind into overdrive. “I have an idea.”
“And?”
“Follow me.”
Dale ran to the edge of the demon pit.
The hungry creature trapped there had eight tentacle arms, fangs as big as Dale’s legs, and bloodshot eyes the size of his shield. An appalling stench that smelled like a sewer mixed with a slaughterhouse rose from the pit.
Dale’s eyes watered, and Smith nearly retched.
“What’s your great idea?” Smith asked, gagging on his words.
“Smarts over strength,” Dale answered.
“Show me the light.”
Dale dropped to a knee and said, “Climb on my shoulders.”
Smith followed his instructions.
Dale stood.
“Now, wave your arms around,” Dale commanded. “And shout curses at the dumb beast.”
Dale kept his feet firmly planted as Smith waved his arms around to attract the rhino’s attention.
The beast shook its head, stamped its feet, and charged.
“Hold steady. Don’t jump,” Dale said, while managing to stand close to the demon pit without falling in. “When it’s about to ram us, you jump left, and I’ll jump right.”
“That’s your plan?” Smith asked.
The rhino ran at a full-speed charge, swinging its head from side to side, causing the ground to vibrate. As it got closer, the tremors grew more violent, and the cheers from the crowd rose in anticipation of the coming carnage.
Dale thought they’d probably plunge into the demon pit with the beast, but he stuck to his plan and shoved Smith out of the charging creature’s path before leaping in the other direction.
The rhino slammed its feet into the ground, attempting to stop, but its momentum carried it to the edge. It teetered over the bars of the pit, and a tentacle reached up and wrapped around its curved horn.
The demon swiftly followed with two more tentacles, wrapping up the rhino’s front legs.
The rhino shook its head, snorted, and stamped its feet.
The demon tugged.
“Quick!” Dale shouted. “Follow my lead.”
He retrieved his sword and lifted it above his head in a two-handed grip. Smith followed him, and they plunged their swords into the rhino’s ass.
The beleaguered giant grunted, moaned, and snorted as it was forced over the pit. More tentacles reached through the bars, and the demon soon had the entire rhino wrapped up in all of its squirming suction-cupped arms.
Dale and Smith gave a final shove.
The rhino burst into bloody pieces as gravity, two swords, and a hungry demon worked against it to force it through the bars. Gore covered Dale and Smith as the sound of snapping bones echoed off the arena’s walls.
The crowd went insane.
They cheered, booed, taunted, mocked, and threw things in a deafening display of love and hate.
“Quiet!” Algrothist shouted. “Be quiet! These two scum, in their puny humant-avatars, have proven worthy opponents. Settle your bets! Pay your debts! Feed the battle pets! Shall we have more death?”
The crowd cheered. “Let’s!”
Algrothist held up a creature that looked a bit like a cute Disney animal and bit off its head. With his mouth full, he commanded, “Prepare the arena for the next set of victims!”
The blue-skinned Sihir appeared in front of Dale and transferred Dale’s winnings – two thousand bars of gold – and then disappeared in a shimmering purple mist.
A yellow beam of light appeared from the sky.
“Let’s go,” Smith said. “That’s our ride.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Just because my children didn’t enlist in the infantry doesn’t mean they aren’t patriots.
~ General Dennison
Once qualifying rounds had been completed, the military scheduled a ceremony in the Great Hall of Feasting. It was Dale’s first real experience of how big the ramp-up to war had become. The hall was enormous, as big as the Rhith Center in downtown Cincinnati, and Dale guessed there were at least a hundred thousand people present.
“Attention! Quiet, please!” a loud voice boomed throughout the arena.
Everyone quit talking.
A beam of light shined onto the podium, where a colonel stood.
He approached the microphone and spoke. “It’s my great pleasure to introduce General Dennison, commander of the Western Forces Division of the Earth United Defense Army. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to General Dennison.”
The hall erupted with applause.
The general cleared his throat. “Thank you. Please take your seats.” He read a prepared speech. “War is not easy, and never fun. War is sacrifice.”
He cleared his throat again and looked up from his notes. “War is hell, as they say, but it’s also necessary. In the evolution of every species there comes a time when territories are claimed, resources are defended, gods are invented, and war becomes inevitable. Today is no different.”
Returning to his notes, he continued speaking. “The potential conflict we’re facing is massive. But I don’t want you to think of it in those terms. Frankly, it’s not relevant whether a war is between two small city-states, two world powers, or even two planetary systems. It doesn’t matter if a war is intergalactic or between tribes, troo
ps, platoons, armies, or nations.”
Dale thought the speech sounded like trite propaganda, but then again he didn’t know all the supersecret stuff the leaders and politicians obviously knew.
Perhaps his cynicism was misplaced.
“What matters is that soldiers fight for their families and their friends – for their small tribe, if you will – the people they love and care about. You, too, will battle for the buddy at your side.”
Dale considered Smith and figured the analogy fair enough.
“Fight,” the general read from his notes. “Kill and destroy. Do your duty. Fight for your buddy. Fight for your future. I honor you, soldiers. I honor those of you who will die. I honor those of you who will become heroes. We have no room for cowardice, and I curse any who would betray their own.”
The crowd cheered.
“Tomorrow you may die, so tonight, you celebrate!” He raised a mug into the air, and the crowd screamed in a frenzy of bloodlust and desire.
Dale had never heard such deafening applause.
His heart pounded, and he felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. On reflection, he realized he might be cheering for his death, and he paused.
What the hell.
He decided that he was okay with it.
No matter what, he’d never be a coward.
A short time later, he and Smith walked across the stage, and the general handed them their acceptance papers granting them admission into Unit Nineteen and all the associated guilds and unions.
Appearing with them were Kim, Tom, Sanjay, and Galina, all of whom had also cleared the dungeon and been accepted into the prestigious Unit Nineteen.
Later in the evening, the event turned into a festive party.
“Congratulations, soldiers,” Captain Redding said to the group.
“Thank you,” Dale responded, and she winked at him.
The drinking and partying continued.
Near midnight, Redding pulled Dale into the garden courtyard.
A bright moon hung in the sky.
“Watch me,” she whispered, and then twirled in a circle like a figure skater. A purplish sparkling mist surrounded her as she transformed.
Dale was mesmerized, and the entire world seemed to disappear. Either Captain Redding was the only thing that existed, or he was going crazy.
He decided he didn’t care.
She approached him.
Her long braided red hair hung over her shoulder and still nearly touched the ground.
She wore a tight miniskirt and a low-cut top that displayed most of her breasts, which sparkled with glitter. The aroma of her perfume, and perhaps a lust-producing pheromone, filtered into Dale’s senses, and he surrendered the last of his mind.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her body as she writhed in an erotic dance. Mist swirled around her, and Dale stepped closer.
“Dale,” she whispered, “look into my eyes.”
He did.
“Congratulations on becoming one of us,” she said softly into his ear, her lips brushing his skin.
“Thank you,” he managed, sputtering like an anxious teen.
She pulled him into an embrace.
Dale shuddered, then froze.
She placed her lips on his.
He didn’t know what to do, but she led him along like a lamb to the slaughter.
Losing control overwhelmed him. It was as if he’d fallen over a cliff.
It was a glorious kiss, sensual, consuming, soft, hard, wet, and promising.
He lost track of time.
In his dreamlike state, he wished he could stay forever.
A little while later, after she’d led him down a path that he had never traveled before, when he was conscious of reality once again, she whispered in his ear, “Would you die for me?”
Her voice was sultry and powerful.
“Yes,” he answered. “Without hesitation.”
The next morning at chow, Dale sat with Smith, Sergeant Dyfrig, and a few other new members of Unit Nineteen.
Dyfrig ate live grubs. “You guys want to try one?”
“No, thanks,” Dale answered.
“I’ll pass,” Smith said, sliding a bit farther down the bench away from the lizard.
Dyfrig held up one of the fat wiggling insects and waved it in front of Smith’s face. “You sure?”
Smith ignored him.
Dale took a bite out of his tuna sandwich. “I’ll stick to things that are already dead.”
“Like bacteria,” Dyfrig said, making a face. “I can smell that dead fish from here.”
“No,” Tom said, “that’s–”
“Fuck you,” Galina said. “You go too far sometimes.”
“Agreed,” Dyfrig said. “Tom, bring it down a notch.”
Tom nodded his head in acknowledgment and went back to his lunch.
Sanjay smiled. “I like tuna.”
Dale took another bite. “It’s fresh. I mean, it’s cooked, but it’s not like I’m a vulture.”
“Never mind,” Smith said. “Let’s talk about classes instead of eating habits. I think Dale needs to concentrate on the choices he’s got to make going forward.”
“I’m going to enter Nojus,” Dale said. “I mean, that’s my whole life, well, before the war. I’m an animal skeleton designer. I love animals. So for sure I’m going Nojus, but I don’t know which race I want to pick for my professional avatar. There’s a lot to consider.”
“You should be a lizard,” Dyfrig said. He put another grub on the table and snapped it up in his jaws. He swallowed it without chewing.
“I don’t know,” Dale said. “I do like your avatar, but there are so many to choose from.”
“You should be a Nagintia,” Smith teased. “You could get an ostrich mount.”
“No, thanks. Too gobliny for my taste. I don’t want to be a goblin, a dwarf, or an undead creature. I like the cats, bats, and even the vampiric race.”
“The Mugrons?” Dyfrig asked. “Really? They’re ugly, but I guess deadly. What about the Sidheagin?”
“What’s that?” Dale asked. He wished he’d studied better, but recalling Smith’s advice, he figured he’d learn the factoids as they progressed.
“It’s close to what you’d call a werewolf. When they level up, they can devour enemies like crazy. But nasty and ugly beasts, and nobody really likes them, from what I’ve heard,” Dyfrig claimed.
They turned at the sound of a massive growl.
A sizable wolflike creature appeared in the midst of smoke and fire. It carried a tall ebony staff capped in feathers. It wore a belt made of small silver skulls, on which hung a broadsword. Its fur was nearly black, reminiscent of a gorilla, and its mouth opened to expose large fangs. It wore a crown of bones on its head, and a necklace with a moon medallion hung from its neck.
“Nobody likes us?” it growled in a deep voice. It moved a step closer. “The Ningishzidas are responsible for this war. The Ningishzidas are untrustworthy, and they’re a filthy, belly-crawling, undeveloped race. Look at him, eating bugs like an animal.”
“Sorry, friend. I meant no disrespect,” Dyfrig said.
“No disrespect!” The Sidheagin moved a step closer. “If I could challenge you to the pit, I would.”
After speaking, the beast returned to its humant-avatar. The wolflike avatar belonged to a female. Dale thought she was hot. He looked back to Dyfrig, then at the woman, then back at the reptile. “What do people mean when they say the lizards started the war?” Dale asked.
“It’s complicated,” Dyfrig answered. “But there are those who think my race triggered the hostilities and that–”
“So, hold on,” Dale said. “People blame you? But I don’t even understand what you are.”
“I’m part of a different race, Dale. That’s about the sum of it.” Dyfrig ate another grub and then looked into Dale’s eyes.
“What other races are there?” Dale asked.
“There’s Sigtrygg, a humanoid race
that’s kind of like the dwarfs in human legends. They make excellent tanks.” Dyfrig lowered his voice. “But they can be quite nasty, and they usually smell bad.”
“That’s another race I can eliminate,” Dale said.
“You might like the Gahmkah or the Isca,” Smith offered.
“The Gahmkah are like lion-type men, right?” Dale asked.
“Yes. They’re strong and noble. You’d be great as a Gahmkah, for sure,” Smith said.
“And there’s the Isca,” Dyfrig said. “They’re more magical than other races. If you’re into that, it’s a good choice. They worship the Inca gods of your world, which some say were beings that discovered space travel before the Ningishzida.”
“Wait,” Dale said. “You’re saying the pyramids were due to an alien race showing up and humans thinking they were gods?”
“Like all the primitive religions are really based on actual events?” Smith asked.
“It’s all bullshit,” Tom said, breaking into the conversation. “Government lies.”
“Oh, well, isn’t this cute,” Galina said. “We found the one thing we agree on.”
“Oh, no,” Tom said. “We agree that you should invite me to your bed. You merely haven’t admitted this to yourself.”
“Arrogant.”
“Yes,” Tom agreed. “But I back up my claims. You’re invited to discover this anytime.”
“I don’t know,” Sanjay said, joining the conversation. “It seems likely to me that aliens came to Earth. The Hindu religion doesn’t rule this out.”
“Foolish,” Tom said.
Dale attempted to change the subject back to avatar selection. “So, Smith, what are you going to be?”
“Oh, I’m already a Sagittalian,” Smith said. “I started beta testing a while back, so I’ve had a jump on this. Anyway, I like the attributes of the race. It’s straight tanking, destroying, and marauding. My favorite things. I like to break stuff.”
“How come you never told me?” Dale asked. “You still haven’t told me why you were in the Nojus guild, or why you have so many secrets.”
Dale frowned at his friend. They’d completed all the trials in their humant-avatars, which were based upon their real human forms, only slightly enhanced.
