by Jamie Hawke
17
She held a finger up, pressing her ear to the large, oak door. Then smiled. “We’re clear.”
“How can you be sure?” I asked.
With a chuckle, she simply walked through the door. After a moment, she returned. “There, confirmed. Clear.”
I nodded, going first. The door stuck on the stone floor, but with a heave, we had it open. Inside was a small room with a pile of straw in a corner, open windows looking out over the darkness.
“Start talking,” Varena demanded, turning on Arturo the moment the door was secured.
He nodded, placing his staff against the wall and leaning next to it, arms crossed. I was relieved to see that he hadn’t brought the head in with us.
“Guess I got a bit ahead of myself. Thought I could take on anything this place could throw at me.”
“You are still alive,” Brad pointed out, looking impressed.
“Barely, and only because I know when to tuck tail and run.”
On that note, I noticed his tail actually was tucked between his legs. As much as he didn’t show it, he’d been terrified and it seemed still was.
“Give us the short version.” Varena went to the windows, then door, waving her hands as she did so that purple light was emitted, then faded. Wards, I imagined.
“Right, sure.” Arturo watched her, eyes moving along her form, then met my gaze. He looked away, as if he’d been doing something wrong. That bothered me, because they all knew I was there for Katie, so the fact that now Varena was seen as with me didn’t sit right. And yet, at the same time I did feel annoyed that he’d been checking her out.
Fuck, my mind was having issues in this place. I was glad when he started talking again. Relieved to have the distraction.
“I didn’t think it was going to be anything more than a boss fight, really,” he started. Then laughed. “Especially considering that he was a white rabbit. I mean, some Alice in Wonderland shit would’ve made sense, or him nibbling on my toes. But there I was, about to bop him on the head—”
“Like little bunny foo-foo?” I asked.
He chuckled. “That had been my thought. I don’t know—fuck me for wanting to have a little fun, right? So, I was landing when the shadow snakes attacked, and that didn’t surprise me much. I’d dealt with my fair share of dungeon monsters, and these weren’t much different.”
A scoff from Varena.
“Right, or so I thought.” He nodded at her. “They fucking got in my mind, man. Like, I was there one minute, and the next I was walking through some dark world, a place where those things formed rivers, just them slithering and you sink right in and, fuck, the only reason I didn’t totally freak out was knowing it was all in my head, so I—”
“It wasn’t.”
“Huh?”
Varena was smirking, shaking her head. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you, but it wasn’t all in your head. That’s not the way they work. Had you died right then and there, you would’ve never returned to this place. The black worlds aren’t all bad, but it sounds like you found one of the worst. Your body would’ve stayed there, rotting if you were lucky.”
“And if he wasn’t lucky?” Brad asked.
“Revival, only to be tortured and killed again.
“My avatar’s body,” Arturo corrected her. “Not my body, actually.”
“Sure. Maybe.”
Even I didn’t like the way she’d said that. A long silence followed.
“You were saying, about the rabbit?” Varena spoke up.
“I…” A shiver ran up his spine, causing him to shake slightly. “Fuck me. You believe that, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Okay, well, trying my best to move on. Yes, I escaped, but first I got a glimpse of why this bunny terrifies you. He was there, rising to become this massive bunny, like the size of a mammoth, and then he was standing up and throwing back his fur to form a cloak, and beneath that was a form of darkness, man and bone, vile and everything bad I can throw into a bowl and mix around. I was there at the bank of this shadow-snake river, staring up at this figure, and we went head-to-head, exchanging blows, casting spells—”
“You exchanged blows with him?” Varena was actually leaning in now, full of interest and excitement… a fact that once again gave me that tinge of jealousy in the back of my chest.
“More like I had my ass handed to me, but was able to throw up enough spells and wards that I survived, making it out of there. I’ve practiced at the Temple of Renwan, both on the physical and mental level, so I focused on the mental plane and getting the fuck out of there. If I’d known it was more than mental, I’m not sure it would have worked, but as it was…”
“It clearly did,” I finished for him, annoyed at the way this was going.
And then I laughed. The others looked at me, but I turned, waving them off, and went to the corner where I leaned against the wall, trying my best to chill the hell out. I wasn’t some teenager who got jealous. It simply wasn’t me, and yet, for some reason this place, or maybe this woman, was making me act outside of the norm.
Rage built up for a moment, rage at myself for having such a ridiculous reaction. But I pushed it aside as fast as it had risen. I, too, had done my in-game time at the Temple of Renwan, but as an angel. Still, the basics of controlling the mind were with me. And this was simply recognizing what didn’t belong, and pushing it aside.
I had no doubt this place had a way of messing with its inhabitants, and had to be ready for that. If I came out the other side a different man, I would at least aim to be a better man.
Arturo quickly finished his story, saying how he’d returned to use his cloud and illusion skills to escape, leading the bunny and others in the opposite direction of where he guessed us to be before doubling back.
“I’m still amazed you found us,” Varena admitted. “And… a bit worried.”
He grinned. “Ah, no reason to be. Brad’s in my friend list—a party member.” He pulled up his screen and it showed the beeping dot of his party members. At the moment, it was just Brad. “I couldn’t see all of this before, but the view expands as I explore. Still, gave me enough to go off of to find this place.”
“Well, shit.” Varena stared at the screen, then laughed. “They shouldn’t have been able to follow you, then?”
“My wards are strong, but… I can’t guarantee anything.”
Varena considered him, then nodded, the issue over. “I’ll take first watch.”
“Watch?” I asked, confused. She glanced back at the other two, and yeah, they looked like shit. Both exhausted, sweat-drenched. Another sign this was not a simple game or simulation. No one was that good.
“We need sleep, rest. And better to lie low than wander around and risk taking the same path as the enemy.”
“Can’t we just logout?” Brad asked. “I mean, if it’s so bad…”
“Nobody will be able to logout here, not yet. Not until we reach the top.”
Arturo frowned, tried, and nodded with a grunt. “And… if my body needs to piss?”
She frowned. “I’m not about to help you in that regard, big guy.”
“No, that’s not…” He chuckled. “I mean, out there. Usually we can sense it, and take a break to go relieve ourselves. Right? So… if we can’t log out.”
“Ah.” She put a finger to her mouth, then shrugged. “Beats me. I know how our world works, but don’t have any answers for that. Sorry.”
“Well, here’s to hoping.” He went to one of the tall windows and commenced with peeing out of it.
“Classy, man.” I shook my head, giving a nod to Varena.
She laughed.
“I don’t think modesty or manners matter much in this case,” Arturo said, shaking and then tucking it away. “But there, done. Fingers crossed on that somehow meaning I won’t have to go back with my body.”
“If you wake up in a pool of piss, you’ll know,” Brad said.
“Hold on.” I glanced around, t
hen went back and closed the door, feeling safer that way. “What did your comment mean?”
“She’s a genie,” Arturo said, knowing what I referred to. “By the looks of her, some sort of evil demon genie, too. Shit. I could whip it out right here and she’d probably either enjoy the show or bite it off, both making her equally happy.”
“Let’s find out,” Varena said, her glare heavy on him.
His smile wavered, eyes uneasy, and he turned back, finding the straw and positioning himself on it like a bed. “Yeah, whatever. The genie’s a lady, then. No problem.”
Brad grimaced, then walked over to find his own spot. After a second, he stood, coming back over to the window. “If you don’t mind?”
Varena laughed. “I’ll even look away, if you prefer.”
He didn’t seem sure if she was messing with him, and even had a bit of performance anxiety. Soon he was done, and she went over to the window, leaping up to perch on the ledge.
“Now my turn,” she said.
We all looked startled, even Arturo glancing up, but she cracked up laughing. “Don’t worry, my kind… don’t need to pee too often.”
It was hard to tell if Arturo was relieved or let down, as he turned back, closing his eyes. While they slept, I took a spot at the opposite window. A speck of red started in the distance, soon growing so that it couldn’t be ignored. Sitting there, staring out over the dark plain with the red sky in the distance, I was struck by how beautiful it was. Filled with terror and all manner of confusion, but beautiful in its own way.
“What you see are the fires,” Varena explained. “Over there, the red in the sky. One of the fortresses is in flames. Maybe a dragon.”
“Maybe a dr…” I shook my head, adjusting to look at her. “Excuse me?”
“There are many monsters here. Some from before, some new. Either way, one of the fortresses is ablaze. Lost to the war between the factions, for now.” At my look of confusion, she scooted closer, so that she was practically on me. There she pointed, indicating other dark shapes in the distance. “There are various fortresses here. Where we are is known as the Rift Plains. There are the many worlds out there, yes? Well, there are portal points on each, just as there are on your world. Those portal points allow access to these fortresses. So whatever group in those worlds controls those points has access. But they have to control the fortresses down here, too.”
“Why?”
“Think of it like a border with guards on each side. If group A takes one side, that doesn’t mean they can cross over. They’d still have to defeat the guards on the other side. And then it’s just to access the plains—if they want to, say, go to your world? More fighting, more control.”
“And my world isn’t easy for them to exist in.”
“Exactly.” She stopped pointing now, lowering her hand to let it rest on my leg as she turned to face me. “But other worlds are, and so we find ourselves in the Rift Wars. Groups are fighting, grinding, leveling up, and hoping to take control of the various portal points, so that they can move on to take over the worlds.”
I turned to look at the other two, sound asleep.
“They’re really going to be okay? I mean, their bodies up there…”
She nodded. “It’s you I worry about.”
“Because you need me.”
“Hey.” The way her lower lip stuck out when she pouted, her large eyes taking me in, I had to stare. No man could look away in a moment like that. “I’m not worried about you because of…” She reached out, touched the amulet over my shirt—the old gray shirt I’d worn when getting into my VR rig much earlier. “It connects us, yes, but… The moment we kissed, I saw you. I don’t mean this,” her hand moved up, caressing my cheek, then back to my heart, where it went through me, arm translucent where it touched my skin, “but this. In here.”
“Are you… touching my heart?” It was a warm, sensual feeling. When a woman holds a man’s cock, it’s like she holds his soul, his every essence of being a man. But this woman was physically touching my heart, and that was an entirely new feeling for me.
Perhaps ‘woman’ was a stretch, considering the purple and black marbled skin, the swirling mist of blue in her eyes that sometimes changed to a fiery orange. And, of course, the fact that she absorbed life blood to gain in power, and was either a demon or a genie.
Yet, none of those technicalities affected how I was feeling toward her at that moment. Passion, obsession, desire… and, oddly, trust.
She smiled, her hand moving in a way that made it clear she was stroking my heart. Warmth spread out to my limbs, that same pre-orgasmic warmth we all know so well. My eyes closed, an image of Katie appearing. But I blocked it out.
The shame and guilt hit instantly, and then the hand was pulling back. I opened my eyes to see Varena looking at me, head cocked to one side, and she nodded.
“What?” I asked. “You didn’t have to stop.”
“You’re not ready. Not yet.” With that, she stood, going to the window so that her silhouette blocked my view. “Get some sleep.”
“But—”
“You’ll need it. I’ll have food for you when you wake.”
I longed for her to turn around and look at me, but she didn’t. Maybe she was doing this for me, pulling away because she had my best interest at heart. But as far as I was concerned, it was too late for that. With a sigh, I found a spot next to the others, propped myself up against the wall, and lowered my head to my chest to try and sleep.
18
None of us slept longer than a couple hours, but we felt rested regardless. Maybe it was something about this world that meant less sleep was necessary? Or it could’ve simply been the adrenaline pumping through us, the excitement to reach the top and get this tracking spell under way.
My hand went to my pocket to check and ensure the toothbrush was still there. I sighed with relief, as if expecting—knowing my luck—that it would have fallen out in my sleep only for a rat to carry it off.
Varena had cast food for us, something she said we’d be able to do for ourselves if we mastered green magic. To say it was food might have been a bit of a stretch, as it pretty much resembled kale and lentils mixed into cold little pancakes, but it did the trick well enough.
As we ate, she explained that she was soul-bound to several worlds. This allowed the summoning, and it didn’t only work on food. Certain monsters and other creatures could in theory be summoned, if she had established a connection to them.
“But you have to be careful,” she went on, ignoring the way Arturo’s eyes were moving along her body. “If you try to summon a creature more powerful than yourself, or with more soul bindings, you might become their bitch instead of vice-versa.”
“Soul bindings?” I asked.
“Right. To be soul-bound, or have soul bindings…” She pursed her lips in thought. “It’s complicated, but basically, you link yourself to a world before leaving. A sort of ritual that involves spiritual and magical know-how, but isn’t painful.”
“Essentially, you’re linked to the different worlds, like with planes,” Brad said, nodding. “Yeah, actually, that checks out with other games I’ve played.”
“This is something that existed before the game modifications,” Varena explained. “While everyone can level up and evolve in that sense, the physical leveling up, there’s also one’s soul level, or the amount of worlds they are bound to. Only now there are so many more worlds, so much more potential.”
“And colors somehow play into this?” Brad asked.
“He’s been listening.” She gave him a polite nod. “Yes, I’m bound to predominantly black, purple, and blue worlds, but also some green and red. Because of my past, you could say I’m rather powerful. Of the tenth degree, as a matter of fact, in the form of world bindings.”
“And you’re not… I mean, how would you say it?” Arturo scratched his monkey ears. “Someone couldn’t summon you?”
“They could, in theory,” she admitte
d. “But I’d have to be conquered first, or give myself up willingly. And that’s how, well…” She looked my way, and arched an eyebrow. “Well, enough said on that matter. You get the picture.”
Neither of them seemed to completely get it, because they were missing a piece of the puzzle. I had the amulet, and that somehow connected with her and related to this summoning thing. I looked forward to asking her more about it when the others weren’t listening.
A distant clash of steel sounded, followed quickly after by an explosion. It was far enough away to not cause us any concern, but still Varena led us toward the outer walls, until we were at a spot that allowed for long falls but not much else. Far below, enough so that I wondered how in the hell we’d managed to climb so high, the dark rocks were covered with explosions of magic as two groups butted heads on the battlefield.
“Raid party?” I asked.
“It would seem.” She leaned over the edge, tips of her ‘hair’ glowing white, and then turned back to us. I stepped away from the ledge. “They won’t win, though. I can tell at a glance, they don’t have the power.”
“Seem to be doing well enough to me,” Arturo countered.
Her smile was wistful. “All part of the grand design. See, once they’re inside, they can feed the darkness. Become sacrifices, in a sense.”
My hand instinctively went to the amulet and I thought, Like me? Her eyes met mine, though, and she shook her head in a way that calmed my nerves.
Her hand found my lower back, and for a second I thought she’d push me right through that opening, down to my death.
“We’re past that,” she said. “Anything I take from you will be with your permission only.”
“And this place?” Brad asked, turning to take in the narrow room with its short walls and jagged ceiling.
“The prisons along the outer wall,” she replied with a troubled glance around. “A place we’d best not linger in.”
None of us argued.
“Will this mean our path is easier?” Brad asked. “I mean, if they’re busy fighting off the raid.”
