What if I didn’t recover? Or it took months? My future had been won, but if I couldn’t continue it would be stripped from me as quickly as it came.
What scared me more? Getting hurt again or having my dream within my grasp and gradually watching it die?
Something Destiny had ingrained in me came to mind.
“Courage isn’t the lack of fear, but doing what must be done in spite of it.”
Without letting myself think on it any further, I slapped my cheek as hard as I dared. It was loud enough to reverberate off the buildings surrounding me.
“What are you doing?” came a whisper from behind.
The door to the house closed with the soft release of a spring handle. I looked at my local map. The guest room was empty. Victoria.
She was suited up, her grey-green cloak hanging over her armor, the hood hiding her face.
“I…” I didn’t know what to say.
As she approached, I realized she was about to see fresh tears.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked.
“The same as you. I don’t want to miss any of the action.” She removed her hood, her eyes gleaming.
It was unfair, but I was tired. There was so much she wasn’t saying. Something was obviously bothering her and there was no way she had just ended up here as a charity case without a bigger goal in mind.
“Why are you really here? I overheard your conversation with Peter.”
“Shh. Keep your voice down.” She hugged her arms to her chest and looked off to the side.
Her silence I combated with a silence of my own.
“Fine. What I told you about getting accepted into Freedom is true. My parents pulled some strings. What I didn’t say is that I’m here to build up my resume.”
To say I was dumbfounded was an understatement. “You’re here for a resume?”
“You’re here for the same reason, aren’t you?”
That was actually a valid point.
“Do you remember the tutorial where the lady said that the gaming systems are based on real world military technology?”
“You want to join the military?”
“Not exactly. And it’s much more than they say. That’s easy enough without going to all this trouble. Besides, my parents wouldn’t let me just join without approving of my job and status. I want to be a combat general.”
Was it the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard? No, but probably the second or third. Combat generals were plugged into the highest levels of the military’s version of the Metaverse with the ability to watch a war from the eyes of any of their troops and every drone. They watched over the battlefield and ultimately directed their armies. They were the all-seeing voice in the head of every soldier. It was like the game of chess with a billion different pieces, each with their own capabilities.
“Does that mean the falcon will give you those abilities?” I asked.
“That’s exactly what it means.”
“How do you know?”
“Being a political charity case has its advantages. As we upgrade out abilities they become more and more like real military tech.”
“Why a combat general?”
“Will you laugh?”
“Only if it’s funny.”
Her mouth twitched up at the corners.
“I was raised knowing that one day my actions might affect millions of people. War is all around us. In this world and throughout the galaxy… If I’m to best lead, I need experience even in the worse situations. Here I can practice what I’ve learned. Also, with the entire world watching I can impress the right people and get the position I want; one my parents would approve of.”
Admittedly, her goal dwarfed mine considerably. Her background certainly explained things though. My goal was to entertain millions of people. She wanted to protect them.
“Who are you anyways?”
“Not someone you would have heard of. My sister is the real deal. I’m just trying to be of help to my family.”
It was a subject to pursue another time.
“What now?” I asked.
“We go to find some trouble.” She stood uncomfortably close, looked up at me like a pleading kitten. Evil cat demon.
Peter was going to kill me if Oliver didn’t get to me first.
“Fine. But if fighting starts, follow my lead. I’m clumsy in this world, but I have a lot of experience on the battlefield.”
“Deal.”
We were both quiet as we navigated the village’s dirt roads. Her pace was furious. I had to walk at full stride to keep up with her. It was impossible to shake the feeling we were sneaking about. The hoods had a lot to do with that—as did the fact that we were.
The smell of fresh bread whetted my appetite when nothing else had. It grew as we neared the front gate. Even half a mile away the aroma drifted down the street enticing all to come.
As the gate came into view we could see that half a dozen merchants were still awake, lamps glowing orange from paper wrapping. The lamps stood high on wooden poles that had been speared into the ground. Their carts were with them, full of goods, but the shoppers were few. Two merchants had a monopoly on most of the customers.
The obvious draw was the bread vendor. A line of at least ten players was waiting anxiously, conversing in hushed tones.
A second line, twice as long, was for buying mugs, bottles, and jugs of refreshments. The appeal didn’t become clear until I saw a wooden sign that had Wine and Spirits carved into its face.
Victoria’s hand found my wrist and pulled me into the back of the longer line.
She wasn’t going to… Was she?
Thankfully she answered my concern before I could ask.
“Oliver has all the alcohol. If anyone gets injured we better get ready.”
“And I thought you were going to try and get me drunk.”
“Very funny. You’re not my type.”
“It’s nice to know you’re picky about who you booze up to use as a meat shield.”
“Oh. Sorry. I thought you meant…”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
She turned her head like a confused puppy. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“Oh wait. You were thinking…”
She bowed her head so that I couldn’t see her face. “Not nice.”
“Couldn’t be helped.”
She grabbed my wrist. I straightened like a board.
Destiny had always included a fair supply of back and forth to make me comfortable in situations like these. Even her touch shouldn’t have been a problem if we were competitors. But Victoria wasn’t the competition. I considered her a friend, which left me scrambling uncomfortably.
Her other hand moved up my arm sending tingles down my back. I inhaled a deep breath.
The tips of her fingers brushed over my bicep, reaching just below my shoulder. And then, she pinched me.
I pulled away in a gasp, grabbing at my arm.
“That’s what you deserve.”
“Probably.” I squinted in mock suspicion.
“And here Peter thought you might be struggling to recover.”
I forced a smile, but the comment turned my mind back to that very issue.
It didn’t fool her. “I’m sorry, Lucius. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
To circumnavigate her armor from behind, I grabbed at the armor around her armpits. Two jerks from my fingers sent her bounding a foot in the air
Spinning from my grip, her elbows were pulled in tight, her hands out like a wrestler.
My next attack had already sprung. I grabbed at the back of her knee, but she kicked out before I could find purchase.
“I can’t believe you!”
“You dare question a guy’s manhood?”
“Would you two stop it!” A middle-aged woman with short curly hair had turned and was glaring at us.
Three players between us and the woman politely stepped to the side without daring to look.
“Sorry,” Victoria said.
“Sorry,” I echoed, removing my hood so she could see it was true.
“Oh.” The woman’s hand shot to her mouth. “You poor boy. I saw what happened last night.”