Luke squeezed her hand. “Come on, let’s get back to Dunidan’s Rest.”
CHAPTER 11
Everyone was waiting for them back in Dunidan’s Rest. Silverstrike stood next to Kaoru, and Katrina opened the gate for them.
“Looking good, Kato!” called Silverstrike. “About time you got an armor upgrade.”
Luke nodded. It was hard for him to forget about the last time he’d seen Ben, in the outside world.
He’s like a different person in-game. There’s Ben, and then there’s Silverstrike.
“Everything is all set,” said Kaoru. “Silverstrike is going to begin guild negotiations immediately.”
Luke nodded and made his way over to where the two of them stood.
“You never mentioned what you’re part in all of this is going to be,” said Luke. “Other than planning and organizing.”
Kaoru smiled.
“Now that I have another set of Arbiter armor, I can do what I’m good at,” he said. “Infiltrating their ranks, and getting as much intelligence on their weaknesses as possible.”
Luke frowned.
“That’s going to be incredibly dangerous,” he said. “Are you sure that you can pull it off.”
“Of course. And I’ll also be meeting with you on the outside, in the real world, once you’ve located your father.”
Luke suddenly remembered the USB drive and the zip file he’d found on it. He leaned in a little closer to Kaoru, close enough to keep his voice to a whisper.
“I found an archive, Kaoru, in my dad’s old room. I don’t know what it is, but he password protected it. It might be something important.”
“Perfect, I’ll see what I can do. Let’s continue with the rest of the plan in the meantime.”
Katrina walked over to where the four of them were standing.
“What am I going to be doing while the rest of you are off saving the world?” Her voice contained a hint of sarcasm.
Luke reached into his bag and pulled out the rest of the gold that Kaoru had given him. “Here, we need someone in charge of fortification. Use this to upgrade the defenses here in Dunidan’s Rest.”
She nodded, blinking in surprise as she noticed the amount.
“Alright,” said Luke, turning back to the group. “Let’s all set out tonight. We can use the next few hours to make any final preparations that we-”
“This is your transition?”
Luke heard a familiar voice in his ears. He blinked his eyes and looked around. He was back in his room, sitting at his desk. The VR headset had been wrenched from his head and it throbbed with pain.
“Uh… what?” He took a deep breath and tried to collect his thoughts, the abruptness of the forced exit from Yvvaros was difficult to adjust to.
“That’s what you said at the assembly, the last time I saw you.” Sam was standing next to his desk, holding his VR headset and glaring at him. “Humanity is going through a transition, and oh, it’s nothing to be worried about. You’re all so stupid and I’m so smart.”
“Sam, I-”
“Shut up, Luke!” She pushed him back into his chair and he nearly tipped over backward. “Just shut the fuck up!”
He didn’t say anything.
“You’ve lied to me, you’ve treated me like a fool, and you’ve gone behind my back to feed your addiction.” Sam shook her head. “Even… just as a friend, I can’t stand by and watch you do this.”
“Well then maybe…” Luke paused in midsentence.
What am I supposed to tell her? That we’re not friends anymore? That I don’t care about how much she cares?
“You didn’t show up for school today, and I know you’re not planning on going tomorrow. But Luke, please, promise me…” Sam slid an appointment card across his desk, signed and dated by Dr. Meyers’ assistant. “Promise me you’ll go to your appointment.”
“I’ll go,” he said. “I can still make it if I leave right now.”
I have time before Tess and I leave for the first Elemental Well.
Sam nodded slowly, watching him with wary, concerned eyes.
“I’m going to head back to
CHAPTER 11
Everyone was waiting for them back in Dunidan’s Rest. Silverstrike stood next to Kaoru, and Katrina opened the gate for them.
“Looking good, Kato!” called Silverstrike. “About time you got an armor upgrade.”
Luke nodded. It was hard for him to forget about the last time he’d seen Ben, in the outside world.
He’s like a different person in-game. There’s Ben, and then there’s Silverstrike.
“Everything is all set,” said Kaoru. “Silverstrike is going to begin guild negotiations immediately.”
Luke nodded and made his way over to where the two of them stood.
“You never mentioned what you’re part in all of this is going to be,” said Luke. “Other than planning and organizing.”
Kaoru smiled.
“Now that I have another set of Arbiter armor, I can do what I’m good at,” he said. “Infiltrating their ranks, and getting as much intelligence on their weaknesses as possible.”
Luke frowned.
“That’s going to be incredibly dangerous,” he said. “Are you sure that you can pull it off.”
“Of course. And I’ll also be meeting with you on the outside, in the real world, once you’ve located your father.”
Luke suddenly remembered the USB drive and the zip file he’d found on it. He leaned in a little closer to Kaoru, close enough to keep his voice to a whisper.
“I found an archive, Kaoru, in my dad’s old room. I don’t know what it is, but he password protected it. It might be something important.”
“Perfect, I’ll see what I can do. Let’s continue with the rest of the plan in the meantime.”
Katrina walked over to where the four of them were standing.
“What am I going to be doing while the rest of you are off saving the world?” Her voice contained a hint of sarcasm.
Luke reached into his bag and pulled out the rest of the gold that Kaoru had given him. “Here, we need someone in charge of fortification. Use this to upgrade the defenses here in Dunidan’s Rest.”
She nodded, blinking in surprise as she noticed the amount.
“Alright,” said Luke, turning back to the group. “Let’s all set out tonight. We can use the next few hours to make any final preparations that we-”
“This is your transition?”
Luke heard a familiar voice in his ears. He blinked his eyes and looked around. He was back in his room, sitting at his desk. The VR headset had been wrenched from his head and it throbbed with pain.
“Uh… what?” He took a deep breath and tried to collect his thoughts, the abruptness of the forced exit from Yvvaros was difficult to adjust to.
“That’s what you said at the assembly, the last time I saw you.” Sam was standing next to his desk, holding his VR headset and glaring at him. “Humanity is going through a transition, and oh, it’s nothing to be worried about. You’re all so stupid and I’m so smart.”
“Sam, I-”
“Shut up, Luke!” She pushed him back into his chair and he nearly tipped over backward. “Just shut the fuck up!”
He didn’t say anything.
“You’ve lied to me, you’ve treated me like a fool, and you’ve gone behind my back to feed your addiction.” Sam shook her head. “Even… just as a friend, I can’t stand by and watch you do this.”
“Well then maybe…” Luke paused in midsentence.
What am I supposed to tell her? That we’re not friends anymore? That I don’t care about how much she cares?
“You didn’t show up for school today, and I know you’re not planning on going tomorrow. But Luke, please, promise me…” Sam slid an appointment card across his desk, signed and dated by Dr. Meyers’ assistant. “Promise me you’ll go to your appointment.”
“I’ll go,” he said. “I can still make it if I leave right now.”
I have time before Tess and I leave for the first Elemental Well.
Sam nodded slowly, watching him with wary, concerned eyes.
“I’m going to head back to
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