Night

Night

I continued my love affair with my new body.

Jagged rock, and sentry guards, none could scathe, scratch, or stop me. I penetrated the wizard’s lair like Gabe with a piece of jail bait.

The orcs had joined him, and the Drow too.

Naughty naughty, so much for their loyalty to the prince. Where was that high priestess. Now would be a good excuse to take her head.

No.

I’m not a killer.

I just played on on tv.

A humbling little slip none the less. These second lives were insidious. It was hard to tell where their thoughts began and yours ended.

But I had bigger fish to fry than some npc.

I had to rescue Jasmine.

And I would have, I swear, but then I found her.

And you already know this, she was human.

Human.

Like I used to be.

Well, that warranted further investigation, and if I was a writer I’d jerk off long and hard to my search for answers, but nah.

I found them.

That wasn’t the work of that fat fuck on the bus, couldn’t be. Skye made us this way, so Syke had to undo it.

So they’d have you believe.

You see in that James Bond lair I found a temple. Just like the one in Gabe’s castle, but maybe more modest.

This one was dark and gloomy and it felt wrong, but there was a pedestal there that looked very gamey to me. You know? The sort of thing that summons an optional fight so I draw my whip and get to it.

The shadows swirl, and thunder cracks, and it all forms the dress of a pale floating goddess with deadly eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?” She demands before taking note of who had summoned her. “Ah not my man.” She observed. “Be at peace and let me be ye lost lamb. Bother me not again for your own sake.”

“Is that a threat? Who are you?” I demanded and made my knife known.

“A warning, and seek not forbidden knowledge. It shall put you in harm if I am discovered.”

“Danger from what?”

“Enough!” She thundered. “Summon me not again. Each entry into this world puts me at risk!”

“Then don’t make me summon you again!” I snarled viciously. “Answer my questions now!”

Her storm grew quiet, then she glared.

“You’re against this.” I stated. “I can tell, that makes you my ally right?”

“Yes.” She said, somewhat more softly.

“Then what can I do? To undo all of this?”

She pauses and looks away from me ashamed. “Ye may suffer a thousand times worse if fed false hope.”

“I don’t need hope.” I tell her. “I just need to know I can fight.”

She paused again, fully struck by that. I guess I surprised her. Then she grinned. I think I’d only ever made my brother grin before, and I guess my parents in old baby videos. “Grand!” She sang. “Grand! Fight ye can, and fight ye shall. Heed: Join ye the forces of my pudgy servant, in righteous camaraderie with your fellow contest.”

“Camaraderie? Me and Jasmine? That sounds like I’m still playing this fucking game.”

“Alas pieces have **** but to move about the board less they be disposed.”

Another threat, or warning.

“I’m a player, I’m not a game piece.”

“I know better than to deny that.” She said. “Ye have uncovered me, and that is worthy. But know this. Coloradia is built so Gabe may succeed. Should he fail, this world will crack, and through those cracks you may move,”

“So I’m supposed to work with that scum bag? He already mind controlled me once.”

“An imperfect vessel to be sure. Yet he has been endowed with a special purpose. Bound we are to the rules of this realm.”

“I can do more.” I insisted.

“Do this.” She commanded. “And we shall see about the more.”