The Nexus Knight [Chpts 19-20]

Hey peeps!

More chapters.

Tomorrow I have to post a couple other chapters, and a short story. I think it's going to be of Zaxis and Calisto (and some Evianna). 

I hope your memorial day weekend is going well!

Shami

—Chapter 19—

—A Friendly Offer—

Kellan walked out to the main room of their suite. He had his backpack over one shoulder and held his rifle on the other. The others weren’t as combat geared as he was. They waited around the center room, standing near different corners.

It was bizarre seeing Sen as a teenager. Kellan had almost forgotten it was him.

“Why are you staring?” Sen asked, his voice raspy and awkward.

“How did you make yourself older?”

“With the Crafting Clay.” Sen rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “I thought you would’ve put on and two together.”

“You slapped on a foot of height and some extra muscle with a glob of cancer?”

Sen threw back his long black hair and huffed. “I’m a fleshcrafter. I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand, but it’s not about the physical proportion of the flesh that mattered. Crafting Clay is a representation of the raw body magic. The clay can be used to reverse some of my de-aging.”

Kellan wasn’t about to argue with the man. If he could somehow turn a tumor lump into ten years of growth, more power to him. Kellan didn’t care.

Throughout the conversation, Husker carefully packed away some supplies of his own. He stuffed the large pockets of his trench coat with food, hane, and a couple small vials, even packed a small bag and set it on the coffee table. The entire time, the rattle of chains accompanied his movements. The weird restraints—iron manacles and bindings—hidden under his coat, still had room to clack against each other.

Despite Husker’s large clawed hands, he was careful with the smaller items. The vials were the size of one of his claws, but he gently placed them in the inner pocket of his coat.

“Thank you for doing this,” Kellan said, motioning to the supplies. “Where are you getting everything?”

“I got the food from the kitchens,” Husker said. “But since the Exchange is open, I gathered together a few potions. Mana restoration, and one for healing. I didn’t have much to trade, but I got us things.”

The Exchange…

Kellan hadn’t thought to return, but it wasn’t a bad idea. Did he have time before the start of the next game? Probably not. He would have to visit after the fact.

“We must win the games,” Husker muttered as he stood straight, his coat all packed. “There are no other options for us. It’s either go hard or go straight to the grave.”

Xiang casually paced the length of the balcony door. Water streamed down the glass as the rain continued unabated. She didn’t glance to the others or even add to the conversation. She stared out into the distance—in the same direction she had last night.

Unlike last night, she wore an ankle-length leather jacket, heels, and a black dress. Kellan could’ve considered it clubbing attire, nothing appropriate for a death game, but it all could be illusion. There was a chance she was wearing nothing.

That wouldn’t be useful, either, but Kellan couldn’t get the thought out of his head.

Xiang’s long black hair was tied up, several strands flaring out in a semi-circle, like a sun crest. Her striking appearance distracted Kellan more than he liked to admit. So far, he hadn’t met anyone in the Nexus Games who even came close to her elegant beauty.

A soft knock at the door drew everyone’s attention.

Kellan walked to the front door of the suite. Everyone else tensed and waited, no words between them. When Kellan glanced out into the hall, he found Alvo and Juan standing before him. The misshapen set of conjoined twins waved one of their tiny hands. Then they handed Kellan a letter in a dried yellow envelope.

“Good morning,” Alvo whispered. “Nosferatu wanted me to give you this.”

Kellan took the envelope and turned it over in his hand. On one side, written in perfect English, were the words:

For Alex Kellan, of Team 101

“Thank you,” Kellan said.

“I hope you do well in the games today.”

“So do I.”

Alvo and Juan lingered, their two heads and mismatched gazes glancing around the hall. But they didn’t offer anything else, not even words.

Kellan stepped back into the suite and then closed the door. He wasn’t sure what to say to Alvo and Juan, other than the simple statements. Anxiety gripped him as he tore open the envelope. The letter inside was just as neatly written as the outside.

Alex Kellan,

Have your team join the Davie’s Gauntlet this round. It’s PvE, which means we can cooperate without interference, and most obstacles are technological in nature. My mastery of metal magic makes this a simple game for me to complete. I can ensure Team 101 victory as well.

N

Only signed “N,” huh?

Kellan turned the paper over and found nothing on the back.

“Well?’ Sen demanded. “What is it?”

“It’s a letter from Nosferatu, of Team 5. He wants us to join the Davie’s Gauntlet. He says he’ll help us.”

Husker walked over and took the letter. Then he strode across the massive room and handed the piece of yellowed paper to Xiang. With a delicate touch, she took the note and examined it. A half second of contemplation, and she tossed it back at Husker.

“No,” she said. “It’s a ruse.”

“How can you be so certain?” Kellan asked.

“Nosferatu is a Nexus resident. They hate outsiders—haven’t you listened to their radio announcements? Or seen their programs on TV? If they can, the residents torture outsiders.” Xiang resumed her steady pacing. She grazed her fingers across the glass doors to the balcony. “And Nosferatu asked for nothing in return. All he wants is our compliance. All the hallmarks of a poorly laid trap. If we agreed, we would deserve the fate he has planned for us.”

Kellan walked over to the side of the couch and crossed his arms. “He told me he appreciated the fact I was helping the Nexus locals. He might want to trust us. Legitimately. And he probably didn’t require anything on our part as a show of that trust.”

“You’re a fool if you think a few random instances of kindness would change his mind.” Xiang stopped and turned, her eyes narrowed in a glower. “Outsiders kill the residents for arcana. It’s been happening since the very first Nexus Games. Millions of dead Nexus locals at the hands of dimension travelers. That kind of blood, hate, and fear won’t disappear so easily.”

Killing the residents since the first games?

Kellan held his breath for a moment, wondering if the Arbiter was so cruel as to create a race of people meantto be slaughtered for arcana. Would the dragon do that? Kellan wasn’t sure. It sounded fucked up, but everything in the Nexus seemed along those lines.

“I spoke with him,” Kellan said, trying to think of an argument.

“My mother killed hundreds of his kind,” Xiang stated matter-of-factly. “I assure you, Nosferatu wants me dead, and he’s trying to bring our whole team down by getting to me through you. Don’t be a fool.”

There weren’t any more arguments Kellan could cobble together. He didn’t know Nosferatu that well, and it was true—outsiders killed the residents at an alarming rate.

“We shouldn’t entangle ourselves with that leper,” Sen stated.

Husker nodded. “I agree. He’s not to be trusted.”

“The Davie’s Gauntlet game is PvE,” Kellan offered, his last argument for the matter. “He can’t attack us during the game. What’s the harm of trying?”

Sen held up a finger. “He can’t attack us, but he can certainly trick us. All it would take is for him to say, stand over here, you’ll be safe. Only for then—” Sen slapped his hands together in a dramatic smack, “—boom! The ceiling crushes us. Or a Kuji gets lucky.”

Although Kellan would’ve preferred to make allies, he said nothing. Technically, any number of teams could win the Nexus Games, so why not ally? But if Nosferatu was looking for quick arcana, tricking the team into a quick and certain death would be an easy way to empower himself.

“We’ll be playing the Escortgame,” Xiang stated. Then she returned her attention to the world beyond the balcony door. “We have the greatest chance of victory then. And even if we fail, as long as we don’t have our doll broken, we’ll maintain the number of keys we have.”

“I thought you didn’t want to play beyond round five?” Sen asked, his brow furrowed.

“I don’t. But game five will have several ways to quickly win keys we’ve missed. So as long as we live through these rounds, I’m confident we can still complete the game as quickly as I had hoped.”

A door opened, and Mavis stepped out into the main room. She wore a pair of ripped jeans, a T-shirt, and a heavy coat. Her boots had been scuffed—probably during the challenge round—but they were still durable. She jogged out into the room, glanced between everyone, and then walked to Kellan’s side.

“What’s going on?” Mavis whispered. “Why is everyone so tense?”

“We’ll be playing Escort for our next game,” Kellan replied.

Mavis grimaced and stared at him with wide eyes. “S-Seriously?”

He snorted and laughed. “Not thatkind of escort. I mean we’ll be taking a doll from one location to another. If it gets broken, we fail and lose a key. If we fail to deliver it, we get nothing.”

“A doll?”

“The doll was a live puppy last time, so who knows what we’ll get this go around. I suspect something breathing, but helpless. Makes the escorting part of the game all the more difficult.”

Husker’s ears twitched. Then he smiled, his fangs visible. “That’s right. Makes it easy to tell if the doll is broken, too. If it’s still alive, we’re fine, but the moment it stops breathing, we’ve lost.”

“So, what will be our strategy?” Sen asked. He glanced around the room and frowned. “We have enough time to at least discuss it. Obviously, illusions will help. We can pick up a rock and make it look like our doll, whatever it happens to be. If we hide the real doll in a backpack, enemy teams won’t be able to get a surprise attack.”

“Our enemies know about Xiang’s illusions,” Kellan stated. “Team 42 is ready, apparently.”

“But not every team will be ready!” Sen huffed and shook his head. “Most other teams are varied in skill and competence. They were formed because they were outsiders caught in the Conflux—people teleported to the Nexus against their will. They may be playing the games now, but they probably aren’t strategizing as much as Team 42.”

Kellan shrugged. “Then what’s our strategy if we run into a competent team? What will we do if we’re facing Team 42?”

The silence that followed his question unnerved Kellan. They didn’t have any other options? No other tactics or tricks up their sleeves?

“I’ll handle any problems that come our way,” Husker finally stated. He rattled his chains as if to make the point. “That’s why I’m here. I’ll use my hex to kill the powerful mages who might target us.”

“So, our plan is stick together during this game? All five of us?”

Everyone glanced over at Xiang. She was the team leader, after all. She had been calling the shots the entire time. Her hesitance to answer wasn’t reassuring, however.

“The five of us will travel together to the center of the game arena.” Xiang paused for a moment, her gaze on the floor. “Once we’ve gathered the real doll, we’ll split up. Two of us will hide the doll and quietly take it to the goal. The other three of you will draw attention with the fake doll. When other teams come to attack, you’ll kill them. But if ever you’re in trouble, drop the decoy and run. I suspect most teams will attempt to break the doll before pursuing, to ensure we, as a team, lose a key.”

It wasn’t a bad plan, but Kellan had a feeling the Arbiter was going to throw in a few curve balls before the event was over. However, without any other information, he was at a loss for what to add to the strategy.

“Who will be the team with the fake doll?” he asked.

“You, Husker, and Sen,” Xiang stated. “Myself and…” She glanced over at Mavis and frowned. “… our otherwarrior, will take the real doll to safety.”

“You wouldn’t want to stay with us and use your illusions to trick enemy teams?”

“If I die, our whole team fails.”

The last statement left a powerful impact. It meant she thought there was a chance the other team might run into deadly complications. But that was fine—Kellan agreed with her statement. If Xiang died, they would fail, so it was best to keep her out of harm’s way.

“I think we’re ready, then,” Husker stated.

“I’ve finalized my decision,” Xiang said. “The Arbiter knows where we need to go.”

Which was perfect timing, as Kellan felt the terrible pull of teleportation take hold of his insides. In a flash, he was removed from the AVU Palace, and transported to the game arena.

—Chapter 20—

—Escort Mission—

Kellan stumbled forward and immediately shivered back the rush of cold wind.

He glanced around, hefted his rifle, and took deep breaths. His surroundings were a shock at first, but he quickly calmed a bit. He stood in the middle of a residential street, on the broken yellow lines of a US road. But the darkness and clean skies told him he wasn’t anywhere near Nexus-Fayetteville. This was someplace different—far from the east coast, perhaps all the way on the other side of the continent.

Or perhaps not.

It was an alternate-dimension, and Kellan wasn’t entirely sure of the properties. He knew for a fact the time was different. It had been 8am back at the AVU Palace, but in this new location, the sun was far from rising.

Despite the darkness, Kellan examined his surroundings. His eclipse magic made it so that the darkness no longer obscured his vision. And it empowered him, adding to his physical strength, dexterity, and fortitude. He preferred himself with the empowerments.

This was… a wealthy residential area. The McMansions lined both sides of the street, each with their own fence and privacy hedges. Perfectly cut grass and trimmed shrubbery decorated the vast lawns. Most were two stories, and those that weren’t took up more space than any normal house would.

The streetlights occasionally flickered to life, but for the most part, they remained dead and useless.

As Kellan glanced around, a red shimmer streaked across the sky.

The Net.

A deadly barrier that kept all the players inside the play arena until the game was done.

It was a dome that stretched from one side of the massive unknown city, all the way to the other. Kellan couldn’t even see where the edges of the Net touched down, but he knew he was close to one end. If he touched the Net, even just slightly, he would die. Or least, that was what he had been told.

A bird shot out of a tree in the distance. Just for good measure, it confirmed all of Kellan’s musing. It flew straight into the shimmering, wicked red, and then exploded into a puff of feathers and gore.

Convenient.

Kellan glanced up at the street sign. The words were written in Sanskrit. The writing was rather distinct, and Kellan had seen it multiple times when studying historical languages. It wasn’t really used anymore… Yet here it was.

When he turned around, he spotted the other members of his team. Husker, Xiang, Sen, and Mavis stood around on different points on the road, dazed for a moment as they regained their balance.

The darkness hindered all of them, however. Their eyes were unfocused as they glanced around.

Kellan walked over to Mavis and placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and pulled her handgun all in one motion.

“It’s me,” Kellan stated. “We’re in the game.”

“Where are we?” Mavis lowered her weapon. “It’s not raining.”

“We’re in some sort of city.”

Their conversation drew the others closer. The click of Xiang’s heels echoed down the empty road. Kellan took a moment to inspect the nearby driveways. No cars. Not a single one. Had the Arbiter made sure there would be no functioning vehicles in the game arena, or were they just hiding?

Much to the surprise of everyone, a TV flickered to life, its bright-white static screen cutting through the darkness of the early morning. It was mounted to the side of a mailbox, wires and cores tangled around the wooden post and leading straight to a hole in the cement of the sidewalk.

Why was there a TV in the middle of nowhere?

It was crooked and slanted to one side, but it eventually showed a crisp and clear picture.

Bitso and his newsroom were nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was the set of a children’s show. A few of the Nexus residents were there in a semi-circle, facing a man in clown makeup. It was obvious they were residents from the boils across their faces. One boy didn’t have any ears. Another girl had a giant forehead and swollen head.

“During this game, the players will only have ten hours to get their doll and make it to the designated safety area,” the clown-man said.

Was he a resident? Kellan couldn’t tell. He wore a mask over his entire head, and the rest of his body was covered in frilled clothing. The rubber mask had eye holes, but they were too dark, and Kellan couldn’t see within. The permanent smile on the mask drooped a bit. It was clear the mask was intended for someone larger, and barely fit correctly.

A child raised their hand. The clown pointed to them.

“Where is the safety area?”

“Good question! The doll museum will have the answer. Every team has to pay close attention, or else they won’t figure it out!”

The children clapped and nodded, like this was exciting news tantamount to being served freshly made ice cream. Kellan didn’t understand why any of the residents would want to watch the Nexus Games. Was it to see the players die? Because most of the time, they were just slaughtering Nexus residents.

Not really a kid’s show, Kellan thought with a sarcastic laugh.

Then the TV flickered off, casting the whole street back into darkness.

“We should get moving,” Xiang said. Then she turned to Kellan and frowned. “You don’t have the ability to travel in the shadows with other people, do you?”

“I haven’t even seen that ability as an option,” Kellan muttered.

“At higher ranks in eclipse magic, you’ll see options to modify your shadow-step ability.”

“Well, I’m still D-rank.”

Sen groaned. “All that arcana and what have you done with it? I keep telling you to focus!”

Kellan unslung his backpack and rummaged through the contents. He withdrew the Summoning Chime and held the small item in the palm of his hand. It pulsed with inner power, like a slow heartbeat. It was too dark for the others to see, but Husker wrinkled his canine nose.

“What do you have the Chime for?” he asked.

“I can summon Bitso with it.” Kellan returned the bag to his shoulder, keeping the Chime close. “He wants to die. He said he’d give whoever killed him a good sixty arcana. I thought… maybe it’ll be worth it.”

The others were silent. Xiang finally crossed her arms. “I think it’ll be a waste to use it for sixty arcana… But killing Bitso might have other benefits as well.”

“Like what?”

“The man is carrying several magical items on him. I’ve seen them before, when I’ve had private conversations with him. They must be powerful. Sixty arcana plus the magic he carries, could be worth giving up our Chime… But we must never tell anyone we used it.”

Mavis smirked and chuckled. “Oh. I get it. The good ’ol unloaded gun still scares people trick. You want everyone to think we can use the Chime.”

“Exactly.”

“So,” Kellan turned the Chime over in his palm. “Should I use it?”

Sen fidgeted with his hoodie. He didn’t say anything, however. He just stared with an ever-increasing discomfort.

Finally, Xiang nodded. “Do it. The rest of us should be prepared, though. I think it’ll take more than one strike to kill him.”

The excitement got to Kellan. He smiled to himself as he lifted the Chime, his hand shaking with anticipation. Why was he so anxious? The thought of using a powerful magical item to gain quick rewards almost seemed like cheating. And the thought of helping Bitso—even if Kellan would’ve preferred to just help him escape—made everything seem worth doing.

“Bitso,” he said, thinking the man’s name while calling it out.

The Summoning Chime dingedwith a sound and pressure like a gong. It was small, yet somehow the sound revibrated off the nearby McMansions and even shook the TV screen. The ding that followed was harsh and sharp, a musical note that seemed to pierce every frequency.

Then the sound and vibrations suddenly stopped.

Kellan’s palm burned slightly. He tightened his grip on the Chime and pulled it close to examine it.

The words across the top were a message…

Invalid Target

Invalid target? Kellan almost scoffed. Why was Bitso an invalid target?

“What happened?” Sen demanded.

“I can’t summon him,” Kellan replied. “The Chime said Bitso can’t be called.”

Was Bitso a participant in the Nexus Games? It was the most logical conclusion—the Chime couldn’t summon other Nexus Games participants, after all. That bummed Kellan out, though. He thought this was a clever idea, and now he was just disappointed.

“Well, we still have the Chime for the game,” Husker said with a snort. “It’s not wasted, right?”

“Yeah. We still have it.”

Xiang held out a delicate hand. “Give it to me.”

Kellan tightened his grip on the object. “I’m the only one who can use it.”

“I know, but I don’t want you to have it while you’re distracting other teams with your fake doll. It can still be taken from you, and if it’s with me, I can disguise it.”

There was a long moment of silence. Those were all good points, but Kellan still didn’t feel right about parting with the Chime. What if he needed it? After all, if he died, no one could use it anymore, so he might as well have it just in case of an emergency.

The scratch of claws on a nearby rooftop got everyone tense. Kellan wheeled on his heel and glanced over to the nearest house. Someone was scrabbling over the tiles, barely clinging to the slanted surface.

A woman.

Kellan recognized the lucky rezrah. Levvy. His eyes filled in the rest of the information.

Name:Levvy Torrin

Race:Rezrah

Magics:---

Rank: ---

Armor Rating: ---

Health:7/7

Stats:

Strength—2

Dexterity—2

Fortitude—2 [Scaled]

Charisma—2

Manipulation—2

Intelligence—2

Perception—3 [Keen-eyed]

Wisdom—2

Willpower—2

Abilities:

Personal—[Vampiric Fangs]—The rezrah can drain mana from a target whenever making a bite attack that deals damage.

Half-Mage Power—[Lucky]—The half-mage has fortunate events happen to them (once per fifteen minutes) in minor and major ways.

She ran to the chimney and then glanced around. Her eyes went wide when she spotted Kellan and the others. Levvy didn’t call out, though. She went still and quiet, like a cat who didn’t want to be caught.

“What’s going on?” Mavis whispered.

Kellan reluctantly handed Xiang the Chime. “I’ll go check it out. I’ll be back in a moment.” Then he jogged over to the fence, hopped over, and strode across the perfect lawn.

Levvy watched the entire time, her eyes wide. Her clawed hands clung to the bricks of the chimney, and she didn’t move a muscle.

Without giving away he could see her just fine in the dark, Kellan made his way around the side of the house, as though investigating. Levvy remained quiet, the shadows her friend. But they were also Kellan’s ally, and the moment he was out of her sight, he dove into the darkness and slithered his way onto the roof. A few seconds later, Kellan emerged on the tiles, just on the other side of the chimney.

His sudden appearance caused her to flinch. Her clawed feet scratched the roof as she steadied herself. With quick breaths, she dug her claws into the bricks of the chimney.

Kellan placed a finger to his lips.

Levvy quieted down. Her copper scales matched her tanned skin, and her short black hair defied gravity. She stared with amber eyes.

“Alex Kellan,” she whispered.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked.

“I heard… the sound of a Summoning Chime. My team told me to investigate and report back.”

Kellan caught his breath, stunned that the sound of the Chime had apparently carried to a few streets over. Had the whole game arena heard? Did they all think that Kellan had used his Chime?

“Did you… did you summon someone?” Levvy asked.

“No. I tried, but it didn’t work.”

“Ah. I see.” She exhaled and placed a hand on her chest. The number 89 was emblazoned on her skin—along with the picture of a skull. “I was worried. I saw you on the screens in the AVU Palace. I thought the men there would try to convince you to summon the Tyrant King.”

Kellan half-shrugged. “Well, I don’t know many names. If Xiang’s mother used the guy to win, I’m sure he could do the same for me.”

With her eyes wide, Levvy shook her head. “You shouldn’t. That man is disgusting. You should summon someone noble and just and beyond powerful.”

The statement had Kellan intrigued. Although his team waited for him on the dark road, obviously confused by what was happening, Kellan decided to investigate just a little more. The rest of his team could wait just a few minutes.

“You come from a dimension with mages, right?” Kellan whispered.

Levvy nodded.

“Which mage would you summon?”

“Councilor Zero.” She moved closer to the chimney and smiled. She had vampire-style fangs that stood out to Kellan, even at night. “He’s powerful and cunning, and much better than the Tyrant King, Ygg’Exos.”

Kellan recognized the name Councilor Zero. “Bitso said he was an edgelord who infused his blood with the void of black stars or some shit.”

“What?” Levvy’s scales practically stood on end as her voice increased in volume. “Councilor Zero is a legend. H-He fought with Ygg’Exos! They used to be friends, but that bastard king tricked Councilor Zero, and threw him from their nation! Ygg’Exos had Zarr Mantis’s name removed from every book and public document and claimed he had never been a councilor of Psi, and that’s why Mantis changed his name. He wanted to remind everyone that he was the first councilor, not Ygg’Exos!”

Her actual yelling was loud enough that Husker on the road started walking toward the house. Kellan held up a hand and shushed her.

“Quiet,” Kellan hissed. “I got it. Those two don’t like each other. They had a big beef. It resulted in weird names. Glory to the old country.” He was sarcastic through all his statements, but Levvy didn’t seem to catch on. She nodded along with every word.

“Yes,” she muttered. “Glory to the old country! That’s a good phrase.”

Husker walked across the lawn, heading straight for the front porch.

Kellan motioned to the backyard. “Maybe you should leave. I don’t think the rest of my team is going to be keen on letting you live.”

“Oh?” Levvy slinked down and slid across a position of the roof, heading toward the backyard. “Thank you, Alex Kellan. Merry Christmas! I hope to see you at the end of the game.”

“Yeah. Maybe we can talk more then.”

Levvy used her scaled tail to help keep her balance as she leapt off the roof and landed on the grass. Then she quietly made her way across the property, leaving Kellan alone atop the McMansion.

“Kellan?” Husker called up. “Are you there? I heard voices.”

“I’m here.” Kellan stepped into the darkness, traveled through the shadows, and stepped out close to Husker. He was still empowered, and rotated his arms, reveling in the power that coursed through him. “We can go.”

“Did you find someone?’ Husker asked.

“I chased them off. Don’t worry about it.”

The rennic snorted, his ears half-back. “Very well. Xiang says we should hurry. We want to be one of the first teams to discover the center of the game arena.”

“All right.” Kellan pointed to the street. “I’ll lead the way.”