Otherlife Nightmares: The Selfless Hero Trilogy (39 page)

You’ve earned the title Vindicator

You’ve earned 2,000 fame

Runner ducked his head to the queen once again in thanks.

“Thank you, my queen.”

“This is a minor thing. What else can we reward you with?”

“I ask nothing for myself. My home is in disrepair and my people will have needs. I have requested crafters from Vasilios. As your people are renowned for their martial skill and equable customs under the law, I would ask for a contingent of your guards to be loaned to me for a year. I would ask they perform their function there as they do here. I will pay their upkeep equally to what you pay them now plus a small bonus for being away from home. I would ask for only volunteers.”

Queen Helen tilted her head to one side as she studied him.

“You annoy us. This is not a proper reward for your services.”

“Yet it is what I request.”

“So be it. We’ll have this taken care of. Where is your home?”

“Vix.”

“You are the owner of Vix?”

A Quest has been generated

“A Homeland”

Experience Reward: 140% of current level

Reputation: 400

Fame: 400

Title: (Determined by choice upon completion)

Money: 0

Do you Accept?

Yes/No

WARNING! Experience Reward is adjusted based on current level at turn in

Runner hesitated before answering. He had only meant North Wood Fort, but if he could claim the whole island…well. That’d be great, too.

/Yes

Quest Accepted

“Ah, not as of yet. Though it is my goal. My base of operations is the North Wood Fort.”

“We are curious. What will you do now?”

“We’ll rest for a few days, finish up the prisoner processing, and then I must head south. I will end this war by bringing it to the enemy’s doorstep.”

“Did good King Vasilios include that in your mission?”

“No, my queen. I will be asking for volunteers of those who came with me to follow me south. I will go by myself if I must.”

“No such thing. We name you general of an army yet to be formed. They will serve you in whatever fashion you need them to in the goal of ending this war. They will be ready by your departure. We will also send a dispatch to our good neighbor Vasilios and ask his forgiveness but that we encouraged you to go south.”

Runner felt better with that offer made. He had been hoping for something along those lines but hadn’t dared ask for it.

“You should know, the royal family of Faren is no more. They were murdered in a coup by a man named Jacob. He is now acting as king. We hear another tale that he is the champion of Lambart.”

Ah. That does explain a few things.

“Yes. That’s one of the reasons I need to head south. Jacob is an…acquaintance of mine. An acquaintanceship I’d like to end. Violently.”

“We understand. Go. Rest, relax. We’ve prepared a room for you in the royal guest quarters.” Queen Helen dismissed him.

Runner bowed at the waist to her, then left the throne room. Pausing in an empty antechamber, he called up the level up screen as his personal guard spread out in the room. He dropped three points into dexterity, two into intelligence, and one into agility, then closed the screen.

Memories of a life spent at home on a computer blasted him. Learning how to work through, on, and around systems. Playing video games till his joints ached from pods and controllers.

Very introverted things. Things that he had known about himself without knowing.

Calling up the character stats screen, he read over his numbers.

Runner felt a little better. He’d been unmoving on his level for so long due to the massive nature of his army-sized raid.

Taking a breath, he tried to organize his mind.

Okay. To-do list: Faye, prisoners, medical server, Jacob, Srit.

Slapping his cheeks with his hands, he tried to work up some motivation. Success tended to make him complacent.

Stepping out of the antechamber, he decided to go to the prisoners first. Faye might need more time. Sophia could keep her company. Runner even trusted Sophia.

A minute or two later he was at the gatehouse and hopping into Boxy. Runner made his way to the controls and sat himself down.

They had decided to process the entire lot of them on the site itself. Ernsta would be holding sway over the proceedings as each swore to her on their life. Much as the first set of prisoners had.

Today felt like it would be a long day for him. Runner checked a sigh and flipped the brake and slid the shifter into gear.

6:43 pm Sovereign Earth time

11/18/43

Runner collapsed face-first into his bed. He had managed to get nearly nothing done.

Such a great accomplishment of derring-do.

Runner let his mind drift and thought about the day.

Faye had wanted more time in the end. Again.

She did agree to swear to the triumvirate of goddesses that she would remain in the room unguarded until told she could leave.

Apparently Srit had turned up but Katarina, Hannah, and Nadine had hustled her off and they were now in “training.” Runner didn’t care, so long as they were all safe. Safe and happy.

Thana and Isabelle were the only ones present at the prisoner camp. They were as busy as he was.

Conversation had been work related since there wasn’t any time for anything else. On top of that he swore that there was a certain chill to Thana.

“Medical server,” Runner mumbled into his pillow.

Groaning, he rolled over to a sitting position and called up the ship’s system console.

Logging in, he confirmed that the medical server was indeed ready and connected to the main computer. He could begin transferring people at any time.

Pulling up the name of a brain-dead crew member, he mentally winced.

Mitica Vasile.

A name he wouldn’t forget anytime soon. He had been the first brain-dead crew member he personally confirmed.

/Status Vasile, Mitica

User: VasMit001 logged in

/Status POD 348,431

█L █O █A █D █ I █N█G█

ALERT: POD 348,431 reports no brain wave activity

LOG: Emergency medical teams alerted seven hundred ninety-two hours and four minutes ago

/Activate dream sequencer VasMit001 MedServ01

Connecting…

Connection successful

/Transfer VasMit001*TGBD MedServ01

Transferring…

Error: Credentials lacking for MedServ01.

IT department must authorize

User: NorRun001

Transfer request pending

Please enter Password: ***************

Password Accepted

Further confirmation needed

Captain must confirm transfer

User: NorRun001

Transfer request pending

Audio verification needed: 4238147 Xulu Foxtrot Romeo

“Four, two, three, eight, one, four, seven, xulu foxtrot romeo,” Runner repeated aloud.

Verification Accepted

Transferring…

Transfer Complete

/Current active Users MedServ01

1

/Status Vasile, Mitica

User: VasMit001 logged in

“Right, then. Pending a test on a live person, seems like it works? Goodie.”

/Activate dream sequencer NorRun001 MedServ01

Connecting…

Connection failure

ALERT: POD 500,000 is unresponsive

It is not part of the network

/Transfer NorRun001*TGBD MedServ01

Transferring…

ALERT: POD 500,000 is unresponsive

It is not part of the network

Runner hung his head, putting his face in his hands. Jacob had decided that Runner would join him in his off-network status. Maybe Jacob had hoped it would prevent Runner from being able to access his IT privileges.

Doesn’t matter. I have no idea how he did it, and I can’t undo it. I’m trapped. I can’t leave. Not unless Jacob tells me what he did. Or I figure it out.

Using one hand, he typed two commands into his console.

/Current active Users

499,921

/Pods in network

499,919

Closing his eyes and swallowing a catch in his breath, he lay back down in his bed. His hands closed in on his face and covered his eyes as if he could hide away from the truth.

For better or worse, Runner would be one of only two people who couldn’t leave the game safely.

And he was alone again. Alone in his room.

His party had been sequestered elsewhere. For whatever reason, Queen Helen had decided that Runner needed his own room.

Probably related to her daughter. He didn’t blame her for that really.

And here in the heart of Kastell, he had no need of his own guards. Sophia and her squad had returned to their rooms.

Alone.

10:43 pm Sovereign Earth time

11/18/43

Runner sat bolt upright, looking around the room for enemies. They were coming. Eyes darting from corner to corner, checking, moving, Runner cleared the room as he began inventorying his options and what he had on him.

He knew he was locked in a room alone. He had escaped the pursuit and ducked into this room hoping to find an escape. Instead he was now surrounded by those who would kill him. He had to get out, he had to find the others—

Soft warm arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him in a tender embrace.

“Be calm. All is well, dear heart. You’re safe,” Thana whispered into his ear. She had pressed herself bodily into his back. She held him gently as if her grip was as thin as tissue paper.

Runner panted heavily, his right hand gripping one of Thana’s forearms. Slowly, the nightmare was clearing. Like fog burning off under a bright sun.

Swallowing, he shook his head as his brain clanged into first gear.

“That was a bad one,” Runner whispered, his voice shuddering.

“I know, I’m sorry. I’m here for you,” Thana said, her chin pressed to his shoulder. “I must concede I do not envy your ability to dream at times. You so often have nightmares.”

Runner’s jangled nerves were calming as the adrenaline fueled panic died away.

“Oh, they’re definitely terrible. Dreams, in general, are great though. They often provide inspiration or maybe a reprieve.”

“So I read. Sexual fantasies included.”

“Indeed. Where else can I get four women to share my bed at the same time?” Runner jokingly said, and then regretted it instantly. In this moment of closeness, he’d forgotten about what he’d done to and with Katarina. He could also conclude it was the reason Thana had been a little distant.

“When you’re calm, I believe we should talk,” Thana said quietly, patting his shoulder with a delicate hand.