Otherlife Dreams: The Selfless Hero Trilogy (34 page)

Twenty-four hours to finalize class assignments and get back out didn’t seem like enough time. There was no other option though, time marched ever onwards, and every day the graveyards received more tenants.

He needed to break his level cap and remember more. He only needed one memory. One stupid little memory that was all of one word.

Checking the number as he did every morning, he found it’d climbed up to twelve thousand in the graveyards. Every one an empty shell probably, a living zombie as it were. Each and every life was one more in his ledger he’d have to hold himself accountable for.

There were so many things he could have done better, that could have given him extra time, and with less headaches. Thinking of Hannah by herself she’d already cost him more than a few days. That doesn’t even begin to count for Thana or Katarina and the trouble that they caused with Mr. Personality. Mr. Personality and Miss Mystery.

Yet he had chosen this, hadn’t even considered differently at the time. Looking back there was quite a few choices he could have made regarding his followers that would have granted him more time or expediency.

Clenching his hands on the reins he could only be angry at himself, for these were his choices, no one made them for him. Squeezing his eyes to slits he turned his head to the side, as if he could escape the very road he was on if he couldn’t see it. Anxiety, anger, and fear had claimed the quiet moments, leaving him wrung out and upset. It was in these solitary times that the weight of it crushed him, pinned him in place, leaving him writhing in the agony of self doubt.

“Good evening, Heathen. Looks as if we judged your course accurately.”

Snapping his head up in the direction of the speaker, Runner narrowed his eyes. Pulling on the reins he slowed the wagon. Mr. Personality himself had just stepped out of concealment up ahead of him. He’d been crouched in the bushes on the road side, waiting.

“Bullard! To what do I owe the misfortune of your company to,” Runner said with a misshapen smile. Hiding his intentions with his open greeting he triggered a preset alert with a thought. A shrill alarm spun up in volume over the course of two seconds then went silent. Sleeping icon’s disappeared from all his comrades. Suddenly, his paranoia didn’t seem like enough. He hadn’t forced everyone else to set up macro built alerts, but he would be after this. If they got out of it.

“Runner? What are you-why? I don’t-how?” said a stern voice, stepping out from behind Bullard.

It was her, his mystery guest, the one who demanded his attention.

Yulia Orlov.

Memories of a woman he thought had been a previous ex jumped to the front, attaching themselves to Yulia instead of a different woman who looked very similar.

Staff Sergeant Yulia Orlov, of the 5th infantry, on her third tour of duty. Standing close to six foot she was definitely on the tall side. Long limbs, a pale complexion, and an athletic build, gave her the appearance of fragility. That couldn’t be any further from the truth considering what memories her mere name sparked into context. Muscles built from constant strength training lurked just beneath the surface and years of martial arts training.

He pulled out a memory he attributed to someone else but now pinned it to Yulia. Being manhandled by her easily in some of their bed play. While certainly attractive, her face would be described as handsome before anyone suggested beautiful. Large fiery green eyes were set in a mask that seemed to be permanently set in a frown. Her hair was a dark brown and chopped short in accordance with military statue, curling ever so slightly at the tips.

Many small memories that had no matching owner floated together to create a shattered picture of her in his mind. He learned nothing new, but instead found different fragmented memories that joined to create a larger picture. Emotions came boiling up from his stomach, demanding their presence be recognized.

“Hey there Jewels. Radiant as ever. I wish I could answer that for you but you’ll need to clarify. Wasn’t so much of a question as a collection of single words.”

Shaking her head she dismissed his tone, her arms folding over her chest.

“You’re still an asshole. How are you here?”

“Oh, this fine wagon of course.” Runner explained, slapping the drivers box. At the same time he sorted out predesignated commands to his companions. They were simple things but they’d get them moving. Mentally targeting Bullard he threw up a raid icon of a Red X over his head. It’d only be visible to his group but it would help indicate enemies. A moment later he targeted Yulia and gave her a giant Blue O in a similar fashion. “Traveling to Crivel to tell the truth.”

“By the Sovereign Seven Runner! Why are you on the ship. You weren’t supposed to be here. That was the point of it all. You were going back to teach, you said.”

“I wish I could tell you, but I have no memory of deciding to teach. Or how I ended up here. I’m afraid I’m missing quite a bit. I’m not sure if I’m more scrambled then others but I have a thought that I might be.”

Distance indicators to each of his companions changed, Katarina’s by only a meter. Nadine, Thana, and Hannah’s by thirty meters and increasing. A flash on his mini-map popped as several more raid icons appeared behind the wagon. A white skull, an orange Square, and a yellow Star. They were all marked and just on the side of the road.

“Helpful as ever.”

Bullard had been looking from Yulia to Runner and back as they spoke. Yulia suddenly looked at him just as it appeared he was about to speak. Cowed by that look, Bullard remained silent. Yulia returned her gaze to Runner.

“Are you the only Commissioned?” she asked him.

Nodding his head he mentally clicked the symbols that were behind him and found they were the NPCs. He wasn’t able to determine their classes since they were just NPCs and named “Mercenary” but he had a good guess since they were in ranged ambush positions.

“I believe I am. When I did a user search it came up as four hundred and ninety-nine thousand with some change. The problem being that it wasn’t the full compliment. I suspect the bridge pods are non-operational.”

“Damn. Are we in orbit around home base or at our LZ?”

“I don’t know. Every external sensor is down. We can receive, but not send. I have access to the Admin panel and could theoretically change the game to make everyone immortal, log everyone out into non-hibernation, or even pause the whole game, but I don’t have the password.”

“Hence the trip to Crivel. You’re level capped and you can’t get your memories back until you class up, to level up.”

“Got it in one, yep.”

“Do-do you know how many have…?”

“I can guess. No one would be in a graveyard unless they were KIA. There are currently over twelve thousand people in graveyards throughout the game world.”

“By the Sovereign, that’s an entire division.”

“Yes, well, I’m working on it. I’m hopeful though. Outside access of the ships registry has been confirmed. They logged in and have been making changes to the program. I imagine they’re trying to stabilize and work on it. Haven’t been able to make contact though to establish Friend or Foe protocol.”

Yulia said nothing, merely watched him. Runner looked away from her to size up Bullard. Physically unchanged since he’d seen him at the cafe he looked like the very image of a knight.

Letting his eyes return to Yulia he found she looked like a woman torn. Her eyes were distant, a hand half way to the ground hung in the air, completely lost in her own thoughts. Blinking she suddenly turned to Bullard and spoke to him in hushed tones. Runner wasn’t close enough to make it out but they started arguing vehemently with each other. Yulia looked at him once more with a grimace and gestured to him.

“Get us out then Lieutenant. You’re the only commissioned officer we have which means you’re also the Commanding Officer. I report, that everyone in my command is accounted for and awaiting orders. Get us out of this before I lose anyone. Sir,” punctuating her statement with a salute Yulia looked to Bullard. After getting a nod from him, Yulia turned and walked off the road and into the grass. Several steps later she simply vanished into the brush.

Watching her leave was a mistake. Bullard took the moment for what it was and activated what looked like a scroll. Runner tried to leap from his seat but he was locked into an immunity spell. Being unable to change his trajectory his momentum carried him from the drivers box and into the dirt below.

Bullard cautiously approached him with a drawn blade. Sword raised in front of him Bullard spared a glance at Runner. Drawing in close to the wagon he reached up with the tip of his sword to try and lift the flap.

A timer ticked down from thirty seconds. That’s how long it would be before he could be harmed or harm others. This was certainly a problem. It was another contingency he’d planned for, even if Bullard had planned to keep him immune by utilizing scroll after scroll. Runner wouldn’t be able to cure his own debuff, but that didn’t prevent him from loading everyone up with quick cast scrolls to eliminate just these types of curses, poisons, and enchantments. Activating the “Go” command with an angry thought he readied himself as well as he could given his limitations.

An explosion that sounded like shattering glass came from behind the wagon and down the road. It was quickly followed by a shout and the clack of a crossbow.

Surprised by this sudden cacophony Bullard took a few steps from the wagon to get a look. Leaping from the wagon Katarina landed next to Runner and fired off a scroll at him. Leveling her shield at Bullard she readied herself for combat.

“Thank you, Kitten,” Runner praised her. Quickly getting to his feet his sword leapt from the scabbard, appearing in his hand in a blink. Targeting the Skull on the other side of the road from Thana and Nadine Runner touched off a Fireblast from his sword, followed by a throwing knife from his left hand. Having used his ability and item cooldown’s in that barrage he turned and activated the auto attack function on Bullard. Turned away from Runner he didn’t notice until Runner’s sword caught him in the shoulder.

Bullard had clearly filled out his equipment since they’d last met. His health bar fell, but nowhere near what he had expected it to. It was definitely a surprise considering the over powered weapons and enchantments he’d been developing could normally drop anything their own level and even five above in just a few auto attacks.

Katarina threw out her shield into the knight’s helmet, stunning him and throwing him back a few paces. Moving his hand up he discharged a Fireblast into Bullard’s visor. Turning his shoulder into the magical attack Bullard used a Shout ability while raising his shield.

Runner felt overwhelming weakness in his arms and legs as the effect took hold. It didn’t do any damage, but it quartered his offensive potential, both magically and physically. Mr. Personality made no attempt to stop him as he withdrew and ostensibly settled in for a wet noodle fight with Katarina.

Drawing away from Bullard he attempted to make his way over to Thana and Nadine. Bullard had a huge amount of mitigation and with a loss of damage it’d be like attacking the ocean for him.

He didn’t know where Hannah was but he could only assume she was doing her best with whatever duty she assigned herself.

Working to flank along the side of the wagon Runner approached Thana’s coordinates. Nadine was the closest to him as he drew near. She was in the middle of drawing her crossbow to her shoulder she let a bolt rip through the air. Following her line of sight and the quarrel as it flew, he found Thana engaged in close combat with the Star Magician and Square Rogue. Her health was depleting too quickly under the accurately placed strikes of the Rogue. She’d held a firm front against to the two of them but without immediate assistance she’d fall.

Stealthing outside of their viewing range, Runner came up to the Rogue, and ran his sword into him. Targeting Thana he threw out a Heal, causing her life bar to spike upwards. Using more than he wanted to, he clipped a Regeneration spell on top of her as well to keep her health moving upwards.

Square took quick steps from Runner, the sudden drop in his health a surprise. He was now under twenty percent from Nadine’s bolts and Runner’s unforeseen entrance. Thana raised her staff and an explosion of Ice came out in a circle around her that covered everything within fifteen feet. Suddenly locked in place as part of the after effects from Ice nova, the Magician could only watch as his companion died. Disappearing from their midst Thana blinked to another location.

Assuring himself that Thana and Nadine could handle the Magician by themselves, Runner dashed across the road. Passing by he glanced to Katarina’s duel with Bullard and gave her a quick Heal followed by a Regeneration. Heal cost more than Cure but he couldn’t risk Katarina’s life. Hitting single digits, his mana bar was near empty, cutting his ability to adapt to the emerging situation drastically.

Finding himself nearly standing on top of the Skull,who happened to be an Archer, he smashed an Impale into him. Had he been paying attention he might have been able to pull off a stealthed Backstab simultaneously. Glancing along the man’s ribs Runner let the strike carry him onwards. Bowling into the man, he knocked him forward. Then the man bounced sideways as he rebounded off whatever was ahead of him. Catching his balance Runner turned and lunged outward at Skull in an attempt to catch him in another attack.