PART IV

All For Z-Øne

2044

Allison Fae

Allison emerged from the tunnel on the other side of the bonelands with a new energy in her step. Zane had been waiting patiently just like she thought he would. She approached him with a wry smile, but her look shifted as she gazed the grandiose city that rose higher than anything she had ever seen in this world. It made Galder’s Reach look like the humble scramblings the first gathering she had stumbled onto by comparison. A gigantic golden palace sat rearmost of the landmass that stood in front of the expanding blood red ocean.

ENFORAL was chiseled into the stone sign on the front gate.

“Humans have a strange obsession with reaching for the stars but being too cowardly to take the final step out there,” Zane said with crossed arms.

Allison looked to him with a confused look, but it was only a half turn—she couldn’t help but keep an eye on the tallest spire of the palace.

“Your buildings. That tower before was much the same way. You race to build the tallest as a statement of status. Zane had memories of buildings that reached for the heavens too.”

“Skyscrapers seem to be a concept people can’t let go of I guess,” Allison said.

“Even the name belies its true desire,” Zane said. “Of course when you finally reach the outer limits of your capabilities you come crashing down…it’s such a shame, really.” He shook his head. “A species that has such potential to reach the stars is destined to come burning back down to their truest home—the dirt.”

“Are you done?” Allison asked.

The question took him off balance, but he enjoyed it. “You caught me on a soapbox again. Well, why don’t we head on inside?”

“I hope I don’t have to ask you that we play it cool and not go guns blazing.”

“If I was going to go guns blazing I would not have waited here for you. I have told you I do not kill without abandon.”

As abhorrent a being as he was, she trusted those words. He was a danger, but he was not an unpredictable danger. She nodded and the both of them looked back up toward the sign and took their first steps within the cities’ limits.

She hadn’t remembered the last time she set foot on a concrete sidewalk—but it brought to her memories of the world before—not the world she grew up in—but instead the one her father had. Buildings of general uniform size stacked in rows upon rows down the streets. The both of them had received cautious gazes from commonwealth in the streets.

“We should find someplace to make quarters and get food. You do eat, right?” Allison asked.

“Yes, I eat. For all I am I’m still using a human body here.”

“Would have thought you got food from the moonlight with that skin tone of yours,” Allison scoffed.

“Anything to do with light is a nuisance. If there were another way to eat for me it sure would not be like a plant.”

“That looks important over there,” Allison said, walking toward a community board on a corner. She saw a banner describing the All For One tournament of champions.

Zane approached from behind and his eyes scanned the sign from top to bottom.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Allison asked. She turned to see the large grin on Zane’s face.

“Winner of the tournament gets to be crowned champion and be in direct honor of the mighty emperor.” His eyes glowed with an electric energy that she could feel from her distance to him.

“I would only bet one of two things happens—that emperor has the power we’re looking for—or the person who does enters this tournament.”

“Exactly,” Zane said.

“I’d be careful about that,” A voice called from behind. The both of them turned to see an older woman approaching the community board. She bent down toward the lower left-hand corner inspecting a sheet for contract work for a local news carrier. “They say the champion’s curse is back and stronger than ever.”

“Champion’s curse?” Zane asked.

The woman laughed, it was a light sound, and she brought a hand to her lips as if chiding him to quiet down. “These tournaments aren’t rare. They’re almost biannual at this point—champions don’t live long when they get the glory they long for. Sure, you get the laurels and the provisions, but no champion of Enforal has ever retired of his or her own volition.”

“Tough crowd, huh?” Allison asked. “What exactly are those provisions you mentioned?”

“You really are as foreign as you look, aren’t you?” She asked. She peeled the paper she was looking at off the board and stuck the tack back in the empty space. “Champions are set for life with extra income and food provisions for their immediate family. Preference in business from the emperor himself and an eternal target on your back ‘til the day of your inevitable end—to which point those provisions become a curse instead of a boon.”

“And still the tournament is joined by wanting participants?” Allison asked.

“More each time,” she said, tired of the notion. She folded the sheet in half and pointed the edge toward her, “If you care about living longer than the next eclipse then you would steer clear of it, lest you end up like the poor fool I’m about to go finalize the obituary on.”

“They’d let a contractor touch such a hot button story?” Allison asked.

“I’m not a contractor. I’m the owner.” She offered a smile. “I hate contractors. Don’t have the eye I’m looking for. My daughter says I need the help but as you can see she likes to go behind my back to do so.” She chuckled. “You two have a look about you that is going to ignore all the threats of danger and you’re going to go ahead anyway.” She looked from Allison and then to Zane, unflinching in her analysis. “What’s a final quote each of you would like to be remembered by, for when I need to write your obituaries, I mean.”

Zane started to laugh.

The woman shook her head and held her hand up, cutting him off, “Before you say you have no intention of being offed, just know that means I’m going to write that you were a poor fool who thought what every champion thought, and that kind of writing is not interesting for me to write again.”

She waited for a response, and when no answer came she shrugged and nodded to each of them. “Suit yourselves. If you change your mind just head on over to my office on Sprinton & Quixo. Ask for Sherry, I’ll happily edit it to something livelier on request.”

“Take care,” Allison said. “We’re going to be fine.”

She turned and chuckled, shaking her head before walking off.

“That didn’t deter you any, right?” Allison asked, cocking her head to the side.

“If you believed it would I would say you would not know me at all.”

“I really don’t,” She lied enough to take some enjoyment from the look he gave her. They were like small kinks in his armor that she took pleasure in pointing out. “But I’m glad you think so. I am interested in the rumors more than the truth of the matter. I’m sure we’ll hear more from the thoroughfare. Let’s get on going—I’m quite starving.”

“Such a weak appetite for a would-be champion,” he said.

She smiled, because she knew he was trying to get back at her for her own comments. They told her that she was effective and that acted as a shield to anything he could have said in the moment.

“Yeah, I’ve learned how to eat and conserve energy whenever I can. I’m a hunter by experience, after all.” She looked back to the board and found an eatery advertised in the upper right-hand corner of the board. “Stuffed Tons sounds good. I have lost quite a bit of muscle mass over the past few weeks I’d like to earn back.” Her eyes darted to his, staring at the sheet. “I’ll expect repayment for the meal. Coin’s hard to come by much less credit of the people.”

He looked confused at her, “Credit?”

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“I know the owner of the place. Helped him out a couple of years back when he was just trying to start up north of here—way past Galder’s Reach. I’m going to call in a favor.”

“You lot are so strange…” Zane said, looking her up and down. “To keep such a record of the things you do for another to cash in later.”

“You can go without a meal if you want,” Allison said as she started walking down the street. “Doesn’t matter much to me. Figured I’d offer.”

Zane sighed and followed behind her.

~…~

The first steps through the door rang a bell. Stuffed Tons brought a familiar smell to Allison as she stepped through the gates. It was much larger and much more impressive than the pop up the owner had made from wood and rusted nails years back.

The man behind the counter had his back turned as the two approached the counter. Patrons on each side of the lobby turned to stare at Zane as he passed. He seemed to glow from the attention, Allison rolled her eyes as she sat down.

“Yeah what can I get you?” The man behind the counter called without turning around. He was frying several slabs of meat on the grill in front of him, quickly moving from station to station.

“Trey Fland such a hot shot now that he can’t guess his favorite customer’s dish by heart? Tsk tsk tsk,” Allison said, putting her arms up on the counter and crossing them. “I knew fame hit folks hard but to see star himself fall,” She smiled a wry look.

Trey shot his head back—still flipping the steak subconsciously as his eyes widened. “Ain’t no way am I honored to host the Allison Fae in my restaurant.” His eyes went from her to Zane, and he shoved into he grill from the shock. He grunted but turned fully.

“You should know my company never was normal,” Allison said. “It’s nice to see you again.” She looked up at the high ceiling above and smiled. “It’s good to see you’ve turned your popsicle shack to the big leagues.”

“Popsicle shack,” Trey scoffed. “Always an edge and always willing to match with humor. Still a bum wandering the streets for life’s big adventure?”

“Lot like you it seems. Same, but grander.” She made a show with her arms to accentuate the grandiose nature of her words.

“Same old Allison,” Trey said, chuckling. “Lucky I like you too much to say no to you tasting my new food.” He turned again to Zane. “And any friend of hers is welcome here too.”

“I’d say traveling companion.” Allison said. “Or pet, if you wish. Either way, yeah if you can still fire up some steaks and chicken if you’re able.”

“If I’m able,” Trey scoffed with a smile. “You were always a strange one—mixing your meats. Lemme finish these orders and I’ll see what I can do.”

Allison took a seat as she watched as he turned back to the steaks and began spicing and preparing the steaks as they cooked—the searing steamed above, and she closed her eyes to smell the full sense of the meat. Her stomach growled with an intense hunger, and she got extremely excited for the food that was to come.

“So, it’s not just me you have sass with,” Zane said. “Truth be told I’m hurt.”

“Humans can talk to more than one person. Strange, ain’t it?” Allison asked. “Or, more accurately, we’re more consistent with each other. Must be weird for a being that derives itself based on the people it consumes.”

“I’m my own being. The only thing I get from that is knowledge…”

“Yeah yeah,” Allison said.

“Hey Ramon,” Trey called to someone Allison couldn’t see deeper in the kitchen. “Hop on front for a second. I’m taking a break to talk to an old acquaintance.”

He turned to Allison and cocked his head to the side. “Let’s go grab a table here, we actually have some steaks we made up for someone who couldn’t pay for their meal earlier we were going to trash.”

“Oh, how kind of you,” Allison said.

“Can you complain?” Trey said.

“That I cannot.” Allison nodded.

They moved toward a table in the back corner of the restaurant Ramon—a strong looking man who couldn’t stop staring at Allison brought out their food and even a boxed meal for Trey. He smiled at her as he dropped it off and headed back behind the counter.

“Your friend is not subtle,” Allison said.

“He’s very forthcoming about the things he likes,” Trey said.

“Gross if you ask me,” Zane said. “Much better things to lust after.”

Trey offered a confused look but decided to ignore Zane from that point forward. “Small talk aside. Please tell me you’re here in Enforal because word has traveled about my food across the country.”

Allison was tearing into the steak in front of her and she looked up at him as he finished. “Yeah that’s exactly the reason,” Allison said in between bites.”

He sighed as he flipped open his box which housed a pretty sad looking burger all things considered.

Zane looked down at the steak in front of him and poked at it with one of the forks by his side, then looked toward Trey’s burger and figured it couldn’t have been as bad as that. He began eating as Trey continued.

“You’ve must have heard about the champion’s curse if you’ve made it this far into the city. They don’t stop talking about it out there,” Trey said.

“We’ve caught onto that,” Zane said, swallowing a bite of steak and then moving toward the chicken breast on the side. “Hasn’t swayed our way any.”

Trey chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. “I know enough to know I’m not going to convince you. I am going to urge you to use caution. There’s a reason for the rumor.”

“I appreciate the concern,” Allison said. “And the food. It really is delicious.”

“If you like that, imagine a freshly cooked meal.”

“It is manageable,” Zane said, finishing his plate completely.

“Ignore him,” Allison said. “He has no taste.”

“He doesn’t have leftovers either, that’s always my standard,” Trey laughed. He turned back to Allison, “If you are successful, come back and you’ll definitely have the money to pay for a deluxe meal. I’ll make that for you personally.”

Allison nodded. “If implies I’m going to let there be an alternative.” She finished the last bite of her chicken and wiped her face with the napkin at her side. These movements were so strange and foreign—she couldn’t remember the last time she sat down at a restaurant—one that felt like it came from the modern day. Too many taverns and hellholes to count over decades of life. “I’ll pay off my debts of the meals you have treated me over the years.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” he said.

Allison chuckled, “Squidward here can pick up a part time shift to pay his debt. His comments on the food have personally offended me.”

Zane made a motion to look annoyed and he pushed himself up from the table. “I’ll be outside when you’re finished.”

“See you, sourpuss,” Allison said.

He walked toward the exit and Allison saw the other patrons all staring at him as he left before returning to their own conversations.

“So, spill it,” Trey said, pulling her focus back to him. “I played along for the joke but real talk, what the hell is that?”

“Delicate situation I’m working on navigating. For now he’s a traveling companion.”

“For now?”

“Just as I said.”

Trey sighed. “If you weren’t so headstrong I’d try harder to convince you to back out of all this and find someplace small to settle down in.”

“Settling down isn’t in my future,” Allison said.

He bit his lip and closed the box to his leftovers. “Then I think we’re finished here. I’m serious about my offer. Come back and we’ll have a party of it. I could pretend to be your brother to win favor and make this place liven up a little.”

“I’ve heard families of champions live to regret the boons they receive. That true?”

“It can be,” Trey said. “Folks eyeing the top will take their anger out on anybody in the spotlight. The champions’ family is a simple target to bend folks to do bidding.”

“Makes sense. And you’d still put yourself under that chance?”

“I’ve seen you fight. I believe you’d not let that happen,” he winked, and he too got up from the table.

Allison was satisfied with the meal and was pleasantly surprised to meet up with an old friend. She met Zane outside who looked certainly annoyed as she approached.

“If I didn’t know any better I would say someone’s feelings were hurt,” Allison said.

“I’m just not a fan of wasting time.”

“Sure,” she said. “Well, if you truly weren’t then you’d have already signed the both of us up.”

Zane said nothing in response.

“Let’s take the cat out of the bag. I don’t particularly like you, and you don’t particularly like me. You’re trying to raise me to be your greatest foe but can’t stand I’m catching up faster than you expected. It’s ruining your plans, and you felt threatened when I decided to take these seriously,” she held up the Red Monolith. She saw his eyes glued to the crystal as she held it up. “I know you planned for a climactic battle at the end of all this where we collected them all and waged a world ending fight, but that isn’t going to be what happens.”

“Fuck you mean?” Zane asked, furrowing his brow.

Allison returned a smile, “This tournament doesn’t care if the battles come to the death. People tend to reserve themselves because they’re good. You’re not good though, and neither am I. You enter that tournament and I’ll match there right next to you. We’ll make it to the finals and then there we can settle this and stop pretending like we’re partners.”

“You’ve got a death wish,” Zane said, but then took a breath and recomposed himself. “Fine. I thought you heavily appreciated traveling with someone strong. I figured something going toward solving that goal of yours meant—”

“We’re not friends,” Allison stopped him. “Favors began and ended there. You’re not a friend I am thankful for and want to see succeed. You simply were an enemy that avoided my lance until now.”

Zane took a sharp breath and kept from bursting out in anger. “Fine. This will be our battle. I was playing fair to make it something climactic I’d remember for the rest of my days because I saw great strength in you, but I won’t hesitate to tear you limb from limb when I see you there.” He nodded toward her, “Then I’ll claim those treasures of yours and we’ll see who’s having a party at that restaurant.”

“So you were listening in,” Allison said, smiling.

Zane stormed off and Allison let loose a breath kept by tension near her heart. She was here to talk the talk, but she would be a fool to not be concerned over the upcoming fight. She looked toward the Palace and saw signs above advertising the tournament.

She better hurry if she was going to move forward and make her date with destiny.