◆Drim◆

Drim woke up to a cool breeze against his skin. This made him uneasy, since it shouldn’t exist in his room. It took a second of fully waking up before he realized where he was. He was on the mansion’s roof in his pajamas. “Oi, did you move us here?” he called out to his heart. He already knew the answer before asking, but had to anyways.

Huh? Eleen answered groggily. Why are we on the roof? Whatever, I’m going back to sleep. Drim sighed. This was becoming normal for him, not the location, but waking up somewhere besides his room. Ever since they’d moved into the mansion, he would find himself in a new spot every morning. One time he was in a gazebo in the garden, another he was in a tent made of leaves on the nearby mountain.

Drim assumed this was some sort of PTSD he had from his life before he became a Fiend. However, it was entirely subconscious, and it didn’t bother him at all during the day. At least the roof was still part of the building, so it hopefully meant he was getting better. Drim peered over the edge and saw that one of the windows of his room was open. He dropped down onto the windowsill and popped back inside. He prayed no one else knew about this, not wanting to bother them with something that would likely fix itself eventually. It was hard to keep anything from Phon, though, which most likely meant she wasn’t bringing it up out of kindness.

Xard was still hanging around when Drim went down for breakfast. Drim sat down and talked with him while Mallea cheerfully served him his meal. He couldn’t help but notice that his dishes and silverware were of a higher quality than Xard’s and his portions were way too generous, causing him to sigh internally for still receiving preferential treatment. Xard left after a few minutes, and Drim’s eyes idly followed Mallea around while she cleaned as he ate.

When he was done, he pulled out his tablet and checked the jobs. He was looking for something he could do quickly, in just a few hours, but nothing really seemed to match what he was in the mood for. Normally, he was fine with long or overnight jobs, but he had plans with Mallea in the afternoon. They were going to have a driving lesson once she finished her flying lesson with Kada. Him being the only one without a reliable means of getting around was mildly annoying.

He could use his plants to move quickly, but that only really worked in heavily wooded areas or cities. It wasn’t efficient and definitely couldn’t be relied upon. To Nathym’s chagrin, Drim convinced him to make another hoverbike that he could use. In the future, Nathym would essentially make an entire fleet of cars and other vehicles, but that was still a low priority for now.

Since he wasn’t going to do a job, Drim decided to head out to the garden. He did his practice ritual along the way of making all the plants he could remember in his hand. The garden was a lot more lush and colorful than when they’d recently arrived home. There were a variety of plants and hedges now, dozens of types of flowers and exotic foliage.

Drim walked over to the vegetable garden he had started and checked on their progress. He had been running tests using his Curse to try and find the balance between natural growing and manipulating the growth himself. There were some he’d let grow for a day then jump them ahead a few days, and others he’d let grow for an hour then jump them ahead a month. It was tough to dial in the right ratio, and it seemed to be different for each flora.

He firmly believed that his Curse had the potential to end world hunger, but no one would eat the plants he made if they were flavorless and barely provided any nutrition. It was definitely a project he wanted to work on, but it wasn’t as important to him as Project Fiendless. That came first, in every aspect of his life, so he was just doing some basic experimentation now to try and get an idea for later.

Drim was sampling an eggplant when he felt a little twinge. There was something roaming around near the border of the compound. It wasn’t close enough that anyone could see it, but it had wandered onto the grass that Drim had planted around the perimeter. Based on its weight distribution pressing against the grass, Drim could make an educated guess of the shape. It definitely wasn’t human, and he quickly ran through the creatures he knew of that size and build

Finally, he narrowed it down to only one possibility, a badgerine. They were a cross between honey badgers and wolverines, basically viciousness incarnate. It wouldn’t be a threat to anyone living here. Even Mallea wouldn’t have any problems. There was also very little chance it would wander to the town and start terrorizing. Drim’s worry was Pox. To his dismay, Pox would sometimes venture out of the barrier on his own, though he never went too far. Pox was a strange creature with unknown capabilities, but he had no doubt that a badgerine would rip him to shreds.

Drim pointed his hand towards his window on the second floor and shot a few vines. They opened the window and began rummaging through his room. Since his quiver and bracers had his plant fibers in them, he could tell where they were at all times if he focused on them. The vines grabbed his items, and carried them down to Drim. He quickly shifted the blades into a bow, and shot an arrow into the sky.

He closed his eyes, and began guiding the arrow towards the target. It was an odd feeling. If he focused hard enough, it felt like he had taken possession of the arrow and was flying through the air himself. He wondered if this is what Xard felt when he flew. If so, he could see why it would be almost addicting. The arrow plunged into something squishy, and Drim was lurched back to reality. It would probably be fine to leave the corpse as is, since it should degrade fully before it attracted anything else.

Once he was finished in the garden, Drim decided to head into the basement. He still hadn’t explored it fully, and there was something he wanted to check out. He opened the door to the torture room, and it didn’t seem very torture like at all. There were a few noticeable spots on the walls to hang chains, but that was it from what he could tell. Originally, there had probably been more decor, but as Mallea said, it was currently being used as storage.

The room was filled to the brim with boxes, most of them marked with the Smooth Shores logo. It seemed The Angler had kept his promise and had sent him a lifetime supply of his products, several lifetimes in fact. Drim was wondering what to do with it all, but guessed it could be given to any future recruits. He may have unwittingly landed them their first brand deal.

After lunch, Drim decided to head back into his room. He opened the secret panel to unveil the Project Fiendless display. After checking the usual data and news updates, he proceeded to the Fiends tab. There were a couple new headlines about suspected Fiends, but nothing really concrete. However, he noticed two new monikers he’d never seen before, The Guerilla and The Glutton, but there wasn’t much on them.

It seemed Whill had been making waves in his town, though, gaining a lot more notoriety, both good and bad. Drim decided to check in on him to see how he was doing. He pressed the audio button under Whill’s name, to activate the bug in his phone. “So, what makes you want to work at our office, Mr. Ponde?” Drim heard an interviewer ask and then immediately turned it off. It seemed despite Whill’s growing fame, he was staying true to form.

Drim scanned through the rest of the Fiend updates for a while longer, but was ultimately disappointed. News outlets were surely being heavily censored by the CP regarding Fiends. Even all the aspects of the Common Card incident hadn’t been disclosed to the public outside of what the Fiends had exposed themselves. Drim would love access to the CP’s servers, but that wasn’t something that’d be easy to achieve.

Right now, what he wanted most was information on whatever Fiend was making the dirt people they kept running into. Initially, he thought they were being followed by them, but there were reports of them all over the world once he did some digging. He just hadn’t seen them mentioned before because their own doings overshadowed it. The news also seemed hesitant to call it the work of a Fiend, but Drim couldn’t think of anything else that could be the cause. Though it wasn’t entirely impossible because he knew of a few other non-Fiend related supernatural oddities.

Speaking of, what his mother had said when they’d returned had been weighing heavily on his mind. It was impossible to get more information out of her, but there was someone else who could potentially have some answers. “You’re there, right?” Drim addressed the empty room. Eleen didn’t answer, but this summons wasn’t meant for her.

“You know I am,” a familiar voice responded, belonging to a certain paranormal delivery man he knew. “Is there something I can help you with? Do you need something delivered?” Hand Guy asked him. Most people would likely go crazy thinking about an invisible spirit, or whatever he was, stalking them at all hours of the day. It certainly disturbed Drim at first, but he got used to it when he was forced to accept that his dead mother would always be with him as well.

“I actually have a few questions, if you don’t mind,” Drim clarified.

“Well, it’s not like I have anything better to do,” Hand Guy was compliant. “Though you already know I have certain limitations on what I can answer.” Drim knew from experience that it was pointless to ask for direct personal information like who he was or why he was helping/stalking him. However, it was possible he could get some intel if he asked more obscure questions.

“You are aware about Fiend powers, yes?” Drim asked but didn’t wait for a reply. “As of now, I’m under the assumption that they are from the same source as my mother’s power. What I would like to know is if it’s the same source as whatever sent you to watch over me.” Before now, Drim had managed to ascertain that Hand Guy was working for someone.

“No, the two are not the same,” Hand Guy responded. “However, I can tell you that they are closer in relation than you might think, closer to each other than myself, but you are also closer to them than I. That is all I can say on the matter.” Drim followed what he was saying up until that last bit, thinking it best to disregard it for now or it’d send him down an entirely separate rabbit hole of questions and obsessions.

“Thank you, that’s helpful… I think…” Drim appreciated any information at all. “My mother said that this something, which I’m guessing is a person or being with intelligence, might get in the way of my plans. Do you think she’s right, assuming you can speak on it at all?”

“Hmm, that’s tough,” Hand Guy expressed. “I have not known this thing of which you speak for long, nor have I ever interacted with it personally. However, from what I’ve heard, it’s rash and its mood is constantly in flux. What it wants can change in a second. However, I do not believe it will ever purposefully get in your way. I can not speak for unintentionally, however.”

“That’s a bit of a relief. I appreciate it,” Drim thanked him. “I don’t think I have any other questions right now.”

“Would you mind giving me something to deliver then?” Hand Guy requested. “My employer may not like it if I were to speak to you without following my orders. They are reasonable, but I don’t know to what extent, and I’d rather not face the potential punishment for disobedience.”

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“Uhh, sure, just give me a minute to think of something,” Drim agreed as he began looking around his room. While he scanned everything over, he asked, “I’m curious, what kind of punishment would a person… or being… thing that you are, receive?”

“I can not tell you what it is without revealing other confidential information I’m afraid,” Hand Guy informed him. “However, I can say that it is something I would really rather avoid if at all possible. It’s definitely unlike the punishments you know, and far more cruel.”

“This should work,” Drim grabbed a book off of one of his many shelves. “Deliver this to a certain ex-hermit please. I assume you know the one I mean. It’s the last book in a series he didn’t get to finish during his isolation. He’d probably find it eventually on his own, but I imagine he has bigger concerns right now. Thanks again.” A hand appeared out of the ether, grabbed the book, then returned to the void of nothing from whence it came.

“Oh, before I go, I have a question of my own,” Hand Guy spoke up, possibly for the first time on his own, other than when they’d originally met. “Why did you not use me to deliver those Sings to the banks? I could have done it in minutes and saved you a lot of trouble.”

“I thought about it,” Drim mentioned. “However, it would be counter-conducive to the picture we’re trying to paint. Just how much more powerful do you think the world would view us if we robbed every bank with no effort? This entire thing is pointless if they think we’re gods, especially omnipotent ones who can be anywhere and everywhere at once. That really would be the worst case scenario.”

“I see, goodluck on your endeavors. Until next time,” Hand Guy’s voice faded away, leaving Drim to assume he’d gone to deliver the package. By the time Drim finished that thought, he was probably back already, observing him, but Drim was unable to tell unlike with his mother. He also instantly regretted giving that book away, because now he had a strong desire to reread that entire series. For now, he decided to just reread the first book as a leisurely way to spend the rest of the afternoon.

A bit later, Drim heard the sound of a helicopter landing nearby. This meant that Mallea and Kada had returned from their lesson and he’d have to meet Mallea soon. He closed his book, having actually made it to the middle of the second book of the series, and then headed to the bathroom before going downstairs. By the time he made it to the kitchen, Mallea was already there. She asked him to wait a few minutes so she could get food in the oven for dinner before they went.

“Alright, just put it in park… and we’re good,” Mallea gave her last instruction as they returned to the mansion. She and Drim had just returned from their driving lesson, the second lesson so far. He likely wouldn’t need many more before he was entirely confident. Drim was a fast learner, a skill he was forced to develop when he was thrown into the wilderness. It was helpful as well that he had spent the latter part of their trip observing Kada as she drove, since he decided he wanted to learn about halfway through.

He was glad they weren’t practicing in The Tourist, though. That car had so many additional buttons and features it’d make learning the basics difficult. They were actually in a car that belonged to Mallea. It turned out that she had one years ago when they were kids, and she had simply forgotten about it until she walked past where she used to keep it.

She was able to track it down, finding it to have been towed where it’d been sitting in a car lot for over a decade. All she needed was a proof of ID and the towing/storage fee to get it back. The car still ran, but a few components had to be replaced before it was considered street legal. According to Mallea, there was a good chance there were dozens of other cars that belonged to her, scattered across the world to be forgotten forever.

Even though Drim would likely be able to pass the test, he found it doubtful he’d be able to obtain a license given his criminal status. He’d at least try when the time came, but didn’t imagine it going great. Even if he wasn’t able to get one, he couldn’t imagine any cops strong willed enough to give him a ticket in person. Well, he might know of one.

Drim decided to hang around downstairs while Mallea finished up dinner. While he was waiting, Phon and Xard returned home, having taken a bounty hunting job together. Drim thought he should be a little worried when he saw blood on both of them, but it was red so it clearly wasn’t either of theirs. They went to go wash up and Kada came down with them when they returned.

It was rare having everyone together for a meal these days, excluding the two scientists who never joined them. “Hey Drim, I bought that new game I was telling you about today. Wanna play it after dinner?” Kada asked, too excited at the prospect to focus on her food.

“Err, actually I was going to ask Drim if he’d be willing to spar with me,” Xard interrupted.

“Too bad for you then,” Kada smirked. “I asked first, and Drim’s the only one here who can even give me a decent challenge. You and Phon suck so much it’s not even fun.”

“Well, I’m talking about fighting in real life over a game. It’s easy to tell which is the more valuable experience,” Xard rebutted.

“Quit bickering, both of you,” Phon scolded them. “Besides, as his sister I’m invoking familial privilege and calling dibs.”

“Hey, that’s absolutely not fair!” Kada protested.

“Kada’s right,” Xard agreed. “Just because you have blood relations doesn’t mean you deserve priority.”

The three of them continued their argument as Drim ate in silence. Just when exactly did he get so popular? Over the past 12 years, people would go out of their way to avoid him, quickly turning away if their eyes ever met his. He was famous as The Slayer for sure, but with that fame came infamy, and right now he was starting to miss it. Honestly, what he wanted most would be a quiet evening to himself, but he was too nice to reject their offers. “Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to make time for each of you,” he smiled at them which ceased their bickering.

He started out by playing with Kada immediately after dinner. She had gotten a new fighting game and they played a few rounds. Kada beat him every time, but he came close on a few of them. They ended earlier than he expected because Mallea asked for a turn. They’d been playing on the big screen downstairs and she’d been watching them in-between chores. She beat Kada flawlessly, not letting her land a single blow. Kada’s morale and will to keep playing was destroyed after that, and she sulked back to her room.

Drim went with Phon next, purposefully saving Xard for last. It seemed she just wanted to hang out and talk, so they did just that. They chatted about entirely random things while Phon cooked in her personal kitchen. Drim offered to help cut a few things since he felt bad sitting around doing nothing. It was nice. It reminded him of their first few nights when they’d started living together alone in Constead, and a few brief flashes back to when they were kids.

He was happy to spend the time with her, but felt a little worried since he was pretty sure he was her only friend. It seemed she’d been getting along a lot better with everyone else lately. Though, he didn’t think any of them had quite reached ‘friend’ level yet.

He didn’t have much room to talk, though. He never made any lasting friendships for a long time, Nathym eventually becoming his saving grace. Even now, his friends were only in the single digits. There were probably others he’d met over the years that counted him as their friend, but that was likely feelings caused by him saving them or their town.

After leaving Phon’s room, Drim headed down to the gym where Xard was waiting. There was a dedicated area for sparring, and they both got ready and took their stances. The first bout took less than a minute before Drim had Xard pinned to the ground. The second, however, took much longer, but Drim was ultimately the victor. Xard’s strength had increased greatly, but his technique was still sloppy.

Drim wasn’t exactly sure how to help him in this regard. Everything he knew he’d learned from first-hand experience and wouldn’t know how to teach it to others. Phon had taught Xard and Kada the basics of hand-to-hand combat, but she wasn’t the best at teaching either. It might be in their best interest to find someone with training experience, especially since they were hoping to get a lot more employees soon, and he’d absolutely want them to be at their best.

After a few more bouts, Drim headed to the bath. This was the reason he had saved Xard for last, so he could clean off the sweat. The hot water felt great against his skin as he slid down into it. It would likely scald a human, but it was just right for a Fiend. There were controls to adjust the temperature if needed, but the natural temperature of the hot spring water was practically boiling.

He sat there for a few minutes, his eyes closed, just letting the water work as he relaxed. When he opened his eyes, though, his whole body tensed up after glancing at the water. Drim slapped the water, causing the reflection of his mother to ripple away. “So, you’re a pervert now on top of everything else, looking at the naked body of your son?” Drim groaned.

For whatever nonsense mystical reason, Eleen could take possession of his reflections. It was always jarring when she did it, but it happened often enough that he felt more mad at himself for not expecting it. She couldn’t do it for very long, only for a few seconds, and he could understand her reasoning most of the time. Normally, her perspective was locked. She could spin it around, but couldn’t adjust the height or angle at all. Taking over his reflections let her look from their perspective, though only briefly. He definitely didn’t understand why she’d do it now.

Sorry, I just wanted a better look at it. Drim scowled when she blatantly admitted her transgression. It’s quite impressive, the body of a Fiend. So many times I watched you hurt, mauled, cut, bruised, bleeding, on the edge of death itself. Yet here you are, without a single scar. I’m glad I can’t see them. I don’t think I could live with myself if I could, forced to think about all those times you almost died when I could do nothing.

“Don’t feel too good about it,” Drim grumbled. “If you weren’t a crazy, insane dictator I would have never ended up in those situations in the first place. You’re lucky you weren’t conscious for the first few months. The amount of times I almost died was much higher than anything you saw.”

You know, maybe I’m at peace with the fact that you killed me, Eleen admitted somberly. If it meant having a body that could keep you from harm, able to take care of you in my place, I’d say it’s worth it. Any mother who gave a damn about their child would feel the same.

Drim sighed again. He hated moments like these where he almost felt bad for her. “If only you were a bad mother. It’d make it a lot easier for me.”

Sorry, but I think that’s the one thing I could never be. He couldn’t see it, but somehow Drim knew she was smiling at him; that kind, warm smile only a mother could wear. He wasn’t sure if it was the prolonged heat of the bath or the annoying feeling, but he was starting to get dizzy and decided it was time to leave.

Back in his room, Drim spent a bit of time fletching a few new arrow shafts before bed. It was quite a different technique than normal since he didn’t use any tools. Instead, he’d spin the wood while stripping away at it with his Curse until it was refined to his specifications. When he felt like he’d made enough, he sat on his bed, and started reading on his tablet.

Eventually, his eyes felt heavy, and he decided it was time for sleep. He turned off the lights with his tablet, then set it aside. He laid back, but his head never made it to his pillow. Instead, it was pressed against something else, which started to squirm under the weight of his head. Pox then wriggled free and moved off to the side. “Oh, sorry buddy, I didn’t know you were here,” Drim apologized to him.

There were pet doors installed on every door in the mansion so Pox could go where he pleased, though someone wouldn’t know they were there by casually looking. It seemed Pox had snuck in without Drim realizing, and also climbed onto the back of his head without him noticing. He’d gotten so used to Pox clutching his hair, that he couldn’t really feel it anymore. “Goodnight Pox, we can hang out more tomorrow. Feel free to stay as long as you like.” He pet Pox who then licked him in response then curled up on the bed.

Oh Drim, once you’re asleep would you mind if I take your body around for a walk? Eleen asked abruptly. I’m not planning on leaving the compound or anything, I’m just feeling a bit nostalgic and want to look around. This was another way she could get a new perspective, and it was something she got to do even less than take over his reflections.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” Drim gave his blessing, which she probably wasn’t expecting. “Just be sure to return it here when you’re done. Who knows, with you in control I might actually wake up in my own bed for once.” The next morning, Drim woke up in one of their half-finished buildings.