Horan, shifted back into human form, slammed open the door to his quarters and staggered in. “Hoo-wee! Did you see me out there? All that attention from all those humans, I haven’t felt this strong in… What are you doing?”
Mark zipped open a throw pillow and rifled inside. “Checking for secret surveillance stuff. Hidden cameras, wiretaps, things like that.”
“W-why?” Horan flew over and collapsed onto the sofa. “Those people out there loved me. Why would they want to spy on me?”
“Because this whole thing feels too good to be true and I haven’t trusted anything that benefits me in years. And like I always say, better safe than sorry.” Mark zipped the pillow back up and threw it in Horan’s face. “Couch is clear.”
Horan dropped the pillow onto the carpet. “There’s no need to be this paranoid. Even if they do turn out to be trying to eat me to attain immortality, I-“
“Wait, can you do that?”
“No. But either way, if they do try that, this is more powerful than I’ve felt in centuries! I can totally handle a bunch of crazy humans.”
Mark looked up the chimney. “I watched your demonstration. You passed out when you tried to clear out some clouds.”
“I didn’t pass out, I blacked out. And only for a few seconds. Plus, there were a lot of clouds! Why were there even that many clouds?”
“Nuclear winter.”
“Oh right, Deus took all the nice humans for himself.”
“And that’s exactly why I don’t trust these people.” Mark climbed out of the fireplace, covered in soot. “Chimney’s clear. These people go on about how they don’t deserve to be left behind, but they were still all bad enough to not get zapped up with everyone else. Not really a good display of moral fibre.”
Horan got up. “That doesn’t mean they’re going to kill us. And stop poking around my pad, you’re tracking soot everywhere.”
Mark took off his boots and gloves and continued searching without missing a beat. “All I’m saying is, it’s best to be careful here. I didn’t get to where I am now by blindly trusting everyone I meet.”
Horan scoffed. “I know what this is about. You just wanna get out of here so you can find someone to sell me off to, don’t you? After all this time, you’re still only in this for yourself. Well guess what? I see through your tricks, little man. I know your game, and I’m not leaving this city.”
“Punch yourself in the face and leave the city.”
Immediately, Horan punched himself in the face, spun on his heel and started robotically walking towards the door. “Ow, hey! Alright, I get it, I’m not in charge!”
“Glad you got that. Order’s cancelled.”
Horan stopped, turned back and sat down, rubbing his face. “And what was the punch for?”
“Oh, nothing, I just wanted to do that.” Mark started checking the underside of the staircase’s railing.
“You’re a horrible person.”
“What, you only just noticed?” Mark got up. “Look, I know I’m being paranoid, but I just want to make sure I’m safe. I’ll let you be the city’s little toy, but you’re not leaving without me, and you’re not gonna tell them to off me for you or anything like that. Sound like a deal?”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Horan sighed. “That’s the best deal I’m gonna get, isn’t it?”
“Most likely.”
“Fine then. I won’t leave you to get mauled to death by these people. Just try to enjoy our new situation. I know I will.”
After a few minutes of Horan watching Mark check every nook and cranny of his place, a knock came from the door. A voice came from the other side. “Um, Horan? Your, um, magnificence?”
Horan looked at Mark, who glanced at the door briefly before going back to looking at the underside of the carpet. “Don’t look at me, it’s for you.”
Grumbling, Horan stood up and opened the door. A child, maybe twelve years old, stood holding a small wooden crate filled with books. “The High Prophet sent me to get the things you asked for. I found a library in the abandoned part of the city, and I took all the books that looked like the one you asked for.”
A person holding a makeshift spear leaned in from next to the door, startling Horan. “We said we’d take it from her and keep it for you, but I guess you weren’t doing anything. Should we take it inside for you?”
Horan looked to either side of the door. Two people holding weapons were standing guard by the door, watching the passing foot traffic. Horan grabbed the box from the child. “Uh, it’s fine, I’ll take it.”
Closing the door with his foot, Horan put the box on the floor and started going through the contents. Mark peeked out at him from the inside of a cabinet. “What’s that?”
Horan lifted two books and inspected the back. “It’s all the supernatural YA romance a Primus could ask for is what it is! This’ll last me… I don’t even know how long, I don’t read that fast!”
Mark climbed out of the cabinet. “Pretty sure that’s the whole place. Looks clean to me. Also, are romance novels the first things you asked for?”
“Duh. And, even better, I have security guards just outside!”
“Wh-why? You’re a Primus, I’m pretty sure you can protect yourself from random people. Then again, you’re also you…”
Horan dragged the box to an empty bookshelf and started sorting the books into the shelves. “I know I can, but it’s the idea. Nothing says status like having people protect you for you!”
“Man, being important is weird.” Mark walked over to the door. “Well, I inspected the whole place for you, and it looks clean. I’m gonna go have a look around the city, you can get started with your trashy romance novels. Try not to get your head stuck in the chimney.”
Horan, alone once more, dove onto the couch with a book and curled up. Right now, who even cared about Thel? He could have the world. All Horan needed was this.
-
Wandering the streets of the city, Mark was amazed to see just how much attention people were giving Horan. They were putting up banners with his name on them, talking about his earlier demonstration (with lots of sound effects and body language) and in general celebrating. An old intersection was being decorated for the upcoming celebration, with people setting up large tables, rows of chairs and a stage. One person ran up to Mark as he walked past, holding a notebook and broken pencil. “Sir, sir! I was sent to get you so we could learn about how you and Horan know each other. What would you say he is like?”
Mark rubbed his neck. “Oh, I, uh, I don’t really know. I just drove him around for a week and stuff, I haven’t known him that long.”
“But then how would you say he’s like? How did he act when you drove him around?”
“He, uh… He was how you’ve seen, I guess. Do I have to do this? Because I really don’t know much about what you’re asking me about.”
“I see.” The person wrote something in their notebook and walked off. Mark breathed a sigh of relief as he walked on. “Man, Horan owes me for that one,” he muttered as he left.
From his vantage point atop a largely empty building, Mark saw that the city as it was now occupied about three blocks of the original city. Glints from sniper scopes were visible in numerous buildings on the town outskirts, and rudimentary palisades were constructed on some of the bigger roads into the city. When Mark got down to street level and inspected one of the barricades, he noticed something.
The raised platforms behind the wall meant to elevate defenders was present on both sides, as if it was just as important to defend both sides of the road. Mark asked some of the guards stationed at the barricade, but none of them appeared to share a language with him. Sighing, Mark walked back to the tenement the city had given him.
Closing the door behind him, Mark looked around at his tiny, one-room apartment. The bed was stuffed with straw, the entire floor was creaky and something Mark didn’t want to touch was leaking from the ceiling. And yet, it was still better than the car.
Mark slumped onto the bed and sighed. He still wasn’t entirely sure the city was safe, but he knew he was just being paranoid. He hadn’t been sure anything was safe for years. Maybe now he could finally manage some stability. He took out his gun, put it on the floor and went to sleep.