The hour passed in reminiscence, and once I shake the chain of memories away, I grab a windbreaker and slide it over my armor; the sound of the rain had only intensified since I slipped into my memories. I pull up the plastic hood, and step outside, and to the front gate.

“I’m sorry, no vehicles have been authorized to be used at this time.”

William was arguing with a man at the gate, and Shawn was dawdling nearby.

“When will one be available?”

“All hands are currently dealing with the mess that Private Able left us.”

So “Sage,” wasn’t some nickname already bestowed upon him, Monica noted.

While William was busy demanding just one car, a white Nissan pulled up beside the road. Mark, Lawrence’s brother, opened the door.

“Get in. We’ll go in this. The roads between here and there are free of doors. Who knows how long we’ve got.”

Just as we were getting into the car, Janet hurried out of the compound.

“I’m coming as well. To make sure everything goes smoothly.”

“You don’t have to,” I say.

“It’s a level 70. What’s your level again?”

“Level 45,” I answer

“William?” She turns her head over towards my brother.

“Level 42.”

“Shawn?”

“43.”

“Mark?”

“...33.”

“I’m level 35, so none of us are even close to high enough to tackle this. Therefore, wouldn’t it be better for all of us to go?”

I sigh. Would she even be an asset? I hadn’t seen her go into the dive since we first got here, and those were low 20s. However, there was no doubt that we’d need all the help we could get, especially if there was the chance of an army being built up underneath there, her AoE abilities would do a whole lot of good. She climbs into the front seat, and relegates the back seat between us three. William sat in the middle, and Oak and I sat next to the windows.

“Can you believe what my brother did?” Mark said, “...I’m still having trouble convincing Allie.”

“Do you really believe he did all that? He made some good points about all the evidence against him being really easily planted.”

“Yeah, that sounds like him. When Allie and I first got together, we still lived with Lawrence and our parents. He would frequently steal things from us. Started with small things; slices of pizza from things we bought for ourselves, candy bars, and chips, then it became money. Only after we found 200 dollars or so missing did we put an end to it and confronted him. He, of course, played the victim in all of it.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Oh, I don’t know...six, seven years ago?”

“You don’t think he’s changed since then?” I ask.

“Fat chance.” Mark spat those words out.

I keep the anger welling within me in check. I have my suspicions that either Shawn or Janet was working with whoever was pulling the strings; likely Garcia or Ortega. Mark would definitely say something, and if the word got out, it would put the lives of my mother and father in danger.

For the longest time I had resented them, but that resentment soon turned to understanding; taking care of me couldn’t be easy on them, especially not when both of them worked a full-time job on top of what care I required. I notice, now, how exhausted they must have been raising two children, with one being wheelchair-bound. They were never abusive; neither physical nor verbal, they were just...tired.

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Perhaps it’s misplaced empathy, but I won’t let them rob me of my chance to see my parents again and talk to them. I can only hope that Lawrence pulls through with freeing them, wherever they are.

“And how are you doing, Mark?”

“How the fuck do you think? I just lost my entire family tonight. My mom and dad...my child.” His hands tightened around the steering wheel as his voice breaks. “I had thought he had changed, but he’s still the same old manipulative bastard as always. I should have killed him…I’m going to get strong enough to kill him…”

Once more I hold my tongue. The drive there was quick, as Mark sped all the way there; his tires squealing as they slid across the rain-slick tarmac. It wasn’t long before we were outside of the old bowling alley; the Altima squealing to a stop near the door. Mark was the first one out, he hurried to the back of the car and pulled out his recurve bow and quiver from the back. He fastened his quiver to his back so that it stuck out from right behind his right hip, and strung his bow with one of the strings he kept in his quiver.

William took out his pendant and wrapped it around his knuckles, and Oak formed his Burl into a round shield, and led the way into the bowling alley.

The wooden floors creaked as we made our way down the long hall. Old quarter machines sat shattered and robbed of their contents along the left wall, and old, torn posters still hung on the right advertising leagues that would never be. At the end of the hall, it opened up three ways; to the front were the lanes, to the left were some abandoned billiard tables, and to the right a counter presumably where they would rent out shoes.

The gate into the dive was in the middle of the lanes; standing tall and wide, like the gates that looked as if they were to lead into a castle. Despite the level difference, Oak’s stats are no doubt higher than anyone’s here. Those chosen by Gods leveled up in a different matter than those of us chosen by lesser spirits, and at around level 40 those chosen by gods made massive improvements compared to the rest. Rather than 3 points per level, they were gifted one point per half the level of their kills beyond level 1, and half of the level of the dive. They used the points to increase their stats, or to buy skills. Their stats got more expensive the higher they got. I had asked Oak what his highest stat was, and apparently it was his Strength at 125. It took 43 points to increase it by one. His, ‘level,’ was that number. My Strength was at 80, and was my highest stat. My second highest was my Magic at 60. I learned the ability to Quick Cast lately, and worked to be able to Quick Cast my Wind Lance spell.

Oak pushes the gate open with a heavy grunt, and steps inside. He’s followed by Janet, and then Mark. After that I step in, and William takes up the rear. The blackness between worlds subsides quickly as we step into Efra.