FEBRUARY 27th, 2022

A great fireball crashed against the wall. Jen had been practicing using her staff and had accidentally let loose an inferno that led to many apologies.

“I...I think I figured out how to work it. Back up, let me see something.” I took a step back as Jen’s avatar awkwardly held Zarathustra. The gemstone in the staff began to glow and emit a breath of hot fire. “Okay, so it’ll take some getting used to but I think I can attack and move at the same time. Could I ask one of you to help me test it?”

“I will,” Athena said. She extended the Lance of Longinus and held it at her side. It balanced awkwardly in her non-dominant hand. “Awkward controls versus awkward handling. I think it’s fairly balanced.”

“Okay, sounds good to me.” Jen said.

The two stood at each end of the sparring field. The sun held high in the sky. Jen strafed to the left and spewed out orange-yellow flames that singed the ground. Athena backed up and held her lance by her side. Jen advanced and fired out a slow stream to force Athena back. Athena sidestepped and thrust out the spear—but it just missed. “Ah, shit.”

~...~

We fought for hours. I saw nothing past the clanging of metal and the swift strikes of Flintlocke. It felt different than Elcor did, but I soon got used to how it felt in my hands.

Jen and I practiced ranged combat as I swapped the blade over to its revolver and we exchanged shots back and forth. I hadn’t realized the gun’s true strength until I put a hole through Jen’s avatar’s head. Even though I knew she couldn’t die in this world I still got scared when it first happened.

“You have to be careful,” Jay said. “Even though Jennifer cannot die, if she’s constantly coming back into the world then Jack will catch on. We can’t keep the element of surprise if that happens.”

“I think that’s enough for one day,” Jen said. “I wish I could stay here for the whole time and train, but I haven’t slept in...I can’t even remember how long,” Jen said. “Plus...Mom’s probably worried sick.

“Fuck, you didn’t tell her?”

“You didn’t tell her a lot of important things, Andy.”

She was right, and so I sighed. “Yeah, definitely. Jay, do you think you can help her out since I can’t?”

“Of course. We can arrange to meet back here once we’ve all gotten some rest.”

“Does it have to be here?” Jen asked.

“I don’t suppose you have any alternative locations that wouldn’t mind us tapping into an immense amount of their power reserves? Anything noticeable would be instantly picked up on by the police and then our chances of helping out would be squashed.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Damn,” Jen said.

“I’ll make sure she gets home safe and sound, Andrew,” Jay said. “And I can pick her up and make sure she gets inside safely.”

“I’m trusting you,” I said. “I have no other choice, please don’t break it.”

“You have my word.”

And then her avatar had vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

“Just because they’re done doesn’t mean that we have to be, right?” Athena asked.

I looked at her. “I could go for a little bit longer, yeah. You’ll need to get used to handling it against those with close combat weapons.

I held Flintlocke out in front of me. Instantly she tried to knock away the blade with the edge of the lance—but it only clanged uselessly against the gunblade—she didn’t have nearly enough grip on her end.

“Fuck.” She grunted.

I approached and she tried to lunge—throwing her weight into a forward advance. I bent backward and it wooshed passed. I managed to bring the blade close to her arm. “That would have been a nasty cut here.”

She grunted and knocked away my sword. “Well yeah if you’re not handicapped.”

“Breathe,” I said. “If you get mad you’ll only make it easier for me to get close,” I said, managing to stop my blade before it reached her chest.

“Mad? Why would I be mad?” She slammed it away and thrust her lance at me, missing again. “What reason would I have to be mad? What, my dumb brother getting himself killed in here and leaving me to that hideous creature on the first floor?” She swung the lance in a long arc almost like a bat. “Leaving me to rot and die and be abused why would I ever have to be mad? Why I’m having the time! Of my LIFE!” She approached closer and thrust her lance one more time.

I wasn’t able to jump back in time and it stuck in my leg. I roared out in pain.

“Oh shit! I’m sorry. God fucking damn it,” she said, stepping toward me.

I held out my hand, “One second...” I took in a sharp breath and ripped it out of my thigh. It left a nasty gash behind. I applied pressure and bit down hard as the pain surged through my leg. “Ahh fuck...” I said.

“I’m sorry—I should have restrained myself,” she said.

“It’s training,” I said. “Bound to happen. You have a lot of pent up anger inside you—do you have a way to work through that?” When her face contorted I rephrased, “Sorry, that sounded unkind.”

She let it go, grabbing the lance. “I unloaded a lot. I don’t have any outlet, if that is what you meant.”

“Well, here, let me wrap this up quick and make sure it can be contained. Then ready yourself because we’re going to go again.” I said.

“Really? You’d let me near you with this after that?”

“Like I said—it’s training. We’re bound to get scrapes and bruises.”

“That gash there is more than both of those.”

I shrugged, “You need the help.”

She looked at me, and smiled small. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Give me a few minutes, I’ll be right back.”

The wrap-job I did helped stifle the blood flow from where the lance had punctured my leg. It was sore to move on at first but it soon dulled behind the adrenaline running through my body. I faced Athena with my blade held up. “I’m ready if you are.”