Cal stood outside the slasher’s prison cell.
There were only 3 total and this one was the one he deemed least likely to be amenable.
Emma stood next to him with a pre-written oath on a small sheet of paper.
“Why do you let him keep his make-up?” She shuddered. “It’s so creepy. Too many eyes and giggling mouths.”
“We didn’t. It’s not make-up anymore.”
“Eugh! Why do people do this to themselves?”
“Usually, its a long series of events and decisions culminating in… well, it’s not that different from you and me. We’re all the sum total of our experiences and choices.”
The announcement had reached the slashers even in their mindscape prison.
All they needed to do was enter the contest when the window opened and they’d be transported straight to the unfortunate city, which remained unnamed.
Anyone could enter provided they were one of the classed because entrance was accompanied by being granted the slasher class if one didn’t already have it.
Debate raged in all corners of the world at benefits and risks of sending their best if only to prevent a true slasher from gaining the ultimate prize.
Too much was unknown.
The event page made mention of restrictions for entering and exiting the chosen city after an unspecified time window closed.
He thought of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo though the two weren’t the same.
The important part was that 2 years had passed inside the barrier, while mere hours had elapsed outside.
It wasn’t simply a matter of him or Eron entering the contest city and taking care of it when years might pass on the outside world. They’d prevent deaths in the thousands, but possibly doom millions.
“Robert?”
Many eyes darted wildly in every direction.
Mouths giggled endlessly, echoing, bouncing off each other.
Cal shifted his perceptions.
A gaunt man sat in a full-body sarcophagus with only his head out in the open.
The face paint wasn’t disturbing anymore.
Just a clown.
“You know why I’m here.”
Robert giggled.
“There is no way you’re going to that contest.”
“Winwinwinwinwin, win the prize!” Robert cackled.
Emma squeaked.
Cal fixed her perceptions.
“What was that?”
“He used a Skill.”
“I thought they couldn’t do that?”
“Not normally, but I have to give him full cognitive capacity so that he can agree to the oath.”
“Got it. He has to be fully willing and unimpaired for it to really work. Which… I mean… he’s in a prison cell… there’s definitely a level of pre-coercion in that.”
“Can’t be helped. Okay, Robert. You remember?”
“Sign or die! Sign or die! Sign or die!” Robert chattered like a chatterling. He kept going for over a minute before he gasped out of breath.
“Yes. That’s your choice.”
“Not mine. Yours.” Roberts voice suddenly turned normal. Just like any other person that wasn’t a slasher clown. “That pretty girl is right. This,” he regarded the cell with a grin, “is the essence of coercion.”
“It is.”
“You’re trying to make me… not me. I remember now. It’s hard to remember in the dreams, but this is reality.”
“Okay, now this is creepier. He was normal the whole time? That’s, like, even worse,” Emma whispered.
“I’m helping him a little.”
“Help? I never asked for help. Why would I want help when the whole world was a laugh!” Robert chuckled.
“We’ve been over this, Robert. You can’t be allowed to murder people.”
“Stop calling me that,” Robert said flatly, eyes sharpening. Dark and dead.
It was like facing off with a shark.
“Will you take the oath?”
“No.”
“You understand what’ll come next if you refuse?”
“We’ve shared spaces for years and Robert knows you, even if only a little.” Robert’s big mouth split wider than seemed possible, revealing pearly white teeth. “Robert always forgets, but he remembers now. The worst thing Robert can do to you is to refuse your little oath. So, I refuse! I’m just me being me!” He cackled violently until suddenly falling unconscious.
“Wow… that was… intense?” Emma said.“So… on to the next one?”
“Yeah,” Cal sighed.
He started the life termination process with a thought.
The Threnosh had an even colder, more clinical term for it.
He called it like it was.
He had just killed a man.
Possibly two more then he’d need to scour the world for slashers and those with the potential. All while not knowing how much time was left and worrying about the selected city.
----------------------------------------
“That’s 212 slashers and slasher-adjacent classes off the board. 19,969 people on the fence subtly nudged back into their yards. 1,367 people shoved back into their yards.”
Yeah, Cal crossed his lines in regards to his self-imposed rules on what level of mental tampering was acceptable.
It was simple, expedient and not at all a bounding leap down the slippery slope.
At least that’s what he promised himself.
The world event wouldn’t be as devastating as it could be if the participation pool was drained before it even started.
That only left the really high level slashers and other powerful classed willing to risk split-leveling in the aforementioned class for the potential rewards.
The spires was a real bastard withholding what exactly those were until a person committed.
It definitely might not even be worth it. At least that’s what he suggested other world leaders impress upon the people. Most had gone along, promising punishments for those that went for it, while secretly preparing agents to do just that.
Power was always tempting.
Sometimes, he was a hypocrite.
“That’s pretty good for a week’s work,” Nila said as she handed him a hot chocolate. Mint flavored, as God intended with a splash of whisky for extra flavor.
“Thanks, Love.”
They sat at the kitchen table with a holographic projection of the globe.
The likely locations for the world event were highlighted in red.
Their projections were based on several criteria.
One was the size of the local population. More people meant more targets.
Two was the level of organization and strength of armed forces. The worse both were, the higher on the list.
Three was the presence of powerful individuals. A single person, like him, could completely put a stop to it or simply stomp their way to the top.
He hated the spires for once again turning people’s lives into points in a game.
They had plugged the data into an algorithm and came up with their list.
All over the world.
“What if we did it wrong?”
“Did what?”
“The criteria. What if it’ll seek out the powerful to make it more, I don’t know, spicy?”
“It’ll be mess anyways. We’re already dealing with Bountiful Decade.”
“There’s the restriction. What if the spires will temporarily shut off the monster faucets?” Nila mused. “We’d enjoy the break while you deal with the slashers.”
“That would be ideal, which means it won’t happen or there’ll be a last second wrench.” He sipped and stewed in silence for a long moment before gesturing to bring up a new set of projections. “The Rayna One’s already in Manila for extra support. Its not on the list, but a few smaller cities in the Philippines are. The other two skyships are back and standing by for deployment.”
“Speaking of which…”
“Boy’s still asking for permission?”
“Yup.”
“What did ranger command say?”
“He passed their assessment. They don’t see any reason to keep him off the active roster.”
Cal glanced at the crew lists for the Raynagon and the Raynanaut.
A few familiar names were attached to the latter as marines or auxiliary combat assets, which meant gunners or drone controllers.
“I notice a spot’s open.”
“The privileges of nepotism.”
“It wasn’t me.”
“I know.”
“Rayna?”
Nila nodded.
“Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Putting him in a safe posting is too obvious and he’d hate it.” He sighed. “Your son…” he shook his head ruefully.
“Ours,” she replied pointedly.
“Well, this is easy enough to deal with. It’s a very dangerous situation. It should be the best people for the job, not time to hang out with your girlfriend and friends.”
“You know he’s more than qualified. More importantly, he knows that.”
“Is that what he said?”
“He’s prepared. Showed me charts and everything.”
“Tell me he didn’t do a Powerpoint again?”
“It was well done. Sharp. To the point. The graphics and the transitions lent well to the argument. He’s going to show you once he gets off the wall.”
“What I’m hearing is that you think he should be on the Raynanaut.”
“I think he should be wrapped up in a comfy blanket right here, but I’ve made peace with the impossibility of that. He’s an adult and I can’t really fault this particular decision beyond arbitrary mom instincts.”
“We can make him in charge of one of the wall sections or get him on the skyship that’s going to stay home.”
“C’mon, Love. We didn’t raise stupid. He’ll know and resent us.”
“Better that than the worst possible outcome.”
“Then he’ll start being reckless as a way to lash out. Or worse, become a roaming murderhobo.”
“Not without his armor and all this support.”
“Oh? He’s also very good at combat and he’s got powers now. He’ll tell himself he doesn’t need any of the tech.”
“I guess I’m convinced. The rangers are going to be support anyways. Either me or Eron and the others will be on the ground.” He rapped his knuckles on the table.
“I’m going too.”
“Okay… are you sure? I mean, that’s kind of a bad look, no?”
Nila crossed her arms.
“I mean, I’m just saying… what’ll the other rangers say when Boy’s mommy comes along to hold his hand?”
“Nothing… because I am scary.”
Nila was a short and petite woman.
She didn’t tell a lie.
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“Okay… I just wish I knew about this sooner so that we could’ve gotten a team together for you.”
“It doesn’t matter. No team. We’re already stretched thin as it is. Between defending this place and helping other communities around the world. I know how the rangers operate.”
“Well… I want to see you break this to our son.” He grinned. “Can’t wait to see the look on his face.”
Nila flicked his nose, then kissed him.
“Maybe we’ll get lucky and the event location will be right here. We’ll have worried for nothing.” She stood. “I’m going to take a nap. I’ve got wall duty later tonight.”
“Alright, be careful out there, Love. I’ll probably be gone by the time you get up. Going to Italy.”
“You be careful, Love.”
“It’s fine. She bought in fully years ago.”
“The chance at ultimate rewards can change her mind. You can’t trust a person with a class that compels them to murder people.”
“Agreed, but we’ve managed it perfectly for so long.”
“I trust you. Just don’t trust her.”
----------------------------------------
Alin tossed the bean bag in a high arc.
It hit the wooden board with a thump and slide into the hole.
“Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!”
People chanted.
Gob cursed, but took the beer with a grin before shotgunning it as the parking lot erupted in cheers.
“Getting a lot of practice putting it in holes?” Luzi smirked.
“Don’t be a perv!” Kat punched her arm.
“Huh?” Alin blinked. “Oh… I see what you’re saying and—”
Kat punched his arm.
“Don’t encourage her. I don’t want this going down in her book.”
“Hey, it’s moments like this that humanize historical figures,” Luzi said. “People in the future are going to want and need to know what the great figures in their past are really like. Good, bad and stupid. It’s way better than how they used to do it. Making them sound like perfect heroes. Like the motherfuckers didn’t rape people or own enslaved or rape their enslaved.”
“Wait? Why are you even writing about this?” Alin said.
Luzi just raised a brow.
Kat rolled her eyes.
“She thinks we’re going to go do great things.”
“We’re rangers,” Luzi pointed out. “That already potentially puts us in pivotal events. And you, Alin ‘Boy’ Cruces, are who you are. I mean, nepotism?” she shrugged. Her wry grin took the sting out of her words.
He knew that she was just ball busting.
“Yeah, I guess, but everyone always tells me that being part of ‘great’ stuff actually sucks. You know, cause of the killing and dying.”
“Don’t jinx it!” Victor jumped in with a massive, crushing hug that vacuumed up all three of them.
They weighed about 450 lbs. combined, but he lifted them off their feet with ease.
“Put us down you bear!” Luzi grunted.
Alin gasped for air.
“Ah! Sorry, guys!” Victor dropped them. “Just haven’t seen you in a while.” He proceeded to put Alin in a headlock, ruffle his hair and plant a huge kiss on his head. He repeated the process with Kat and Luzi despite the jabs they planted in his kidneys. “Especially you, Boy! Huge surprise to see your name on the roster! It’s powers time, baby!”
Alin chuckled. “If I have to, but otherwise I’m just doing the same thing as you guys.”
“Hey, Vic, I was surprised to see your name on the roster,” Kat said. “You just got off your last deployment.”
“Yeah, what’d Thomas say? Won’t he be pissed. I’m sure he’d love to spend more time with you,” Luzi said.
Victor laughed. “There you go, trying to stir up shit! But, nah, we’re good. He’s busy with SCSDF stuff. We’re only going to have two days to ourselves this week anyways. Then he’ll be busier than me over the next few weeks. Besides, we have no idea when this murder event is going to start.” He lowered his voice. “I figured I’d roll the dice. If it doesn’t start soon then we’re looking at weeks or even months off anything but emergency defense stuff.”
“Why are you whispering?” Songbird called out from the beer table. She sauntered over. “You know we’re not on duty right?”
“Yeah,” Victor grinned sheepishly.
“Then don’t be weird about it.”
“Yeah, sorry,” he shrugged.
“I’m barely ranked higher than you guys.”
“You’re command track,” Luzi pointed out.
“For the skyship crew.” Songbird sighed.
“Aw!” Kat hugged her. “It’s okay,” she soothed. “We’ll always be friends even if you’re going to be giving us orders soon and disciplining us for getting into trouble behind your back.”
“You’re going to be our very own Captain Hardhat,” Luzi said.
“I can only hope to be as good as her.” Songbird nodded solemnly.
“I for one can’t wait to sneak shenanigans behind your back, my future captain,” Gob saluted, fist to chest.
Lee did the same, but with hand to brow.
The two had beers in hand.
“Here, bro,” Gob tossed one to Alin. “You’re never going to get one with the way you keep winning.”
“Yeah, a real master at the art,” Lee agreed. “You must’ve had a lot of practice putting things in holes.”
“He’s a worst perv than you, Luzi. See? That’s what you look and sound like,” Kat said. “Is that how you want to be remembered in one of your books?”
“I’ll be remembered how I want to be remembered because I’m doing the writing,” Luzi said smugly.
“Vic, glad you could make it,” Gob said. “Wanna go?”
“Hell yeah, dude! But let’s make it really fun! A shot per throw, but…” he raised a finger, “you only drink if you get it in the hole.”
“You’re on!”
The two young men went to an open cornhole lane followed by Lee.
“He always overdoes it when he gets off deployment,” Alin said.
“It’s no worse than anyone else. It’s just seems like it because it’s Vic,” Kat said.
“Luzi! Luzi!”
A voice heralded a tall man as he pushed through the crowd.
“Yeah, what?” Luzi sighed.
“Where’s your brother?” Ranger Morningstar said.
“Mine? He’s your brother too. Besides, I thought he was with you?”
The senior ranger sighed.
“This was supposed to be an easy day. My first off in… I don’t even remember. But, no… I had to babysit. Damn it! He’s probably sneaking booze.”
“So what? We can just give him a sober pill. Sprinkle a little beer on his shirt. Tell Mom and Dad he just got a little accidental splash. They won’t know. Besides, sober pills means he doesn’t have alcohol in his system.”
“And has that ever worked for you and me? Nope. Won’t matter. Rules are rules. Underage drinking is only allowed in the home or with one of them present. Always to moderation and for the taste and social component. Not to get shit-faced.” He recited the words as if reading from a script.
“At least he’s not stealing… probably…” Luzi sighed. “Fine.” She took a deep breath. “Jesus, get your ass over here right now!” she bellowed.
A hush descended over their immediate area as the crowd turned to her.
She gave her older brother a beatific smile. “And now we wait.”
They didn’t have to wait long.
The teenager popped up.
Luzi sniffed his face.
“You had, like, two rules, Jes.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied.
“They aren’t blood related, but they have the same smile,” Kat whispered.
“I know,” Alin said.
He knew a bit about Jes’ history which gave him a sense of kinship, so to speak. Although, he could never tell Jes that.
They watched the teen be harangued by his older brother and sister all the way up till it was time to head inside the stadium.
Some had argued for the complete cessation of GCA operations indefinitely while the Bountiful Decade was in effect.
Many of the top professional gladiators, with or without the class, were in favor of such a move as they wished to contribute to the defense against the seemingly never-ending horde of monsters assaulting the walls or perhaps put their effort into clearing spawn zones and encounter challenges.
A compromise had been reached fairly quickly.
The top two professional level leagues, Gold and Silver would postpone matches while Bronze would continue.
The many semi-pro and amateur leagues below the trio would continue without change.
All matches would be postponed in dire circumstances when all hands were needed.
The wall encircling their territory was miles long and even if one wasn’t high-leveled in a combat class they could still shoot a gun or run ammunition or carry the wounded.
An attendant led them to one of the luxury boxes.
Malcolm King greeted them with a big smile.
The dark-skinned man was over 50 in age and probably close in levels.
Dressed in a simple shirt and pants, he still looked as big and barrel-chested as he always had.
He had retired from active competition and only did the occasional exhibition while focusing most of his time and effort in training future gladiators and running the GCA as one of the founders and current commissioner.
Alin didn’t really know him that well.
Malcolm was more like an acquaintance of his dad rather than a close friend.
“Thanks for letting us use this. I’m sorry, if I knew…” Alin gestured to the bandages around Malcolm’s arms and chest, judging by the bulges underneath the light shirt. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”
Malcolm smiled.
“Oh, these? They’re nothing. Barely scratches. The shot I took to the head was worse. But, they removed the concussion, so I’m basically fine. And I’m going to do just that anyway. Just wanted to make an appearance.”
The big man wore his hair closely-cropped and kept a meticulously groomed beard. They were streaked with a lot more gray and white from what Alin remembered.
“Well, with that, I bid you brave young rangers goodbye. Everything’s on the house! Enjoy the matches!”
Malcolm had to shake every hand on his way.
It was the history, like Luzi had said.
They all knew the part he had played in ending the slaver kingdom.
“Excuse me, Mr. King, I know you’ve done a lot of interviews and told your story already,” Luzi said. “But, could I please interview you. You see, I’m trying to get a historian class and…”
Malcolm held up a hand. “I know how it works. Doing historian things to get and level historian,” he grinned. “Sounds hard to me. I just had to fight. I’d love to give an interview.”
“Only if you have time…”
Hope bloomed in Luzi’s eyes.
“Why not right now?” Malcolm gestured to the table.
“Oh my god!” Luzi whispered. “Yes please thank you!”
The rest of the group left them to it as they filled plates with food and took their seats.
They weren’t there just to watch any match.
They were there to support their friend even if he wasn’t a ranger.
Steph had bowed out after the second year of J.R.R.P.
It just wasn’t for him.
He realized his true passion and that was gladiatorial combat.
It was certainly a lot less dangerous with all the safeguards.
Indeed, Malcolm and the other founders had proved that it was statistically safer than combat sports from the pre-spires days.
Granted every thing was generally safer thanks to magic, Skills and medical advancements.
Cuts, broken bones and concussions still occurred.
The difference was that they could be healed without leaving long-term damage.
“Steph’s fighting twice,” Songbird said.
“I’m betting,” Lee announced as he pulled out his smartphone.
“For or against?” Gob said.
“To win and go over for the first. I’ll wait and see how that goes before thinking about the second match. Kinda depends on how everyone makes it out of the one on one’s.”
“You’re going to bet on your friend,” Kat said flatly and not at all judgmentally.
“To win,” Lee shrugged. “I’d never bet against him. Fuck, I’ve lost so many points because of that.”
“That’s cause you’re always trying to hit the exact win condition.” Gob laughed.
“Obviously, not anymore,” Lee sighed.
Alin reached into his pocket, hesitated and left his phone inside.
“You’re going to waste points right before a Quest,” Songbird said flatly.
“Yeah, but I’ve done all the prep I can do. And it’s in my budget. I’m only betting a max of 100 points today.” Lee paused. “Do you guy’s think a hundred might make a difference?”
“That’s like 2 mags from the spires marketplace. Everything’s overpriced in there. So, I’d vote no,” Gob said.
“It won’t be overpriced if you’re down to zero and you can’t get a resupply,” Kat said.
“True, but you’d need to actually get to a spire first and in a situation were you’re running on empty how likely is that? You’d have to be close enough and you’d have to make it before a monster or some slasher gets you,” Gob said.
Alin shrugged when Lee looked to him.
“I could make a case for either.”
“So, that’s 1 in favor, 2 against.” Lee eyed the two young women.
“Yup,” Kat and Songbird echoed.
“Hey, Vic! You listening?”
“Yeah…”
Victor was still filling up his plates.
“I’m with Boy…”
“2 without the confidence to make a decision.”
“So, it’s a tie,” Kat said.
Lee shook his head. “Nah. Obviously, I can’t vote. You win. No bets for today. Unless…”
“Let’s bet shots,” Victor said as he thumped over and laid his plates out on the small glass table in front of their chairs.
“I’ll drink to that!” Gob raised his beer bottle.
“God.” Ranger Morningstar shook his head ruefully. “I was once like you people. Jes, don’t repeat our mistakes. Don’t be that cringe.”
“Seems unfair that you get to do all that fun stuff and I can’t.” The teen raised a brow.
They settled in for a fun-filled day with their future uncertain.
Had they known what truly lay ahead they would’ve seared the experience into their memories.
----------------------------------------
Italy, Spring, 2051
Mindfulness.
Holly practiced it in everything she did to turn down the volume on her class’ compelling voice.
It was always easier after a satisfying Quest.
She focused on every step of dinner preparation even if it was only opening the can, dumping the contents in a bowl and putting it in the microwave.
While it heated up, she poured herself a glass of water with the same focused intent.
Cal sat at the table.
One moment he hadn’t been there.
The next he was.
It had never stopped being disorienting.
That was the intent of course.
Him showing her that he could appear at any time wherever she was in the world.
They stared at each other in silence until it was broken by the beeping.
Once again, she mindfully retrieved the bowl, grabbed a spoon from the cupboard and sat down to eat.
Spoon to bowl. To mouth. Chew. Swallow. Repeat. Sip water after every fifth.
“That’s all you’re going to eat. Baked beans?”
“I ate fruits and vegetables two hours ago. In two more I’ll drink a protein shake.”
She didn’t like being weighed down in case violent movement became necessary.
“What do you think about the Slashers’ Spree?”
“The posted rewards are really good.”
“Is it worth it for someone of your level?”
“Yes, just for that. They promise more available to be earned as one completes Quests and earns points.”
“Are you going to enter?”
The test was obvious as always.
“No.”
She answered honestly.
The debate had raged within her over the last several days. The class wanted it. She wanted it. She didn’t want it. In the end she had decided her current arrangement trumped the world event. One was the promise of great rewards, but what use were those when Cal would’ve just put her in a cell. This time forever.
“Hypothetically, what if I asked you to enter?”
“I will and I will do what you say.”
“Feel free to say no.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Enter the contest and take out the other slashers. If that means you win, then so be it. If you can end it without winning then do so. You’ll be on mostly on your own. I expect that the spires would frown upon us ruining the spirit of the murder fest. So, treat it like any other mission.”
“It would have to be like that. The full rules won’t be shared until it’s time, but what’s already up implies that I won’t be able to share intel without consequences.”
“Yeah, also what I figured.”
“What do you want me to do while I wait?”
“How’s the voice?”
“Quiet as it can ever be.”
“Then stay here. Rest. Prepare. If it takes too long then I’ll come get you and take you home or you can start another mission. I imagine the spree will be intense. Continue your exercises. You’ve done very well at it this whole time. And I don’t expect anything to change.”
Cal vanished.
Not in the way of a spell or a Skill were there was some sign her own abilities could detect.
He was there one moment and gone the next.