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Most students were still asleep, and Regina was among them. Sighing, Peter joined one of the few groups awake, the one with familiar faces: Kostel, Jack, and Ariana. They were having coffee and scrambled eggs around a fire. Two unknown normies and three cultivators were there as well.
"Coffee?" one of the normies asked, offering a cup.
"Thanks," Peter gratefully accepted. It was unexpected to see the two kinds mingle. A part of him expected Jack to find some chore or prank for him.
"I'm going to see if I can find out their secret," Jack said, throwing the remains of his coffee into the fire.
"Whose secret?" Peter asked.
"The Dayaks," Jack said and went away.
"The guys who won the game," an unknown Cultivator girl said. "We spoke with a New Zeelander, and he said they all had nightmares when the fog came. So bad they were unable to do anything. When the fog disappeared, all returned to normal, but their flags were captured."
"Melida told me it's strange," Kostel said. "The Dayak College doesn't have Mind Cultivators."
"He means Mind Control cultivators," Ariana interjected. "It's Spirit stuff. It’s sort of a village school and has only Body Cultivators. The question is: how do they use Mind control magic?"
One by one, the group disbanded, with only Ariana and Peter hanging around. He ate the remaining scrambled eggs, with a piece of bread, and she stared into the fire.
"I'm happy for you and Regina," she said at some point.
"Err… Sorry, but I have to ask... why did you act like a bitch?” Peter said "OK, you broke with me because you were attracted by Alchemy, but why torture me at every step? Snitching on me when I didn’t do my homework, abetting Jack... and the rest.”
“I was angry at how easily you went over our breakup. You were supposed to suffer more...”
“Wh...ghh...” Peter choked on his coffee.
Yeah... Ari does that...
“I don’t know if you noticed that after you saved Regina, and Kostel brought the flag… everybody started to remember how things were before the awakening… that we're all humans," Ariana continued. “The Campus’s vibe has changed.”
"That's a good thing," he nodded.
"It is…" It looked like Ariana was about to say something else, but she closed her mouth.
"She's not yet over him?" Peter asked, noticing she was looking at Melinda’s tent, where Kostel had just entered.
Ariana grunted. "She decided all of a sudden that dating students is immoral and unethical.”
“Really?”
“Yeah... go imagine... she unearthed the old rules somewhere. Kostel is goofy, older than her, and appears reliable. I think she'll keep him for now."
"I'm…" he swallowed the sorry. She shrugged and walked away.
Waiting for Regina to wake up, he went to the provision tent and asked for more eggs, to make her something when she appeared. He had a few bottles of orange juice in his backpack.
Jack reappeared first, looking a bit befuddled. "They can't explain it," he said without Peter asking. "I talked to the village elder, he’s their headmaster—"
"He's from Earth?"
"Yeah… he was very forthcoming. For the first weeks when they came, the Cultivators trained everyone. The guy had potential, advanced on his own, and transformed his village's school into a Cultivation center. Sent emails requiring assistance, then videos of his progress… enough that some alien clerk gave him accreditation."
"And I thought our college's the underdog."
"It's not like they're weak… All their Qi users are in the third stage of Body cultivation. They're few, but foraging and hunting is what they do best."
"How did they use the fog?"
"They didn't. No one told them the fog was dangerous, and moved their camp there. They’re good at sneaking and taking advantage of it. There was an error on the map we were given, so it was within the trial’s limits. At night, terrible monsters came, mind-flayers or something. They ran directly into the… whose camp was that?"
"I think Japan's in the end."
"And the fog followed them. The Dayaks were more resistant to the mental attack, he said. When the fog retreated, they profited and took the flags.
"I've also asked how they eliminated the South Americans, and it waas by luck. Those colleges made their camps next to each other and went crazy. Some countries still hate each other. The Dayaks went in when only a handful of fighters remained."
"Good tactic."
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"Hey guys," Regina said, appearing next to them.
"Oh, hi," Peter said, kissing her on the cheeks.
"I'm going to check if there's some hunting task to do," Jack said, leaving them. Looking at him leaving, Regina sighed. Peter fondled her hand. Asking if she had second thoughts was on his mind, but it was a question best left apart.
"I'm happy with you," she kissed Peter, reading his mind. "I just want him to be OK and not suffer."
...Then you’re a better person than Ari..."Who knows, maybe he and Ariana would get together," Peter said. "They both like dogs."
"That's it!" Regina exclaimed. "We have to bring them together." There was no doubt in her voice about interfering in other people's lives, her fanatic eyes reflecting the conviction of the sacred duty of coupling people she thought belonged next to each other.
I hope she won't make some dolls to mind control them…
They were too tired to work, and they didn't leave the camp to forage or hunt. Around noon, many tiny bell noises attracted the guards' attention. Melinda flew away to inspect the source and returned shortly. "A local peddler, all's good. These are peaceful, don't attack them."
A food truck, only pulled by a buffalo, appeared and installed in between the two camps. It offered hotdogs and local beer. The seller was none other than Redroar's husband, and the cubs assisted him. Peter and Regina went to say hi, they were the first customers.
"I'm making an extra buck to make my wife proud of me," Bluebrow said.
The beer and the hotdog were twenty bucks together, and the lion folk took their money, so his plan was not bad. A line formed, mixed from the two camps. For the Dayaks, Bluebrow took 'I owe you' notes, telling them he'll come the next days and take plants or hides as payment.
Soon, the cubs got bored by the work and began playing. Shredder ran out of the camp and joined them. A few kids from the Dayak camp approached timidly, and the cubs invited them in, enthused to have new partners, treating them with free hotdogs.
Peter and Regina were sitting on the grass, not far away. Seeing the lovely scene, he couldn't stop thinking that maybe one day… She tucked into his shoulders, wrapping her hands around his arm.
Bluebrow started to pack when all his merchandise was sold. The beer was gone first, some people buying extra bottles for dinner. One of his and Redroar's cubs approached the human couple, a girl.
"Hey, sweetie," Regina said softly. "What can I do for you?"
"Mom told me: if the mission is a success, let Peter know. The human kids told me their tribe's totems could control the fog and repel or contain the monsters. The fog reacts to powerful artifacts if they have a deep personal meaning. For them, it's their ancestors' bones, they carry those in small boxes. Mom also said she invites you to go treasure hunting. Just say when."
Peter slackjawed.
"You pretended to be friends with them to spy? That's not nice," Regina frowned.
Remembering Ariana's scratches, Peter put a hand on her arm.
The cub shrugged. "We did not pretend, it was fun. But we told them everybody is afraid of the fog and they bragged they're not, and told us everything."
"Very well, whiskers zero zero seven," Peter sighed. "Tell your mom to meet us tomorrow, after sunset, to the south of our camp."
The cub executed a military salute and rushed to join his family.
"We have to tell the others," Regina said once they were alone.
"Let's not rush things," Peter said. "We'll let the others know only at the right time."
"You're not getting greedy, are you?" she looked at him, leaning her head sideways.
"It’s not about the treasures. The Cultivators failed to control the fog. This is the first thing where we have a lead on them. Why risk that someone spills the beans by accident?"
"I dunno… I don't like keeping secrets," she puckered her lips.
"Let's vote then," Peter whistled with his fingers, making Shredder run to him. "You vote to tell them, I vote to keep the secret, and this little guy votes with me," he took the warg's head between his hands, shaking it vertically. Isn't it, boy?"
"Woof!"
"See. Majority."
Regina laughed. "OK… I agree to wait for a few days."
"I missed you, little guy," Peter rubbed the dog's belly. "You spend so much time with Ariana I barely see you."
"That's it!" Regina exclaimed, all excited. "You have to give the pup to Ariana and Jack! That will bring them together."
"Well… that's a bit extreme… maybe I'll agree to share custody… Let's go for a hike, I need to clear my head…"
He offered her a hand, and they strolled on the hill, choosing the places with lower grass or paths. The Japanese's wheels had left a lot of traces and that worked for the better. On the faraway, they could see Oxford Castle. A line of people and vehicles were heading inside. When everyone was in, a brief flash followed and the building disappeared.
The next hour passed pleasantly, with the pup entertaining them over and over again with his jumps and cuteness. When it was clear the warg was exhausted, they returned to the camp. "Go ahead, I want to have a word with the Dayak chief."
"Why?"
"He told Jack a Tolstoi-novel-long lie. It means they want to keep the secret. That gives us leverage to find if they know more."
"Mind you don't lose your head," Regina said.
"Nah, you already took my head and my heart for yourself."
She brushed her fingers against his and took off at a jogging pace, calling Shredder to follow her. The Dayak kids were still playing and Peter beckoned one to him. "Hey. Can you tell your chief I want to talk with him?"
The kid looked at him for a second, then ran to his camp. Peter watched him approach an old man, all wrinkles. The chief raised his eyes, met Peter's then nodded. The young man approached at a slow pace, activating his HUB and Inspect Skill, just in case the situation turned hostile. A few tribesmen began to follow Peter with their eyes, but they kept their distance.
"Hello," the chief smiled. His face, albeit wrinkled, looked pleasant and happy.
"Hello, chief," Peter said, returning the smile and offering a handshake. "I'm here about the…" his eyes looked behind, at the fog sea.
"Is this about the little lie the kids told those pups earlier?" the man asked. "They have a lot of imagination."
"Cubs... Yes, kids have a vivid mind…"
The older man's eyes became serious, scrutinizing him. "What do you want?" A couple of warriors moved closer.
"I suppose you don't like the Cultivators much." Because you hid the truth from them.
"I don't know yet if I like them or not. I never tasted one," the man said deadpaned.
"That can be arranged." Peter searched his backpack and offered the Dayak a Stamina pill. "Made from the core of a stage six assassin working for our Overlords."
"A hunter who became the hunted?" the chief said, chewing the pill. “Hm... minty...”
"Added flavor, but natural. I'll be brief. We’ll keep the secret if you do it too. We can share or split the hunting grounds—"
"Keep south of our camp and we're good," the chief said.
"As you wish," Peter said. "Any… tip?"
The chief continued after a long pause. "The voices in the fog spoke to us. The Cultivators tried to tame it with artifacts but failed because all they know is using a bigger sword. The secret of the fog is one of wisdom, not of violence. And one more thing... Don't come back. We never spoke."
Peter Warped to the hill he had come from, a mile away. It was an intentional show of force, to make the Dayaks think twice if they decided to get rid of the competition. What their game was, he was unsure.
"I wondered where you were."
"It remains to be seen where to get some powerful artifacts."
"Oh, boy!" Peter facepalmed. "I just remembered something… It's just perfect."