“What the hell happened?” Miguel shouted as he barged through the door only seconds later. When he saw the broken and twisted body still strapped to the chair and Leah sobbing on the floor, his question was answered.
“I thought you said you weren’t going to hurt him?” he shouted at Ethan, stabbing a finger into his chest. “‘This isn’t who we are’, wasn’t that what you said?”
“Miguel, calm down,” Ethan tried to brush his friend’s hand away, he was more concerned about Leah than he was about Miguel’s issues with what had happened.
“No!” he slapped Ethan’s hand, “You said you were going to do it peacefully. Is this what you call peaceful? That man is dead.” He pointed at the still bound to the chair corpse of Caleb.
“He’ll come back,” David said, more to Leah than to Miguel. She didn’t need the guild of killing a person on her conscience. He wanted to remind her that death wasn’t permanent in the world of The Tower.
“And that makes it okay?” Miguel shoved Ethan, “you just beat him up and then snap his neck when he doesn’t answer the way you want him to?” Miguel pointed at the broken face of the dead man,
“But it’s okay because in an hour he’ll be back,” he shoved Ethan again, “You want to meet him at the cliffs and throw him off, kill him again.” Miguel reared his arms back, ready to push Ethan a third time, but in a flash of blue light, Alera intercepted his wrist. She twisted it, along with Miguel, spinning him in a quick circle and pushing him to the floor.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about” she said, her knee on his back, “and you need to calm down so he can explain.”
“ARGH!” Miguel screamed, white energy radiating from his eyes . Alera twisted his wrist hard and he quit screaming, light dimming from his eyes as he released his pent up mana.
Ethan, meanwhile, was attempting to calm the fires of Reas burning inside himself by sending silent prayers to Vewa. Please help me, I need to be able to comfort my friends and keep myself calm. Please gift me peace, Vewa.
His reward was the calming influence of the Water Spirit. His blood quit pounding in his ears and his skin cooled. Thank you great Spirit of Water.
David had helped Leah off the floor and was sitting with her on the bed. Ethan went to her first, Let Miguel squirm a little on the ground, I need to make sure she’s okay. He thought angrily to himself, He shouldn’t have shoved me.
“Are you okay?” he asked her gently, sitting down on the other side of her from David.
Leah sniffled and nodded at him, her eyes already red and puffy from her grief and tears.
“I mean,” she laughed nervously, “no. My husband is being tortured and I have no idea where he is. And then I just killed someone.” Her nervous laugh turning to sobs once again
“We’re going to get him back.” Ethan put his arm around her, and pulled her close in a hug. “I promise.”
“I’m so scared, Ethan,” Leah sobbed into his shoulder. “We don’t know anything, we don’t know where he is, we don’t know what they’re doing to him.”
“I know,” he said, rubbing her back trying to comfort her in anyway, “but Tae-Won is strong. And we are going to find him.”
On the floor, Alera released her hold on Miguel and stood up.
“I’m sorry,” she said, offering her hand to Miguel, “shit was tense and you weren’t helping.”
Miguel scowled at her, but accepted her help getting to his feet.
“You boyfriend doesn’t need protecting.” He said, rubbing his sore wrist. “Not from me anyway.”
“Didn’t say he did,” Alera shrugged and jerked her chin towards Leah, “but she did. And you exploding wasn’t helping the situation.”
“You want to tell me what happened?” He calmly asked Alera, pulling her gently farther away from Leah, David and Ethan. It was a sign of respect and acknowledgement that he’d been in the wrong that he asked their person who’d attacked him instead of any other people in the room he knew better.
“They have her husband.” Alera said, turning her head towards the bed. “And they’re hurting him.”
“He said that? They were hurting him?” Miguel asked incredulously."
“Told her they were going to send more pieces back to her,” Alera said with a nod, still watching Leah.
“Jesus Christ,” Miguel whispered, looking from the dead man to Leah. “And she did it herself? I mean, that’s just so unlike her.”
“They have the man she loves,” Alera turned back to Miguel squinting in disbelief at him “don’t you have someone you would love heaven and earth to protect? Someone you would kill for?”
He blushed when he realized she was right. If they had taken Tara, nothing would stop him from getting her back. If they killed her… he couldn’t bring himself to even think about that.
“So what happens next?” He asked, louder than he meant to.
“We have to get home,” Ethan said, standing up. “Paul said this isn’t the end, something else is coming and we need to prepare for it.”
“What do you think it’s going to be?” David asked, still sitting next to Leah.
“I don’t know,” Ethan shook his head. “If they’re willing to kidnap a player then they could do anything.”
“Tara…” Miguel whispered, suddenly looking very panicked as his thoughts returned to the innkeeper he loved. “They could go for Tara.”
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“I don’t want to put it out into the universe,” Ethan looked sad as he nodded, “but yes. I don’t think that’s beyond them at this point.”
“We need to go right now then!” Miguel begged his friends.
“I agree.” Ethan looked to David, “find Sam, and be back here as quickly as possible.”
“What do we do about the body?” He asked Ethan, “it’ll take another six hours to despawn.”
“I can take care of it,” Alera said stepping forward. “Give me half an hour and it’ll be gone.”
“You’re not… you’re not going to dismember it, are you?” Miguel asked, looking slightly disgusted and afraid.
“No, I won’t have to.” Alera shook her head. “I just know people who can clean up a dead body.”
“You mean-“
“Shut up before she has two bodies to hide.” Ethan cut him off, understanding her meaning. The House of Whispers would make Caleb’s corpse disappear until it vanished. “Be careful.” He said to Alera.
“Always.” She grinned at him, and took his hand. “I’ll meet you on the road.”
Ethan gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand. Her willingness to immediate jump to torture had scared him a little. Obviously, their attraction to each other was mutual, but in less than an hour a small nagging doubt was beginning to eat at him.
“I’m going to find Sam,” David said after Alera had left. “Meet us at the cafe we just left.”
Ethan nodded at him and turned back to Leah.
“Are you going to be okay to ride?” He asked her softly.
“I mean,” Leah sniffled, and attempted a half hearted smile, “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“I can pay for a couple teleport runes,” Miguel offered, “I’ve got the spare gold.”
“No, thanks though Miguel.” Leah smiled at him. “I couldn’t ask you for that.”
“You aren’t asking, I’m offering.” He crossed his arms over his white robes. “Besides, I want to get back and check on Tara.”
Teleport runes were a significant investment for a one time quick travel. They allowed players to teleport from one location to another instantly, similar to the escape runes from The Tower. Ethan had never used one before, the cost was just too prohibitive. But for Miguel to offer to buy two of them was just another sign of his affluence.
“It’s decided then,” Ethan nodded appreciatively at Miguel, “you guys hurry home and we’ll see you in a couple of days.”
He helped Leah to her feet and followed her and Miguel out of the room.
At the door leaving the inn Ethan stopped and pulled Leah in to a tight hug.
“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered into her ear.
“But what if it’s not?” Leah answered, her voice muffled by his shirt. “What if they keep him for as long as we’re stuck in this fucking game?”
“They won’t.” He assured her, feeling the presence of all four elemental spirits. Grenat hardened his determination, Vewa comforted him, Bríse encouraged him, and Reás’ fiery rage was an inferno inside him. “I will burn everything they hold dear to get him back if I have to.”
Leah trembled against his chest. His words, meant to be comforting, were a dangerous threat to those that had taken Tae-Won. And the fury in his voice was terrifying. She pulled away from him and wiped away a tear.
“I’ll see you at home.” Leah nodded and left the building.
“I heard what you said,” Miguel took a couple steps towards him, “and I hope it doesn’t come to that.” He looked afraid of his longtime friend. Ethan’s rage and resolve seemed to be radiating from his entire body.
“Get her home safe,” Ethan spoke softly, embracing Miguel, “and protect Tara.”
“I will,” Miguel agreed, “you just hurry home.”
It was well after midnight when Sam, David and Ethan stopped at the end they’d left the previous morning. Sam and David had got straight to bed, but after a quick bath, Ethan had returned to the large common room to wait for Alera. She hadn’t met up with them as quickly as she said she would and he was starting to get afraid something had happened to her.
He had spent over an hour wrestling with his thoughts about the beautiful Rogue with the Scottish accent. When Sam had suggested torture, Alera had been quick to jump on the idea, and initially that had bothered Ethan. He firmly believed that was a line they couldn’t cross. It didn’t matter to him that this was a game and not the real world, he couldn’t allow anyone he knew to inflict pain on a helpless and bound person.
But Paul’s taunts and Leah’s actions had started to throw a little grey into what Ethan had previously thought was black and white. Tae-Won, one of the few people he had in this world, was being held and tortured himself. What if Alera and Sam had been able to get answers from Caleb? If they’d found out where Tae-Won was being held, wouldn’t that have been worth it?
Ethan wasn’t sure if he was rationalizing his thoughts because of his attraction to Alera or if he was actually beginning to change his mind on the situation. He’d sworn to Leah he would do anything to get her husband back, and he would. Even if it meant dying countless times himself, he would do whatever it took to get Tae-Won back to Leah.
He had just nodded off, his exhaustion from the long day having finally gotten the best of him when a gentle hand caressed his chest.
“Huh? What?!” His heart raced as he jolted awake.
“You didn’t have to wait up for me,” Alera smiled down at him. Even in the dim firelight of the hearth, he could see she was covered in dirt and sand and her eyes had big black bags from her own exhaustion.
“I was, um,” he shook his head and blinked his dry eyes, trying to wake up enough for even a short conversation. “I was worried about you.”
“You’re sweet,” she smiled wearily again and sat down next to him. “But I am a big girl, I can take care of myself.”
“Didn’t think you could,” he yawned mid-word before continuing, “sorry, didn’t think you couldn’t. But you’re one of us now, I’ll always worry.”
“That the only reason, that I’m one of ‘us’ now?” She asked him. Something in her tone sounded disappointed to him, like she wanted there to be more reason for it.
“Alera, I’m not good at subtext and games,” he shook his head, “if you’re asking if I waited up specifically for you, then yes. I waited up because I wanted to make sure you were going to get here safely.” He paused, trying to come up with the right words to say next. “I wanted to make sure you were alright, and not just because you’re now in our guild. Because I’m… because I care about you. Maybe more than I should right now, but I do.”
She smiled and then reached over, holding his hand tenderly. Her face was only inches away from his.
“I do too. Care, about you I mean.” Alera rolled her eyes at her own nervousness and chuckled. “Sorry it’s really late, and I am really tired.”
Ethan leaned across the small distance between them and kissed her.
“Then let’s go to bed,” he whispered, smiling at her. “I got us a room.”
“Little presumptuous of you isn’t that?” He couldn’t tell if her indignation was mock or real. Her tone implied fake, but he was too tired to guess.
“It’s got two beds,” he said defensively. “It was so late when we got here, it was the only one available. Sam and David are sharing another room.”
“I was teasing,” she smiled as she stood up, still holding his hand, “you’re cute when you’re flustered, have I told you that?”
“You May have mentioned that,” he said, raising his arm over her head and onto her shoulders. “Whew, you stink. What’s the phrase, ‘like a pig’s arsehole’?”
“Sorry, I was riding as fast as I could go get back here,” she smacked him playfully in the chest with the hand not holding his. “S’Good thing there’s two bed then, innit?”
“Yeah, I don’t know if I could sleep next to someone who smells so bad.” He teased her again as he led the way up the stairs.
When they got to the door to their shared room, Alera released his hand.
“Umm… is there a common bath I can use?” She asked hesitantly, “I got a whiff of meself, and it’s not pretty.”
“Yeah,” he chuckled, happy to for once not be the smelly one, “there’s one attached to the room.” He said pushing the door open.
“Good,” she smiled and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. “No peeking.”
“I promise,” he said, holding up one hand, “Now that I know you’re safe, I’ll be asleep before my head hits the pillow.”