John 8:21
Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”
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…and there was Lena.
“Are you seriously about to leave like that?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, how did you know? How long have you been watching me?”
She ignored my last question, “My Advancement Quest completed, it woke me up.” She then held her hands up placatingly, “Thank you.”
I nodded, “Yeah, don’t thank me yet, I’m not sure how you’re going to explain 4 dead people in a basement closet. Well actually, one is alive but he was working with them. He called them Hags.”
I wasn’t sure if it was an actual thing or if he was just an unwitting participant and angry at them. Too bad either way, it’s a tough apocalypse for everyone, kid.
She shocked me by responding in a shrug.
“Come here,” I beckoned her closer then snapped my fingers and pulled out the stinging wounds from her hands.
I let go and almost took a step back but then I wrapped her up in a hug, “You’ll do great Lena.”
I heard her sniff and I held onto the hug until she returned it even harder than I was hugging her. After some time we separated.
“Will you come back?”
I nodded, “I promise.”
“When will you be back?”
“Soon? Later?” Maybe never. “I don’t know.”
“You know, you can stay here, right?”
I nodded, “Yeah,” I added a smile, “I know.”
“Promise you’ll be safe?”
“I promise.” Only Duck know how much those were worth.
She smiled, “Then swear me an Oath.”
I froze. Damn, was I really that obvious? I didn’t like how that word sounded either. It sounded… Official.
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“What… does that entail?”
“Oh…” She smiled mischievously, “not much, beyond eternal loyalty.”
I slowly backed up, “Ohhh-kaaay, that’s no problem.”
She laughed, “Can you stop freaking out? Here, I’ll do it.”
“Sir Doubting Thomas, as the Lord Mayor of Ontiveros, I commission you to find those of upstanding character, and send them on the path to find this community, to help strengthen it for the dark days to come. Do you accept this Charge and Give your Word as your Oath, Sir Knight?”
I could barely breathe, the air hung so heavy and still. But I could do that. Plus there would probably be some bonuses, but even if there wasn’t any listed benefit. At least I would learn about the raw deal here rather than in some other, potentially hostile situation.
“Lord Mayor, you have my Word, it is my Oath and my Bond.”
And the weight was gone, the slight wind picked back up.
She smiled and lifted her hand out, I grabbed it and kissed it, unsure if it was also part of the ritual. She giggled when I did.
“I didn’t have to do that, did I?”
“Nope! But I certainly am not a Lord Mayor to complain! Display Loyalty Oaths for user Lena Thomas.”
“Wait. Your last name is my first name? Lame-”
She rolled her eyes.
“Wait. Display Loyalty Oaths for user Doubting Thomas.”
Loyalty Oaths: The Lord Mayor of Ontiveros has charged you with ‘finding people of good character to grow her town’. In order to pursue this Oath, she has shared her Quality: “Salt of the Earth” with you.
Before I could start opening menus she interrupted me.
“Oh and someone found your shotgun last night.”
I debated on whether or not to be generous about it, but she settled that debate by putting it into my hands, “Take it.”
I took the shotgun and the chocolate bars that she had produced from somewhere, “Thanks.”
“No. Thank you, Tom. Where are you going next?”
“Los Angeles is my goal, so I’m thinking of heading into Santa Maria. I want a new sword and maybe one of the Missions or Museums there has one.”
She nodded, “Well, it’s wine country once you leave the valley so be careful.”
For the first time in what seemed like a long-time I actually smiled, “Oh no, those dangerous grapes, however will I survive surrounded by fine wines!”
She laughed and I waved as I headed off, back to the main road.
As I exited town, there were two old men waiting.
“Hey Joe, Gramps. You two lovebirds miss me already?”
They looked at each other and even Joe lost a bit of respect for the chain of command, “Can you believe this brat?” “Absolutely no respect nowadays.”
I shook Gramps’ hand and told them both a summarized version of what was waiting in the basement closet. Gramps nodded and took off to help Lena while Joe continued to walk alongside me, machete slung over his shoulder.
“Shouldn’t you be heading back?”
“Nah, John’ll handle it and these little critters don’t scare me. I haven’t felt this good since I was 25.”
“You’re not planning on coming with me are you?”
Joe laughed, “Not a chance Cap. Mouth of the valley will be far enough I think. Just ta make sure you don’t trip and kill yourself, I’d be too embarassed if you did after all your hard work.”
I laughed, “Fair enough, and glad to have you until then, Jo-”
A boom far and off to the side sent my ears ringing and the trees shaking all around us.
“What the fuck was that?”
Joe had a wide and shameless grin that took a century off of his face, “Magic claymore.”
END OF BOOK 1.