(TPOR) Chapter 100: Closure (Patreon)

Zed frowned as he read the notification again.

· You have defeated [Rolling armadillo (Beta, category 3)].

· You have gained +41 [Exp].

All the monsters he had fought alongside Ash were Beta ranked, category three at that, and they had given him Exp that didn’t count up to fifty, individually. That was madness. They usually gave him numbers in the fifties or higher.

Was this the consequence of evolving to category two? What would happen once he got to category three? Would the numbers they give him become nothing but a pittance?

He remembered how low the numbers the mutated tigers had given him in the beginning were and dreaded the idea of a category three Beta rank monster giving him numbers in the single digits.

“You’re keeping that power a secret,” Oliver said from beside him.

Zed nodded quietly, staring at the retreating backs of the others as they moved on.

“Do you disagree?” he asked Oliver.

“Not really. You don’t know them so it’s safe to not trust them.”

Zed nodded. However, his attention wasn’t really on the conversation, rather it was on another notification. One with increasing numbers.

Skill: Bloodwrath (Mana, blood. passive).

· [Blood mana] required to activation: 612/1200.

Definitely not a good sign.

He wondered how long it would take for the numbers to go down and if at all they would go down.

Now that the others were well over a distance away, Zed got up and walked over to one of the two burnt monster corpses. He’d dealt the killing blow to four of the ten monsters but had been responsible for the deaths of three so he started from the ones he knew he’d killed.

He squatted in front of the corpse and placed a hand on it.

“I thought you’re all healed up,” Oliver said.

There was an injury in Zed’s thigh, a bone deep scratch that he could still feel trying to close up. With how thin the mana in the air was in the forest, it was difficult to heal as quickly as he usually could.

“I’m almost good,” he told Oliver. “But I’m mostly doing this to get something useful.”

“Like a weapon?” Oliver asked.

“Yea, like a weapon.”

· Would you like to use [Conqueror’s touch] on [Venomous tiger]?

Zed agreed mentally and he felt the words fill his minds. Where it had once been a disharmonious gathering of pages and words, it aligned almost perfectly now.

“I sought, I found, I conquered.”

· You have used [Conqueror’s touch] on [Venomous tiger (Beta, category 3)].

· You have gained +104 [Exp].

· Exp to category 3: 2746/3400.

He frowned at the meager number as the corpse dissolved in a burst of dark colorful smoke his body inhaled deeply. He had expected this but had prayed for more. Still, he was drawing closer to his next evolution. Another few more [Conqueror’s touch] and he would hit the target.

“No weapon,” Oliver observed as the smoke cleared up.

Zed nodded with a frown. “No weapon.”

He moved on to the next corpse and placed a hand on it.

· Would you like to use [Conqueror’s touch] on [Rabid mutt (Beta, category 3]?

“I sought, I found, I conquered.”

The corpse dissolved immediately and his body breathed in. He felt the power go through him but it felt weak, a half cup of water where he was accustomed to a full cup.

· You have used [Conqueror’s touch] on [Rabid mutt (Beta, category 3)].

· You have gained +79 [Exp].

· Exp to category 3: 2825/3400.

“C’mon!” he groaned at the numbers. “You’ve got to give me something more to work with.”

He kicked the empty spot where the corpse had been mere moments ago and forced himself to take a calming breath.

“Third times the charm,” he muttered under his breath. “Third time’s the charm.”

“Don’t let it stress you,” Oliver consoled him. “We might get lucky on the next one. There’s a next one, right?”

“Yeah. Just one more.”

“Who knows. It might even be an axe.”

Zed turned a confused gaze on Oliver. What the fuck is he talking abou… oh.

It had taken him a moment to remember that he hadn’t told anyone what [Conqueror’s touch] really did. All anyone knew was that it helped him heal faster and gave him a chance at getting a ranked weapon.

In the presence of the memories he’d regained and the diminishing impact they had on how important Oliver now felt to him as a friend, he felt guilty. He’d been keeping secrets while smiling happily with him.

The guilt of his lie ate at him on the back of his memories and Zed found himself wanting to spill the truth about the skill. In fact, he couldn’t remember why he had kept it a secret. It wasn’t like they could take it from him or use it against him somehow.

So he told Oliver what was really happening.

“Yea,” he said softly. “Maybe it’ll be an axe.”

He’d chickened out the moment he’d opened his mouth. The words had been there, explanations about a numbering system and criteria for growth, and they just disappeared, drawn back into the secrecy of his mind.

He squatted in front of another monster corpse, realizing that there were some truths he wouldn’t tell his friend.

· Would you like to use [Conqueror’s touch] on [Rolling armadillo (Beta, category 3)]?

Zed accepted and his mouth moved but no words came out, no draw of mana came to him in the almost aligned pages of words.

· You did not defeat this monster.

· You cannot use [Conqueror’s touch] on a monster you did not defeat.

Zed sighed. He got up and moved to the next one.

“What happened?” Oliver asked.

“I didn’t kill that one,” Zed explained as his skill failed again at another corpse. “Or that one… Or that one.”

He went through three more monsters before finally finding the one he’d killed.

· You have used [Conqueror’s touch] on [Rabid mutt (Beta, category 3)].

· You have gained +115 [Exp].

· Exp to category 3: 2940/3400.

Zed looked at the numbers as mana filled him. Just a few more Exp, he thought. A few more to category three.

He turned to Oliver as the smoke cleared to reveal nothing but scorched earth, a question on his lips when he stopped himself. What were you going to ask? If you two could go hunt one of the monsters Ven claimed is lurking around so you can get more Exp?

I need the Exp, he answered himself. Abed’s already inching towards trouble, and if I want to find my way to California I’ll need to be stronger than this to make the journey on my own.

“Zed?”

Zed turned at Oliver’s voice. “Yes.”

“You look kind of worried there,” Oliver said. “If you want a weapon that bad, we can just ask one of the Olympians if they could give us one.”

“The same people that may or may not be walking into a fight with a Knight rank monster?”

Oliver’s lips pressed in a thin line. “Oh.”

Zed nodded. “Yea, I already know how that’s going to go. C’mon, let’s catch up with the others.”

Oliver and Zed walked quietly down the path of trees in front of them. The others were far enough ahead that they were vague sights in the distance but not so far that they could not keep an eye on them. If they made a turn, Zed would see it. And considering Ven’s description of the path to their destination involved only one turn, he had nothing to worry about.

Still, they did not enjoy a late morning stroll through the forest, they walked briskly and quickly. The only thing stopping them from jogging ahead was the possibility of drawing a monster’s attention to them.

“So,” Zed said as they walked. “What’s the tension I keep feeling between you and Ash.”

“First, eww,” Oliver said. “And second, gross.”

Zed shook his head, smiling. “Don’t be a pervert, Ollie. I’m asking what the whole not talking to each other thing is about. You two have barely said two things to each other since you guys found me.”

“And what makes you so sure I’m the one you’re supposed to be asking?” Oliver asked.

“Because I can see her trying to try. It’s just that each time she musters up the courage to say something, I see it just die out from past trauma.”

Oliver’s lips pressed into a thin line again.

“Alright, what did she do?” Zed asked. “Did she find out about Imani and tear you a new one?”

“No,” Oliver answered.

“Good, because she already knows.”

“Yea,” Oliver scratched the back of his neck. “I kind of figured that out after the party. Imani came over when everyone was home and they didn’t let her past the front door.”

“And you just watched,” Zed chuckled. “My man. You’re growing up.”

“Actually, I was in my room.”

“Then how’d you find out?”

“Imani told me.”

Zed’s smile faded. “When?”

Oliver hesitated. “When she visited.”

“And she visited when everyone else wasn’t around because she knew you were the only one home because you told her.”

“Yes.”

“After meeting her out in public and planning when next you were going to see again.”

Oliver looked down, embarrassed. “Yes.”

“No, Ollie,” Zed groaned. “You’re supposed to be the cool one. The cool one can’t be the simp.”

“No,” Oliver objected adamantly. “I wasn’t simping.”

“I don’t know, Ollie. She disgraced you at the party, got told off by your friends and family for doing the wrong thing, and you still went back to smash. Sounds like simping to me.”

“Okay, maybe it was simping, but it was just one last time. Closure.”

Zed smacked his forehead with an open hand.

“And what happens when she wants more when we get back?” he asked. “Are going to go for another closure?”

Oliver frowned. “No.”

“You see I’d believe you if you put more confidence in your answer. Like this,” Zed puffed his chest out dramatically and said in a deep voice, “No.”

Oliver gave a him ludicrous look.

“You’ve got to say it with your chest,” Zed explained. “Do you know the secret to a successful lie?”

“No, but I take it you’re going to tell me.”

“Yes, and half of the work is believing the lie is true, even if it’s for a moment. Some people tell a lie as if they are telling a story. You see that’s the thing about stories, they are lies without intent, and to tell a good story you have to believe in your story. You have to accept that while it’s not the truth, it’s not a lie either. They are simply events you’re conjuring. Words being strung together for no other purpose than entertainment. A lie is only noticed as a lie if the other person knows the truth or the liar accepts they’re telling a lie.”

“And is there a reason you’re teaching me how to lie and talking about stories?” Oliver asked.

“Yes,” Zed said easily. “You might not know this but I don’t just like to hear myself talk.”

“Zed, you love to hear yourself talk.”

“Yes, but I said I don’t just like to hear myself talk.” Zed noted as the group ahead made a turn and he marked the tree they turned at. “I also want to teach you how to lie so you can do it seamlessly when you get back to town for another closure.”

Oliver chuckled at that but the joy died almost immediately.

“I don’t think I’ll have enough time for another closure once we get back,” he said, his voice quiet, dampened.

“Why not?” Zed asked. “Is Imani down with some terminal mage sickness? Is that why you fell for the closure trick?”

“What? No,” Oliver shook his head. “No, nothing like that. Ash is finally ready to go looking for our parents again and I can’t let her go off without me.”

“Oh.” Zed dragged the word. “I thought you guys didn’t have a map.”

“Remember how she and I left the party that night before it ended?”

“Nope,” Zed answered, popping the word. “But go on.”

“Well, she went to get the map from a VHF agent.”

Zed shrugged. “Makes sense. They have nice gadgets. And did you see those holograms? With maps like that it’s impossible to get lost. But go on, I get the feeling I’m about to find out the reason for the tension.”

“Well, that’s where we were when things went south at the party,” Oliver said, his voice growing dark. “She knew we suspected something might go wrong at the party and she still put her personal need to get a map she could’ve just bought another day above everyone’s safety. I followed her and I thought you’d died and I wasn’t there to help.”

The end of Oliver’s words left an empty silence between them. An empty silence Zed was in no hurry to fill.

They walked a while longer and Zed pretended to take it all in, to let Oliver’s words settle. In truth, he didn’t really care. He was already on Ash’s side. He barely had a strong emotional connection to his family and all he had in the way of feelings towards them was a warm comfort he got from a memory of his mother’s smile, and he was already preparing to leave his new friends in search of them.

Ash, however, remembered hers perfectly. Remembered her love for them and their love for her. It was only fair that she was willing to go to great lengths to find them. Oliver thought it had caused them Zed’s life but in truth, no one could’ve guessed what was going to happen at the party. Yes, they could’ve considered the possibility of trouble or even an ambush. But definitely nothing on the scale of what had happened. For the love of god, they’d had men shooting guns with bullets massive enough to blow a mage’s neck to shreds.

Zed didn’t know about Oliver but nothing he’d learned since waking up had prepared him for that kind of possibility.

They reached the turn and took it without words. Only when they could see the others again, waiting patiently at a tall flowery hedge did Zed speak.

“First,” he said. “I had no idea we expected something to go wrong when we were going there. Heck, the only reason I invited Imani and her boyfriend was because I could. Second, I didn’t die so that’s a plus.”

Zed fell silent. Okay, I kind of almost did die, though. A coma’s not something to laugh about.

“Third?” Oliver prompted.

“Oh, yeah. Third, you are about to walk into what I think is safe to assume is probably going to be your first fight against a Knight rank monster. And anything could really happen with that one. Are you sure you want to go in there with your sister thinking you hate her for doing the right thing the wrong way?”

Oliver frowned. “I don’t hate her. She knows that.”

“Yes, but I’m ready to bet my next rune-dollar that she doesn’t feel very loved by her brother right now. And while we’re on the topic of rune-dollars, can I borrow some when we get back? And by borrow I mean take without paying back.”

Oliver looked at him with a tired expression. “I’ll make up with my sister,” he said. “And I’ll think about the rune-dollars thing.”

“That’s good,” Zed said. “Making up with your sister, too. But mostly the rune-dollar thing. As much as you can spare, if possible. You can also borrow from Chris and Jason for me while you’re at it. Same Terms and Conditions apply.”

They were almost with the others now, close enough that if they raised their voices just slightly, everyone would become privy to their conversation.

“You’re really leaving aren’t you?” Oliver asked.

Zed smiled softly. “I’ve remembered some things, Ollie. Things I can’t leave behind.”

“Like your daughter.”

“No, not really. But close enough.”

“But it can lead you to her.”

“Something like that.” Zed wasn’t even sure why he wasn’t correcting Oliver. He was beginning to worry that perhaps he was a liar before and after the second awakening, although he hadn’t feel like one in his memories.

“Well, if it’s that important, I’m sure I can spare a few dollars.”

Zed nodded in gratitude as they came to stop in front of everyone else. Each person stared at them with different expressions, from indifference to annoyed to angry, the Olympians even had their very own expression of nothing they wore proudly on their empty faces.

“Did you guys bond to your satisfaction,” Abed sneered.

“As a matter of fact, we did,” Zed said. “And you might not know this but it’s all thanks to you, big guy.”

Confusion replaced Abed’s sneer and he looked between Zed and Oliver like the butt of a practical joke he did not understand.

Oliver shook his head as he stepped past Abed. He walked up to Ash and simply hugged her. He held the embrace for a while before letting her go.

“What was that for?” she asked.

“Just because,” Oliver answered. “Just because. You know I love you, right?”

Ash’s gaze narrowed. “Gross,” she said, “but okay. I’m usually not in support of most of the things Zed does to people but I think I can live with this one.”

“Me, too,” Zed said.

As if waiting for the end of their conversation, Ven clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention to him.

“Now that we’re all here,” he said. “Shall we all go in and claim our prize.”

“Ten thousand rune-dollars,” Lady Long Legs said, rubbing her hands together as if trying to create heat.

“The new mana powered VHF bike,” Eitri muttered to himself, repeating the words as if chanting a soft mantra.

“I don’t know what all that’s about,” Ven said. “But let’s go in.”

The hedge went as far on both sides as the eyes could see and he walked down its length. He took a few steps before coming to a stop.

“Here we are,” he said, standing next to a path that led into the hedge.

Zed didn’t remember the hedge from when he’d been here and he concluded it meant there was more than one way to get to the tree he’d woken up at. Either that or they were in the wrong place.

He really hoped it wasn’t the latter.

Ven stood beside the opening in the hedge. The pathway was walled on both sides by prickly grass and thistle and sharp broken branches. They would’ve inflicted serious damage on normal humans but they were less than an inconvenience to mages of their ranks.

Ven entered first, his suit of armor unharmed as he moved, and the others followed after him.

Daniel was the last to enter, following behind Festus, leaving Ash, Chris, Shanine and Zed alone with themselves.

“So,” Zed said, turning to the others. “Who wants to play twenty questions?”