Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Closing the Gap

“Two canteens, one industrial grade flashlight, one compass, one set of cooking supplies, one set of eating utensils, two pairs of boots, eight pairs of socks, two pairs of regulation trousers, four pairs of regulation shirts and fatigues, all tear resistant,” the requisition officer ran through the list of supplies while placing each plastic wrapped parcel on the table. He was a heavy set man, with thick mutton chops, and dull grey eyes. A scar ran down the length of his cheek, and his brow was pockmarked with dozens of smaller blemishes, likely caused by wind blown shrapnel. 

Theo had to walk outside of campus to reach the requisitions depot, the one closest to University grounds. Several statues of past heroes stood on the front lawn, followed by plaques to fallen soldiers. The inside smelled of gun cleaner, and was packed with other students acquiring gear. It took the officer at the front desk several minutes to locate Theo’s name on one of his registries, apparently Konrad’s expedition wasn’t common knowledge, and the old man had to dig through several files before finding the correct one. 

There were close to a dozen names on the list, and Theo couldn’t help but notice Lorelei’s, Marci’s, and Michaels. None of them seemed to have come to pick up their equipment, Theo wondered if they had truly decided to come along in the first place. 

The requisition officer checked a few more boxes on his list before placing a large crate on the table. “Flak armor, a complete set with additional padding, and two pairs of leather gloves. A breathing mask with air filtration can be requisitioned, but I see you aren’t scheduled to go into designated danger zones, so it isn’t necessary, still can’t be too careful though, so I would recommend it. The air tanks may be heavy, but you’ll be glad to have at least one should the winds blow toxic air your way.”

“Sounds good,” Theo grumbled, not happy about having to carry a tank alongside the standard rucksack. 

The old man nodded, then began placing several square plastic sealed bundles on the pile, each about the size of a book. The armor itself was neatly arranged in a crate, yet another thing for him to carry. Most of the equipment and supplies could be packed into the rucksack, the additional crate would only be a hassle.

“Sixteen meal rations, and nutrition supplements, just enough for five days exactly. Now for weapons gear.” The old man had Theo sign a bunch of extra paperwork before going into any further details. “One knife, one shovel, one dagger, and one sidearm. Fifty rounds, hopefully you won’t be needing any. Now you’ll be able to pick up that gear later, at the muster point.”

“Sounds good,” Theo’s fingers itched, it had been a while since he spent any time at the target range. 

After the weapons check, it was finally time to inspect the rest of the gear. The Kavlar vest was a dull grey color, the flack armor patterned for wasteland use using a checkmark camouflage of reds and browns. The rucksacks straps were thick nylon, and there were no exterior pockets. It would be easy enough to pack everything inside, except for the armor.

"Anything else?" the requisition officer asked.

“No?” Theo replied.

“Excellent! Have a nice day then. Oh, and don't forget to pay the requisition fee.”

Theo slipped a couple clits on the counter, doing his best not to let out a groan. “Yes sir, thank you, goodbye.”

As soon as he was done packing everything in the rucksack, and strapping the air tank alongside it, Theo carried it on his back, and picked up the additional crate. 

“Time to see what the future holds…”

                                                      

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It was a dark night, the stars were barely visible through the cloud cover, and several street lamps remained unlit, but Theo kept his head down, walking past the overshadowed buildings on either side of the street. It was only a short walk from the requisitions depot to campus grounds, and yet he wished he did this earlier, before the sun set.

He carried the rucksack tight on his back, and he listened carefully to the sounds of industry in the distance. It was a chilly evening, and there was a cold breeze whistling in the air.

He stopped at the corner avenue, waiting for the street light to change, and the traffic to lessen. Police cars sped past the intersection, followed swiftly by other emergency vehicles. The sounds of their sirens did little to mask the grinding of steel treads from the massive Dreadnaught looming in the distance. It wasn’t the first one he ever saw, his mother once brought him to see one undergoing construction, but it was still fascinating to watch as it slowly drove down the procession highway to the outer wall.

Theo looked around, and saw an alleyway nearby. He wondered if there was another way around the intersection? As he was contemplating finding an alternate route, or crossing the street during a lull in traffic, a young woman walked towards him, dressed in nothing more than a silk dress. 

Her black hair was pulled back in a smooth ponytail, and her gown was parted down the center, exposing a series of bright red tattoos covering her breasts. She was beautiful, in an exotic sort of way, with pale skin and rosy cheeks, and she smiled when she noticed him looking.

Theo felt a bead of sweat stroll down his shoulder blades, and a pang in his chest. There was something about her that seemed so transfixing. The way she smelled caused him to lose focus, his knees felt lighter, and his pants suddenly grew tighter. 

The woman nudged closer, whispering words he couldn’t understand. Whatever she was saying, it seemed to make his shoulders relax, and Theo felt a sudden desire to follow this strange woman to someplace more private. 

Just before the woman could drag him off, however, a blinding pink flash came out of nowhere. The Succubi sidekicked the woman, then crouched on the ground next to him, as the exotic creature was thrown back, landing on her feet to withdraw a long sharp dagger from her blouse.

Lorelei took up a fighting stance, the pointy end of her tail aimed directly at the elf who had nearly hypnotized the man she was infatuated with. While she didn’t have a knife, Lorelei didn’t seem the least bit concerned by the other woman’s weapon. 

Broken from her spell, Theo gasped, taking several steps back, and rubbing his eyes. His vision slowly came back into focus, and he saw Lorelei, the strange Redever from before, between himself and the elf beauty. 

"You are a bold one," the elf said with a soft voice to the Redever.

Lorelei glared at the older woman, "Get away from him you bitch!"

Theo looked at the elf, squarely in the eye, and using shadow magic, blinded her retinas. The elf seethed with rage, swearing as she lost her sight. Theo then grabbed Lorelei's shoulder, and pulled her away.

“Come on, let’s go," Theo shouted.

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Lorelei looked back at him, her eyes the very same ones he met in an alley way back when, and her tail relaxed. "Ok," she agreed. Looking back at the woman, the elf was on her knees swearing out loud to the gods.

Theo nodded, and they set off down the alleyway, leaving the other woman behind. 

                                                         

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After a few minutes, the alley widened, leading them into a new street. Following it, they quickly found themselves wandering in a small park. All around them were thin trees, and a couple of benches. The grass was neatly cut, and the land was well cared for. They were only a few blocks away from campus grounds, and yet Lorelei felt like she was in a completely different city. It was definitely one of the few places that actually grew green grass, something that seemed almost alien.

Theo took a seat on one of the benches, and waited for her to sit alongside him.

“So, what was that back there?” Theo asked her. “How was she able to do that to me? And where did you come from?” 

Each question made Lorelei recoil. She looked away, thinking. 

Theo leaned forward, noticing her apprehension. “Come on, tell me. What was she doing? Don't worry. We're friends now. Aren’t we?”

Lorelei hesitated. Only friends? So he still doesn’t know, Lorelei figured as much, but still felt disappointed, and slightly relieved at the same time. It was a confusing feeling, and she had yet to sort any of it out. 

Lorelei shifted uncomfortably, brushing her hair back so that her bangs weren’t in front of her eyes. “She tried to entice you, lure you into her lair. Elves like to pretend their immortal, but the truth is they lengthen their lifespan by...ah…"

“By sleeping around?” Theo interrupted.

“Yes. By having sex. They need it, not only to procreate, but to fuel their magic. They're very hedonistic creatures. At least some of them are, those belonging to their cult of pleasures.” Lorelei felt even more uncomfortable mentioning it. She really didn’t want to tell him of all the different cults, and social cliques, elves ran with. They were perhaps the most spiritual and cultural diverse of all humanoid species. 

“That woman,” Lorelei continued, “she was old, and must’ve been in the business for centuries. She used her seduction magics to capture you, and would’ve drained your mana dry before the night was done."

Theo stared at her in disbelief. "That doesn't make sense! I've never heard of elves needing to have sex to survive!"

"They don't. But it makes them stronger, and keeps their spirits…energetic. They get an energy boost as well,” Lorelei explained briefly. She still couldn’t bring herself to sit next to him, even though a part of her desperately wanted too. 

"And why did she come after me?" Theo leaned forward, the rucksack on his back weighing heavy on his spine. It must have been difficult, carrying all that stuff as they ran. More than once, he nearly dropped the crate of combat gear on the way here. Lorelei looked at the flak armor wrapped in plastic, neatly packed in the crate. It was the same pattern human soldiers wore during he war, albeit without the unit emblems.

Lorelei paused for a moment, "I'm guessing because she sensed your potential. You have a lot of mana."

Theo chuckled at that. “So, you think I should be worried about being attacked again?"

Lorelei shrugged. "No, she'll be hunting for other game by now.” She knew elves belonging to the pleasure cults were rarely patient creatures. 

"We should report this," Theo added.

"What for? It’s not like they would do anything.” Part of her guessed the elf had already made connections with law enforcement to begin with. 

“Thank you for stopping her, but why did you save me from her… lecherous grasp?” Theo asked with a smirk.

Lorelei tensed. "She bewitched you, that was wrong."

Things were both quiet for a moment, as Theo weighed her answer. A cold breeze brushed by, making Lorelei hold herself tight.

When Theo broke the silence, it took her by surprise. 

“Did you... not want her to sleep with me?" He finally asked.

Lorelei jumped up, "I-need-to-go-see-you-tomorrow!" 

She ran, leaving a confused and bewildered young man behind in his seat.

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