Chapter 5: Chapter 5

I got the briefest glimpse of green eyes looking down at me before her knee connected with my head, knocking me back and to the floor. Before I knew it she was straddling me, a small knife raised to strike down at my face. Must have had it hidden on her person. My right hand darted up for the blade, while my left grasped for anything on my assailant to get leverage.

I was able to get a firm grip on the knife, as well as something else a bit softer than I was expecting. I blushed as I realized I had grabbed the elven woman’s chest through her baggy clothes. From the look on her face, I was surprised I hadn’t already caught fire and died. But at least she had stopped trying to stab me for a moment. She glared down at me, not moving in shock at what I had just done.

“I, ah, was trying to grab your shoulder,” I said hesitantly, “to stop you from stabbing me, I mean.”

“Remove. Your. Hand.” Her voice was soft with a higher pitch, but the anger conveyed by those words was almost physical.

I quickly did so, though only to move my hand to her shoulder. While I was as uncomfortable as she was with having just grabbed…her… there was no way I was giving up all my leverage to an elven woman in the process of trying to stab me. How many times was that tonight? At least twice now. Maybe three times.

“If you stop trying to stab me, we can get up out of this position.”

“And give you the opportunity to attack me from a more advantageous position?” she scoffed. “Not likely.”

“Suit yourself,” my mouth continued moving without conscious input from me. Sometimes it did that when I was stressed. “At least the view is nice from down here.”

“YOU—!”

“I’d put the knife down and get off him, if I were you.”

I turned my head to look back towards the kitchen. Max stood there, leading against the wall, pistol out and shakily aimed at the elven woman on top of me. He was sweating, and clearly having a hard time focusing, but his grip on his gun was firm.

“Fine,” the elven woman spat.

Loosening her grip on the knife in her hand, the blade rotated away from my face to point out towards the wall. I flinched as it did so, as it nicked my thumb in passing. My fist tensed reflexively, causing the blade to shift again, though this time cutting her palm. There was a brief searing pain in my hand, causing me to grunt. She grunted as well, but it seemed less from pain and more…surprise?

She leaned back from me, allowing me to get up. Releasing the knife, she slumped back into the chair I had previously been attempting to tie her too. I slid it into my pocket, being careful due to how sharp it was. Before I could do anything else, Max dropped his pistol to clatter against the floor. Sliding down the wall he had been leaning against, his eyes went out of focus before closing all together. I’d have said he was dead if I couldn’t see his chest still rising and falling from where I stood.

“Poison.”

I turned back towards her, “What do you mean, poison?”

“The elf you killed in the hall, he poisoned all his blades before any fight. You friend has only a few days left at best.” The elven woman was relaxing in the chair, eyes still fixed on Max after she had spoken. She gave me a predatory grin, flashing incisors much longer than those humans had. “Unless you can get him the antidote, that is.”

Dread turned into a small spark of hope in my chest. I stamped down on it quickly, hoping nothing of it had showed on my face. Shit, her grin was getting wider. While I knew she would want something in return, otherwise why bring it up, but I had to know.

“Do you know where to get an antidote?” I cut her off before she could answer. “Enough for two?”

“Two?” she asked, confused. “Why would you need enough for two?”

“His brother was cut with the same blade at least once during the fight.”

She raised a long finger to her face in thought. Looking me up and down, she seemed to come to a decision. “Answer some questions for me, and I’ll make a deal with you that will save your subordinates in exchange for my life.”

“Not subordinates,” I argued, “they are my friends.”

“Subordinates. Friends. It doesn’t matter to me,” she waved her hands dismissively, then her smile disappeared. “Do we have a deal?”

I took a moment to decide my options. Any deal with her might mean I would be unable to get any information about what was going on in Chicago, unless she volunteered it. But if I did not take her up on it, the odds of me finding or making an antidote to poison made by an elf was worse than none. In school I hadn’t been any good at chemistry. Though I guess the more important point is that the poison was made by a being that I had thought only ever existed in stories. I had no other option if I wanted to save the brothers, so I did not hesitate. Max and Franz were worth more to me alive than any answers I might have gotten from her.

“Deal.”

I rushed over to Max, double-checking that he was indeed still breathing. Picking him up, I got him back into the kitchen seat he had recently vacated. Henry was in the process of coming back out of my bedroom. He had apparently missed the whole situation. His face grew concerned as I sat the limp form of Max back down.

“Poison,” I said shortly, “I’m working on getting us the antidote for both of them. Watch him for me.”

Without waiting for a response, I was back into the living room. To no small amount of surprise, the elven woman was still sitting comfortably in my chair. I thought for sure she would have tried to leave or attack. Rather than being reassured I was now more worried. She must really have wanted something.

“Wonderful,” the fanged grin was back on her face as I came back into the room. “Just a few questions then. Then I’ll tell you about the cure, and after that you will make a decision.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, but she cut me off.

“No, no. Questions first.” She leaned back in my chair, her one hand idly rubbing the spot on her hand where my blood had stained her hand after being cut by her knife. “Now, where am I?”

“My apartment. What is your name?” I asked quickly. Her face took on a scowl, though even so it was still one of the most beautiful I had ever seen. “What? It is only fair I know who I am talking with.”

“Natasha,” she said slowly. Natasha looked almost startled that I had even bothered to ask. She shook it off quickly though. “How far is this apartment away from where I almost killed you?”

“About a twenty minute drive from the place I nearly beat you to a pulp.” I answered while correcting her. While it hadn’t been a one-sided fight, I was not going to give up the fact that I had come out on top.

“Agree to disagree,” she said, indifferent to my response. Despite her tone, I could tell she was frustrated at the fact that I had been able to beat her. “Before you left, was everyone else in my group dead or did they escape?”

“Dead, I made sure to check before we left,” I responded, somewhat confused. While the question itself made sense, the tone she had asked it in was anything but normal. It had almost sounded…hopeful?

“Then that is all I need to know right now.”

I stared at her as the silence lengthened between us. Was that really it? Didn’t she have more questions? Surely there had to be something else she needed, even wanted to know. Despite her eyes darting around the room briefly before coming back to rest on my face, she didn’t say anything else for a good few minutes.

“Well?” Natasha finally prompted.

“‘Well’ what?”

She grumbled something under her breath at my response. While I couldn’t make it out entirely, I thought I caught something about men being frustrating no matter their race. “Did you read over the quest information I sent you yet?”

“…What quest information?” Was this elf crazy?

“You know,” Natasha pointed one long, delicate finger at her green eyes, “the quest information that should have popped up in you iHUD.”

“What is an iHUD?” I asked, totally bewildered.

She stared at me, mouth open and completely flummoxed. Finally she snapped her fingers and gave me a beaming grin. I was starting to get used to her sharp teeth.

“That’s right, you wouldn’t know. Well congratulations…” Natasha was waving her hands in excitement, before abruptly stopping again. “Ahh… What did you say your name was again?”

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“My name is Jakob,” I said slowly, still not sure where she was going with this.

“Right,” she waved her hands again, “Congratulations Jakob, by surviving the fight earlier against my kin, you will have successfully unlocked access to the iHUD. Simply close your eyes and think ‘iHUD Activate’ to access it the first time.”

When I didn’t immediately close my eyes, since I was still somewhat sure Natasha was crazy, I eventually did at her continued gestures for me to do so. I felt more than a bit foolish standing there with my eyes closed. Not only was this elven woman telling me what to do, but she had also recently tried to kill me in my own apartment no less. Either I was a bit more open to trusting people than I thought, or I was just so exhausted by this point that I didn’t even care. So far she hadn’t done anything untoward since we had come to an understanding, but if I thought about it logically, this would be the perfect opportunity. I opened my right eye slightly to check to see if she had moved.

Natasha was standing right in front of me, her face barely an inch away from my own.

“Fuck!” I jerked back, startled at finding her so close. She wasn’t making any hostile actions, just standing there, but still.

“Well?” Natasha asked again, not moving except for raising an eyebrow in question.

“No, not yet,” I tried to calm my racing heart, “give me another minute. Actually, if you could sit in the chair?”

“Fine.” She spun with a pout, moving back to the chair where she flopped down on it, baggy clothes briefly billowing around her form. Long legs were revealed then quickly covered again. I’m not sure why I noticed them, but I did. “Go ahead then, I’ll sit right here until you are ready to talk.”

“Thank you,” I closed my eyes again. What was the phrase again? I opened my eyes, but before I could ask she was talking again.

“Really? It’s ‘iHUD Activate’.” She said, a trace of irritation in her voice at answering my unvoiced question. She was grumbling again. Something about new world imbeciles, whatever that meant. Composing herself, she leaned back further in the chair. “Focus as hard as you can on ’Status’ after you do that and you will understand.”

“Right, sorry.”

I thought to myself ‘iHUD Activate,’ and as soon as I did it was like sparks went off in my head. A headache I hadn’t even known I had, so gradual had it come on, was gone in seconds. I felt lighter in a way I didn’t know was possible. Like living an entire life carrying around an unseen backpack full of bricks, only to be told out of nowhere that I could set it down. I felt good, if still a bit exhausted from the long night.

Mentally shaking myself, I remembered the other direction she had given me. I thought about my ‘Status’, and wonder of wonders a screen popped up. It didn’t go away either when I opened my eyes. In fact, it moved with them as I glanced around the room.

Name - Jakob Wagner
Race - Human
Class - Warlock (Blood)
Profession(s) - N/A

Level/Rank - 1 (Mortal)

Strength - 15
Dexterity - 12
Endurance - 14
Vitality - 12
Intelligence - 9
Wisdom - 11
Charisma - 11
Luck - 6

Abilities
Blood Bond: locked - pending current acceptance
Bloodburst: direct at ally to heal damage or at enemy to cause damage based on intent; does not clear status ailments

 

Given everything that had happened so far tonight, the fact that my status was roughly the same format as some of the novels I had on my small shelf in the living room was a bit reassuring. I recognized each of the different attributes and could easily piece together what they likely meant. My low luck, assuming ten to be the general average, would explain why I’d always had so many issues getting ahead in my life. My class of Warlock was a surprise to say the least, but it was possibly a reflection of some old family history my now dead uncle had told me about once. Dark things had supposedly been in my family tree. I guess at least some of it was true.

The only things I weren’t so sure about were the abilities. Blood Bond didn’t have much information with it, only that it was apparently in use. On the other hand, Bloodburst was a bit clearer in description, but I had no idea how to use it. Yet.

Before I could look my status over too much, something else drew my attention. A flashing icon that was labeled ‘Quests’ at the corner of my vision. Focusing on it briefly caused it to open, displaying the quest Natasha had mentioned.

Quest: An Agreement With Natasha Moonblight

The beautiful and deadly dark elf assassin Natasha Moonblight has been cut off from her home and family since being taken to your planet in preparation for the coming initiation into the Framework. Having been captured in combat, she offers you information and assistance in exchange for your agreement to protect her.

Conditions for Success:

Give your binding word that you will protect Natasha.

Rewards:

Assistance getting a cure for the poison afflicting your friends.

Blood Bond with Natasha.

Accept/Decline Quest?

Having already made up my mind, I mentally accepted it. That being said, when I minimized my iHUD, I already knew the first question I was going to ask.

“Is that why you said I had a decision to make. This ‘Blood Bond’?”

“Yes,” she nodded, lifting her bloody hand after having visibly relaxed when she got the notification I had accepted the quest. “The mixing of your blood with mine was quite the surprise, but it was your decision as to what would happen with the bond. While I could accept from my side, you had to from yours for it to take.”

“You sound familiar with the ability.” At her nod I continued, “So what is it?”

“It is a variation on an ability that most Warlocks have where they create a binding pact with beings they summon or contract,” seeing my look of concern, she hurriedly continued, “but don’t worry, it's only binding to the extent each of us agrees to it. It comes with a few minor benefits to both bound parties, but the main one applicable to our situation is it prevents either of us from willfully harming the other.”

“Ah, I see what you mean now about making an important choice,” I said. “So, by accepting your quest, I essentially accepted your bond and promised not to harm you?”

“Yes, that is correct. Should you change your mind on that, I would get a notification before you could break the bond, giving me time to act or to flee.”

“As I would get the same,” I pointed out.

“Exactly so,” she said with a sharp grin.

Understanding the Blood Bond, at least in part, led me to appreciate how useful it might be. I had noticed Natasha had not specified harm as being only physical in nature though, nor how the Blood Bond itself was enforced in the face of violations. I would have to be careful how we interacted going forward until I knew more.

Which raised another question for me.

“What would have happened if I had rejected the quest?”

“Well,” Her face went cold and grim, no trace of the smiling, almost giggly woman left in it. She pulled another secreted knife out from under her baggy clothes. I really did not do a good job searching her for weapons. “If you had declined the quest, then I’d have known immediately that you didn’t intend to let me live. The bond would not have been made, and I would have attacked right away.”

“But I did,” I said, once again taken off guard at how quickly Natasha took on the mien of a killer.

“Yes, you did, and now with all that taken care of, I think you owe your healer friend a conversation.” Natasha put her knife back away and made her way over to the couch. “I am going to sleep, we can talk more about the cure, and our future, after a good night’s sleep.”

She laid down on the couch, facing the wall, making it perfectly clear she would not be talking anymore tonight. I was sure she was still awake and listening, but honestly I was ready for sleep myself. Just one more thing to take care of first.

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