Book 2 Chapter Twenty-One: Heart to Heart

TWENTY-ONE

“I can honestly say I didn’t expect that,” Darren said as the two of them stood outside the temporal chambers that Jerry occupied. Roan hadn’t paid for their time in the chamber, but they had enough to split the difference as half their number entered the enchanters room. A house over, the second half of the new guild entered with his arborealist’s touch manuscript.

“It was honestly a spur of the moment thought. Was talking to Taoya about enchanting his weapons when I get my private lessons from Jerry and realized it was cheaper to have me do it rather than having the mobs on the level do them. So, why not have a bunch of people working on it together?” Roan said. He felt content as he looked at the beginnings of the Support Guild. He’d use the earnings of the guild to buy more manuscripts which he could learn, but in the meantime everyone would be supported.

“If I can get all my support manuscripts paid by others I can focus on buying direct combat skills or items. It’s a win-win.”

“No, it’s a good idea. Just mad I hadn’t thought of it first. I was too combat focused,” Darren said, wiping at his face with one hand.

“Are you alright?” Roan asked, looking suspiciously at Darren. The man wasn’t one who admitted to anything, especially to Roan.

“The temper has helped more than I thought. I didn’t realize how tired and stressed I was. It was like a great weight coming off my shoulders. If I could get eight hours of sleep I’d probably start skipping through the forest while singing,” Darren said with a chuckle.

“Body changer for sure. Darren doesn’t make jokes.” Roan started looking around to see if Taoya or someone else was close by to help him.

“Stop that. I can hear your heart elevating. I…I was wrong to treat you the way I did,” Darren said slowly, each word drawn out of him like it pained him to speak. Darren paused for a bit then sighed and shook his head.

“You’ve contributed a lot. More than most of us who had advantages you don’t have. I can’t in good faith say you’re a detriment to our plans and you said you’d join the Pact and you’ve delivered. Plans, resources, allies. Hell, at this point you’ve done more for us than anyone else.”

Roan shifted, suddenly uncomfortable by the wave of compliments streaming out of Darren’s mouth. He remembered how good he’d felt after his own body tempering, but it hadn’t caused him to have a complete reversal of who he was.

“You need to work on your poker face. Taoya and Moira talked to me about what a shit I was being. How it was hurting our plans by being an elitist prick. Their words,” Darren said.

“Yeah, I figured,” Roan muttered.

“I need this to succeed. More than just living or dying, I do believe this is a threat to all of us. All of the world. Do you understand why I act like I do?” Darren asked.

“It’s always been a threat to my world. I grew up watching everyone I ever knew and love walk into this place and never return. I watched the world forget us. Watched as steel rusted and concrete chipped and children starved or died of heat exhaustion in the street. Watched gang members shoot and stab each other in the middle of the street over a crush of fucking bread. Maybe this is new to you, but this is how we all lived.” Roan felt the anger in him swell. Years of repression broke as Roan looked at the spoiled scion who had felt the need to impress on Roan the danger of the tower.

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“This might be the end of the world for you, but our world ended long ago. We’re just ghosts in the desert, waiting to be exorcised,” Roan finished. Darren stayed silent as they stared at one another.

“Regardless, it was well done. You’ll need to find someone to lead the day-to-day though. Unless you wish to be an administrator,” Darren said, pivoting out of the awkward silence with the grace of an ocean liner.

“Billie. The rest are beat down. Last level they would have met my suggestion with blades and anger. Now? They rolled over instantly.”