Cyber Mortality

Chapter 18:

I blink open my eyes and find I am standing in the terminal. Trains whiz by and people shout back and forth to each other. My hair swirls around my face with the wind churned up by the trains and I notice it is no longer tied back with the purple ribbon DeNyle gave me. My bare arms prickle up with goosebumps and I glance down at the clothes I entered this game in. A black tank top, black leather pants, and combat boots.

My friends suddenly appear with their fists stacked. Jez spots me first and points the boys toward where I am standing. Rocky's eyes flash between anger and relief, while DeNyle's face splits into a huge grin.

"May!" DeNyle shouts and rushes toward me. His arms wrap me in a tight hug and his blue hair tickles my cheeks. "Are you alright?"

I nod slowly and take a deep breath.

"Well I don't want to do that again," I sigh and press my cheek into his chest. "Dying sucks."

"It wouldn't have been so bad if you'd just let go," Rocky shakes his head in annoyance. "Why did you do that?"

"Why did I blow up the mountainside so you all could get away with our crystals?" I raise an eyebrow and step back from DeNyle. "Did you turn them in yet?"

"No," he shakes his head. "We came straight here to get you."

"Oh, here," DeNyle's eyes flutter and then my items returned to me.

"Thanks," I smile softly and kiss his cheek. Color flushes his face and his lips turn up in a subtle smile.

"You know, if we got married your items would have automatically come to me if you died," DeNyle winks and I roll my eyes.

"Sorry but I'm not ready for that kind of a commitment," I groan and crack my stiff neck. "Maybe in a few years."

"Well it could just be a legal marriage and not a romantic marriage," DeNyle suggests but I still shake my head. "It is handy for saving items. Plus whatever you have I can use and whatever I have you can use."

"That sounds kind of unfair to other people who you fight," I raise an eyebrow.

"Nah, lots of people get married," he shrugs. "That Skull Crusher guy who came after us is married. To like three women."

"You mean the guy with the skull armor?" I gape. "You can marry multiple people?"

"Yeah," DeNyle grins. "His first wife is a mage. The man is the head of the Black Vipers. And yes, this is a video game after all. You can do basically whatever."

"So even if we kill him his items will be safe," I purse my lips. "Well, that's stupid."

"I told you getting married is a good idea," he shrugs.

"So can we go to the appraiser now?" Rocky scowls. "He opened ten minutes ago." He holds out his fist and we all stack on top. Jez's dark skin with bright red nails, DeNyle's calloused fist, Flint's gloved hand, and my hand with opal ring gleaming. Then we fall away.

"So this is the appraiser's place?" I gaze at the shack. Shabby wooden walls eaten away by rot and covered in moss surround a small room with a bare floor.

"Well sorta," DeNyle runs a hand through his blue hair. "He lives underneath."

"Under the shack?" I raise an eyebrow and he nods.

"Just come see," Rocky groans and pulls up on a door in the floor. Dimly lit stairs greet us and then we descend.

"This feels like a bomb shelter," I mutter.

"That's cause it is," DeNyle chuckles. "This guy might be a little crazy but he knows his business."

"HardRock," a voice calls out from down the hall. We approach closer and then step into a candlelit room with a desk in the middle. "What have you got for me today?"

"I think you'll like this, Mr. Yuki," Rocky grins and starts to pull the large crystals out of his pouch. Mr. Yuki's eyes gaze over each crystal and he nods.

"These are high-quality crystals. Where did you get them?" the man squints through his glasses.

"I can't tell you all my secrets, Mr. Yuki," Rocky chuckles. "Who knows who you might tell."

"Hmmph," Mr. Yuki snorts and adjusts his glasses. "I suppose you're right boy. Let's get 'em on the scale." Rocky places each crystal on a scale and Mr. Yuki writes something down in a notebook. His bony fingers hold each crystal to the light as Mr. Yuki squints through the magnifying portion of his glasses.

"Alright," Mr. Yuki scribbles one last note. "With all of these, I can give you three hundred crystals."

"Three hundred?" DeNyle gapes.

"Let's do the transfer," Mr. Yuki's eyes flutter and then the crystals disappear.

"Thank you, Mr. Yuki," Rocky bows low before turning back to look at us.

"So how did that all work?" my brows knit in confusion.

"We give him the big crystals and he gives us individual five-ounce crystals, for a price of course," Rocky explains. "Now we have enough to enter the contest."

"Neat," I grin. "Now what?"

"Now we look for items to use in the tournament and make you into a better fighter," DeNyle chuckles and closes his hand around my shoulder with a squeeze. "We've got three weeks!"

"I was kinda hoping to check out the magic school," I smile sheepishly and see Jez raise an eyebrow.

"Really?" she inquires. I nod and watch her purse her brilliant red lips.

"Oh I don't go near that school," DeNyle shakes his head quickly. "Last time I went there the crazy headmaster tried to brain me!"

"You made an inappropriate joke!" Jez punches him lightly on the arm.

"It wasn't thaaat bad," DeNyle shrugs his shoulders.

"Uh huh," Rocky raises an eyebrow. "You insulted her body."

"Oh come on! It was right there! How am I not to say something!" DeNyle scowls.

"What did you say?" I question and watch his blue eyes flash with amusement.

"Uh, 'They're like watermelons!'," he grins sheepishly.