Chapter 26

Another text popped up.

‘LOADING

PLEASE STAND BY’

Leon looked at Ava after he dismissed the notification that he’d been healed and the bleeding had stopped. She stood rigid, staring into space. He wondered what she was thinking. If she’d actually changed from the person in the memory, or if she’d just tried to play him, like she’d done with the other men. Acting helpless to try to get leverage. But no, when Ava first approached him, she’d actually been in a bad spot. She’d accepted and continued with a dishwashing job. Maybe she’d learned her lesson. But some values or thoughts still remained—like how she acted when it came to the other Scabs and saying that the money he would give would be wasted on them. Maybe she was right, but he’d like to think otherwise.

Hert leaned on the handle of his hammer, looking from Ava to Leon, probably thinking the same thoughts as him.

“How’s your fatigue?” Hert asked.

Leon raised an eyebrow. He’d expected him to accost Ava. He opened up his status window. “Not good. It’s at 68%. If you hadn’t finished off those two wolves, I would have been exhausted.”

Hert nodded. “It’s easier to land a blow when the beasts’ focus is elsewhere.”

”Thanks for stepping in.”

Hert sighed. “Look, I just don’t like pain. I like to help out, but just the thought of being injured kind of freezes me up.”

Leon tilted his head. “It’s unusual for you to be blunt about something like that.”

Hert shook his head. “It’s not like I want to. But I have an idea of where this is going. I believe that the last couple of chests will make us remember our deaths, and if I’m right, I don’t think I’ll be much help once the memory plays out.”

“What happened?”

“Leon,” Ava whispered.

Both Leon and Hert turned to look at her.

She clutched her staff tight and stared into the ground. ”I was horrible before. I regret how I behaved.”

Even though she uttered the words through trembling lips and teary eyes, they somehow sounded hollow. Leon didn’t know how to answer. He’d helped her get back on her feet, but then they’d helped each other. She’d gotten out of the Slums, and she’d unlocked skills. If he decided he couldn’t trust her and left her to fend for herself, she’d be better off than when she started. She might even become an innkeeper, if she didn’t just play around with Margaret, too. Well, as long as she kept up the act, she’d be able to live as a decently well-off “lowlife” as her assistant, or something like it.

“Did you say you had a camp, Hert?” Leon asked.

Hert nodded. “Got it from the level up chest for reaching level 6. You want me to put it up?”

Leon closed his eyes, thinking. His fatigue level was too high to clear another chest, especially if there would be nine monsters in there. That was close to the number he’d be able to beat on a regular day, when he started with 0%.

“I don’t know. I think we should—at least if I’m the main fighter. But at the same time, it feels like we should wait. What do you think?”

“You hate me now, don’t you?” Ava said in a tiny voice. She’d sunken down on her knees and stared at the floor.

Leon sighed and continued to look at Hert. Ava had healed him, meaning she could only use Buff Morale once before her MP was too low. On the other hand, he had his level up. But that he’d like to save for another time, where his life was in danger.

Ava crawled up on her feet and clenched the staff to her chest, walking over to Leon. She pinched the fabric of his sleeve and tugged. “Do you hate me?”

“No.” Leon grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her hand from his arm. “But that doesn’t mean I trust you.”

She bit her lip. “But I’m helping you, right? I wouldn’t do that if I was the same person as before.”

The text about loading disappeared, and the scene changed. It seemed like the time they’d taken to rest before was enough to kick off all timers on the chests, so maybe they’d only get the occasional glimpse of the stone room from now on. That wasn’t good. Could they even make use of camps in a memory?

They stood in a small, bright apartment, and a very pregnant woman, the one they’d seen on the staircase, stood with her hands pressed on a white kitchen table while an almost bald Memory-Hert stood in the adjacent hallway and opened up a built-in wardrobe.

As the door opened, four level five and three level six wolves sprung out. Leon swore and readied his sword, while Hert kneeled by the entrance to the kitchen and pushed forward his shield, and Ava stepped to stand behind them. Two imps came out after the wolves, looking around, their red eyes gleaming.

“You don’t have to do this,” the woman said as the wolves approached.

“I do, Tess. Besides, it’s just a quick job, and we need the money.” Memory-Hert pulled out a suitcase.

”I know, I know,” the woman said. “I’ve been looking for a job. I have an interview on Monday.”

The first two wolves launched at them, the hallway being too small for more to come at the same time.

Hert held the shield strong as Leon sprinted forward, swinging his sword in an arch. Too wide. It caught in the door frame. Leon tugged at the handle to get it loose while the wolves barreled into Hert’s shield, making him grunt. With a final tug, the sword broke loose, just as a wolf jumped to bite at his arm. He stepped back just in time and slammed the blade into its head. It hit with the broadside of the blade, dazing it, but dealing minor damage. It sank down, and one of the waiting wolves took the chance to leap over its like’s body and came flying over the shield toward Leon. It was too far up to kick, so Leon braced himself and pushed forward with his shoulder, tackling it. It fell down on the other two.

Memory-Hert tilted his head. “You’re about to pop. You’re not going to start a new job.” He walked past the bag and into the kitchen. “Money’s been tight since what happened to your dad’s company, but once I get this job done, we can count on more money coming in.” He cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead. “It’s just a small job. In and out.”

Tess’ voice sounded sceptical. “A quick job that pays a lot.”

Leon looked over the space and dismissed the notification of his exhaustion. There had to be a way to use this area to their advantage. When he first discovered that they could make use of the surrounding items and the areas of the memories, he’d been surprised. Also surprising was that the memory’s inhabitants were like ghosts—they could walk or run through them without knowing, if they weren’t careful. His thoughts got interrupted as two of the wolves launched again. Instead of swinging the sword wide, Leon raised it slightly over his head and slashed down, hitting a wolf in the shoulder, dealing less than optimal damage. Still, it sank down. Hert lifted his shield just an inch, making the second wolf tumble over it and into Leon.

“Information is worth its weight in gold these days,” Memory-Hert said.

“Why can’t you just try to reach out to newspapers with your articles? You’re basically working like an undercover cop. That wasn’t your goal. You wanted to make a change in the world.”

Leon sprung back, but couldn’t dodge the wolf’s body. It landed on his legs, and they both sprawled back. Ava raised her staff and stabbed it onto the wolf’s back. It snarled, dug its claws into Leon’s stomach, and launched toward her. Leon gasped after its hind leg, and by some miracle, he caught it. The weight was too much for his muscles, but it ended the jump, and the wolf landed on him again. Leon let go of the sword and grabbed its fur, tipping it to the side. He rolled over and started punching at the wolf’s neck and head.

“I’ve discovered something big,” Memory-Hert said. “Big enough to shake the criminal world here in the south. Now I just need to get proof; then both me and the police have the information we need to make a case that slams those bastards into the ground.”

The wolf suddenly grew slack and Leon drew back his bloody hand. Ava stared from it to the wolf with undisguised distaste. Leon scrambled up on his feet and lifted the sword as Hert grunted. The wolves in the hallway had backed off and started launching at the shield.

“Buff me,” Leon panted as he ran the short distance, swinging the sword onto the closest wolf. The swing missed as the wolf backed off to let another bash into the shield. He was about to swing down when he saw the imps climbing the walls and rapidly crept toward them.

“Buff Morale!” Ava said, and energy returned to Leon’s body.

“Hert, try to hold back as long as you can! I need to take care of the imps.” Leon grabbed hold of the door frame, and as the first imp approached, he swung out. It hit the arm, and with a hiss, the imp fell onto the wolves. The other one was on Hert’s side, meaning he couldn’t reach it. All the same, it had stopped and hissed at Leon and his blade. Leon looked with frantic eyes over the gathered monsters as the next two wolves slammed into Hert’s shield. The wooden thing creaked as it took the weight, and a crack formed in the middle.

“Hert, take out your torch,” Leon said as he struck one of the wolves with the sword. “Let’s hope the bastards can burn.”

Hert glanced up at Leon, then he swallowed and pressed his shoulder to the shield as he took out the torch. He lit it, and threw it over the shield, then cowered down. The torch landed on one of the wolves, and its fur began to singe, spreading the smell of burned hair. Then a flame burst up. Leon held his sword at the ready, unsure of what would happen next. The hallway was too small for the wolves to get away from the flames as they started spreading. Howls of pain and panic spread through the small area, and Leon had to force himself from dropping his weapon to cover his ears.

Tess grabbed Memory-Hert’s collar with two fingers. “Don’t you dare do something dangerous. Do you hear me?”

Two of the burning wolves made a run for it toward them. Leon’s muscles grew heavy again as he took a stance. “Move the shield!”

Without a question, Hert did as he asked. Leon swung at the panicked beasts, hitting both, but dealing minor damage. He kicked at the first one as Hert took out his hammer and slammed it into the next. The wolves fell down. The flames in the furs died down, and Leon sprung forward with his sword, slashing into the scorched and blistered, but still live monsters. The heat still radiated from their bodies, and as he stabbed the sword through the third wolf, making five kills, the sword shattered in his hand. A metal piece fell, clanking onto the floor. Leon’s arms felt made of lead as he opened his inventory for the short sword, and as he pulled it out, the two remaining, now furless, wolves launched at him, jumping over two glowing embers formed like imps.

“Danger is part of the job. But I’ll be careful.” Memory-Hert stroke a thumb over his wife’s cheek. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“You better.” As Memory-Hert walked into the hallway again, she muttered, “You and your damned adventures.”

The scene faded into the stone room as the wolves smacked into Leon, sending him sprawling. Hert ran forward, swinging his hammer, and sent one of them back. The wolf snarled into Leon’s face as the top of a staff hit its chin, and though it only dealt four damage points, it was enough to switch the wolf’s attention to Ava. Hert finished the beast in front of him as the wolf launched from Leon to the Cleric. Leon tried grabbing its hind leg again, but he was too slow, and too weak. Ava screamed as the wolf landed on her, and Leon heard a sickening crunch.

He forced himself to roll around to get to his knees. The beast bit into Ava’s arm, and her hand hung limp. Hert swung his hammer, clubbing it into the back of the beast’s head, and it sank down. Ava continued screaming as the wolf’s fangs came loose and the wound oozed blood.

’9 of 12 CHESTS OPENED

46 of 80 MONSTERS SLAIN’

The scene shifted into the same living room as they’d seen before, where Ava, seemingly not having aged a day, stood beside a table with unopened gifts. Golden letters on the banner above her read:

‘CHEERS TO 25 YEARS’

In front of her stood a crowd of people. Some of them held up their drinks, while others talked among themselves. Two guys sat on the sofa by a window, only looking up once in a while.

“Thanks, everyone, for your gifts, and for coming to celebrate with me today!” Memory-Ava said, clearly heard through now-Ava’s screams.

Hert pulled out a bundle of leather, and a camp popped up. He lifted Ava and ran into it while Leon got up on his feet. As four level five wolves and six level six wolves entered through the crowd, Leon sprung for the tent. As he reached the flap and flung himself forward, a jaw snapped at his ankle. It ripped off a piece of his tattered pants, but through cheer willpower, Leon pulled at the leather and held himself there. A hand came out from the tent, took his arm, and hauled him inside.

Ava sat on the left-hand sleeping leather, grasping at her broken arm, screaming, but instead of a constant shriek, she’d changed it to a desperate “Heal! Heal!” with no change.

“Thanks,” Leon huffed to Hert and crept over to the middle one. He grabbed Ava’s shoulder, and when she didn’t look up, he tilted her chin with his other hand. “Go to sleep. It will probably help.”

Ava’s scream cut off and her panicked eyes settled on his, and she swallowed, nodding. Tears ran down her face as Leon gently pushed her down and she caressed her arm.

“We’re here, okay? You’re safe. You’ll be okay after you get some rest.”

Ava bit her quivering lips and nodded. Leon rested a hand on her shoulder until she closed her eyes and her body relaxed, then he sat back down to look at Hert.

“Thanks for being here. I’m sure we would have died without you.”

“Damn right,” Hert said and nodded, but the edges of his lips twitched upward. “Still haven’t forgiven you for making me go through this, though.”

“That’s fair.” Leon laid down, resting his head on his arm. “Are you hurt?”

“Nothing that sleep won’t fix, unlike Miss Princess over there.”

“So when she wakes up, it won’t be fixed?”

“Nah, I doubt it.” Hert shrugged. “Her heal might, though. But we still have a lot of monsters to get through, even if we only have three chests left. And when she uses her heal, that limits the rest of what we can do.”

Leon nodded. “At least we handled the memory before we used the tent. I honestly didn’t think we’d make it through without me using my level up. I’m glad we can make use of the camp. Since we’re inside the memory and the enemies have arrived, I’m going to sleep and make use of the camp like I did before.”

Hert sat cross-legged. “That’s a good idea. Too bad we can’t repeat the fire trick again. That was genius.”

Leon frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Did you see a torch anywhere? I think it burned with the flames.”

Leon thought back. “Yeah, you might be right. Did you see a metal shard, by the way? I meant to pick it up when the sword broke.”

“Nah, I think it disappeared with the memory.” Hert sighed. “Same with Ava’s staff, I suppose. I didn’t see it on the floor as we entered this memory. Did you?”

Leon felt cold spread over his face. That staff was Ava’s way to keep ranged, and her only means of protection. Even though it dealt minor damage when swung, she could hold back attackers and maybe knock them back. Without it, they would need to think even more about her safety.

“Anyway—” Hert reached into his satchel. “I hoped we didn’t need to use it since I still haven’t properly examined it, but since you’re my lifeline in this, I want you to have it.” Hert pulled out the wooden imp dagger from his pack and stretched it forward.

Leon sat up, took it, and looked from the dagger to Hert. “Aren’t you full of surprises? What more do you have in that sack of yours?”

Hert pulled out a loaf of bread and threw it into Leon’s lap. “That’s the last one though, so you better do well when you wake up. Now the only things in my satchel are the hammer and the shield. Both have pretty low durability left.”

Leon broke the bread in half and offered a piece to Hert. He pushed it away with a hand, even as his stomach rumbled a complaint.

“Eat it all. Hunger won’t kill us. Not soon, anyway. You need to get your fatigue back in order as quickly as possible.”

“You sure?”

“Yup. Though, I can get grumpy when I haven’t eaten for a while, so I guess that’s the price.” Hert smiled.

Leon took a bite. “So what was the big thing that your memory spoke about?”

Hert leaned back on the bedding. “Busting a crime circle of the mafia involving some fat cats.”

“Politicians being involved with mafia? Your wife was right about being worried, then?”

Hert nodded. “Yeah.”

“Is that how you died?”

Hert crossed his arms behind his head. “Not exactly. It was more an outcome from what I discovered. I died because the mafia had an informant at the police office. I played a high-risk game, and I lost.” Hert turned toward the wall of the tent. “But at least I got to see my wife again, so I can’t say it’s been worthless to head into the tower. I’ll sleep as long as I can; that’s a little over eight hours. You better make use of it.”

Leon finished the bread as Hert lay still, then he set his wakeup timer to wake him once he’d restored his fatigue. Then it was time to hunt monsters.

*******

Leon peeked out of the tent, holding the short sword and dagger in each hand. It felt more comfortable than wielding the long sword, since this was the combination he’d used for about a month. The wolves had paced around the tent, but they hadn’t heard any other sounds. Now he saw why. It was like the memory had frozen in place, and the people inside were frozen in motion. Even Memory-Ava’s mouth was open from her speech.

He didn’t have time to ruminate over the scene since the wolves sprung at him. He looked a second at their attack, struck out with both blades as three wolves came close enough, hit one, and then stumbled back into the tent.

If they’d had time, it would have been better to pop open the camp at another location, restricting the wolves’ reach like the hallway had. Right now, the tent stood in the middle of the room, through maybe fifteen people, and the only means of barricading the wolves from him would be the living room table and couch where three people sat smoking something that didn’t look entirely legal. Even though the scene had frozen, the smoke left off a sickly sweet and grassy smell that thankfully disappeared when they were in the tent. Not that the table and sofa were of much use; they were behind the wolves, and even if he could get there, he’d need to step too far away from the tent for his comfort.

Disappointed that he couldn’t make use of the room outside, he settled for the next plan. He had a little less than one careful hour to spend on the beasts before he needed to rest, to be back at 0% fatigue once they got going again. So he began.

*******

Ava woke up as Leon did, and she caressed her still broken arm. She muttered, “Heal,” and the arm was set straight.

“How are you doing?” Leon asked.

Ava spun her head toward him, paling. “Um… I’m sorry!”

“For what? It’s not like you can walk around with a broken arm.” Leon gave her a slight smile. “Go back to sleep. Maybe you can get some MP back before the camp collapses.”

Ava bit her lip. “Well… I only get back around two or three MP per hour. How much time is left?”

“A little over one and a half. Hert’s soon waking up.”

“Did you beat the monsters outside?” Ava asked, listening. “That’s what you did the last time, right?”

Leon nodded. “I beat three of the level six wolves and the five level five wolves. We have three to go.”

Ava nodded. “That’s great. Where are we, by the way? I thought I heard my own voice, but the pain…” Her lips wobbled. “You said you would protect me.”

“I do what I can. And you probably saved me there, so the break wasn’t in vain. If that’s any comfort.”

Ava bit her lip hard and stared at the ground.

Leon stretched out. “Take the time you can. Maybe it will give you MP, maybe it won’t.”

“Wait, where’s my staff?” Ava crawled over the floor. “Where is it?”

“I don’t know,” Leon said. “You dropped it in the stone room, and then we got transported. I haven’t seen it since.

Ava stared at him. “No, it must be here, somewhere! I can’t have lost it again!”

She leaped onto her feet and toward the flap, and Leon sprinted after her. “There are still wolves out there!”

She slowed at the exit and turned to Leon. “Protect me. I have to know. Please.”

Leon sighed and put on his backpack. Well, they needed to take care of them, anyway. Now was as good a time as any.

He pushed Ava aside and stepped out. In front of him and on both sides of the tent stood wolves. They jumped toward him, and Leon bent forward, slid onto the ground, and the wolves crashed into the tent without the flap even moving, like the camp had a barrier. Leon stood with his feet wide and readied the short sword and dagger for their next attack. As they launched, Ava peeked out of the camp and sneaked out.

Leon slashed out as the first wolf reached him and smacked it over the nose. He jumped back as it landed, and it turned to him with a snarl while the other two came at him. He hopped aside, turned, and ran onto the table. He skidded over surface and reached the floor by the window. The wolves came after.

Ava bent down to search under the gift table, then moved to the side. Maybe she was right in searching for it now—if the staff had come with them to the memory it might stay here when it ended. They had no idea how long or short the memory would be.

Leon pushed the table toward the wolves, causing one to stumble and another to leap aside. He hit the third, and slashed out over and over again.

“Can I come out?” Hert shouted from the camp’s opening. His head stuck out, and the tent collapsed.

“Guess so,” Leon grunted.

“Fuck’s sake.” Hert kicked at the disappearing leather. “That shouldn’t have counted as exiting the camp!”

The memory started playing again, and Leon kicked out on a wolf’s chest, causing it to stumble onto the sofa. It made a choking sound as it breathed in the smoke.

A birthday song rang out and Memory-Ava glowed at all the attention. Then, as Leon killed a wolf, she curtsied. “Thank you, everyone! I’ll open your lovely gifts in a minute. Let’s party!” She shook a champagne bottle, and the cork popped out, spraying the liquid over the crowd. Then she lifted the bottle to her lips and gulped, before running into a man’s arms. He took lifted her and spun her around as her phone rang.

Hert ran toward Leon, swinging his hammer. It took one of the two wolves by surprise, and though it didn’t knock it out or even daze it, it gave Leon enough time to act on the first one.

As he swung at it with both blades, Memory-Ava answered her phone, and the voice spoke as clearly as if the caller had been in the room, with the same loud echo-y voice.

“Where are you?” Maya asked. “I’m at the restaurant with your parents. You said you’d be here half an hour ago.”

Memory-Ava sounded shocked, but looked pleased with herself as she answered, “Oh, that was today? I’m so, so sorry. I must have mixed up the dates.”

“You’re hanging out with those no-good-people, aren’t you? I told you, it’s a bad crowd.”

“They’re really fun though,” Memory-Ava said and pointed a finger on the man’s nose. He smiled and bent down to kiss her, but at the last second, she turned her face away. “Unlike someone else.”

Leon, having pushed the sword through the second wolf, finished the third one with Hert.

“So, you’re not coming, are you?” Maya asked.

“No, I’m sorry. I have other arrangements. Please tell my parents that I’m sorry and that I wish them a pleasant drive home.”

Memory-Ava stopped the call and took another swig from the bottle as the last wolf faded.

“Why?” the man asked. “You told me you had nothing planned today when I threw this party together.”

Memory-Ava stretched her arms around the man’s neck and kissed him on the cheek. “Because I’d rather be here with you, silly. And you’re going on a trip. You’ll miss me.”

The man chuckled.

Then, the scene changed, and Ava rose from a cliff side, watching over a ravine, just like the memory-Ava did. The moon glinted off a lake further in the distance, and she looked up at the stars.

“Did you find the staff?” Leon asked as he and Hert approached her.

She shook her head and kept staring at the memory. A man, a different one than she’d hugged, stepped out of the car.

“Why did you want to leave the party?” he asked as he approached her. “Those people care about you.”

Memory-Ava turned her head and flashed the man a smile. “I know. But I only wanted to spend time with you.”

The man crossed his arms and stepped forward. “Only because I’ve been willing to support you. Right?”

Memory-Ava gasped. “Not at all. I really like you.”

The man walked closer, unsmiling. “You have the looks to fool the devil, miss. And maybe there’s where you belong. Somewhere where you can’t harm more people.”

“I’m not hurting anyone,” Memory-Ava said, grabbing his arm and tugging it to her. “I’m just having fun while I create friends.”

“Tsk. Left alone, you might set fire to the world.”

Memory-Ava’s smile twitched. “But people like me. You like me.”

“You really like your games, but no one stops them.” He sighed. “Well, go enjoy the stars. That’s one of the true things you like, isn’t it? It’s why we’re here. Then we can head back to your party. It’s your birthday, after all.”

“Yeah, I love the stars!” Memory-Ava said. “You’re so sweet to remember. At first I wondered where we were going, but it’s such a romantic place.”

Leon looked at Ava, who sat with a red face. She sprang up towards the man and pushed his back. Had he been real, he’d have fallen. Instead, she fell through him and onto the cliff, where she caught herself with her hands.

Memory-Ava looked into the sky. The man dug his fingers into Ava’s arms and flung her forward. She screamed as her foot snagged on the edge, and she fell. Then the scenery changed.

‘10 of 12 CHESTS OPENED

56 of 80 MONSTERS SLAIN’