Chapter 13

Time to Play The Game

Klaus was never a people person. He did not like to mingle, nor did he know how to. The way he grew up and everything he had been through made it very difficult for him, but he still liked to be around people. Growing up in a large city ensured that you were never truly alone. There was always some background noise even late into the evenings. It could be a car driving or someone swearing late in the night. The point is there was movement, there was life. Being secluded in the keep and doing nothing but training for the past eight months was starting to grow old. His younger dragon self-had also completely merged with him and through it he felt the need to explore, to conquer and of course to gather treasures.

Klaus had noticed this new quirk. He found himself more often than not looking at and coveting some of the relics in the keep. He mentally knew it was his as the keep was supposed to be his new home, but a part of him wanted to take the things and go hide it under his bed.

He also often went to look at the portrait of his father. He could sit for an hour and just study the man while wondering where he was. What he was doing and how long it would be before he met him. He knew it was a stupid and nonsensical thing to do, but he grew up believing no one cared or wanted him.

He was not naïve enough to think they loved him, but judging by what was left behind and built for him; he could not deny that his parents showed care or at least that they were willing to invest in him. It was a good feeling.

Beyond that, he lived and breathed training. He could now hold his own for longer than a minute against Pain and he landed a blow now and again… if he was lucky. For the most part - defending was all he could do. He was still angry with the demon, but being impotent in his rage he had learned to channel it.

Pain had also given him a ridiculously long and broad sword and he was forced to swing it around every day. Due to the rules they could not tell him why, but Klaus had trained in the sword with techniques meant to fight people.

From the broad strokes and large swings coupled with the humungous size of the sword it wasn’t difficult for Klaus to guess that the impractical sword was not meant to be use on humanoid beings.

He was being trained to fight monsters. Truck sized ones by the looks of it. Klaus could not help but think about the bear he had seen in his mother’s memories. It excited and filled him with dread at the same time. His new body, strength and speed gave him confidence though. ‘I just need to not be stupid, literally. Information will be the key. Our greatest weakness going into the Secret Worlds; is not knowing what to expect as we can’t be told. They can train us, but they can’t tell us what we are training for.’

Klaus’ musings were interrupted by Lilith when she sat down next to him. With her came the fresh smell of lavender and soap. ‘She must have taken a bath after training.’

Klaus gave her a once over. Her cheeks were still a bit red from what must have been a very hot shower or bath. Her blonde almost silver hair was up in a messy bun held by a pin. His eyes trailed over her lips and then her neck.

‘Down boy.’ He thought at himself and tore his gaze away. He was happy she did not notice him ogling her. Merging with the dragon had also enhanced other aspects. He was a teenager and often had thoughts about the opposite sex. It was natural, but his dragon half had seemed to enhance this. Being able to smell and see better did not help.

“Hey.” She finally said.

“Hey.” He replied. Klaus did not know why, but things had grown more awkward between them. Lilith had also completely stopped reading his thoughts. When they trained his defence against mind reading. She would retreat as soon as she managed to get inside his head. He could see something was weighing on her, but did not really know how to broach the subject.

They were currently sitting in the library. It was probably one of Klaus’ favourite rooms in the keep. It was large and circular on the count of being built into one of the towers. Book cases that stood three stories high surrounded a lavish lounge done in dark reds and vibrant golds. His favourite chair smelt like new leather. He had spent a lot of time in libraries when he was younger and the smell of the leather mixed with that of the books felt welcoming.

A large chandelier was the main source of light. Small adjustable lamps could also be found next to every chair. Right under the three story long window that was nestled between two book cases sat a large wooden desk. Klaus had never been in the library during the day so he had never seen the view outside the window.

Lilith for her part was chewing on her lip. The longer she had spent time with Klaus the more guilty and worried she had started to feel. She had also never felt motherly towards him it was complicated. She basically felt nothing during the first sixteen years of his life, after that was respect for the man he was becomming. A person of her age viewed time differently. Depending on how far people advanced and grew in the Secret Wolrds they could become thousands of years old.

She felt guilty, because she knew what dreams he had before his whole life was turned upside down and she knew what he had gone through to reach those dreams. She felt that it was mostly her fault because she dumped him in that place. Now he was going to face more danger and not have his dreams come true.

She was worried because Morgose knew this and Lilith knew the woman would not bat an eye before using it against her. So, she had made up her mind to confess and come clean.

“Klaus, we need to talk. I have something to show you and if you hate me afterwards I will understand. Just know it all happened during a time when I was… lost and I kind of feel like I still am. I just hope you can forgive me.”

Klaus looked at her. Lilith was now hugging her knees to her chest and he had never seen her so vulnerable. The way she sat revealed her shapely legs since she only wore a large t-shirt with faded print on it. Klaus ignored the eye candy since he knew it was no time for that and looked into her eyes that did not betray anything.

Her eyes drifted from his and she asked in an almost monotone. “Can I connect with your mind? It will not be one sided like before so you will be able to see inside my own as well.”

Klaus nodded. The only person he trusted at this point was her and this seemed important, besides that he had become quit proficient at fishing out consciousness that did not belong with his; since his had become so alien after the meld it was hard to mimic it.

He felt her “touch” a light brush against the fringes of his own self. He sensed blues of dread and yellows of hope and an all-encompassing guilt.

Willing himself to latch onto it he followed it to her centre and his mind lit up with memories not his own.

Lilith let out a gasp as she sensed the trust and care he now held for her. Her cheeks flushed a little when she also sensed the purples of attraction he felt for her and she became all too conscious of how close they were sitting together and what she was wearing. It was short lived though. She soon lost herself in the person that was Klaus. A large part of him blazed like the sun. In it she felt his confidence and drive to find his parents as well as to somehow still find a way to help children in this world. Another large part was a royal blue. In it she found pride. It was alien in how strong and unshakable it was. There was another part- far more scary even though it was miniscule compared to the other two. It was a slow smouldering red laced with blacks of anger that gave her a feeling of inevitability. She found herself pitying Pain. It was all pointed at the demon.

She swam through Klaus’ consciousness marvelling and enjoying it. She laughed when she found his frustration at wanting to hide things under his bed like a naughty child. She cried when she found the love and care he still felt for his long dead friend.

Klaus for his part was just as fascinated. Lilith was a kaleidoscope of warm oranges and cold blues. She carried a lot of care and love. A complicated love for him. He sensed respect and admiration for who he was as a person. Surprisngly she also felt love for her family, although it was laced with blues of disappointment and hurt. It did not bother Klaus, what bothered him was the guilt that overshadowed nearly everything she felt about him.

“Why all this guilt Lilith, what could have happened to make you feel like this?” He found himself asking aloud.

He felt her attention being drawn from his core to where he was and images started to play out. Images of her dropping him at the orphanage as well as the feelings she felt at the time. Klaus would lie if he said it did not hurt to be discarded so easily, but he still did not blame her for it. What followed, he found more difficult to process. He saw the day the shooting happened. Seeing his friend through the eyes of another, brought tears to his eyes. What happened next nearly made him cry out.

Lilith had seen the car coming and she had stopped the bullets that would have hit him at great cost. If he had jumped in front of the little girl she would no doubt have been safe as well, but he had stood frozen like an idiot.

Contrary to what Lilith thought she found Klaus blaming himself instead of her. So she reinforced him with her feelings of guilt and how things would have been different if she had never put him in the orphanage, but he lashed back with how he had made peace with who he was and how he was proud of who he had become due to his circumstances. He was just mourning his friend again.

He felt her forehead touch his and the two of them held each other.

The next morning found Klaus and Lilith snuggled in each other’s arms. They had spent the whole night connected and found comfort in their shared sorrow and guilt. What woke Klaus up was a beam of sunlight that streamed through the large window. It shone right into his eyes.

He nearly had a heart attack when he opened his eyes and found Pride standing like a spectre in the shadows. She did not comment on the snuggling pare because she did not really care. Klaus had come to know that the female demon was sent to serve him as punishment because she had let pride rule her actions and as a result people died. She was not repentant at all, of course.

The demon barely spoke. The only time she did was when she taught him first aid, which mostly happened after the spars. Klaus had to practice on himself. She had also taught him about the medicinal properties that a lot of the plants had in the strange garden surrounding the keep.

The side of the library that Pride was standing on was the “restricted” section. Restricted not because Klaus did not have access, but because any book that had information on the Secret Worlds turned into gibberish if he tried to read it- Unless it was something that he had come to learn of physically; like the plants in the garden and his abilities.

“Can you please prepare something to eat for us?” Klaus asked the silent demon.

She did not say anything, but gestured towards what Klaus thought was a shadow. As soon as the shadow moved- Klaus made out the form of one of the Imp-things, before it disappeared through the huge double doors with a pitter patter of its feet.

Pride finally spoke. “Pain is expecting you after you have eaten. You will find him in the study next to the gym, like always.”

‘If rolling one’s eyes was a thing for demons, Pride would be a master at it.’ Klaus could almost hear her saying “Ugh, why me.” Every time she spoke to him. He was not aware of it before the meld, but he now found it irksome so he would give her stupid instructions as often as he could.

“Can you please pour me a drink?” Pride stared at him for a few seconds and then walked towards the liquor cabinet.

“No, no. I would like some orange juice… freshly squeezed, by you.” He did not know if she would actually do it, but that wasn’t really the point.

He saw her hands slightly twitch and then she walked out of the door.

“You are really evil, you know that?” Lilith’s sleepy voice made Klaus smile and he patted her back and took on an air one would expect from a pompous noble in the olden times.

He then said with an over the top posh accent. “It is her privilege and fortune to serve one such as myself.”

Lilith was on Klaus’ chest and when he looked down their eyes met. The laughter stopped and for a moment they just looked at each other. Klaus felt his nether regions stir, but he knew Lilith did not see him that way so he broke eye contact. The large shirt had ridden up as they slept and her long legs were on clear display. He wasn’t sure what she had on under the shirt, so it was a pleasant surprise to see it was cotton short, shorts.

Lilith lowered her head not sure what to do, her heart was beating fast. She thought Klaus would never be atracted to her because of what she did. For a moment her imagination ran away from her as images of them in hundred years spilled through her mind. She knew how fiercely Klaus loved and how highly he placed loyalty. She saw herself being happy in in her imagination.

Klaus made the decision for her. “We need to get up and I need a shower before breakfast.” He lifted her up and off of him as easy as one would pick up a baby and put her down next to him.

He had made progress with the maw and found that it could somehow change what felt like potential energy into physical strength and endurance. He had not tried to open the maw more than what he remembered it being. Instinct told him it would be a bad idea.

Lillith watched him walk out of the library without saying a word. A thought came unbidden to her when she suddenly shivered. ‘I miss his warmth.’

The library suddenly seemed cold so she made her way to her room in order to also have a shower. Her face was one of confusion.

After a particularly lonely breakfast and an awesome glass of orange juice, Klaus made his way to the gym to what he expected would be another beating, but to his surprise none of the usual equipment was set up and Pride was nowhere to be seen near the nurse’s station.

“Good morning, Young Master.”

Klaus felt Pain’s breath in his neck and his hackles rose. It was all he could do in order to not start fighting right then and there. With his jaw clenched he turned to the demon. “Why did you call me here?”

Pain turned around and walked towards the study. “I called Young Master because you need to make a decision.”

Before Klaus could ask what it was about. The demon was already in the study and it forced Klaus to follow him in. On the ornate desk rested three envelopes.

Pain sat down and gestured towards them and said. “I have no doubt that Young Master has not forgotten about the incident that involved Lilith’s… family. Well what they did was no doubt deplorable.” The way the demon smiled when he said it showed he did not care about their methods only that they did it to Klaus.

“Well, I can’t fault them for trying since garnering support for the Secret Worlds is large part of surviving it. The Introduction is four months away and families have been sending letters with promises of boons in order to garner your attention. I have vetted them and chosen a few that are worth Young Master’s time.”

Klaus looked at the envelopes again and shoved the rage he felt for Pain aside.

Pain nodded in approval when he saw Klaus’ attention shift almost immediately. “I am glad Young Master understands the seriousness of what you need to do.”

“Don’t patronize me. Continue to explain.”

Pain pointed at the first envelope. “I am sure you can guess from the insignia, but this is from the Roth branch on this world.”

Klaus looked at the insignia and felt irritated when he saw the tree being white instead of red like he instinctively felt it should be. He had lived through that battle. He had seen what happened first hand and he felt like the insignia was offensive. Tapping on it he looked at Pain. “Why do they still have the old emblem?”

“Very astute of you to notice; similar to most families the Roth have factions. Some believe that the battle never happened and some blame your ancestors for destroying the tree. From what little history we managed to gather. The factions started on the day of the battle. Those that remained behind to guard the tree became one while the few that survived became another faction.” Pain leaned forward, his neck becoming longer. “I never asked, but who were you in the battle.”

Klaus squared his shoulders. He felt no need to hide it. In fact he felt pride in what his ancestor had accomplished. “I was the one who took the heart.”

For the first time he saw the perpetual evil smile fade from Pain’s face. “You were the general’s son?”

Klaus nodded.

Pain stood up and walked up and down. “This is unprecedented. Your awakening is the closest to the source any Roth has ever been in recorded history. I must write down every single detail of what you experienced.”

Seeing that Klaus was about to refuse, Pain took Klaus’ hand and said in a voice that bordered on begging. “Please, please let me do this it will be of the utmost value.”

Klaus ripped his arm out of Pain’s hand. It had started to burn like usual. “Fine.”

Klaus looked at the letter in disgust. “I do not think that I will meet these other Roth.” The last word was said as if it’s an insult.

Pain nodded, but still tried to reason. “I understand, especially since you probably saw everything.”

Klaus frowned. “There is going to be a “But”, Isn’t there?”

Pain nodded. “But, I suggest you go if only to see a small part of what you will be up against. I also very strongly suggest you do not mention who you were in the awakening.”

Klaus did not like that. It was a point of pride for him and he did not want to hide it, but he knew it was necessary. “I will do as you suggest, for now. However, they better hope I die early because if I get strong enough to swallow worlds they will be the first to suffer.”

Pain smiled even more broadly than usual. “The Master would be proud to hear those words.”

It was the first compliment Klaus got from Pain and he smiled back at the demon. “The first one on my bucket list is still you.”

Pain’s face split in two. “I look forward to it. Now, the second envelope is a request of support from the Prodigium. They are a… interesting family. Quite unique but very young as far as families go. Their alliance will carry pros and cons. Pros being that they are not as well established and thus are very pliable and open to reform compared to others. Don’t let that make you underestimate them. They have very powerful members and can contend in the upper echelons if only for a while. Their greatest need right now is recourses and that is something we have a lot of. The cons are that they are rather unhinged, but Young Master managed to put up with us so it should not be a problem. Your heritage should also give you the ability to better control them if their heir should go… feral.”

“Feral?” Klaus could not help but ask.

Pain smoothed his hands over the desk. “Their bloodline is unstable and they are still learning to control certain aspects of it. They do not lose most of their members to the Secret World, but rather the Monsters they carry inside them. I have placed all the information you will need inside the envelope.”

Pain pointed to the last envelope. “Last but by far not least are the Scientia. They are a very old and well known family. Their ancestors, like yours can be traced back to before the battle. They deal in knowledge and all its forms. Having one as an ally will yield great benefits once you enter the Secret Worlds. You will understand once you get introduced to the Secret Worlds. I will try and speak one word. When the time comes remember this word and it will lead you to where you need to go. Guild.”

Klaus nodded. He wanted to ask more, but blood started to bubble from Pain’s mouth while the demon smiled. “That cost me more than I anticipated.”

A handkerchief appeared from somewhere and he wiped at the blood. There was no visible change to the demon, but Klaus sensed something was very off. Pain did not mention anything so neither did Klaus.

“I take it.” Pain said after a moment. “Young master has made a decision.”

“Yes, I will go meet these people. I don’t trust you, but I trust your devotion to my mother and the cause.”

Pain stood up rather slowly. “I would not have it any other way. Luckily the Roth is holding a banquet in three days and just about every family based on this planet will be there. Suffice to say there will be ample opportunity to meet representatives from all the envelopes on this table.”

Klaus stood up as well and picked up the envelopes. “I will read these and prepare thoroughly.”

Klaus aimed for the exit, but came to a stop when Pain spoke again. “Politics are a dangerous game, Young Master. I implore you to always keep a cool head and that will win you half the battle.”

Hearing this Klaus turned around and walked back to the desk. He muttered to himself and then stuck out his hand towards Pain.

Needless to say the demon was beyond surprised, but he quickly stuck out his own hand with his signature sick smile.

Klaus took a deep breath and their hands touched in a handshake. The nerves in his hand started to burn as soon as they touched, but he bore it and said through clenched teeth. “It’s time for me to play the game.” Klaus closed his eyes and let the Pain wash through him and relaxed his jaw before letting go.

Pain quickly sat down again while wiping more blood from his mouth.

“Pain.”

The demon looked up at Klaus.

“Thank you.”

Klaus was gone before Pain could reply.