Exactly a day after they'd put him in the cage, Garet the spearman came out and opened the gate.
"I hope you've got something," he said as he escorted Blake outside. "Chief's in a bad mood today."
Blake sighed. "Not as bad as he seems, eh?"
Garet frowned and gestured up the hill. It was a long walk, and Blake's heart increased at the possibility of the somewhat random chief doing something unexpected. Why couldn't he have gotten a simple brute? Instead it seemed the man knew something about intimidation and fear. Blake went through the opened door past a few miserable looking guards, then straight into Sebastian's 'office'. The big Australian was holding his shield and playing with the edge as he stared out his window.
"Ready to see if you die?"
Blake bowed his head and tried to appear as subdued and terrified as possible. "I'm finished, Chief Sebastian. I've done what you asked."
"Meaning what, exactly?"
Blake looked back and forth as if confused. "Meaning all the male civilians are ready to sign a service contract with you, great chief, right now."
The big man's eyes widened and he clearly struggled to fight his surprise and pleasure. Then he drummed his fingers on his shield.
"That doesn't help me much. The men would have signed soon enough anyway. It'll put them in houses with beds and three decent meals a day. They're only in there out of…solidarity, or some bullshit." He leaned forward in his chair with a creak, licking his lips as his eyes practically shone with lust. "I want the women. I want them bonded."
Blake took a dramatic breath and wiped at his brow, as if he were exhausted. "It's been a day, as we agreed. But I'm not a miracle worker, I need…"
"Then you're no good to me!" A vein bulged in Sebastian's neck as he rose and screamed. "Take him! Drag him to the fucking fence. I'll bash his brains in right there in front of all of them."
"Wait!" Blake threw himself down to his knees as if terrified. "All I need is a little time! I can get you the women. Bonded. All of them."
The guards burst in but Sebastian held up his hand. His chest heaved. "How much time?"
He's going to half whatever I tell him, Blake decided. How long would Mason need? He had no way of knowing. Like so many things, he would just have to guess and rely on his gut.
"Two weeks. Maybe a bit more, but if I can…"
"Too long," Sebastian growled. "You have exactly one. And I want them signing service with the men. Right now."
Shit, Blake thought, seeing how readily the man bit. Maybe I should have said four.
"I'll…I'll have to go talk to them."
"Then go. They agree, or you die."
Blake nearly smiled as he looked at the man's eyes. It was a bluff. He could see Blake's value now and there was no way he was going to kill him if it helped give him what he so desperately wanted.
"I'll do my best," Blake put on his most sniveling voice. Then he rose and backed out of the room like he was leaving his bloody emperor, and the guards didn't try to stop him. He left the hall with Garet at his side, and gave the man another sideward glance. "Not so bad, he says. Just make yourself useful, he says."
The spearman winced but said nothing, and Blake sent a healthy dose of Mentally Influenced doubt into the man's mind.
"You agree with this craziness? All the other players? You guys really think there aren't bigger problems in this world to worry about?"
Garet glanced around and brought his voice to a whisper. "He came out of a tutorial with a following. Three other players. Between them, they're too powerful. Too much for the rest of us who are a bit more…moderate." He shrugged. "But this is the world now. Ruled by the strong."
The world was always ruled by the strong, Blake thought. There's just different kinds of strength.
They marched him back to the civilians, and he explained the situation. All the women exchanged looks of despair.
"With a service contract they still can't hurt you, can't…abuse you," he explained. "You're just like employees."
"Yeah," said Sarah, the youngest and prettiest, "except they can make us scrub their floors and wash their shoes all day long. Maybe even pick our outfits."
"This asshole is going to demean us every chance he gets," chimed in Linda.
Blake nodded because they were absolutely right and there was no point in sugar coating it. "I know. But it won't be long. I promise you. One week and then it'll be over."
He could see they were still terrified. He tried to think of something else to say but the men did it for him. One by one they hugged the women and whispered comforting words. "It'll be alright," Hank finally soothed. "You can break the contract if you have to. You'll take a penalty but in the end that's not so bad. They can't make us sign that bonded contract, that's the truth."
The older man's calm tone and manner finally put the girls at ease. They smiled bravely, and nodded. All, that is, except Seul-ki.
"We have a, um," a sheen of sweat glistened on her brow. "I can't…because I'm not…"
The other girls looked at her with confusion, and Blake was about to calm her down when Sebastian himself roared from outside the cage. Apparently he'd made his way down.
"Well? Let's see it, pretty boy. Service contracts. All of them. Now!"
Blake almost smiled because he realized the chief actually trusted him. He knew, or at least expected, Blake could get it done. He came down because he wanted everyone to see his 'power'. To see he was in control.
"We're ready, chief," Blake said without hesitation. "With one exception. I needed an assistant. Seul-ki is a kind of caster apprentice class. She'll help me serve you, but I need her to sign a service contract."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed, and he searched the girls.
"You dare?" He snapped. "Which girl do you think you're taking?"
Seul-ki stepped forward and bowed without expression. The big man's eyes went up and down her baggy clothes and unremarkable figure, her plain, almost unattractive face. A cruel sneer mixed with a smile slashed across his face.
"You're a lucky man. If you'd picked any of the others I'd have killed you for that." He chuckled, and Blake desperately hoped he'd leave it at that, leave his nastiness unspoken. But of course he didn't. "You like 'em plain, do you, Blake? I understand. More grateful that way. I think you might fit in around here after all. Take him and his little whore out of there, Garet. Give him one of the spare houses. Then all you civilians come up to the hall and sign your contracts. Watching that should be enjoyable, at least. Move your asses."
With that he turned and marched back up the hill, and Blake took Seul-ki's hand without meeting her eyes, very ashamed of what was said, and strangely enough, he found, on the verge of enraged. He hid his expression just as Seul-ki hid hers, and they walked together towards their new house.
* * *
Blake and Seul-ki stepped inside the little townhouse, and at last their escort turned and left them completely alone.
"Seul-ki," he said, still holding her hand and stopping her as she tried to move further inside. "That man is a vile, disgusting cretin. And you aren't…"
"Please." Seul-ki was blushing slightly and put one hand to her face. "You don't need to. But I would like to use the washroom and be alone for a little while."
"Of course." Blake wanted to take the poor girl in his arms but refrained.
Instead he sat down at the lone table and meditated to clear his mind. He notice his profile was blinking and looked at the text floating in the corner of his vision.
[Experience gained. Level four reached.]
Apparently between his many manipulations with Mental Influence, and just getting his way, he'd been gaining experience slowly but steadily. He pulled up the screen.
Blake Nimitz
Class: Arcanist
Strength - 2
Dexterity - 2
Vitality - 2
Intellect - 7
Will - 5
Presence - 9
Luck - 42
Titles: Alpha01, Alpha Tester, Patron, Killer
Powers: Mental Influence, Telekinesis, Meditation, Mind Bend, Arcane Affinity
Please select your power enhancement, or one will be selected for you.
Apparently he'd gained a power automatically—'Arcane Affinity', which didn't indicate exactly what it did, but Blake had played enough role playing games to get the idea. He'd be able to use certain items or activate certain bonuses, and likely be susceptible to certain harms as well. This didn't excite or concern him much, but he smiled at the other gain—a power enhancement.
His first thought was Meditation, but with Seul-ki he decided he didn't need it. What he needed was more power. Telekinesis was tempting in the long run, but ultimately he just wasn't using it much. He was surrounded by people, manipulating them constantly, and he knew what really mattered was Mental Influence and Mind Bend. After staring at both long enough they turned into almost meaningless blurred letters, he chose Mental Influence.
[Mental Influence upgrade options: A) Potence. Increased overall effect power. B) Observance. Gain limited sensory access to any target you form a mental link with.
Blake nearly picked option A outright before he really looked at both and considered. What he needed now was more control over the minds he was targeting, that was certain. But the possibilities…the sheer bloody, secret chasing, curiosity satisfying, voyeurism of option B…he couldn't stop himself, he took it. And God knew he'd be testing it very soon. But for the moment he returned to the reality of sitting in his kitchen with a cruel, power-thirsty tyrant waiting not far away.
Blake decided he was going to enjoy killing this man very much. When he couldn't sit anymore he looked around the house, finding an electric stove, a fridge, even a damn thermostat that could control hot or cold air. The little house had two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen, all of which looked modern and well insulated to his eyes. How the hell was it even powered? He hadn't seen any gas or power lines, and even if he had, what would be producing it? He opened the fridge, and found actual food, too. It looked like something you'd find in a decent convenience store—with little plastic wrapped sandwiches, bottles of juice and water. He sat and stewed, drinking and eating, lost in thought before he heard the bathroom door open and a bedroom door close. He walked over and knocked.
"Sorry to bother you, but there's food and drink in the fridge," he said. "Are you hungry?"
The door opened, and Seul-ki looked up with a polite, maybe even grateful smile.
"Famished."
Blake brought another chair, and they sat at the table together. Seul-ki still wouldn't meet his eyes, and he did his best to summon the right charm to put her at ease.
"Men are idiots," he said. When Seul-ki smiled a little he matched it and finally met her gaze. "You look very beautiful when you smile."
She looked away again, a slight flush rising to her cheeks. "You're a very kind man."
Something about this small, unfortunate girl thinking he was speaking from his heart started to bother him. "No, I'm not," he said with a sigh. "What I'm going to do to Sebastian isn't kind. And the truth is, you're the most valuable asset I've found in this game. I want you to know that. I want you to feel valued, Seul-ki, because there are many kinds of value. I could never beat Sebastian in a fist fight. But that makes me no less dangerous."
She looked at him now with a very different expression, almost less innocent in a way.
"Kind, and honest," she said, which made him uncomfortable enough to laugh.
"I don't think anyone has ever accused me of honesty before."
"In my country," Seul-ki said, "there is a saying. 'There is more than one way to tell the truth'. I think you have your own."
Blake smiled at that, very fond of having just the right saying for just the right time. He took Seul-ki's hand before she could pull it away, and gave it a squeeze.
"We are going to take Sebastian's men from him one by one. I'm free now to talk with his players. Eat with them. Learn their lives and details and personalities. The more information I have, the better my powers work. I'm going to turn them all against him, Seul-ki, or as many as I can."
"Your brother," said the woman carefully. "Is that true? Is he really coming to help us?"
Blake smiled, picturing the muscled frame and intense eyes of his brother in the strange screen by the fire. "Oh yes," he said with the same faith he had for himself. "Yes he is."