« Looks like Cillian got the achievement. Which one was it? »
There’s a silence in the car, cold and heavy as a cliff wall. « #57, » says Ross quietly. « “Die.” »
Balin begins to weep.
I stop the car. There’s a small poof of dust as the vehicle settles in the center of the dirt road. I climb out. It’s cold in my chest where my numb arms meet my ribcage. I can’t even feel my fingers grasping onto the side of the door.
« Ellery says that we should’ve expected something like this, » says Chase. « He says to look at #77. »
#77 is “Steal the apples of immortality for one in need.”
« Evan says that Malachi has a theory. He says that he can’t see how something we dream in here could physically hurt either a branch or a nul-entity. He thinks that Cillian’s spark is loose in the pleroma – like the soul being out of the body. Remember what happened to Vassali? So Ellery had Tervok put the corpse into the cryogenic unit. »
« Wait – there’s a cryogenic unit in Squirrelworld? »
« All theme parks have had cryogenic freezers since 1955, » says Chase. « I thought everyone knew that. »
« Right. Our priorities have changed. We have to find the apples of immortality. Does anyone have an idea where they are? »
« Dermot says those kinds of apples are always on an island, » Chase reports.
« Then Evan is just going to have to put the search for Quennel on hold. Have the swan boat head towards Ashvattha Isle. And tell Ailann to leave Ellery with Cillian and take the rest of his team down to the shore to meet Evan. »
« Um, » says Chase. « About that. »
I give him the icy stare of death.
« Ailann’s in the Oktoberfest tent, drunk off his ass, » says Chase.
Oh God.
« It isn’t just Cillian, » says Chase. « It’s that Ailann kinda…went nuts. He killed the sniper. »
« Ailann killed. Ailann, the compassionate god, killed. »
« Yeah, » says Chase. « It’s fucked up. »
« Ask Marius the location of the closest hovertrain station from here. We’re going to Squirrelworld. Also ask him what the total invader count is right now. »
« Thirty-five, » says Chase. « There were the five at Squirrelworld, and another disappeared in the north. And he says that there’s a place called Shroomtown due east from here which has a train platform. »
« The odds are getting better. Someone can take the car back to pick up the others, and then meet us back at Merenis. Hopefully, Ace will have caught a fish by then. »
« I can’t drive, » says Whirljack.
« Neither can I, » says Ross.
« Is it anything like flying a spaceship? » asks Chase. « I used to fly Suzanna’s ship. »
« Not really, but if you could learn to fly a spaceship, a hovercar is considerably easier. Balin, you can go with him. »
Balin looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t. Probably what he wants to say is that we should continue to get rid of the invaders, then try to figure out what’s going on outside in the Domha’vei. But I don’t give a fuck. Losing Cillian is not an option.
« Ash, » I mutter under my breath, « now would be a good time to stop this silly game. »
« Marius says that he’s not so sure going to that town is a good idea, » says Chase. « He says that there are three invaders converging on it. Also, there’s one heading up towards the cabin. »
« It’s like they know where we are. Could they know where we are? »
« They’re telepaths, » says Balin. « Or SongLuminants. »
« Wait. Ask Marius if any of the invaders are headed towards Squirrelworld or towards the group we haven’t made contact with. »
« He says that there are some going towards Squirrelworld, but none towards the final group. He says that group is definitely moving towards Ophion, but the attackers are moving back towards the coast. »
« Try this on for size: if you’re recognized, the invaders can recognize you. If you’re not, then you look like part of the landscape, like the simulated people and animals inside of the pleroma. »
« That could explain why I and I hasn’t suspended the quest, » says Whirljack. « There’s an advantage in having stealth agents. »
« If that’s the case, » says Balin, « then the best strategy is to use the recognized ones as bait, having the others lurk in ambush. »
« Good thinking. When we reach the town, I’m going to drop off Whirljack and Blackjack. The rest of us will drive around aimlessly for a while, hoping to get the invaders’ attention. We’ll meet back at the train platform, where the two of you will be hiding, and we’ll draw them into our trap. »
It feels good to be doing something definite and purposeful. Marius watches the movement of the outsiders, keeping us informed of their movements.
« Look! » shouts Chase, pointing to a sign. It says, “Welcome to Mushroom Fest.”
« Mushrooms, » says Ross. « Ugh. »
« No, man, look at those fields. »
The foothills of the mountains are speckled with nubs of turquoise. « Those are blue moth mushrooms, » says Chase. « Enough to get all of us high, well, forever. »
« Achievement #21 is “Collect 5kg of blue moth mushrooms,” » says Ross.
« But if we try for the achievement, the one recognized will give away his position. Let’s hold off on that until Chase comes back with the others – one of them can pick up the easy achievement. But it gives me an idea. It looks like there are shops in the town. »
« You want to go shopping? » asks Ross.
« For a few things. Art supplies. Yarn. »
« Oh, I get it, » says Balin. « You want to bring them to Squirrelworld so that some of those guys can pick up the easy achievements. »
I give Whirljack and Blackjack a kiss goodbye before they head off towards the station. In the middle of my kiss with Blackjack, I realize that I don’t want to let go. I don’t want to let any of them go, not after what happened to Cillian.
I can’t think about that. Losing Cillian is not an option. Losing any of them is not an option.
We discover an art and craft store. Ross, Chase and I grab a few canvases, a set of oils, brushes, turpentine, a palate, a set of crochet hooks, scissors, assorted colors of yarn, and a holo on how to crochet. « Any other ideas? »
« How about #29: “Make a collage representing the pleroma”? » asks Chase.
« Collage is more of a found objects kind of thing – but maybe we need glue and poster-board. »
Balin enters the store – carrying four rifles. « Hunting supply shop, » he says, tossing one to me.
« Now we’re cooking with fire, » I reply. It’s a nice piece, well-balanced, with automatic sights. It’s not the kind of thing I’m used to – I’ve never gone hunting. The weapons I’m trained on are much more efficient means of mass-murder. But I feel better with a gun in my hands.
Ross and Chase, on the other hand, look a little green. « Sorry, no, » says Chase, shaking his head.
« It’s an emergency, » says Balin. « I’m not happy about it either. »
« Maybe we can use them to look threatening, » says Ross. « We could fire into the air. »
« Not a good idea, » I tell them. « If you have a gun, be prepared to kill. Otherwise, your enemy will take it away from you. »
« I’ll throw the extras in the trunk, then, » says Balin. « We might be glad for them later. »
« Anything else we can do? »
« There’s a bookstore, » says Chase.
« A what? » asks Ross.
« A place that sells books. You know, those things that people used to read before everyone had a datapad. »
« Weird, » says Balin.
« They’re made of paper, » says Chase. « Wood-pulp paper. »
« That’s horrifying, » says Ross.
« I don’t want to think about it, » says Balin. « Do you think it’s time to go shoot someone? »
As we pass the shop, I notice a display in the window. It’s a photo book entitled Vikings and Their Ways. It seems familiar, so I pull the list from my pocket. Sure enough, achievement #34 is “Learn something significant by studying the Vikings.” I grab a copy of the book, then we get back into the car and head for the station.
According to Marius, the intruders should already be there, waiting for us. Unfortunately, he has no way of knowing if Whirljack and Blackjack are there, but they should have been waiting for the attackers. We’ll draw their attention, and while they focus on us, the twins will take them out.
That was the plan, anyway. But it isn’t my plan.
Three weapons are drawn on four of us. As I expected, Balin, Chase and Ross step forward to protect me. At that exact moment, the brothers jump out from the shadows, knocking aside two of our attackers. Balin takes a huge leap forward, charging the remaining enemy. That leaves me clear for a shot.
For two shots. Two attackers struggling with two brothers. As one of them knees Blackjack in the groin, I shoot him between the eyes. Then I pivot on one leg and peg the one fighting Whirljack. The rifle really is a work of art, smooth and accurate.
Balin has taken his mark to the ground, but she’s fast, and rolls out from under him. Before she can stand, I blow away her heart.
The emanations gawk at me in shock. I shrug. « It’s no big deal, guys. I’ve killed in combat plenty of times, and I didn’t want you to have to do it. »
Also, I thought it would make me feel better about Cillian – but it didn’t.