It took Daniel only a few seconds to accept the call.
“Adam! Please tell me you called because you’re finally going to accept my offer,” he half-shouted through the phone, his voice laced with the usual hope and excitement.
I grimaced and shook my head—not that Daniel could see it.
“My dad was outside,” I said aloud, not bothering to beat around the bush.
When Daniel didn’t say anything, I continued. “A Blessed found him severely wounded and brought him back to the Bastion.”
“Fuck,” Daniel blurted.
“That’s one way to put it.”
My feet carried me to the skytrain station, but I didn’t enter the next train to the ninth sector. I sat on an empty bench at the far end of the station and leaned back, ignoring my body’s pleas for more thorough rest.
“I’m sorry to hear that. If there’s anything I can do to help you, don’t hesitate to ask,” Daniel said, hesitating before adding, “Even if it’s about money. I know you don’t like talking about it, but—”
“He found an egg,” I interrupted him. “I’ve never seen an egg like that, which is why I was unsure at first. After all, how could a beast egg look like a small mass of mud? Yet my World reacted to it.”
Against my expectations, Daniel remained silent. He said nothing for several seconds until he pointed out what I’d dreaded most.
“Adam, in the names of the Rulers, please... don’t tell me you sold it already,” Daniel said, but it sounded more like he was begging me, “No, you probably didn’t. You wouldn’t have called me if that was the case. But you are thinking about it, aren’t you?”
I couldn’t answer. My throat tightened, and the words wouldn’t escape my lips.
“Dude, don’t even think about it! If your World responds to the beast egg, it is invaluable,” Daniel hissed. “To your World, that is. It won’t have a great synergy with other Worlds. And while that doesn’t mean Blessed will have problems binding the egg to their Worlds, you should discard any thoughts of selling it!”
The more Daniel said, the less patient he sounded. I imagined him ruffling through his hair, trying to get through to me.
“Drop what you’ve been doing and come over. I’m in the second sector, a shop called Bert’s Beaster. You know, the one I’ve been talking about? Meet me there as soon as possible!”
I raised an eyebrow and looked at the phone screen quizzically. Was it just me, or did he sound like he wouldn’t forgive me if I were to sell the beast egg?
“You do realize that unBlessed shouldn’t be in the second sector, right?”
It wasn’t like the Rulers prevented anyone from going to the first and second sector, but the ether density in the sectors closest to the Bastion’s main sector weighed heavily on unBlessed. The dome protected the Bastion’s residents not only from beasts but also from the ether permeating the air. Contrary to most theories of the past, ether was not harmful to ordinary residents—not directly, at least. However, a higher ether density weighed heavily on unBlessed and would lead to ‘changes’ after years, possibly decades, of exposure. Those changes included mutations of not only the body but also the mind and sometimes even the World.
Rarely, such mutations were benevolent. In most cases, they led to problems. The loss of sanity and death due to ether-created illnesses weren’t rare either. That was another reason the rich prepared juvenile beasts and beast eggs for their young as early as possible—to protect their offspring from the ether that couldn’t be expelled, transforming it into a source of power instead.
Authorities transformed the main sector and those adjacent to it into Blessed Zones, using devices to pull the ether within the dome toward the Bastion’s center, protecting the unBlessed from the ether traces passing through the dome’s protection—as long as the unBlessed stayed away from the ether-dense sectors, which forced them to settle in the outer sectors.
But as amazing as that sounded, I sincerely doubted the authorities had the unBlessed’s well-being in mind. No matter how I looked at the situation, the ether devices used to gather ether in the main sector separated Blessed and unBlessed more than anything else. It created a rift between them.
Blessed would gather near the ether-densest areas, using the density to train more and longer, whereas the unBlessed were forced outward. Worse even, if something were to happen and the dome fell, the unBlessed would be the first to be attacked by beasts.
“A few hours won’t harm you. And it’s not like you’re going to stay unBlessed forever,” Daniel dismissed my worries, sounding oddly certain.
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It was almost like it was no longer a question whether I was going to bind the egg or not.
“You work in Bert’s Beaster, right? By chance…can we examine the egg there?” I chose to play along. After all, more information about the egg would help me make a final decision.
Though, I had the feeling there was no longer a decision to make.
“That’s the whole point, dude! Teach might not like it if we use his tools, but he’s not here anyway. I will be damned if I won’t be able to use the Analyzor to give you a helping hand!”
That sounded good enough, so I checked my phone for the next skytrain to the second sector and boarded it when it arrived at the station ten minutes later. All the while, Daniel kept talking, trying to convince me to bind the egg.
“If money is your biggest problem, I can give you some. Loan you a bundle of cash for no interest if you’re unwilling to accept a gift,” he offered for the umpteenth time, but that didn’t change anything.
“Yeah… after your parents threatened to cut you off because you asked them to purchase a Wild beast egg for me when we were younger.” I snorted, getting angry as old memories resurfaced. “You piss-boy acted like I pushed you into asking your parents for that when it was your plan all along! My parents are still scared your family is going to hunt them. Or worse, hunt me. Mom would probably faint if she knew that we’re going to meet up again.”
Daniel groaned in exaggerated misery. “Bro, that was ages ago. I’m a different man! My parents won’t say anything. I swear!”
Swear my ass!
I was grateful for Daniel’s offer. And if I had to be honest, I would love to accept his help. Daniel was not in need of money. He never had been, and likely never would be. And right now, I needed that kind of money—especially with my father recovering in the hospital.
It meant a lot that Daniel tried to help, but I couldn’t take the risk. Daniel’s parents were probably outside hunting beasts and wouldn’t return to the Bastion for a while. Both were Blessed—and far from the weakest, given the stories Daniel dropped whenever we chatted. Plus, his parents were scary, which was a bad combination. Bad and scary did not align. Especially not when it came to asking their son for a loan. Or worse, an expensive gift.
“How about I go hunt and drop the earnings ‘coincidentally’ into your bank account?”
I rolled my eyes and felt my string of patience tear.
“Fuck that shit, dude!” I snapped in the compartment. Several people looked at me, but I couldn’t take it any longer. Not after hearing Daniel say something like that. Not… after seeing my father pushed to the brink of death because he ventured outside the dome… for me.
‘I am terribly sorry, Mr. Zerog and Mrs. Zerog, but your son died outside hunting beasts to pay for my family’s debts.’
No. Fucking. Way!
Daniel didn’t look like he got the notice, even as I glared daggers at him.
“Don’t worry, I’m not that weak. Furthermore, the outside is not that dangerous for a Blessed—if you know where to go and what areas to avoid. And I do know where to go. I’ve been outside a few times already and could make a few quick kills and—”
As much as I liked Daniel, he was a stubborn chatterbox. Frustratingly so.
And he was obnoxious.
“It’s really not a problem. Once you are a Blessed, small sums like your bills won’t be an issue.”
Great. Call me poor. It’s not like I don’t know that already, moron!
“If we capture a few good-looking Wilds with decentish potential, we could earn a fortune for you and repay your family’s debts and other outstanding bills,” Daniel said excitedly. I vividly imagined him smiling through the phone.
“However, that would require you to bind the beast egg and some training.”
He didn’t stop. He never did, and continued bombarding me with reasons to bind the beast egg. Every word rang in my ears, pushing me closer to madness.
How long till we reach that damn station?
It was time to beat the living shit out of Daniel—or at least punch him in the face… which would probably break my hand rather than Daniel’s face. Regardless, justice had to be served.
“You have no reason to worry about me. My parents do want me to go outside now and then either way. Furthermore, I have to harvest resources for Teach, too. After all, the beast parts and herbs used in my studies are collected by none other than me, myself, and I!!” he said joyously. “It might be dangerous if a strong beast appears, but I was taught well. My parents and Teach worked hard to ensure I can hold my weight outside. Protecting you in one of the lower zones won’t be a problem.”
My anger subsided slowly, and I found myself listening more intently to Daniel.
“Plus…” He cleared his throat and hesitated for a good moment before continuing, “My parents won’t say anything. They would probably scold me if something were to happen to one of us, but that’s it. You know, that incident in the past was my mistake. My parents were just worried about my well-being when I brought you with me that time. And… I have already cleared the misunderstanding. Don’t you remember the day my parents came to your house to apologize to your parents about what happened? Or have you forgotten already?”
How could I have forgotten about that? Just thinking about my mom passing out when she opened the door to Daniel’s parents made me shudder.
“I get it. I really do. And you really think I should….” My defense was crumbling. I could clearly feel it.
I wanted that egg.
It was selfish, but if I could hunt some monsters and pay for my parents’ debts all while fixing all my problems as well… wouldn’t that be the perfect solution?
It was damn dangerous, but Daniel was more experienced with… everything, really. And he was confident. I may have never hunted a beast, but Daniel had. His parents were powerful Blessed too, and they’d taught him. So it should be fine to rely on him a little—right?
I swear, this guy’s a master manipulator.
“Let’s stop that nonsense and figure out what’s inside that egg first, okay?” I asked, but my voice had lost its edge.
Daniel laughed. “Dude, finally! I want to go hunt with you!!!”
Excited bastard! I cursed him silently, but the corner of my lips tilted upward, and there was nothing I could do about it.