"Wait, wait! I'm not ready. I need a minute."
Haley started panicking as Mason tied his vine on the railing and said they'd be climbing down.
"My brother's out there," he said more harshly than he intended. "And he needs me. So either I tie this to you and lower you down, or you climb down. Go ahead and decide."
Haley's ample chest was rising and falling with deep, fearful breaths as she looked over the rail.
"What I mean is," she licked her lips. "I need to store all this stuff." She gestured at the barrels.
"What do you mean, 'store it'?"
"I mean I'm an Assistant, and as part of my class I have a kind of…invisible, untouchable storage space. And I can pretty much fit all this stuff. I assume you'd like me to do that?"
He shrugged, then nodded, thinking that sounded vaguely crazy. Except, you know, robot apocalypse. Haley walked to the provisions. "I can fit the barrels, too. So it'll be easy." Then one by one, the whole damn, maybe forty pound containers full of water and food, vanished into thin air.
"OK," Haley took a breath and put a long, toned leg over the rail. "I can climb, I think. I mean I'll try."
Her hands were shaking like leaves, and Mason shook his head.
"Come here." He tied the vine around her like a harness, over her shoulders and down beneath her thighs. As he wrapped it he had to put his hands all over her, and tried not to notice how soft and amazing she felt. "Hold onto it just in case. When you get to the ground, just stand there. I'll tie it off up here, climb down and get you out."
"OK," she said, biting her lip. "Are you sure it won't break?"
He met her eyes, and lied. "I'm sure."
But the vines were incredibly strong. They'd held much heavier, much more violent things than a little French Canadian girl, and he didn't worry much. When he finally coaxed her off the rail, he lowered her down hand over hand, and could hardly believe how easy it was. Apparently, he was getting stronger. He opened his profile as he lowered the vine.
Mason Nimitz
Level: 10
Class: Ranger
Strength: 7
Dexterity: 11
Vitality: 10
Intellect: 4
Will: 7
Presence: 2
Luck: 4
Titles: Killer, Early Lead, Soloist, Crazy like a Fox, Burnt the Boats, Patron
Powers: Power Shot, Crippling Strike (upgraded), Regeneration, Predator's Strike, *Nature Affinity, Ranger's Claw, Endless Quiver, Trapmaking, Aspect of the Wolf
[Level up still in progress. Please choose a secondary class before you leave your current dungeon, or one will be selected for you.]
"Shit," Mason said as he realized. He hadn't asked Blake what class he was or anything. Not that he'd had much time. Damn stingy robot god. All that risk and effort and his reward had been about a minute of seeing his brother? He'd have to be more careful with any kind of deals in the future, saying exactly what he wanted before he agreed. Ironically his brother would be far better at such things—even when they were little, he'd always thought like a lawyer.
The thought and image of Blake made him smile. In that small window his brother had looked healthy and safe with some allies, which was about as much as Mason could have hoped for. Now he just had to get to him.
[Available secondary classes: Archer, Druid, Rogue, Skirmisher, Warrior.]
What exactly did 'secondary' class mean?
[Tutorial query: A secondary class will provide some, but not all, of the benefits of a class. A player's primary class determines his main focus, while a secondary class acts as supplemental support and synergy.]
Alright. Straight forward enough. And since he had no idea what benefits he'd get, only getting some didn't make much difference. He realized Haley was already on the ground now and looking at him with confusion, but she could wait. He tied the vine around the rail, and looked at the descriptions.
[Archer: Martial affinity. Ranged damage specialist. May follow several paths, but all lead to killing from afar.]
[Druid: Nature affinity. The druid is a natural student of magic. Capable of inflicting elemental destruction, protection, and support. This class is especially dangerous in natural environments.]
[Rogue: Martial affinity. A specialist in subterfuge and ambush, the rogue is a fragile but deadly weapon.]
[Warrior. Martial affinity. A versatile melee specialist, with powers usable by many weapons. Can be offensive or defensive in focus.]
Mason exhaled, unsure. Some of these he could have chosen for his 'main' class back at level one, which he suspected meant these too would 'upgrade' just as hunter had become ranger. Instinct told him that being a specialist was the path to greater power. Druid was the only class that shared his nature affinity, and he had already seen the immense power of the gnoll shamans. On the other hand, suddenly using mana might only give him weak casting skills and fail to properly enhance his main advantages of physical speed and strength. He clenched his teeth, struggling to decide.
Druid would make him even more vulnerable in 'non-natural environments', but then he had no intention of ever being in one. He'd stay in the wild, moving fast, keeping quiet, and make anything that wanted to kill him come where he was strong. And maybe being a druid would help him find his brother, or survive better in the giant forest that seemed to be his world.
He realized he knew what he wanted, and stopped screwing around. It was worth the risks. He chose druid.
[Level in progress. Stat progression modification. Mana gained. Synergy discovered. Immediate power change: Aspect of the Wolf to Aspect of the Cheetah]
[Title gained. Progenitor. +2 to all relevant statistics. You are the first player in the world to gain a secondary class.]
Mason grinned as he lowered himself down. Whatever exactly the power modification did, he knew cheetahs were bloody fast. And the first to gain a second class? Out of everyone in the world? Was what he'd faced in the tutorial dungeon truly that rare and beneficial?
As he stepped down to the hard wooden floor, his vision blurred and the cavern swayed slightly. He closed his eyes and took deep, steadying breaths.
[Incorporating new class.]
"Mason? Mason?"
The girl's voice was concerned and very far away as Mason stumbled, then collapsed. He heard a strange whirring sound and looked up, the air blurring and mixing with some kind of dull light. He saw bits and pieces of ghostly text as he did when he received messages, but these were jumbled and mostly nonsense. It helped not to focus too hard, and when he did he could make out a few words amongst the garbled nonsense, just as he had when he'd gained Apex Predator.
[Extreme anomaly]
[0.004% survival likelihood. Enhanced observance recommended]
[/subsys escalation]
[Uniqueness Acknowledged]
[Incorporation complete]
Mason's sickness ended instantly. He noticed a little blue tinge in his peripheral vision and somehow knew this represented his mana. So it must have worked. He shook his head and stood, finding Haley had wrapped her arms around him to help him stand. She was kind, it seemed, as well as beautiful. That was going to make what he had to do harder.
"Thanks." He gently pushed her away. "So, look. I need to find my brother."
"Right," she nodded, like she was preparing herself for the effort.
"Finding him is probably going to mean I have to cover a huge amount of ground, as fast as possible." He really didn't know how to say it. "There's a giant forest outside. And I'm intending to basically run everywhere I go."
"OK," she said, a little caution in her voice now.
"You're going to slow me down," he finally managed, "and I just can't allow that."
The girl's blue eyes widened. "But, we have a contract."
"Yeah." Mason put a hand on the back of his neck. "I didn't plan for that. I saved you because you needed saving. I didn't expect any kind of…reward. I mean I'm glad you're OK, but I can just end the contract, and you can go wherever you want from here."
A little wetness formed in the girl's eyes. "Where will I go?"
"I…don't know. I hardly know where I am." Mason tightened a fist, angry that on top of everything else, suddenly this helpless girl's fate was his problem. "I mean, how did you end up here?"
Haley wiped a tear and smeared her make-up. "I chose civilian. At the start. Then it asked me to choose from some options, and I picked high risk, high reward. Then it put me here."
"Wait." Mason could hardly believe what he was hearing. "You chose danger? I mean, what the hell were the chances anyone even found this place? Do you know how unlikely that was? How damn lucky you are? Everyone else was getting fucking slaughtered out there."
Haley met his eyes, not backing down. "I was afraid in my last life. Afraid to live, afraid to die, afraid to feel. I knew this was a second chance. I don't want to be afraid anymore. I knew I needed a patron. I wanted a strong one, and here you are."
Mason shook his head, again not sure how to say it, but took inspiration from what the girl said. This was a new life, a second chance. Time to stop beating around the bush and just bloody say what he meant.
"Let's say I take you, what's in it for me?"
"I'm an Assistant," Haley said, as if that explained everything.
Mason gestured at the giant gnoll corpses, then at the wooden tree dungeon in general.
"Do you see any office buildings, Haley? I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I don't exactly need a personal assistant."
"Maybe not yet," she said. "But this is a very large game, patron. Winners take all. Losers die horribly. You're going to need many things. Allies, a civilian support system, even a government. I can help you with everything. I make contracts cheaper, I can take care of all your needs, I can…"
"Stop. Wait. I mean I'm…I'm one damn guy in a fake tree who almost died five times yesterday." Mason was starting to feel like the last sane man on earth. "All I care about is surviving, and finding my brother. What the hell are you on about?"
"Then for now that's all I care about. But there is much more to this game. And civilians are given more knowledge than players. I can help you."
"Unless you're an expert cartographer, explorer, or giant hyena killer, I'm sorry but I don't see how."
"Well." Haley touched the vine they'd climbed, and it vanished. "I can take as much of that as you want. And…I can take that staff, and that bow you dropped, and I've got all kinds of provisions. I started with some things, too. And I'm pretty sure I get some kind of identify power? And when this tutorial thing ends you're going to need that. Plus I can tell things about players you can't."
Mason didn't know what to say. "How do you know all these things?"
"I told you. Civilians get more information. I guess it's the way the system balances things. Makes us useful. And I'm telling you, you're not going to make it on your own. Not in the long run."
Mason still failed to find the right words. She was starting to convince him, at least a little, but he had no idea how fast he'd be moving and just how much slower she'd be. But he suspected a lot. Still, the ability to magically hold things would be extremely useful. He knew if he took her now it would be almost impossible to just leave her later. Still, he decided, he had to at least give her a chance. He sighed, feeling the inevitable coming. At least if and when he did eventually find Blake, his brother would be as slow as this girl.
"Alright," he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I mean, do you have shoes, or something? Your outfit isn't exactly…practical."
"I have several outfits," Haley said, pulling a black bag out of nothing and removing what looked like workout clothes.
Mason remained somewhat baffled as to what to say as the girl started unhooking her bra. He turned around.
"You're going to have to do your best to keep up," he said, fighting the blush. "It's going to be hard."
"I bet," she said, as if almost slightly amused. "OK. Ready."
Mason turned to find the girl in tight, black leggings, a strained sports bra and running shoes. Apparently she'd brought a wardrobe to the robot apocalypse.
"I promise I'll try to keep up."
Oh hi there.
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Mason took Haley's hand and stepped out of the dungeon. The same, strange, disorienting effect seized him, then he was back standing in the same forest he'd left. Afternoon light flickered through the foliage, and a gentle breeze blew through the trees. Mason let go of Haley and summoned his Claw when he saw two gnolls just ahead.
"Oh God," Haley clung to his back. But the gnolls turned to Mason, then lowered their heads, paws held up in what he assumed was some kind of submission.
"I think it's alright," he said. "I don't think they want to fight." Something like comfort surged through his body as his feet touched the forest floor. It was strange, but almost familiar, like it knew who he was and welcomed him. It felt like he'd come home.
"There's a large body of water to the East of my brother," Mason said to himself as much as the girl. "The trees they described are right, so it's possible he's in the same forest we are. Therefore we go East until we hit water and hope it's the right place. Then we decide if we go North or South, and look for landmarks."
"OK." Haley hadn't stopped eyeing the gnolls, and Mason supposed he couldn't blame her. She hadn't seen anything of this world except that tree prison and the foul, violent creatures.
He took her hand, and moved East. After maybe an hour of walking, the air shimmered with some kind of blueish tinged aura, and ghostly text appeared in Mason's vision.
[Tutorial completed. Tutorial activity: maximally successful. Completion reward: random power enhancement. Trapmaking.]
[Title gained: Hit the ground running. +1 to a random statistic. Did not die once in the tutorial.]
"You see that?" Mason stopped and turned to Haley.
"Yeah." She smiled. "I got a reward, too, for finding a tier 1 patron."
Mason quirked a brow, pulling up his powers as they talked to see he could now drop three traps instead of two. "Tier 1 patron?"
She nodded. "In the top 10% of power." She looked slightly at her shoes. "A bonded contract, with someone like you, is pretty much the peak of what I could have done. Because I benefit with your success."
"How so?"
"Civilians get experience too, and another thing just for civilians. I can take a new power, actually, you can decide if you want. There's…first aid, negotiate, or identify. And my inventory expanded a little. I can hold more stuff, if it comes up."
"Identify," Mason said without hesitation. "I'm going to start moving faster now. Ready to run?"
Haley nodded, and he smiled slightly at the determination in her eyes.
"Alright. Here we go."
He led the way and took it easy for about an hour. Before the apocalypse he'd worked every day on cardio, usually running in loops around the park. He ran with the track team and competed a little, but never actually cared about that. He knew he could jog for hours, if he needed to, but by the end he'd pay for it. Today, though, his legs felt incredible. They were like steel pistons pumping him forward, his breaths clear and easy, his heart hardly working. He picked up his pace, faster and faster until the sounds of the forest changed, almost crystallized, like he could hear the life of the forest all around him, and somehow discern. He wanted to shout, to cheer, to howl.
"Wait! Stop!"
Mason blinked and came to a halt. Haley was racing behind him, covered in sweat, her eyes filled with shame. "I'm sorry. You're too fast…I didn't know…that was…insane."
Finally Mason felt his heart rate increased, the beat throbbing in his ears, in his hands, urging him to run on, to hunt. His eyes roamed Haley's body. Her skintight workout tights clung to her skin, sweat dripped down her neck and the cleavage of her sports bra. She watched his eyes, and his expression, and it was clear he wasn't remotely subtle.
"Sorry," he cleared his throat. "I'll slow down."
"OK." Haley leaned against a tree. "Can we take a little rest? Just two minutes."
Mason frowned, wondering if he could make some kind of cart for her. But the forest floor was uneven and filled with roots and broken branches. He knew it wouldn't work. Then he turned and ran his eyes up and down the petite frame of the civilian, and held out his compound bow. "Can you put this in your storage, please?"
"Oh. Sure." She took it, and it vanished. Then Mason knelt down and turned his back to her.
"Um, what are you doing?"
"Climb up," he said. "I'm going to carry you."
* * *
Branches whipped at Mason's face and shoulders as he raced through the trees. He held one of Haley's legs over each arm as he ran, and he could hardly believe his own strength and endurance. Clearly the robot god had enhanced players physically, and he expected his Aspect of the Cheetah and maybe even Regeneration were keeping his muscles from exhausting. It was still painful, of course, but pain was nothing. All that mattered was finding Blake.
"Mason?"
"Yeah?" he called over his shoulder.
"I'm really sorry," the girl sounded close to tears. "But I think if I stay on your back much longer, I'm not going to be able to walk."
"Oh." Mason stopped and eased the girl to the ground. She groaned, and he had to catch her, her arms wrapping around his chest. "I'm sorry. I thought I'd last, you know, that there was no way you'd last longer than me, since you were carrying me. But, um, yeah."
"It's alright," Mason glanced around the trees, which were getting darker by the moment as the sun clearly reached the horizon. "I think we've been going all day. It'll be dark soon. It's a good time to stop. Can you bring out some food and water? Truth is, with your supplies meaning I don't have to hunt or find water, and the fact I can apparently just carry you…well, I don't think you'll be slowing me down. I'll gather some firewood. I don't even know what season it is, but it seems to get cold at night.
Haley's eyes were a little watery again after his speech, her radiant smile wide. "Of course. Um. Would you like a bath?"
Mason snorted. "Sure. If you can find a lake, or a river."
"Well…" Haley rubbed her sore legs and her eyes focused like she was reading something he couldn't see. "I actually have a hygiene kit. And it includes a portable tub."
Mason blinked. "You are carrying a bathtub?"
"Yeah." Haley grinned. "It even comes with a little gas flame to heat itself. So we can probably use that to start a fire?"
"I'm…" Mason shrugged helplessly. "I'm at a loss for words. Please set it up."
"OK!" Haley grinned. "And I can wash your clothes, too…you know, what's left of them. I think later I get some wardrobe function for you, too, just not yet." She reached out a hand, and a single-person sized, ceramic-looking tub appeared on the forest floor, already full of clear water.
"Well." Mason shrugged. "That is something. I'll get in, so…"
"Oh sure, I'll just…get some firewood, and, cook something."
Mason nodded, too tired and sore to care much if the girl saw him naked. He stripped off his bloodstained, tattered shorts and shoes, and climbed into the tub. He groaned at the feel, even before it started to warm. His arms and shoulders ached, and he hadn't slept well in days. He closed his eyes, then nearly leapt and pulled his sword when something soft touched his shoulders. "It's just me," said Haley. "I figured…maybe you could use a massage? After all that running, and carrying. And, you know, fighting to the death."
"I…" Mason's instinct was to say no to everything and everyone. But actually he'd sure as hell love a massage. "Sure."
Her soft, warm hands dug into his shoulders, and he groaned and tried not to think about the beautiful, French, personal assistant slash contractual slave massaging him. This robo-god apocalypse was all kinds of weird, and Mason decided it was best not to think about it all. She massaged his neck, his scalp, his arms, also scrubbing and cleaning him with some kind of soap and shampoo. When he'd both gained an erection that nearly left the tub, and felt like falling asleep, he'd decided it was probably enough.
"I'll hop out now," he said. "Thanks again. Oh, did you need a bath?" He looked at the now bloody water and winced.
"I'm good," Haley giggled. "I've had the kit since the start. And, you know, I'm not covered in hyena blood."
"Right," Mason breathed, then lifted himself halfway until Haley turned around. He hopped out, then realized he literally had nothing to wear or cover himself with. Haley turned back around.
Mason froze, unsure what to do, his erection saluting Haley at full mast.
"Uh."
The girl frowned, and her eyes stroked his body, ending right at his manhood.
"I figured that might be the next problem."
Mason didn't bother to cover himself. She'd been the one to turn around, after all, but he had no idea what to do now.
"I don't suppose you have a towel?"
Haley took a few steps toward him, stopping close enough to reach out and touch.
"Look," she bit her thick lower lip. "I realize…despite some of my utility, I'm currently not a great asset."
Mason went to speak but she raised a hand for him to wait.
"I'm still a burden." She came closer, and Mason nearly flinched away in surprise as she put a cool hand around his shaft. "I'm making your goal more difficult. And that's the opposite of what I want." She met his eyes. "I think you're pretty much my best shot to survive in this new world. And I don't want you to end the contract." She started stroking him slowly. "And, the way I see it, I'm your personal assistant, yes? My job is to take care of everything you need."
Her hand felt wonderful, and Mason had no burning desire to stop it from stroking him.
"I'm not sure this is part of the job description," he said, utterly without conviction.
"I am your bonded servant, patron," Haley said, her voice lowering, eyes drooping slightly. "If you say it is my job, than it is. Would you like me to take care of you?"
Mason reminded himself this was the apocalypse. Everything was gone, destroyed, made new. And he'd already decided it was time to stop holding back, stop thinking so much.
"Yes." He put his hands on the girl's arms as she stroked him, and she smiled.
"Good. Now let me do my job."
She sunk to her knees, and Mason practically groaned just at the sight of her. She leaned forward and opened her mouth, licking his tip with her tongue.
"Would you like to sit?" she asked, looking up at him as she stroked with both hands. A chair appeared out of nothing behind him, and Mason eased down his trembling legs. Haley gave him her full, white smile, then held him with her blue eyes as she took him halfway into her mouth. He groaned, closing his eyes as he leaned back and just enjoyed. How long had it been? Several months, certainly. He'd only been with a couple girls, and not for very long. And certainly not a girl like Haley. She had to be in her early to mid twenties. Which meant probably some experience, and…
Mason twitched as Haley's lips slid like silk down his entire length. He opened his eyes to find her taking him nearly all the way before she pulled back with a gasp and went more slowly. His eyes rolled with pleasure and exhaustion. Then she was bobbing up and down, playing with his balls with her hand as she slurped and sucked with every plunge. He knew he wouldn't last long, even if she hadn't been so gorgeous. And apparently so talented. Her tongue was sliding up and down the sides of his cock, both hands stroking as she moved back and forth, swallowing him with tight lipped concentration as she held his gaze.
Tight heat coursed up his balls, then exploded. Mason didn't even manage to warn her before he came. He moaned and grabbed a handful of her hair as he pumped stream after stream into her mouth. Her throat worked and she looked like she intended to swallow it all, but soon went wide eyed as cum dripped from her lips. Mason twitched as the last few sensitive spurts finished, and all the while Haley just kept licking and sucking until he was drained.
"It's been awhile." Mason weaved slightly in his chair, struggling to keep his eyes open.
Haley giggled, and he cocked a brow.
"I, em, got experience for that. And a title."
Mason snorted and might have blushed if he'd had any blood to spare.
"Dare I ask the name of said title?"
"High Class. I think it's, um, because of your tier level. I'm being rewarded for blowing you."
For a moment Mason had no idea what to say. Finally, he muttered: "Robot God is starting to grow on me," and Haley laughed out loud. The sight of her smiling, open mouth, her face all covered in spit and cum as she continued to hold his cock was not an image he would forget. "We should get some sleep," he added, because he could hardly hold himself up. He should have sorted out a bed but it was too late now and he was beyond caring.
"Should I get us a bedroll?" Haley giggled again. "I can, um…purchase one, with my blowjob points."
"Sure." Mason couldn't help but laugh with her now.
As usual it appeared out of nothing, and Haley lay it down by the fire and started undressing. Mason watched her with tired, but renewed eyes, unable to look away. She turned away and stripped naked, a full, glorious view of her hourglass figure and thick, yet taut ass. Then she slipped on panties and a white t-shirt and climbed into the bedroll before looking back at him.
"You said it might get cold?" She raised a plucked brow. "So come on in."
She didn't need to tell him twice.
Oh hi there.
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