Chương 39: A God Never Begs

Ch. 39: A God Never Begs What is a sister, Drake? I was attempting to triangulate on google maps where I was relative to Dodger's stadium.

"A sister is kind of like a cursed item you're born with. Follows you around. Gives you nothing but trouble. Takes, takes, takes. Barely ever gives. Lets you stay at her place, I guess." Why must you save her?

"Because you'd miss it if she stopped annoying you." Am I your sister too, Drake?

"I don't know. Are you a girl knife, or a boy knife?" I am neither. I am a knife.

"Nonbinary king," I muttered before reasoning which direction was Dodger's Stadium. I stepped backward, getting ready to leap to the next destination when Bloodsucker spoke again. What of your favorite bloodbag? I ceased the motion of my jump.

"Penelope." I stared into space before turning around. I had no clue where she was. I knew she was probably in the area somewhere, but that was the extent of it. My mind began reeling quickly. My anxiety caused me to step forward, as if there was some action that needed to be done to soothe it but then I stood still, paralyzed at what that thing could be.

"I don't know where she is," I said. Shall we look for sister instead?

"We don't have to look. We know where she is. She's… heading to Dodger's Stadium. But Nelo… she's lost. Like, I don't even know if she's conscious or anything. Or alive even. I… I have to look for her. But Exley. My sister. I can't be at two places at once." I would say split up but I am immobile. My mind stopped buzzing and the situation became all too clear. I knew where my sister was. I didn't know where Nelo was. I knew my sister was…

relatively safe until Exley changed his mind; I didn't know Nelo's condition at all. Dory was far away… the bloodbag named Penelope Stillwell was close by. I had to make her the priority. I looked at my arms in the moonlight. Deep in the red blood were streaks of amber from Spiros' blood. I knew what I had to do. All this strength and I still wasn't sure I could do it. I took a step back and jumped in the direction of the tiny clopping sounds. I landed in front of the dragon deer and stared right at him.

Spiros stared up at me.

"Yes?" I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Tell him you need him.

"Quiet, Bloodsucker," I snapped. I continued to stare at Spiros in silence.

"I believe our partnership is over, no?" He asked.

"Where were you even going to go?" I asked him.

"I might do whatever a retired person does. Puzzles. Stop by a konbini. Probably empty right now." I huffed and then said, "My sister is in trouble."

"The invalid?" I drew my leg back to kick him. He stuck his front hooves up and said, "Wait!! Please!" I placed my foot back and said, "I was going to kick you to the next state over."

"What do you want from me?" Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

"I need to focus on finding Nelo. So… I need someone else to get Dory to safety. I think we should… temporarily… end the ending of our partnership and work together. Just until my sister is safe."

"Oh, this is rich."

"You're going to make this hard?" I asked.

"I'm going to make this impossible," Spiros said, "I mean, I'm a despot, no? A cutthroat. A ne'erdowell. You said it yourself, I'm selfish."

"You are selfish."

"Then why on earth would I help you!?" Spiros said. Tell him you need him.

"Yes, tell me you need me, Drake. Go on, beg."

"You're such an asshole."

"Aren't I just? But this is what I want, Drake. Some humility for your guide. Some kind of repentance from the one who killed me." I did not expect it to go this poorly.

"Quiet, Bloodsucker!" Barked Spiros, "Go on, Drake. Beg like you mean it."

"Like I mean it?" I asked him, my teeth clenching.

"Yes. On your knees. Hands up. Crying if you can muster it. Sell it." I took a deep breath. His shit eating grin. All I wanted was to wipe it off his face. To break him one hundred times. Instead, shakily, I followed his orders. I slowly dropped to my knees. His smirk dropped. The kirin looked around to make sure noone was around to see. He said, "Get up. This instant."

"Do you want me to do it or not!?"

"I'm sorry I made you do that. Terribly sorry." Then, Spiros did the unthinkable. He bowed. His antlers touched the ground in deep apology.

"What is with the bipolar act? Are you going to help me or not?" I demanded.

"Yes. I will. What do you need from me?" I was confused, but I said, "Exley has my sister."

"Exley… one of Ozid's champions? Drake, you may have the strength. But Exley is battle-hardened. He's significant enough that I've heard of him."

"Yes. I know. And I need to find Nelo. Which means I need you to handle him."

"How do you bloody expect me to do that in my current form?"

"You can't. I don't need someone to stop him, I need someone to stall him. And he's headed to Dodger's Stadium. Do you know what neighborhood is near Dodger's Stadium? Off Spiros' blank expression, I said, "Boyle Heights." Spiros' face dropped.

"No. Please, no. Don't make me talk to him."

"I need you to convince him to distract Exley."

"Okay… how will I get there?" I smiled and said, "Isn't it a good thing you can't die?" He was confused until I picked him up. I, once again, used my phone to triangulate where Boyle Heights roughly was. Then I cranked my arm back as far as I could.

"Still think I'd make a lousy champ, Spiros?" I teased.

"Yes." Spiros said.

"Okay, didn't expect you to still be a jerk about it."

"You're self-serving. You don't follow orders. You have out and out tantrums. But your fiercely protective of your people. You'd make a lousy follower, Drake. But I have to say, you make a pretty good god." I smiled and chucked him as hard as I could. He blasted off into space like the end of a Pokemon episode.

Folus, the leader, picked at his teeth with a fish bone.

"We should make base somewhere," the runtiest lion said.

"Tired, Oku?" Snir teased, "Hunts can take days. Weeks. If you are tired now-""I am eager. I saw a meadow of green up ahead. With a large mausoleum that looked empty. A place where stars were as close as fruit on trees." Just then, a normal man caught their attention. This normal man was caught in his car when the monsters swarmed the area. He had been waiting and when he saw them relax, he realized there would be no good chance to escape. He tried his best, unlocking the car door slowly and stepping out carefully.

But the leonids' senses were sharp. As soon as he left his car, they realized he was close. When he took a step forward, his foot bumped into a flattened beer can on the road. It was enough for all of them to turn. Their eight pairs of incandescent eyes met his gaze. The man attempted to run as fast as he could. Folus flicked the fish bone in his hand. It shot toward the normal man and slid in and out of his neck, killing him instantly. The leonids all howled with laughter.. Folus looked at Oku.

His mane, short and only on the top of his head. He said, "Let us us collect Ponzo from the perimeter and see this place which you speak. I see no reason why while we are on a mission, we cannot see the sights." Folus pulled his head back. He roared, "Ponzo! We move, Ponzo!" As if Folus' order was a divine command, a bloodied Ponzo seemingly fell from the sky in front of them.

"Ponzo!" Oku stared at his friend in horror.

"This yours?" Kayla asked as she landed behind the carcass.

"Don't worry. He's still alive." She kicked him and he squealed.

"See?" She said. They did see. Folus stared, first, at one of his fallen members, then back up at the small woman who vanquished him.

"I'll let you have him if you go," Kayla demanded, illustrating what she was saying with her hands, "You all… take him… and go." The goons turned to Folus, their leader. Folus sucked the last remnants of fish from each of his fingers as he approached. He towered over Kayla. She craned her neck to look up at him, "Do we have a deal?" Ponzo's face had been bruised beyond recognition. The swelling in his face made it hard to look up at Folus. He begged.

"Folus… Folus, please." The last thing Ponzo saw was Folus' foot taking over his vision. Folus pressed on his comrade's head and crushed his skull.

"Why would you do that!?" Kayla asked, stunned. He did not know English, but he understood what she asked. In his own language he said, "Why else? Because humans and demons cannot share experience points." A red miasma surrounded him. His muscles bulged even more. His presence, weightier. He pulled his claws back as Kayla stared up at him. Lucky for Folus, he had just leveled up.