Chương 144: Fate

Joe's body slammed back onto the mountainside, and he groaned in agony. A heartbeat later, he started laughing. Somehow, he had survived the impossible again. He hoped the lucky streak would hold as he dragged himself into a sitting position and popped a healing pill into his mouth. Pain from days gone by flared through his body, hot and insistent.

"Oh, right," he grumbled, rubbing his aching legs. He had entered the gate half-beaten and soaked in blood, and the gate had returned him the same way, half-beaten and soaked in blood.

'Kakakakaka. Well done. That was very exciting. Thank you for not letting her take my £$%&$*' Uriel whispered. The last word dissolved into a garbled mumble he couldn't decipher, and Joe couldn't help wondering about the importance of that rusted black pole. Before he could ask, before he could fully heal, before he could do anything, the world twisted. Light sparked across his vision, and the mountaintop vanished. Joe lay on a rock beside a small forest lake. He sat up slowly, staring around in stunned confusion.

What the hell just happened? Nothing like… oh no. He was on his feet in an instant at the sound of two familiar, confused voices just beyond the treeline. Shit! They're here. And he was still covered in blood. His exhausted, scrambling mind latched onto the only solution it could find. He stripped and dove into the lake just as the two most beautiful women he had ever met stepped out of the trees, searching for him.

Joe ducked beneath the surface and scrubbed frantically at his skin, smearing away layers of dried blood, far more than he'd realized. As he flailed underwater like a drowning puppy, he sensed two figures nearing the lake's edge. He tried to ignore them and keep scrubbing, but the sound of running feet drove home that at least one of them was worried for him, cut off from him for however long the gate had lasted.

He tried to pulse her to stop, to wait just a moment, but the shadow looming above the water told him she hadn't. The lake was annoyingly clear, aside from the blood swirling around him, so he finished scrubbing as quickly as he could. He knew he was currently visible to any eyes looking, but there was nothing he could do about that now. When his head crested the surface a few moments later, he flashed his best smile and acted as if he had just been out for a casual swim.

"Corel, Princess. It is a pleasure to gaze upon your beauty once more. You are both a sight for sore eyes," he said, adding a flamboyant splash of his hands. Corel rolled her eyes, though she did not quite hide her smile. Rose, meanwhile, blushed, but did not look away at all. Joe waded forward and climbed out of the lake. He pulled a towel from his storage and wrapped it around his waist, though not before giving both Corel and Rose an accidental eyeful of his manhood.

"I apologize, Princess," Joe said with a bow. A flustered Rose turned to Corel.

"I thought you said he was in danger?"

"He was…" Corel groaned as she looked back at Joe.

"Did you get away?" Joe nodded, pulling out a second towel and drying himself with quick, efficient motions.

"I did. Literally moments before fate pulled us here." His two bonds let him focus on drying off, while they watched in silence. Once he was done, Joe started to excuse himself to get dressed, then reconsidered. They both had seen everything anyway. He dropped the towel and retrieved a pristine grey toga from his ring. He dressed quickly while Corel openly ogled him, and Rose blushed once more without looking away. Joe raised an eyebrow at her. She flushed an even deeper red before finally turning her gaze aside.

Joe laughed softly at the small victory. He was not bothered by her gaze; he just enjoyed teasing her.

"Are you done showing off?" Corel asked, her lips curving as she winked. She turned to Rose.

"What did you think, sister? He is even more handsome now. Did you see his thigh muscles?" Joe laughed when Rose refused to answer, and it took her a long moment to stop blushing.

"I am sorry," Corel said, once things had settled. Rose shot her an exasperated glare that held no real heat. Joe caught the word sister and felt something click into place. Suspicions he had carried for months finally settled into certainty. They had formed some kind of sisterhood bond. He was not sure how he felt about that. Now that he was clean and fully dressed, Corel grabbed his head and began inspecting him with brisk intensity.

"How did you get away? What happened to Zevra? Is she dead?" Joe tried to squirm free, but she was suddenly much stronger than he was. Her grip did not budge.

"The seedling saved me," he said.

"And no, she is still alive and kicking, but no longer in the integration. She was removed." Corel's eyes widened. She pulled him into a quick, careful hug before the questions came flooding out. Joe gave her a short summary of the gate, his new martial skill, and his final moments with PJ. He skipped over Uriel and Catalina entirely. There was something more immediate pressing in on them.

"This is a fate event?" Corel asked. Joe nodded as Rose stepped forward, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"It is. And our first group event together. I have been anticipating this for a while. I've been dying to see my sister. I've missed you, Cor." Joe suddenly felt very much like a third wheel.

"Me too," he added quickly, trying to edge into their shared hug. Rose promptly shooed him away. Joe pouted in defeat.

"Hey, that is not fair. You are only both here because of me, you know," Joe protested. Rose shot him a dangerous glare, but Corel intervened.

"Yes. You do have a point," she said, turning to Rose with soft, fluttering eyes.

"We could at least allow him one shared hug?" Rose's glare intensified.

"What have you done to my sister, pet?" she asked, her voice edged with anger.

"Only what she allows," Joe replied. He was too tired to sidestep the danger. Corel then noticed his condition. She placed a hand on Rose's shoulder and stepped closer to Joe, pressing two fingers to his forehead, as if checking his temperature.

"You look exhausted. Are you sure you are up for this?" she asked.

"To be honest, I think I could pass out at any moment," Joe mumbled. The crash was coming. And, as if the world had decided to pile more troubles onto his shoulders, two figures emerged from the treeline on the far side of the lake. Rose was on her feet instantly. Her fingers flashed as she stepped forward, positioning herself between the newcomers and Joe, shielding him as he swayed on his feet. Corel pushed a pill into Joe's mouth, rubbing his back with steady, reassuring pressure as he absorbed its effects.

His eyes snapped open when the pill took hold. A surge of testosterone and adrenaline tore through him, a brutal, temporary boost meant to stave off the crash. Corel winced. She knew how extreme the measure was and that she had no choice. Rose's hasty message had been clear. Joe's life depended on showing absolutely no weakness before the approaching pair. She caught his face in her hands, studying his bloodshot eyes. Her expression tightened.

Drawing him closer, she angled herself to hide her lips at his ear and whispered a warning meant for him alone. Joe blinked as clarity set in. Corel's words echoed in his mind. Show no weakness. All our lives depend on it. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. He drew in a deep breath, straightened his spine, and turned with Rose to face the newcomers.

"Princess of Eludia. It is a surprise to see you here. So the rumours were true? You have taken a bond of fate. Marvellous indeed," the tall, light-skinned man said with open delight.

"Please, which of these two is your bond? The green-skinned one? She is quite beautiful, though not as beautiful as yourself, of course."

"Trevaldo. It is good to see you again. How is your mother?" Rose replied calmly. Trevaldo flinched as if struck.

"She is… recovering well, Princess. Excuse my rudeness. I did not mean to pry." He gestured to the figure beside him.

"This is my bond. Garvo Haro. Do introduce yourself, good man." Garvo offered Rose an odd curtsy. Neither of them spared Joe or Corel another glance as their attention remained fixed on Rose. Joe was grateful for that. He used the moment to steady his thoughts and calm his racing, adrenaline-filled pulse. For the first time, others he did not know were involved in this fate event. He wondered what kind of quest they would be forced into together and hoped it would not be a fight.

One look at Trevaldo and Garvo told him all he needed to know regarding their strength. Both were D-grade, that was certain. They gave off the same presence of self that Rose did. It was a subtle feeling, but also unmistakable. Power practically rolled off them, nearly rivalling Rose's own. She was no longer in her casual, teasing mood. This was Princess mode, the same he remembered from the banquet. It took everything Joe had not to shudder.

"This is Joe. My bond," Rose said at last, gesturing toward him. Joe gave a stiff, formal bow. Trevaldo spared him only a brief glance before smiling and continuing as if satisfied.

"Excellent. So, what do you think our goal here will be? I sense a quest approaching once we all gather." Trevaldo, Rose, and Garvo turned together as two more figures stepped out of the nearby treeline. Joe felt steady enough now to truly take them in, noting the sharp contrast in appearances. Trevaldo and Garvo shared the same race. They were long-necked humanoids with reptilian heads and darting tongues that flicked through the air as they spoke. Their skin was a pale blue, smooth and scale-free.

Flowing robes brushed the grass around slippered feet. The next pair could not have been more different. They resembled walking leopards, long tails swaying behind them, padded feet silent against the ground. Small hands hung from long arms that nearly dragged along the ground as they moved. Both were hunched like ancient men, yet the power they radiated eclipsed even what Joe could sense from Rose, though he suspected she was suppressing much of her aura.

Joe could not tell their gender, and it did not seem to matter. Slitted eyes swept across the group, then locked onto him. The slimmer of the two altered course and headed straight for Joe. He forced himself not to look away as it approached, slow and deliberate, like something inevitable. At the edge of his vision, he saw Rose shift as if to intercept. Trevaldo stopped her with a single motion.

"I would not," he said quietly. Rose froze. Trevaldo smiled, perfectly at ease, and watched with interest. Joe's thoughts raced. He searched for anything he might have done to provoke this and found nothing. The leopard halted just within arm's reach. Its arm, not his.

"You have two bonds?" a feminine voice asked. A bead of sweat slid down Joe's temple as he nodded. The leopard's gaze shifted to Corel.

"I am Symphony. What is your name?"

"Corel." Symphony smiled.

"Corel, step aside." Corel stiffened. Joe placed a steadying hand over hers and gave a small nod, forcing calm into himself. She hesitated, then moved a single step away. Joe tensed. A furred fist slammed into his chest, and the world exploded into pain. __ Rose blinked as Symphony struck Joe, and he vanished. He was hurled backwards with such force that everything in his path was obliterated. Trees shattered. Rocks exploded. He finally slammed into a shimmering barrier nearly a mile away.

Rose extended her senses, confirming he was alive, before turning back to Symphony's bond.

"Princess."

"Maestro," Rose replied with a composed nod. Maestro glanced toward the distant barrier and smiled.

"He is worthy to stand among us. Barely," he drawled. Rose gave no outward reaction, though relief loosened something tight within her.

"He would not be my bond if he were not worthy," she said evenly.

"Now, if you will excuse me for a moment. I must see to his second bond. She is still young. There will not be any more… tests?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I only test males," Maestro said. Rose inclined her head and moved to Corel's side. She took the shaking Voldura's hands and met her eyes.

"It is all right. It was only a test. They never intended to kill him, only to see if he was worthy." She rubbed Corel's hands as the trembling continued.

"Cor'," she added firmly. Corel drew in a deep breath and steadied.

"Good. Look," Rose said, gesturing toward the distant barrier.

"He is already on his way back. Focus on the bond. Focus on his strength. Do not be the reason he is tested again." Corel nodded and straightened, resolve settling in her posture. Rose studied her for a moment, admiration flickering beneath her calm exterior. Thrust into fate she did not yet understand, Corel would either break or be shaped by what came next. Rose silently hoped it would be the latter.

"Now, let us continue with introductions. The others are arriving," Rose said, turning with a restrained smile to greet the final two pairs joining the event. __ Joe jogged lightly back into the clearing by the lake to see two more pairs standing nearby. He ignored Symphony's lingering smile and made straight for Rose and Corel. Corel seized his hand in an iron grip, pulsing raw admiration through the bond. Joe gave her a quick wink to steady her, then nodded to Rose.

She returned it with a genuine smile before inclining her head. There was no time to speak. As Joe arrived, a large metallic orb rose from the lake and began to spin with ominous intent.

"Oh, great orb of knowledge. Let fate guide us today and reveal our task," Trevaldo proclaimed in an imperial tone. The others fell silent. The orb halted, cracked open, and dropped back into the lake. Above the water, a glowing image formed. A basilisk, coiled and massive, hovered in the air. Three numbers burned beside it. The image shifted, revealing a nest beneath the creature. Ten hatchlings writhed together, hissing skyward, tongues flicking. Then the vision vanished.

No words followed, but understanding poured into Joe's mind. Fate laid out its terms. As a group, they would complete three tasks, choosing among themselves who would face each one. Afterwards, they would confront the mother basilisk in a fight meant to kill or be killed. Only once the mother fell would the nest be revealed. At that point, they would decide the fate of the hatchlings. Claim them or slaughter them. The choice would be theirs.

"Excellent. A task worthy of us all today," Trevaldo said, clapping his hands as he addressed the gathered pairs.

"Now then. Shall we proceed, or does anyone among us require rest?" Several gazes slid toward Joe. He stepped forward.

"I am fine proceeding now." Trevaldo smiled.

"Bravo. Proceed, we shall." He clapped once more, and the group set off south. Joe assumed that was where the first challenge awaited. As they jogged through the dense forest, Joe moved up beside Rose. Corel stayed close, her hand wrapped around his arm as if to confirm he was truly there. She was acting differently, but for now, Joe kept his focus on Rose.

"So… Should I be worried?" Joe asked, his eyes darting toward Symphony and her bond. Rose shook her head.

"Not for now." It was not the reassurance he wanted, but it was better than nothing.

"So who are they? And do you know the rest?" Joe asked.

"The tall one is Maestro, Symphony's bond. The pair behind them are Zeth and Por. The final two are Zerrepperty and Clavascious." Zeth and Por shared a resemblance with one of the robotic Empire representatives Joe had seen during the Empire Meetings. But unlike the blocky exoskeletons he remembered, their forms were all smooth curves and dense muscle. The last pair looked similar to Trevaldo's race, except they were coated head to toe in slime and carried massive shells on their backs like walking snails.

Joe could not tell them apart and decided not to ask which was which. His thoughts kept circling back to the punch. It had been powerful, yes, but that was not what lingered. It was the precision of it. The way Symphony's arm moved, the cleanliness of the strike, had ignited something inside him. A quiet clarity settled deep in his core. The moment he had rebounded off that strange blue barrier surrounding the forest, a sharp fracture formed along his bottleneck.

Now, thanks to the gate PJ had forced him into and the martial skill Soaring Eagle had passed on to him, a skill he still had not named, he understood with absolute certainty that he was closer than ever to a breakthrough. The answer stood out, clear and undeniable. He needed to create his first movement skill. Joe stumbled. Corel caught his shoulder instantly, slipping an arm around him to mask the misstep. He did not think anyone else noticed.

"Pay attention," she chided with a tight smile. He squeezed her arm gently in thanks and kept his own around her as they jogged on together. Ahead of them, Rose shifted her position, subtly placing herself in front, almost as if she were blocking him from the others' view. Joe forced himself to stay present. He was starting to feel like a burden, although exhaustion dragged at him, heavy and persistent. The only reprieve he had was that they did not have long to wait until they discovered the first challenge.

They entered a wide clearing, and at its centre rested a massive chessboard.