Dream Drive: Yuri Ch. 01

Yuri looked at the girl, who was looking at him with unbridled infatuation. He looked up at Marcus, who was looking at her. Marcus seemed stricken by her words and particularly the devoted tone of her voice. Whatever the romantic B-plot love triangle the game had in store for him, Yuri wanted none of it.

"Everyone, please," the elder spoke up, "listen to me! We're all grieving. We have, each and every one of us, lost a loved one. A family member, a friend. We shall never forget them. We shall always carry them in our hearts. But, in order for us to carry their memories into the future, we must go on. We all knew that our homes were only temporary. We all knew this day was coming. None of us knew it would be ushered in with blood and fire and so much grievous loss. None of us wanted it to come like this. But the day is upon us! We must rouse ourselves to do what must be done! For everyone's sake. Our destiny awaits. Our guide to it is at hand." He indicated Yuri. "We must go on, for the sake of the souls of those we have lost and for the sake of the souls of those we shall yet have. We must go on."

"Do you honestly think we can go anywhere," a gravelly, male voice cried out from somewhere in the back. "Those were Lord Hale's men! They'll hunt us down and kill us all!"

"I heard he uses his captives to test new spells," a thin voice of indeterminate gender spoke up.

"I heard he was gone," another male voice called out. "Packed up his men and left on a military campaign."

"He's not gone, you fool," an angry woman shrieked. "He led his men here to kill us! They'll come back and finish the job!"

The hundreds of people that were just catching their breaths after a close encounter with death, were starting to panic again. Arguments were breaking out again, even as the elder was trying to get everyone to focus again.

"We'll kill Hale's men this time," Marcus shouted. "We know they're coming and we'll be ready for them!"

"Hale's soldiers are among the best in the Empire! We can't fight them!"

"We should run and scatter, maybe some of us will get away!"

"Lord Hale trains some of his men to be expert trackers. They'd run us all down, every last one of us. We're going to vanish off the map, just like our kith and kin in Kathaln did."

Yuri clambered onto a wagon and stood tall in its seat. He raised his tattooed hand. The crowd slowly fell silent, when the elder called attention to him.

"This Lord Hale," Yuri asked, "he's the local feudal lord?"

"Yes," the elder said, "he's the regional governor."

"And he already disappeared a town, right?" The crowd murmured affirmatively. Some shouted incredulous denials. "These weren't his men." The crowd murmured in disbelief.

"How would you know that," Marcus venomously asked. "I thought you said you weren't with his men?"

"I'm not. But I asked one of them about what was going on. He said that he and his friends had only joined the other day. He invited me to join."

"Ah-hah," Marcus exclaimed. "So youdid join!"

Yuri shot him a look. "No. I didn't join them. Are you going to listen to what I have to say, or are you going to keep interrupting me with second-grade bullshit?"

"Why should any of us listen to-"

"Marcus," The elder called out in reproach. "You will afford the Savior all of your respect!"

Marcus seemed very displeased as he shut up. Yuri cleared his throat. "The men that attacked your town were not your lord's soldiers. They barely knew how to use their weapons. I only trained with throwing knives for three weeks, some four years ago, and I beat them all. They had no tactical discipline, no training, no unit cohesion. They were undisciplined and unsystematic. They set the town on fire long before they were ready to leave. None of them, not even their commander, could tell I wasn't one of theirs once I put on their cloak. These men that burned down your town were definitely not soldiers. They were little more than common brutes. The brute I interrogated told me they were paid by a mage to come here and kidnap as many people as possible. He also said that the lord need not know about any of this and that it wouldn't be such a big deal if he did, since he had already disappeared a town, himself. Now, I'm guessing-"

He was interrupted by angry oaths the people began shouting. He frowned. It became quickly clear that what he said confirmed their suspicions about a nearby town called Kathaln that had mysteriously burned to the ground last month with no survivors. There hadn't even been any bones found in the ashes. The crowd started cursing the name of Riegart Hale and then the younger set swore bloody vengeance.

"Stop this madness, Marcus," the elder insisted over the ruckus. "Hale's armies are too strong to beat. They're too well-trained and equipped."

"God will guide our arms in just wrath and vengeance," Marcus replied. All the youths cheered his words. Some of the middle-aged ones also cheered.

"Will God protect you from Hale's magic? From the wicked spells of his mages?"

"Yes," Marcus bluntly replied.

"You have left the path of reason," the elder declared.

"No," Marcus defiantly replied, "I'm seeing reason for the first time. For generations beyond count, we have followed the words of the Fallen Angel. We have done as our elders had bid us to do. And look at what that brought us! We used to rule all this land! For every one of our people alive today, there used to be a hundred! With each generation, the Empire culls our numbers. They kill us, they take and convert our children, they drive us out of our ancestral lands. They sent brigands to seize an entire town in the dark of the night and what did our elders do? They filed a complaint with Lord Hale, the very same man that took our friends and compatriots."

"Marcus, you don't know what you speak of," the elder warned.

"And now they send brigands to take our women and children in broad daylight, while we toil away at what little fields are left to us to grow food for a journey that will never start!" The crowd gasped at those last words.

"That is heresy," the elder shouted. The crowd reluctantly agreed with him.

"Is it? The entire Empire preaches one thing. Only you preach another. Why must we follow the word of a Fallen Angel? Everyone sees us as Devil worshippers. That's what fallen angels are, Devils!"

"The fallen angel taught us-"

"Ah, yes, the fabled truth of the battle between good and evil that shook the Heavens and cast Lucifer down into the abyss. Poppycock!" Yuri could see that the mood of the crowd was turning against Marcus. Marcus addressed the crowd. "Why must we listen to this old fool? Why must we listen to lies that had been handed down to us over the millennia? Look what that has brought us! Here we are, empty-handed underneath the sky. Our families and homes put to the torch." Marcus pounded his chest. "Well, I say no more! I say it's time we made a stand! I say it's time we appointed our own regional governor with fire and blood!" He raised his pitchfork and made his horse rear up a little. "Who's with me!?"

Yuri couldn't help but softly chuckle at the silence that ensued. Maybe, if the man had tried to organize a patrol, he'd rouse some volunteers with that speech. Going off on a warpath seemed like too big a task for these people to handle. A few of the younger men made to raise their arms, but were quickly stopped by the older people who stood nearest to them.

"It would seem that your views are not shared by all," the elder dryly remarked.

Marcus looked ready to spit acid and breathe fire. "This is why our people have gone from humans to cattle! This is why we're hunted like game! You're all cowards! Boneless, loose-bowelled cowards! Every last one of you!"

"If you're done insulting everyone," the elder expectantly said.

Marcus responded by wheeling his horse around and riding out of the clearing. He shouted for people to get out of his way.

"Let him pass," the elder commanded. "Let him go! Let him ride it off and come back to us when his head's cleared of folly!"

With an angry roar, Marcus vanished into the surrounding trees. After that, the elder had no more opposition in the clearing. It was as if Marcus had gathered all the dissent and taken it with him when he left. The elder ordered the wagons positioned into a circle to act as a protective barrier against wild animals and such. He appointed a watch to patrol the woods. He told his people to dig fire pits and gather firewood. The food that the men had taken with them to the fields was to be distributed among all the survivors.

While this was being done, Yuri took the chance to go for his walk. The forest floor was so soft under his feet. He felt like he was walking on clouds. In places, fallen, brown leaves rustled softly underfoot. Birds chirped in the trees. He saw a squirrel run along a branch to disappear inside the trunk. He marveled at the simulated life all around him. It felt more natural to him than his actual country, which was practically nothing but rock and sand.

His walk was cut short when a male voice called out to him, "Savior?" There were four strong men nearby. They bowed formally, when Yuri turned to face them.

"Yes?"

"The elder is ready for you."

"What?"

The men shared confused looks. "Uh, the elder would like for you to, uh, join him. In his tent. Uh, back in the clearing."

"He has a tent?" They nodded. "Well, lead the way." Yuri followed them.

While they were walking, Yuri asked them about some of the things the elder had mentioned; about how their homes had been temporary and how they were going somewhere. The men said that those questions were better answered by the elder himself and they promised that was the reason the elder wished to speak to him right now. They only said that, for the past five years, every household kept its food and supplies packed at all times, ready to go at a minute's notice. Some of the people managed to grab their packs as they were running away from the fire and brigands. They had several tents and one was set aside for the elder and an important conversation he was going to have with Yuri. The disassembled wagons that had been stored in the square, he learned, were also theirs. They were meant to carry their grain supplies. The men lamented that most of their journey stores had gone up in flames, but they quieted when they came into view of the clearing.

As Yuri was walking through the clearing, the people stood up to bow to him. Yuri gave awkward waves in response. He could see that some of them were still glaring holes into his cloak, but he glossed over that.

There were a few tents scattered throughout the clearing. The one in the center looked big enough to house four people. A large fire was lit in the fire pit in front of it. Across the fire pit stood the only wagon that wasn't part of the ring around the clearing. The rear side of the wagon was removed and a ramp leading up to it was improvised in its place. Yuri realized it was a stage.

The elder's daughter tore away from the fire and dashed towards Yuri as soon as she noticed all the people rising at his passing. When she ran up to him, she grabbed his hand and breathlessly said, "What's your name?"

Yuri's lips quirked as he snorted a soft chuckle. "Yuri Yanuk. What's yours?"

"Cara Bartlett." She flashed him an embarrassed smile and dashed back. She leaned in to whisper to her father and then the elder climbed the platform. All the eyes in the clearing turned towards him when he raised his arms.

"I present to you our Savior, Yuri Yanuk!"

The elder held his hand out towards Yuri and Yuri walked up the ramp to stand beside the elder on the wagon. The crowd cheered and applauded him. Yuri nodded and waved. Yesterday, he had done a great deed and only gotten some scattered, if heartfelt, congratulations for it. This applause felt like a balm for an old sore.

The applause stopped when the elder raised his hand. "Yuri Yanuk stopped the brigands from taking away our people. Before that, he helped our people escape from the great barn, when it was set ablaze. For these deeds, I declare that we are indebted to him." The elder faced Yuri. "We owe you a life debt. As the only surviving elder of our town, it falls on me to settle the debt." Cara stepped up on the platform. "In return for all the lives you've saved, you shall receive the very first one you saved today."

Yuri's brow twitched. "Uh..." He cast his eye about, but no one else seemed even the least bit perturbed at what was being said.

Cara knelt before Yuri. She looked up at him with nervous, but adoring eyes. "Savior, before God and these people I offer myself to you, in payment of the lives owed. My life and limbs are yours, for as long as I draw breath."

Yuri discreetly looked all around again. He was surrounded by expectant faces. Everyone seemed intent on him accepting her oath.

Why not? It's not slavery, it's just an oath of loyalty. "I, um, accept your oath in the same manner as it is given."

A light flashed, like burning magnesium. Everyone gasped. Yuri squinted. After a moment, he could see that the light was coming from Cara's hand. On the back of her left hand, an inverted pentagram was wavering into existence. The crowd cried out in astonishment.

Yuri blinked his eyes clear. The pentagram on the girl's hand was a neat, slender drawing, as opposed to his, which looked like it had been carved into his skin. A translucent screen showed up in front of Yuri's face.

You have created a Bond.

A pledge of full loyalty between yourself and another party activates a Bond. You are capable of sustaining up to five Bonds simultaneously.

A Bond transfers power between both the Bonder and the Bonded. The Bonded gains the strength of the star-marked; The Bonder accrues new powers, based on the traits of the Bonded.

A Bond can only be broken by death.

Choose a point upon which to place this Bond. The point represents an affiliation that will grant a boon to the bonded. Only one Bond can be attached to each point.

If you do not wish to create a Bond at this time, exit the menu.

"Don't exit," Cara whispered.

"What," Yuri said.

"Don't exit the menu. Create the Bond. Please."

The words vanished from Yuri's sight. His mouth fell open. "You can read my game menu? You cansee my game menu?"

She frowned. "I could see and read the floating words."

An inverted pentagram showed up in Yuri's vision. Each of the five points had a label. Yuri looked at the faces all around. Most were still in awe of the tattoo appearing on Cara's hand. Some, like her father, were confused by the verbal exchange. "Could anyone else see those letters?"

"What letters?" elder Bartlett asked.

"Can anyone see this pentagram?"

"The one on my daughter's hand? Yes. It's too bright to miss."

"Please, Savior," Cara pleaded, "make the Bond. Do not deny my oath. I shall use the strength you share with me as you direct. I swear it!"

"Um, ok," Yuri said. It was very odd for a video game character to suddenly be able to see the player's options. Yuri believed that was called meta in the gaming world. He focused on the pentagram again. He was supposed to choose one of the five points to attach this Bond to. He willed the game to show him some statistics that came with each point of the star, but no additional information was furbished. He even reached out to tap at the menu, to no avail. If he had to choose blindly, then he would choose blindly. His gaze sought the upper left-hand point, as Arabic was written right to left. That point was labeled The North Star.

Do you wish to make this Bond under the guiding light of the North Star?

Yes

No

After a moment of contemplation, Yuri said, "No." Cara gasped. He held up his hand. "Relax." Since this was the only game in Zibar, that he knew of, and Zibar wrote from left to right, he decided to pick the top right hand point of the inverted pentagram, instead. That point was labeledThe Sunrise.

Do you wish to make this Bond with the renewing light of the Sunrise?

Yes

No

"Yes," Yuri said.

Cara's pentagram grew brighter and brighter, until Yuri could see it illuminate the muscles and bones in her hand. The people all around gasped and covered their eyes at the sight. Some even cowered.

Suddenly, the light died. Yuri blinked his eyes clear. Cara did the same. He noticed, in the corner of his vision, a small health bar labeled "Cara". It was right under his own. A blue line connected her name to his.

"I think that light damaged my sight," Cara said. "There's something red in the corner of my vision. It won't go away, no matter how much I blink."

Yuri looked at her in wonder. A non-player character that gets player character stats? He had never even heard of such a thing. "Yeah, I think that's supposed to be there."

"Why?"

Yuri opened his mouth to tell her not to worry about it and then her father exclaimed, "The Savior has shared God's blessing with my daughter! We are truly blessed!" The crowd cheered. The elder knelt beside Yuri and took his hand to press against his forehead.

Yuri thought he could see the man's lips moving, but the crowd started chanting his name and he couldn't make out the elder's words. Yuri waved his free hand at the crowd and was greeted with a roar of approval. He kinda liked it. The elder let go of his hand and moved off the wagon to join the others in their adulation.

Yuri was really starting to like this game. It had a living, green forest, an adoring crowd, a cute slave girl. The level of detail he could see all around and the five year creation cycle suggested that there could be many more surprises for him to find in Isis. He was definitely going to spend a lot more time in the game during his leave. Even if his leave was cancelled, like he expected it to be later today, he'd still explore the game in his free time.

Just as the crowd's excitement started dying down, another notification appeared in Yuri's vision.

You have created a Bond withCara Bartlett, the Novice Mage (Level 1)

"Hey, you're a mage," he said to her, pleasantly surprised.

Her eyes were pointed up and to the side. He guessed she was staring at the red bar in the corner of her vision. She looked up into his eyes, after a moment. "What?"

He indicated the notice. "I've made you into a mage."

"No, you didn't," she said. She blushed and her eyes darted from side to side. "I mean, please, don't tell anyone about my talent."

Yuri frowned, but his attention was drawn to more text.

Bond benefits

10'% Increase to Spirit

5% Increase to Persuasion

1 Additional Word Slot

Flash of the Sunrise

You gain the ability to perceive and remove negative status effects from your bonded partner. This ability works best in close proximity.

With focus, Cara can share any positive status effects she's under with nearby recipients of her choosing.

Bond of Life Debt

When The Bonder's health bar is reduced to its minimal value, he will draw hit points from the Bonded's health bar until it, too, is reduced to its minimal value.

"Yup, it's official," Yuri spoke into his chin, "I'm invincible in this game."Never mind, it can still serve as a vacation spot.

"What are status effects," Cara asked.

"You can read that, too?" She nodded. He didn't know how to explain video game concepts to a video game character. He had a vision of the guys at the skunkworks laughing at him for even trying. He decided not to bother, at least for the time being. "Never mind."

She hesitated before saying, "Alright."

"So, how can I get you trained in magic?"

She gasped and her eyes darted around in fright. She jumped up to embrace him. "Thank you," she yelled over his shoulder. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"