Once Dead Twice Bound Ch. 04

"Orpralagra! You live!" He was a mountain, shadowed by an even larger bodyguard that stuck close behind him and radiated menace.

The man who yelled looked to be of polynesian descent, with a dark tattoo covering his right arm and bleeding up under the t-shirt that strained to contain his muscles. His natural posture was slightly hunched, making his walk seem almost gorilla-esque. Massive arms wrapped around my orc and hoisted her from the ground in an enormous bear hug. "And is this the young man that stole you from us. Why didn't you tell us you had a suitor?"

I swallowed loudly, panic forcing my set of mystical eyelids closed, filtering out the natural illusions that hide their true skin color. Opal was a darker green than the orc holding her up. His tusks were more prominent, and he had a moderate overbite. His eyes gleamed with generous mirth as he stared down at me.

"You're not going to challenge me to a duel, or punch me? Take my lunch money? I don't really have any lunch money. And I'd rather not do those other things." I babbled, fear providing the words without any filter.

"Kreshard! Put me down!" Opal accompanied her demand with a furious punch to his neck. Striking some sort of nerve, his arm spasmed and she twisted free.

The man, presumably Kreshard, continued staring at me for a tense moment before he threw his head back into a boisterous laugh. "A jokester? Wonderful!" He tried to slap her shoulder in a friendly manner with his left arm, but it still wasn't working and just flopped a couple inches off his waist. Unconcerned, he finished the motion with his right arm, his hand landing loudly on her shoulder.

"Not exactly. He's kind of had a rough go of it lately, only recently piercing the veil," Opal spoke up for me, rolling her back in a stretch after the solid blow.

A fatherly look of understanding crossed his face. "Oh. That can be a tumultuous time. What has he had to deal with?"

I recounted them aloud, ticking my fingers up as I did, my tongue moving on auto-pilot. "Vampire- No. They're called Liches. Shapeshifting. Magic. Kidnapping. Dragons. Duels. Manipulation. Bonding..."

Tara silenced my spiraling descent into an unhealthy panic with a kiss. Opal joined in on the comforting with a gentle touch on my arm and a wave of love and affection through the bond. With their help I managed to regain my composure, closing my mouth as a blush colored my cheeks.

"I've got this," Opal assured me. She hurried over to Kreshard, rising on her tiptoes to speak so only he could hear. His expression immediately darkened and only grew more grim as she continued to talk. His prodigious shoulder muscles tensed and the bodyguard behind him mirrored his tenseness.

His eyes darted to me and his brow furrowed. "Limitless and unconditional? Why would you..."

Opal's smile was full of warmth and love, and she glanced my way, lowering herself to her feet as she spoke in a louder tone so everyone close could hear. "He is my Tamer." She said the title like it had some sort of cultural significance. "How could I offer anything less?"

Concern and disbelief crossed Kreshard's face. "...Tamer? Him? And you went full bloodrage?"

Opal was smug with remembrance as she looked over to me. Even though my form had filled out somewhat from the constant flow of orcish spirit that filled my matrix, I was still nowhere near the sort of physique seen on every orc around the feast. Opal's voice was filled with knowing. "He has surprising depths to him. His spear is particularly impressive."

I had to choke down an embarrassed laugh from the double-entendre, intended or not.

"If you say so. What sort of restrictions did he place?"

"The lightest of chains, but all the stronger for it. Fidelity and temperance."

He looked impressed by that. "Okay. I see why you would look at him like that then. But, how did you end up in a blood rage in the first place? Why did you leave us, Orpralagra- Sorry. Opal?" The attention of the Thickblood clan was palpable, everyone in the vicinity throwing propriety aside as they openly eavesdropped on Opal's answer.

"It's Opal now. Opal Reynolds. As for the rest..." She disappointed them by stretching up to keep this part of the story private, whispering the words to their leader only.

Kreshard, after hearing what she had to say, had no such restraint. "In a cage?! Where are they?! I will tear them limb from limb!" he roared.

Opal looked unperturbed by the outburst. "I would ask you not to make a scene. My master has already settled this with the guilty party and I would prefer not to see any further trouble come to him. As he unintentionally mentioned earlier, his induction through the veil has been... particularly turbulent."

Kreshard looked like he wanted to fight something. Anything really. His energy bled out into the orcs closest to him, violence spilling from them in a wave as they mirrored his aggression.

Just when I started to consider an early exit stage left, he took a deep breath and managed to control himself. Closing his eyes, the rage bled off him with every long exhale. "I guess it's none of my business anymore."

"Don't say that. I will always care for our time together. You taught me the ideals that are worth living for and I have no regrets about the time I spent with you." Opal placed a chaste kiss on Kreshard's cheek.

The gigantic orc sighed wistfully. "I am also glad of the time with you. I just wish the parting wasn't under such circumstances. Finding a forever bond should be a cause for celebration, not war chants like the one that rumbles in my chest."

"It still is." Opal practically skipped over to me. She clutched my arm to her body, pressing herself up against me so her breasts bracketed my arm in feminine warmth. "No complaints on the results."

Kreshard shook his head at her display. Looking around, he noticed the attention our small circle had gathered. "What are you lickspittles looking at?! This is a party. Let us celebrate Opal's victory in the arena. A win for the ages. Not often an ex-Thickblood warrior gets to meet such a rarified opponent in battle. It's up to us to make this night as memorable as the match that preceded it!"

His words were met with a resounding cheer from the crowd. They returned to their previous pursuits, which they'd put on hold for the drama, with twice as much vigor as they'd shown before. The curious tension that'd infected the place lifted. The curiosity of the clan sated by their chieftain's words. They threw themselves with reckless abandon into eating, drinking, and various games of skill usually seen at football tailgates, a few of them with magical twists.

There was ladder ball, whose standing structure was made of beautifully crafted dark-lacquered wood. The usual golf balls on strings were replaced by white orbs that served a similar purpose, but they lit up with the corresponding rungs point value when draped over the bar.

Beanbags was the same as normal bags, but the boards were painted with cartoonishly horrifying depictions of evil orcs, mouths open wide to accept the bean-filled projectiles.

There was also a game that I didn't recognize that seemed almost fully magic in nature. The competitors worked in teams of two, with partners facing each other across a sixty foot gap with a white, egg sized orb sitting in the center between them. Opposing players stood next to each other and took turns tossing team-colored croquet sized balls towards the white orb. What really caught my attention was what happened when the thrown balls touched. Upon connection, the thrown ball would absorb the mass of the other ball if it was the same size, or was absorbed if the sitting ball was larger.

I was trying to work out the scoring when a shout of victory tore my attention away. The competition seemed fierce, but no one started any physical altercations upon losing, which surprised me.

Of course not.

I mentally facepalmed, annoyed with myself.

I'm a fucking racist. They aren't thugs or goons from some fantasy show. They're not going to brawl over losing a game or getting a little beer spilled on them.

Which was something that'd happened more than once during the night, seeing as orc's tended to talk loudly with their hands, wild gestures becoming animated when their emotions got them. Disgusted with my preconceptions and guilty, I walked over and hugged my orc from behind, placing a kiss just above her slightly-canted ear. She leaned into it, grateful and curious at my unusual public display of affection.

Kreshard noticed my uncomfortableness, and caught my nervous glance around at the few remaining unfamiliar eyes on me. "What you all looking at?!" Kreshard bellowed loudly but without heat.

Everyone in the nearby vicinity hopped half a foot into the air and quickly found a conversation to get involved in. Two seconds after his question and there was not a single set of outside eyes on our group.

Seeing that all the crowd's direction was once again focused on something other than this reunion and discussion, Kreshard and Opal continued their emotionally charged conversation, Opal now in my arms. Neither looked put out by my intrusion, like it was a natural occurrence for me to hold her like this.

They do seem to be more comfortable with casual closeness and intimacy. Very tactile. It might be a good idea to make an effort to touch Opal more than I would naturally.

"I'm glad you're happy Opal." He frowned, crossing his arms over his impressive pecs. "Still, your absence leaves us in something of a lurch. Who am I going to get to teach the newbies how to ride the edge of bloodrage without losing themselves?"

"Just get Tom. He's who taught me, after all. Or do you forget why I joined the clan in the first place?" Opal gestured at the hulking bodyguard.

"I didn't forget. You're just an unusual case, lass. Not... everyone responds to Tom's training the same way as you did." Both Kreshard and Tom faces scrunched up with nearly identical expressions of distaste.

"That's why you put me in charge of training?! Tom told me it was to further my own experience."

Tom spoke for the first time. "They can both be true. Besides, the arena wasn't a healthy path for you. You needed something to fill that void." Tom's voice was surprisingly gentle for the size of his frame.

"Gah. I can't believe you two. You just want me to do your dirty work."

Kreshard had the grace to look mollified. "That's not the only reason." He spread his hands out in a gesture of appeasement. "You were also good at it Opal. And we wouldn't ask you to do it for free."

The large orc caved over Opal's continuous unimpressed stare.

"Let's table that discussion for now. Instead let's do something more fun. How about a friendly competition? Just the four of us." His fingers waved idly between himself, Tom, Opal, and me.

Opal's mood did a complete one-eighty. As did her body, turning to grab my shoulders with bubbly energy."Stones is my favorite. Do you want to play?" she asked. Her excitement displayed in the gleam of her rich-brown irises.

I couldn't say no to that. "Sure. Though you'll have to explain the rules first."

"I wouldn't mind a game. What say you, lad? You and Opal against me and Tom here?" He slapped the back brute of a bodyguard who appeared to have the innocuous name of Tom.

Kreshard's eyes were calculating, speaking that this was something more than a simple game and it made me hesitate. The simple joy vibrating through the bond with Opal meant that I didn't really have any choice in the matter.

"That sounds like a plan, Kreshard." Finding my courage, I faced him evenly, fending off a nervous swallow that threatened to bob my adam's apple.

"If they're anything like you, there's no way we win. You know that, right?" I asked Opal quietly, sticking close to her back as we walked over toward a large open field with closely trimmed grass.

Unfortunately Kreshard's hearing was proficient enough to overhear. "It's not about winning or losing, boy. It's about testing your spirit. Seeing if your mettle matches those lovely tusks you find yourself sporting."

Opal shot him a nasty look but his cocksure grin was unwavering, and it did much to take the edge off the challenge his words could have implied. "We don't have to do this. It was just supposed to be a bit of fun," she said, but she couldn't stop her face dipping with disappointment.

It hurt to see her like that and I put on a brave face. "Nonsense. Let's do this."

Her face bloomed with excitement that bled into her somewhat chaotic but mostly successful explanation of the rules of the game. She handed me a set of three black marbles while Tom and Kreshard each took three white marbles from a small wooden box.

"So I pinch it to activate?"

"Yep," Opal answered, watching me expectantly.

I gave into the urge to ruffle her hair before performing the anticipated action. The ball expanded in my hands, the energy buzzing against my skin. The blue orb felt like tamed lightning in my palm. I gave it a tender toss, catching it softly like it was made of spun glass.

Magic. This is real magic that I'm holding in my hands.

"I'll take first toss, Master." Darting forward, she pressed a tusky kiss to my cheek before scooping up the remaining golden ball in the box and darting off. She counted off steps as she went, dropping the golden ball before continuing an equal distance. Tom joined her a short time later, moving quickly for a person his size.

That just leaves me here. Alone. With Kreshard.

Opal clicked one of her balls on and off and a three by three rectangle appeared just a foot off the ground between her and the target ball. I missed her toss, startled by a small cheer behind me as Tara pulled up a folding chair.

"Goooo Opal, you can do it," she crowed, just loud enough to be embarrassing without crossing the line into obnoxiousness. I gave her a smile, a half-hearted wave, and an expression that I hoped she would interpret correctly as a request to stop. Her half-cocked smile and wiggling fingers back at me gave me a little hope.

Uh oh. She knows but has no intention of stopping.

I braced myself as she bounced her eyebrows at me suggestively. Her next cheer was directed my way. "That's my mate out there. Go get 'em Jack. I believe in you." She blew me an exaggerated kiss as I groaned.

"It's your throw, sonny. And look at it this way, at least you're not as nervous anymore."

I clicked my marble on and I recieved my own rectangle in the air. I took a deep breath and reviewed Opal's instructions.

So I'm supposed to aim at any equal sized orbs of the other color, red in this case. Alternatively I can try to hit the central ball for a large point total that I can't remember right now. But first it has to go through the rectangle otherwise my orb with deactivate and won't count for anything.

Settling myself, I took a half stride and tossed. My shot arced through the window and rolled to a stop in the grass, short of the central mark but not distressingly so. Still, I was the furthest of the first three shots by a fair amount.

It didn't prevent Kreshard from quickly and skillfully picking up the spare. His red ball touched mine and flashed, consuming the blue and doubling in size. Now two red orbs and one blue one rested in the field. The tossing order was serpentine, which meant that the last thrower in the first round would be the first throwing in the second round. The third and final round would have the same order as the first.

"So, lad. What can you tell me about this lich fellow?" Kreshard asked as he lined up his shot. His ball narrowly passed by the golden orb, only missing by an inch or so. The large orc tsked around a tusk.

I looked at him at the corner of my eye as I activated the second of my marble. My heart thumped, slightly elevated as I started to get into the competition. The excitement got the best of me as my throw safely went through the pane, but with far too much momentum. I was saved when the edge of my orb glanced against Opals resting one. The magic immediately linked the two as they merged into a single larger ball, equal to that of the one Kreshard had stolen from our team.

"Four to two," Keshard remarked, eyes analyzing the field carefully. "And you haven't answered my question?"

"I don't know. I've never met him, only his... apprentice, or something. Only he seemed to be controlling her with a phyl-... Holding something hostage that is precious to her."

"Ah. I see. And this apprentice, are you close to her?"

I remembered the sensation of Olivia's bite and blushed. I chose not to answer.

It didn't seem to do me any good.

Kreshard chuckled, seeing beneath my flustered expression. "Ah. Not that close. But you want to be. Why? Our lovely Opal, not enough for you?" he asked with a low growl.

Nervous, I spun quickly to face it. "Not at all, sir. I'm more than blessed to have..." My reasoning died out at his rumbling chuckle.

"Easy, boy. I'm just 'messin' wit' you', as the kids are wont to say. Never did understand humanity's blind devotion to monogamy. Happiness comes in all shapes and sizes. By closing themselves off like that they are limiting the ways to find happiness." A muscle in his jaw clenched and a faraway look clouded his eyes. "It's all too hard to find and hold onto it already, why make it more difficult?" he asked, mostly to himself.

Tom's throw rolled into the our singular blue ball, expanding the size even further. It also gained a thick red band across the middle. From Opal's explanation of the rules, regardless of the number of combined orbs, two consecutive from a single team would flip the color into that team's.

"Silly." Kreshard shook his head at his partner's actions. "Should've tried to reinforce our defenses instead of going for the clean sweep."

Opal quickly and smoothly closed off the attempted steal. Her orb further expanded the striped orb and washed away the red band, leaving it a clean blue color.

"Four to four, now. Things are getting interesting." Kreshard kept his attention on the field, addressing his words to me. "I guess I just want to know that she's okay."

Her tears in the locker room came to mind. My fists clenched until my knuckles were white. "She's... struggling. But we're there for her."

Opal's next toss ran into and consumed one of Tom's stray orbs, giving us a two and a four point orb while Kreshard's team only had a one and a three. Tom reinforced his small and lonely orb with a neat toss through a high-placed window.

Kreshard snorted. "Good. As long as you can remain true to that, you and I won't have any problems."

I tried to play it safe, aiming for the largest, and hopefully easiest, of our blue-colored orbs. Again I missed.

"Nice try honey, you'll get it next time," Tara cheered from behind me. She'd somehow managed to procure what looked to be a lemonade and a burger while never letting up her all-too-public support.

It's okay, even if he steals mine. Currently the score is seven to five. Without hitting the center, the best he can do is tie. And if he misses we win. Which is honestly much better than I would've thought coming into this.

Kreshard had no intention of letting this round end in a tie. His window was low to the ground, upping the difficulty of the shot. Just as I was beginning to feel confident, he loosed his throw. The orb wobbled a little as it sped along the uneven ground. Even so, that stone honed in on the golden central ball like it was pulled in by a goddamn tractor beam. His red orb vanished as a pillar of light poked out of the golden orb. I chuckled in disbelief.

Kreshard cracked a grin and punched his fist in victory. The top third of the golden orb gained a reddish hue. The colored balls of magic winked out as their core marbles were sucked up around the edge of the golden orb for easy retrieval. Tom hustled over and plucked them free, tossing three black to Opal, three white to Kreshard, finishing with three black to me. I managed to corral two of the three in my hands. The sting of defeat in my veins, I stared at the golden orb thoughtfully, rolling the marbles around my palm as I did.