Chapter 39

  Wes ended up waking from his slumber rather late the next day. Surprised that no one had awoken him, he pulled himself off his comfortable bed. He begrudgingly went straight to the bathroom. Turning on the shower before handling his mandatory ablutions.

  Wes still had not grown used to being so clean even though he had been making it a point to shower as much as possible. Concern growing that he would lose access to the nice facilities soon. He had also come to find that he did a lot of his best thinking while scrubbing. The foremost thought on his mind in this shower session was just how long other evolutions of humans slept. With his race being so spread out, he was wondering just how different humans could be, and if he would see anyone that didn’t resemble him or better didn’t resemble Argyros in some way.

  Remembering to pick up his clothes off the floor, he put them in a wooden box with square holes. He only needed to find Dozel picking up his clothes for him once to realize that she was the one who had been cleaning and washing his clothes. The fact that she was able to do it without him noticing helped to reaffirm that Dozel’s build was suited for recon and assassination. She was far too quick and quiet for her level.

  After cleaning up after himself in the shower, Wes got dressed and exited his room. With nothing happening in the big empty atrium, he continued to the hallway he had not been allowed to exit through a few days prior.

  Upon entering, he was greeted by a line of people. Some of Dozel’s family members were on one side, the humans on the other. As soon as those in line, who were still paying attention, saw Wes, they offered a bow and held. A jumbled mess of “Greetings, Master Wesley.” Came at him at different intervals and tones.

  Not wanting to shoulder a long conversation, he waved them off and told them to rise. Before Wes could push past the two lines on either side, Phony poked her head out of the door to his left, while Dozel did the same to the door on his right. Both of them smiled awkwardly before walking over and greeting him themselves.

  “What's this?” Wes asked.

  Dozel, who was wearing a white dress with its bottom and top borders transitioning into a magenta that resembled Phony’s hair, answered, “We are handling concerns and handing out instructions for when we are away.”

  Saddling up beside Dozel, Phony joked. “Yeah, don’t want a situation like the last time happening.”

  Taking in the rarity that was Phony’s dress, Wes couldn’t help but notice that the edges of hers were slightly differently styled, resembling Dozel’s vibrant blue hair. The main body of the dress takes on the tone of her pale blue skin.

  “You both are messing with me, right?” Wes asked while reaching out to Phony’s dress and thumbing the highlighted part while looking at Dozel.

  Phony giggled, “Nice touch, huh?

  Before continuing on, Wes looked behind the girls and said, “Now may not be the best time to talk about this. But you both look good, though.”

  “You need to get used to living with us like this, Wesley. We have decided to help you stand out.” Dozel commented.

  “Just good?” Phony asked.

  Wes lifted his eyebrow, “Okay, beautiful.”

  Turning to Dozel, Phony grumbled out, “See told you this fool would not care that I wore a dress. Nothing but pants from here on out for me.”

  “Hold up on that. I mean it, I really like it. It’s just,” Wes motioned to the onlookers behind the girls with his head. “We are not alone, you know?”

  “A real pather doesn’t care for such inconsequential things.” Phony shot back.

  Taken aback by her attitude, Wes felt the challenge she was issuing and decided to tease Phony. Grabbing her neck underneath her well-defined Jaw with his left hand, he pulled her closer. And asked, “Is this what you wanted?”

  Burning with excitement, Phony did not answer. Her smirk gave him all the answer he needed.

  Letting her go, Wes said, “Noted, a heavy hand is needed with you.”

  Looking toward Dozel was asked, “Don’t suppose you need an attitude adjustment either?”

  While embarrassment played across Dozel’s whole body, she answered, “No, that is not necessary, Master Wesley.”

  “Good, just wanted to check on things, but you two seem to already be doing what I was thinking of doing myself. Appreciate it.” Wes turned back around and left through the hallway doors back to his quarters.

  Making sure to close the doors behind him, Wes set his back against the edge of both doors. Exhaling, he looked up into the sky in relief at being able to control himself. Letting out a laugh, he said aloud to himself. “Pretty smooth.”

  “Smooth indeed.”

  Looking around for her voice, Wes asked, “Where are you?”

  A hand shot up from behind the seat with its back to him and waved. “Here, why don’t you come and join me?”

  Only now noticing the chair was a little more grand as compared to the weeks prior. No doubt to hide her body as she made her reveal.

  “How about no, it seems that things never go the way I want when I sit there,” Wes explained.

  “So be it.”

  Wes found himself falling through the air. He fell back into a wide, soft chair that engulfed most of his lower body and back. Looking around, he saw light fixtures evenly spaced out on either side of him. Between the light fixtures were seven evenly spaced rows of books. On each column bookended by the light fixtures, there had to be thousands. Directly in front of him was a large wooden desk with a large square opaque window.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Stretching his neck to look over his shoulder, he saw that the room continued for another fifty feet or so behind him. Feeling the slightest bit of air brush past him, opposite the side he looked, he snapped his head over and saw Nia looking down at him.

  “What do you think of my private study?” Nia asked.

  Watching as Nia walked behind the desk, Wes answered, “It’s nice. You read all these?”

  Nodding yes, Nia held her index finger to her chin and thought for a moment before nodding again and reaching through the air like she had when she retrieved his boots.

  Pulling a thin, shiny chair with several large cracks running through it. She placed the chair gently on the ground and patted its thin arms with her hands before sitting carefully. Creaking and cracking came from its direction as she sat and leaned back in one careful motion. Crossing her hands in front of her stomach while he elbows rested on the arms of her new seat, she clicked her tongue and asked, “Have you been enjoying yourself?”

  Snapping out of the trance, Wes answered, “Enjoying? I wouldn’t call it that, more like finding little moments in my day to enjoy.”

  “I see.”

  Looking to change the subject, Wes asked, “What is this place?”

  “My own personal sanctuary. It is here that I learn about our history, about us as a whole.” Nia answered.

  “Meaning what exactly?” Wes asked.

  “Meaning that you will eventually want a room exactly like this, to answer questions that you may have.” Pointing at all the books along the wall to Wes’s left, Nia added. “Every one of these gems helps to illuminate why we are here, our purpose. I would argue that books like these are the most valuable commodity in the universe to us humans.”

  “You mind if I peruse any?”

  “I don’t mind, but the High Council will. There are answers in those books to questions you haven’t even thought to ask yet. And they are rather strict about what is allowed to early Pathers.” Nia answered.

  “Why all the secrecy if we are just going to find out eventually?” Wes wondered aloud.

  Taking a moment to think, Nia began to speak before stopping herself. She tried to speak twice more, only to stop herself, before finally saying. “I’m going to tell you three different stories. Do not ask me any questions. Search for your own answers in them.”

  After waiting for Wes to agree, Nia continued by first pointing at him, then saying. “A farmer is born in a rural community. He yearns for excitement but knows that excitement is not for people like him. So the farmer decides to settle down, and he finds a good woman. They have children, and before the farmer knows it, the farmer finds out that all the excitement he had been searching for could come from his family, his children. His children's children. On his deathbed bed he looks back at his life and finds peace.”

  “Next story. A young girl is abused both physically and mentally by those around her. She grows up hating the world and having severe distrust of men, of family. Going through her life, she makes irrational decisions due to her broken sense of the world. Her morality is colored by her upbringing, so she, in turn, ends up being a truly nasty person. On her deathbed, what greets her isn’t peace, just relief.”

  “Last one. A brother and sister are dropped off at an orphanage just after birth. The boy takes his life in the orphanage as an affront. The sister takes life in the orphanage as nothing more than what it is. The sister finds love with another boy in the orphanage, and she runs off before coming of age with her lover. Before long, the brother receives word that his sister has passed while giving birth. The Boy she had run off with refused to care for the child, and in turn, the child ended up exactly where the brother spent his childhood. The brother decides to raise his nephew as soon as he comes of age. After raising said nephew and having a family of his own, he looks back at his life on his deathbed and feels thankful.”

  “Now I ask, what did you get from those stories? And remember no questions.” Nia asked.

  “I don’t know. Now this is me thinking out loud, so forgive the rambling. The obvious thing is that they all felt different on their deathbed, of course. But if I look into how you set up the stories, what stuck out to me were the choices that they all took. But even then, aside from the second story, the choices were obvious.” Wes sat up in his chair and put his elbows on his knees while putting his hands over his mouth and cheek. “Maybe the real difference was that they all had a different reason for living. The second didn’t really have a goal or purpose, so she couldn’t find happiness in life.”

  Smiling Nia held up her hand, “Bravo. Purpose is what we all search for now. When I look at you, I am envious of your youth and ignorance. These books around us define purpose in some way or another. Living long is as much a curse as a gift. Finding out your great-grandchild, a hundred times down your line, has passed away means little. Hell, even five times down my line, and it becomes hard to care. All of the fossils still alive have three choices: search for purpose or slowly lose our sanity. Or you know, find out what we are meant to feel on our deathbed.”

  “Have you found your purpose?” Wes asked.

  Laughing out loud, Nia answered, “Too many to count. My purpose changes with the seasons. Right now, my purpose is to protect you and your two brides-to-be; tomorrow, it will be to protect your children. After that, who knows?”

  Nodding along, Wes offered his thanks. “Well, I appreciate you taking the time to help me out. You have been pretty decent to me, and I can’t imagine everyone would be.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. You still have to make me a whole bunch of grandbabies. And judging by how the girls have been looking at you, that won’t be much longer.” Nia reasoned.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask about that, and don’t take me wrong, I’m not complaining. It’s just, on my planet, the women are more reserved. The girls seemed to have warmed up to me rather quickly, don’t you think?” Wes asked.

  “Hah, they have. But don’t look too far into it. They are not tricking you if that’s what you were wondering. Their feelings are genuine as far as I can tell. I think they are more relieved that they will still have a voice. When tied to such a potentially powerful Primary, that makes all the difference.”

  Wes pointed out, “I was wondering why or how they could warm up to me so fast. They have only known me for a little less than two months.”

  “Oh, that's simple. Whether they admit to it or not, they are in a race with each other. And subsequently, that has allowed them to act without much inhibition. The fact that they appreciate you overall helps to put their worries at ease. And in turn, it allows them to leave themselves open emotionally.”

  “Race?” Wes asked.

  Rolling her eyes, Nia explained, “First to your heart, Wesley. Don’t be so dense. That means a lot to a woman. They may be okay with sharing you, but that won’t stop them from competing for your attention. Worry when or if they ever stop trying to catch your eye.”

  “Thanks for filling me in. Usually, marriages on my world are one man and one woman.” Wes clarified.

  “Get used to it, Wesley. That is a rarity; the norm is a primary with a harem of supporters.”

  Nodding to her words, Wes agreed. “Coming to find that out was a little shocking when I was younger, but now it's becoming normal to me. Just never thought that two super pretty women would desire me.”

  “Bet a lot of people lost that bet.” Nia joked.

  Shouting, Wes said, “Oh, that reminds me! I have five new abilities I can unlock.”

  “Five? What level are you now?” Nia asked.

  Wes smiled, “144.”

  “Cheater.”