Heroic Read online

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Chapter Sixty

  Chapter Sixty-One

  Chapter Sixty-Two

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  Chapter Sixty-Six

  Chapter Sixty-Seven

  Chapter Sixty-Eight

  Chapter Sixty-Nine

  Chapter Seventy

  Chapter Seventy-One

  Chapter Seventy-Two

  Chapter Seventy-Three

  Chapter Seventy-Four

  Chapter Seventy-Five

  Chapter Seventy-Six

  Chapter Seventy-Seven

  Chapter Seventy-Eight

  Chapter Seventy-Nine

  Chapter Eighty

  Chapter Eighty-One

  Chapter Eighty-Two

  Chapter Eighty-Three

  Chapter Eighty-Four

  Chapter Eighty-Five

  Chapter Eighty-Six

  Chapter Eighty-Seven

  Chapter Eighty-Eight

  Chapter Eighty-Nine

  Chapter Ninety

  Chapter Ninety-One

  Chapter Ninety-Two

  Chapter Ninety-Three

  Chapter Ninety-Four

  Chapter Ninety-Five

  Chapter Ninety-Six

  Chapter Ninety-Seven

  Chapter Ninety-Eight

  Chapter Ninety-Nine

  Chapter One Hundred

  Chapter One Hundred One

  Chapter One Hundred Two

  Chapter One Hundred Three

  Chapter One Hundred Four

  Chapter One Hundred Five

  Chapter One Hundred Six

  Chapter One Hundred Seven

  Chapter One Hundred Eight

  Chapter One Hundred Nine

  Chapter One Hundred Ten

  Chapter One Hundred Eleven

  Chapter One Hundred Twelve

  Chapter One Hundred Thirteen

  Chapter One Hundred Fourteen

  Chapter One Hundred Fifteen

  Chapter One Hundred Sixteen

  Chapter One Hundred Seventeen

  Chapter One Hundred Eighteen

  Chapter One Hundred Nineteen

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Five

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Nine

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-One

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Five

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Seven

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Eight

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Nine

  Chapter One Hundred Forty

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-One

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Two

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Four

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Five

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Seven

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Eight

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Nine

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Four

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Five

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Six

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Eight

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Nine

  Chapter One Hundred Sixty

  Chapter One Hundred Sixty-One

  Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Two

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Prologue

  Officer Emmerson strode up the large stairs of the Heroes Guild Hall. The stairs themselves a blue stone marbled with white. The entire front of the building closer resembled an ancient temple, with tall pillars and huge gateways. There were no doors on the guild hall, just a large gap in the stonework, it was meant to signify that anyone could enter and get help.

  Though since it lay in the one of the Inner Towers, it was hardly easily accessible. Still, during rare occasions, such as this even a measly police officer from one of the Outer Towers could come this far towards the center.

  He adjusted his white button up shirt, it felt stiff and odd, since he’d saved it for rare occasions. He didn’t think he could’ve worn it for more than a couple times in the last few years. Mags said he should just be happy it still fit him, most men went wide in the middle when they reached his age.

  And he could feel it. Once he finally reached the top of the stairs, he knee had started clicking from that old injury, and he was slightly out of breath, despite the stairs not being that long.

  If I was 20 years younger… He thought to himself, striding into the the hall.

  “Officer Emmerson!” A familiar voice called out. Emmerson turned to see Fimbul approaching.

  Fimbul was in full hero get up, steel mesh suit that seemed to have frozen over at his chest and as it approached his feet and hands, it slowly thawed to reveal the fabric. The hero himself still looked slightly youthful, though he couldn’t have had less than 10 years on Emmerson himself.

  “Fimbul!” He greeted cheerily. They eagerly shook hands, grasping each others forearms. Usually it was a greeting between two heroes, but Emmerson had long established a re
pertoire with Fimbul.

  He appreciate Fimbul’s nearness, back when he had first started out as a hero apprentice, he had a tendency to lower the nearby area to below zero and would accidentally cause water to freeze around him. Now though, he simply took a too warm day and gave it a pleasant chill.

  “It's good to see you again!” Fimbul smiled, “It’s been too long”. Though he wore no physical mask, the Memory Mask, worn as a collar around his throat, did the job just as well. No matter how many times Emmerson met Fimbul, he wouldn’t be able to recognize him without it, and vice versa.

  “You say that, but only one of knows if it’s true,” Emmerson replied, smiling and back and giving the sturdily built man a shove with his shoulder.

  “Aargh!” Fimbul mimed someone shooting him in the heart. “I am hurt that you would think I, out of all people, would deceive you!” He closed his eyes and leaned back whilst continuing to walk with Emmerson, despite not being able to see where he’s going.

  “He’s here?” Emmerson asked, deciding to change the subject.

  Fimbul let out a sigh, and muttered “Buzzkill,” to himself. “Yes, he’s here, we wouldn’t want you traveling all this way for you to meet someone who isn’t here.” He pointed towards a door, placed in the back of the hall’s greeting room. Multiple small console had been set up with their own little AI by the Cavalry to ensure that the ‘public’ could reach the Heroes Guild for help.

  Emmerson scowled at the splendor and waste of the over sized room. With its high arched ceilings with artistically placed statues and other small decorations related to various heroes where placed around the room, to remind everyone that walked in, just where they where.

  If this was Ëndib Tower, then we could’ve managed with two consoles and a room big enough to house them in, Emmerson thought as Fimbul led him through the door.

  Behind the splendor of the greeting room, the guild hall was much less grand, the ceiling about halved in height, allowing for more than a single floor. The flooring changed into a glossy, well polished, white marble, with the occasional thick carpet covering the floor.

  While it wasn’t as expansive as the greeting room, there was still the chance that someone would be brought back here, so they had still had to hold themselves to a certain standard.

  The room was more a hallway with a bunch of stairs leading up, none led down as the Heroes Guild was located on the fourth Level. Fimbul led him towards the third stair on the left.

  “Need some help getting up the stairs?” He asked, turning back with a smile.

  “I’m not that old yet,” Emmerson grumbled, for effect he took the stairs in a light run, though his knee did pain him as he did. He heard Fimbul chuckle as he followed behind, letting the older man set the pace.

  Emmerson did his best to not sound of breath as they reached the top of the stairs, though he suspected it to be a futile ruse. Fimbul just winked at him, before passing him and continuing through more hallways.

  Emmerson tried to keep his wheezing to a minimum as he followed behind the hero. He had once tried to ask about the hallways, mostly why and how there could be so many, he had gotten some useless line about spell-shifts, leylines and casting script. Only for Extus to boil it down really simple. More space.

  Fimbul frowned down at his wrist before knocking on the door to his left.

  “Come in,” Called a deep voice, through the door. Fimbul opened and Emmerson followed in behind him.

  Emmerson was immediately embraced by a soothing, pleasant feeling that made some of the tension leave his shoulders. Unconsciously, he let out a slight sigh of relief.

  “Arthur Emmerson my boy!” The deep voice called, followed by the sound of metal rattling against the floor. Emmerson barely saw the man before he swept him up in a huge hug. “How are ya, it’s been too long.”

  “I’m not a kid anymore Ex,” He wheezed out, this time not because of his flight up the stairs. Extus looked almost exactly like the day Emmerson had first seen him. He was many a scar richer, but not a day older. When the man finally let him down so he could breathe proper again, he managed to mutter, “It’s been 50 years Ex, I have grand kids now, I’m not some kid anymore.”

  “Alright, I get it, I’ll try to stop,” But he wouldn't stop, he’d never stop. Mostly because it annoyed Emmerson, but also because he enjoyed acting like the proud uncle to someone who clearly looked older than him.

  “Ch- Fimbul!” Extus went right on, turning his back to Emmerson and scooping the hero up in a hug too. “Good to see you young apprentice!” He was significantly rougher with Fimbul than he was with Emmerson, to which Emmerson was thankful.

  “Okay, okay,” Fimbul mumbled trying to dislodge himself from Extus grip, though he wouldn’t be free until the old ex-hero decided it so.

  Finally, after much swinging about and wasted effort in trying to get free, Extus put him down and stepped back.

  Somethings had changed with Extus. He was no longer in his hero costume from when Emmerson was a kid, instead he was wearing a simple shirt and pants. His left arm wore heavy burn scars from finger tips to some point past his shoulder, the only break in the lightning strike pattern was a pale crescent of raised flesh encircling his arm. He emitted a pleasing aura of relaxing and positive energy still, despite being stuck in such rooms for the last five odd years.

  He had decided to grow his nearly solid black hair out into slightly curling waves that washed down around his shoulder. “What do you guys think?” He asked, turning around and rattling his chains. “Does it work for me or no?”

  “It’s not great for hero work,” Fimbul said, politically.

  Extus exaggerated looking around the room, “Not much hero work to do in here.”

  Emmerson cleared his throat, before speaking up, “You asked for us to come here Ex- Vanys,” He knew the hero didn’t want them to use his hero name, since he wasn’t one anymore, but it was still hard for him to remember, “So are you gonna tell us?”

  “Of course I am,” Extus replied, stepping back. He lived in a room with a television, a bed, and a window to look out in the Wild. It was a rare privilege, one that he had earned, long before he turned himself in. He sat back on his bed and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling of his room…

  Chapter One

  I shook my head, blearily reaching for the alarm clock. Its incessant beeping bringing me out of the sweet embrace of sleep.

  A quick stumble, some highly trained and very precise movements later, and I’m showered and dressed. Standard button down shirt and a pair of surprisingly easy to move in pants.

  “Ah good.” Emmet said, peeking in through my door. “You’re up.”

  I barely stopped myself from wincing. The fact that it’s almost routine for him to check is more than a little embarrassing. “Yeah, I’m up.” I reply.

  I maneuvered around all the litter on my floor. It was almost as dangerous as stepping on a kids toy, except mine was halfway cheap electronics. I purposefully didn’t look at my current project. I knew it to be little more than a bunch of barely connected wires and small motors.

  The fact that I couldnt get to recognize a house plant was bothering me more than I’d like to admit. It wasnt helped by the fact that there was only one, and I had been working on it for… too long at this point. I hadn’t even come up with a function for it water the plant.

  “Did you want anything else?” I asked, knowing that he did. Emmet was a nice guy, always doing things like making sure I got to work on time, but I could always tell when he ulterior motives. You live with a person for 5 years and you start to get to know them. Even more so if you grew up together.

  “I just wanted to make sure that you remember, to go to the bank after work, today.” Emmet said. He sounded a little embarrassed to be reminding me. Like a younger brother, who had to remind his older brother to do the thing he had promised to do, over and over and over… Exactly like that, almost.

  “I’ll remember.” I replied, throwing togeth
er a quick sandwich and popping it into my mouth. “Are you sure there’ll be enough space?” I asked, mouth still full of food. “Between all her fancy decorations, and all your home- and charity work, don’t you think it might be tad cramped?”

  Emmet snorted, pulling on his jacket. “I don’t think you’re going to get me to stay so easily.” His demeanor grew more serious.

  Oh no, I thought. I knew, I just knew he was about to go all sentimental on me.

  “Look man. Thank you for taking me with you when you left, but it’s time to move on.”

  I barely stifled a groan, as he continued talking. “I know I’ve said it before, but please consider getting started on your education. I know it will mean cutting back even further on all your… hobbies, but its a long time investment and its something that is truly worth it.” He looked me dead in the eye. We both knew I what I was going to do before I did it. It wasn’t the first time and it probably woudlt be the alst time.

  “Careful, the teacher in you is showing.” I reply, faking a smile.

  Emmet lets out a long sigh, “Vanys-,” but he stops himself, before he too fakes a smile. “It’d better or all this education won’t have been worth it.” With an effort of will, he grabbed me in a quick hug. “Take care.” Then he left.

  Sometime later today, a moving company would grab all of his stuff—mostly what’s in his room, the kitchen, and the living room—and move it to his soon-to-be fiancee’s apartment.

  I sighed as I went into bathroom, popping a cleaning tablet into my mouth. I cracked it as I filled a glass of water. Half the glass into the mouth, swirl, the paste from the tablet foaming and giving off a low popping sound. Spit. Rest of the water, swirl and spit. Voila, Clean teeth.