Play Testers Wanted Pt. 23

"It is voice-activated; just tell it when to record or take a snapshot," Solstice explained. "Now, let's treat this cock like the champ it is. If you enjoy my performance, look me up afterward. Once I swallow, you have to return to the contest. Ooh, I almost forgot." Solstice took out two hair ties and put her hair into twin tails. "So you can get a grip when you are ready," she said with a wink.

Solstice wrapped both her hands around my length and gently squeezed it. She lowered her head, kissed the tip, and licked her pouty lips, and then one hand massaged my balls while the other slowly stroked the shaft. Solstice's tongue wasn't idle as she traced the vein underneath with one long, drawn-out motion. She wasn't in a hurry, and I liked that about a woman. Solstice spit in the palm of her hand to help lubricate it to make the stroking smoother. Her mouth opened and trapped the tip between those lips of hers, and I shivered. The contact between her tongue and my cock was electric.

"Record."

The tiny drone let out a series of chirps, and I understood them.

"As you wish," it said.

"Keep it together," Left said aloud. "I am right here."

How could I understand the drone unless I was in the game? Solstice stopped when she saw my reaction.

"The same droid language used in the Star Wars game is programmed into that drone. You understand it because the knowledge of that dialect is hard-wired in your head."

"How did you get access to the droid language?"

"I fucked a Numenor employee, and he gave me the language file so that I could use it to make the drone more authentic when I built it. I also uploaded it into my BMI to understand the little guy. Now, back to your cock."

Solstice upped her game and went full out to take my mind off that surreal moment. Inch by inch, she gobbled up my erection with an ease that made me wish I had met her earlier. I slid my fingers into her hair and grabbed those pigtails of hers. I let her move, but I wanted to feel like I was in charge.

"Who's a good little cocksucker, you are," I said in Shiväisith, the language of the dark elves.

"Yeah, she is," Left agreed. "She looks familiar."

"Kind of," I moaned. "God damn, she likes my cock."

Solstice's eyes remained on me, and she smiled, causing her eyes to crinkle on the edges. Her hand left my balls and went between her legs, and then Solstice gave me a subtle nod, and I took over, so I tightened my grip on her hair and began to thrust slowly. When I pulled away, she clamped her lips around my length, and as I pushed, she relaxed. That is how it went until I passed the point of no return. I warned her, and Solstice submitted as I used her throat as a sex toy. I thrust faster, and our eyes never left the other--my cry of release echoed in the room and out to the coliseum. Solstice swallowed and withdrew so she could open her mouth and show me the last remnant of my load, and then she dutifully gulped that down.

"Just like a good little slut should," she said in perfect Shiväisith. "Ha, the man who raised me taught me that and many other languages. Left has been lax in your education about the Maze and the nature of time here. I would indulge your curiosity, but your allotted time with me is up, and I have other clients eager to violate me. You know my name; ask around when you have a few hours to spare. Good luck, Booker; I hope you defeat the last champion."

Solstice licked the corner of her mouth on her way out and commented about the flavor of a Duskwalker. She gestured, and her remote flew into her hand as she sashayed away. Left stammered at Solstice's oddly cynical behavior before correcting his mistake.

"Solstice is right. Time in the Maze and the dimensions connected to it are different. While she may look like a teenager, she may be decades or even centuries older than her apparent appearance."

"She comes off as a veteran and world-weary," I said. "Let's get dressed and end this commitment. I tire of the Ravens' hospitality. I wonder where they placed the healing tank?"

"Booker," Left began and then stopped. "Never mind, let's fuck some shit up."

"Yeah, do I return Nightshade and pick another weapon?"

"Let's check the armory and see what they have."

The grinning minotaur led me to the weapons locker, which turned out to be an entire chamber with destructive devices of all shapes, sizes, and tech levels. I let Left pick out something. The camera drone followed us through the process until Left let out a squee of delight.

"Changeling! Where did they find you?" He asked, and something replied with a weak hollow voice.

"I am not the weapon system I once was," Changeling responded. I traced the voice to a small dark metal cylinder lying abandoned on a bench.

"Pick her up," Left urged. "She may be old, but she packs a wallop."

I lifted Changeling from her resting place, and energy crackled between my palm and the ancient weapon. Left tightened his fingers so that I couldn't let go.

"Ooh, baby, that hit the spot," Changeling purred like liquid sex in the middle of an orgy of biblical proportions. "I love me some Duskwalker mana. I'm ready if you are lover."

"I feel like I might have a chance."

"We, baby boy, we have a chance," Changeling corrected me. "Let's wreck that motherfucker."

Left picked out a set of what appeared to be blood-red silk armor. I called them robes, but Left called them reactive armor. He said it was not unlike that worn by seers and farseers of a people the natives called gate-born or the Q'Jalin.

"Know a Q'Jalin by their silver mane and golden eyes," Left said. "Of all the species our people encountered, they were the closest to our equals."

"Physically, mentally, or what?"

"Their technology was far superior to the Atlanteans at the height of their power. Biologically, they were as advanced as our folk, save they didn't rely on the ghost lines the way we did. I'd call that superior in the end."

"Did you ever meet one?"

"Are you asking if I ever took a Q'Jalin lover? Sadly, that remains on my bucket list. Pity that we shared the same fate in the end?"

"What happened to them?" I asked while I fingered the supple material that made up the hooded robe. The light caught a faint repeating pattern of geometric shapes, like a honeycomb that ran through the entire outfit.

"They were explorers with an obsession for discovery and history. The Q'Jalin erected a series of gates that spanned the entirety of the Milky Way. If the stories are true, the portal didn't merely bridge vast distances of space but time as well. They traveled too far and uncovered too much. Many of the Q'Jalin perished, but some survived and lived quiet lives. Pull up your hood, and let's make an entrance worth remembering."

We entered the arena for the third and final time. The ground nearby began to glow as a mystical circle manifested, and a moment later, the black-clad mage teleported into view. Left firmly grasped Changeling, and the figure introduced himself.

"I represent the Ebony Flame in this conflict," the cowled figure announced. "There won't be enough of you left to bury when I finish."

"Fuck you, princess," I said, flipping him off.

"The impudence," the mage roared.

He brought his hands together, palms facing inward, and the air between them distorted. That space clouded over, and a miniature storm cloud darkened and crackled with black lightning. Changeling read my need and extended itself into the length of a fighting pike. I drove one end to the ground and extended my right-hand palm outward. The pissed-off mage let fly with a massive bolt of that dark energy which struck my hand, and Changeling instantly grounded it into the earth.

"Impossible."

"Basic physics," I growled as I took a two-handed grip on Changeling and leaped at him.

The first strike to his head staggered him, but he recovered quickly and used shield spells to block the subsequent attacks. While he remained guarded, his initial incantation cost him dearly. He must have expected one shot, one kill. As I forced him to continue to utilize personal energy, I wondered how Changeling received her name. The bow staff became a double-bladed sword which solved that little mystery. I shifted styles often to keep my foe guessing and to impress the crowd.

"Even if you manage to kill me, this isn't over," he said as his hands formed claws and returned to an aggressive attack posture.

"Kill you; I am here to defeat you. The Ravens brought me here to beat champions, not kill them. Do you want to join the last two corpses? I leave that up to you."

"You are the one that is mistaken. I am one of many, and we are legion."

The bracer absorbed the killing curse, and once again, the runes flared to life and remained visible, if faint. Left warned me the sorcerer was up to something. His strategy remained a mystery. I returned Changeling to her tiny form, stuck her in my belt, and went on the offensive with hand-to-hand combat. My fists were much faster than any weapon. My opponent tried to stagger out of range, but I didn't let him do that. As the mage attempted to focus on his next spell, I pummeled him mercilessly, hoping he'd surrender. It was his terrified expression that ended the fight. Something horrified him more than anything I could do to him. I terminated his life with a palm strike over his heart. The force was enough to crush the sternum and drive it into the organ, bursting it. My foe spat up blood as he toppled to the ground.

"Why the fuck is he smiling?" Left asked.

"Let's loot the corpse and collect our winnings," I said. "I tugged the mage's robes open and spied a sizeable blue-white diamond clutched in a dragon claw setting around the corpse's neck. As I reached for it, a bright flash blinded me.

Time Loop five.

I stood on the field for my last confrontation to end this little charade the Raven brothers had created. The crowd was quiet and seemed more confused than excited. A dark-robed figure teleported in front of me and declared himself a member of the Ebony Flame. I blocked his first spell using the bracer, and the runes were now visible and didn't fade from view. I brought Changeling into play, and the battle commenced. He utilized shield spells to block Changeling, but it was clear he had put much of his power into that first killing attack. It did him little good since Changeling altered her form into a metallic bullwhip that I wrapped around his neck before breaking it. As I searched his body for goodies, a bright flash blinded me.

Time Loop thirty-six.

The dark wizard teleported onto the field, his hands crackling with negative energy.

"Block with the bracer," Left and I said together. We raised the vambrace and caught the killing spell, which it absorbed on its rune-covered surface.

If not for Left's quick reaction to block the second lethal curse, it might have ended at that moment. I stared at the seething pattern floating beneath the metal and wondered when that had happened. That slight lack of focus nearly cost me. Thankfully, Changeling ate the energy and spat it back out. The mage staggered as he did something I had never heard of before. His hands moved in urgent patterns as he reversed his spell, reducing its effect. I didn't hesitate this time as Changeling punched through his chest, killing him instantly and producing a brilliant flash of light.

Time Loop sixty-six.

The once boisterous audience was subdued but still engaged. I felt the surge of energy, and Changeling took the form of a short sword. The mage introduced himself just before letting loose with a killing spell. I effortlessly absorbed it using the glowing bracer. Its runes crawled along the metal surface slowly. How long had it been doing that? Something was wrong, but neither Left nor I understood it. The dark wizard conjured a demon and stepped back to recharge his energy reserves. The travesty of sinful flesh stood ten feet tall with blackened bird wings, spiral horns jutting out of its skull, and breathed sickly green hellfire. I went on the defensive, but as the diabolical creature sent out a torrent of flame, the bracer absorbed it and grew brighter still.

"I cannot defeat him," the demon said.

"You aren't here to beat him, just delay him so I can recuperate."

"Yes, master."

The creature conjured weapons, and we sparred as the mage meditated. A blazing sword breached my defenses and struck my chest, and the cloth became rigid where the cutting edge made contact with my body. The blade did not cut, but the impact knocked the wind out of me. I backpedaled, parried the demon's attacks, and waited for an opening. We were clearly at a stalemate, so I changed tactics. I faked a thrust, and as the demon performed a block, I hurled Changeling into the wizard's chest, killing him. A bright flash blinded me.

Time Loop one hundred.

A mystical circle appeared before us, and we both cried in alarm.

"Ebony Flame Wizard."

Left raised the bracer in defense while I hurled Changeling, who had become a spear, and impaled the mage before he could speak. I began stripping the wizard of his fancy robes when I saw the diamond necklace.

"Grab it before...." Left never got to finish the warning.

Time Loop three hundred and six.

The sun rose over the coliseum. Something was wrong, and the growing sense of déjà vu was maddening. When had the crowd diminished? The familiar black-clad wizard appeared, and before he could speak, I throat punched him. His hands went to his neck as I balled my fist, struck him behind the ear, and dropped him to the ground. I searched the wizard and snatched the diamond from around his neck. My ears popped as the air around us fled outward.

"A time loop enchantment," Left cursed. "How long have we been reliving this fight?"

"Hours at least; look, the sun is rising."

While we were trapped, replaying the same battle repeatedly, the crowd watched from outside the temporal bubble. What remained of the audience rushed to their feet and cheered, so I accepted the Shintai and attached it to the bracer. The Ravens had already departed by the time the last challenge had ended. Good riddance. When I asked about the dragon's heart, they said another reward replaced it to heal my injuries due to my grave wounds. They were deliberately vague about what that might have been. I didn't care. The time loop trap had taken its toll, and I was exhausted on every level imaginable.

"Let's find someplace to drink and crash," I said.

"I know just the place," Left replied. "It has attractive females, strong liquor, and the beds are like clouds."

"We took out four black decade assassins, and they just keep getting stranger and stronger."

"They don't want to kill you immediately; they mean to wear you down and make you suffer. Nick must have pissed off some influential people if they are contracting out here in the Maze. Real honest to goodness, mages are exceptionally rare, and the cost to hire them is exceptionally prohibitive. Deep pockets funded this little soiree."

I reluctantly changed out of the hooded robes and back into the clothing provided by the cute Osirian. The minotaur guided us out of the Maze surrounding the dressing room and back to the street.

"Listen, I need a minute or two first."

"Hey, take your time," Left said. "What is bothering you? Your thoughts are hard to read."

"I need to rant a bit, and then afterward, we'll grab that drink."

"Sounds good to me. Spit it out."

"Where to begin? The ghost lines are awake, not like they were back in your time, but the energy is flowing again. We've faced assassins since leaving Numenor. I am uncomfortable with the thought of me dying and someone claiming you as a prize or destroying you while you are vulnerable. That has haunted me since the Serpentis attacked us in the dressing room. I know you are scared of becoming a villain, but let's be honest, I think you are more frightened of being alone. Right now, you are with one of your own, and there is a comfort to that. You can't live in fear, Lucien; it is as fatal as poison. I think it is time you pondered moving on."

"I never told you my name," Left stammered. "How the fuck did you learn it."

"I don't know. It just popped into my head just then. You have to decide what you want to do; soon, the lines will only get more potent. If I die, you deserve to have a shot at a life of your own."

"You are not going to die," Left shouted as tears fell from his eyes. "Not while I am around. I will stay until we grind the last assassin into the dust. Then, we'll have this conversation again after a party of epic proportions."

"Agreed."

The Ghost Horse Saloon was everything Left promised and more. The live music lured me in, but the companionship kept me there for hours. Despite the friendly company, something stuck in my craw. I had killed four assassins today, and my heavy drinking reflected that. Was it any wonder my mood went from bad to worse?

'Say something,' Left urged.

'Is Nick gone or not?'

'Booker, do you want to be unquestioningly sure? There is a technique I can show you. Not everyone can trigger the effect, but if it works, this will expunge any vestige of Nick Shaw from your mind. The danger lies in that anything those remnants do that is positive will be lost. Are you willing to take that chance?'

'Yes,' I said without hesitation.

'Close your eyes, relax, and hear my thoughts and nothing else. I will guide you to your earliest memory; if it works, the cascade will initiate a lifetime of recollections when we trigger that. This technique will permanently flush your system's alien thoughts, implants, or memories. You will be plain old Booker. Last chance to turn back, no, okay. We are going to find sector zero on your biological hard drive. Back, go back to your first breath and take it in again. I'll wait.'

My mind went blank, and then it felt like I was tumbling down a deep shaft or, well--finally, the cold, harsh feeling of the very first breath I ever took. The psychic dominos fell after that. One sense triggered the next until a three-dimensional surge echoed outward for what felt like forever--snatches of conversation, forgotten smells, or intimate meals with loved ones dead and gone. So many women filled my thoughts that I felt something must be wrong. But no, I remembered them, their perfume, their touch, and the feel of them sleeping next to me. Near the end, I recalled the glass and metal tubes where my mind had body jumped as I inhabited multiple clones until one was strong enough to house my complete consciousness. The last vestige of Nick Shaw was gone. I was Booker with all my flaws and strengths, alone in my body save that portion reserved for Left.

"I am free," I whispered as I opened my eyes. Tears streamed down my eyes, and my nictating membranes and eyelids blinked them away. The dual action felt oddly familiar, and I smiled.

"That took a lot longer than usual," Left said. "How do you feel?"

"Myself," I responded. "I haven't felt this grounded since I showed up at Numenor. It feels like when you were a kid and got a new pair of tennis shoes. You believed you could run twice as fast."

"I wouldn't know," Left chuckled. "I haven't had feet for a very long time."

I hit it hard after that. My presence and fame drew in a record crowd for the pub. The owner herself arrived and brought with her three more bartenders. The grand dame, a high-born Sidhe named Titania, handled the main bar while the others took care of the six satellite serving stations.

"I watched your battles in the arena," Titania said in her silky voice. "The time trap was especially entertaining. Your time sense is surprisingly strong for a human."

"Titi." The nickname left my lips before I could stop it. Why would I call a perfect stranger such a thing?