Gestation, John Gold [good books for high schoolers .TXT] 📗

about it. We’re missing something, some consequence of the war.”

“What do you mean?” Merlen’s happy mood turned serious.

“Do you remember what the divine strength gave me?” Merlen nodded, not taking his eyes off the god. “I can process information much better, and it isn’t just my consciousness branching out. It’s a deeper understanding of interrelationships. My intuition is much sharper, and that has a strong effect on real life. I’ve boosted company earnings by 230% over the past year. I’ve introduced a number of reforms and purges. It’s now stable in market terms, practically untouchable by our competitors. Even the profit numbers are double what they were. I have a good guess what the real identities of the other new gods are because of some secondary things I’m noticing, but my intuition is screaming at me. It’s saying that I have missed something that will affect our future.”

“Could you just be getting yourself worked up? You haven’t slept in several days, and my daughter says you don’t eat that much.”

For the past year, Rachel had been sharing Leon’s bed. Merlen didn’t mind—her new beau helped her get the second level of citizenship and brought her over. Management and the other most important people in the clan all lived separately, taking up a whole block in a Venusian colony. Everything was fine, though Leon had changed significantly since becoming a god.

“Don’t worry, Merlen. Nothing’s going to happen to your daughter. I’m changing, and I can see that I understand so much more than I once did. I’ll make sure everything is fine. But while we have time, get to work advancing the clan’s crafting and military wings. Tell the alliance to do the same thing.” The god started melting away on his way to the astral. “Something’s coming. I feel it.”

Leon had become more insightful. Even in normal conversation, he saw through people and made sure that both sides walked away satisfied. Whatever was most important to people in the discussion always came up. He would mention how you had lost weight, how you looked, the money you made, your work, your kids. You heard what you most wanted to hear.

Not only could he understand that, however; he could instantly find the connections between seemingly unconnected things. He had started looking for the missing pieces to the puzzle.

∞ ∞ ∞

I’m scared. It’s been almost two years since the last time I saw my parents, and the first familiar face I see is Bernard’s. And where? In the middle of the desert, a place where there are no living creatures. Over the last ten days, all I’ve come across have been ghosts pouring from the sky through the red spear and incredibly powerful monsters. There’s no life here—just Bernard’s enormous stone body pierced with the weapon in his chest. Mama…father…how are you? I miss you so much… There’s so much I have to tell you… I just want to see you.

I’ve done most of what I wanted to do, so I return to the cliffs and dig up my cart. I wear the bandage full of poison the whole way back. I do, however, have to come up with something stronger. I have a lot more health than I used to.

I have a whole sack of valuable rings and a complete change of clothes for a mage. It’s just a shame that I couldn’t find anything to make a scythe with. Of course, I wouldn’t use it, but it would go great with my costume. I already have the black robe of death, the cold skeleton hands, and my shroud of darkness. Somebody’s going to need to find new underwear.

Somehow, I forgot about the lord sandals. They’re the most unique thing I have, and they taught me how cleverly everything’s set up. Material victims give you a bonus for your attributes; non-material victims give you effects. I wouldn’t have been able to make normal mage boots if I’d wanted to.

It takes me five days to get back to Sural. I run the whole way, shooting everything that moves. I need loot, not victims.

On the fifth day, my single-seater cart rolls into the city loaded with sacks. It’s hard to drag even with an empowered body.

I walk through the western gate and almost immediately go to the guild building. Leaving my cart in the back courtyard, I head off to find Hela. Nobody will touch my things here.

It’s an overcast day, and the girl is sitting at the administrator’s desk in her green suit as usual.

“Hi, Miss Hela, I’m back.”

The girl jumps in surprise and glances out across the desk. I barely come up to the edge, having crouched down to scare her. My hood is swept back, my gloves are off, and all my items have their attributes hidden. I wouldn’t want to scare the poor girl that badly.

“Oh, Sagie,” she replies with a stomp. “What are you sneaking up on me like that for? We’ve only had five people all day, I was engrossed in my book, and now you!”

“See? Not bored any more, are you?” I smile, and the girl relaxes, grinning in return.

“What took you so long? Traveling the world? But then you missed us, so you came back?”

“I got to the center of Hashan Desert.” Hela’s eyes open wide. “I didn’t find any souvenirs good enough for you though. On the other hand, I have a present for you, but only if you help me with a few things.”

“What do you mean, the center? The monsters there are Level 200 and higher.”

“They get up to Level 1000 in the center, and they’re brutal! There’s a river of souls, too, but no gateway to Hell. There aren’t even any demons. Just a big stone body pierced with a red spear.”

“Wait, so you really got all the way there? But the aura should have killed you before you even stepped onto the desert!” She grabbed her head. “Wait, who cares about the aura? There are monsters, there’s no food, and you’re saying