Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    Usually, Matt rode a bus that made trips between the rift and developed area of the island but not tonight. None of them wanted to wait near the rifts.

    Matt looked down at the trophy he had been so proud of and felt sick. With an effort that strained his recently healed body, he threw the orcs head into the woods.

    It had transformed from a symbol of his bravery and victory, to a token of his stupidity.

    He nearly died and had wanted to take the head of his fallen foe and proudly proclaim he had killed it.

    That Matthew Alexander was the next Duke Waters. The next Light and Shadow.

    The encounter now tasted like ashes.

    Healer Iriss greed towards the cold egg in his hand had angered him. It still had him simmering. If not for the Empire and its rules, the strong would be able to take anything they wanted. Matt wasnt strong, he was protected by a Tier 50 who was planets away and wanted people to grow and not be oppressed.

    That wasnt his strength. The healer should have followed the rules, but instead tried to oppress Matt with her money and power. Griff was a better person than Iris, but what if he hadnt been?

    Everything he risked his life for could have been snatched in an instant.

    He did not want to no he could never be weak again. Iris reminded him of how he felt at eight, when the rift break had torn everyone he had ever loved away from him. He knew he had only been a child, but if people had been stronger, the rift break would have been easily pushed back. If the Junipers had done their duty, he wouldnt have lost everything he held dear.

    Power is the only way to protect what I care about.

    Matt wanted that power. He looked at Melinda, Mat, Kyle, Sam, Vinnie, and Tara. He wanted to be able to protect his friends that had run to help, even if he didnt know how they got there so fast. Now wasnt the time to ask, but he wanted to be able to return the favor however he could.

    Griff had been right, he could admit that. Matt may have misremembered the information about rift challenges, but Matt had played it smart and cautious until he had seen the reward distortion. If he hadnt been blinded by his avarice, he would have retreated, and still could have made good gains in both essence and credits.

    The fight with the orc could have gone worse in a thousand different ways. Any misstep or dodge in the wrong direction, and Matt could have been killed.

    He had only been hit with a single thrown shield and it destroyed the left side of his body.

    Matt knew he was lucky that it was only a glancing blow, and that [Cracked Phantom Armor] had stopped him from bleeding out. His left side was covered in blood from only a few moments between the skill turning off and Melinda healing him.

    The area felt odd to his senses. The wounds were healed, but now the area felt off, like it wasnt quite his own body anymore.

    Matt looked to the healer, he owed her. He couldnt imagine how to even begin to repay the debt. He promised himself that he would one day.

    He would become strong enough that he wouldnt need to rely on the protection of the Empire and the Emperor. He wouldn''t need to lean on his friends.

    Matt wanted to be able to support them as they had supported him. To do that he needed to get strong.

    ***

    As the long walk was ending and the residential area was in sight, Melinda broke the long silence. Healer Iris wasn''t a good person. Rumor had it she was here because she tried to extort someone while acting as an official Healer. It''s just a rumor but she''s always been an asshole.

    Mat chimed in after his girlfriend, Well I think her actions tonight kinda prove those rumors right.

    Yeah, I guess they do.

    Tara quietly asked, Did Griff have to kill her? That seems a little excessive with his power.

    Kyle quietly answered her, Yeah he did. Theft of rift rewards is considered banditry, and the punishment for that is always death. My combat tutor talked about it. He said its considered kinder to just kill them and avoid the publicity.

    Thats stupid, we shouldnt kill anyone that easily. She could have been given a second chance.

    She was on her second chance. No way she deserves a third, she tried to steal from Matt. Are you saying she should?

    No I...

    Matt felt the need to interject before they got farther off track, Thanks for the quick reaction I swear Ill...

    He was stopped as a red-eyed Melinda jumped in front of him, finger in his face. If you say pay me back by every ring of hell there is. I. Will. Hurt. You. We help each other. That''s what friends do. If you had the chance I''m sure you''d do the same. All thats needed is a thank you.

    As he opened his mouth to protest Melinda glared harder, The next words that leave your mouth better not be anything other than Thank you. Do. Not. Fucking. Test. Me.

    Matt acquiesced. Thank you Melinda. he looked to the rest of her party, Thanks to all of you. I just don''t want you guys to feel like I''m only friends with you for free heals. I''ve seen friendships end over far less. And I value our friendship too much.

    Mat looped an arm around his shoulder. It''s not like we havent had to fend off people who just wanted to cozy up to us for Melindas abilities. Its easy to tell whos who.

    Also, as the healer who treated you I''m banning you from delving for the next two shifts.

    You can do that?

    Yeah and Ill make it three if you give me any more lip.

    Looking at her still red eyes and slight sniffle she was trying to hide, Matt didnt feel it would be smart to call her bluff.

    Ok but you need to explain what happened. Sam pushed the conversation to safer waters.

    After you all explain how you got to the rift so fast.

    Easy. Youre usually out of the rift way before us, and when you didn''t answer our message we got worried. We saw your pad hadnt gone online since your rift time, so we waited outside in case you needed Melindas help. We know your skill makes it so you cant really get hurt in a Tier 1 rift so we got worried.

    Kyle added, Unless he''s crazy enough to fight a Tier 3. I''m surprised you can walk Matt

    Matt didn''t know what he was talking about. Walk? His legs hadn''t been injured.

    With the size of those balls on you, Im surprised you aren''t just bouncing down the road on them.

    Ohhhhhh.

    The attempt at humor didn''t quite land, but he appreciated the effort. Tara added, Yeah give us the story, how did you do it?

    So Matt told them, their reactions made him feel a little better after Griff''s dressing down. But he still felt Griff had been mostly right, even if a little harsh. He definitely would make a different decision if presented with the same situation a second time.

    The incident felt as if it happened to someone else once the adrenaline had run its course.

    As they got to the housing complex Matt was urged to scan the egg, and after he had, they rushed to the groups suite to view the results privately.

    Bound Pet: Arctic Fox.

    Elemental Affinity: Ice.

    The group then looked up how to bond the pet, which was like bonding a skill shard. Send essence in, and then a few days later the creature would hatch.

    That sparked a debate on why a fox was in an egg, until Melinda, who was looking up the procedures with Matt, saw an author''s note.She read it out loud.

    Guys holy shit, this explains why Iris tried so hard to steal the egg! Listen to this, While Arctic Foxs arent particularly stronger than other bound pets, they are prized for their beauty. Most eggs that are placed on the market go for 50 Tier 11 mana stones. Wow, that''s a lot of credits.

    Then Melinda straightened, That bitch Iris only offered you ten million credits.

    Wait why is it worth 50 Tier 11 mana stones and not 5 Tier 12 mana stones? Kyle asked.

    That led to more searching for the group to learn that after Tier 5, mana stones increased the total mana they held, leading to a ratio jump of 50 to 1. Then another jump every ten Tiers until it was 1000 to 1 at Tier 50.

    Strategic resources like shielding and rift disrupters used millions of mana a second at the higher Tiers. There the mana capacity of rift made mana stones was valued much more, so the price increased faster than the total mana. Man made mana stones that were rechargeable were only able to hold 200 mana at the same size of the rift made ones. After that they ballooned in size.

    Matt and the others spent the rest of the evening trying to decide on what to name the unhatched arctic fox, looking at the available pictures with a chorus of oohs and aahs.

    They even watched some combat footage with companion arctic foxes. There wasn''t much, but what they found impressed Matt. The lowest Tier of video they found was Tier 7, but the fox had created a small blizzard then shot icicles at the targets.

    Matt looked at the egg in his lap, the PlayPenNet said it could take anywhere from one to three days to hatch, but Matt wanted it to hatch now. Or rather, in the morning. He was tired and needed to get pet supplies.

    Matt found an employee who helped him access the off world catalog Griff had directed him to.

    The prices were absurd. A month''s supply of food for an arctic fox kit cost a little more than a thousand credits.

    Matt looked down at the egg and wanted to cry. He didn''t know how he was going to feed the little monster.

    Then there was the toys and bedding.

    Why do toys cost hundreds of credits each? Why does the bedding cost four thousand?

    As Matt looked into the blatant extortion he found that the pets were considered monsters for a good reason. At Tier 1 most could chew through iron. All of their toy materials needed to be Tier 3 monster parts or higher.

    The bedding was specially made for cold creatures, and would deflect their cold back at them, which was apparently important. Despite his best efforts, Matt couldnt find any specifics as to why. Just that every bed rated for the foxes came with it, and that feature increased the price considerably.

    To make matters worse, the fox would also need special alchemist concoctions to strengthen its innate cold powers.

    Matt could see his future of living with no savings and his debt constantly climbing. The only reassurance he had was his peak Tier 1 status after the rift challenge. Now he just had to wait for his spirit to acclimate to its newfound power before attempting the breakthrough into Tier 2.

    Confirming the purchase for six months of food, two supplement packages, a bed, and a massive amount of toys and grooming supplies was painful. Seeing his credit limit instantly halved, Matt almost wished Griff would yell at him again so he could get some more free stuff. If it wasn''t for Griffs generosity, he wouldn''t have two credits to rub together.

    The arrival time for his order was scheduled for two days from now, the quick turnaround being another perk of getting on Griffs bad side. He was grateful he wasn''t charged with the usual fee of a Tier 8 mana stone to activate the portal off schedule.

    Matt decided to go to the gym to work out. He needed an outlet for his frustration at his newly acquired pauper status, and the only way to claw his way out again was to delve higher Tier rifts.

    Tier 2 here I come.

    ***

    The night before the pet items arrived, Matt was in the shower, pondering the impending arrival of this creature that would have a heavy influence on the rest of his life. The frozen egg left an unfogged section in the mirror next to it as it rested in the sink next to his shower Suddenly he felt a powerful jolt in his spiritual energy, warming and chilling him all at once. There was only one thing that this bizarre sensation could possibly mean.

    His fox was about to hatch.

    Matt hastily ended his shower, threw on his pants, and sent a rushed message to Melindas team.

    He was staring at the egg placed carefully on the center of his bed, when all six of them barged into the room. Seeing that they hadn''t missed the culminating moment of their days spent in anticipation, the team sighed in relief.

    Less than fifteen apprehensive minutes later, a crack appeared with a crisp, satisfying, ringing sound. The egg shook slightly as the crack expanded along its surface, until finally the egg shell fragmented into frost covered pieces.

    Out popped a fuzzy mass of white. She, as the hatchling had clearly asserted through their newly formed spiritual connection, was looking up at Matt as she wobbled to him on unsteady legs.

    The little fox advanced but three steps before falling over, and Matt quickly scooped her up and cradled her to his chest.

    She was so soft. And as frigid as a block of ice. Matt could feel a chill permeating the air around her, emanating constantly from her fur.

    He could barely make out sounds of appreciation and wonder coming from the others. Words like adorable, fluffy, and cuddly, barely registered. He was completely lost to his surroundings, except for this new facet of his very identity.

    Matt only had eyes for the small creature in his arms. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she seemed perfectly content to stay pressed against his chest, but Matt could feel her exploring the link between their spirits.

    It didnt feel as if it was an invasion into his consciousness but instead like a hopefully inquiry from an innocent child. Matt got the sense that this bond was deeply familiar to her, and the very reason that she had woken from her deep sleep. It wasnt through spoken word that he could understand her, but instead he almost immediately could interpret the emotions, colors, and impressions she projected to him mentally.

    The tiny kit opened intelligent, blue eyes the color of towering glaciers. After a few minutes, Matt realized he had forgotten something important.

    She was hungry, and she wanted food now. He had no idea what he should feed the hatchling, the food he had purchased wouldn''t arrive until the next morning.

    The dilemma was solved for him, and through the spiritual connection Matt got an impression of the fractured pieces of egg. Setting her down next to the remains of her vessel, the Arctic Fox ate half of the remains before falling over, stuffed and exhausted.

    Matt looked to the others and saw Melinda was biting her knuckles to keep quiet and the rest weren''t faring any better.

    He could tell that his new bond would be asleep for a while and whispered. If you want to pet her, go-ahead. She''s going to be dead to the world for a while.

    That started a very fierce but careful rush to gently stroke her soft fur.

    Only now did Matt understand why Arctic Foxes were prized for their aesthetic more so than their combat ability. Their coats were divine to the touch, the fluffy tail felt how clouds looked.

    After they had their fill of admiring and appreciating the new life before them, each member of the party reluctantly left, one after the other, allowing the newly bonded pair to sleep.

    ***

    Matt woke up the next morning and quickly realized why the fox beds cost so much. The little bundle of fluff had crawled onto his chest in the night to curl up, nose tucked into its tail. But the damn thing had chilled him to the bone as she slept, causing Matt to wake up shivering.

    Gently setting the kit on his pillow, Matt scurried into the shower, letting the heat wash away the deep chills that permeated his body. Before Matt could fully warm himself, he felt a jolt of pure panic through their spiritual link as the kit woke, frantically searching for her lost bond.

    Following their connection as it led her to the bathroom door, Matt could sense her irritation as she scratched at the door, worry flowing into his spirit. Stepping out of the water he bent down to comfort the fox, getting pawed at and scolded with small yips for leaving her side.

    The kit left to explore the bathroom so Matt finished his shower. She seemed interested in, but wary of the falling water. Curiosity overcame her caution as she stuck a paw into the running stream of water. Matt finished up and checked his pad for the status of the delivery. It was at the island''s post office waiting for pickup.

    Quickly he scooped up his fox, receiving loud protests to the interruption of her exploration. Matt noted that she had finished the egg remains. He reached out through their link and felt that while she wasn''t hungry, she wasn''t full either.

    Hurrying down to the post office was a challenge. His fox was squirming in his arms as she tried to take in anything and everything they passed as they went. He quickly grabbed a single bag of kit chow, as well as the box containing the toys and care products. Seeing his predicament, the postal workers didnt make a fuss at Matt leaving five large bags of food.

    When he got back to his room, he found Melinda, Sam, and Tara waiting. Seeing the fox awake they quickly showered the kit with affection, completely ignoring Matt and his load.

    The little traitor basked in the pats and coos from the girls. Matt unboxed the bowls he had bought and filled one with water, the other with food.

    The fox leaped off the girls laps, darting to the food and scarfing down the kit chow. It was some blend of fish and beef according to the packaging, and was supposedly formulated for her breed in particular.

    Mat, Vinnie, and Kyle arrived with breakfast as the fox was still eating, relieving Matt''s gnawing hunger.

    Have you decided on a name yet? Tara asked through a mouth full of food.

    Not yet. I ha...

    How could you? Are you neglecting her?

    She''s adorable, how could you leave her without a name?

    Look at her! Call her Snowball.

    Vinnies suggestion started a chorus of cliche snowy names being suggested, as the fox in question just nosed the box of toys. She started pulling them out, giving them a shake and a scratch, before going back to pull out the next.

    I am not naming her Little White. Why would I put little in her name anyway? She would grow up. And naming her based on her color seems lazy. I''m sure there are a hundred arctic foxes named Snowflake or something similar.

    Matt started putting the supplies for the fox in a bag, and when he got to the collar, he was afraid the fox would resist the small band. In fact, she didn''t seem to mind it at all. She was far more interested in the brush that Melinda had found and was using to her growing satisfaction.

    The trip down to get the remaining bags of food was even slower; the fox demanded to be let down so she could inspect every new object or stimulus she came across. Matt found it adorable that she would find something, then push her curiosity to him through their bond as if to ask ohh what''s this? He would try to explain with vague impressions, but the little ball of fluff didn''t have the attention span to allow Matt to get the idea across.

    How do you explain what a rock is to a baby?

    The fact that everyone who saw the little white fox had to stop and pet her delayed the group even further. The fox loved the attention and Matt swore she was prancing after a while. That is, until she was distracted by something else.

    The slitted eyes of the kit were drawn to a spider which had built an elaborate web in a nearby bush. The staring match only ended when the kit sneezed, blowing the spider away and startling everyone including the fox. She shot Matt an inquisitive stare, as if to question who did that to her through their link.

    Matt found himself with endless patience. If a week ago someone had told him he would watch a baby fox take an hour and a half to make the typically much shorter trip to the post office, he would have laughed at them.

    Now he just felt the curiosity flowing across their bond, and trust in the fact that he would keep her safe as she stuck her nose into everything she could reach.

    The display led Matt to picture a hazy memory of staring at the stars one night with his parents. The details were lost to him but the sensation of their care and love was still clear. He remembered asking them the names of each constellation, and their patient answers to his repetitive questions.

    An idea for a name popped into Matts head. He looked up and saw bright blue skies, but could still imagine the stars hidden behind the veil of blue. He smiled and sent a query to his fox.

    She liked it.

    Aster liked her name.