Blake ran along behind Mason like everyone else. Well, not exactly like everyone else. OK, and he wasn't actually running.
Realizing his brother would soon send them all on another wild hunt, Blake had taken the time to try a little experiment. Being carried like a sack of potatoes by a walking construct seemed entirely inefficient. Not to mention undignified. And he certainly wasn't going to move around himself.
He could have used flyers, of course, but he figured he'd need at least two to carry him, and actually that wasn't a greatly comfortable ride either. Anyway, he wanted to socialize. Particularly with Seul-ki and Annie. And staring out at a bunch of trees would be exciting for a minute, but only a minute.
At first he'd tried to figure out if he could build a construct with a seat and wheels, but soon realized he was an idiot. True Making could make pretty much make any damn thing he could imagine. His constructs didn't need to be any kind of proper vehicle. They just needed to be able to pull one.
It had taken a few tries, but he'd basically created a modern chariot. It had far better suspension than its ancient counter-parts, and also more wheels, with a narrow frame designed just to pull Blake (and potentially one guest in front or behind him).
He'd made some ropes and attached them to his constructs, then lashed them and sent them forward at full speed. It worked surprisingly well.
Now he bounced and sometimes rattled along the forest floor almost leisurely, his constructs occasionally having to unjam him from a tree root. The other players were at first amazed at the creation, then somewhere between mocking and jealous as he cruised along. Even the nymph looked slightly impressed.
"You should take the chance to strengthen your body," Phuong told him with a frown. "And the noise is distracting. Everything in the forest will hear us."
"We have ten players, my good man. Let them hear us!" Blake grinned. But the noise was a little annoying. He soon invited Seul-ki to join him, and she shyly bowed and climbed on, moving all the way forward so he could stand behind her with his arms around her waist.
She was still wearing her 'plain face' mask and dressing to hide her curves, though the latter strategy failed miserably up close. Something about being the only one who knew how attractive she was made his arms around her and her body against him even...well, hotter.
And it was already hot. It didn't help that he hadn't been able to see or touch her in days/weeks. They'd spoken briefly before they left Nassau, but there hadn't been enough time, and what time they did have was largely politeness and breaking the tension.
It was clear to both of them that things had changed.
It wasn't un-fixable. There hadn't been some terrible betrayal. But the reality was: Blake didn't trust her. The second she was physically in his arms and touching him he remembered her power activated through touch, and he couldn't un-remember it.
Was she even now trying to manipulate his mind? He had no way to know. Of course as long as his mana was full and he wasn’t exhausted he expected she couldn’t do much.
And they'd made rules, but neither Blake nor Seul-ki were the type to follow rules for long. Somewhere on that chariot ride Blake finally began to realize why the others were so terrified of him.
The beautiful Korean pushed back against him as they rode. Maybe on purpose, maybe just for comfort. Either way he felt her amazing ass and slender waist no matter how he shifted. It didn't help that he had plenty of memories of such things in far more intimate settings...
Her scent invaded his senses. Images of her kneeling in front of him flashed, her thick hair tied so as not to interfere, her bright eyes locked on his as she spent a whole evening doing everything possible just to please him...
No. Bad blake. Mind fucking sorceress. Bad!
"Are you comfortable?" he asked. Seul-ki nodded her head against his chest, but her attention seemed intensely focused ahead, her hands gripped tightly on the chariot's top rail.
"It's perfectly safe," Blake said, sensing her discomfort without the need for mind powers. Again she just nodded and pushed slightly into him, and he did his best not to get fully erect.
God damn phase two, he thought, did you think clever, beautiful women weren't hard enough to deal with before, roboGod?
The thought reminded him Annie was running only a few feet beside him and had been the whole time. Unlike the casters or 'support' players, who still had vaguely human physiques, she was something more like Mason. Even after running for hours (and carrying her axe and a backpack) she wasn't even breathing that hard.
She stole a few glances at Blake but he didn't detect any jealousy or problem. She just seemed to want to be...close to him, never moving far from his side. He sighed, not trusting himself to try Mental Influence yet, and anyway deciding it wasn't the right time.
When they camped, perhaps, he could sit with her and see how she was doing. Or maybe after the goblin caves. But he could sense something very troubling there that was maybe burning out of control. So sooner seemed better than later…
The players stopped to rest and eat lunch after awhile, with only a few of the players slumping down in exhaustion.
"Next time," Alex said, his face red and dripping sweat, "maybe Blake makes extra car. Then I save you first, ah? When things go bad. I save you first."
Blake laughed without reserve as he chewed a system snack, which was something like beef jerky. He asked Annie how she was doing and she tried to shrug like it was no big deal, but more like spasmed and hunched as she stared at the ground.
So probably not super great.
“I’m John, by the way,” said the new man as he made a point of coming over to stick out a meaty hand in Blake’s direction. “Can’t say I know everyone’s names yet. Not that good wit’ ‘em.”
“Oh don’t worry, I’m not neither.” Blake winked. “I find generous use of things like ‘buddy’, ‘darling’, and ‘pal’ get me through.”
The big man grinned. “So. You’re Mason’s brother, aye? Like a real one? That’s quite the thing in this place.”
“Like a real one,” Blake agreed, not feeling the urge to explain. They made a little small talk, but the others were mostly uncomfortably silent and Blake felt it had to do with him. John got the message and soon stuck to his food.
Eventually Rebecca (with maybe a quiet prompting from Mason) asked about Blake's experience in the tower. Most eyes locked onto him with rapt, if side-eyed attention.
Blake appreciated the effort, but felt now wasn’t the time. He knew he needed to regain some trust and friendships one on one. Probably offer a few apologies. He just shrugged and winked at Mason.
"That's a story for when we have more time. And more alcohol. But I promise to tell it."
No one tried to speak to him again after that. It was clear most felt a bit like the civilians—intrigued, maybe resentful, slightly frightened. In his absence his arcane mask had been removed, and it seemed they didn't much like what they found.
But he intended to regain their trust. How exactly he wasn't quite sure. But where there was a will there was a way. And he knew he had plenty to offer. The truth was, he actually cared about them, and wanted them all to live and to thrive. He just had to tell them the right way.
Soon the relentless Mason had them all up again, back to running and rolling through the trees, and discomfort gave way to focused effort.
Blake held onto Seul-ki and tried to be as content mentally with her as he was becoming physically. On a purely cold, calculating level, she remained as useful to him as ever. Who knew what her boosts might do to his creation powers?
So he wouldn't abandon her, that was certain, and already his brain was planning the conversation that would lure her to the orc towers. To re-kindle their relationship. To bind her ever closer...
But he knew in his heart he wouldn't be...comfortable, until he had some kind of protection from her mental powers like Mason. Something ironclad he didn't have to question even for a moment, even when he was drained, or sleeping. He understood the irony. Maybe even the hypocrisy. But there it was.
The Psion had options, no question about that. But for that he needed a new power. And until then, he thought, his heart rate increasing more and more in reaction to Seul-ki's little body against his...well, he would just have to be very careful...
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