The Void III

Frost and Klein went into the office ahead of Belleram at her behest and looked around. Into the Lion's den, Frost thought, I wonder if they'll kill me. "Charming," he said instead. "I've always been a fan of hard decisions."

"You have a strange sense of humour," Klein said with a gulp.

"Is there anything at all that is unclear to you?" Belleram asked, stepping past them to take her place at the desk that was probably her own.

Frost looked around. There were strange weapons and trophies from monsters lining the walls. Pictures of Belleram with her men were there, too. They had wildly varying dates, but Frost didn't know what year it was in the Void to properly judge. The room itself was only about five metres across. It had exactly enough room to write things on the desk in the middle of it, and not enough room for anything else once you accounted for the bookshelves and trophies.

"About as clear as clay," Frost said with a low whistle. "But I get the gist. Distortions will destroy planets if we don't keep them in check, so we clear 'em and reap the rewards in the process." It wasn't a terrible deal for someone like Frost who'd spent a long time lusting for wealth. It seemed to him like he'd already gained quite a bit of that, too. 

[Attributes]

Main - [Wildcard]

Main - [Connected]

Secondary - [Will of the People] - Cooldown: 19 hours 45 minutes

[Body Stats]

[Points: 10]

[Void: 0]

[Strength: 10]

[Agility: 10]

This stat page was freely available to Frost at only a thought, and hovered in the corner of his vision. The attribute at the top, 'Will of the People', seemed to be the one he acquired in the distortion. Ten stat points had been acquired too. Only void, strength, and speed? He was used to video games having things like intelligence or charisma, but it seemed that those things couldn't be changed here.

"It's about more than reaping rewards," Belleram growled. "That's the thought process of a raider. Don't get into that business, even if you happened to steal the heart the first time…" She looked at him for a second longer. "You're not paying attention to me! Are you looking at your stat window?"

"Yeah," Frost said absentmindedly. "What is this, anyway?"

"It's the Void Attribute Network. We call it the VAN. But that can wait" She waved him over. "Come here. It's time for you both to make a choice."

Frost sauntered up the desk, closing his stat window. "And that is?"

Belleram set two papers down. "I'll be frank with you. Some of the Realmguard are salesmen, but not me. The honest truth is this: if you both go home as is, you'll never live a normal life ever again."

Frost glanced over the paper briefly. "How so?"

"The distortions know where Voidhunters are at all times through our energy. Back on Dragonsfold, you caused that distortion on your own. Technically speaking, though, it can happen anytime and anywhere from here on out so long as you choose to keep your energy."

Frost looked at the paper again, much more skeptical this time. The conditions upon it were clear based on what Belleram was saying. "You want me to sign my powers away?"

"That's not what it is, exactly. Your Void energy will be siphoned by the Realmguard, keeping you safe when you return home and allowing us to essentially maintain your combat power. If you want to use the energy yourself, you'll have access so long as we deem the situation… Applicable."

Laughable. These were the most ridiculous contract terms Frost had ever heard. They'd 'keep him safe' at the expense of taking his power away and using it for whatever the hell they wanted to. He'd have to ask for permission to use his powers when he finally tracked down the bastard that sold him. The worst part about the contract, perhaps, was that it was probably tantalizing to the average person.

Someone like Klein.

Frost glanced at the man and found him deep in thought. Likely, he wanted nothing more than to go home and see his family. He'd probably like very much to just forget about this whole ordeal. It was at that exact moment that Belleram came in with the hard sell.

"You'll have your life back," she said. "Sign the contract, and I swear I'll have you safe and sound at home by this very evening."

Frost picked up the paper. Everything made sense. They'd saved his life, brought him here and kept him alive. She'd treated him with kindness and explained this difficult scenario to him. Why? So they could steal his Void energy and keep it to themselves. Greedy, greedy, conmen.

[Checkpointer20: Be very careful about how you respond here, but don't sign it.]

My purpose is to find freedom. The world had become infinitely wider than he'd previously thought. Would he respond by turning tail and running? Pure idiocy. No. He was too cocky for that.

Klein clenched his fists. "Frost," he said, looking at Frost with eyes not entirely unlike a puppy. Frost knew what it meant, but he still had to ask.

"What is it?" Frost asked.

"You gave me my name back," he said. "Wherever you go… I'll follow."

Well damn. That was a pretty heavy burden. Now Frost was going to drag this poor idiot down with him. He'd been lying if he said that influenced his decision at all, though. Frost Direshard wasn't the type of man to let the decisions of others influence his own. That wasn't the meaning of his freedom.

"Mrs. Belleram–" Frost started speaking.

"Please, call me Belle," she cut in.

"Right. Well you're nothing but a con woman with a fancy title, Belle," Frost said. As he spoke, he lifted the paper and ripped it in two. "I wouldn't sign a contract like this with a gun to my head."

Klein was clearly taken aback by Frost's words, but he hardly missed a beat before following through on his promise and ripping his own contract in two. He grunted in a sort of mental pain as he did it, like he was fully aware that he'd just thrown away his chance at life with his family again.

Belleram set her jaw. "You don't know what you're doing."

Frost firmly set the two halves of her contract on the desk. "Was that what you were counting on?" He asked.

They locked eyes, jolts of electricity passed between them, the tension visible and almost touchable in the air. Frost's muscles were tense, prepared to defend himself. Belle no doubt considered attacking him for a moment. This was a woman that liked getting her way, and it was because of this that Frost couldn't give it to her.

"You're denying the world a service," Belle said, loosening her posture and hostile intent.

"I'm denying you a service," Frost countered.

"Interfering in the distortions from here on out will have you branded a raider," she countered back. You'll be an enemy of the Void."

"An enemy according to who? You and your militaristic flunkies? I can deal with that reality," Frost shrugged. "You ask me to sign over my powers, and then tell me that using them independently will get me on a list? Don't make me laugh, now–"

Klein was standing off to the side, and had taken a few steps away from the two of them.

"You're nothing but a tyrant," Frost spat. It seemed that even the amalgamation of worlds wasn't immune to tyranny. One thing was for certain though… Frost was not the only 'raider' in the Void. Wherever an authority could be found, so too could the rebels.

"Go home," Belle squawked. "You've made your decision. I've no more reason to humour you." She stood up from her desk and pushed the chair in. "Just remember that you made this choice. There is nowhere you can go where the Void will not follow. You will learn to regret your decision in due time. Until then, stay out of my way."

Frost just smiled as she walked to the door. He wouldn't let her leave without getting another word in.

"I'm looking for someone named Ren," Frost said.

Belle stopped in her tracks, hanging in the doorway. Frost had noticed it all around this place. The Realmguard sported the same insignia he – Ren – was wearing on his jacket. Even Belleram herself had the insignia on her robes. Did those men really work for the people supposedly protecting the universe? Frost usually punched first and asked questions later, but something about the situation didn't add up.

"Ren?" Belle asked, turning around. "What business could you possibly have with scum like that? I'll give you some advice. Don't get involved with that one."

"That one was wearing your insignia at the time he sold me to those slavers," Frost said.

Belle stared daggers at him, ascertaining the truth. Her posture lightened when she seemingly came to a decision. "We are… No longer affiliated," she said. "Slavery comes with a hefty price in the Void. If you find him, do as you will."

Frost smiled. "I intend to."

"Until then…" She turned around. "Good luck finding your way home." And she stepped out of the room. Her boots could be heard clacking down the hallway and disappearing into the distance.

They were left alone in the cramped office. Belle seemed to have confidence that there was nothing important to loot, and so simply disappeared to do some important job or perhaps con the next Voidhunter to end up in their hands. To think that a sort of intergalactic police force would be such massive assholes… Cops didn't change much no matter where you went, it seemed.

Frost turned to Klein. "Well?" He asked the stunned man.

Klein looked deeply concerned based on the wrinkles upon his forehead, bumping up and down like the dunes of a desert. "Are you sure this is a good idea? If you go out and beg and ask nicely, then maybe–"

"I'm not begging for anything," Frost cut in, sticking his hand up to silence the man, "ever," he added. "Let's go find a way home."

Klein frowned, but nodded. Clearly he was skeptical of Frost's directional ability in this place, and of course he had every right to be.

Frost, blindly confident as ever, made for the door.