August Intruder- Chapter 217- Not Dead (Patreon)

The sound of a card smacking against another was quiet.

“Pick two,” Ark grinned.

He and Melmarc were currently sitting on his bed, playing a game of cards. This game was called whot, Pelumi had taught it to them. It was a variation of a card game played in Nigeria that dealt with colors and numbers. Each set of cards were either squares, circles, triangles, crosses or stars. The goal was to match the numbers or the colors while trying to finish the cards you were dealt before your opponent.

Melmarc reached forward for one of the two stacks of cards between them. The stack with the faces down so that no one knew what card was there waited patiently for him. He picked two from it and added them to the stack in his hand.

As for where they’d gotten the card, Pelumi had finally found the time to visit them yesterday. Unfortunately, they had gotten the information from the nurse. When she’d come with a few other friends, Melmarc and Ark had been asleep. Unwilling to disrupt their sleep, she’d dropped off the game of cards with the nurse and promised to return today.

Ark put another card down, then waited for Melmarc to take his turn. Melmarc studied the cards in his hand, a slight frown on his face.

“I still think you were rude,” he said, continuing the conversation they were having. “You didn’t have to be so direct.”

He played a card with no penalty on Ark, just a simple card to continue the game. Ark responded with a shrug, playing another card. This one was a circle with the number four on it. Unlike cards with the number two, fourteen or one on them, it carried no penalties.

In response to his statement Ark shrugged. “In my defense, I did try subtlety. He saw it and chose to ignore it.”

“You checked an imaginary watch on your hand.”

“Oh.” Ark looked up at him from over his cards. “So, you did see it too. His choice to ignore it was what had me going the extra mile. Think about it, we are hospitalized children in the middle of the night. He should’ve waited until the day.”

Melmarc sighed. “He was trying to help.”

“By taking your pain away. While I commend that and will thank him for it when he comes back, we can both agree that it did him more harm than it did you any good.”

Melmarc sighed, remembering all the pain he had felt from the Oath as he played his turn. “It’s the thought that counts, Ark.”

“Maybe.” Ark put down another card that penalized Melmarc. “Maybe not.”

“I’m just saying you could’ve been nicer.”

“I was thinking on my feet, Mel,” Ark reminded him. “He is an Oath, and you and I both know that mom doesn’t want us dealing with any Oaths until she’s ready to make that decision.”

Melmarc’s forehead wrinkled in thought. He still remembered what Uncle Dorthna had said about the Oaths. Apparently, he thought that Melmarc not meeting and dealing with the Oaths now was a drawback. If not for the fact that their parents were in the way, it would be in his best interest to meet them.

“He’s seemed nice enough the few times we met,” Melmarc pointed out. “He was kind each time.”

“He was benevolent,” Ark corrected. “Kindness offered due to benevolence is not the kindness that implies that a person is nice. A benevolent kindness can just as easily become something else on a whim.”

“A person being benevolent does not mean that they are not kind either though,” Melmarc countered.

Ark chuckled. “You’re making my point, Mel. I’m saying that his kindness is not proof that he is nice. But I’m not saying that it not being proof that he is nice is proof that he is not nice. If you catch my drift.” He placed another card down and declared, “Last card.”

According to the rules of the game, when you had only one card left in your deck, it was your duty to announce it to all other players.

Melmarc looked up from his deck of cards. “Kind of cocky on the last card, aren’t we?”

“What can I say?” Ark smirked. “When you’re good, you’re good.”

“Do me a favor,” Melmarc said, then placed a card on the stack. “Pick two.”

Ark’s smirk widened, and he placed his final card on the deck. “Game up.”

“No,” Melmarc complained. “We’re not playing that version, remember? No bounce backs. We’re playing the clean and straight game.” He reached for the face-down stack of cards, counted two out and pushed them over to Ark. “Pick your two.”

Ark hesitated for a moment, eyeing him. “What’s the point of playing the base game when we’ve got the advanced game.”

“Yada yada,” Melmarc laughed. “Pick you fucking two. You’re not wiggling your way out of this one.”

With an eye roll, Ark took the two cards offered. “Then I’ve got to change my last card because now you know what it is.”

“Nope,” Melmarc disagreed. “You knew what version of the game we were playing. It’s not my fault you were trying to be smart.” He placed another card down, a fourteen that penalized Ark, forcing him to pick a single card from the face-down deck. “Do you think we should meet with the Oath?”

Ark paused midway through picking the card from the stack. He gave Melmarc an intrigued look. “Trying to disobey mother, I see.”

Melmarc shook his head in exasperation. “I’m not trying to disobey mother. Obviously, we’ll talk to her about it. That’s twice we’ve met him now. I’m still surprised he hasn’t figured much out.”

Ark paused. “How so?”

“Mom and dad are Oaths,” Melmarc pointed out.

“Mom was an Oath,” Ark corrected.

“Yes,” Melmarc agreed, “which means that he should know them. As my benefactor with the whole scholarship thing, don’t you think he would have some level of access to my details? I know he normally might not, but he’s definitely someone with influence if they were willing to allow him into our psychology assessments during the admission process.”

“Maybe he’s benevolent enough to not check or not care,” Ark offered.

“Maybe.” Melmarc played another penalizing card to Ark’s displeasure and scratched his cheek in thought. “But there’s our last name. Lockwood isn’t really a name you find lying around. There’s no way he hasn’t put two and two together.”

Ark took his card, eyed his deck suspiciously. “I’m beginning to think that this has all been a part of a sophisticatedly crafted plan by you, devised after our last few games.” He gave Melmarc a pointed look. “Are you counting cards?”

Melmarc blinked. “That is not a skill I possess. That’s a skill you possess.”

Ark paused. “Oh.”

“Uhuh.” Melmarc played another penalizing card. Ark threw his head back in exasperation and Melmarc almost laughed. “But I’m serious here, Ark. Should we tell mom about it?”

“Mom’s kind of busy right now. I say we talk to Nin.”

“She’ll just tell us to wait and call mommy.” Melmarc sighed. “Especially since she’s coming this week.”

“So is our Oath,” Ark pointed out.

Melmarc paused. It was true, the five to ten business days that they had given the man was ending this week. “You think he’ll come?” he asked.

Ark nodded. “He looked quite interested in you, and he did pay for your scholarship all by himself. I’m thinking something made him take a liking to you.” He paused, his expression turning thoughtful. “Uncle D gave you some kind of spell or enchantment to keep them from knowing who you are, right?”

“No one can tell I’m the [August Intruder],” Melmarc clarified. “Yes.”

“Grand owner of the world,” Ark said theatrically. “But what if that’s not all the spells and enchantments do?” he continued. “What if I also have one that I don’t know about that prevents people from knowing who I actually am? What if there is actually some spell in place preventing people related to mom and dad from discovering we’re their kids.”

“That is—”

“Just hear me out for a moment,” Ark interrupted. “What If the spell actually prevents people from putting two and two together unless we are all in the same room?”

“That’s high-level mental manipulation.”

“Illegal in all states.”

Melmarc snorted. “Like the laws apply to Uncle D.”

“I wonder what it’s like to be overpowered,” Ark mused. “Must be cool as fuck.”

Melmarc thought about it as he put down another card, penalizing Ark again. It had always been his dream to not just be a Gifted but to be a powerful one. Motivated by the attack on their house and hospitalizing of their mother by the Players, he had dreamed to be so strong that people would tremble at the simple thought of inconveniencing him.

Sounds like the description of being overpowered.

He could see himself being overpowered and enjoying it. His eyes moved over to a grumbling Ark frowning at his full deck of cards in his hand. An overpowered Ark was going to be cool, but being overpowered meant being beyond challenges.

Melmarc was already shaking his head. Ark was going to like being overpowered but was not going to like being beyond challenges. A world without challenges would be too boring for Ark.

“You won’t like it,” he told him genuinely.

Ark paused as they continued a normal game of cards without overwhelming penalizations. “Why do you say so?”

“If you’re overpowered, you won’t have any challenges to face,” Melmarc pointed out.

Ark shook his head. “Mom and dad are overpowered, and they always have work to do.”

“They’re very powerful but not overpowered.”

“That’s fair,” Ark conceded. “But I don’t see how being overpowered is a problem. Uncle Dorthna has Jabari, I’ll probably have you.”

Melmarc gave him a flat look. “Me for what? Are you trying to beat me up when you’re overpowered?”

“You’ll be overpowered too so it won’t count as beating you up.”

Melmarc sighed and placed down a card. “You are just a menace to society. Last card.”

“Are you saying you won’t be overpowered with me just to keep me from being bored?” Ark asked with mock hurt. “And how the fuck are you already on your last card?”

“I’m saying that being overpowered won’t be interesting for you. Personally, I can see myself enjoying it. You?” He pointed at Ark with his last card. “You’ll die of boredom. Probably leave Earth to hunt down overpowered portals.”

Ark suddenly had a twinkle in his eyes. He grinned. “Why conquer seven hells when I can conquer fifty?”

“Nope.” Melmarc shook his head. “You don’t get to become a tyrant simply because you are bored. You conquer your seven hells and sit tight.”

“But I’ll be bored,” Ark groaned.

“Then take a student or something.” Melmarc played his last card. “Game up.”

Ark looked at his cards, then discarded them on the bed. “You’re no fun.”

“Because I beat you?” Melmarc laughed.

“Of course not, you’re still down four one.” Ark started gathering the cards up. “It’s because you won’t let me conquer more than seven hells.”

“You aren’t going to be a tyrant because you’re bored, Ark.”

Ark shook his head without saying anything as he gathered the cards. He shuffled them absently, staring at them as he did. He had something on his mind. Melmarc could see it in his eyes.

“Penny for your thought?” he asked.

Ark shook his head. “It’s nothing too serious. I was just wondering how Spitfire is doing.”

Melmarc’s gaze went to his brother’s chest. There was something of a scar there that somehow looked like a branding. According to Ark, in order to save him from dying, Spitfire had somehow fused with him, leaving behind the brand.

“Can you feel his presence or anything?” he asked.

“I still feel him up here.” Ark tapped the side of his head. “He’s usually making noise up there, but now it’s like he’s there but asleep. I can’t tell if he’s dying or recovering or just in stasis. It’s a bit disconcerting.”

“I’m sure he’s—”

Ark gave him a curious look. “Why are you smiling like that?”

Melmarc blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You just stopped talking then started smiling.” Ark’s gaze narrowed in suspicion. “What did you just realize?”

Melmarc hadn’t realized anything. He had just become aware of something. As for his smile, he didn’t know why he was smiling. He hadn’t even known that he was smiling.

Ark looked from him to another point in the room. The entrance. “What’s happening there? Am I missing anything?”

Melmarc shook his head very slowly. The important question, however, was why his was smiling. It didn’t take long before the entrance to the room opened.

Ark sighed. “Oh.”

Pelumi and Patience walked into the room with a girl in tow. Melmarc recognized the girl but didn’t know who she was.

Patience and Pelumi pulled up short. They stared at Melmarc, and Melmarc stared back. He’d felt Pelumi very easily, very quickly. He’d been aware of her and the other girl but mostly aware of her.

In this moment, he realized that he should’ve asked Veebee what relationship the [Invoker] class had with the [August Intruder] title that made him so connected to them. He already had a working theory that the [Invoker] class could have skills blessed by gods, maybe the connection was more religiously inclined.

Or I could just ask Uncle Dorthna.

These days it felt like he was supposed to be figuring things out on his own and with his own resources. Asking Uncle Dorthna questions was beginning to make him feel some type of way, as if he was asking questions that he was supposed to be able to figure out the answer to on his own. It was his life, after all. Only children got home from school and went straight to their parents to help them with their assignments. At some point they learnt that they had to figure it out themselves even if their parents had the answers.

They had to try by themselves first. Then only if they found only failure did they ask for help.

“You look like you just ate your favorite food even though it’s bitter,” Patience said with a mild touch of disgust, disrupting Melmarc’s thought.

Melmarc chuckled a little. “It’s good to see you too, Patience.”

Patience gasped. “He talks.”

“Apparently he cheats at cards too,” Ark muttered, setting the stack of cards aside.

The girls approached them, Pelumi’s eyes never leaving Melmarc. Interestingly enough, the other girl Melmarc did not know kept on failing to hide how much she was gushing about Ark. Here was another girl with a crush on Ark Lockwood. Melmarc wondered if she was another girl about to have her heart broken.

Pelumi came to a gentle stop at Melmarc’s bed. She looked at him, watched him. Her eyes were soft, a gentle brown. She sat on the bed carefully. Melmarc watched her. She watched him.

There was a long moment of silence. In it, nobody said anything.

She stared into his eyes for a long while. Finally, she smiled.

The last member of the trio walked up to them now and chuckled. “I guess God is not dead.”

Melmarc blinked. “Sorry, what?”