Chapter Seven
Lantia saw Sam and the woman stand as Azura took her closer to them. Tom came down the stairs to greet them. She thought that he looked rather dashing in a green coat with black leggings. As if he was trying to match what Oceana had worn at Christmas. The other man was all in black with silver accents. The new man looked as if he knew he looked good so Lantia paid him no attention. Sam, dressed in reds and golds as a king of this realm did not match his queen whom wore teals and silvers.
"Lord and Lady Orthanous." Azura bowed so Lantia curtsied. "May I present Crimson Cleric?"
"Azura, Crimson, welcome." The woman spoke. That was when Lantia recognized the woman's voice. That was Shelly, Adam's stepmother. "It is a great pleasure to meet you finally Lantia." Shelly came down from her thrown to hug Lantia which gave Azura great joy. His stepmother accepted her no questions asked. "Azura, oh how I have missed you."
"As you can see I am fine Lady." He said to the woman now hugging him. Gods how he missed his stepmother.
"I have no doubt that it is because of this fine young lady." Sam said putting out a hand to shake Azura's. Lantia saw him take the hand smiling. "Now Lantia you have to promise me that you stay until at least after the announcements. There is something in there that I think you will be interested in."
"Azura!" They all turned to the voice. The woman was about the same age as Lantia with the same blond hair as Azura and Shelly. "Oh my god. I didn't think that you were coming." It was almost like they were family being reunited.
"Sorry I am late Monie. I had to pick up my date." He turned the girl to face Lantia. "Monie this is Lantia Forrest. Lantia this is Adam's younger sister. She is a head programmer at OE." Monie looked back to her brother, confusion then realization crossed her face.
"Lantia?" Monie's hands covered her mouth in shock. "The Crimson Cleric?"
"That is my avatars name yes." Suddenly the girl was hugging Lantia. Lantia looked to Azura who seemed to be in bliss at the whole meeting. "It is a pleasure to meet you." Lantia said unsure.
"Lantia, you and I are going to be best friends." Lantia smiled at this. "Azura can I keep her?"
"No you may not. She is my date." Azura said firmly.
"But I want to tell her all about OE." The girl pouted.
"Monie, you will have lots of time for that when your father brings her home. She will be staying with Shelly." The girl turned to her father. Shelly smiled at her daughter nodding. "For now and any time that she is in the game Lantia is mine."
"You are a meanie." Monie gave him a fake pout. Lantia was kinda of jealous of the smile that he was giving her but then she saw the sadness double in his eyes. She held her hand out to him. He took it, pulling her to him. That little bit of comfort was all he needed to hide it behind his mask. "Well then I declare that we are going on a shopping spree the moment you get off the plane. If I know my mom you will have to set up the spare room to your liking. Adam's room is off limits."
"Monie." She looked to Tom. "There is another Forrest daughter here for you to meet."
"Oceana is here?" Lantia asked starting to look for her sister in the crowd. "She is not ready for this."
"Is she really as pretty as you said, Tom?" Monie asked only to be ignored.
"Relax Lanti." Tom said. Azura did make note of the fact that his uncle called Lantia, Lanti. Tom took her shoulders. "I promised that she would be safe with me. This night is for you to enjoy. The only person that you should worry about is your date." Azura pulled Lantia to his body again. "I swear to you nothing will happen to her." Tom left with Monie.
"Why would he bring her? It has only been a week." Azura slid his hand around Lantia's waist as she followed where Tom was going with her eyes. "If she has another attack-."
"I know that there is no way of stopping you from thinking about it but can you at least try to enjoy your night?" The fear was very evident in her face. "Tom will look after her."
"I have been worried about her for ten years. It is hard to break that habit." Her body sunk in to his. Azura held her tighter.
"I know that is why I am asking you to try to have fun. You need a few days to relax. You are leaving soon and Tom will be the one to look after her while you are gone."
"I know. I know but-" She turned in his arms. This night was as much about him as it was her.
"No buts. You are here to dance til your feet fall off, eat until you explode and welcome in the new year with me." She nodded. "Good." Shelly took her husband's arm. Azura could see the face she was making. This was the first girl he had ever introduced to them formally so he understood why his mother had high hopes. "Now if you excuse us. I believe we have a sister to find."
"Thank you for inviting me." Lantia curtsied again.
"Anything dear child anything." Sam grinned as wide as his wife as Azura lead away his date. "She is good with him."
"Just like he is with her. I haven't seen him smile like that in years." Was the last thing that either of the young people heard as they entered the crowd.
Tom was a full head taller than most any one else at the party so he was fairly easy to find. Azura made a line straight for him careful to not let anyone stop them. Lantia saw her sister first. She wore the green gown again. She truly looked better than at the Christmas party. Though Lantia hadn't see her since she came back from the hospital she knew that Tom was taking great care of her. Part of her relaxed. The other felt guilty for it.
In his arms he could feel her stiffen. "I don't think that I want to meet her." Lantia said when they were not ten meters from her sister. "I want to be whole here for you." She turned away from her sister.
"It is okay Lantia. Oceana is important to you. If it gives you peace of mind I don't mind. I have been rather selfish lately. I know I can't keep you to myself forever."
"I have been selfish lately. I don't want to make a habit of it though." She turned her head to look at her sister's smile. Oceana looked so happy in Tom's arms. "That is the problem. I like thinking that someone else is taking care of her. At the same time I feel like I am a horrible sister for the mere thought." He lightly patted her back. "I have told her that I don't like the game but I have spent more time here than I have with her as of late. I am not surprised that Tom is her boyfriend now."
"What? He's twenty five."
"She is seventeen in little over a month. It is eight years but my parents are ten years apart." Azura was suddenly very angry with Tom. Robbing the cradle. That was unacceptable. "They swear that they are not having sex yet but my parents can't monitor it in game."
"He better not be."
"Azura?"
"He is like an older brother to me. Adam's parents had just gotten married when Adam's grandfather found a new young bride that gave him Tom. We were raised together. It would figure that we would have similar tastes in women."
"Are you saying that me and my sister are alike?" Shock crossed her face.
"Lanti!" Oceana called.
"More than you know. She warned me away from you. Saying she would destroy my world if I hurt you." Lantia smiled at that. "She is coming."
"Lanti." The smaller version of her turned her. "I have to see what he got you this time." Lantia let her sister scrutinize the gown. "Blue Dragon and teal roses?" Oceana looked up to Azura. "Does she know about Adam?"
"I am going to save him." Lantia said confidently. "When I get to level forty I want you to come with me. It is the least we can do for the Orthanous family."
"You are going to need a set of Kitsune armor." Oceana said concerned. "That fur set that I have." Lantia blushed. It is a bikini. Azura imagined her in it only to nearly passed out from the sudden blood lose to his brain.
"I will do what I have to. We have to save Adam. I need to give him back to his family."
"That is a noble goal but I am sure that Azura told you the problem." Tom wrapped his hand around Oceana's waist. They were most certainly a good looking couple. "No one can top the speed of the King."
"I will find away and I will put my glaive through the head of the beast." Tom glanced to Azura. The boy held close to the girl that was so determined going to save a man she really didn't know. "Just as Azura is my champion I will be Adam's. I love you Oceana but I can't let so many people hurt because of something that is supposed to be fun."
"I will go with you, Lanti. There is no doubt of that. You are going to need a party. But I want the scales for the Demon king run." Oceana said. "He is the only other boss that is undefeated."
"We will do that together too." Both smiled having plans started. The older listening intently to the younger. They were and odd pair.
"I see why you two are in love with them." Monie said drying her eyes. "They are hope, and courage in velvet gowns."
"They will save Adam." Azura said watching the girls as their eyes lit. A song was started letting the guests know that the dance was starting. They turned to the Orthanous trio. Azura just smiled, shaking his head. "Go," Lantia and Oceana giggled. "But I get the next dance." He called after them.
"I love her, Adam. I wish her all the luck I can muster. She is my last hope." Monie said going to their parents.
That was how the night went on. All slow dances were with one of the Orthanous men, fast songs were the three girls. Until the last song. A special request from someone in the crowd. A slow song that the DJ called the king and queen dance. Sam and Shelly lead on to the floor. Then Tom and Oceana. Monie took her step-uncle. Lantia took her breath turning to Azura. "Shall we?" Lantia held her hand out to her date to a broad grin. "You are after all the Blue King."
"Only if you are my queen for this night." He pulled her into him. "I don't know this song."
"I know it." They walked out to the middle of the floor. "Its a waltz." His hand went to her hip making her shiver. "It's called So Close. It is a Disney princess film from the early 2000's."
"You are a hopeless romantic aren't you." She blushed.
"You could say that. I believe in love at first sight." She was so adorable, sexy and perfect. Not another word was spoken as he turned her round and round on the floor. Azura found himself not wanting it to stop. Lantia was the only one in the room with him. Only to have it shattered by Monie falling between them.
"So close, so close and still far." Lantia sang with a tear in her eye as the song ended. That didn't stop Azura from stepping over his prone sister to take Lantia in his arms again.
"That is how you know she's your love." Oceana sang as she passed them. Azura picked Lantia up spinning her. For joy filled every corner on his being. They didn't even notice the count down through their laughing.
"Tell me that you will stay with me. Let me make love to you."
"Make love with me." Lantia corrected. Cheers rang out as they kissed. It was not like anything they had ever felt before. "Orthanous asked me stay for the announcements." She breathed after someone patted her on the back.
"I don't care about that old man. I only care about you." Azura took her lips again for another kiss. This was longer, hotter and magical. When she could think again they were in a suite in the hotel that was the replica of something she had seen in a movie. Though she couldn't remember what movie. "Love me and I would be your slave."
"You are no Jareth." She laughed as he spun her to the bed. "But yes I do."
"I will love you until I die." They made love until the morning came. As the light came through the windows Lantia logged out of the game leaving Azura alone but happier than he had ever been. He sighed stretching out. He turned on his side to fall asleep smiling.
As soon as Lantia saw the real sun light she started to cry. It was all a dream. The man of her dreams was not in her bed when she woke. That broke her heart. Oceana came into her room. Lantia was talking to the mask as if it was Azura. Oceana reached to hold Lantia as she cried. "I will destroy him if he broke his heart." Oceana growled.
"No. I just found out that I can't live in the real world without him. It is silly. I haven't felt this alive in ages. Yet I feel so guilty about it. I am a horrible sister."
"You had sex with him didn't you?" She nodded. "We will save Adam and you will have Azura all to yourself. In and out of game. I promise you that." That seemed so far away for Lantia. Twenty five levels stood before her. How was she going to get through them with him? He was going to drive her to distraction now that they knew they loved each other.
"Ana?" Tom stood at the door with their parents. The younger sister just shook her head. Tom kissed her forehead before heading into game. "I will go talk to him."
Azura woke to the knock at his door. Putting on a robe he went to open the door. There at the entrance was Kitty Mirth glaring at him with Mystic Flame. Holding her in place with his hands on her shoulders. "What happened?" Panic filled Azura.
"We better talk in the room, Adam." Tom suggested. They came in, Oceana standing in the middle of the room shaking in fury. Adam standing near her. "Go ahead." Tom said sitting in one of the chairs.
"I didn't think that you were an ass Adam." Was all she said. Tears falling, daggers in her eyes.
"What did I do?"
"You had sex with her." He blinked. "She is at home crying right now thinking that she is a horrible person because she let her heart lead last night. She is guilt tripping herself into thinking the greatest thing that has ever happened to her is wrong. You needed to be there to hold her. This is the second time that she has needed to have you while her heart was broken and you are not there. I get that you can't leave here but I can't stand by as you lie to my sister. She is running through reasons why she can't be with you in real life and one is that you don't really love her."
"Take a breath Oceana. I don't want you having an attack." Tom said calmly as she clutched her chest.
"Hold on. She was crying when she woke up?"
"Damn you Adam." The younger Forrest sister Swung and missed Adam falling to her knees. "I have never seen her this happy. I never thought that she would try being selfish for a change. Yet when she woke up this morning she was crying. I didn't want to see her broken hearted but Lanti was shaking with fear that you were just using her, crying because you were not there in her real life, and hating herself for letting herself have a moment in your arms." Adam knelt before the girl. "Lanti deserves to finally be happy. Karma should give something back to her. I thought that was you but she is so sad now. I can't see her like this." Oceana beat against his chest. "I thought she finally had her happy ending."
"I am sorry Oceana. You know I would go to her if I could."
"That is not good enough, Adam. She loves you and it is going to be the death of her."
"What do you want me to do Oceana? Leave her alone? Tell her that she will never get to have me in real life? Break my own heart to tell her that she has to find a man in the real world?" She cried harder. "I love her with all that I am. If I break this off with her I will regret it for the rest of my life. Lantia is the woman that I have dreamed of since I was a teen. I am sorry that she is hurting and feeling alone. I never wanted that."
"What are we going to do? Lantia loves you so much it fills all the spaces that used to be filled with taking care of me. I know that she will hate herself for it and the internship she wants to take. Even if I survive the operation, she will think that she doesn't deserve nice things, friends, a boyfriend that loves her and doesn't use her. Not in her own mind. You have dropped her dreams in her lap and she is panicking."
"Here is what I am suggesting." They looked to Tom. "Power grind her."
"That is what broke her." Oceana glared at him.
"Poor words."
"I think he means train her up as fast as we can. Get her to forty in the next few weeks so that she can take me on." Adam said pulling Oceana to stand.
"I am sure that Monie would help and program some drops for her to gain more XP. Get her bonus XP scrolls. If I put her in a medical coma then she can be with you all the time." Oceana stared at her boyfriend. "Lantia needs some happiness and if the game gives her that than lets let her live here for a while. When Adam wakes up she can come back to reality."
"Only problem with that is that I have never been beaten. Sure I am putting my hopes on her but realistic me knows that she probably die more times than I could handle."
"Another problem is that with the new DLC The Rainbow Legion will not be available. That includes the king." Tom said.
"What?"
"You didn't stay for the announcement." Oceana groaned. "The new DLC is called The Dragon King's Queen. It is a females only quest like the Demon King is more of a male only quest. You are now in a mountain. The players have to make their way up the layers of the mountain to get to you. On every floor there is one of the dragons."
"She is going to have to kill all her friends to get to me?" Azura pulled down his menu putting on his armor. Silvery blue scales and a sapphire crown. "Get my father and sister in here now. I will not let Lantia go through that. It is bad enough that she is going to find out that I am the king but to find out that all the dragons are her only friends and they are all NPC's."
"I just PM-ed them." Tom said pulling Oceana to him. "Calm down, Adam."
"Calm down? Who the hell thought it was a good idea to have the guild as major bosses. It should only be me."
"Adam they are NPC's. They were meant to be bosses. You have humanized them. With that they have befriended someone you think is your only hope." Tom offered. "There will be more than her killing your friends." That was when Monie walked through the door.
"I heard you wanted me."
"What have you done?" Azura growled at his sister. "The Dragon King's Queen."
"Dad warned you to stay for the announcement. We go into stress tests next week." She stood her ground. "That is not the only new quest."
"What is the reward?" His eyes narrowed at his sister.
"The ability to summon all the dragons." Adam punched the wall. That was a huge reward. Nine dragons in a boss fight would make it a cake walk.
"What if Lantia is not the one to defeat me?" Their friends would be forced to be attached to another person. "That would make her lonely."
"Why wouldn't she? She is the only one that is interesting in the quest. She is literally the only one that had bought the presale. Well her and Oceana since they are going to do the run together."
"She knows about it?" He was shocked.
"Not per-say but she wanted to do what the quest calls for. Mom and I designed it before we even knew about her. We thought that it would draw more attention to you. More attention, more chances to set you free. Giving the winner the chance the option of calling the dragons was just the incentive to drum up attention. I am adding something in there now that I know that she is your girlfriend."
"This is the kinda of thing that Lanti would not feel happy about." Oceana spoke up. "Putting her at the center of attention while you give her things will make her hate herself more. Never mind that she is going to destroy the only happiness just to get to the prize."
"What?"
"Apparently Lantia did not react to making love well." Azura said to Monie.
"Tom should I fly out there?"
"No!" All three shouted.
"Okay." She backed away a step.
"Monie she doesn't know that he is Adam." Oceana spoke. Monie slapped her brother's arm.
"You are lying to her as you fuck her!" Monie was now irate.
"I told her the story of Adam but she is in love with Azura. She doesn't know Adam." He sighed sitting on the bed. The pillow still creased as if she had just gotten up. "Adam loves her. Though she thinks it is Azura who does."
"Why are you doing this?"
"She takes my breath away when she takes her deep breath."
"You realize why she does that?" He gave Oceana a look that made her sigh.
"The way that she knows what she wants makes me want her. When she complains that she is not good enough for everything we give her, I want to give her more until she realizes that she deserves it. I never expected her to hate herself so much for something so little."
"Little?" Oceana snapped. "Having sex with her last night was not something little." Her tiny fist clenched at her side. "Gerald didn't so much have sex with her as much as rape her every time. Even that she never cried over. You made her feel like a goddess. Her words not mine. She never expected sex to be that good."
"I would break up with her if I could but I can't stand the thought of her in the real world hating me." That was when she walked in. "I love every inch of her soul. Even the parts that don't think that anyone would help her get her dreams." He didn't see her standing there. "The fact that she was crying turns a knife in my heart. I thought that she wanted it too."
