The Medieval Delusion

Chapter 10

"Enough!"

"William! Ah!"

"Aelita… Are you okay?"

"I'm really not a Hopper, am I?"

Are too, Milo was thinking. He was sending it to Aelita as they ran. You are a Hopper. He's a Pohonp. He's the one who deserted your family.

"Milo," said Yumi. "What's Aelita doing now?"

"She's talking to Jeremy. They're working on the way."

"Are we nearly there?" Odd groaned.

"No," said Milo. "I think it's still about two days at a run."

"We can't do it," said Ulrich. "Even if I Super Sprinted the whole way there, we couldn't do it. We have to rest."

"We need to get some horses," said Xanite. "I know a friendly person who can help us."

"Who is it?" asked Milo.

"Well, I don't know his name. But he calls himself Xx."

"Zuh… What?" said Odd, trying to pronounce it.

"Xx. It isn't important. He is an… investigator of sorts. We were partners for a time. If I need something, he'll get it for me."

"So we need horses. Can Xx get us five?" asked Yumi.

"I think so," said Xanite. "I've never known Xx to fail. He is completely reliable, but his ways of obtaining things are… questionable."

"He's a thief," said Milo. "All right. I can live with that. Since we're already on the run from the police, there's no reason not to take the horses from Xx."

"I'll contact him," said Xanite. "There is a spell for that in this book. Xx. Link. Hey, look. Numbers." A strand of binary code had appeared in mid air, reading 00000000. Then it changed to 100101Xx.

"Amazing," muttered Milo. "The spells are codes that we add into the Programming Code. I'm guessing you just programmed a hole in the fabric of the game."

"I didn't get any of that," came a voice from the code. "Xanite? Is that you?"

"Xx. It's an emergency situation and I need you to acquire some things for me," said Xanite.

"What's the situation?"

"We're trying to rescue Princess Aelita and we need horses," he said. "And we need them to be in the village where Commander Lawrence lived at midnight. By the late Commander's house."

"Did you have anything to do with his death?" asked Xx suspiciously. "And are you going at this alone? Or are the noble Sir Milo and that good-for-nothing Odd with you?"

"Milo, Odd, and two brave mercenaries," said Xanite. "Ulrich and Yumi."

"Ulrich, huh? I've heard of him. All right, my friend, this sounds like a good investment. Consider it done."

"What payment do you need?"

"Nothing. Tell Milo we're even."

"For what?"

"The Third Battle of the Second Campaign of the Royal Wars."

"Hey, Milo," said Xanite. "Does someone owe you something from the Third Battle of the Second Campaign of the Royal Wars?"

"Yeah," said Milo. "I stopped the execution of a spy for our side who everyone thought had turned traitor."

"That's me," said Xx. "Thanks, Milo. You were to be married to the Princess, yes?"

"Yes."

"Consider us even."

"All right. Get us the horses and we're even."

"They'll be there. Get moving!" They did. The binary code vanished as they ran.

"Enough! This fighting is not benefiting anyone! We can compromise."

"What are you saying?"

"Let me get Aelita and Xana off the disk, and everyone else gets free as well. Even Xanite. I can show you how to free him from Xana."

"Don't do it!"

"What? Aelita?"

"That's a message from Xanite. He says don't do it. So does everyone in the game except Xana."

"You heard the vote, Pohonp. We won't do it."

"Enough, Willy! I am finished with you!"

"Ah!"