Path of Dragons - A LitRPG Apocalypse (BOOK TWO ON KINDLE SEPT. 2)

“I’m beginning to realize that I may be slightly overdressed,” Elijah said, standing beside the pool and looking down on Sadie. She wore a modest black bikini and a pair of sunglasses, with a beverage in an actual coconut sitting nearby. “What happened to wanting to wear your armor everywhere?”

She propped herself up on her elbows and answered, “It didn’t seem appropriate. This city is a lot more…normal than I expected.”

Elijah couldn’t disagree. After leaving the Silo, he’d wandered Seattle a little more, and during that time, he was struck by how much he was reminded of the old world. Sure, the buildings looked like they’d been pulled out of a science fiction movie, and everything was a lot cleaner than it had been before the world’s transformation, but it didn’t feel so different from other cities he’d visited long ago.

Certainly, few people were armed or armored, and the ones that were looked like they were employed by the city itself. With his rigid leather armor and scythe-like staff, Elijah had felt entirely out of place – so much so, in fact, that he’d dipped into an alley, shifted into Shape of Venom, and resumed his exploration under the Guise of the Unseen.

For hours, he’d wandered the city, and in that time, he’d discovered that Isaiah’s efforts were both extensive and effective. Seattle had become a shining example of what could be Earth’s future, should they find it in themselves to work together.

He sighed. “I was thinking the same thing,” he said, sitting on the chair next to her. He ignored the looks he was getting from all the others lounging around the pool. “Lucy said she’ll work on the seed. I don’t know if it’ll go anywhere, but if anyone can crack it, it’s her.”

“I figured you’d want to stick around and help,” Sadie reasoned.

“I think that’s because you assume I was a good scientist. I definitely wasn’t. That kind of laboratory work is not something I want to go back to,” he admitted. “Looking through a microscope all day is enough to make a man question his life choices.”

“You should probably do that anyway.”

He grinned. “Probably,” he agreed. “Look – you have anything planned for tonight?”

She shook her head. “Not really. Why?”

“I was thinking we could do something fun. Maybe wander the city a bit. Have a good meal. Lucy told me about this vegan place nearby that sounded pretty good,” he suggested, knowing her dietary preferences. “Plus, there’s supposed to be a festival every night. It was described to me as carnival, Mardi Gras, and a state fair all rolled into one.”

“I’ve never been to any of those…events.”

“Well, I’ve been to Mardi Gras. And I went to a few state fairs growing up. Hopefully, we won’t have a bunch of carnies running this festival.”

“Carnies?”

“Carnival people,” he answered. Then, he explained that there was a stereotype concerning the sorts of people who traveled around putting together shoddy Ferris wheels and other rides, only to leave town after a week.

“Ah. You’re not making this sound very fun,” she admitted.

“Oh, it is. Weird fried foods, a little danger, and a lot of adrenaline – it’s great. You’ll see.”

It took a little more convincing, but eventually, Sadie agreed to go. Soon after, they’d retreated to their rooms – they’d requested to be put together, after all – where Elijah doffed his armor and dressed a little more conservatively.

“What are you wearing?” Sadie asked, stepping out of the bathroom. She had actually slipped on a pair of blue jeans and a tee-shirt, which made her look like a slightly uptight college girl ready for a night on the town.

“Uh…my normal clothes?” he said, looking down.

“At least put on some shoes.”

“I don’t actually own any shoes anymore,” Elijah responded. “My skill requires me to maintain contact with the ground. Or it used to. Nowadays, it’s…I don’t know. I just got used to it. Even my armored boots don’t actually have soles.”

“Are those the only clothes you brought?”

“No. I have like three outfits. And my armor.”

“Did you even read the welcome packet?”

“No. Why would I?”

Sadie sighed. “You are such an idiot sometimes.”

“What? Why? I mean, I don’t necessarily disagree. Did I tell you about the time I forgot to change the setting on my Ring of Anonymity and –”

“Yes, Elijah. I know all your stories. But this isn’t about that. You know that the auction tomorrow night is, for lack of a better word, fancy. It’s not quite black tie, but I’m fairly certain that most people will interpret it as such.”

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“I’ll just wear my armor. Green flames are fancy.”

“You are not wearing your armor.”

“I don’t have any other options, in case that wasn’t already established,” Elijah stated, hoping he’d overcome her objections.

“Then we need to go shopping,” she announced with one of the most genuine smiles he’d ever seen grace her face.

“Oh…I just walked right into that, didn’t I?”

“You did,” she said, grabbing his arm. “So, shopping. Dinner. Then, we’ll see what this festival is all about.”

Elijah didn’t get a chance to respond before she was pulling him along. In truth, he didn’t mind it so much. It had been nice spending time with Sadie on the island, but he’d have been lying if he didn’t like the normality of going on a proper date with her. It made the entire affair feel more like a relationship than something temporary.

As they left the rooms behind, Elijah was struck by the opulence on display. The entire compound reminded him of those all-expenses-paid resorts he’d seen back home in Hawaii. He’d never been able to afford those sorts of places, but he’d had a few friends who worked there. So, he’d gotten the opportunity to enjoy some of their amenities, which gave him a little context for just how luxurious the accommodations in Seattle truly were.

Of course, they were also quite exclusive. Only the best of the best had warranted such treatment, though from what he could tell, even the next few tiers of lodgings were quite well appointed.

But he’d also caught sight of a few normal inns and hotels while wandering the city. Some were cozy and clean, but in other cases, the primary draw was that they were cheap.

Eventually, they exited the grounds – getting some looks from the guards on duty – and, after checking a map, joined the flow of traffic to an upscale Tailor nearby. Elijah followed along as Sadie led the way, and he couldn’t ignore the looks he got from the other pedestrians.

“It’s the bare feet, isn’t it?” he asked when they arrived at their destination.

“They’re not helping. You also look like you’re dressed for a Renaissance Faire,” she pointed out. “I like a nice, flowing shirt as much as the next girl, but it does make you stick out.”

Elijah groaned, largely because he remembered Dat saying something similar.

“What?” asked Sadie, noticing his wistful expression.

“Just thinking about something Dat said. He told me I dressed like a hobbit. You know, from Lord of the Rings?”

“I didn’t read those books.”

“You had to have seen the movies though, right?”

“There were movies too?”

Elijah just shook his head. “So uncultured. I seriously need to install a movie theater in the grove. For the preservation of our culture, I mean.”

“That would be nice,” she agreed with a small smile.

“Ahem.”

That brought them both back to the reason they’d walked into the store, and they focused on the woman who seemed to be either the clerk or the proprietor. She was a severe woman wearing a long black dress that fell all the way to her ankles.

“Oh. Right,” Elijah said. “I’ve been informed that I need some formal wear. Whatcha got?”

For a moment – judging by her expression, at least – Elijah expected a Pretty Woman moment. But instead of refusing service, the woman got right down to business. For his part, Elijah did not enjoy being measured. Nor did he like discussing cuts and colors. Thankfully, Sadie had plenty of opinions for the both of them, and she got along perfectly well with the Tailor, who went by Mistress Caldwell.

In the end, she finished her preparations, then shooed them away with instructions to return the next day. Of course, she didn’t do anything for free, but to Elijah’s surprise, Sadie chose to pick up the tab.

“My treat,” she said, grabbing his hand. “Besides, I’m the one who doesn’t want to attend the auction with a man who looks like a hobo.”

“Ouch. At least I’m a handsome hobo.”

“The handsomest hobo I’ve ever seen.”

“Like a Hollywood hobo. You know, with a perfectly trimmed beard, immaculate bone structure, and piercing eyes. Just with a little smudge of dirt and slightly threadbare clothes.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Sadie giggled.

After that, they wandered through the city, enjoying the sights as Elijah recognized various landmarks that had somehow survived Seattle’s destruction and the rebuilding process. But eventually, they reached their second destination – a restaurant called La Table Verte, which translated from French to English, meant The Green Table. A fitting name for a vegan restaurant.

Once they were seated – and after receiving a dirty look from the maître de, probably because he wasn’t dressed appropriately – they were served soupe à l’oignon végane, which was an onion soup that tasted better than any vegan dish Elijah had ever eaten. Not to be outdone, the entrée was ratatouille that popped with so much flavor that Elijah had difficulty concentrating on the conversation. And finally, for dessert, they ate a delectable chocolate mousse that the server assured them was entirely vegan.

“Well, that was the best plant-based meal I’ve ever eaten,” Elijah admitted, patting his full stomach with a satisfied sigh. “Well, aside from my grove fruits, but that’s different.”

“It was very good,” Sadie said. “We don’t have this kind of place in Hong Kong.”

“I’m not sure this kind of place exists anywhere else on Earth at the moment,” Elijah said. French food was notorious for using copious amounts of butter, which typically was a no-no for vegan cuisine. So, finding a vegan French restaurant had been difficult even before the world’s transformation. But now? That one existed at all was a minor miracle.

“Thank you for finding it,” Sadie said, reaching across the table to rest her hand on his.

“You know me. I’m always on the lookout for new and different foods,” he said with a smile. “But if you think this was fun, just wait for what comes next.”

Once they’d paid, the pair left the restaurant behind and were almost immediately engulfed in a festival atmosphere. Everywhere they looked, there was dancing and drinking. Not to be left behind, they both lost themselves to it until they reached a portion of the city with the unmistakable air of a state fair.

“They’ve even got a Ferris wheel,” Elijah said, pointing in the distance. There were a multitude of booths set up with traditional carnival games, the sketchy fried foods he’d so looked forward to, and more than a little alcohol being consumed.

And Elijah was determined to sample it all.

So, he dragged a giggling Sadie from one place to another as they immersed themselves in a level of Americana Elijah thought had been entirely lost. Sure, there was plenty of evidence that things had changed. Ethera swirled in every direction, and everything was a little too clean and new. But it still got the atmosphere right, which was all that really mattered.

Eventually, they ended up on the Ferris wheel, sitting side by side.

“You look so happy,” Sadie said when they reached the top. Elijah glanced over to see that she was staring at him.

“I’m always happy,” he said.

“You want everyone to believe that,” she said, reaching up to stroke his cheek. “But it’s mostly an act. I know you well enough to recognize the difference between that and the real thing.”

Elijah didn’t respond. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her.