“I can’t believe you got us a room here. Corey, how did you do it?”

“I killed the elf.” He says without an ounce of remorse.

Eleanora displayed her surprised look on her face. “You did what?”

“Killed the elf. They should be bringing our food. I’m not going to take a shower, and change. I smell like him.”

‘He doesn’t even care.’ She only gave him a nod. His empty emotions frightened the mage for a moment, before she breathed out the air she had held in. Corey had hugged her back tightly. Other than his lack of care, emotions, his ability to tame her dragon, and do things that were so impossible she had to bet they were illegal, he was great.

She swooned while she surveyed the room. The motel had a place for dragons, and other beast to sleep. Corey bought a private area for Greta. Her dragon made a good judgment in trusting him. Eleanora was seeing him differently too.

She still didn’t know where he came from, or why his name was weird. But she would find out in due time while he teaches her how to control Greta. And use her new axe.

Corey’s ears bled from the mage’s squeal. He had important things to do.

Eat, sleep, then come up with a new set of plans.

ADVICE: OBTAIN A MAP. YOU CAN GET THOSE IN THE HOME OF ELDRIS EYES.

“Eldris eyes?” Corey couldn’t picture playing this game from the comfort of his computer. It would be frustrating. The Npc’s are more dangerous, and to earn a point would be harder to do through his Xbox than in person.

The game’s designer outdid themselves on this one.

The world building, the tasks, the quest, it’s like a second life built for game nerds like himself.

Corey showered without urgency for once. His arms had been wrapped so he didn’t need to rewrap them for another few hours, and the bandages were water proof. Just his luck.

“What to wear?” he asked as he toweled his skin.

SUGGESTION: BG GAMER MERCH, IT WOULD BE A GREAT LOOK ON YOU

“Where would i- oh, I see.” He could just think about it. This game ability is flawed beyond saying. Anyone in his position would feel like god, but not Corey. As long as that Lock Keeper was breathing, Corey couldn’t feel high at all.

He needed to beat him to earn the rank as the best gamer here.

So he opted for a simpler look. A black hoodie, and track pants. Easy to move, in case of an attack. And they cover his bandaged arms. He created a skull shaped mask for his face. The less people could see of him the better. The mask was hooked to the side of his pants as he excited the room.

Eleanora was plating up their dinner at the round dining table set by the wall sized window. The view of the stars was incredible. They danced like they were alive, moving to form shapes and words. He hurried over to get a look, and then his stomach made a grumbling noise.

Eleanora laughed, and Corey shook his head. In the game, his body isn’t used to not eating. In his old life, he had gone two months with only water as his sustenance. This was nothing.

The food was divine, and Corey tried to accept that he was eating more than he’d ever had. Eleanora ate her fill, yawning in between.

“I should clean up. Excuse me, Corey.”

He hummed, fully devoted to enjoying every last bit of food on the table. He groaned over the wine. Feeling sated.

HUNGER CRISIS AVERTED.

He won’t need to eat more until the next alert. He shook that mindset away, he would pack snacks to keep his hunger level on a stable ground to avoid something like this. A normal player would have died at that level.

The door to the bathroom came open, and Eleanora stepped through. Her hair wet, and swaying as she walked. A firm white towel around her body. Her cheeks turned bright pink once she noticed she had an audience.

Corey on the other hand, was staring at the crest on her right arm. Only dragon mages of royal status have those. He’d learnt that during a game of Divine Flame. The game was to collect dragons from the different guilds. You had to battle the mages to gain their dragon.

He almost facepalmed.

‘She has a great Dane. A dragon of that class and level isn’t accessible to none royals. Or at the very least, someone who is related to royalty.’

“Um, sorry Corey. But I don’t have anything else to wear.”

Her voice cut through the fugue Corey had in his mind while he tried to spot another tattoo on her body.

INFORMATION: YOUR EYES HAVE X-RAY VISION.

‘Stop. I’m not a pervert.’

He brought his mind to thoughts about feminine clothes. The type he had seen on magazines. And others he found in games with mages. They would look fantastic on Eleanora tomorrow morning, but she needed a night gown.

“Check the wardrobe.” Corey pointed with his index finger to the double doors on the other side of the room.

“Okay.” She said almost short of breath.

He continued eating until all plates were clean. Then he rang the bell to call for assistance.

Giving the worker the trays of empty dishes while Eleanora dressed in privacy. By the time she came out, the room smelt less of food and more of roses.

She found Corey laying on his bed, flipping through a book.

“What do you have there?” she inquired, feeling sleepy but wanting to have a conversation with Corey.

“A book.” He replied flatly.

Eleanora sat on the edge of his bed. “What book?”

“A dictionary of some sort.”

“A dictionary? What is that?”

“Don’t worry about it. Do you know anything about Eldris eyes?”

“Yes. It’s two towns over. Dragon mages aren’t exactly welcomed there.”

That got Corey to look up from his book with a question in his eyes. “Why?”

“The people there tried to sell a group of visiting mages to a brothel, and they nearly succeeded. But then the dragons intervened, and burned eighty percent of the Eldris to ashes. Now we’ve been banned, even though they were in the wrong.”

“So you won’t be able to go in there?”

“No, I don’t trust those old men. They have this mind control thing that they do. They can see almost everything that is about to happen to them, and use that to their advantage. Like ninety percent psychic ability, and the remaining ten person is blind and can be easily suede by women.” She made a notion of disgust.

But if she can’t get Corey to the Eldris, they would have to stop somewhere close and he can continue on foot. He was preparing a plan for this. Ever one to think before acting.

“Thank you for telling me. You look nice by the way.”

She flushed, and Corey saw he was winning her over. Confusing though, there wasn’t anything appealing about his appearance but he shrugged and counted it as luck. Eleanora eventually caved into sleep, and moved to her bed. Falling asleep the second her head touched the pillow.

SHE IS NOT SO WISE, IS SHE?

Corey hid his laugh. Shaking his head to the words in front of him. Eleanora has only known him for a day, and she was comfortable sleeping in the same room as him. She is gullible.

‘Or I’m smart.’

His trick with her dragon was the tipping point, or maybe it was the axe. She was handsy after killing the elite guards. It might have something to do with that.

But all he knows is that the earned himself a dragon mage. And once he acquired the knowledge, he would help her rise in rank. She would be of more use to him of her rank was higher than five.

AGREED.

He had to give his system a name.

‘How do you like NewAge?’

It was his best, and only strategy. It would be the best fit for his system.

NewAge: NAME ACCEPTED. YOU SHOULD SLEEP, COREY, TOMORROW IS AWAITS

‘You want me to kill again, don’t you?’

NewAge: YES. BUT THE DECISION IS YOURS. YOU CAN RISE FASTER IF YOU CHOOSE TO TAKE THE DARK ROAD

‘Sounds boring and easy. I’ll pass.’

He shut the book, and clapped for the lights to go off. Corey found the room still bright due to the dancing stars.

Sliding under the covers, his mind drifted to what his mother could be doing at this very moment.

He died on a Monday, today must be Tuesday. That is usually sports night. He pressed his face into the pillow.

‘Shit!’

Without him there to be a punching bag, today would mean hell for his mother. And he could bet his life that she had no actual clue on how heartless her husband can actually be. Whenever his favorite game was on, he’d invite his friends. Unfortunately for Corey and his mother, Larry’s team never won a single game.

Which angered the drunk fuck. And his equally drunk friends. His mother, ever so blind and codependent, would try to join the men by bringing in snacks. If Corey had a nickel for every Tuesday his mother did this, he would be richer than he was when he was alive.

But she was dense to it. The second Corey heard yelling, he would take it that Larry’s team had lost again. Then he would head downstairs, and offer to give them the snacks so his mother can rest.

She would spare him no look, and tell him to do whatever. With her attitude, he still loved her. Her love for him was nothing anymore. He was merely there to keep her husband happy.

Larry and his friends would get so mad at Corey for bringing them snacks. Asking if he was a woman or some fag. He responded with an emotionless look, which led to them attacking him with bottles and canes his step father kept in the living room.

Corey recalled when he was thirteen, he had almost lost an eye trying to avoid a bottle. Back then, he used to cry. He was out of tears now.

The night would end with his mother bad mouthing Corey with the men. He found only a little joy, in thinking about her in his position. Having to carry the snacks to the men.

And on Sundays, how would she cope without him?

He fell into slumber with those thoughts in his mind. In spite of everything, he hoped his neighbors, or somebody, would help his mother. She was too frail and fragile. She could never handle what Corey went through every day.

And without him there to bring in money, it won’t be long before her husband took it too far.