DD 301 Ch 15

Des followed happily behind Ken as he spoke quietly to Crimson.

While Ken was speaking quietly, Crimson was making no effort to keep her voice down. As a result, Des was catching only half the conversation, which seemed to be mostly about how Crimson was coaching Ken to kick Karnak’s ass.

Des hoped that would be the case. The Orkai was considered good, even amongst his own people. She was nervous about where Ken would stack up against them. And even more nervous that Crimson, in an effort to better prepare Ken, would then put the class into some new whirlwind of hellish training to grow stronger.

Ken might be seemingly immune to burnout, but the rest of their class was not, and Des was rather fond of the rest of their class. He never would admit it, but he was a machine. Everyone else had needed some time this summer to blow off steam and recover mentally from all of the stress Crimson and the Dungeon had placed on their shoulders.

But not her Ken. He could go on forever, push himself far further than the rest of them. Sometimes she wondered what had created that powerful will of his.

“Desmonda.” A familiar voice spoke.

Des froze mid-step and slowly turned her head to her mother and the Harem Queen, walking arm in arm, intersecting with their group. Des noticed as Crimson quietly pulled Ken further away from the Harem Queen. The two of them had some serious unresolved issues.

“Mother.” Des dipped her head. Respect was hammered into the Renard family.

“What are you doing here? Worried that I’m going to snatch your man?” Her mother’s eyes twinkled with mirth. Though her mother was playful as long as that respect was maintained.

“You can try,” Des laughed back, unperturbed by her mother’s insensitive jokes. At this point, they were just part and parcel of life in the Renard house.

“More fun when you squirm, isn’t that right, Heather?” Her mother glanced at the Harem Queen, whose eyes had been stuck to Ken’s retreating form, only to pull away and rejoin the conversation.

“What was that?” the Harem Queen asked.

While Des’ mother might have been joking, Des had very real concerns that the Harem Queen would snatch Ken up in a heartbeat if he actually let her. But she also had confidence in her man. Ken wasn’t the type of man to share. Doubly so now that he was an incubus. Despite all of his attempts to seem otherwise, he needed more attention in the bedroom than a woman sharing could offer him.

“Tell Des to put in a good word for Helen, if you would,” the Harem Queen said. “That daughter of mine wouldn’t shut up about him this summer. My worry that they were two ships passing in the night seems to have been unfounded.”

Des could only smirk. “Oh, I think she knows exactly the golden goose that she missed. And I think she’s rather upset about that fact.” Helen was totally reading 74 Wives. Sadly, Ken had blinders on and could only see her rather direct aggression and not the rest of her interactions.

“Oh?” The Harem Queen’s interest was piqued. “I’ll have to hear more about that later. But I was hoping someone could inform us more about this testing,” she added. “Your class seems to be in the know even more than some of us now-a-days.”

Des raised a brow. “Testing?”

“Yes. Ken and Crimson told the UG that there’s a testing process for our guilds to get ranked amongst the Orkai. If we’re going to recruit any of them, apparently this is a vital first step. The UG even went as far as to compare it to getting registered with them.” The Harem Queen answered.

“Oh, Ken did mention that briefly in regard to the Silver Fangs,” Des said. “He’s having a sparring match with one of the other Orkai guilds. The Orkai said he’d bring a few observers so they could get an idea of our strength.”

“Then I guess we’re in the right place,” the Harem Queen smirked. “And we get to see Ken fight. I do hope his opponent rips his shirt off. That would be fantastic.”

Des’ mother laughed, clearly enjoying the idea of Des’ man shirtless. Of course, considering that Des was already sharing him with a number of other women, she wasn’t opposed to people watching.

However, something about the Harem Queen’s attention still put her on edge. It felt less like good natured flirting and more like she was a few steps away from trying to abduct Ken.

“Well, I suppose if you’re going to come watch, you might as well sit with me,” Des offered. “Heather.” She tried using the Harem Queen’s given name rather than her title. After all, her lover did,and she was determined to stand beside him, even in this figurative way.

“If you could bring Helen over, I’m sure we could make her cheeks as bright red as her hair.” Des added, controlling herself from grinning too much.

“Good idea,” Heather wagged her finger as a broad smile split her face. “Girl really does need a little jarring to loosen herself up. You’ll join me, of course, Amelia?”

“Of course. Needling the younger generation about their affections is a pastime of mine,” Des’ mother replied. “Des here can attest to that.”

Des couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Yes. My mother is merciless in that regard.”

The two of them laughed like old friends, and Des looked around.

“Are there more coming with each of you?” she asked, particularly wondering if her father was going to show.

“No. We brought the information of our groups with us, hoping that would be enough. Much of my harem is still training,” Heather admitted. “We have several new locations underneath us now that the dust from the Shuffle is beginning to settle. But still, we can’t leave them idle for too long.”

“The troubles of being in charge,” Des’s mother commiserated.

“Indeed. It seems like as soon as one task is completed, three more rear their heads. Worse than a hydra.” Heather clicked her tongue as the whole group moved into the gravity chambers.

Some of her other classmates had been waiting, and Des noticed several other prominent figures of humanity also present in the waiting room. Most obvious was Charlotte’s father, pulling out a new shining sword and showing it off to Ken.

“Boys and their swords,” Des rolled her eyes.

“It’s important that they’re at least passingly proud of them,” her mother said. “Nothing saps the vigor out faster than a man being embarrassed of his own sword.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Des said quickly with a smirk.

She was all Ken’s,henceforth, now and forever. Even if something horrible happened and Ken tried to put some distance between them, Des was fairly certain she would be able to work through whatever that was and cling firmly to Ken’s side until he forgave her. He was simply one in a billion and even if she spent the rest of her life she knew she wasn’t going to find someone else who made her as happy.

She wasn’t above admitting that she was both smitten and addicted to her love.

“Oh, she’s got it bad,” Heather said, eyeing Des from the side.

“Perhaps you’ve never had it bad enough,” Des replied, feeling defensive over anything regarding Ken, before stamping that down and looking for a subject change before she gushed about Ken. “Those angels are probably the administrators you want to talk to,” Des pointed out two angels who just had the clerical look about them.

It was something that was easier to notice in the dungeon,the people who didn’t have a sharpened edge to them from constantly fighting for their lives. At least, that was the best way Des could describe the sense of people who were this deep in the dungeon but didn’t dive.

“I think my daughter is trying to get rid of us,” her mother teased. But she took the hint, pulling the Harem Queen away and freeing Des from the obligation to show them around.

Des couldn’t help the giant smile from growing and plastering itself on her face as she nearly skipped to Ken’s side, planting herself beside him with what she knew was likely a goofy, overly girlish grin that simply would not leave her lips.

“Ah, Des,” Ken noticed her and acknowledged her by leaning in and giving her a peck on the cheek.

Her smile threatened to stretch off her face while she did her best to press it down and remain casual beside Ken. “And what does Crimson have you doing now?” Des raised a manicured eyebrow at the other woman.

“Oh, she’s just going over a few last-minute strategies. And of course, wishing me good luck,” Ken ribbed Crimson.

Meanwhile, Des watched the most powerful woman in the world trying to keep herself from smiling. Des wondered if Ken even noticed these sorts of things, how everyone reacted around him. She guessed that he was largely oblivious to it all. Instead, likely more focused on the dungeon, the monsters, and the people inside.

He was such a dungeon-head sometimes.

“Your gravity chamber is ready.” An angel came over, folding both hands into her lap and giving Ken and Crimson a quick bow. The star of the spar followed after her, and the rest of the crowd slowly meandered behind them.

Des didn’t stray more than two steps from Ken’s side, so it was abundantly clear when his eyes snapped wide. His hand reached for a non-existent weapon on his belt and his posture went rigid.

“Problem?” Crimson’s tone was sharp, and she was still poised as if she didn’t have a care in the world, but there was a clear sharpness to her that Des recognized, having spent significant time with the woman.

Ken forced himself to relax, his eyes shifting to track a group of three Nekorians that were coming from the other direction, but seemed to casually have become interested in the group entering the gravity chamber.

“He hides it well,” Ken said under his breath, “but no matter how tight a lid he tries to put on it, there’s an overwhelming bloodlust coming from that Nekorian toward us. Or perhaps toward you?” he asked, glancing at Crimson accusingly.

“And why would it be me over Des?” Crimson sounded scandalized.

“’Cause you’re the one that goes and picks fights all over the dungeon,” Ken scoffed.

For anyone else in the world, speaking that way to Crimson would have left that person no more than a smear of blood on the ground. But when Ken spoke those words, Crimson simply laughed.

“I guess I’m guilty.” She held out her wrists. “Arrest me, officer.”

“I left the cuffs back at home,” Ken said, and Des knew he was being entirely serious. She had seen their bag of toys.

Crimson stopped teasing him, her smile slipping. “Do your best to act natural. Don’t forget how well Felin can hear.”

Her tone was barely a whisper, but it was enough for Ken to shake off his vigilance and flash her a smile.

“You’re right. I should be more careful. I don’t want to profile or anything, but he looks like a lion. Does that mean he’s from the same clan that we had a dispute with last school year?” Ken asked, moving into the gravity chamber.

The space had been set up with what must be the Orkai equivalent of bleachers. These had no posts supporting them. They were simply floating rows of pristine marble, as well as several more prim and proper-looking administrators sitting at a table by themselves. That group also looked like pencil-pushers to Des, but they dressed and sat like they had some moderate import.

“My guess would be yes,” Crimson smiled, “but you have absolutely nothing to worry about. We’re in the center of Star City with administrators sitting feet from us. If he does anything, I will strike fast enough that it’ll be ruled a suicide.”

The smile from Crimson after those words was nothing short of vicious.

Des didn’t want to be anywhere near those Nekorians should they cross Crimson. Blood splatter didn’t go well with her hair. She did better with cooler tones.

One of the Orkai stood up from the desk. “You must be Ken Nagato.” Des smiled, proud of her man to be recognized.

***

I held out my hand. “As a matter of fact, I am.” I waited as the old Orkai took my hand in his. “You all have a lovely city here. We’re learning quite a bit about what it really means to dive the dungeon.”

“For a demon to say that is quite flattering.” The Orkai smiled. “Then again, Incubbi are known for quite a bit of flattery.”

“Guilty as charged,” I said, chuckling and reminding myself to not blow my cover. The fact that everyone believed I was a demon in truth was a significant shield or at least it had been proven to be so thus far.

“We saw the arbitration between this one and the Nekorians,” the Orkai glanced at Crimson. “We had no idea humans were so capable. Obviously, you have an early trial ability. But that doesn’t lessen your accomplishments, young lady.”

“Thank you,” Crimson said. She seemed to hesitate at being called “young lady,” but she took a few breaths and seemed to keep herself from telling the Orkai off.

He was the oldest Orkai that I’d seen thus far, yet he seemed completely harmless. Which was at odds for me. Given that every one I’d seen was decently high level and he appeared so old meant he was ancient.

“And what are your positions within Star City?” Crimson asked after a moment.

“Boring.” The old Orkai waved a dismissive hand. “We could, of course, talk your ear off about the specifics. But I suspect you are just being polite.”

Now I was very suspicious, if it wouldn’t have been too rude, I’d have used my CID on him there.

Crimson chuckled with the old Orkai before leaning over to whisper to me. “I like him.”

“Of course you do. You love people who are no-nonsense.” I replied.

Crimson only shrugged, not denying the statement, but not acknowledging it either.

The moment for questioning the Orkai passed as the room began to steadily fill with more and more people, breaking the brief moment that felt private with them.

“If you’ll listen to a bit of advice from an old man,” the Orkai leaned closer to me, “stay on your feet and be ready to dodge. The Frothy Battle Axes are all quite adept, even if Karnak is their tank.”

Those words had my attention. I hadn’t really realized,I hadn’t even considered what class Karnak actually was, but a tank was a helpful hint.

“Remember that I’m in your corner through all of this,” Crimson reminded me and stepped back toward the stands. “If there’s a problem, I will make it go away. Just focus on the fight, and remember that you’ll both be revived at the end of this regardless of the outcome.”

I nodded small, grateful for the reminder that we could both really let loose. This was a highly supervised fight, and there were a number of people present that were able to heal or bring us back to life at the end, there was no reason not to go all out and see how high of an assessment I could get from the Orkai.

Karnak had already entered and caught my attention from across the room before smirking, returning to some of his more usual attitude I’d come to expect from the man, rather than the caution that he’d shown me recently and given me cause for concern.

“Karnak,” I greeted him. “Hope everything is well today.”

As the two of us stepped toward the center of the room. It seemed a natural reaction for everyone else to scatter toward the bleachers and give us a wide berth.

“And what do you mean, Ken?” He asked with a slight furrow of his brow.

“Oh, nothing. You’ve just been a little off, my friend.” I answered.

Even as I said those words, I started forming new connections. I glanced over towards the Nekorian that had far too much bloodlust coming my way, and I wanted to ask a lot of questions. But now was not the time.

“What do you mean?” Karnak had a good poker face.

“Nothing specific. I just got the sense that maybe someone had been bothering you lately.” I kept my answer vague, watching for a reaction from him, but I didn’t get anything satisfactory.

“Course, though perhaps you should remain concerned about yourself. Your concern for me will do little to help you in the present situation.” Karnak squared up against me and drew a battle ax and a shield. I drew my own two swords, staring Karnak down.

A kneeling Orkai cleared his throat loud enough that the room grew quiet, despite several dozen people having crammed themselves into the area.

“This is an assessment of one Ken Nagato,” the older Orkai announced, “as well as an assessment of his guild.” He thumbed something in the air. “The Silver Fangs. Do I have that correct?” he checked with me.

“That is correct, sir.” I answered with a firm nod.

“Good. Now then, both of you. This is a fight to assess the strengths of these two individuals as well as an opportunity for many other members of humanity to display their personal strengths to the assessors. Thus, any underhanded tactics will do nothing but make you appear weak and make assessment more difficult for us. Fight fairly, honorably, and with all of your strength. You are guaranteed by myself and the Orkai arbiters that you will leave this place hale, healthy, and in the same, if not better, condition than when you arrived.”

Hearing him invoke the arbiters in his commentary meant more to me now than it would have before. 

Karnak snorted. “The last thing we want is the actual arbiters’ attention. Please, no one do anything stupid.”

Karnak said those words loud enough that he got laughs from several among the crowd.

Meanwhile, I felt a small flash of killing intent from the Nekorian in the crowd once more, seeming to spike at that statement. I was now growing even more curious about the Nekorian’s possible connection to Karnak.

The Nekorian so clearly wanted my head.

“Begin!” the older Orkai shouted, and all other thoughts were ripped from my mind as my attention snapped to Karnak,and the axe that was cleaving straight for me.