Daily Short: Sleeper 02

Thomas stared across the fake wooden table at the hooded figure. The Hood didn’t move. He didn’t even appear to be breathing. That implied a mastery of this not-real space that was rather impressive. Putting thought into action, Thomas realized he could stop breathing, too, without any issue.

Interesting. Thomas thought as Hood outlined his offer. There were two choices on the table. First, he could go back to the dreamless sleep of hibernation. Or second, I can go on an adventure.

It wasn’t all gold and spices, though. If he took the second option until he reached a certain level of power, dying had consequences. On the other hand, if Eve were strong enough to give someone like this pause, healing him wouldn’t be an issue. He was willing to bet Sara would advocate for it and then hold it against him for the rest of his life.

Was returning to the dreamless sleep worth gambling?

Yes. Thomas thought. He hated being inactive, even if it wasn’t consciously a choice. There is a risk, but it is less risky than facing down a demon in human skin.

“I accept,” Thomas said firmly to Hood.

Although he couldn’t see it, there was the sensation that his visitor was most pleased with the outcome. Thomas shrugged; he was no hero, so the request wasn’t impossible.

Hood had only asked that he assist a Hero in defeating a Demon King. After asking a little about the Demon King, he’d decided to take the deal for a straightforward reason.

The Demon King was a munchkin.

Newly instated after the assassination of his father, the young Demon King was definitely out of his depth. Before sleeping, Thomas had witnessed his superior’s habit of picking up strays. To give himself a veneer of protection, if Eve, for some reason, wasn’t happy about this, there was no better excuse.

He was doing it for the child!

That’ll keep me out of boiling water, leaving me just hot if it goes pear-shaped. Thomas thought as Hood arranged the final details.

The transfer would require substituting the soul of Thomas into a newborn’s body. Another tidbit of information was the System in the new world was different. It was the same, but the method of use was other. Thomas hid his shock upon hearing the System was in more than one universe. It was something so far above his level. The best thing was to ignore it!

“I won’t be seeing you again, right?” Thomas said as Hood got up from the fake table.

“No, no, you won’t. I will make similar offers to the others, but they might not all take them. After that, I’m going to stay the hell away. Every minute we talk makes the branching paths of the future decrease in number. If I didn’t know better, I’d think someone was hunting me through Time.” Hood said. Unlike before, his tone was now slightly nervous, like a merchant who just realized that having too few guards could cost more than a few golds.

“Good.” Thomas said before pausing, “If my brother wavers, tell him you’ll make sure we are in the same family.”

Hood paused and then nodded before vanishing.

Thomas grumbled as the furniture he’d been sitting in vaporized as he stood. As long as his brother was alone, things wouldn’t go too wrong. It wasn’t like it mattered what station they were born in. Magic was magic. Ninety-nine percent of the time, Thomas had witnessed how those who had the gift in their veins were raised above the rabble.

While the slums might not care about your blood if it didn’t pulse with magic rising to nobility was impossible practicality.

And adventure, eh? Thomas thought as the world started to fade from white to dark. Success means an increase in my Earth affinity. Gains like that are only for the rich and famous in the desert. If we can boost our affinities, our value will rise in Eve’s eyes. He didn’t think she would discard him or his brother, but there was no reason not to take a little risk to improve their worth. Assuming the Hero wasn’t some drooling idiot, it wouldn’t be hard to get things handled and home!