Spearbound Ch. 64

Kade sat in the chair with his eyes closed. Celine had given him a checkup and concluded he had no discernable injuries. It would be faster to recover by resting instead of depending on healers. Especially when the healers would be better use on Eliza.

Sleeping was surprisingly difficult, but it wasn’t necessary. It didn’t help that he could hear soft panting filling the hotel room.

A soft groan broke the panting a few seconds later.

“Already finished?” Kade asked, devoting the least amount of energy to the conversation.

The panting continued, making him open his eyes. A woman his age, with tanned skin and frizzy hair, was sweating profusely on all fours before him.

This had to be the fourth person Kade had seen in a similar position. At least the girl was a prettier sight than the overweight man who came before her.

The unkind thoughts had more to do with the man’s ineffectiveness as a healer than his actual weight. And that the man was one of the best healers in the organization.

It made Kade think of ways to attract the best healers in Chicago. Since Finn’s efforts by themselves weren’t enough, maybe he could sweeten the offer by picking something from the Universal Shop as a reward. 

He wasn’t being completely altruistic. If better quality healers had been on hand, he wouldn’t have needed to sit in this chair overnight to recover.

Celine opened the door, glancing at the healer on all fours and then at Eliza, still unconscious on the bed. She let out a long sigh. “This is taking longer than I expected. You did good, Ava.”

Celine helped Ava off the floor and supported her out of the room. Kade had tried the same thing the first time a healer had fallen, and the girl nearly had a panic attack.

He was quickly becoming weary of the extreme hero worship, especially when it felt disingenuous. He believed it was based more on fear, with the traditional authority gone and powerful individuals replacing them.

Kade hoped it would change over time as people became used to the new normal.

Celine reentered the room and addressed Kade. “There are no other healers available. We’ll restart her treatment tomorrow.”

Kade nodded, already having assumed this was the case when five additional healers were called, and they all ended on all fours. “If I want to attract more healers to join us, what do you think would work?”

Celine looked startled before a spark of hope appeared in her eyes. “This isn’t just for attracting healers outside the organization. We would love it if there were groups that could lead us in rift zones. It’s already a miracle that we survived the initial rift zone, and the only way for us to improve now is to heal injuries, which is unbearably slow.”

Kade was peripherally aware of the issues other Classes might face, but this was the first time someone told him. “Have you spoken to Finn about this?”

“He’s been busy dealing with the other groups vying for power.” Celine hesitated before offering a suggestion. “I could message him about this, but he would be more receptive if it comes from you.”

Kade blinked and asked, “What do you mean, message him?”

“Through the organization chat,” Celine said, as if he should know what this was. Seeing his cluelessness surprised her. “They didn’t add you?”

Kade recalled about the messages he and Eliza sent each other in the rift zone. It suddenly made sense how these large groups sprung up out of nowhere. He must have missed the discovery of the group functionality while he was still in the rift zone. 

“Finn, if you’re not doing anything urgent, Mr. Beckett needs to see you.”

It was exactly how he messaged Eliza in the rift zone. A second barely passed when she got a reply.

“He’s on the way,” Celine said. “I’ll get out of here so he doesn’t think I was the one who pressured you. He already doesn’t like me that much.”

Kade wasn’t able to process that tidbit before she had already disappeared. He pinched the bridge of his nose and decided that he would be on his way to a rift zone the earliest chance he gets.

Finn invited him to the group chat on his arrival.

***

1 Day Later

Jordan: Those guys in the Chicago Collective are desperate.

Jalen: You saw that too? They’ve been trying to convince others to band against us.

Maria: Do you think it’ll work?

Jordan: Really doubt it. Mr. Beckett demolished like two hundred of them by himself. I can’t take a walk without someone asking to join us.

Jalen: It’s helps that the boss made it free to enter the shop. Nobody would have argued if he charged for it like everyone assumed.

Kade rubbed his face in frustration. Every new message forced the interface to appear. “System, block these messages.”

Since adding him yesterday, the never-ending stream of chatter usefully connected organization members, but he could do without it. He had to admit that Finn wasn’t wrong about the smug face he wore when he invited him into the chat.

“System, restrict it so only a select few could contact me. Whitelist Finn, Matt, and Celine,” Kade ordered. He sent a message to the three. “You are one of the few that can contact me. I blocked all others. If there’s anything that needs my attention, let me know. But keep it for genuine emergencies.”

Celine: I’m flattered that I’m part of the group.

Matt: You got it, Kade.

Finn: Understood, Mr. Beckett.

There was a knock on the door for the new room he moved into, which was located close to Eliza’s. Kade dismissed the interface and opened the door, revealing an attendant with clothes in his hands.

“Miss. Celine told us to bring this to you,” the attendant handed over the clothes. “Is there anything else you need, Mr. Beckett?”

Kade waved him off, letting the poor man escape the overwhelming presence that came from standing near him. He shut the door and slipped on the new clothes.

Celine had sent him a fit that he wouldn’t have worn before the world changed. However, practicality was what he now looked for, and these certainly fit the bill.

It was better than entering a rift zone with a basic shirt and pants, which always ended up with him leaving with neither intact. This time, he would have well-fitted boots, cargo pants, a fitted shirt that felt like he was wearing nothing, and most conspicuously, a long coat that reached below his knees.

It would probably still end up in tatters by the end of a rift zone. At least it can reform after I let the cloak absorb it.

Kade admired himself in the mirror, feeling he finally looked the part of a leader. A full beard would add nicely to the look, but he couldn’t grow a proper one to save his time. It would end up a patchy mess.

He picked up the cloak he had haphazardly thrown on an ottoman, and the interface appeared with the expected message.

Would you like you to allow the Nullweave Cloak (Good Quality) to absorb your current attire?

“Yes,” Kade confirmed. He watched with interest as the cloak melded into his clothes.

You have equipped [Nullweave Cloak].

Absorbed Attire:

Wool T-shirt

Knee-length canvas duster

Ripstop cargo trousers

Leather combat boots

Boarhide Belt (Artifact)

He perked up when the Boarhide Belt was one of the things that was absorbed.

“System, does this mean I only have one artifact linked to me?” Kade asked.

“Yes, you currently have one slot occupied.”

If he had known the cloak could do this, he would have had zero hesitation in spending the points to buy it.

A knock came from the door.

Kade smoothed his hands over the new fit and answered the door with a vain expectation of praise. It was the same attendant that delivered his clothes.

“Ms. Brooks is calling for you!”

Two things caused Kade to stare at the attendant: the attendant hadn’t praised his new fit, and he didn’t understand the attendant’s flushed face. Eliza’s room was close by, so it couldn’t be from rushing to tell him the news.

The attendant fidgeted when he didn’t get an immediate answer. Kade saw that and waved him off. “I’ll head over there now.”

He admired himself in the mirror before smiling, immediately decided never to do that again. That smile was too fake and ugly.

Kade headed to Eliza’s room and entered after a courtesy knock. He paused for a moment at what he saw.

No wonder the attendant was red.