Mmorpg: Shattered Land - Volume 4

Rajan had walked up this path many times over the past 20 years. It had been a second home, a refuge, and the fortress of his oldest friend.

Yet now, his feet were stuck to the pavement, unable to take a step.

A hand slipped into his own, a comforting press of a beautiful woman on his arm.

“Shivani, I don’t think I can do this,” Rajan said softly.

“And yet you will,” Shivani replied as softly, gently pushing him towards the door.

Slowly, one slow step at a time, he made his way to the door. Shivani retrieved the spare key and opened the door.

The scent of musk and illness assailed them as they made their way into the house. There was little light, all the windows and doors had thick curtains covering them.

“Rajan, go open the windows and the patio doors,” Shivani took charge, ordering her husband into action.

“I should find Marius first…” Rajan began but was cut off by Shivani’s matriarchal glare.

“I’ll see to Marius, you go and open up this house,” Her words allowed no further argument. “Now!”

Rajan dashed towards the patio doors and opened the thick curtains. Sunlight poured into the House as he opened the doors. A cool breeze slipped through the door, drawing the stale air out. Suddenly the dark house felt much warmer and inviting.

More like how Rajan remembered it.

He made his way to the kitchen, opening curtains and windows, allowing a breeze to flow through the house. Already the change was noticeable.

On the bench, Rajan saw the remains of fruit left too long. Gone soft and bruised from sunlight deprivation. The scent of vegetables was vaguely discernable.

“He sustained himself on juice,” Rajan realized.

When Marius could no longer eat, when his appetite fought against him, he had satiated himself with fruit and vegetable juice.

“Marius hated vegetable juice,” Rajan said to himself.

Rajan shook his head as he looked at the well-kept kitchen. Even dying Marius had kept things neat and orderly.

As a young man, Marius had once impressed upon him the importance of keeping things in some order.

“It simply makes your own life easier,” he had said, “Removing mess removes distractions, it lets you know where things should be and then you waste less time trying to find things.”

It had been years later that Rajan had actually taken that lesson to heart.

He always was a little late.

Rajan made his way upstairs. He knew that Marius would be in the guest bedroom directly opposite him, but he could not face him. Not yet.

Upstairs, Rajan found a spacious living area with a connected bedroom. This had been Marius’ temple. His eyes swept the side of the room. Bookshelves filled with books. Business journals that stretched back fifty years. Fictional stories that he had read to his children and grandchildren. Memories of an era long since forgotten.

Suddenly Rajan could not stand being here.

He had sat here, so many times. Talking with Marius, arguing, conspiring and debating on topics that had seemed so important at the time only to fade to insignificance.

He all but ran down the stairs, trying in vain to escape his memories. He was ashamed of himself. He was acting like a child.

“Rajan,” Shivani called him. “Come here.”

Slowing, Rajan obeyed. He stepped into the Guest bedroom and instantly gagged. The smell of blood and sickness was strong in here. And Marius was the source.

Shivani was sitting on the bed, her finger to the old man’s neck. A Virtual Reality helmet still covering his eyes.

“He’s gone,” Shivani said softly.

Rajan shook. Why had he delayed coming?

When Marius had given him the news he had sat at his desk for a good hour before he moved into action. The drive was at least five hours and Shivani had needed time to prepare herself.

Prepare herself? The moment he had told her she was up and was ready to depart. It had been him who had delayed.

And now he missed his chance to sit with him at the end.

Some friend he was.

“Rajan, I am going to clean Marius up. This room is filthy and I will not leave him here in this squalor.” as she spoke she began removing the VR helmet

Her words slapped him out of his thoughts. Without a word, he moved to the windows and opened them and the curtains. A fresh breeze chased the stench of death from the room.

With the light from the window, Rajan could see Marius’ face. It was gray and lined. But it looked peaceful as if his final moments had filled his heart with joy. Like he had died content.

Marius had never let anyone see him unless he had been groomed. It was another of his life lessons. ‘Present yourself how you want the world to see you’. Marius had never accepted anything less from himself.

Rajan was suddenly fully behind the plan to tidy up his old friend. Even in death, the old man can face the world with pride.

It took an hour. Shivani had taken a cloth and a basin of clean warm water, carefully wiping away teh grime that had acc.u.mluted on teh old mans skin.

Rajan took to cleaning the carpet where Marius had vomited blood.

It was the final sign that Byzantius’ Disease was in its final stages prior to the rigor mortis. The pain must have been excruciating.

When they had finished, Marius was himself again. Tidy and proud, even though his soul had departed.

“Do you remember the first time you met him?” Rajan asked softly.

Shivani nodded. “He made fun of me until I left the House. I believe I was going to break up with you because of it.”

Rajan smiled. “He did that so that I could have the chance to tell him to shut his face. He was opening the floor for me to be a man in front of you, but I was too dumb to take it.”

“Really?” Shivani looked at her husband as he spoke.

“It was only afterward that he said I was being a child. That if I let you leave now then I’d regret it for the rest of my life. That if I wanted to be worthy of a girl like you, I’d have to have the guts to stand up for you. He said that if I truly cherished you that you would become my strength when I weak, stand by me be my strongest supporter. That if I was ever to be blind, deaf or dumb, you would be my eyes and ears voice,”

“He always did have a way with words,” Shivani smiled.

“He was quoting a song,” Rajan said with a smirk. “But I think he knew I loved you and was just trying to help me be worthy of you. Every day, I think that if he hadn’t done that then I would have lost you somewhere down the road. I owe him for that.”

“You don’t owe him anything,” Shivani denied. “He never helped people for his own gain. He just liked to see people happy and was too quick to insert his influence to help protect people from themselves.”

“You may be right about that.”

Brrr. Brrr. Brrr.

The doorbell rang and the couple looked at each other.

“Answer the door, dear,” Shivani told him.

Rajan went to the door and opened it. There were two young people standing of the other side. One, a pretty young Girl that Rajan recognized. The other, a young man.

“Elizabeth,” he said confused. “What are you doing here?”

“We came to see Mr. G,” the girl said.

Rajan saw her eyes were red from crying.

“I’m sorry Elizabeth. But Marius is, no longer with us.” Rajan was uncomfortable breaking the news like this.

“Sir,” the young man stepped forward. “My name is Tyler Dannis. I was playing the Shattered Land with Marius earlier but he was logged out. May I pay my respects?”

Rajan looked at the young man. “Are you Super Nova or Cold Mist?” he asked.

Tyler looked surprised. “Super Nova.”

“Then please come in,” Rajan beckoned them into the house.

Together, they walked into the guest room.

They looked upon the old man where he lay. Elizabeth let go a small whimper before tears started falling from her eyes again. Shivani went to the girl and held her. Her eyes were wet as well.

Tyler’s eyes became hard as he looked over the old man.

“Marius,” he spoke softly, stepping up beside his body. He placed his hand on the old man’s shoulder and spoke softly. “You may have had to leave us early, but we did it. We took Great Falls City. We made history happen.”

Once he’d finished talking, tears welled up in his eyes and he began to sob.

Elizabeth detached herself from Shivani and went to him holding him in her arms. Rajan went to his wife and held her close.

“Well Marius,” he spoke softly. “I guess we’ll call this one a draw.”

“You’re late.”

A clear voice pulled Marius from the darkness.

“Where am I?” he said aimlessly.

“Where you are supposed to be,” the voice answered.

Spinning around, Marius found the source of the voice.

It was a woman. Her face was aged, with elegant lines and prominent cheekbones. Her hair was blonde though flecked with grey but her eyes were dark, shimmering from chocolate brown to charcoal black.

Marius felt his body shake as he looked at her. He would know her anywhere. How couldn’t he? She was one of the people who haunted and blessed his dreams at night.

“Cat caught your tongue?” she playfully taunted.

“The great Marius Greyston, having nothing to say?” another voice asked, “I don’t believe it, mother.”

Another woman appeared. She had the same hair and eyes as the first woman, but there had yet to be any grey to touch her. Her face though, was different, matching more his own with a taller build and firmer stance.

Tears began falling down his cheeks.

“Come on dad,” this one was a man and matched the second woman perfectly. “we’ve been waiting a long time for you to come to find us.”

Marius collapsed to his knees as the three figures walked slowly towards him.

“Grandpa!” a little girl came out of nowhere and tackled him, pushing her little face into his chest. His arms wrapped around the little person and his shaking stopped as he held her.

Four more children appeared, ranging from 18 to 10. Marius knew them all. Their names, birthdays, favorite candy and even their favorite past times. How could he not?

Arms began wrapping themselves around him as his grandchildren crowded around him. His wife, sidled up behind him like she used to do, resting her chin on his shoulder. His daughter knelt on his left and reached across to hold him tight. His son mirrored her on his right.

This was his family. The people that had haunted him and sustained him for the last 20 years.

And finally, after all this time, two words slipped out of Marius’ lips.

“I”m Home.”