Condition Evolution 3: A LitRPG / Gamelit Adventure by Kevin Sinclair (early readers .TXT) 📗

we're family now. It's just, we at least need to get them off your trail, Elyek. They might even become allies.”

Elyek nodded back solemnly. Calegg grinned his bastard head off at the affirmation of our strong bond.

“Whatever,” I angrily waved away the conversation. “Let's focus on Torax. We need bodies, and if these guys are anything like Calegg, then they’re the bodies I want backing me up.”

Calegg puffed his chest up at the compliment.

Ember wasn’t happy with my conversation deflection. “I thought we’d have more time before our next death-defying adventure,” she replied, disappointed.

“Don't whine, Ember. It doesn't suit you,” I snapped, still a little angry at the arrival of the Thoth, and that she seemed to defend them and berate me.

In a truly impressive bit of telekinesis, she shot the boot off her foot straight at my face. Even more impressively, Havok deflected it.

Calegg and Elyek looked on in amusement.

I just smirked, which unfortunately sent Ember up a level of irritation. She quickly shot her other boot towards me with a lot more speed and intent.

Havok sorted that shit out, this time cutting the boot in two.

“Havok. Those were the only boots I have!” Ember shouted unhappily. She sulked a little more before talking to Havok again, “Sorry Havok, but he can be a dick at times.”

Elyek and Calegg looked to each other, confused.

“Have you never even spoken to Havok yet?” I asked, feeling like Havok was already part of the family after our chat a few planets ago. But they both shook their heads.

“Havok, dude. These guys are family now. Can you see if you can introduce yourself?”

“Anything for you, Shaun,” he said back almost lovingly. I felt like it should have creeped me out a little – how devoted he was to me – but it didn’t. I fucking loved my axe and second-best friend.

I looked up to see expressions of mild surprise on Calegg’s and Elyek’s faces. Havok must already be talking to them.

“It’s nice to finally talk to you, Havok,” Elyek said calmly.

“How are you alive?” Calegg asked, alarm clearly written on his face.

I hoped Havok wouldn’t tell him everything, but moments later Calegg exclaimed, “Over two million!” and my heart sank. Calegg now knew the true nature of Havok, and it was bloody and brutal. He looked over at me, and I just shrugged and smiled. He shrugged back, then said, “It’s great to meet you Havok. I hear you have had a lot to do with our success.”

Havok obviously spoke back, but their conversation must have ended as Calegg turned back to one of his monitors and checked something.

Elyek had already been busy with their monitor and turned to me and Ember, “It seems we have completely escaped our hunters, for now.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Ember said, looking up forlornly from her severed boot.

“It is. How far away from Torax are we?” I asked.

“Twenty-six hours, as planned. We are relatively dark to any scanners here, so we can remain stationary for a time if you need to take a moment to reflect,” Elyek said.

“Might be nice,” Ember replied. “I did pretty much die. Again.”

“Yes, I have to say, that was, without doubt, the most intense experience of my life, and I have spent that life acquiring difficult experiences. Your faith in Shaun is not misplaced and being part of this crew fills me with hope for the future,” Elyek said.

“We feel the same having you with us, Elyek,” I replied, and I meant it. Having an invisible thief, assassin-type looking out for you was pretty cool.

“I think we make a good team, too,” Ember said, casting the boot halves into a corner with an aggrieved look, “but can we discuss this over some quality bait from the canteen? I need to replenish my blood supplies.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Let’s bounce,” I said, happy at the thought of food.

As we walked, I reflected on how unbelievably amazing my life had become, despite being a desperate fight for survival most days. I mean, we had a top-class spaceship, plenty of spondoolies, the beginnings of a top-class crew, and I was the bloody captain.

We all sat around a canteen table and dined on an eclectic range of dishes. Ember had a tiger prawn salad. I’d chosen a T-bone steak with half a chicken on a massive bed of spinach, covered in a creamy peppercorn sauce. Absolutely rocking low carbs and loving it. Calegg had some kind of meat with what looked like pasta. Alien, but pretty normal. I literally had no damn clue what Elyek was eating. It looked like it was still alive. A bowl of gloopy liquid with chunks of something in it, which I swear moved. If I ever got fat again, it wouldn't be from eating Veiletian food.

We were all tucking in when Calegg blindsided us. “I know I was optimistic about my people earlier, but now we’re close, I'm actually shitting an irregularly shaped ore deposit here. I may have overplayed my hand. Part of me never thought we’d actually ever make it this far.”

“What exactly do you mean, Calegg?” Ember asked with a little edge to her voice.

Calegg put his hands up in a kind of submissive gesture. “There are people who would love to leave, don't get me wrong. The problem is that some on my planet work for the betterment of themselves, rather than of our people. Our world is filled with mining settlements, but the whole planet is ran from a central government. Not everyone in that government has our peoples’ best interests at heart,” Calegg said.

Everyone started asking questions at the same time, so I captained the shit out of the situation. “Calegg, you’re talking bollocks, mate. There’s something you need to tell us, so just tell us straight. Now come on man, what’s the score?”

Everyone seemed to agree with my assessment of Calegg’s avoidance tactic, and let me have my moment. Calegg looked like a deer in the headlights, then finally spoke, “My father is