Chapter 57

  Marcus looked back toward Ben.

  “Hey, we should talk. Also, mind giving me your name? Or should I just keep saying hey you?”

  Ben snapped to attention at Marcus’ booming voice. Eve looked at Ben with a hint of concern. He squeezed her hand and flashed her a confident wink. That served to calm her nerves.

  Ben walked forward to join the men.

  “You’re a timid one.”

  Eve looked toward the woman named Rose. She remembered her as the woman who supported Jet during their initial confrontation with the Eagle guild.

  Eve remembered how Ben’s Hammer Master cherubs had squashed her.

  “I am sorry about what happened before,” Eve texted.

  Rose raised a brow.

  “I know you can talk. You don’t have to type.”

  Eve averted her gaze, but continued to type.

  “I don’t like the sound of my in-game voice.”

  Ruth rolled her eyes and scoffed.

  “It’s just us girls. You don’t have to keep putting on an act. They’re far enough away.”

  The three women looked toward the men, who were getting further ahead. Eve looked up at Ruth with a wide-eyed expression.

  Ruth carried herself like a queen. Impeccable posture, chin held high. She looked down on Eve like a noble looking upon a peasant. Even Ruth’s gear highlighted their difference. She was adorned in radiant white healer’s robes and fashionable jewelry. To top it off, she was extraordinarily beautiful. Intimidatingly so.

  Eve bowed her head.

  Ruth raised a brow and exchanged incredulous glances with Rose.

  “I guess it’s not an act,” Ruth thought.

  Rose stepped in front of Eve and walked backward with a bubbly and upbeat demeanor.

  “Hey, no hard feelings. I died so fast I didn’t even feel it. I just woke up in my bed and took a break. Jet was way more upset about it than I was,” Rose said.

  Eve looked up at Rose tentatively.

  “Really?”

  Eve finally gained the courage to speak. Her voice was notably softer and quieter than the casual tone of the other two women. Rose grinned brightly.

  “Yep. Those boys take this game way too seriously.”

  Eve released a cathartic breath of relief.

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  Rose and Ruth exchanged glances once more.

  “Adorable,” Ruth thought.

  Ben walked next to Marcus for a while in tense silence.

  “Benaiah. My name is Benaiah. Sorry I didn’t properly introduce myself earlier. I try to lay low,” Ben said.

  Marcus nodded.

  “So, Ben for short.”

  Ben stiffened and looked at Marcus in shock.

  “Relax. Your girl screamed your name loud enough to make my ears bleed.”

  Ben relaxed and glanced back at Eve. She and the other women were having a cheerful conversation. He considered correcting Marcus, but stopped himself.

  “Does she really consider herself mine?” Ben thought.

  “Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about the regional boss. The fight is no joke.”

  Ben hesitated before answering.

  “Tell me about it.”

  Marcus sneered.

  “No need to pretend like you don’t know the fight. I’m sure you know exactly how it works. You don’t have to play dumb.”

  Ben paused. Marcus sighed.

  “Look, you’re a secretive guy. I get that, but you don’t need to be that way around me and my men. I respect the game. I ended my stream for a reason.”

  Ben averted his gaze awkwardly.

  “Sorry. I… have trust issues,” Ben said.

  Marcus shrugged.

  “It’s fine. I am sure you have your reasons, but I need you at full strength for this fight. We can’t afford for you to hold back. You have to go all out.”

  Ben’s grip tightened on his halberd. He went quiet in silent contemplation.

  He thought back to his betrayal. It was not just Sarah. It was his guild. His captain and several other familiar faces. They had been on countless missions together. They knew his abilities. They knew his weaknesses, and they used that knowledge to cripple him.

  Marcus picked up on Ben’s soured mood.

  “You aren’t the only one with trust issues,” Marcus said.

  Ben looked at Marcus with interest. Marcus gestured toward Jet.

  “Ex-Marine. He was married. On duty for months at a time. You can probably guess what his ex-wife did while he was away.”

  Jet’s helmet hid his grim expression.

  “We know the value of loyalty. I am not saying you need to trust us. We just met. But I trusted you. You should consider that.”

  Ben was taken aback.

  “You trusted me?”

  Marcus nodded.

  “I trusted you to surrender. To continue putting on the act when we both knew you could have stomped me if you wanted.”

  Ben’s eyes widened. Marcus continued.

  “You have a code. I sensed that. I consider myself a pretty good judge of character. If we are going to work together, even for a little while, you need to trust us at least enough to get through this mission. I can promise you that any strength you reveal will stay between me and my guild. That’s also part of the reason I chose only my most elite, trusted members. Your secrets are safe with us.”

  Ben was still hesitant, but he forced down his initial instinct to protect himself at all costs. His eyes wandered.

  “It’s a hard thing, to be a Christian while at the same time having such a difficult time trusting people. We are supposed to be honest, not bear false witness. But being unable to trust people necessitates having a lot of secrets. I… struggle with that.”

  Mike spoke up thoughtfully.

  “I am not a Christian, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but from my reading of the Bible, there is nothing stopping you from having secrets. In fact, aren’t there passages that tell you to pray in secret? That implies your God doesn’t expect you to be an open book, as long as you aren’t overtly bearing false witness. You can plead the fifth. I don’t think that is a sin.”

  Ben considered Mike’s words.

  “I… need to talk to my priest. No offense,” Ben said.

  Mike raised a hand in peace.

  “None taken.”

  Jet stared at Ben with suspicion.

  “You seem to care so much about avoiding lies, but you refused to reveal the secret of your power, of how you beat the orc boss. You promised you would,” he accused.

  Ben sighed.

  “I told you the truth as I understand it. I believe that God is empowering me to achieve His purpose. And that comes in the form of powerful class abilities, talents, and other various blessings that allowed me to beat the raid, with Eve’s help.”

  Jet sneered.

  “Do you really expect us to believe that God wants you to be good at a video game enough to come down from heaven and empower you?”

  Ben did not falter.

  “I can’t control what you believe. I can only tell you what I know.”

  Mike and Marcus exchanged glances but did not question Ben further. They didn’t have time, because their target had finally come into view.

  Within the swamp, in the distance, sat an inconspicuous cabin.

  Marcus narrowed his eyes.

  “We’re here.”