Free Yvvaros: The Clash of Worlds by Alex Mulder Page A

do in the end, I appreciate what you’ve already done for me.”
    Luke didn’t say anything.
    There’s no easy way forward. We’re screwed if we do, and fucked if we don’t.
    Tess walked with him as he left the building. There was a light breeze in the air, and the palm trees by the oasis slowly wavered as the wind moved through the compound. A flock of birds circled overhead, as if debating whether to land or keep going.  Luke empathized with their dilemma as he debated what to do next.
    “Come on,” said Tess. “Let’s head up to the wall and get our minds off all of this.”
    “Yeah,” said Luke. “Thanks.”
    She’s always been able to sense my emotions, even back before she started playing Yvvaros. Back when she was just Emily, and I was just Luke.
    From the wall, they had a clear view of the horizon. The clouds were a brilliant mixture of reds and purples, glowing on either side of the sun like an ethereal cloak of armor. Luke could see a group of small creatures running across the dunes in the zone next to them. And in the zone beyond that, a Dunidan swam through the sand with elegant, sweeping dives.
    “I know you have a lot on your mind, Luke,” whispered Tess. “I just want you to know, if you don’t like how Kaoru’s plan sounds, then you don’t have to go along with it. Don’t feel pressured to do it for my sake.”
    “It’s not like I can just ignore the facts, Tess,” said Luke. “You’ve gone all in. And I…”
    I love you. I have to protect you.
    Tess shook her head. There was a glimmer of sadness in her eyes. Luke had it seen before but still didn’t fully understand it.
    “We still haven’t talked about it, Luke,” said Tess. “Me going all in, it’s just hanging over us. Pushing us away from each other.”
    “Tess…”
    “I live in this game now.” Tess smiled at him solemnly. “And you still live in the outside world.”
    “I tried to go all in!” Luke couldn’t stop his emotions from creeping into his voice. “I still have stitches in my stomach to prove it.”
    “I know, I know, that’s not what I meant…” Tess sighed. “You need to be in both worlds. If you decide to go along with Kaoru’s plan, it’s essential.”
    What am I supposed to say to her?
    “Do you resent me for what I did, Luke?” Tess locked eyes with him as she asked the question.
    “Resent you? How could I ever resent you, Tess?”
    “Why have you been so distant, then?” Tess blinked and looked away from him, back out over the horizon. “Why does it seem like you and Ben are just… phoning our conversations in?”
    All of Silverstrike’s words on the boat suddenly began to echo in Luke’s head. He moved closer to Tess and put an arm around her.
    “Tess, I’m not phoning anything in.” Luke leaned his head against hers. “I love you.”
    The two shared a soft kiss. Tess leaned her head against his chest and sighed.
    “I’m sorry, I know I’m being ridiculous,” she said. “It’s my brother, too. Ben… he barely even talks to me anymore. I’m not sure what he thinks about who I am… about what I am.”
    “He’s just confused,” said Luke. “And a bit of an idiot. I’ll talk to him about it some more, in the real world instead of in-game.”
    “Thank you, Luke.”
    A cheer came from the other side of the courtyard as Katrina and Silverstrike brought the bonfire roaring to life.
    Luke cupped Tess’s cheek in his hand and met her gaze.
    “I’m still not sure about you being a part of Kaoru’s plan,” he said. “There is one thing that’s changed since you’ve gone all in, and that’s the danger. I worry about how vulnerable and open it leaves you.”
    “We’re all vulnerable, Luke,” whispered Tess. “Every time you log out, I worry that you’re going to get hit by a car, or slip in the shower and bust your head open, or… something.”
    Luke hugged her against him.
    “I’m not going anywhere.”
    “We can’t change it, the danger, unless we do