The strange new world was like nothing Nikola had ever seen. At first glance, it looked so as if the world were stuck in the Dark Ages. But what the people lacked in modern comforts, they made up with runes.
All of them were gathered in the small inn room, which was the only one on offer. Perched on the floor, with Timmy sleeping soundly in a fort made of pillows in the bed.
Just so he wouldn't roll off the bed.
"I checked the prices," Dimitri was the first one to speak. "And all in all, they aren't so bad. I think that we have money to last us at least a month."
That calmed Nikola down a little. He smiled.
"This world has an adventurers' guild," Andrew said next. "We can supply them with food."
Nikola nodded. He knew that the food which would never spoil was something the locals would welcome.
"I will join the adventurer's guild!" Jean pipped in, his eyes twinkling.
"Do you know how to fight?" Jack voiced what was on everyone's thoughts.
"Well, not really, no," Jean wilted a little at that. "But they are going to teach me in the academy, won't they?"
Jack shook his head.
"You will have more luck in the army, if you really are eager to learn how to fight," Jack offered him his hand. "And if you really would like to learn, I can teach you."
Jean nodded, taking Jack's hand and giving it a firm handshake.
"Ok, now that this is over with," Dimitri said, as he looked Nikola in the eyes. "I think that we should hook you up to learn how to fight as well."
Nikola blinked. Now, why would they need to do that?
"Why?"
"Because there is no telling if our kind is hunted in here as well. If that is the case, then the best thing we can do is fight back. You have the bow and arrows. I think that it is time you learned how."
Nikola nodded. He had not expected anything but.
"I don't want to fight," Andrew pipped in. He had a frown on his face. "I have never fought in my life."
"You can babysit Timmy," Dimitri told him with a straight face. "He doesn't need much, just some food and a diaper change, from time to time."
Nikola nodded as well. He wanted to stay by Timmy's side, to be a good parent, but the picture of what could have happened if Tangra had not delayed the policemen kept playing in his mind's eye.
"Fine, then. I will take care of the baby," Andrew stood up, walking towards the door. "Speaking of which, he will wake soon. I'll get him some milk from downstairs!"
"We are all going to go to the adventurer's guild, then?" Jack asked.
Nikola wavered.
Did he really want a life where he had to fight for his survival? Did he really need to get human blood on his hands?
"Niki?" Dimitri asked, as he pulled him closer. "I wish that you didn't have to fight. I wish this world were a peaceful utopia."
Nikola nodded as well. He had hoped for one such world.
"But the fact that there is an adventurer's guild, a guild made up of blood-hungry mercenaries, points to the fact that there are dangers even here."
"I just wish…" Nikola didn't even know how to put it to words. How was he supposed to tell Dimitri that he feared death now more than ever?
Not his death, though.
He feared Jack's death, who was always first in the fray.
He feared for Jean, who still had the naivety of youth around him. Someone who thought that they had won the jackpot, just because they were in an MMO world.
But most of all, he feared for Timmy and Dimitri.
Oh, he had no illusions that Andrew was not going to do his best for the child, but that didn't mean that Nikola wanted to abandon his son to his fate, just so that he could earn a couple of titles.
"I will join," he said finally.
For not joining meant that Dimitri would be at the mercy of strangers. Nikola could not stomach something like that.
Not even in a million years.
"Good! Then it is decided! We leave Timmy with Andrew and go to the Guild House tomorrow morning!"
Nikola should have given Dimitri a smile. He should have hugged him.
But the only thing he could see before his eyes was the bow. That bow, which was made from titanium, and not from wood. That instrument of death.
That night, as they all huddled together for warmth, Nikola said a prayer.
He didn't know if Tangra was listening to such things. The brunette wouldn't put it past the man to just turn a blind eye.
But he still whispered the words. Chanting them, even.
"Please protect my family. Please have mercy on my son."
He repeated this prayer again and again. Trying to etch it in his mind.
On the twentieth try, his eyelids grew heavy. He looked around, he was in the steppe realm. The yurt was right there, in front of him.
He went inside. Expecting many things, but a carpet ladened with food and drinks was not one of them.
Freshly baked bread sat steaming next to what Nikola figured was grilled chunks of horse meat.
There were wineskins and cups made of skulls. The yurt seemed warmer, somehow.
He sat opposite his god. The deity chuckled, when Nikola made no moves to help himself to the food.
"You know, I never thought you'd pray. Never."
"I wasn't praying for myself," Nikola clarified, as he took one of the skull cups and drank its contents dry.
He needed to pull through. He needed the bravery the cup offered him.
"No, you weren't. This strange place is where I can become strong again," Nikola blinked.
Again? What did Tangra mean?
"And so, the people can believe you, I will now give you the knowledge of how to shoot a bow like a pro. You will have the mother of all headaches tomorrow. Should I proceed?"
Nikola nodded. He was done running.
When he woke, his head was killing him. But as soon as he took the bow in his hands, he realized that this was a promise.
A promise made by someone who needed him.
Someone who was going to make more compromises if Nikola played his cards right.