Goliath

I let him think it over as I climbed back up the ladder slowly. Even in my poor shape I should be able to get to the dorm in less than half an hour. I kept expecting Goliath to stop me, but even as I gimped away, nothing happened. No one bothered me all the way to the boys dorm. Even my elevator ride was quiet.

The walk down the hallway was so painfully quiet. Paranoia made me keep glancing back for someone to come after me, but even then nothing happened. Savannah spooked when the door opened.

"Why do you look so scared?" I half chuckled through a wince, "You knew it was me."

I stepped into the room, and closed the door quietly behind me. I went to my room slowly, and closed myself in the room. I switched back to my real body, and went to sleep. I didn't know what was going to happen, and I couldn't control what Goliath did from here. I knew this was going to be a problem.

Goliath knowing I wasn't human was going to kick me in the ass sooner rather than later. What I didn't understand was why Goliath didn't stop me from leaving. I kept waking up through the night as the stress of what would happen got to me bit by bit. By the time I woke up to go to class the next morning I was almost as exhausted as when I went to sleep.

"Well," I stretched as much as I could in the tiny bedroom, "At least I'm not wounded anymore."

I switched forms to my human form, and got dressed quickly. As soon as I got out into the common area I was practically ambushed by Ethan. He grabbed me, and started looking me over for injuries. I shoved him off in irritation, and growled at him a little.

"I'm fine," I snorted, "And you know that."

"You're a bit irritated though," Ethan crossed him arms out of irritation, "Did you have to throw me like that?"

"You wouldn't have lasted five seconds in a fight against Goliath," I growled half heartedly, "He would have crushed you in two seconds flat."

{You didn't stand a chance against him either.} Ethan's thoughts leaked through into my mind.

I let him hear a mental hiss from me. He was right. I hadn't stood a chance. I opened the door only to be greeted by Goliath's large frame. I flinched back.

"What do you want?" I asked hastily.

I wanted to get away from him as quickly as possible.

"You, and both your friends are excused from lessons for the day," Goliath stepped to the side to reveal a pale Savannah, "You're all coming with me."

I didn't know what Goliath had planned for us. It was a terrifying experience. Not knowing what Goliath was planning to do with us was terrifying in itself, but he didn't lead us to the office like I expected him to. He led us to the arena where he held the club meetings. He walked us in, and motioned for Savannah, and Ethan to sit down on one side of the walkway, and for me to sit on the other.

"You are going to tell me everything," Goliath sat down on the perimeter wall of the simulation arena.

"Aren't you just going to kill me anyways?" I sat down as asked crossing my arms.

I was skeptical about what would happen from here on out.

"I haven't decided yet," Goliath frowned at me, "Now start talking or everyone will be told of the Archaic in our midst."

{Start from the beginning.} I thought at Ethan.

Ethan nodded so I told him everything starting from the beginning. Savannah was fully invested in everything I had to say. She hadn't heard my story yet. Goliath just stared at me for a few seconds at the end of my story.

"You're not human anymore?" Goliath nodded slowly, "From what I understand, you're not even humanoid anymore?" I nodded in response to that question, "Show me."

"Now!?!" I bolted to my feet, "Aren't there cameras in here?"

"Nope," Goliath shook his head slowly, "They haven't worked in years. This place is considered a relic. VR is safer for students to learn so the only reason this place is still standing is because I insisted on it. Real combat experience with real stakes is far more valuable than some virtual bullshit."

"Are you sure that you won't regret this later?" I stepped out of the rows of seats.

"I don't regret much," Goliath kept a completely straight face, "Maybe my last girlfriend."

"Ethan," I looked at him, "My clothes don't change with me."

I started shifting as soon as I was clear of the seats. I didn't know what to think as I shifted to my real self slowly. I could the surprise in Goliath's eyes as the change completed. My long neck combined with the fact that I was actually standing on all fours instead of laying down like usual made my own eye level equal to his. I shook the kinks out of my long neck, and refocused on Goliath.

The tension that ran through his body worried me. Every fiber of my being screamed out warning me of the danger the being in front of me represented. I recoiled away from him when he stood. My head drawn back almost far enough for my neck to touch my own back.

"A big beast like you," Goliath almost whispered, "Afraid of me?"

I could feel my scales rise slowly.

"What's not to be scared of?" I snapped my scales down, "You're ready to tear my head off."

"You can talk in this form," Goliath's tension let up a little.

"Yes," I answered slowly, "Why wouldn't I?"

"All this was done by a marble?" he sounded skeptical.

"Obviously it wasn't a marble," I sat down slowly, "But it looked like one."

"I find all of this hard to believe," Goliath frowned, "But you knew Conrad before all of this happened, and you didn't talk like you were a day old when we met so I'm going to believe this whole crazy story."