Chapter 112: So Easy To Accept

I tumbled forward from the unexpected push. I helplessly watched as I fell into the roiling sand. I could hear Maxine laughing as I hit the sand, but I was surprised that I didn't smack into the sand.

Instead, I fell into it, like what you always imagined clouds would feel like, soft and fluffy but with the viscosity of syrup. No sand went into my mouth when I was down under the sand, but I dare not open my eyes. I tried swimming and found it was easier than water to swim up, though it almost seemed like the sand assisted me as it moved around me. 

As my head broke the moving sand, I could hear Maxine giggles close. I went to move my hands to wipe my eyes off as I would with water, but no sand was there to wipe. I opened my eyes to Maxine's naked body sliding into the sand and then under, disappearing.

I looked around as I slowly treaded the sand, but I couldn't see anything but moving sand. Suddenly, I felt hands moving up my suited body, and Maxine's head poked out of the sand. I expected the sand to sit on her head and then trickle off as she came up, but the sand just parted as her face came up to mine. 

"What do you think? Come to the side; there is a ledge to sit on," Maxine said while taking my hand and leading me. 

Maxine mount me with her naked body and breast parting the sands. I could feel her pushing down on my shaft that had hardened up with the physical contact, but I didn't think we had that much time. Abruptly, Maxine's expression changed to a bothered look but then back to a smile.

"I think this is fantastic; I could have never imagined this is what you meant when you told me about it. Thank you, Babe, for sharing this with me, but I don't think we have enough time for the kind of fun you deserve."

A pained expression crossed her face, and then she got red-cheeked. 

"Sasha and I can't... Do that..."

"What?"

"We are elemental beings born of our planets, so we don't have reproductive organs or the parts accompany them."

"Then how do Oceana and Sylica express feelings?"

Maxine smiled brightly, and then the smile turned mischievous. She leaned in and kissed me, but suddenly I didn't feel the churning sand. Maxine's body was naked and... The same as before in Shadeholm. I could hear cheering outside of this room? Was this our wedding night?

"What is this?"

"We can relieve our best memories or share memories with others, interposing ourselves into the memory. Then we can relive the memories how we want to."

"what about the world out there? What if we slide into the sand?"

"You can breathe in the primal sand, but time has slowed to an almost stop out there."

"Is there any way this could be observed?"

"No, this doesn't really exist, except for in our mind. even if someone could see into our mind, this would not appear."

"Okay, before we do anything thing, there are some things I need to tell you about. These aren't things that can be repeated outside of this place, or we are all in trouble or worse."

Maxine sat up and pulled the blanket around herself as I explained everything that had happened outside of the game. Maxine listened without talking, letting me get the entire story out and my relationship with Simon and my minor abilities. The stuff about the world bothered her somewhat. When I got to the part about my gift of understanding, she raised her eyebrow at me; what did I expect?

"Understanding? So, then, the reason we are all so easy to accept... and people are watching us do this?"

"Not while we have sex or are naked, there is a system in place that blocks the feeds when this happens, but I still don't think it really makes it much better. This whole thing is messed up, but im just glad I could tell someone, and im also thankful it was you that I could tell."

"Oh? Why me?"

"You more level-headed than the rest of the group, and I knew you would understand why I have done the things I've done. I will tell Sasha, but nothing can change, or I will get frozen, and you will all be left to some other guy."

"I get it, but I hope we can fix this somehow."

"For now, it is essential for us to keep playing and winning the games. They can't touch you when I use my wish to make you a god, so we just have to keep going. One day we will beat them and get to live like we were supposed to be able to, I promise!"

"I believe you, now come here so we can enjoy the time we have left here!"

I relived our wedding night with Maxine, every passionate moment, adding some new ones in along the way. After as she lay with her blonde hair across my chest, I thought about what I would be doing in the next twenty-four hours. There wasn't much left to do but upgrade the MAS and then head into the city for our race tomorrow.

This race would be crucial; if we didn't win, we would have to think of another way to help Xeno. For now, I didn't want to consider that an option; our only route was to win the race so I could ask for his help to rescue Sasha and Dresnal's planet. Maxine turned, pushing her hair out of her face, and kissed me.

"Time to go, Love."

Then we were back in the roiling sands. Maxine held our kiss and then pulled back, getting out of the sand. I turned and got out of the sand pool; it was something that I wouldn't ever forget. Lives in the game sometimes made you lose touch with some things.

Some memories transcend lifetimes.