《Broker》 Chapter 1 She gripped the knife in her hand. Bloody tears flowed down her cheeks. Her messy black hair was askew. She looked down into his eyes, pleading, hoping, begging. He looked up at her without a shred of doubt or guilt. The city, the world burned around them. Her fingers trembled as the tip of the blade grated against skin inured to such mundane weapons. Her lips bent down in grief, her teeth bared, her heart breaking in her chest. She could smell it, the bodies of her friends, of every living person on the planet. ¡°Can¡¯t believe you survived that, girlie,¡± He croaked, blood leaking from his lips. His eyes were bloodshot, his jaw cracked, his nose streaming. ¡°You¡¯re one lucky bitch, if nothing else.¡± She clutched at her chest and gasped out a sob, raising the weapon again and bringing it down against his chest. With a twang and scraping sound it clipped off of his body. She tossed it aside with a frustrated scream. ¡°Otis!¡± She howled his name, slamming her fists against his nigh-indestructible body. ¡°Otis! Otis! Otis! Why?!¡± ¡°It was fun, so why are you bothering? I¡¯m dead anyway, you¡¯re dead, the world¡¯s dead, it¡¯s over,¡± He chuckled, smiling at her. ¡°Why do you even care?¡± She gripped the collar of his costume and tried to pull him up to look at her. She couldn¡¯t lift him. She didn¡¯t have the strength anymore. She rest her hands on his face and let out another sob as the flames raged around them, explosions, screams, life on earth was coming to an end. Ruination. It wasn¡¯t just his fault. All of them had become so god damn corrupt, obsessed with their power rather than using it to fight, to do the right damn thing! She hated them, she hated how petty and stupid humans could be. She screamed in his face, ¡°YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!¡± She howled, slamming her fists on his chest again. He didn¡¯t respond. Otis, the Faceless Hero, the most powerful man on earth, was dead. She was the last hero alive. A nobody. A nothing. Sonya Chernovna was barely even enough to be classified as a hero. All she had were her eyes that clicked and whirred like clockwork contraptions in her head. The glow that was once bright and pure had dimmed to barely a luster. She dragged herself off his corpse and rose, clutching at her chest, her costume was torn and bloody. Everything hurt, her heart, her arms, her legs, her universe was nothing but pain. She turned away and started walking, towards the center of it all, towards the epicenter of the chaos. The monsters ravaging the city paid her no mind, it was as if she didn¡¯t exist. She trudged along as people screamed, but she didn¡¯t have the power to save them. She grit her teeth as a mother sobbed in the distance, her heart splintering again. ¡°The League of Heroes,¡± She muttered, ¡°The American Heros Guild, The Japanese Hero Society, The Korean Hero Association, The Russian¡­¡± She trailed off, the words tumbling from mouth. The groups that had once been a beacon of safety for the world, the organizations that had stood stalwart against the creatures that had appeared more and more often, that were supposed to fight the worst of the worst. In the end, they¡¯d become what they fought against. Otis was just the fulcrum, the governments of the world, the greed of the organization leaders, the corruption of the heroes. They¡¯d styled themselves like gods to the ordinary people of Earth, lording over them until their arrogance pushed them to war against one another. Earth couldn¡¯t survive it, not as monsters ran rampant and heroes fought one another. Sometimes, Sonya, people are just like that. You can¡¯t make them change. ¡°Bullshit!¡± She snarled, stepping past a ruined car and over the corpses of another pair of heroes, their faces and costumes burned beyond recognition. ¡°Heroes should work together!¡± She croaked. It¡¯s okay, love. She staggered into the city center, heedless of the soft voice in the back of her mind. So warm, so full of love. She could smell her still. She could feel her hands on her face. Sonya felt her legs go numb but she just forced feeling into them, slamming her fist into her legs and trudging onward. ¡°No it¡¯s not,¡± She swore, ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive them.¡± You don¡¯t have to forgive, but you can¡¯t forget the good in people too. Sonya squeezed her eyes shut and collapsed to her knees, gripping the sides of her head, her chest hurt so bad it felt like it would burst. ¡°Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! If I could I¡¯d kill all of them! Over and over! I¡¯d turn their lives into a living hell and never let them escape!¡± Is that what you really want? Sonya¡¯s hands dropped to her sides and she looked up at the red sky, ¡°No, but if I could, I¡¯d make things right. Even if¡­¡± She drew a ragged breath into her chest, ¡°...even if I have to be the worst there is! I¡¯d do it!¡± A familiar scent washed over her, her eyes opened and she gasped. ¡°Chunhua?¡± She asked, dazed, desperate. Something heavy thudded to the ground in front of her and she looked down. It was a box, a chest, two blocks of marble on a hinge. It was engraved beautifully. She¡¯d seen it before, the source of everything that had happened on earth since that day. According to the stories, the box had opened on its own in the middle of a crowded museum and the flash of light that followed had turned the world upside down. ¡°Pandora¡¯s Box,¡± Sonya breathed. Then let hope out, and try again. Sonya grabbed the sides of the lid, she wasn¡¯t sure what the voice meant, but if it meant she could have a second chance to make things right, she¡¯d take it. Her bloody fingers slipped on the lid and she grunted helplessly before finally getting a grip, trying to pry it open. The old story said that hope had been left behind when the box was opened the first time by Pandora herself. Sonya forced the lid open and her world became nothing but blinding light. ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s the top of the hour and we have had recent reports of unusual seismic activity taking place throughout the eastern seaboard, no injuries have been reported at this time but folks at home are encouraged to remain vigilant of your surroundings, seismologist Lincoln Atwood said¡­¡± It was a familiar voice that Sonya woke to, the sound of a man talking over the television. She tried to open her eyes and was met with nothing but darkness. Her head hurt, her memories muddled and languid. What happened? She thought numbly, reaching for her cane, her fingers wrapping around the smooth, reflective surface. She felt the plushness of the couch beneath her, the familiar fruity scent of the air freshener she liked in the air, it was her apartment. Small, a bit on the unkempt side, but home. She struggled to remember, the thoughts coming in jumbles at first before hitting her in a deluge. A world of heroes, monsters, violence, death, war, fire, Chunhua, Otis. She let out a cry of pain and grasped the sides of her head, letting out a wretched sob as fresh agony burned its way through her brain. The sound of hurried footsteps, a hand touching her shoulder, someone¡¯s voice, calling her name. ¡°Sonya! Sonya are you okay? Is the TV too loud?¡± Another familiar voice, she wrenched her arm away and tried to scramble to her feet. What was happening? Why couldn¡¯t she see? Wait¡­ she¡¯d been blind before the box had opened. I¡¯m blind again? She thought, her fingers wrapping more tightly around the cane. And that voice? Marta? ¡°Marta?¡± Sonya asked, trembling. ¡°Bad dream, Sonya?¡± Marta¡¯s voice offered with a gentle hand on her shoulder. Sonya felt an ache explode in her chest. Marta had been killed so early on during the war, slaughtered with everyone connected to the The American Heroes Guild, anyone remotely close to her had been annihilated, even if she had been a nobody. A glorified scout. She felt her body try to cry, but her damaged tear ducts couldn¡¯t weep. The terrible acid burn that had rendered her disabled had ruined it for her. She reached for Marta¡¯s hand, the caretaker who had been by her side even after being let go by the government who had paid for her employment with Sonya. She squeezed the woman¡¯s hand desperately. Warm, real, solid. She was alive. Pandora¡¯s Box had sent her back! Her mind whirled first in disbelief, then in panic. ¡°Marta! What day is it? What¡¯s going on right now?¡± ¡°Sonya, seriously dear, are you okay? You sound terrified,¡± The woman trailed off as Sonya gripped her wrist. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°The date!¡± She begged. ¡°It¡¯s March Third!¡± Marta gasped, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± ¡°The time!¡± Sonya insisted. ¡°Ah! Uh¡­ just a bit after noon? Sonya, seriously, you¡¯re scaring me, did we miss an appointment?¡± Marta asked. Sonya dropped to the couch and scrambled, muscle memory guiding her to where she always left the remote on the coffee table. She snatched it up and fumbled with it for a moment, remembering where all the buttons were before hurriedly punching in a new channel. She felt Marta sit down next to her and could practically sense the caretaker¡¯s concern. The sound clipped out for a moment on the television before a new voice cut in. ¡°I''m here at the National Archeological Museum in Athens where a new exhibit featuring artifacts discovered during the Hesiod Ruin Excavation. Of note are numerous weapons found at the dig site and an unusual marble cube, as you can see, the cube appears to be hinged but researchers have yet to find a way to open it,¡± A reporter said. ¡°Was this what you were worried about?¡± Marta asked, ¡°It¡¯s just an exhibit-¡± She was cut off as sounds began to come from the tv, shouts of surprise and confusion. Sonya braced herself, she¡¯d barely been awake a few moments after coming back and already things were kicking off. It looked like she didn¡¯t have any time to prepare. ¡°Marta, make sure the front door is locked,¡± Sonya urged her, gripping the seat as the shouts from the tv grew more frantic. ¡°There seems to be something going on inside, excuse me!¡± The reporter called. ¡°Miss Sonya?¡± Marta started but Sonya turned and did her best to give the woman a sightless stare. Marta hopped to her feet somewhere nearby and hurried to the door, ¡°It¡¯s locked!¡± As if those words were a gunshot fired at the beginning of a race, screams erupted from the screen. Marta let out a gasp of horror, ¡°What is that light?¡± Sonya pursed her lips together, Here it comes¡­ Sonya braced herself before she felt something wash over her like a tidal wave. She was knocked onto her back, prone on the couch as a burning erupted in her head, her eyes were on fire! She cried out, she¡¯d forgotten how much this had hurt the first time it¡¯d happened. She grit her teeth, focusing on the pain rather than running from it. Her memories of what had happened before raging to the surface with a white hot fury. Anger boiled her blood and she snarled, she wouldn¡¯t black out from the pain this time. She wouldn¡¯t wake up on the ground while chaos erupted in the streets. Light assailed her and she winced, the light began to dissipate and soon colors and shapes began to make themselves known, particles that consolidated into recognizable forms. Like the first time, her sight had returned to her. She looked down at her pale fingers for a moment. Even after all she¡¯d experienced the first time around she couldn¡¯t believe how easily that flash of light had changed everything. She felt that odd heaviness in her head, the strange ticking, the sensation of those mechanical eyes in her skull once again. Tick tick tick tick tick. It was the same as before, a remarkably mundane power that because of its weakness she¡¯d never been able to properly foster. She heard Marta groan nearby and got to her feet, hurrying over to the caretaker. She pulled the woman to her feet. Marta looked up at her in bewilderment. ¡°Miss Sonya! Your eyes!¡± She gasped, raising her hand to her mouth. Sonya shook her head, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later, do you hear that?¡± Sonya urged her and took the woman by the wrist. She looked into the woman¡¯s face, a middle aged woman with brown hair and frantic brown eyes. Her hair was a mess and her blouse was askew from having been knocked off her feet. She always looked a bit harried. Just as she remembered her. She tried to remember what else came next, the light, her vision, there had been so much confusion. A bestial roar sent the windows shuddering and a chill rushed up her spine. Marta froze in terror. That¡¯s right! A monster appeared in the street outside the complex. Ah come on Sonya! What happens next? Remember! ¡°What was that?¡± Marta cried, stepping back against the wall. Sonya opened her mouth to say she didn¡¯t know and choked, she tried to speak again but her voice came out strained. She grabbed her throat, confused, and looked up at Marta¡¯s face. She was growing paler and more terrified. She tried again and choked once more. Why? Her mind raced, because what she was going to say wasn¡¯t true? That hadn¡¯t happened before! Sonya grit her teeth, she didn¡¯t have time to think about it, ¡°Whatever it is, isn¡¯t friendly!¡± Sonya said and the words came out easily. She frowned, avoiding a direct answer worked, it seems. A noisy crash outside shook the building, Marta screamed, and Sonya grabbed her again by the wrist and started to tug her towards the door to the bedroom, her training as a field hero kicking in. They needed to get away from outside windows and walls. Monsters rarely spawned inside of buildings, she knew that for certain, they needed to appear in areas exposed to open air or the sky for some reason. The building shook again. Why couldn¡¯t she remember what had happened the last time? It was all a blur. Her thoughts raced as Marta finally found the strength to stand and move, Sonya guiding her to the bedroom and shutting the door behind them. ¡°What is going on?!¡± Marta cried, ¡°Was that a monster? What was that light? What happened to your eyes?¡± Sonya opened her mouth again to lie and say she didn¡¯t know, but the words choked in her throat. She coughed and turned to look at the door, she had to figure out a way to calm Marta down without sounding like an absolute crazy person. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust Marta, frankly she was one of the few humans on this planet worthy of any kind of trust. How did she tell Marta that she knew exactly what these things were, that they¡¯d been granted powers by Pandora¡¯s Box, and that the world was about to change forever? Marta would ask her how she knew and Sonya would have to lie again, which clearly she couldn¡¯t do for some reason. She thought fast, ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either, Marta,¡± Sonya said, which was true, no one understood how Pandora¡¯s Box worked or what forces were involved that caused all this to happen, ¡°My head feels heavy and I can see.¡± Another crash followed by a shout and then an explosion. Someone was already trying to fight the monster? Why didn¡¯t she remember that? She couldn¡¯t have been out from getting her powers for more than a few seconds, it was the same with every person who got powers from Pandora¡¯s Light. Marta grabbed her hand, ¡°Sonya! We should call the police, right?¡± Sonya turned and was about to say that someone probably already had, when she saw something she¡¯d never seen before. Her new sight had given her the ability to see at great distances and make out fine details, but she¡¯d never had a heads up display like feature before. Words hung over Marta¡¯s head. Something like a charge ran up her hand from her contact with Marta¡¯s hand. She felt it wash through her and into her brain. Images, thoughts, confusing details, instincts. It was said that once someone acquired a power from Pandora¡¯s Light, they instinctively knew how to use it or at least the bare minimum of its functionality for more complex abilities. It was like she could see something in Marta, an untapped font of power that had been missed by Pandora¡¯s Light. Marta had been an ordinary civilian till the end the first time around, but why? What was different between her and Sonya? Luck? Luck was bullshit. She instinctively shifted her grip in Marta¡¯s hand, holding it like she was shaking the woman¡¯s hand. More words appeared in her vision. Appraise? Temporary Sample? Deal? What is this? Another crash, this one shook the entire room, picture frames fell off the wall and furniture toppled over. She could hear the screams from outside more distinctly. It all came back to her in a rush. While fighting, the monster was sent careening into her apartment. The feral beast had lashed out at Sonya and knocked her out. She¡¯d awakened days after the initial blast from Pandora¡¯s Box in a hospital and had been forced to move afterwards. ¡°Miss Sonya?¡± Marta''s face was pale, her entire body trembling as she looked at the door. Sonya looked at the words again and swallowed, ¡°Marta, do you trust me?¡± Marta turned her eyes to Sonya, shocked, ¡°Of course! What¡¯s happening?¡± It was like she¡¯d done it a hundred times before, it came so naturally. She felt a strange connection between herself and Marta, specifically an untapped feeling of power hiding just beneath the surface. She reached for it, Appraise and Provide Sample, she willed the thoughts into being, following the breadcrumbs created by the instincts that governed this new ability. It was like a new limb, raw, it ached a little when she activated it. Sonya winced and Marta let out a cry of alarm, gasping as her body began to glow with a familiar light. Pandora¡¯s Light. The light spread from Marta¡¯s arm and into Sonya¡¯s body, sizzling against her skin, she felt it burn into her muscles like an inferno. The wall behind them exploded, Sonya was sent hurtling towards the bed and skipped over it like a stone, hitting the wall and blacking out for a moment. A roar woke her and she scrambled, trying to get her bearings. The words hung in Sonya¡¯s vision even as a more impossible sight drew her attention. Marta was standing tall, her arms outstretched, and her hands gripped around the jaws of a horrific creature that looked like something between a dog and a panther, its smooth body coated with muscles. It tried to swipe at Marta but its arm wouldn¡¯t bend in such a way to reach her. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Marta cried out, terrified despite her advantageous position. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Sonya shouted back, back on her feet even as her body ached from the impact. ¡°Can you kill it?¡± ¡°I think so!¡± The caretaker said, surprised at her own certainty, she wrenched her arms and with a titanic effort pulled the creature down to the ground, slamming its head on the apartment floor. The room shook with the force and a noisy crack of something breaking inside the body of the beast that sent a chill through Sonya. For a moment, no one moved, no sound, no breathing, nothing. Then the beast let out its last breath and shuddered. Sonya stared in awe at Marta¡¯s back. The humble caretaker, the housewife, the woman that had died ignobly at the hands of Sonya¡¯s enemies in the future, was strong! Really strong! Marta turned and looked at Sonya, her eyes wide with shock, ¡°I¡­ I did it!¡± She gasped as light began to build on her skin again, and then faded. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed into a heap. Sonya darted forward and caught the unconscious woman. She held Marta in her arms and looked down at her own hand that still tingled from the handshake. She clenched it into a fist as a dark smile began to spread across her lips. ¡°Maybe I can do it too¡­¡± Sonya whispered as sirens approached. Chapter 2 Sonya sat in the chair in the waiting room, looking down at her hands. Even now she could still feel the strange tingle that had swept up her body when she¡¯d taken Marta¡¯s hand. A woman choked out a sob nearby, her husband consoling her silently. Sonya glanced at the two people, loving and supporting one another. Why couldn¡¯t all people be like that? She looked down at her fingers again, What was Chunhua doing at this time? She wondered quietly, clenching her hand into a fist. A nurse stepped out through the doors, ¡°Miss Chernovna?¡± Sonya got to her feet and followed the Nurse, ¡°How is Marta doing? She was my caretaker.¡± ¡°Miss Daphne? She¡¯s still unconscious but she seems to be fine otherwise. Her husband is with her,¡± The Nurse said, ¡°We¡¯re more concerned about you, Miss Chernovna.¡± Sonya frowned but gave a curt nod, ¡°I figured,¡± She said, reaching up to touch her eyelid self consciously. In this early time many people would be confused about the circumstances of Pandora¡¯s Light and the changes it would have on the world. A woman suddenly growing prosthetic eyes was certainly cause for concern. The woman gave her an uneasy look, ¡°Do they¡­ hurt?¡± Sonya shrugged, ¡°They feel a little heavy,¡± She offered, brushing her hair out of her eye. She paused and grabbed a strand of it, ¡°What the?¡± ¡°Miss Chernovna?¡± The nurse paused, looking at her in concern. ¡°My hair,¡± Sonya gasped, it had turned white! Stark white, starlight white, every inch of it. She scrambled for her phone and pulled it out. She hadn¡¯t checked her own appearance since she knew what the eyes from her Pandora-Given powers looked like, it didn''t matter. What the hell! Sonya trembled as she hit the camera button and turned it to selfie mode, looking at her face on the screen. Her skin had gone deathly pale and her hair was indeed as white as fresh snowfall, her mechanical eyes twirled and spun, clicking with that eerie sound they made. A faint blue-green glow blazed inside of them. ¡°It¡¯s changed¡­¡± The nurse regarded Sonya for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ make a note for the doctor,¡± She said uneasily, hurrying to scribble something down on a notepad as Sonya recovered and they continued walking. They stepped into an examination room and a trio of doctors were waiting, the three of them turned as one, all of them wide eyed. ¡°I¡¯d heard what was going around,¡± One said. ¡°But to see it in person,¡± Another murmured. The third strode forward, a broad shouldered man with jet black hair and glasses, he looked asian, he extended a hand to Sonya. ¡°Choi Da-Som, I¡¯m the head of neurosurgery here,¡± He said. Her eyes lingered on his face for a moment and she could see the same name hanging over his head. She took his hand and felt a momentary connection with him, that same untapped sense of potential. She made a split second decision. He¡¯d taken her hand willingly and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to test and see more detail about this strange new power of hers. This time she wanted to see what a single feature would do; Appraise. Nothing happened for a heartbeat and she forced herself to smile and shake his hand, ¡°Nice to meet you sir,¡± She said, trying to look weary. It must have worked because he leaned in a bit and examined her face. ¡°You look anemic, Miss Chernovna, why don¡¯t you have a seat,¡± He said, gesturing to the examination table. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just tired,¡± Sonya admitted, she¡¯d been up for almost a day, it wasn¡¯t easy to nap with all the crying and wailing in the waiting room. He seemed to take her retort in stride as she stepped past him and onto the examination table. ¡°So what now?¡± ¡°Well, honestly we need to know more about your condition from you,¡± One of the doctors said, moving up to stand next to Da-Som. He had a tablet in his hand and was reading it, ¡°It says here you were clinically blind, your eyes damaged by an incident at a lab you worked at?¡± ¡°I worked for Stockton Chemical, yes, there was an incident with acid that took my sight,¡± Sonya said flatly, ¡°Then yesterday happened and now I can see.¡± ¡°How would you compare it to your original sight?¡± The other doctor asked, taking a few notes down. ¡°Well, like I told the nurse, they feel a little heavy in my head and make a ticking sound like there¡¯s a clock up in there,¡± She tapped her temple, ¡°Whatever happened didn¡¯t heal my tear ducts, and I still don¡¯t need to blink, also I can see honestly better than I had before. Peripheral detail is really good, your shoe¡¯s untied, Doctor Manse,¡± She said, staring straight into Doctor Choi¡¯s eyes, unblinking. Manse, one of the other two doctors, looked down at his shoes and coughed, ¡°Remarkable.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to run some tests,¡± Doctor Choi said, ¡°But after that, I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯ll be good to go, you don¡¯t seem hurt at all.¡± ¡°Just some bruises,¡± Sonya said. ¡°But what¡¯s happening is extraordinary, it could take days to get all the information!¡± Manse protested. Sonya stiffened, she didn¡¯t like the sound of that. She had no memories of what happened at the hospital after Pandora¡¯s Light the first time. She''d awakened and was given a clean bill of health before being sent home after some questions about her condition. ¡°We don¡¯t have a right to hold her here,¡± Doctor Choi cut in firmly, ¡°More importantly, there are plenty of other people experiencing these odd symptoms and changes. We need to catalog first before we start examining for more detail. You¡¯re putting the cart before the horse.¡± Manse frowned but nodded his consent to the point. Sonya let out a breath and graced Doctor Choi with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to follow up once we better understand what¡¯s going on?¡± The doctor asked, returning the smile. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it favorably,¡± Sonya said, she wasn¡¯t willing to say no and after experimenting with some of the people in the waiting room she realized she couldn¡¯t lie and say yes either. If she¡¯d lied in front of observant people like this, they¡¯d notice her choke and start asking more questions. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Does my inability to lie have a connection with this new power? It sounds like it involves making deals, is that a consequence of that? I can¡¯t deceive people directly? Fortunately, Doctor Choi seemed satisfied with that response and immediately set to work through a few tests to get an idea of what was going on with Sonya¡¯s new eyes. They tried to examine them internally but the inner workings were too complicated for their equipment. They ran her through an MRI with little success either though it did paint a picture of how the eyes were connected to her brain, that alone had been monumental according to Doctor Choi, who had enthused about it and urged Sonya to return before they parted ways. ¡°Your eyes could be the solution to blindness in a lot of people,¡± Choi said, ¡°I do hope you¡¯ll come back.¡± Sonya simply shook his hand again with a smile, she noted that the option to appraise him was gone. Instead only the sample and broker deal options remained. So I can only appraise once? Interesting. But what does it mean by product? Before she left, she managed to get the room number where Marta was staying and went in for a visit, finding her husband looking tired but relieved that his wife was alive. He thanked Sonya despite his obvious misgivings about her new eyes, shaking her hand and giving her a new person to appraise. She left the hospital after urging him to contact her when Marta¡¯s condition changed. That woman had died for her once and now had saved her life. It was strange, though, last time around someone else had destroyed the beast, obviously. Where had that person gone off to? Had they simply been too slow to respond before Marta had settled the problem? It was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°Mommy it hurts!¡± A small voice whined as she stepped into the small hall between the automatic doors that lead outside. She glanced over at a little boy sitting on the ground, clutching helplessly at his arm in a cloth sling. His mother was hovering, fretting over his condition. She looked about as beat up as everyone else, cuts and scrapes but no serious injuries. She looked at the boy¡¯s arm and felt a surge of instinct come over her, it was like she could see a warehouse in her mind, inside were hundreds of empty shelves. One, however, had three vases on it. Product? If it''s a product, it belongs to me, she reasoned, so can¡¯t I use it? She turned and walked towards the pair, ¡°Excuse me, I might be able to help,¡± She offered gently, kneeling down next to the boy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who are you?¡± The woman demanded as Sonya reached out and touched the boy¡¯s arm. She mentally drew on the item on her warehouse shelf and felt it rush into her. Instinct and understanding, just like the acquisition of her eyes. She knew how to use it. A faint green light erupted from her fingertips and the boy let out a startled gasp. ¡°What are you doing!¡± The woman screamed only to go silent as the boy stretched his arm out in awe. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt!¡± The boy gasped as Sonya got to her feet, it was a good test but she needed to leave, fast. ¡°Wait!¡± The woman called, but Sonya had already pushed into the crowd as more and more people streamed towards the hospital. ¨C Sonya let out a weary breath as she sat down at the only coffee shop that had dared to be open after everything had transpired. She held the warm coffee in her hand, more for the soothing feeling it gave her than her desire to drink it. Oh boy would she drink it though. It was fortunate that only the woman seemed to have seen her and the boy was too elated with his arm being mended to have noticed. I mended that kid''s arm¡­ She thought, still awestruck by what happened. She reached back into her mind to check through her warehouse. Lo and behold, the shelf still had all three products present. The only explanation she could come up with was somehow she had taken a copy of the potential power in the people she had touched and internalized it. Her power referred to it as a product, though. Did that mean she could just as easily give it to someone else? Is that what it means by Broker Deal? She snorted, ¡°A power broker.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that ma¡¯am?¡± A man asked, stopping next to her with a tray in his hand. He set down a small cake in front of her and she looked up at him. He tried and failed not to wince at her eyes. She really needed to get some sunglasses, she¡¯d worn them all the time after getting her powers the first time around. ¡°Mm? Nothing, sorry,¡± Sonya shook her head and looked down at the cake, ¡°I didn¡¯t order this.¡± ¡°The man over there did,¡± The waiter said, pointing across the room, ¡°We aren¡¯t a bar though¡­¡± He grumbled. Sonya raised an eyebrow and followed the waiter¡¯s gesture. There was indeed a brown-haired man sitting there, he was young, probably in his early twenties and had an earnest look on his boyish face. Sonya frowned, she wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled about being hit on right now and he certainly wasn¡¯t her type. Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but feel she recognized the guy from somewhere. She examined the bar over his head. Not Unawakened. Did he already have a power? Why is his name so familiar? Sonya graced the waiter with an easy smile, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll go talk to him.¡± ¡°Sure sure,¡± The waiter groused and walked away. Sonya picked up the cake and her coffee before walking over to Nick. A few people glanced her way uncomfortably before looking away. It had been just over a day since Pandora¡¯s Light and word was already getting around about people with unusual powers showing up. Sonya stopped at Nick¡¯s table and set her plate down, ¡°May I join you?¡± ¡°Please!¡± Nick enthused. Sonya swept into the chair and sighed, taking a sip of her coffee, she really needed to get some sleep soon. ¡°Can I help you, Mister Adders?¡± She asked, keeping her tone light. He winced, ¡°That one of your eye¡¯s abilities?¡± He asked. ¡°You could say that,¡± Sonya said with an easy smile. He took a deep breath and lowered his voice, ¡°I¡¯m like you,¡± He whispered, ¡°I got hit by that light and¡­ whoom!¡± She gave him a deadpan look, ¡°Whoom?¡± ¡°Yeah! Whoom!¡± He exclaimed, drawing a few looks, he winced and lowered his head, ¡°Uh¡­ I can like¡­ make fire, and light stuff up.¡± She narrowed her eyes, Adders, fire, her eyes widened momentarily before she controlled herself. V N Adders was the internally known name of the hero Firestorm, a horrendously powerful hero from her memory and one of the bigger players in the American Heroes Guild. He was a big name! Or would be a big name, eventually. What on earth was he doing in a smaller city in North Carolina? More importantly, how do I get him to shake my hand? she thought, a small pang of hunger was already building in her. To have Firestorm¡¯s ability as one of her ¡®products¡¯ would be incredibly useful in the future. ¡°Impressive,¡± Sonya said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid my eyes aren¡¯t nearly that special.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your eyes I¡¯m interested in!¡± He corrected her, earnestness on his face. ¡°Please, I need your help!¡± She frowned, Sonya knew for a fact that Firestorm only had one power, so he couldn¡¯t have identified her abilities. So what was he so interested in? He seemed to notice her guarded expression so he lowered his voice even more, ¡°I saw you heal that kid at the hospital. Can you do it again?¡± Her eyebrows shot up, ¡°...you saw that?¡± ¡°A few people did, but it was so crowded I¡¯m pretty sure only I saw your face. I kinda¡­ followed¡­ you here,¡± He started to turn red as Sonya scrutinized him. ¡°...sorry.¡± She sighed, ¡°Whatever, let¡¯s say I can, what do you want, and what¡¯s in it for me?¡± He slapped his hands to his knees and bowed his head, ¡°I need you to help my dad, please! We can work something out I¡¯m sure!¡± It took every ounce of strength for her not to grin, she extended her hand to him, ¡°I can at the very least have a look,¡± She said, her eyes ticking ominously in her head. Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick Chapter 3 It turned out that Nick Adders was loaded, she sat next to him in the exotic car he¡¯d driven all the way out to a small cafe in broad daylight. She felt severely underdressed for the moment. Her brown slacks and white blouse weren¡¯t exactly the style of the century and now that she looked at him, he was wearing name brand, everywhere. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, of course he was rich. He¡¯d be one of the best equipped heroes in the future. Which left her wondering who exactly his father was. She found that pretty quickly with a search on her phone. Jonathan Adders was the president of the family-owned Starhaus Furniture brand, high end and very prestigious furniture for the elite. It made sense why Nick was here, since Starhaus¡¯ headquarters was in town. She set her phone down and glanced at him but he was so focused on getting where they needed to go that he paid her little mind. She looked down at her hand, he¡¯d shaken it without a second thought and had given her yet another product for her warehouse shelf. The real question now was how to make use of her products. She experimentally drew on Heroic Strength and felt it surge momentarily through her muscles. She tried drawing on Light Step at the same time but didn¡¯t feel anything. So I can only use one at a time. Fair. Maybe that¡¯ll improve over time. Other powers seemed to grow, though I never was able to figure out how to improve on my eyes more than a little in the past. She put away Heroic Strength and tried on Light Step. She tried tapping her foot on the interior of the car and found that it didn¡¯t make a sound. It was a low-grade stealth ability, then. Something in the same realm as her eyes. Still, it¡¯s useful. ¡°Here we are,¡± Nick said, drawing her out of her thoughts as she looked up at the office building and headquarters of Starhaus Furniture. ¡°Your father¡¯s here?¡± She asked, incredulous. ¡°We have a private medical facility set up for him,¡± Nick said and got out of the car, hurrying around to open the door for her. She made a face but let him do it, no need to be rude. She got out of the car and followed him inside, passing a security checkpoint quickly with Nick¡¯s insistence. Soon they were on an elevator and he was looking nervous. ¡°I can¡¯t make promises,¡± Sonya said when he looked her way, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but all this just happened a day ago, I know you¡¯re excited but you should temper your expectations a little. Who knows what my limits are?¡± He deflated a little but nodded, ¡°R-right.¡± The doors opened and they soon arrived at an innocuous looking door. The only thing secure about it was the pair of cameras above it. She glanced down the hall and spotted a door positioned so that if anyone unwelcome was spotted on the cameras, the guards could be there in a heartbeat without drawing attention to the room itself. Security used intelligently rather than with brute force, she liked this Jonathan guy¡¯s style. They entered what looked very much like a private hospital room, the entire space was meticulously clean and every surface shone a little bit with careful polishing, the sunlight outside reflecting on them. The lights were out above, giving the room a comfortable glow. Ahead of them she could see the shape of feet underneath a quilt and sheets at the end of a hospital bed. It was otherwise concealed by a curtain pulled around one side. Nick hurried around the curtain and she could hear him talking to someone in a low voice. She heard a deep, barking laugh and then Nick came back around looking worried. ¡°He¡¯s willing to try anything,¡± Nick said, tugging at his collar, ¡°But he¡¯s not happy.¡± Sonya looked him in the eyes and then glanced at the door, she would really rather not demonstrate her abilities again in front of him even if he had seen them before. Especially since this was an opportunity to test out another Broker ability. That¡¯s what she figured she¡¯d call it. She gestured to the door, ¡°Let me talk to him privately, Nick,¡± Sonya said, ¡°I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t want to make a deal about his health in front of you.¡± Nick blinked, his eyes lighting up a little, he nodded with all the naivete he could muster and walked to the door. Sonya watched him go and shook her head, he¡¯d left a powered person alone with someone he cared about. In the future, that was suicide. Now, though, in this early time, no one knew any better. Sonya let out a wistful sigh and walked around the curtain, stopping at the foot of the bed to look the old man in the eyes. He stared back unflinchingly. ¡°You¡¯re a bit creepy,¡± The old man grunted. He looked to be in his mid seventies, his body emaciated and worn down by his condition. Numerous machines were attached to him and his white hair was thinning on his head. Even so, his eyes were like steel. She smiled, ¡°So I¡¯ve been told,¡± She said, walking around to stand next to him, ¡°Nice to meet you Mister Adders.¡± ¡°Jonathan is fine, you¡¯re some kind of healer, right? I saw the news about you weird folk showing up yesterday, my son showed me his fire. Damn near gave me another heart attack,¡± He grunted, gripping his quilt. His eyes were firm, but there was fear there. Sonya¡¯d seen it enough in the future to know it immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not here doing this for free,¡± Sonya said flatly, ¡°Your son practically stalked me to ask me for help.¡± Jonathan grunted out a laugh, ¡°Of course he did, what do you want?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not listening, so what are you willing to give? Payment on my success, of course,¡± Sonya offered, she wasn¡¯t sure if she had to be holding the guy''s hand to broker the deal, but her instincts said no. They just had to shake after agreeing. ¡°I¡¯ve spent almost a million dollars on finding a solution,¡± He groused, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you the same.¡± A million dollars, just like that, she forced her face to remain neutral and inclined her head. ¡°That makes sense, however if this works, it¡¯ll be fairly instant.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He narrowed his eyes and smirked, ¡°Two Million, I like you.¡± Sonya extended her hand, ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± She said smoothly and he reached out to clasp hands with hers. In an instant she felt the connection with him and the latent potential hidden inside. The ability that didn¡¯t awaken with Pandora¡¯s Light, the ability that would be locked forever unless she gave it to him. Appraise. She had to force her face to remain even as she reeled from that acquisition. The Gift of Youth? She could give someone youth? She swallowed and turned her attention to the broker option, but found additional text. Broker Deal, she thought and words began to appear. So if I have the product in stock, I don¡¯t even have to actually draw on it, I can just use it as part of the Brokered Deal. She thought, restraining the smile creeping on her face. With this she would have money, more than enough to be comfortable. But that wasn¡¯t enough for her, not by a long shot. No. She needed to fix this rotten world and make sure that the absurdities that had happened the last go around never come to pass. With this, I can do it with this. Proceed. Her phone chimed in her pocket just as green light began to fill the room. It blazed brightly for a moment before fading. The old man let out a ragged, coughing breath before taking another, his body stiffening and his eyes opening wide in wonder. ¡°I can breathe,¡± He gasped and with some effort sat up, ¡°I can move! Even my jaw¡­¡± He trailed off and looked at Sonya with wide eyes, ¡°You-¡± ¡°Just as was agreed, Mister Adders, nothing more, nothing less,¡± She tried to sound as confident as possible, even as her heart raced. It really works! It¡¯s incredible! Now take the bait! He visibly relaxed, ¡°Nothing more?¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°What more could there be?¡± This time she couldn¡¯t restrain her grin any longer, she held out her hand to him. ¡°Another deal, then?¡± ¨C Sonya examined her phone thoughtfully as Jonathan stretched next to her, he bent over a few times, touching his toes and clenched his fists, marveling at himself in the reflection in the window. It looks like the deal not only worked, but somehow it automatically took the money from the Adders and deposited it into my account. What can¡¯t the Broker power do? She glanced his way and he turned to face her with a brilliant smile. Gone was the withered husk of a man that had been languishing in his bed. Instead, there stood a youthful man in his late thirties, dark brown hair and a smooth complexion. He looked very much like his son. ¡°You could have charged more,¡± He said with wonder. ¡°There are people who would pay billions for this.¡± ¡°I could have,¡± Sonya agreed, still drunk on the moment, ¡°But I¡¯d never tried it before. Consider it a guinea pig discount.¡± He barked out a laugh, ¡°Reasonable too! You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a Mister Chernovna, would you? My son¡¯s available!¡± Sonya raised her eyebrows and laughed, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s not my type,¡± She admitted with an apologetic wave of her hands, ¡°Thank you though.¡± His expression relaxed and then grew serious, ¡°I assume you want me to keep the nature of what happened here a secret? It¡¯s why you had my son leave.¡± Sonya glanced out the window, catching the glow of her eyes in the reflection, ¡°I plan on trying to keep a low profile for a while, build a small clientele, I think,¡± Sonya said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how far I can push my gift, if I could make someone even younger. It¡¯s only been a day since all this happened and already I¡¯m making money off of it. I have a feeling bad things are coming for all of us, and I want to be prepared.¡± ¡°The monsters I heard about?¡± Jonathan asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonya said. ¡°If anything happens, can my family call on you again?¡± He asked. Sonya considered it and then inclined her head. Let''s try something out, she thought and extended her hand. ¡°I will provide my healing to the Adders family in exchange for your silence on the matter of my abilities and identity, Mister Adders.¡± He took her hand. Proceed. There was a sudden buzz of energy between the two of them and then, nothing. Even so she could feel that the deal had been struck. If at any time Jonathan called on her to heal his family, she would be required to uphold her end of the bargain. She wasn¡¯t sure what the consequences would be, but she knew how it would affect him. He would choke on his words, just like she would choke on her lies. She would have to offer a similar deal to Nick too, just to make sure her bases were covered. The now young Jonathan Adders looked down at his hand and marveled, he looked up at her as realization dawned in his eyes. She smiled at him and winked, ¡°Till next time, Mister Adders. Hopefully in the future I will have more services to provide you.¡± She stepped out of the room with a heavy sigh after that, she was exhausted, using her abilities like that had been more draining than she had anticipated and she needed to sleep something fierce. The memory of her destroyed apartment loomed up in her head and she groaned, she was going to have to crash at a hotel. ¡°Is he okay?¡± Nick burst out, jumping to his feet from a chair in the hall outside, startling her. She rounded on him, wide eyed for a moment, before letting out a sigh, ¡°He needs a few moments, but it was a success,¡± She said, placing a hand on his shoulder, ¡°Wait until I leave, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± He looked at her incredulously but nodded, ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± Sonya said and held out her hand, ¡°We need to talk.¡± ¨C Nick watched her go, looking down at his hand, the door to the elevator opening and closing with her departure. He could still feel that strange tingling sensation. It was eerie. What had she done just now, to him? She¡¯d told him that she needed to make a deal with him concerning her identity and powers, that he couldn¡¯t speak a word about her to anyone. He¡¯d readily agreed and then there was a zap through his entire body, he felt a tightness around his throat that faded almost as soon as it had come. Was her power really just healing? He shook his head and hurried to the door, throwing it open and almost falling on his face as he saw his father. He looked like he¡¯d jumped out of an old family photo. ¡°Dad?¡± Nick breathed. ¡°Nicholas,¡± Jonathan Adders said firmly, ¡°We must never, ever, cross that woman.¡± Chapter 4 Sonya sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes and trying to remember where she¡¯d been. Everything felt like a blur. Her regression, the opening of Pandora¡¯s Box, her powers both new and old, and the many times she¡¯d used the Broker ability. She opened her phone for the hundredth time and looked at her bank account. She still couldn¡¯t believe that she had a smidgeon over seven million dollars to her name, just like that. All she¡¯d had to do was shake a man¡¯s hand twice. It was a euphoric feeling, but she knew it had limitations. She picked up her notepad and read it over, ¡°I can¡¯t lie anymore, all of my deals have to be made without overt deception. I don¡¯t have to fully explain the terms, though, such as silencing someone,¡± She began, ¡°In the case of silencing someone I don¡¯t have to have an ability that can do that as a product, rather since just not saying anything is within reasonable boundaries I can just make it happen. However, it seems like if I want to do something more miraculous I need a product in place that can achieve the goal.¡± She moved down to the next line, ¡°If it¡¯s an extension of an already established agreement, I don¡¯t have to provide additional payment or vice versa, probably. I didn¡¯t have to offer Nick anything in exchange for his silence since it was part of his father¡¯s deal. I guess that means I can offer my services freely if I want. That could come in handy, probably,¡± She mused and moved to the next line. ¡°I can only appraise someone once, and when I do I get their ability as a product that I can use as my own or as part of my deals. I haven¡¯t tried giving one of my products to someone, and I don¡¯t know if that will make me lose it or not. Probably. I¡¯ll have to be careful there. Maybe I can try it with Light Step,¡± She murmured thoughtfully. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like one I really need.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I take the ability from a person when I appraise it, I doubt that,¡± She continued and scribbled down a few more notes, ¡°Can I awaken the ability in someone? The potential is there. Try it on Marta if she¡¯s willing,¡± She muttered and read over the notes again. She felt like she already had a pretty good handle on what Broker could do, but it was still early. The most important thing now was continuing to test its limits. ¡°Most importantly,¡± Sonya said quietly, thinking back to when she arrived at the hotel, a small flush coming to her face, ¡°It won¡¯t activate unless they take my hand willingly¡­¡± Sonya had snatched the hand of one of the hotel staff to shake it vigorously as thanks for the room. It had been a positively humiliating experience but it was one of the only ways she could think of to test that particular limitation. She let out a breath and tore the sheet off the top of the notepad, her thoughts collected. She drew Firestorm out of her warehouse and with a flex of thought, incinerated the paper. She couldn¡¯t leave any evidence behind of her ability, even a scrap of paper in the garbage. She slipped off the bed and got dressed, eyeing herself in the mirror. Her white hair had been eye catching for numerous reasons, against her pale skin and the glow to her eyes, she seemed like some kind of otherworldly creature. The Hotel Staff had gaped at her for the first few minutes of her attempts to get a room, her ID card looked nothing like her now, she¡¯d have to get a new one. Fortunately she looked enough like herself that they shrugged it off as a rather dramatic bleach job. She snorted and threw on a shirt and some slacks, and frowned, ¡°Maybe some new clothes are in order, not like I can¡¯t afford it.¡± No, Sonya! She chastised herself, First, you need somewhere to live! She thought about Marta as well, ¡°And I need to take care of her, too, I won¡¯t lose her again.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± She nodded to herself, ¡°A good financial foundation, a place to live, Marta¡¯s protection, and after that, I need to figure out how exactly I¡¯m going to keep my promise.¡± Her expression fell, the words she swore when she¡¯d reopened Pandora¡¯s Box to let hope out. That she¡¯d fix things, make things right, even if it meant being the worst. She set her hands on the counter and stared at herself in the mirror. But how? What did that even mean? She rubbed her temples and groaned again, this was way too much thinking without junk food at her disposal. She wanted a burger and an ice cold soda. There was so much to do though! Not enough time to get a good burger. She threw a brief tantrum over the huge list of things to do before recovering when her phone rang, a chipper christmas bells ringtone that she¡¯d set for one person and one alone in her prior blindness. She snatched it up, ¡°M-Marta?¡± ¨C Sonya opened the door to Marta¡¯s hospital room and found the woman sitting alone with a large vase of flowers next to her. She was looking out the window and eyeing the street outside. Since the first appearance of monsters there hadn¡¯t been any reports of further activity. Sonya knew why, of course, the beasts would be appearing in packs at first and then in other ways. Soon, dungeons would start appearing that would have to be raided before the monsters over populated them and started swarming out into the civilized world beyond. For now, things were calm. ¡°Marta,¡± Sonya said, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re awake.¡± Marta turned and looked at Sonya, casting a radiant smile her way, ¡°You came!¡± ¡°Of course I would!¡± Sonya insisted, moving to sit down next to her caretaker, ¡°I owe you my life, you¡¯ve taken care of me for so long, you¡¯re like a mother to me, Marta.¡± Marta looked down at Sonya¡¯s hands and then up at her, ¡°You¡¯re so sweet, oh, look at your eyes, they¡¯re so pretty now that I get a good look at you, and your hair!¡± She gasped, reaching out to take a strand of Sonya¡¯s hair in her fingers, ¡°It¡¯s a good look, honestly.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Sonya cracked out a laugh, ¡°After everything, my hair?¡± Marta chuckled and let go of Sonya¡¯s hair, ¡°Sonya¡­¡± Sonya felt a lump form in her throat and an uneasiness wash over her, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It was you, that made me strong, then, wasn¡¯t it?¡± She asked, looking again at Sonya¡¯s hand, ¡°When you held my hand, you did something. It didn¡¯t last long, though, I can feel it still there, but it¡¯s like it¡¯s been turned off.¡± That confirms one thing, Sonya thought as she swallowed, she glanced over her shoulder just in case a doctor had slipped into the room without her noticing. They were alone. She let out a sigh and set her hands in her lap, ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Can you do it again?¡± Marta asked. ¡°What? Why?¡± Sonya blurted, ¡°You don¡¯t- I mean-¡± She stammered, ¡°Why would you want that?¡± Marta looked down at her hands, they were worn from years of hard work. There was a faint crease beneath her eyes, she¡¯d aged just a little more recently, the stress of Pandora¡¯s Light. Many people would go through the same thing, premature aging caused by the incident that changed the world. Marta¡¯s brown hair fell around her face for a moment, ¡°I was assigned to take care of you, Sonya, a long time ago. We practically live together. It¡¯s been the most rewarding job I¡¯ve ever had, but,¡± She looked up at Sonya with a shocking level of fierceness in her eyes, ¡°What I was able to do for you that day, it felt right. I was finally able to really protect you. You¡¯re like a daughter to me, Sonya, and I was never able to¡­¡± Sonya felt that lump in her throat again, ¡°Marta¡­ you don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Sonya urged her, You died for me once already, that¡¯s enough. ¡°My husband left,¡± Marta said, ¡°I told him about what happened, what I had to do, I didn¡¯t tell him how it happened, so he thinks I just have that strength now, like the other people that changed,¡± Tears formed in her eyes, ¡°He just walked out the door.¡± Sonya hung her head, ¡°Marta I¡¯m so-¡± ¡°If he couldn¡¯t stand with me after this change,¡± Marta croaked, ¡°He isn¡¯t worth being sorry over.¡± You don¡¯t mean that, Sonya thought, seeing the pain on her dear friends face. Sonya didn¡¯t know whether or not Marta wanted to be strong because she felt vulnerable now, or if she really wanted it in a genuine way. But Sonya realized it wasn¡¯t really her place to judge that, Marta had made a request and Sonya was not about to turn her friend down. ¡°Okay,¡± Sonya said and stood up, holding her hand out to Marta. Marta reached out and gripped it. ¡°Then I want you to stay with me from now on,¡± Sonya said. ¡°It would be my pleasure, Miss Sonya.¡± Proceed. It was the most complicated deal she had made with a shake of her hand rather than a paper contract and the feeling from Broker reflected that. She would have suggested writing something up, but she knew that the moment she left this place without a deal, Charon would be in the wind. It was either settle up now or lose the opportunity until she found him again and the reception the second time around would be a lot less friendly. She nodded to him as he looked in confusion at his fingers, ¡°The deal has been struck.¡± He looked up at her, ¡°What was that? I felt a tingle for a second.¡± He is very sensitive to mana. ¡°My ability allows me to make deals,¡± She said, ¡°I made our agreement binding, temporarily, for both sides. It will hold me to the agreement just as it will hold you. I¡¯m not sure what the consequences of failure will be beyond the other party suddenly knowing that the deal has been broken either through negligence or conscious action.¡± He nodded slowly, staring at his fingers, ¡°You said it holds you to it as well?¡± He pressed. ¡°Yes,¡± Ishtar said with a nod. ¡°Then I got no problems,¡± He said with a grin, ¡°What do we do first?¡± She got to her feet, ¡°Get you into a proper fucking lair,¡± She said with a chuckle, ¡°And into some clothes that fit your new role, Charon, Ferryman of the Villains.¡± He smirked, ¡°You got it, huh?¡± ¡°Of course I did, I¡¯m pretty familiar with mythology,¡± She said and turned away, ¡°Are you coming?¡± He hesitated, ¡°Let me just grab a few things real quick!¡± He called after her and she walked outside without another word. When she stepped into the thick mist that Kingshark was creating she glanced up at the Supervillain who raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just force him to join up? Sounds like he¡¯d be good for the gang.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think, but a Queen does not own every business in her domain, no matter what she fools herself into thinking. It is much better to build a friendly working relationship with these neutral businesses and support them rather than work against them,¡± Ishtar explained, ¡°There needs to be neutral actors or there will be a perception of dictatorship.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a dictatorship?¡± Kingshark asked. She chuckled, ¡°Yes, but they don¡¯t have to know that.¡± He grinned, ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Get Charon set up,¡± She said with a breath, ¡°Supply him with what he needs and we¡¯ll need to figure out a way to increase the numbers of his zombies without pressing too hard against his morals. I have a feeling he does not actually enjoy the act of killing,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°So we¡¯ll have to play that carefully.¡± ¡°After that, I want you to inform your men in Vegas that I will be coming soon and they will need to be ready for what I have planned,¡± She said, ¡°You need to remain here as I said before, secure the home front and continue expanding.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna deal with that lightning guy?¡± Kingshark asked. ¡°Yes, and I don¡¯t want you anywhere near him,¡± She said. He nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve played enough games to know it''s a bad match up,¡± He said gruffly. ¡°How are things overseas?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got a foothold in London and Venice thanks to that lady you introduced me to,¡± He grunted, ¡°Tokyo, Cape Town, Mexico City, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and a few other places. It¡¯s just a start though, I gotta be careful or my boys will be pushed out before we¡¯re set up.¡± Ishtar nodded, ¡°Excellent work as always, you¡¯re a natural, Kingshark. You make me feel like a proud mother.¡± He grinned even more broadly than before, rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°Thanks boss.¡± The door opened behind them, the two turned to look at Charon who was lugging a heavy looking backpack and duffle bag. ¡°Just gotta get my zombies and I¡¯ll be good to go.¡± ¡°How many do you have?¡± Ishtar asked. He grinned, ¡°A few.¡± Side Story: Marta 2 It had been a while since she¡¯d taken a day off just for herself. The convention had been weeks ago and to be honest she really hadn¡¯t felt up to getting out there and getting some fresh air. Helping Sonya always took priority, so she¡¯d thrown herself into her work both as a caretaker and as a bodyguard. Marta had even offered to take on a more direct role, as an enforcer if necessary. Instead of accepting her offer, Sonya had insisted that she take some time off and separate herself a little from the work they were doing. She knew Sonya was worried about her conscience, worried about her burning out, but Marta was fine, really. They¡¯d gone this far already, why not just see it through to the end? They were committed. Even so, Sonya had put her foot down as her employer. Her argument? What was the point of all the money she was paying Marta if she didn¡¯t ever actually use it besides the occasional convention? So she¡¯d low-key threatened Marta with shutting off all of her streaming subscriptions if she didn¡¯t get out there and take a breather. That had been enough to convince Marta that her friend was serious, she¡¯d taken the next day off, and now here she was. She¡¯d rationalized it well enough, there wasn¡¯t much to do right now and the Chairman would be arriving in a few days. Might as well collect herself before things got busy again. New York was as big and oppressive as ever, the presence of the city simply overwhelming. Marta was used to smaller cities with smaller and less impressive buildings. Every structure around her seemed to reach towards the sky as if daring the heavens above to challenge humanity¡¯s greatness. She¡¯d opted for a pale sundress for the day, a wide brimmed hat to protect her from the sunlight that reflected harshly off the sides of the buildings around her, a simple strap purse and a pair of heels. As for her face? She¡¯d decided to wear her real face today. Sonya had suggested she go out in full cosplay now and then just for giggles, Marta had opted against it, for now anyway. Maybe when she was more confident. Maybe when she got over what happened at the convention. Every time she looked at one of her costumes now she saw his face screaming in front of her, full of hate. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she pushed the memory aside before glancing up at one of the shops that she passed. A bookstore. She smiled, This could be refreshing. She slipped inside, the door chiming and the owner looking up from the counter, his nose having been buried in a book. He smiled at her and waved before gesturing at the store, saying nothing. She nodded at him and drifted past, taking the long route towards her destination. She stopped in fiction, wandered about biography, quickly hustled past romance, before finally coming to a stop at in the comic-book section. Specifically, manga. She smiled as she scanned the high shelves, her eyes tracing over the titles. She mentally worked her way through her personal reading list. Read it, read it, oh a new volume. She reached for it and paused, frowning. I can¡¯t reach it. Who sets up shelves this high? Limited space I guess¡­ She grumbled inwardly and glanced around for a stool or portable step, she didn¡¯t want to bother the owner, he seemed a bit reserved. ¡°Which one?¡± A voice came from behind her. She jerked and spun before taking an instinctive step back. A humongous man stood in front of her, broad chested with short black hair. He looked down at her with intense eyes and cocked an eyebrow. She met his gaze. Familiar¡­ she thought. ¡°Well? You were trying to reach one, yeah?¡± The guy grunted, nodding to the shelf. She blinked, ¡°O-oh! Right, yes, um,¡± She turned and pointed at one of the volumes. ¡°That one there.¡± He reached for it easily and plucked it off the shelf, handing it to her. She took it and looked up at him again. He really looked familiar but she couldn¡¯t place it. Was it just his face? Or was it his build? She¡¯d seen several heroes at the Hero Day event that had a similar build to him, if a bit smaller. ¡°Barry,¡± He grunted and held out a hand with an awkward grin, ¡°Barry Logan.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. She raised an eyebrow beneath her wide-brimmed hat, That name. Why do I know it? She shook her thoughts off though and reached out to take his hand. Her small grip wrapping only around two of his powerful fingers. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave her another awkward smile. Her eyes widened and she cleared her throat. ¡°R-right! Marta Daphne, it¡¯s nice to meet you Barry. Thank you for¡­ you know,¡± She held up the manga and gave him a little smile. He shrugged, hoisting a small pile of books in his other arm to get them more comfortable in his grip. She couldn¡¯t help herself, she tilted her head and squinted at the titles. The Complete Works of Lovecraft, Ichthyology, Mammals of the Sea, Great Beasts of the Deeps. She pursed her lips for a moment before looking back up at his face. She let her imagination drift for a moment and coughed, holding back a small laugh before leaning forward and whispering. ¡°...Shark? Is that you?¡± He blinked, ¡°Wh-? I uh¡­¡± He looked left and right, ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Marta¡¯s lips twitched a little bit and she whispered again, ¡°I¡¯m Sonya¡¯s assistant, Marta.¡± She said, putting a little emphasis on her name. She reached up and tilted her wide-brimmed hat up a little bit to give him a better look at her face. He stared at her for a heartbeat before snorting out a small laugh that sounded more relieved than amused. This was a self-proclaimed supervillain? It was hard to imagine with him looking so awkward, though she supposed he was trying to keep a low profile. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be,¡± He grunted and glanced down at his books, ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°She mentioned you needed to do some reading,¡± Marta said with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s a little strange seeing you alone, you two are normally attached at the hip,¡± The Supervillain admitted, turning and leading her over to a table set up for people to read around. He glanced at one of the chairs and frowned, considering his options before just setting his books down and standing near the table rather than risking it with his bulk. ¡°Told me I needed a day off,¡± Marta said with a sigh. He shrugged, ¡°She¡¯s a good boss, all things considered,¡± An awkward silence stretched out for a moment before he cleared his throat. ¡°So¡­ comic books?¡± ¡°Manga,¡± She corrected with a squint, ¡°Have you never read manga before?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say I have,¡± He said, ¡°I only got my hands on a few comics when I was a kid. What are they?¡± ¡°Anything,¡± She said flatly, ¡°There¡¯s a genre for everyone.¡± He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Sports?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± She said, getting a thoughtful look from the big man. He scratched his head and stared at the volume in her hand. He glanced over at the shelves and then back at her. He looked like he wanted to ask something but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. She snorted out a laugh and set her volume down next to his own books, ¡°I¡¯ll help you pick something,¡± She said with faux resignation. He brightened and walked over with her. The two of them spending a little time as she explained stories and pointed out series that would probably interest him. His eyes nearly zoned out when she told him that they were read in a different direction from what he was used to, but he soldiered on. Soon, the two of them were at the checkout counter. The owner looked up from his own book and glanced between the two of them, ¡°Big haul today, Barry?¡± He gave Barry a bit of a grin. The supervillain cleared his throat, Marta noticed the red flushing up his neck. The big man gave the owner a daring look, ¡°Just let me pay, Anders.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± The owner, Anders, said and held up his hands. He started scanning the books and comics, even grabbing Marta¡¯s. Marta opened her mouth to say something but Anders just winked at her and Barry didn¡¯t say anything. When they were done, they stepped outside and back into the sun. Barry reached into his bag and pulled out her manga, handing it over to her. She looked at it and up at him, ¡°You know I¡¯m paid pretty well, right?¡± She asked. ¡°Just take it,¡± He grunted. She pursed her lips and took it out of his hands, tilting her head and looking up at him. To hell with it. She thought and let out a breath, ¡°You know, I still have a while before I should be getting back and I¡¯m enjoying the fresh air. Walk with me?¡± He looked down at his sizeable bag, up at her and met her eyes. He seemed to think for a few seconds before he nodded, showing her that signature big toothy grin. It wasn¡¯t that bad when he was in his human form. ¡°Sure.¡± The two of them turned away from the store and started walking. A hulking man walking just a little behind a small young woman in a pale sundress. Somewhere behind them, far in the distance, a disembodied glowing eye watched them move down the sidewalk before winking out of existence. Somewhere even further away, Sonya chuckled to herself. ¡°Atta girl.¡± Chapter 70 She¡¯d heard that riding in a private jet was supposed to be one of the most relaxing and luxurious experiences one could have while traveling. Veloce wanted to find whomever had made that claim first and vibrate their brain right out of their goddamn skull. Every moment she spent on that aircraft on her way to the United States was another moment spent thinking, another moment spent wondering, another moment spent dreading. She saw those eyes in her sleep. She felt her presence every time she had a rebellious thought. Just the name alone was enough to send her into a trembling fit. What was it going to be like when she saw that monster face to face again? It was so, so much worse. It felt like every cell in her body was trembling as she sat in the limousine, staring at her hands and wishing with every fiber of her being that she could just wrench the door open and run out, top speed, and disappear. Yet as soon as she had the thought all she could do was flinch, her muscles going taught and her body going stiff. Every rebellious thought left her disabled for a heartbeat, unable to move, unable to breathe. A punishment for even considering breaking the slave contract. Then there was the sound. How could no one else hear it? It was so fucking loud. TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK The ticking that rang in her ears, like an unruly clock. It had been quiet except when she had those thoughts, but here, now, sitting in front of her? It was deafening, maddening, another layer to the endless hell that was her punishment for having the audacity to even consider crossing this woman and take what¡¯s hers. ¡°Veloce,¡± The word came out like a hissing rasp, the sound of metal nails across bloodstained ice. A chill went up her spine and she jerked her head up in almost programmed obedience, looking into those digitized eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was dry, her jaw still locked by her rebellious thoughts. ¡°I have a job for you.¡± Veloce tried to pry her eyes away, her guts twisting, but she couldn¡¯t. She could only nod mutely. ¡°Do well, and I will reward you,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°I will renegotiate your contract, give you some freedom back. Would you like that, Veloce?¡± Hope. Fleeting, beautiful, agonizing hope. She forced her jaw open even if it hurt, ¡°Yes, please!¡± Veloce pleaded, grasping onto that kernel of a chance of blessed relief. ¡°Then don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± ¨C ¡°As more mana radars are set up across the planet, we are beginning to get a better idea of how mana moves and its function in our newly changed world. More and more dungeons are being located as well, with many in a critical state. Heroes are being dispatched to cull the population of monsters within the dungeons while guilds and corporations rush to secure rights to the dungeons themselves,¡± The reporter said. ¡°The single crystal that was taken from one of the first dungeons by the team lead by Firestorm has demonstrated remarkable qualities and appears to be packed with energy, scientists are eager to get more samples to see what can come of this new material element. We are looking at a modern day gold rush,¡± The reporter continued, ¡°With ASTA Corporation being the leading company in the field of Pandora-based technologies, their value has continued to rise rapidly. Some have raised questions about monopoly, but the corporation has stated that it has not formalized any patents. It has not, however, released any detailed papers on their research.¡± Another voice chimed in, ¡°This is obviously an open invitation for competition, a rather magnanimous approach from the young CEO. Given the rumors about how well she treats her employees and her quick reaction to Dharan, she has earned a lot of general goodwill worldwide,¡± A man sitting across from the reporter said, the words under his name implied that he was some kind of financial analyst. ¡°When do you think ASTA will shift to public trading?¡± The woman asked. The analyst laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Martin frowned at the television as he finished packing his bags, it wasn¡¯t a lot, but it was enough. He rubbed his neck and grabbed the remote, ¡°All people talk about these days,¡± Martin grumbled. ¡°Most national-level conflicts have moved to cease fire after the flash,¡± Ironsides said, leaning against the wall and sipping at his coffee. ¡°Everything but the most radical movements have taken a back seat, and groups like that are being ostracized for not prioritizing the monsters and villains.¡± Martin nodded slowly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to talk about,¡± he grunted and finished zipping the bag. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Ironsides said and put his mug in the sink. ¡°You ready, Chief?¡± ¡°Fucking Vegas of all places,¡± Martin grumbled. ¡°The Chairman wants you there to meet the international team he¡¯s putting together,¡± Ironsides pointed out, ¡°On top of that¡­¡± He trailed off. Martin nodded, ¡°She will be there. Both of them. We¡¯re sure about Kingshark¡¯s gangs in Vegas making moves?¡± He asked. ¡°Positive,¡± Ironsides said. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¨C As Smallfoot stepped onto the private jet, the shadows at his feet shuddered and shifted. The business-killer walked over to the sofa and sat down as the crew finished their procedures outside the aircraft. He pulled out his suitcase and made himself look busy, organizing some notes and flipping through documents. This was his normal routine, so it didn¡¯t bother him. In fact, it was refreshing to be getting back to what he did best and still had to work out a cover story to explain his absence to his mundane employers. He smiled curtly to himself and had that same thought he had every time he did this, If only they knew. The plane took off not long after he got settled and he got to his feet once it reached proper altitude, heading over to the bar and pouring out two drinks. He walked back to the sofa and sat down again, holding one out to thin air as he reclined. The shadows beneath him stretched out like a snake, gathering and swirling until they condensed into a solid mass. The solid mass took on the shape of a man and soon the Headmaster was standing in front of him, taking the glass from his hand. ¡°Dean Smalfoot,¡± The Headmaster said with a nod. Stolen novel; please report. The newly minted Dean of the Night Society smiled at him, ¡°Headmaster.¡± ¡°Have you thought about your curriculum?¡± The Headmaster asked. ¡°There are going to be a lot of people pretty sad to hear that I am retiring from public life,¡± Smallfoot said with a chuckle, ¡°Yes, I have a lot to teach the next generation of financial assassins.¡± Blackrazor took a sip of his drink and nodded, ¡°Good. News?¡± Smallfoot nodded, ¡°The faculty trip is well underway, most of the adjuncts have arrived and have engaged with their assigned tasks.¡± Blackrazor moved over to the sofa and sat down next to him, letting out a breath and taking another sip of his drink, he nodded slowly for a moment before offering Smallfoot a rare smile, ¡°Sad you couldn¡¯t go?¡± ¡°And miss a trip to Las Vegas?¡± Smallfoot laughed, ¡°I¡¯m a numbers man, Headmaster. I intend to fully enjoy myself.¡± ¨C ¡°Nick! Quit your fretting and finish packing, we¡¯re going to be late!¡± Jessica shouted, standing at the door with her arms crossed. On the other side of the door she heard frantic movement, thumps, and the movements of an idiot trying his best to get ready after waiting way too long to get started on his task. She rolled her eyes and tapped her foot, glancing over at the man standing next to her. Logan had his Bandit hood up and was grinning wildly at the door. ¡°Come on blowtorch, let''s get going, how are you the last one to get packed? You wanna make your crush wait?¡± There was a crash in the room. Jessica groaned and looked down at Logan, ¡°Are you serious? Don¡¯t do that to the poor guy.¡± Logan laughed, ¡°Sorry Guildmaster.¡± She sighed, adjusting her blue sport jacket and tie. She was going as Jessica Wright, ASTA Guildmaster, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t fly her personal colors, or, color. She gave Logan a little elbow and shook her head admonishingly while hiding a small smile as she fixed her eyes on the door. ¡°Firestorm! Front and center!¡± She shouted. The door swung open and Nick stood there, breathing hard, eyes wide, ¡°I¡¯m good! I¡¯m good!¡± He panted, clinging to his suitcase. She gave him a once over and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Uh huh,¡± She said and shook her head, ¡°Come on, Larry is waiting downstairs. He does not like going out without his mask on so lets not make him sit any longer than he has to, alright?¡± She said, turning away as Logan snickered and hurried to join her, Nick close behind. ¡°Are we really going to meet the international team?¡± Nick asked, excited. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re going,¡± She said patiently, ¡°They want to meet us, and Miss Chernovna wants the exposure for us. On top of that, she said theres a dungeon in Vegas she¡¯s looking into. We might be helping her clear it.¡± ¡°Or we could be teaming up with the International Team on it,¡± Logan said, ¡°Good PR move.¡± ¡°You¡¯re learning!¡± Jessica said, elated. Logan scowled at her, ¡°All you do is talk about this kind of stuff, of course I¡¯d pick some up.¡± ¡°Only because all you talk about is video games,¡± She shot back. ¡°They¡¯re good stress relief!¡± Logan defended himself. Nick looked between the two of them, ¡°Is this¡­ fraternizing?¡± He asked. Jessica and Logan rounded on him, wide eyed, ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± They both asked in unison before looking at one another in disbelief. Jessica was the first to turn away and march down to the elevator. She stepped inside and slammed the close door button. ¡°I¡¯m going to Vegas, you two can stay here,¡± She barked as the two men raced for the door, it shut on them. She sighed, ¡°Pair of idiots,¡± She said and hit the open button after a heartbeat. ¨C The International team was gathered in the main space of the aircraft as it made its way through the atmosphere. Five of them assembled from across the world so far to be the mobile strike force that the Pandora Committee could call on when a nation didn¡¯t have the heroes to leverage against a particular threat, or with recent news, dungeon. Chunhua stood in front of the group with a tablet in her hand. On it was a sketch of a figure in what looked like a pilot jumpsuit and wearing a helmet that reminded her of a particular french electronic music artist. She looked up and brushed a strand of black hair over her ear, fixing each of the other four heroes present with a stare. Vytal from Germany sat with his legs crossed and a small smile on his face. His blue eyes glittering brightly. Sapporo of Japan crossed his thick arms and frowned. Euclidia of the UK was playing with an unnerving square of light over her palms that flexed and bent but somehow remained rigid. Pathfinder of Saudi Arabia sat with his fingers laced and elbows on his knees, his dark eyes fixed on Chunhua with concentration. She cleared her throat and as if a switch flipped the other three that seemed to be distracted immediately joined Pathfinder in deep focus, ¡°The information that we¡¯ve been provided is top secret and not to be shared with anyone in order to avoid a panic,¡± She said and turned the tablet around. ¨C Sonya shook hands briefly with Colin, ¡°I¡¯m glad things went well in Massachusetts,¡± She said with a smile. The Lawyer gave her a pretty smile and waved it off, ¡°It was nothing, if anything, a good field test to see whether or not your ability really fit its name.¡± She nodded, it was true she hadn¡¯t tested her ability to see if she could make a deal between two parties that didn¡¯t include herself binding, which was a bit of an oversight if she was honest with herself. ¡°Is Amos happy?¡± She asked. Colin chuckled, ¡°It was a good night.¡± Sonya laughed, ¡°You¡¯re terrible! Thank you for holding down the fort for me, Colin,¡± She said and held out a hand. He took it in a quick shake. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ve figured out how you do business, shouldn¡¯t be a problem, just hurry back,¡± Colin said with a shrug and a sassy wink. He turned away and walked back to the suv they¡¯d taken to the private airport. She watched him go and glanced over her shoulder, sensing a few more people approaching. She turned her head to Marta who had been standing silently next to her. ¡°You ready?¡± She asked. ¡°Always,¡± Marta said with a smile. Sonya turned around fully and opened her arms in greeting, ¡°Chairman! All done with your business?¡± She asked. The Chairman approached and returned her quick embrace. He pulled back and pat her arms, ¡°Yes! I¡¯m looking forward to this time now, take a bit of a breather. Though unfortunately I still have a little work to do while we¡¯re there,¡± He said. Sonya turned on the other two, meeting Hyunhs gaze with her own and smiling curtly, ¡°Yes, at least they¡¯ll get to have the time of their lives. Vegas is an exciting place,¡± She said. Hyunh met her stare for stare, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve always wanted to see this so-called Sin City and see if the rumors hold up. I¡¯ve been told you can disappear forever there if you¡¯re not careful.¡± Sonya grinned, restraining her bloodlust, ¡°So they say! Lets hope you stay well in sight of your fiance! Wouldn¡¯t want you to vanish, he might get upset.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare leave his side for a moment,¡± Hyunh shot back. ¡°This is going to be a wonderful trip!¡± The Chairman chortled, oblivious as the two women stared daggers at one another. ¨C The coach-grade bus rolled to a stop. The bright lights of the city shone down the people stepping out and those waiting to step in. A young man, just a few years into his twenties, stepped out of the bus and took a deep breath, reveling in the atmosphere of this place. He reached up and played with the coif of his golden hair and smiled brightly at the driver from over his shoulder. ¡°Thanks for the ride!¡± He said merrily. The driver gave him a quizzical look before shaking their head and shutting the door. He didn¡¯t even notice the weird look, already distracted by his surroundings. ¡°Hey blondie!¡± He turned, his face still plastered with that brilliant winning smile and saw two men standing over him, both a head taller, both with a wicked aura. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± The young man asked. They looked at one another then back at him, ¡°No shit, you got any money?¡± One asked. He shook his head, ¡°Afraid not! Last of it was spent on that ticket!¡± The young man said, ¡°Do you have money?¡± The two stared at him before glancing at one another again, ¡°Uh huh, Why don¡¯t you come with us and we¡¯ll show you how to make some?¡± The other suggested. The young man looked up at them, his smile never faltering but a little bit of flint glinting in his eyes, ¡°Oh sure! Lead the way!¡± He said as his hand twitched. Chapter 71 The entry to the Palace was beautiful. The Marble floor stretched out, shining against the light that shone down from above. Patrons from all across the world came and went, the wealthy, the powerful, and those lucky enough to make their dreams come true. Standing in the midst of it all was a lone statue of the Roman Emperor for whom the place was named. Everything glittered, everything was bright, the music triggered a desire to explore and by extension, spend. Everything was tailored to draw the eyes in every direction, subtly encouraging you to lose yourself in it all. Sonya walked in at the head of her group. She¡¯d changed into a dress for the occasion, a white sparkling backless gown that fit tightly around her frame with a pair of silver plates playing at being a corset around her waist. It was one of Mikayla¡¯s designs. Her hair was up in a ponytail bound with a silver clasp adorned with pink jewels. Her skin glittered under the lights. A spectacle that shimmered just as brightly as the elegant chandelier above. All eyes were on her. It felt amazing. Their trip had been a secret, but now that they¡¯d arrived all pretense of subtlety was thrown out the window. ¡°Oh it''s beautiful in here,¡± She said with a sigh, casting a brilliant smile at a few of those gawking at her. Marta stepped up to her side with a slight flush and frown on her face, Sonya had insisted she dress up. She wore a black and white sleeved sundress, the open sleeves and the lower part around her legs were an elegant lace. Her brown hair had been braided neatly, hanging down her shoulder and ending in a jeweled clip. Sonya had never been good at braiding hair but it turned out Bluestar had several sisters, so she¡¯d been happy to help. Her friend glanced her way and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Center of attention again, ma¡¯am?¡± Sonya grinned, ¡°Always.¡± The Chairman cleared his throat as he walked past in his suit, ¡°I¡¯ll get our keys,¡± He said with a harrumph. He was clearly excited to be here but Sonya guessed he felt a little strange staying at a place this nice when they were on government business. Sonya had no such compunctions so she had helped foot the bill. She watched the man go as his son and future daughter in law walked up to the statue. Sonya glanced sidelong at Hyunh, ¡°Everything you imagined?¡± Hyunh turned to look at Sonya, ¡°It¡¯s a bit of an eyesore,¡± She said and glanced back up at the statue, ¡°The Hotel is, I mean.¡± Duong grunted noncommittally and Sonya casually jolted him with Imperious. She was feeling petty. In response, Hyunh twitched and frowned. Sonya restrained a smile and turned around to put her hands on her hips. Firestorm and his team were looking around in awe and obvious discomfort. The three men wore black suits that Sonya had made sure were prepared for them, each with decorative stripes color coded for their heroic identities. She hadn¡¯t interfered with Bluestar¡¯s outfit, the blue suit was perfect for her and she approved. ¡°You four need to get used to this kind of thing,¡± Sonya chastised them, raising an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re with me.¡± Firestorm met her gaze and flushed, looking down at his feet. Lifesaver ran his hand over his bald head and took it all in, not even listening. Bandit tried a little harder to look natural but it only made him look kind of constipated. Bluestar simply let out a breath and walked over to her, sighing, ¡°They¡¯ll get over it,¡± She assured Sonya. ¡°I was including you,¡± Sonya said with a wink, ¡°You¡¯re sweating, Jessica. Relax! We¡¯re here for a good time!¡± ¡°Says you,¡± Bandit groused as he walked over, ¡°You¡¯re not dreading meeting the international heroes.¡± Sonya leaned back, ¡°Who says I¡¯m not nervous?¡± She asked, ignoring the butterflies that rose up in her gut. She leaned forward and grinned at him, ¡°I¡¯m just better at faking it than you.¡± Hyunh snorted nearby and Sonya pursed her lips. Patience, Sonya, she¡¯ll be dead before you head home. Patience. She reminded herself and let out a breath, glancing towards the Chairman who was walking over. ¡°All good?¡± The Chairman handed Sonya a pair of key cards with a room number on them, ¡°All yours,¡± He said brightly. ¡°Also, you should have mentioned that you registered rooms here for the International Team. They weren¡¯t expecting to stay somewhere like this,¡± He said with a bit of a frown. Sonya gave him an aghast look, ¡°The Pandora Committee¡¯s top heroes staying anywhere else while in my care? Preposterous!¡± She said, raising her hand to her chest in offense, ¡°How could you even consider it?¡± He blanched, ¡°W-well when you put it that way-¡± He trailed off as Sonya laughed. ¡°I¡¯m teasing you, Chairman,¡± She said and walked over, locking arms with him, ¡°I made a unilateral decision and had Carla take care of the details. Sorry I didn¡¯t tell you, but I wanted to make a good impression on them. She tells me that the US Branch just assumed I was being eccentric and didn¡¯t see a problem.¡± The older man sighed, ¡°You are beyond anyone¡¯s control, aren¡¯t you?¡± He asked with a chuckle, walking with her. ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯m quite proud of,¡± She agreed. ¡°Sonya? Where are you going?¡± Bluestar called. Sonya glanced over her shoulder, ¡°The valets will take care of your bags, silly, we¡¯re all checked in. Time to see the casino!¡± She said brightly. The others looked at one another and smiled before hurrying to follow her as she bantered with the Chairman of the Pandora Committee. He did not seem upset to have her escorting him. ¨C In less than an hour they had all largely scattered throughout the Casino. Firestorm and his group stuck together in a little clique while Hyunh and Duong went their own way. The Chairman had opted to go speak with some of the politicians he recognized at one of the card tables while Sonya stood off to the side as Marta sat down at a dice table. The dealer looked up at her as she remained standing, sipping soda from the fanciest glass she could find at the bar. She thought it was funny. ¡°Is the beautiful miss joining us?¡± The Dealer asked. Sonya shook her head, ¡°Sweet of you to invite me, but I have a sensory power, I shouldn¡¯t be doing too much gambling at tables. I¡¯ll probably hit the slots later, less of an advantage there.¡± The dealer looked taken aback, ¡°We¡¯re still ironing out the rules about light-touched abilities in the casino, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem ma¡¯am,¡± The dealer said. She glanced at his name above his head and saw that he was unawakened. He clearly was still one of those who didn¡¯t quite understand what he was dealing with when it came to those with abilities. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. She grinned at him, ¡°Nice sales pitch, but I think your boss appreciates my stance more than you do.¡± He frowned and then paused, his head didn¡¯t move but it was clear he was listening to something. He nodded slowly, ¡°He would like to have a drink with you later, if possible,¡± The dealer said. Sonya glanced down at Marta, leaned in and whispered in her ear, ¡°Practice your muscle control while you¡¯re playing,¡± She said and pat her arm, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Marta glanced her way with a bit of concern before nodding, ¡°Understood,¡± She said, looking down at the table again thoughtfully and with no small amount of excitement. Sonya stood back up and smiled at the dealer, ¡°I have time now.¡± The dealer nodded and after a moment said, ¡°He¡¯s in the third VIP room,¡± He said, pointing at a set of doors along the wall. Sonya gave him a gracious nod and slipped away, making sure to take a bit of an irregular route so that she could pass by Hyunh as she sat at a baccarat table with Duong standing over her like an angry hound. She shot Duong a jolt of Imperious as she walked by, causing Hyunh to react instead. The woman twitched and lost focus for a moment as Sonya stepped up to the door to the VIP room and slipped inside. The room was surprisingly large for a VIP room. One could fit about twenty to thirty people in here comfortably. There was a single large table in the center of the room with elegant decorations on the wall surrounding it. A chandelier hung over the table where several men and women sat playing cards with one another. One of them, a man in a nearly metallic looking suit, stood up immediately upon her entrance and walked over with a perfect smile. He held out his hand, ¡°Sonya Chernovna herself, to think I¡¯d have the opportunity to host the Voice at my hotel.¡± She took his hand, ¡°It was my first pick, Mister Earl,¡± Sonya said pleasantly. Analyze. She raised an eyebrow at him and he paused, a fleeting look of surprise in his eyes that was quickly masked by a casual demeanor as he shook her hand. ¡°That means a great dealt to me, even more now that I¡¯ve met you in person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± She said with a grin, ¡°Introduce me to your friends?¡± She asked and glanced at the others at the table who had stopped their game to stare. ¡°Of course Miss Chernovna,¡± He said and walked her over. He gestured to those present and they all got up to shake hands with her, glancing at Prichard momentarily before engaging her. It was clear they wanted confirmation that she was worth their time and given how they behaved after the brief exchange, he¡¯d decided she was very much worth it. She wondered how his power worked, she¡¯d have to take it out of her warehouse and give it a spin. First, she had some new product to snatch up while she was here. She started shaking hands. Not a bad haul so far, one more person. She turned to look at the man who stood up next as Prichard introduced him. He was a thin man with slightly sunken eyes and cheeks. His hands seemed frail even though he felt anything but. Her heart froze in her chest as she forced every ounce of concentration into maintaining a calm demeanor. ¡°And this is Craig Hart, he¡¯s in real estate like myself,¡± Prichard said. Craig extended a hand, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure, Miss Chernovna. We should do business sometime, I hear you¡¯ve been working out of your laboratory. You really should get a proper highrise at some point,¡± The man said as she took his hand. Craig Hart, one of Otis¡¯ top investors and supporters. You helped fund the war, bastard. She thought as she smiled at him, ¡°It¡¯s been something I¡¯ve been thinking about,¡± She admitted with an easy laugh, ¡°I need more consumer product going out before I can justify it though.¡± He raised an eyebrow, ¡°So you plan on producing consumer product?¡± He asked. She shrugged, pulling her hand away and slipping into one of the chairs at the table. A few people had shifted over to allow her to sit next to Prichard. He was trying to make a point. She let it happen. It didn¡¯t bother her that he was using her presence to earn political points, she was intending to do the exact same thing to him. Though her priorities had shifted a bit. She needed to figure out where in the hotel Craig was staying. He couldn¡¯t be allowed to leave this place alive. Just another body in Vegas. She thought grimly as a waiter came over and set down a glass before pouring some soda into it. ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± She said and took up the glass. A few of the elites around her gave her odd looks, she just smiled at them sweetly, ¡°I have a hard time getting drunk these days, it¡¯s not as fun as it used to be,¡± She said, tapping her temple. She made it seem like it had something to do with her eyes, which wasn¡¯t entirely false. They looked at one another and shrugged as the dealer present shuffled the cards. ¡°So, we were talking about ASTA¡¯s consumer goods,¡± Craig said eagerly, wanting to get back on topic. One of the others, the man who had Beacon, also took interest. He was in the consumer electronics field, a telecom company executive. ¡°I can¡¯t say much, you understand,¡± She said with a bit of a smile, ¡°But I am interested in a few areas. We¡¯ve learned a lot of very interesting things from the materials we¡¯ve acquired from monsters and the dungeons we¡¯ve involved ourselves in,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Textiles of course, but also communications. Lines of mundane contact are cut off between outside parties and those inside of a dungeon. That¡¯s a danger we want to try to overcome.¡± ¡°A strong signal that could outplay anything currently on the market,¡± The executive commented. Sonya shrugged, ¡°Perhaps. Now! How about some cards? I assume I¡¯m allowed to play with a full deck, Mister Earl?¡± She asked. The hotel¡¯s owner inclined his head, ¡°I¡¯m curious to see what those eyes of yours are capable of,¡± He said and nodded to the dealer and their little game began. ¨C Sonya folded her hand and sat back, getting a surprised look from Craig as the man stared at his cards and sighed, throwing them onto the table. He scratched his head, ¡°You are a monster at this,¡± He chuckled and leaned back in his seat. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone with intuition like yours.¡± You all might have excellent poker faces for the mundane, but your microexpressions, body temperature, breathing, all of it is just data to me. My senses read you like a book even if its something my eyes can¡¯t immediately notice. She thought smugly, ¡°And that¡¯s why I refused to play at the table out there,¡± She said casually. ¡°Remarkable,¡± Prichard said, ¡°I may have lost more than I expected but it was worth every penny. Could I perhaps interest you in dinner later tonight, Miss Chernovna?¡± He asked. She tilted her head, ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, I am meeting with some rather important people related to my work tonight, it wouldn¡¯t do for me to not be there,¡± She said, ¡°Also, and I say this in the nicest way possible, you¡¯re not my type.¡± The man burst into laughter, ¡°Your bluntness is refreshing!¡± He said, ¡°Damn shame, that¡¯s alright though. We really should talk more though.¡± ¡°That, I believe, can be arranged,¡± Sonya agreed as Craig got to his feet across from her. ¡°As for me, I¡¯m going to retire to my room soon, thank you again for the exciting evening, Prichard,¡± Craig said and stretched his back. ¡°Miss Chernovna, a pleasure.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll reach out soon,¡± She said with a nod and got to her feet as well, I¡¯m not letting you out of my sight. ¡°I should check on my people. Thank you again, Mister Earl.¡± ¡°Prichard, please,¡± The man said with a wave of his hand, ¡°Enjoy the rest of your stay Miss Chernovna.¡± She nodded to him, ¡°I most certainly will,¡± She said and turned to follow Craig out, bloodlust burning just beneath her skin. Chapter 72 Sonya stepped out of the room and glanced to her left, watching Craig head towards the exit of the casino. Her eyes narrowed a fraction before she caught herself and let out a breath, chuckling. Plans never quite work out once you¡¯re on the scene, do they? She asked herself, walking out onto the floor and brushing her hair over her ear. She turned towards the bar and sauntered over, ignoring a few of the looks she got and instead focused on the call function of Cyber-punk. She dialed out and waited, not expecting an immediate answer. While she did, she also shot a message over to Amos. She sat down at the counter and gestured at the bartender who walked over with a smile. ¡°Cola,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Can you do a little extra syrup?¡± The bartender nodded, ¡°Sure thing, miss,¡± He said and started to prepare the drink, turning the dial on the soda gun while the call in her head clicked over. She leaned forward and relaxed against the counter as the glass was set down in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m here, Mistress,¡± Blackrazor¡¯s voice popped into her head. ¡°Just arrived at the hotel.¡± She sipped her drink, ¡°There¡¯s a person that I want to talk to, alone, Blackrazor. Amos will be sending the location of his room to you,¡± She said through the mental call, ¡°His name is Craig Hart.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deliver him to a secure room, mistress,¡± Blackrazor said without hesitating, ending the call. Sonya looked up at her reflection in the mirrored back bar and sipped at her drink. The woman that looked back at her smirked and nodded. She would have looked away before, but she knew now wasn¡¯t the time to reject what she was becoming. Tomorrow was going to be chaotic, no doubt about it, and she needed her more than ever. She set down the drink and looked at it, she hadn¡¯t even noticed how it tasted. Distracted, she thought. She brought it to her lips again and took another sip, savoring the bubbles and the stronger sweetness than the usual can. She smiled to herself, ¡°Refreshing.¡± ¡°Glad you think so, miss,¡± The bartender said and inclined his head, winking at her as he walked away. She watched the guy go and shifted to the right a bit as she felt Marta approach her from behind. Marta hesitated before letting out a sigh and sitting down next to her. ¡°Your senses are kind of scary.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just loud,¡± Sonya teased. ¡°Have an interesting meeting?¡± Marta asked. ¡°Yes, I think I might have made a friend,¡± Sonya said and set down the glass, ¡°I also found someone I¡¯ve been looking for,¡± She said in a lower voice. ¡°Someone like Ocche.¡± Marta tensed, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Sonya ran her fingers over the rim of the glass and looked towards her friend, ¡°Something new, and maybe a little scary. Let¡¯s go to the room for a moment,¡± She said and started to get up. Marta frowned, ¡°You¡¯re not trying to get out of meeting the International Team again, are you?¡± She asked, not moving. ¡°No, I¡¯ve come to terms with it,¡± Sonya said with a sigh, ¡°As funny as it would be to throw you to the wolves, I need to face this. Besides,¡± She flexed her fingers and grinned, ¡°New product would be nice.¡± Marta searched her face, ¡°What are you planning?¡± She asked but got to her feet regardless. Sonya had Marta go over to the chairman and inform him that the two of them were going to freshen up a little before meeting the international team, and may be a moment. Sonya watched the chairman wave her off with a smile and looked up to nod at Sonya. Sonya returned the nod and scanned the room as she made her way towards the doors. It was getting more crowded, but she still managed to spot Hyunh and Duong sitting at a card table, Duong focused on cards in his hands while Hyunh stood nearby. Cheater, she snorted and spotted Firestorm and his team, they were all laughing at Bandit who was hanging his head in front of a slot machine. She didn¡¯t turn her head as Marta approached, ¡°I¡¯m glad they¡¯re having fun.¡± ¡°You care about them,¡± Marta commented, ¡°It¡¯s a little hypocritical.¡± ¡°The sign of a renaissance person is being able to entertain two opposing thoughts at the same time as equally true,¡± Sonya said in response, ¡°They¡¯re her enemy, they¡¯re my children.¡± ¡°...her?¡± Marta asked hesitantly. Sonya didn¡¯t respond as they made their way out, making for the elevators that would take them to their room. It was fairly high up which Sonya liked. She appreciated a good view, a bit of a hold over from being a scout, she guessed. Just like the rest of the building, the elevator was overdesigned to the point of aesthetic perfection, as was the hallway, every inch spotless with an overbearing weight of wealth hanging in the air. They made their way to the room and went inside. It was less a hotel room and more a full apartment suite. Marta gave her a sidelong look when she saw the size of the beds. ¡°Expecting company?¡± Marta asked with a grin. ¡°I might indulge myself tonight,¡± Sonya said with a laugh and walked to the curtains, closing them over the outer window. ¡°Just warn me before you do,¡± Marta said and sat down on the bed, ¡°Now what¡¯s the plan?¡± Sonya turned to her and closed her eyes, pulling Duplicate out of her warehouse. She¡¯d only pulled it out once before to get the instinctive knowledge of its function. For Dupe, the ability created a few barely sentient copies that obeyed his commands and shared any additional abilities he had. Sonya¡¯s version would work much differently, in theory. Not because of Broker per-se, but because of Cyber-punk. She created a needle of light and pricked her finger, holding it out over the carpet and felt a swelling beneath her hand. She pulled her hand away and stepped back as Marta let out a gasp of surprise. When Sonya opened her eyes, she was looking at herself, naked, sparkling, and returning her gaze pointedly. I had a feeling, Sonya thought. My copy is far more self-aware. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Enhanced Intelligence and Technopathy working in tandem?¡± She asked aloud, noting that Marta had gotten to her feet and was watching with significantly more interest. The copy seemed to hesitate for a moment before crossing her arms and nodding slowly, ¡°That¡¯s a good theory, though I¡¯m not so sure. It could be all manner of factors,¡± The copy said. ¡°That¡¯s Dupe¡¯s ability,¡± Marta said with a breath, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him use it. Is it supposed to be so¡­¡± ¡°Real?¡± Both Sonyas said at the same time before looking at one another and laughing. The real Sonya stepped back and admired herself for a moment, tilting her head, ¡°Not bad at all, the sparkling is far more impressive in person than in a mirror. I look good,¡± She chuckled and let out a sigh, ¡°I think the copy retains a lot more because like Dupe it has all of my innate abilities including the mishmash that is Cyber-Punk. Enhanced Intelligence and access to my Technopathy means it can probably feed off of my thoughts a little better and act more distinct.¡± The copy shrugged, ¡°I can¡¯t tell myself, I just feel like me,¡± She said and put her hands on her hips. ¡°Either way, we¡¯re getting side tracked. What do you think the limitations are?¡± They stared at one another for a while, ¡°Uptime is a bad idea,¡± Sonya confirmed. ¡°Agreed,¡± The copy said, ¡°Dupe¡¯s power worked at a maximum of a mile,¡± The Copy added, ¡°That hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°This is a warehouse power, so you and I both can¡¯t use any other warehouse powers while this is active,¡± Sonya continued, rubbing her chin. ¡°Operating time,¡± The Copy muttered, deep in thought for a moment, ¡°I estimate four hours.¡± ¡°Generous,¡± Sonya said with raised eyebrows. ¡°So long as I don¡¯t have to do anything overly physical,¡± The Copy added. ¡°This is really, really, weird,¡± Marta said with a bit of a laugh, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Wanna f-¡± Both started at the same time, grinning at one another. ¡°Stop!¡± Marta held up her hands, ¡°Please, don¡¯t go there.¡± The two laughed in unison, hugging themselves in mirth before Sonya sat down on the bed and leaned back. ¡°Since you have a copy of my brain and the hardcoded memories, you know what the plan is?¡± She asked the copy, kicking her feet from the bed and glancing over at the pile of luggage. The Copy turned to the luggage and stared at it for a moment, a frown crossing her features before she turned back to Sonya. ¡°You don¡¯t think that¡¯s risky?¡± She asked bluntly. Sonya frowned and gave the copy a hard look. Sonya said. The copy pointed out. Sonya growled. The copy challenged, but relented, The interaction happened at the speed of thought, their connection amplified thanks to technopathy, allowing the messages and considerations to happen so fast that it only seemed like they were staring at one another for a heartbeat. The Copy shrugged and put her hands on her hips, striking a pose, ¡°I will play the role of the monstrous Ishtar!¡± The copy announced, turning on her heel and walking over to the luggage. ¡°And my dear creator will go back to having fun, two places at once.¡± Sonya caught Marta staring and glanced her way, ¡°Something wrong?¡± Marta shook her head and seemed to admonish herself with the frown she gave. She cleared her throat, ¡°No, it¡¯s a good plan. That Detective is watching so if Ishtar makes an appearance while you¡¯re clearly in line of sight, it¡¯ll force him to re-evaluate.¡± The Copy snorted as she reached into one of the bags, tapping around a moment before finding a compartment in the bottom of the bag and unzipping it. She pulled out the white leather armor and began slipping it on, throwing her hair back and pulling on the gloves and boots. She turned to another bag and opened it as well, pulling aside some of the clothing that was put in there just to cover up what had really been concealed inside; Ishtar¡¯s helmet. She pulled it out and ran her fingers over the smooth surface, ¡°The man¡¯s obsessed,¡± She said after the long silence, her tone had dropped an octave, ¡°I doubt even seeing us right next to one another will change his mind.¡± Sonya felt something tighten in her gut at the way the copy acted, the way she carried herself all of a sudden. It was a series of small changes that seemed to build on one another in a way that made her skin crawl. She knew what it was, she had concerns about it, about her own mind. Yet when the copy turned around, the helmet sliding over her head, she felt her chest tighten a little bit more. There is something very wrong with me. She concluded. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The copy, no, Ishtar said. ¡°Much better,¡± She flexed her fingers a bit and clenched her fists. ¡°So I just wait here until we hear from Blackrazor?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Get the job done and then find somewhere to dissolve, preferably a shower drain.¡± Ishtar nodded as her eyes came online, her voice modulator activating next. The next words were said with that hissing rasp that Sonya had never heard from outside before. She¡¯d never seen Ishtar in person, never known what everyone else saw and heard. ¡°It will be done.¡± Sonya resisted a flinch and glanced at Marta, ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± Marta looked between them and nodded slowly, ¡°Got it.¡± Sonya turned away from her copy and made her way out the door, she flinched a little when Marta put her hand on her shoulder, ¡°Sonya, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Sonya said, ¡°But I know I¡¯m not going to be doing this very often.¡± Marta nodded and locked arms with her, giving her a reassuring squeeze, ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¨C Back downstairs, Firestorm was sitting in front of a slot machine with a pensive look on his face. He wasn¡¯t sure which mode to pick, he was terrible at this kind of thing. He knew there was a trick to it, or so his dad had told him, but he really couldn¡¯t for the life of him remember exactly how it all worked. He scratched his head while Bandit frowned at him from the side. ¡°Are you serious? Just pull the damn lever man,¡± Bandit groused. ¡°And end up blowing all my tokens like you?¡± Firestorm shot back. Bandit narrowed his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t be a dick.¡± ¡°Too late,¡± Bluestar said behind them, ¡°Boys, time to get going, we¡¯re heading to a VIP room.¡± Firestorm looked up, surprised, ¡°Huh? Already?¡± Bluestar crossed her arms, ¡°You just missed them come in, I just got back from greeting the team leader. The Chairman, Lifesaver, Hero An Set, and Miss Feng are already in the room. We¡¯re just waiting on you two, Miss Chernovna and Handmaiden.¡± Firestorm hopped to his feet, getting a scowl from Bandit, ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡± He said excitedly. ¡°Coward,¡± Bandit grumbled, Firestorm pointedly ignored him as Bluestar turned away to lead them to the room. When they got there, Firestorm hesitated at the door. These people were mythic-tier and the individuals that the various nations who contributed them had decided possessed the most potential. He knew that this new culture of heroes was new, that things would change a lot. Right now, though, it could be argued that the people on the other side of the door were the best of the best. He was popular, sure, but they were powerful. Bluestar raised her eyebrow at him, ¡°Nervous.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± He said bluntly. She smiled and pat his shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t be, I think you¡¯ll be surprised.¡± She said as Sonya and Marta hurried towards them from afar. He glanced past Bluestar and brightened. ¡°Miss Chernovna! There you are!¡± Sonya slid to a stop and panted, ¡°Phew! Made it.¡± Bluestar turned to face their sponsor and put her hands on her hips, ¡°Miss Chernovna, you¡¯re late!¡± She said with a frown before sighing hard and straightening herself up. She looked back at Bandit and Firestorm. Behind Bluestar, Sonya made a face and stuck her tongue out at the Guildmaster, only to switch back to innocence when Bluestar glanced back at her. ¡°Okay, are we all ready?¡± Bandit chuckled, ¡°Miss Chernovna certainly is,¡± He said and pointed at the door. Bluestar blinked and looked to her right, Sonya was already walking inside. Bluestar let out a gasp and looked to Firestorm aghast. Firestorm laughed and stepped past her, patting her shoulder. ¡°Are you seriously surprised when it comes to her?¡± He asked, ¡°Come on, let''s go meet the most powerful heroes in the world.¡± Chapter 73 Craig shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat, humming to himself as he ambled his way to his room. It was going well! She was beautiful, famous, and the perfect person to put on as the face of his next line of projects. She¡¯d even agreed to reach out soon. He imagined a glorious high-rise in New York City, built by his people and funded by the UN. He grinned to himself as he reached his door, pulling out the keycard and holding it up. He frowned a little, tilting his head. Did she seem a little off? It was like she instantly distrusted him at first. He chuckled, ¡°Given the company, I don¡¯t blame her,¡± He said and tapped the door, pushing it open and stepping inside. More importantly, his new employer would be happy that he was building a relationship with her. The odd young man had expressed interest in Sonya Chernovna during their last meeting. Maybe he should set up a meeting between the two? That would be good. He nodded, Yeah, I¡¯ll talk to her about that next. Mister Otis will be happy for sure. He thought, wondering at what the young man¡¯s face would look like, so happy, for some reason his youthful sponsor¡¯s face wouldn¡¯t come to him. He thought that should bother him, but he really didn¡¯t feel like it did. He shrugged, it didn¡¯t matter. Craig walked into his room and set the coffee on, it was probably going to be a late night. ¡°Ah¡­ I need a shower,¡± He grunted, and tossed off his coat and shoes. He hummed merrily as he stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, grabbing his mug as he walked by the counter and making way for the desk set up in the corner of the large, luxurious room. He sat down and took a sip, flipping open his computer and typing in his password. It was a long one, but he¡¯d learned to be careful with his information. Having access to this computer was as good as having access to his business and his assets. His arm felt a little stiff and he stretched, grumbling, ¡°Not even a hot shower will do it these days¡­¡± He groused. He took another sip of his coffee and tapped a few more keys, ¡°Okay now,¡± He mumbled only to feel his arm stiffen again, then his legs. He blinked and looked at his hand. It was trembling. ¡°Huh?¡± He gasped, I can¡¯t move. Why can¡¯t I move? ¡°Mister Craig Hart,¡± A voice came from behind him. He tried to turn his head but his body wouldn¡¯t move an inch. He trembled, flicking his eyes about as he tried to get a look at the dark figure that slipped into place at his right. A hand fell on his shoulder and he stiffened when he saw a knife in the figure¡¯s other hand. ¡°Mistress Ishtar has requested your presence.¡± The next thing he knew, he was sinking. He looked down and saw a black hole in the floor, shadows billowing off of it. They felt so cold. His heart rate spiked, he wanted to scream, call for help, do anything. Yet all he could do was endure the chill as slowly he was consumed by the darkness beneath him. He didn¡¯t see the figure turn to the laptop and pick it up before writing something down on a piece of paper, ¡°That¡¯s quite the password,¡± The figure said before disappearing into the ground as well, leaving the room spotless. ¨C At first, the copy was going to do as it was told, stay in place and wait to hear from Blackrazor. It really was, and to be honest it didn¡¯t have any real good reason to leave and cause trouble. However, the more it thought the more it realized that there was a step to the plan that was overlooked. It considered whether or not to reach out to the original, its legs crossed on the chair in the hotel room. Finally, it decided to go for broke. It sent the suggestion out and received a response almost immediately. The copy, no, for the moment it was wearing the mask of Ishtar, got to her feet and grabbed a suitcase before she strode towards the door, technopathy already working on the cameras in the hallway. She stepped out and made a beeline for the elevator. With a single flick of will she temporarily locked all the doors in the hallway preventing anyone from stepping out until she was long gone. She took the elevator up, willing the elevator not to stop on the way. When she reached her destination the door opened and she stepped out onto a beautiful gold-inlaid marble floor. The walls were mirrored and there were absolutely no cameras present. This wasn¡¯t a place for the average visitor. She strode up to the counter where a man in a suit stood, looking down at something. He glanced up and froze when he saw her. ¡°Excuse me,¡± He said after catching himself, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you should be here, miss. How did you get up here?¡± Ishtar tilted her head, ¡°Tell Prichard that he has a guest,¡± Ishtar said coldly. ¡°I think I¡¯d rather call security,¡± He said instead and reached for the phone only for it to fizzle and spark, he pulled his hand away in surprise and looked up at her. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault,¡± Ishtar rasped consolingly, ¡°He won¡¯t blame you. He might if you don¡¯t take me to him, though.¡± The host hesitated and reached up to dab a bit of sweat from his brow before turning towards the single archway leading into the private restaurant beyond. He cleared his throat, ¡°R-right this way Miss¡­?¡± ¡°Ishtar. You can tell him before I step inside if it helps your nerves,¡± Ishtar said, that seemed to give the man a bit of his agency back as he relaxed, sighing and nodding. He lead her into a brightly lit hall colored with expensive wallpaper. Instead of the traditional open atmosphere of a restaurant, it was separated into private rooms for the guests to enjoy their meals and have their conversations in the utmost confidence. It was a good strategy, given the kind of people that would get invited up into this place. The host stopped at a door and knocked twice before opening the door and stepping inside. Even with her senses she couldn¡¯t pick up on any words on the otherside. Excellent soundproofing. She thought before the door opened and the man nodded to her, opening it completely to let her inside. ¡°Mister Earl will see you,¡± He said, looking immensely relieved. She nodded and walked past him, stepping into a stately dining room with a long table. Only one person in the room besides herself. Prichard Earl was standing next to his chair, his eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯re real,¡± He breathed. Ishtar tilted her head, ¡°In a manner of speaking.¡± The man grinned, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard rumors, for someone like me finding so little information is a bit close to impossible. I thought you were a myth.¡± Ishtar walked to the table and set the suitcase down, ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m here?¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°To do business, I imagine,¡± The man said. ¡°Yes,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°How would you like to be young again?¡± She said and opened the suitcase, turning it around to reveal the documents stacked inside. ¨C Martin had been invited to sit at the table in the VIP room but opted against it, he preferred to stand and it allowed him a better view of everyone present. Specifically the one person he wanted to watch the most. His eyes narrowed just a fraction as the doors opened and Sonya Chernovna sauntered inside, her usual casual flair and lackadaisical attitude clearly infectious to most people. Everyone in the room smiled at the sparkling, nearly glowing, all white woman who threw her hands open in a dramatic greeting. ¡°It feels like Christmas!¡± She laughed, walking up and shaking hands with each of the members of the international team in turn. Who gets that excited over a formal meeting? He wondered just as his earpiece hummed to life. ¡°Martin,¡± Ironsides said sharply, ¡°Got something.¡± He turned away a little and tilted his head down, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Multiple reports of lock failures across several random floors, cameras flickering too. I spotted something while watching the cameras, too,¡± Ironsides went on, ¡°Someone matching the description of Ishtar.¡± Martin froze and whipped his head in Sonya¡¯s direction. Is it really true? Is she really not Ishtar? I was so sure. My gut is screaming at me that I¡¯m right. I have to be right. A trick? He frowned and cleared his throat, ¡°Keep an eye on things and let me know if you get a location to follow up on.¡± ¡°On it.¡± ¨C Ishtar stepped out of the elevator with the suitcase in hand and a smile on her face beneath the mask. She had to admit, the payout was better than she had expected. Prichard had been interested in Sonya, but he was a downright fanboy of Ishtar. It made it relatively easy for her to convince him to look the other way and even help cover up anything she did while she was there. He had asked for quite the repayment, one that was equally beneficial to her. He assumed rightly that she was going to be building a network in North America. While he didn¡¯t know that the ¡®club¡¯ already existed in Europe, he had his theories that she was already spreading her influence. He wanted to be at the helm. That was more than fine with her. Using the Palace as a gathering point was absolutely perfect, it was secure, private, and Prichard was a man with a great amount of sense. He¡¯d also asked for a few copies of the youth contract for his family, which she¡¯d provided without argument. As for binding him as a member of the club, that had been the most entertaining part of the whole interaction. He¡¯d taken her hand and frowned, then his eyes had widened as he looked up into her mask. ¡°You¡¯re-¡± He breathed. ¡°That ability of yours is very useful,¡± Ishtar said coldly, ¡°But I would be careful, Mister Earl, about what you say next.¡± He grinned at her, ¡°I understand, amazing, really amazing. You¡¯re going to have the whole world dancing in the palm of your hand.¡± She grinned to herself at the memory as she approached the room that Blackrazor had informed her about part way through the meeting. She willed the door open and slipped inside, handing the suitcase off to a waiting Blackrazor. ¡°Well done,¡± She said before stepping fully into the open space where she found a bound and gagged Craig Hart waiting. ¡°Craig Hart,¡± She rasped as his eyes fluttered open, ¡°Found you.¡± ¨C It was the only way she could get herself to do it. The only way to break through the hesitation and gut tightening terror that she felt. Just throw herself in with all the gusto and panache she could manage, be the Sonya Chernovna that everyone knew even if every instinct told her to be the one that none of them had ever known. The one that clawed at the back of her mind when she finally met her eyes. Those eyes that made her heart ache and made her knees weak, that made her skin tingle and her mouth go dry, that made her want to weep with tears that would never come to her broken eyes. I missed you so much. ¡°It¡¯s like Christmas!¡± She declared, laughing, throwing her arms open in a dramatic greeting and walking forward towards the assembled group of five heroes. First among them, leading the pack, was her. Lian Chunhua. Tall, raven haired, stoic, achingly gorgeous. Sonya extended a hand with a smile and the woman returned the gesture. Even in that moment, with all her emotions in turmoil, she had enough presence of mind to use analyze. ¡°Lian Chuhua, in the flesh, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re more beautiful than on the television,¡± She said with a wry smile. She gave the woman a wink, ¡°You aren¡¯t single, are you?¡± The Chairman barked out a laugh and Marta sighed next to her. Chunhua on the other hand just stared at her and at her hand then up at her again, a look of confusion on her face. She squared up a little, ¡°I greet the Voice of the Hero-¡± ¡°Call me Sonya, please. I have a name,¡± Sonya cut in, giving Chunhua¡¯s hand a squeeze, ¡°Please use it.¡± The irony wasn¡¯t lost on Sonya. Chunhua blinked and then relaxed visibly, which for some reason got a few odd looks from the rest of her group, ¡°Very well, Sonya it is,¡± She said with a small smile and it may have definitely been Sonya¡¯s imagination, but a look of amused interest. Yeah, definitely my imagination, not wishful thinking at all. Quit it you idiot, you¡¯re getting carried away! Sonya cleared her throat, ¡°Aha! Enough flirting,¡± Sonya teased and released Chunhua¡¯s hand before turning to the others, ¡°Let¡¯s see!¡± She walked over to the first in line. Vytal was a slightly heavy set man with a easy smile and eyes that were a startling near-white blue. They reminded her of glaciers. ¡°Vytal, right? Or should I say, Edgar Wolf,¡± She said and took his outstretched hand. ¡°You make quite the impression, Sonya,¡± He said with a startlingly deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure ma¡¯am.¡± Analyze. ¡°The pleasure is all mine!¡± She said brightly and gave his hand a brisk shake before turning to the next. A powerfully built man with short black hair, thick eyebrows and dark eyes. ¡°Sapporo, Takeda Goro,¡± She said and took his hand with a brief handshake and a partial bow. His dark expression remained unchanged but he did manage to speak at least, ¡°Your work has resulted in a peaceful east, even if unintentional, you have my gratitude and that of my family and people.¡± Analyze. ¡°Thank you,¡± She said, ¡°I hope that my work can inspire more success for humanity in the future.¡± He nodded brusquely and she moved on. The next person was a younger woman, late teens probably, with bright eyes and a too-wide smile. She was bouncing on her heels when Sonya reached out to greet her, ¡°Molly Byrne? Or should I say Euclidia?¡± She asked. The girl snatched up her hand with both of her own hands, shaking it vigorously, almost so fast that she didn¡¯t get to use analyze, ¡°Oh my gosh it''s such an honor! You are a frigging icon! Like, seriously, oh my god, can you believe what you¡¯ve done for the community, not to mention you know, all the hero stuff and uh¡­ can I get your autograph? For my girlfriend, I mean, oh man, wow you¡¯re pretty.¡± Sonya blinked. Analyze? Sonya laughed, ¡°Sure!¡± She said, ¡°What do you want me to sign?¡± Molly brightened, ¡°Could you sign my t-¡± She began only to get cut off by Chunhua clearing her throat in warning, she grinned at the leader of their group sheepishly, ¡°I got a postcard.¡± Sonya just laughed and shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll sign whatever you want later, cutie,¡± She said and moved on past a squealing Molly to the far more serious looking man next to her. He bowed his head once before standing up straight and shaking his head. ¡°I apologize, I cannot,¡± He said. ¡°I understand,¡± Sonya said without dropping a beat, ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± He inclined his head, ¡°It is the right thing to do.¡± She stepped back to give him a bit of respectful space before looking between the five of them and put her hands on her hips, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve had our introductions! Let¡¯s eat!¡± Side Story: Amos 2 Amos shifted back and forth on his feet, his hands in his pockets. He hadn¡¯t been around here in a long time and while every thought about this place had filled him with dread for the past few years, now he felt something else. Confidence. He rest his head against the wall and smiled to himself, swaying a little as he listened to a little music playing in his earbuds. Good old gamer rock. He grinned as his connection to the local security cameras around him alerted him to someone approaching. He tilted his head and glanced in the direction of the approaching man, a big smile on his face. Where was he? Well, if he had been fully honest with Sonya when he first met her, he hadn¡¯t exactly washed out of college. No. He had been chased out. He was at MIT. Beautiful Cambridge. He¡¯d taken a flight here the previous night and had spent the evening doing what he did best. He didn¡¯t take many days off, but Sonya had insisted that he get a little bit of down time before she and the others went off to Vegas. It was going to be a big deal apparently and he really ought to be fresh in case he was needed. So he figured he¡¯d settle up while he was out. Sonya didn¡¯t know what he was doing, or at least probably not, his computers were the only ones she couldn¡¯t poke around in with her own technopathy. It wasn¡¯t like he tried to keep it a secret from her, he just didn¡¯t bother bringing it up. It was his problem to deal with and to be frank she¡¯d already helped him enough towards his goal. Now he just needed to act. Which was why he was so elated to see the University president marching his way in his direction. ¡°President Williams!¡± Amos said brightly, throwing his hands out wide, ¡°Good to see you, how long¡¯s it been?¡± He asked. The president frowned, a bit of sweat dripping down his brow beneath a carefully combed head of brown hair, he wore a black suit and red tie that did not agree with the heat, ¡°Mister Carter, you seem to have forgotten that you were banned from this institution.¡± Amos blinked, raising his eyebrows dramatically. Just like Sonya would, he thought with amusement. ¡°Really?¡± He gasped, ¡°Oh man, that sucks! And here I wanted to have a chat with you! I¡¯m honestly shocked you came out all this way. If that''s the case, sir, shouldn¡¯t you have sent security instead?¡± He asked. The president¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°I have been trying to, but apparently their communications are on the fritz. We can¡¯t even call the police. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know anything about that, Mister Carter?¡± President Williams asked pointedly. Amos pointed at himself, wide eyed, ¡°Me? Why would I do something like that?¡± ¡°To force a meeting with me,¡± The man said with a scowl. ¡°What on earth do you want? Amos beamed at him, ¡°Mister President! Johnny!¡± He soothed, walking over and throwing an arm over the president¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Can I call you Jonny?¡± He asked, grinning ear to ear as he threw basically his entire social battery into the interaction. ¡°Listen, I just want to have a conversation. You and me, somewhere private, have a few drinks, talk about the good old days!¡± ¡°You are not allowed in-¡± ¡°Avery Stolls,¡± Amos said, suddenly stony in his tone. ¡°Huh?¡± The man blurted. ¡°Bianca Harold, Lucas Myers, Sammy Redmond, myself,¡± Amos continued, counting on his fingers. The man looked at him wide eyed, ¡°What are you-¡± ¡°Mister President,¡± Amos said and turned his head slowly towards the man, ¡°Do you know where I work now?¡± He asked, ¡°You watch the news, right?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°I fail to understand your point,¡± The president said, his face turning redder. ¡°I¡¯m that Amos Carter. There are only like what, sixty of us in the states? Come on, man, piece it together, you¡¯re a smart guy!¡± Amos said, giving him a playful squeeze with his arm around shoulder, ¡°Do I really have to say it here?¡± The President paled a little but held his ground, ¡°You can¡¯t just blackmail me in public!¡± ¡°Cameras aren¡¯t working,¡± Amos said, ¡°Your phones off. Mine is too. All electronics within a mile are disabled. Your students are having a pretty bad time right now, it¡¯s kind of funny since it¡¯s all your fault,¡± He snarled at the end, ¡°And since you don¡¯t have enough grey matter to figure out what I¡¯m getting at, let me put it to you plainly.¡± ¡°I know what really happened when you kicked me out, I know who you were covering for, I have all of the emails, I have all of the records, I have all of the photographs, camera feeds, evidence, Mister President, evidence,¡± Amos growled and squeezed a little tighter, ¡°I know I¡¯m not the first and I also know that if this scandal gets out, that the board finds out that you did this to the head researcher of ASTA, that his name could be tied to this University¡¯s pedigree¡­ well¡­¡± He trailed off and lowered his voice, ¡°Screw your job, I¡¯d be surprised if you didn¡¯t end up in a ditch somewhere with a bullet in your head.¡± The president was shaking at this point, his skin a ghastly white. ¡°You fucked up, Johnny, and you fucked over the wrong guy. I¡¯m here to set the record straight and give you a chance to nut up or I send everything to the board, newspapers, broadcast agencies, web forums, hell I¡¯ll even put one up on vidTube,¡± He laughed, ¡°I will fucking bury you,¡± Amos said. The president trembled again, ¡°What do I have to do?¡± ¡°Public apology you don¡¯t have to elaborate, just say it was a mistake, reinstatement, my fucking Doctorate, and a partnership with ASTA,¡± Amos bit out, ¡°That¡¯s all I want.¡± The man stared at him, bewildered. Amos let out a sigh, ¡°See, I wish the conversation could have been more pleasant, but hey, what can you do?¡± He shook his head and held up a hand to wave at another figure who was sitting at a bench nearby. Colin approached with a suitcase in hand, his hair done up just right, and his skin practically glittering in the sunlight. ¡°Colin can you take it from here?¡± Colin pursed his lips and smiled at Amos, ¡°Of course,¡± He said sweetly. Amos grinned and let go of the man. ¡°All yours babe,¡± Amos said and stepped away, leaning Colin stepped forward and held out the suitcase, opening it. Inside was a thick tan piece of paper with a contract written on it. ¡°As per the terms of this contract, Doctor Williams, you will be responsible for the terms that Mister Carter just explained to you. You will have twenty four hours to approve the reinstatement, fourty eight to complete the public apology and issue the aforementioned degree. You will then have one week to contact ASTA headquarters and discuss a long term educational partnership with the company,¡± Colin said matter-of-factly. Mister Williams swallowed, ¡°And if I¡¯m unable to meet these terms in time?¡± He asked. ¡°It says right there in the document, you will die of a heart attack the instant the contract is void. Complete the terms and you will live as long as you were intended to. This contract was made with a powerful ability that makes deals quite binding and includes an indefinite gag order. So don¡¯t bother trying to get help, you dug this hole, you can dig yourself out,¡± Colin said, his eyes twinkling with malice. ¡°Amos will also be held to a similar standard, having to eliminate all evidence connecting you to your crimes that he is aware of within twenty four hours of you holding up your end of the bargain.¡± The president of MIT stared at the document for a long time, his eyes wide as he read every line. He swallowed hard. ¡°Hurry up Johnny, you¡¯ve gotta agree to the terms whole heartedly or it won¡¯t work and the longer I¡¯m here, the longer I¡¯m gonna keep the whole school¡¯s systems down,¡± Amos said from afar, ¡°I can do this all day.¡± The president let out a sigh and snatched up the pen sitting next to the document. His shoulders sagged and with a weary look in his eyes he signed the document. It flickered for a moment before it started to glow and the ink from the pen immediately dried. Amos felt a tingle run up his arm that felt very similar to the time he made his first deal with Sonya. He looked down at it with a small smile as the president set the pen down. ¡°May I leave now?¡± The man asked. ¡°Sure, fuck off,¡± Amos said and glanced to Colin. ¡°Dinner and a movie?¡± He asked, walking past the man as if he didn¡¯t exist. Colin just smiled at him, ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter 74 It certainly wasn¡¯t the introduction she had expected. Chunhua wasn¡¯t sure what to even think of it. She¡¯d seen her on television more than once, captivated if she was being honest with herself, which of course she¡¯d firmly chosen not to be in this particular instance. Grossly inappropriate didn¡¯t even begin to cover the kind of professional breach that even the thought of such a thing would constitute. Yet the first thing Sonya Chernovna had done when they met was to flirt, and not even subtly. Chunhua had tried to salvage the situation, providing a proper and appropriately respectful greeting for someone of her personage. Only to be immediately rebuffed. She could only stand there for a few heartbeats, trying to process what had just happened. What the woman had said, the way she had said it. She remembered her grandfather for a moment, his gentle smile and easygoing presence. He¡¯d always hated formality even if he had been a man of some importance for the majority of his life. I have a name, use it. That had been almost a catch phrase for him. He said it the same way every time, the same rhythm to the words, the same amused cadence. Chunhua blinked and caught herself, willing her body to push down the flush that had threatened to rise to her cheeks and instead allowed herself to smile and relax her shoulders. In a single exchange she had the feeling that she understood the woman in front of her more than anyone else in the room, all of the fantasies she¡¯d had during the flight cast out to the wind. This wasn¡¯t a person who respected formality and conventional rules of hierarchy, she stood alone and she was intimately aware of it. The way to this person¡¯s good graces wasn¡¯t through placation and overt respect. It was through treating her as a peer. She could do that. ¡°Very well, Sonya it is,¡± Chunhua said and let go, her fingers tingling a little. She watched Sonya turn away and caught herself lingering on the nape of her neck. She¡¯s so small. Chunhua thought, Petite, frail, but my instinct tells me that there¡¯s so much more to her that I can¡¯t even begin to figure out. She forced herself to look away. It¡¯s even more evident now than when I first saw her on the television. She peeked again as Sonya shook hands with Vytal. Alabaster skin, silver hair, she¡¯s like a ghost or a statue. Damn it, stop looking. She looked away again and closed her eyes for a moment to settle herself. She listened patiently as Sonya greeted Sapporo. Her voice is pretty too. Euclidia immediately jumped into rambling, of course she did. When she wasn¡¯t playing with puzzles she was talking. It was endearing, if you could understand half of what she was talking about. ¡°... uh¡­ can I get your autograph? For my girlfriend, I mean, oh man, wow you¡¯re pretty.¡± Chunhua¡¯s eyes opened and her lips formed a thin line. ¡°What would you like me to sign?¡± ¡°Could you sign my t-¡± Chunhua cleared her throat and shot Euclidia a warning look. The mythic-tier teenager gave her a sheepish grin in response. Chunhua shook her head and sighed, it was so different from working with soldiers. The personalities were just so¡­ big. She cast another look at Euclidia, and abrasive. The greetings came to an uneventful end after that, much to Chunhua¡¯s relief. Sonya seemed intent on getting straight to dinner and a more comfortable atmosphere which Chunhua was more than happy to acquiesce to. Sonya sat down quickly in one of the seats near the middle of the table. The woman who had entered with her followed but didn¡¯t sit down, instead she stood behind Sonya with her hands clasped in front of her waist. Handmaiden, I read about her during the briefing. She¡¯s a licensed mythic but not an active hero, Sonya¡¯s bodyguard and caretaker. Chunhua sized the woman up and her instincts told her only one thing: She''s strong. Handmaiden returned her gaze stoically, her expression stony. Chunhua got the impression that the woman didn¡¯t like her for some reason. ¡°Leader Chunhua,¡± The chairman spoke up, suddenly right next to her. She blinked and looked at him, realizing just how lost she¡¯d looked for a few moments there. ¡°Yes sir?¡± ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind sitting next to Miss Chernovna?¡± He suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll be sitting on the other side,¡± He added and made his way over, slipping into a seat next to the CEO. Chunhua glanced at the open seat he¡¯d indicated and hesitated, looking up at Handmaiden. ¡°What about you, Handmaiden?¡± She asked. The woman shook her head, ¡°My place is here,¡± She said simply. Chunhua groaned inwardly, she hated politics. ¨C Sonya hated politicians. She forced herself not to shoot the Chairman a glare when he ambled over to sit at her right, grinning ear to ear. It had been hard enough to rein herself back in when she had gotten started talking to Chunhua during their introduction. Now she was supposed to sit next to her? Madness. Absolute fucking madness. Just looking at her was agony in a way she could never begin to articulate. The attraction, the sadness, the joy, the confusion, the everything. She¡¯d managed to bluster her way through with grins and smiles and a joking attitude but now there was no room for that. They¡¯d have to have a normal conversation. A normal conversation, with the past self of the woman who you are the widow of. No big deal, Sonya. You¡¯ve only seen her naked more than anyone else on the planet and the sound of her voice makes you want to do stupid submissive things. Oh and not to mention that the last time you saw her she was a god damn corpse! She dug her fingers into her leg, squeezing tightly to control her face. Yeah, no big deal, no problem, you got this. Don¡¯t forget that your ability makes it so that you can¡¯t lie, by the way! Chunhua sat down next to her. Fuck. The two stared at the table for a moment. ¡°Miss- Sonya?¡± Chunhua asked. Sonya turned a forced smile on the woman, ¡°Yes?¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°What are you planning on eating? I¡¯m not used to this kind of cuisine, if I am being honest,¡± Chunhua asked, looking thoughtfully down at the menu that was placed in front of them while Sonya was having her little panic attack. You. Sonya let out a thoughtful breath through puffed lips and picked up the menu, ¡°Something greasy so I can sleep hard,¡± Sonya said bluntly, ¡°Though I¡¯ll of course pair it with a soda, which kind of defeats the purpose,¡± She continued rambling. The others at the table stared at her for a moment, Sonya snorted and shrugged, ¡°What? Liquor does nothing for me, it¡¯s no secret,¡± She redirected quickly, ¡°Anything catch your eye?¡± The others looked back down at their menus, no longer focused on her and murmured amongst themselves. Sonya leaned over a bit to peer at her menu, it was the same menu, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. Its what she would have done before and old habits died hard. In response, Chunhua shifted her grip on the menu and pulled her head back a bit. Sonya glanced up at her, did she just flinch? ¡°I¡¯ll probably just go with the steak,¡± The hero said, tapping her finger on the item in question. Sonya scoffed, ¡°Boring, you¡¯re in Vegas, get something exciting!¡± She laughed and pointed at a few things. I can¡¯t stop myself, Sonya realized with mild panic. I need a distraction! As if sent from the heavens above, a sudden jolt of noise drew everyone¡¯s attention at the table. Hyunh had gotten to her feet and was staring at her phone, her face a little pale. She quickly bowed to everyone else present. ¡°I need to take this, apologies,¡± She said hurriedly and rushed out of the room, even leaving Duong behind. The man turned to watch her go but didn¡¯t get up to follow. This¡¯ll do. She thought with relief and brightened into a mischievous grin, ¡°Duong! Is this the first time I¡¯m seeing you without your other half?¡± She laughed, ¡°You two are attached at the hip, aren¡¯t you?¡± He blinked slowly at her for a moment, almost looking confused before she saw a bit of light come to his eyes. Ten bucks says the Night Society is doing well, Sonya thought with a bit of self-satisfied amusement. He shrugged, ¡°We¡¯re to be married, is it that much of a surprise?¡± He asked, his words coming out articulate but still with a layer of muted calm. Still under control, but Hyunh is definitely distracted. She smirked at him, ¡°Everyone needs their space now and then,¡± Sonya said with a wave of her hand, ¡°Even happy couples like you two, don¡¯t you have any hobbies?¡± He was about to answer when she turned to the other members of the international team, making it clear it was a rhetorical question and she really didn¡¯t care. ¡°What about you guys? I¡¯ve only heard about you through your profiles in the Pandora server, but that doesn¡¯t tell me anything fun,¡± She said brightly. Molly, Euclidia, sat up first with bright eyes, ¡°Oh I just love puzzles! I have like, um, four, no, no, six puzzle cubes on the plane and two in my luggage for the hotel room!¡± She said eagerly, her hands already working as if she was doing one such puzzle. ¡°I also have some knot puzzles, a few twisted metal puzzles, and tons of puzzle books.¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°I heard you had an interesting power, does that help?¡± Molly¡¯s expression turned almost a little wicked, ¡°Oh you have no idea.¡± Sonya was about to turn to Vytal when a bit of text flashed across her HUD. Craig is dead. She thought, doing her best to keep her expression neutral as Vytal began talking about painting. Off to the side she spotted Martin standing there, staring at her, only to tense up and reach for his ear. He frowned and looked away before making eye contact with the Chairman. She told her copy through their connection. Her copy said. ¨C Following the way the cameras shorted out briefly had been a pointless pursuit. Tracking just about anything had resulted in failure. That was until an unoccupied room near the top floor, one of the floors that had lost camera signal for several seconds, had its movement sensors go off. That wouldn¡¯t have been unusual, it could have been housekeeping. But no member of housekeeping was scheduled to be in that room at the present time. Ironsides gut told him that this was the place to be and he wasn¡¯t going to waste a second. He¡¯d hurried out of the security room and to the elevator, quickly reaching out to Martin through the earpiece. ¡°Martin, I think I found something. Cameras are out in the area but an unoccupied room¡¯s movement sensors are going off. I¡¯ll keep you posted,¡± Ironsides said as he stepped into the elevator. There was a momentary pause followed by, ¡°Understood. Do not engage if you see her.¡± Ironsides chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not you.¡± ¡°Just be careful,¡± Martin insisted. Ironsides smiled to himself and hit the button for his destination. He arrived a few moments later and stepped out onto the floor. It was just as grand and audacious as every other floor in the building and despite his knowledge to the contrary, nothing else seemed amiss. He made his way over to the door in question and pulled out the security card he¡¯d been given by the hotel staff. That was when the door opened of its own accord and the smell of blood hit him like a truck. He tensed, his relaxed demeanor melting away as he took in the scene. There was a body laying in plain sight on the floor, staring up at the ceiling with a bloody hole where the heart should be. His eyes shifted from the corpse to the person standing above it, a woman in a white leather combat suit wearing a smooth helmet that completely concealed her face. Long white hair flowed down her back before spreading out a bit. It was no wonder that Martin thought Ishtar was Sonya Chernovna. The hair color was so similar. And yet, Sonya was downstairs and Ishtar was right here. Right in front of him. He reached up and tapped his earpiece, ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± Another pause, ¡°I¡¯m on my way, do not move!¡± Ishtar tilted her head and held out a hand, beckoning him inside. ¡°I think that ship has sailed, Martin. Get up here fast,¡± He said as he strode inside and the door shut behind him, the lock engaging. His hands dropped to his sides, his fists clenching as the metal armor spread across his skin. ¡°Ishtar?¡± He asked. ¡°Ironsides, right?¡± Ishtar asked in a raspy hiss that made his skin crawl. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± He confirmed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d be willing to change sides?¡± Ishtar asked, ¡°I offer great benefits and I could make your life far more enjoyable than working for the Committee,¡± She said, ¡°We could make a deal. Money, new powers, comfort and security for your family. All you have to do is tell Martin that you were wrong and walk away,¡± Ishtar offered. He frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my family,¡± He said with a low growl. ¡°Three brothers, two sisters, an aunt, and a father in a wheelchair,¡± Ishtar said without heeding him at all, ¡°It must be tough supporting them all,¡± She said with a sigh and nodded, ¡°I get it. Taking care of the people you love is challenging.¡± His eyes narrowed and he reached up for his earpiece, ¡°Martin-¡± He winced when static and feedback filled his ear. ¡°None of that,¡± Ishtar said, her luminous eyes glowing brightly, ¡°I asked you a question.¡± ¡°Tell me why you¡¯re doing this, and I might consider it,¡± He said quickly, thinking on his feet. If he could just keep her talking then Martin could arrive and confirm. It was a pain but Martin had to make the call to bring in the international team as the Chief. Ishtar chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re not very good at lying, I¡¯m jealous, to be honest.¡± He frowned, ¡°Jealous?¡± She sighed, ¡°My primary ability restricts me a great deal, Ironsides,¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m physically incapable of lying. It¡¯s very troublesome,¡± She tilted her head to the right and pointed a finger at him, ¡°The offer was genuine, Ironsides. Please don¡¯t hold this against me,¡± She said as light began to blossom on her fingertip. Chapter 75 Ironsides took a step back, his eyes fixed on the villain in front of him. His mind reeled at the sudden revelation and the implications of her shift from conversation to force. The only reason she would have said anything about such a glaring weakness or feature of her person was if she fully intended to kill him. What was more jarring was the implication that she had been completely forthcoming about her offer. She was fully willing to negotiate with people and pull them over to her side. Then why had she so brutally murdered that guy? He thought, glancing at the glowing ball of light on her fingertip. Priorities, Ironsides! He dove to the left as a narrow beam of white light erupted from her fingertip. He whipped his head up and looked back over his shoulder, noting the perfectly circular hole that had been left in the door to the room. That wasn¡¯t a warning shot. He looked up just in time to see her coming towards him, fist raised and glowing eyes burning with malice. He raised his arms up and tanked the blow, the force spreading across his reinforced body and dispersing. It wasn¡¯t an overly hard hit, but it definitely would have killed a normal person. Light based attacks, enhanced strength, he memorized it, sweeping his foot out only to be surprised as she grabbed onto his wrist and threw herself up into the air like a gymnast, toes pointed to the low hanging ceiling. Her other hand slipped back and grabbed the handle of a knife she¡¯d had strapped across her lower back. He pushed up, trying to catch her foot on the ceiling and throw her off of him but she merely did a split, pushing off of him and drawing the knife in one motion. He kicked off the ground and rolled past the corpse on the ground, getting to his feet and bringing up his fists. Enhanced reflexes, definitely. The supervillain landed on her hand and pushed up, throwing herself back into the air and into a somersault, her body spinning like a top as the glint of metal blurred in his vision. He brought his arms up again and felt the blade graze against his skin, actually biting into flesh a little bit despite his reinforcement. The weapon is made of post-pandora material. He thought as he winced, taking another step back before responding with a haymaker towards her head. She spun out of the way and slid to a stop a few feet away, her shoulders relaxing a bit as she tilted her head thoughtfully. He was slower than her, but his body was durable, he could tank the hits long enough for Martin to get here. Not that Martin will be much help, but at least he has the authority to call for help. Damn those Pandora regulations. ¡°You¡¯re planning on delaying me,¡± Ishtar said. ¡°So?¡± He grunted, shifting a little to the left to get ready for a charge. ¡°That¡¯s cute,¡± She chuckled, ¡°You want your dear friend Martin to see me? His obsession isn¡¯t healthy, you know. It could even get you killed right here.¡± Ironsides frowned and clenched his fists tighter, ¡°A risk I¡¯m willing to take. I won¡¯t let you continue what you¡¯re doing, no matter the cost.¡± She raised her head a little, ¡°A proper hero, then,¡± She said, ¡°Apologies for not taking you seriously. I know very little about you so I assumed you were just another light-touched preferring to work for the committee rather than face the true dangers of hero work. I was wrong.¡± His brow furrowed, ¡°What does that mean?¡± She twirled the knife between her fingers, ¡°It means I¡¯m going to treat this fight as one between a hero and a villain,¡± She said and threw the knife. It zipped through the air and he barely had an instant to respond before she was next to him, driving her fist up and into his jaw. He felt his bones shift a little and his vision go white as he was carried up into the air with the uppercut. His reinforced body was the only reason his spine wasn¡¯t ripped out right then and there. Something grabbed onto his ankle and the next thing he knew he was crashing through the small wardrobe on one side of the room. The force of the impact forced his eyes open and his vision shook as he looked up at his ankle. She was still gripping it. That mocking tilt to her head was gone. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She demanded in her bloodthirsty rasp and held up her other hand, light forming on her fingertip again. ¡°Fight back, hero!¡± She snarled as another bolt of light launched at him. He threw himself to the left and twisted with all his might, wrenching his ankle out of her grip and rolling across the ground. He bounced off the bed a few meters away and hurtled at her, fist outstretched. She stepped aside and backhanded him, sending a shock through his brain as he stumbled. He blinked only to have the air knocked out of him by a blow to the gut, his ribs shrieking with pain. He dropped to his knees as his legs lost strength for a moment and he felt her steel-like fingers tangle in his hair. She pulled him back to his feet. ¡°Stand up,¡± She hissed and struck him again, sending him stumbling back towards the bed only for her to be there, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him up again, ¡°I said, stand up!¡± She snarled and struck him across the face. She has too many powers, I can¡¯t figure out what it is! He reached for her wrist and tried to bring his senses back in order, his head spinning but his spirit unwilling to bend to her ruthless assault. He clenched down, squeezing with every ounce of strength he had and opened his eyes, looking back into the unfeeling gaze of her helmet. He spat on it. ¡°Monster,¡± He snarled and swung his other arm, driving it into the side of her helmet. It didn¡¯t even crack. She tilted her head a bit with the blow, looking away for a moment before looking back at him, ¡°Better,¡± She hissed and lashed out again. ¨C The elevator didn¡¯t work, none of them did. Everything was going wrong. Martin raced up the stairs with his gun in hand and his fingers pressed to his ear. ¡°Ironsides! Ironsides! Damn it answer me! I told you not to engage!¡± He shouted into his earpiece as he rounded another flight and kept running, his legs pumping for all they were worth. He needed to get there faster, he had to get there faster. He was the only one who had the authority to call on the heroes and only with visual confirmation. He knew he could throw his weight around and get it to happen anyway, but bending the rules, even once, even now, he knew it would set a precedent that he couldn¡¯t come back from. He grit his teeth and kept running. Hold on man, I¡¯m coming. ¨C Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Hyunh raced into the room, slamming the door behind her. She knew it was a terrible idea to let Duong out of her sight right now but just sitting there as the panicked messages were coming in was only going to distract her further. She needed to know what was going on back at home. She quickly dialed the number and held her phone up to her ear, the tone ringing over and over until it clicked over into voicemail. She hung up immediately with a curse and dialed another number, then another, and another. It was the sixth person who answered, her younger cousin, Bian. ¡°Bian! Bian! What¡¯s going on over there?¡± ¡°Cousin Hyunh? Oh thank goodness you¡¯re okay I-¡± The teen started rambling. ¡°Bian! Focus, tell me what is happening, is there anyone there with you?¡± She asked urgently. Bian hesitated then spoke, ¡°Y-yes, Uncle Giang is here.¡± ¡°Put him on, sweetie, please,¡± Hyunh urged her. ¡°But-¡± ¡°Please!¡± There was a moments pause and then she heard a wet cough through the phone. She winced before a tired voice spoke, ¡°Little Hyunh.¡± ¡°Uncle Giang, what is happening over there?¡± She asked. ¡°Started this morning, strange numbers in our financials, money started disappearing. It kept getting worse, Hyunh, by the evening no matter what we did, we couldn¡¯t get the clan and syndicate to stop hemorrhaging,¡± He grunted, coughing again, ¡°Then the kids started to disappear.¡± He coughed again, ¡°After that, they showed up, those people with hoods and knives.¡± Hyunh¡¯s heart clenched in her chest, ¡°Hemorrhaging? People with hoods and knives?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯re killing everyone, men, women, any of the young people left like Bian, it doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s like the entire clan has a death mark on them,¡± Giang wheezed, ¡°I barely made it out alive to a safe house with little Bian here.¡± Hyunh sank to her knees, ¡°Did anyone else make it out?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I-¡± The sound of a door opening with a bang echoed through the speaker on her phone followed by a scream and two gunshots. Silence followed that, only footsteps filling in the void. She stared at the ground in horror as the speaker rustled, someone was picking up the phone. She jolted and looked up, ¡°Bian? Giang?¡± She shouted, ¡°Are you alright? Who was that? What happened?¡± ¡°Feng Hyunh?¡± A gravelly voice said. Rage, grief, confusion and hate exploded in her mind, tears streaming down her face, ¡°Who the hell are you people? What do you want? Why are you doing this?¡± She screamed. ¡°I have a message from the Night Society,¡± The voice said, not even reacting to her shrieking. Her entire body went still as numbness washed over her, ¡°We have been ordered to exterminate the Feng Clan and Da Mao Syndicate, our orders are also to leave you as the sole survivor. From this moment forth, neither organization exists. This is the decree of the Headmaster and of Mistress Ishtar. As of now, we sever our connection to you and your organization. You may not call on us again. Goodbye, Feng Hyunh.¡± Click. Hyunh dropped the phone and tilted her eyes up towards the ceiling. ¡°My god,¡± She breathed, her hands reaching up, cupping over her mouth to restrain the coming scream as her entire world began to fall apart. ¨C Ishtar threw Ironsides across the room again before taking a few steps and grabbing him by the shirt and pushing him up the wall to hang a head above her. His face was covered in blood and bruises, his metallic skin cracked and worn down by constant blows. She frowned a little beneath her helmet, she hadn¡¯t even had to push herself all that hard to deal with him. She had hoped his confidence was grounded in something, that she might even have to use uptime a little bit even if Sonya had warned her not to. Disappointing, she thought coldly, letting him go and watching him fall into a barely seated heap on the ground. She sensed the signal trying to reach him, Martin trying over and over to contact him over the security channel they shared. She almost felt a little guilty, it was one of Sonya¡¯s suggestions during the formation of the current incarnation of the Pandora Committee that had created the shackles that Martin was dealing with now. She huffed and dismissed the momentary feeling, A wise man would not have taken my invitation. You were overconfident, Ironsides. He tilted his head and looked up at her, glaring death in her direction. ¡°Still alive?¡± She asked. ¡°Fuck you, villain,¡± He spat. She let out a sigh and pointed at his knee, releasing a beam of hard light that punctured his bone and ruined the limb. He let out a grunt of pain and threw his head back, seizing up a little as agony worked through him. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very polite,¡± She hissed, canting her head to the right. ¡°Is that how you talk to someone who¡¯s considering letting you live?¡± His lips curled back, ¡°Why are you doing all this?¡± He snarled. ¡°I already told you the answer to that question,¡± She said with a sigh, ¡°You are a really poor listener aren¡¯t you? I told you to be more polite,¡± She bit out and ruined his other knee with a bolt of hard light. She watched him writhe for a little while, disgust coiling in her guts. It was a shame, really, he had potential and a spine, but he had wasted his time playing detective rather than building up his powers and becoming someone who could actually put up a fight. He¡¯d be useless in the future, especially when the world changed once again. Although, perhaps this loss could motivate him to grow in the future. ¡°I have an offer for you,¡± She hissed. He narrowed his eyes in disgust, ¡°I want nothing from you.¡± She held up a hand, ¡°Hear me out,¡± She said, ¡°You have two paths I can offer you with a shake of the hand,¡± She began and held up one finger. ¡°First, I can heal your legs and in exchange you can take your death like a hero after I have a conversation with Martin in which you remain silent, you have an honorable end and I will tell him as much.¡± She held up the second finger, ¡°You agree never to speak a word of what you learned about me, you go through your life knowing but unable to tell the truth to anyone, not even Martin. But you get to live through this night and find some other way to try to bring me down.¡± She held out her hand again, ¡°Which is it going to be, hero?¡± ¨C The radio crackled back to life. ¡°Ironsides!¡± Martin shouted as he ran up the stairs. He was almost there, just another floor to go. ¡°He fought well,¡± A terrible hissing voice rasped through the radio. He nearly stumbled to a stop, his heart locking up in his chest as his eyes went wide with panic, ¡°Ishtar!¡± He shouted, ¡°Where is Ironsides? What have you done?¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to kill him,¡± She said, her cruel voice remarkably soft despite her words. ¡°Don¡¯t! We can talk about-¡± He started but he just heard her scoff over the radio. ¡°Do us both a favor and stop,¡± She said, ¡°You¡¯re dishonoring him. He fought well, I said, he will die a hero, on his own two feet, mighty for having lasted as long as he did against me. Be proud of your friend.¡± ¡°You!¡± He snarled, picking up his pace despite how much his muscles ached, he pulled out his phone and tapped in the emergency code, confirming that Ishtar was present and the room number. He hit send and the message got stuck on sending. ¡°Martin, I¡¯m going to give you an offer, a present left in this room with your friend. I do hope you take it with you, I left a note with it, just for you,¡± She said, ¡°You can send your cute little message now,¡± There was a pause, ¡°He¡¯s dead. Goodbye for now, Martin.¡± The blip of the message finally going through didn¡¯t even register as Martin stumbled on the staircase and caught himself against the wall, breathing hard, all he could hear was static. Chapter 76 Martin burst into the room, his gun raised and at the ready. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of blood and sweat that permeated the room. He took a quick look around, frowning when he didn¡¯t see anyone at first from where he stood. He didn¡¯t notice the way some of the shadow in the entry hall thickened beneath his feet for a moment before passing like a whale cresting beneath the surface of the ocean. He crept inside slowly, still ready for whatever might come, still prepared to fight if he had to. His phone rang in his pocket and he snatched it up, opening it and pressing it to his ear. ¡°I¡¯m in the room, Sir,¡± Martin said quickly. ¡°No sign of Ishtar.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending Vytal and Black Lotus,¡± The Chairman said, his voice grim, ¡°Any sign of Ironsides?¡± Martin took a few more steps, moving through the entry hall and into the main part of the small hotel room. He glanced down at the ground, first, where a puddle of blood still lay sticky on the carpet. He panned his view up and to the right, his eyes trained to focus on the space immediately in front of him in order to not miss clues or relevant details. It was kind of like putting on blinders. There had been a struggle, the wardrobe was smashed into numerous pieces from what looked like an impact from above. He panned his vision to the left, to the far bed first which had its blankets tossed and splattered with blood. There were spots of blood all over the walls as well. Then he focused on the bed nearest to him and his time stopped. Ironsides was just laying there, on his back, eyes closed as if he¡¯d just fallen asleep. Martin felt his shoulder go numb for a moment and his weapon fell to his side. He swallowed, ¡°I found Ironsides,¡± Martin grunted. He walked over to his friend and leaned over the bed, checking his pulse. ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Martin said, his voice stiff and clinical even as his mind seemed to spin. He took a few steps back and sat down on the bed across from his friend. His gun locked in his grip, his eyes fixed on the still corpse. He looked so peaceful. The only signs that he¡¯d even been in a fight were the bloodstains and tears on his clothes. The fatal wound wasn¡¯t even truly evident. He regarded the man he had worked with these past few months since the flash, the man who had demonstrated to him that the light-touched weren¡¯t all bad. He¡¯d seen the heroes do their work but Martin had always seen them as grandstanding even as they¡¯d demonstrated their honor time and time again. He just couldn¡¯t let go of the understanding that they were vigilantes in his mind. Lucian-no-Ironsides had been someone who didn¡¯t need the recognition, his only goal was to use his abilities to do a little good in the world. He¡¯d changed Martin¡¯s mind about heroes. He¡¯d helped him accept reality even while his single-minded obsession with Ishtar had inevitably led to this point. The thought brought a frown to his face. No, it wasn¡¯t his fault. Ironsides would never feel that way. As evil as that woman was, she was right to warn him against devaluing what Ironsides had tried to do. The thought that he agreed with anything Ishtar had to say made him even more sick now than it could have ever possibly made him before. He looked away, glancing at the nightstand between the beds. There was a large envelope there, held down by the alarm clock. Ishtar¡¯s letter. He realized and finally engaged the safety on his gun before slipping it back into his coat. He picked it up and opened it. He numbly pulled the two sheets of paper out. The first was on the white lined paper of the complementary notepads that one could find in the drawers of the hotel. The other was on a thick paper that reminded him of some kind of parchment. He read the note first, he¡¯d seen his name at the top. The text was a bit unsettling, it had been clearly written in pen but it was so rigid and straight he could have been convinced it was printed by a computer. Won¡¯t even let me get an idea of your penmanship. His detective brain groused, grasping for some details to distract himself from the reality he sat across from. ¡®Chief Investigator Martin, For what it is worth, I am sorry it came to this. Your partner was a good man and fought me valiantly. I gave him a choice at the end, to die standing and as a hero or live but never be able to tell a soul of what he had learned from our fight. Perhaps it is the compulsion of my ability, the implication of the deal offered, but I am compelled as I write. I am incapable of telling lies. Do with that information as you will, detective. Your friend earned it for you. As for the contents of this envelope. It contains a contract. This contract is capable of awakening the unawakened abilities possessed by a non-light touched person who signs it. The terms are simple. It is you who must make a choice now. Right now you are but a fish in the ocean where I own the sharks. You can allow yourself to fall behind, slide into obscurity and be consumed. Or you can use this opportunity and attempt to catch up. The choice of whether or not we continue this game of cat and mouse is on your shoulders, detective. I am curious as to which is more important to you, your principles or your need to be the one to catch me. In full transparency, I will likely endeavor to kill you tonight if you choose not to at least consider my offer. My Condolences for your Loss, Ishtar¡¯ There were striations on the paper, signs that it had endured more than just the movements of the pen across it. She had used superhuman speed to write it, if he had to guess. It had only taken him a few minutes to arrive at the room after her first contact. Those observations were the first numb thoughts that occurred to him as the rest of it sank in. She was compelled? She can¡¯t lie? He looked up at Ironsides¡¯ body, his lips trembling as he moved to the next document. It was indeed a contract. He felt something inside the paper that tingled against his fingers, something unidentifiable to his senses. Just like she¡¯d said, the terms were straightforward and simple. Signing this document would awaken powers for him, but Ishtar would be able to withdraw one favor of her choosing at the time of her choosing from the signator. While the contract remained unfulfilled, the signator could not speak of anything related to the contract or its creator, Ishtar. If an individual touching the contract chooses to expose information about the contract or the creator before signing the contract, the contract will be voided and its powers dispersed. He stared at the names at the bottom. ¡®Endorsed by: Ishtar Notarized by: Mephisto¡¯ A new henchman, probably one with a dealmaking ability given his name. Martin shuddered. He didn¡¯t notice his phone buzz in his pocket, nor did he notice the small gathering of shadow in the corner of the room, observing him. He only hung his head, both pieces of paper clenched in his hands as he wrestled with it all. I should hand it over, this is wrong to even consider this while sitting here. He thought as the shadow behind him grew deeper. He swallowed hard, She read me like a book. Damn it. His phone buzzed again and he finally answered it. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Martin,¡± He said hollowly. ¡°Are you alright? I¡¯ve been trying to contact you,¡± The Chairman said. Martin looked at the document in his hands, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just sitting here.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± The Chairman said after a long pause. ¡°Black Lotus and Vytal are on their way, the elevators in the hotel have been disabled, likely by Ishtar. They are taking the stairs. They should be there in just a few moments.¡± Martin folded the document and note without thinking, slipping them into the inner pocket of his coat. ¡°Understood sir,¡± Behind him, the growing shadow faded away. ¨C Black Lotus watched as the Chief Investigator left the room, his eyes sunken, his expression filled with a mixture of grief, resolve, rage, and confusion. She looked over at the still body of his partner. She had to give the man credit for being so stoic in the face of such a terrible loss. It was not easy to lose a comrade. She squared her shoulders and glanced around the room. There was evidence that another corpse had been in the room at one point, the blood pooling on the carpet being the indicator. They weren¡¯t sure who she¡¯d killed, but Ironsides had indicated that there had been a body in his message to the Chief. ¡°It¡¯s unblemished,¡± Black Lotus said thoughtfully, standing next to the body. Vytal stepped over and placed a hand on Ironside¡¯s body before abruptly pulling his hand back, his blue eyes going wide. ¡°This man was completely healed before his death. There are several incredibly small puncture wounds remaining. Such precision,¡± Vytal said hesitantly, ¡°He was killed painlessly, though based on the state of his clothing and the room he clearly put up quite the fight.¡± Black Lotus frowned, what kind of person would do such a thing? Was it out of some sense of honor? In her brief conversation with the Chief before sending him away, she¡¯d learned a bit about what Ishtar had to say when she took Ironside¡¯s radio. ¡°She wanted him presentable for a funeral. We¡¯re not dealing with a normal mind here,¡± She said evenly, crossing her arms and glancing around the room. ¡°I could have told you that, this woman is insane,¡± Vytal said darkly. ¡°No,¡± Black Lotus said with a shake of her head, ¡°I get the feeling she is very, very sane. Something far worse than a crazy person.¡± ¨C Ishtar sat in the dark and empty hotel room with a smile on her face. Blackrazor had been very kind to move her into the room rather than her using technopathy to open the door and alert the hotel¡¯s computers that the room had been accessed. She had taken pains to disable the motion sensors that controlled the lights, she had a feeling they served a greater purpose than illumination. Her helmet was at her side as she leaned back, her eyes closed. She was sharing everything that had happened with the real body. The shadows around her stirred and she opened her eyes, turning to where Blackrazor was taking shape. The man stepped into physical being and regarded her as she returned his stare with a smile. ¡°How did it go?¡± She asked as he lowered himself to a knee. ¡°It would appear he is considering it,¡± Blackrazor said, his tone thoughtful. ¡°You disapprove?¡± She asked curtly. He shifted a little and she grinned at him, ¡°It¡¯s okay to have your own thoughts, Blackrazor. Speak your mind.¡± ¡°There is a lot that could go wrong now that I am no longer observing him,¡± He said. ¡°The man sticks to his decisions,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°If he took the document with him, he will sign it. Even if he doesn¡¯t, that¡¯s still beneficial to me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Blackrazor said after a long pause, his shoulders slouching a little. ¡°If he divulges the information about my so-called weakness and the contracts, that will only be a net positive. He can''t prove that Ishtar and Sonya Chernovna are one and the same, so he can only apply it to Ishtar. People talk, Blackrazor. Word spreads. Leaks happen. Information from a reliable source like the Pandora Committee¡¯s investigation unit is very trustworthy. People will know a deal with me can be made with confidence,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°They will know that I can give them power with only a favor in exchange.¡± She tilted her head to the right and beamed at him, ¡°And if he chooses to sign, he will have compromised his morals and turned into a far more interesting opponent. He will also be unable to speak about my abilities until I call to collect, which I have no intention of doing unless absolutely necessary,¡± She let out a laugh. ¡°In other words, regardless of the outcome, I win.¡± He looked up at her and his expression grew thoughtful. He smiled, ¡°Masterfully done, Mistress.¡± She snorted, ¡°A bit improvised, in my opinion, but I am not one to avoid capitalizing.¡± She slid to her feet and began disrobing, ignoring the startled look from Blackrazor as she folded the garment and set it on the bed next to her helmet. She glanced over her shoulder at him, ¡°Take this to my hotel room, please.¡± He got to his feet and nodded, ¡°What about you?¡± She shrugged, ¡°What about me? I am nothing more than a highly functional clone made from an ability and my time is at an end. Persisting only serves to trouble your true mistress. Now go,¡± She said with a dismissive wave. He nodded brusquely and scooped up her regalia, turning into shadows without another word and disappearing into the floor. She watched him go and let out a sigh, rubbing her shoulders and popping her neck. ¡°This was fun,¡± She hummed to herself as she walked to the shower and slipped inside, standing beneath the showerhead and turning it on. She closed her eyes and let out a breath as her hair fell around her. Ishtar said through their connection. Sonya joked back. Ishtar said seriously. Ishtar said and cut the connection. She looked down at her feet and back up at the showerhead before smiling. ¡°One day, we¡¯ll have a proper talk,¡± She said with a sigh as her body began to melt. It dissolved into naught but a grayish sludge that dissolved in the water, disappearing down the drain without a trace. ¨C Sonya¡¯s lip twitched as she sat across from the Chairman who hung up the phone and let out a sigh, ¡°Very troubling,¡± He said with a shake of his head. ¡°He was a good man.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard,¡± Sonya said, sounding equally saddened, ¡°I have only encountered him a few times and read his dossier.¡± The Chairman glanced her way, ¡°You followed up on him?¡± She sighed, ¡°Of course I did, your new Chief Investigator is his partner and the man has had a very singular interest in me for quite some time. I like to know who my potential enemies are.¡± The Chairman¡¯s shoulders slumped, ¡°It¡¯s plain as day that his suspicions are unfounded, just look at the situation. You¡¯ve been down here with me the entire time,¡± He shook his head and rubbed his temple, ¡°It¡¯ll be a bit indelicate but I¡¯ll order him to stay away from you. I think giving him a lengthy break might also be in order.¡± She smiled, ¡°I think you¡¯re being rather kind.¡± He smiled back at her, ¡°Now, about tomorrow. I assume with the situation as it is you¡¯d rather not risk yourself in going to the dungeon? My son is still very excited and I¡¯m sure my future daughter-in-law would be very disappointed to not go. She seems to like you.¡± Our little deal seems to have quite the effect, is it really coloring the direction of your thoughts to the point of rationalizing? Fascinating. I wish I could study you longer. She thought before she held up a hand, ¡°Chairman, your son will be with us, what do I have to be afraid of?¡± She asked with a small smile, ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, despite the tragedy of the evening, our plans for tomorrow remain unchanged. You do need to see a dungeon first hand after all, right?¡± He smiled, looking a little relieved, ¡°Right.¡± Chapter 77 Hyunh stood over the sink, staring at herself as the acidic smell burned at her nostrils. She struggled to right her mental state, reign in the horror that was gripping her. She could barely comprehend the nightmare her life had turned into in just a matter of hours. Reports had stopped coming in at some point and even her phone had been disconnected at one point. Her hair was a mess, bags hung under her eyes and her makeup was smeared. The emptiness gave way to a maddening ache before slipping back into numbness again. She couldn¡¯t breathe long enough to feel anything in any normal way. It was a living hell. She¡¯d lost everything. His presence entered the hotel room. Everything but him. He was all she had left, his power, his connections, his authority. If she lost him then she would have nothing. She would be a nobody, a helpless tumbleweed in the merciless winds of the world. She gripped the sink and bore her teeth. Ishtar. Her true enemy¡¯s name was Ishtar. Whomever this person was, the enmity had been more than personal. The agent of the Night Society had been instructed to tell her without reservation that Hyunh was to be the sole survivor of the extermination of clan and syndicate. It was intentional. This person wanted to leave her with nothing, to make her feel unimaginable suffering. If she wasn¡¯t sure that Sonya Chernovna wasn¡¯t capable of such absolute wretchedness and evil, she would have believed it was her. But while the woman was a bit conniving, she was so obviously a disgusting paragon of the new world and heroes that Hyunhs mind couldn¡¯t rationalize any form of connection. What would Hyunh have done to her to deserve this sort of wrath anyway? It didn¡¯t make sense. None of it made sense. Who had she wronged so deeply to deserve this? She chewed her lip until the flesh tore and blood dripped onto the sink. A knock came to the door and she turned her head frantically. ¡°You¡¯re fraying,¡± Was the only thing he said. She snarled and threw the door open, looking him in the eyes and baring her teeth. He looked back at her without a lick of sympathy in his eyes. She drove her fist into the wall next to his head, her eyes blazing with amethyst light. ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are? You¡¯re mine, mine!¡± She snarled, ¡°Talking like that to me!¡± He grinned at her, his hands twitching involuntarily at his sides, ¡°I¡¯m awake, but I can¡¯t hurt you,¡± He said with a chuckle, ¡°But for some reason I¡¯m enjoying this way more.¡± She held back a scream as she punched the wall again, getting right in his face. She felt a spark jump between his nose and hers and she winced, hauling back and slapping him across the face. ¡°Like you deserve any better! Murderer! Psychopath! You fucking lunatic, if it wasn¡¯t for me you would have gone off the deep end long ago, killed the wrong person. Put down like the rabid dog you are.¡± He just looked away, amusement in his eyes as his cheek turned red from the blow. She felt him push back against her control again. He wanted to kill her. She knew it. If she lost control of him it would all be over, he could walk away and it would be worse than killing her. She grabbed him by the shirt and she felt him try to attack her with his powers. She pressed down on his mind with all of her might. She knew he was more powerful than her, but that didn¡¯t matter, while his power was greater her reserves were greater still. She¡¯d never felt exhausted while using her powers even while others claimed that they had felt tired or weary when pushing themselves. As far as she knew, she was limitless. Her concentration may waver but her power, my power. She reminded herself as she pushed and pushed and pushed while he raged and rallied with all his might, trying again to break his containment. She knew that it was the wrong way to handle this. She knew that wearing him down slowly was the more effective course of action. She knew that she could fragment his psyche and turn him into an animal if he ever managed to break free while under this kind of pressure. At this point, she didn¡¯t give a fuck. She wildly smashed his psyche over and over as she took her grief out on him, crushing his mind into powder. When she was done, he stood there, vacant, while she laughed. ¡°See? I¡¯m still in control here! Not you!¡± She snarled and slapped him again, ¡°Not you! Me!¡± She slapped him again and again, tears streaming down her face as her laughter filled the room. ¨C FACULTY EXCURSION COMPLETE The cold, unfeeling text message came through and Blackrazor held it up for Sonya to see. She was sitting on her bed now, stroking her helmet and reflecting on the memories sent over to her through her connection with her copy. The copy had done exactly as she would have if she were in the role of Ishtar, still, it felt strange experiencing it all vicariously. It was still her committing the acts, she understood that on an instinctual level from the way the duplication ability worked. Yet there was an unsettling separation there. She could honestly say that Ishtar had done those things and not Sonya. She stared at the text message for only a few heartbeats before waving it away. ¡°Thank you, Blackrazor. Good work as always,¡± She said and returned to stroking the helmet. Her eyes fixed on the wall in thought. ¡°You know what to do next?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be ready, mistress,¡± He said before giving her a sidelong look as he got to his feet. His face turned a bit rosy. She glanced up at him with a raised eyebrow before pursing her lips and smiling at him, ¡°Was it that nice?¡± She teased him. He cleared his throat, ¡°Just unexpected.¡± She barked out a laugh and relaxed, leaning back on the bed and glancing over at Marta who had taken to reading a comic on her own bed. The woman looked up with a frown of confusion at the exchange and Sonya clarified, ¡°My copy decided to strip down out of the regalia in front of dear Blackrazor here,¡± She said with a light chuckle. ¡°Poor thing is all worked up now.¡± ¡°Mistress!¡± Blackrazor protested. Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°Go play or something, I want you focused tomorrow.¡± He tensed and then nodded, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± He said and disappeared into the floor. ¡°Things are going smoothly,¡± Marta said absently, looking back down at her comic and flipping a page. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sonya let out a sigh and got to her feet, crawling onto the bed with Marta and wrapping her arms around her friends waist, peering over her shoulder to read the comic as well. She barely understood what was going on so just closed her eyes, ¡°What happened with Ironsides feels unsettlingly separate from me,¡± Sonya said with a sigh and rest her head on Marta¡¯s shoulder, Without prompting, Marta reached up and stroked her hair. Her friends hand felt warm and it loosened a knot in her chest. She squeezed Marta tighter, ¡°You¡¯ve been committed for a while now,¡± Marta said, ¡°There¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it before,¡± Sonya said quietly, ¡°I¡¯ve accepted that.¡± ¡°Then let''s see tomorrow through to the end,¡± Marta agreed. ¡°I¡¯m your weapon. Wield me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Marta.¡± Sonya was surprised she¡¯d managed to sleep as deeply as she did after that. She had figured she would have dreams or nightmares. She had expected that the thought of something going wrong would leave her tossing and turning. Yet all she felt was confidence. She was satisfied with how things had turned out with Ironsides. She was elated that her revenge against Hyunh was progressing to its conclusion. She was ready for what was to come. She had built herself up, hardened herself, tempered herself with one crime and act of villainy after another. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. ¨C Chunhua rested her hand on her sword as she watched the vehicle go. The Chief Inspector of the North American division of the Pandora Committee was onboard with the body of his partner. They were being transported to the airport to return to New York for an official funeral. Martin had told her that he would be taking a leave of absence for a while. It wasn¡¯t required by the committee but he had been a police officer before his current work and had a strong sense of responsibility and self awareness. She had applauded his decision, right now his judgment would be clouded by what had happened. It was for the best. She sensed the Chairman approach her from the side. ¡°Chairman.¡± ¡°Black Lotus,¡± He said, trying to sound more merry than he felt, ¡°I got your message, you¡¯ve decided to stay for a few more days?¡± ¡°Ishtar is a serious threat to the worlds security and I want to know what her scheme is,¡± She said, ¡°She murdered one of our own, as honorable as she¡¯d been, she¡¯s still a hated enemy. I may respect how she composed herself but-¡± She trailed off and gripped the handle of her sword tightly. ¡°I understand, it¡¯s fine,¡± He said with a nod, ¡°Will you be coming with my little party to the dungeon to see it firsthand?¡± She shook her head, ¡°That had been my plan initially, but I think it¡¯s best if my team patrols the city and stays on alert. You have what Euclidia gave you?¡± She asked. He nodded, ¡°I have it, I¡¯ll call you if something serious happens.¡± She let out a breath, ¡°Good, good.¡± They stood in silence for a moment before he cleared his throat, trying to change the subject to something a bit more light hearted, ¡°So, you took quite an interest in Miss Chernovna. You were hanging on her every word last night.¡± Chunhua nearly jumped, whipping her head in his direction as heat rose to her face, ¡°Ch-Chairman! That¡¯s not an appropriate topic of conversation, sir!¡± She protested. He raised an eyebrow, ¡°She was eyeballing you as well,¡± He said with a shrug, ¡°I don¡¯t know, young lady, I just think that in times like these we should take advantage of moments to find a little joy and enjoyment. Maybe I¡¯m just an old man, though.¡± She scratched her nose, ¡°It has been a long time since someone spoke to me like that. I am used to formality, sir.¡± He snorted, ¡°Everyone noticed.¡± She groaned, ¡°Was it really that bad?¡± He pat her shoulder, ¡°Good luck on your patrol, young lady. Be safe.¡± ¨C Afternoon came faster than anyone was really prepared for. There was no fanfare with their departure from the hotel. No grand conversations or witty banter. Sonya, Marta, Hyunh, An Set, and the Chairman simply got into the car and drove through town until they arrived at an abandoned construction site. The fences around it were ten feet high, keeping out all but the most intrepid troublemakers. Outside the skeleton of what would have been a high rise, the life and lights of Vegas moved on as if nothing was coming. Sonya got out first, stretching and grinning brightly to herself. She felt immensely satisfied. The reason came in the form of the pair that stepped out after her. An Set had no light in his eyes at all, his expression nearly dead, he was practically a walking corpse at this point. Next to him, Hyunh wasn¡¯t faring much better. She¡¯d managed to clean herself up at least, her appearance immaculate as always. Her eyes were trembling though and she flinched at small sounds. Sonya savored the sight and could practically taste those final moments already. Just a little longer. Marta got out next, she was wearing her Handmaiden regalia with the full armored gauntlets and maid uniform. Her expression stern as she moved to stand next to Sonya and shadow her protectively. Sonya cast her dearest friend a smile and for a brief moment the veneer of the focused bodyguard broke to return it. Finally, the most oblivious man on the planet as far as Sonya was concerned stepped out of the car with a belly laugh. ¡°Is it really here?¡± He asked, amused. ¡°It is, according to the radar,¡± Sonya said and gestured to the gates. ¡°We have permission to go in?¡± She confirmed. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve already handled it,¡± The Chairman said, walking over with them. Marta stepped up when they arrived at the gates and with a quick motion she grabbed the chains keeping them closed and ripped them apart. The Chairman made a surprised noise, ¡°My goodness! That¡¯s a way to do it!¡± Sonya snorted and locked arms with him before glancing over her shoulder at Hyunh, ¡°Are you alright, miss Feng? You were so excited to be here yesterday.¡± Hyunh shook herself and forced a smile, her eyes still unsteady behind the paper-thin veneer of confidence, ¡°Just lost in thought! I¡¯m thrilled to see this place, aren¡¯t you, dear?¡± She asked An Set who nodded numbly. The Chairman nodded proudly, ¡°Not even tragedy can bring down your spirits, I applaud you lot!¡± He said with a chuckle and walked arm in arm with Sonya into the building. It didn¡¯t take long to find the portal. The pylons grew out of the ground in sharp relief from the off-gray metal of everything else in the skeletal structure. They stood tall at the very heart of the place, the only reason they weren¡¯t visible to outsiders was the ceiling above and the fences around the place. Otherwise it was down right out in the open. Between the pillars, the swirling lights of a dungeon portal glimmered and rippled as the air grew thick with energy the closer they got. The Chairman came to a stop and let out a breath of excitement, ¡°My word, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°And incredibly dangerous,¡± Sonya confirmed. ¡°So this is what happens when mana gathers and packs itself together, fascinating,¡± The old man said, walking forward to get a closer look. Sonya walked over to join him and regarded the portal thoughtfully. She¡¯d been through this portal once before, she¡¯d watched Chunhua go through it as well, she remembered the ache of seeing the woman she hadn¡¯t realized until that moment that she loved enter. She almost reached out to touch it before pulling her hand back. ¡°You like pretty things too?¡± He laughed. She grinned at him, ¡°I have my tastes.¡± He laughed harder, ¡°Duong, my boy! Hyunh dear! Get over here and have a good look! It¡¯s amazing up close. Like water!¡± Sonya took a step back to give them some space, meeting Hyunh¡¯s gaze briefly and shrugging at her. The woman glared at her but otherwise paid her no mind, stopping in front of it. Sonya could tell that the woman couldn¡¯t appreciate what she was seeing, her mind far away. She took a moment to appreciate the look in Hyunhs eyes, the faint slouch to her posture, the image of herself during those last days after losing both Marta and Chunhua. You know how it feels, now. She thought darkly. Good. Now die like that. What happened next happened so fast that for a moment the world seemed to go completely still. Veloce, who had been hiding in the building since the previous night, darted out of her hiding spot and zipped across the ground at top speed. Marta was the first to notice, already aware of the plan. A true actress, she shouted Sonya¡¯s name in horror and tackled Sonya protectively to the ground. The Chairman was the next to react, turning his head around and looking wildly at the blur approaching him and his family. An Set didn¡¯t move, his mind buried so far down that he didn¡¯t even flinch when Hyunh turned and let out a cry of panic, the blur of Veloce colliding with her and sending both of them hurtling through the portal. ¨C Hyunh landed in a heap atop dirt and rocks, rolling several meters before stumbling and scrambling to get some sort of sense of what had happened. She stood up, breathing hard, panic rising in her chest as she looked around. She was standing in a barren canyon, rocky terrain stretching out behind her and walls of sheer stone stretching up on either side. It only took a second to realize what had happened when she turned to see the strange woman standing in front of the portal. ¡°Who are you? Do you realize what you¡¯ve done?!¡± Hyunh screamed. The woman just shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t really care, Ishtar says jump and all that.¡± Hyunh stumbled backwards, ¡°Ishtar?¡± She blinked, ¡°Ishtar? She sent you?¡± She frantically reached for her connection with Duong, stretching her will out as far as it could go but she felt nothing. Not a hint of his presence in her mind. She looked up at the portal as the woman just waved and turned back, darting out. Hyunh started to run to follow her but slid to a stop. He¡¯s loose on the other side of that portal. She realized. I can¡¯t go back! She held up her hands to her head. I can¡¯t go back! She turned around, looking for another route out when she saw figures racing towards her, they looked like little men with doglike faces and snouts. They were carrying spears and waving them with wild abandon. Monsters. She looked back at the portal. Duong. She looked back at the monsters again and gripped at her hair. Her eyes bulged, her face contorting as nearly all reason began to melt from her mind. She tore at her hair, her emotions exploding into a single scream of hate and terror. ¡°ISHTAR!¡± Side Story: Team Firestorm ¡°Fucking run!¡± Bandit shouted, racing down the path as a low rumble followed him. The others just stared at him as he darted past and leaped over the small ledge leading down to the platform below where they¡¯d been standing. Firestorm scratched his head and glanced over at Bluestar who gave him a frustrated look, Lifesaver was already silently hopping over the side behind Bandit, not bothering to wait for them. ¡°What?¡± He asked. ¡°You just had to say it,¡± Bluestar said, ¡°You knew he was going to do it if you said something like that.¡± He flushed as the rumbling grew louder, ¡°Now, In my defense it is a good movie.¡± She threw her head back and groaned, ¡°You know that¡¯s not the point!¡± She sighed and stalked towards the edge next to him, the noise now nearly deafening. She casually threw a hand back and muttered something, a blue flash of light erupting behind them followed by the sound of numerous fleshy objects striking something very hard, very fast. Firestorm decided not to glance back at the hideous mess created by the raging horde of high speed monsters that had been turned into windshield splatters. She gestured at the ledge and a blue glowing staircase took shape, ¡°We had no idea what that lever did.¡± ¡°And now we do, so when the next team comes in to clear out the monsters, they won¡¯t make the same mistake!¡± Firestorm said with a grin. She rolled her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re grumpy today,¡± Firestorm shot back, ¡°Come on, we¡¯re in a magic extradimensional dungeon surrounded by monsters and hidden passages and treasure sometimes. Doesn¡¯t that inspire childlike glee in you?¡± She kept walking down the steps next to him, her arms crossed, but a small smile played on her lips. She sighed and shook her head before grinning at him, ¡°Neither of you said ¡®wrong lever¡¯.¡± She pointed out. He slapped himself, ¡°Oh shit! You¡¯re right!¡± He leaned forward a bit as they approached Bandit and Lifesaver. ¡°Bandit! We didn¡¯t say ¡®wrong lever¡¯!¡± Bandit poked his head out from behind a large fallen piece of stone wall or debris and stared at him, ¡°Are you kidding me? We ruined the joke!¡± He groaned and hopped up, putting his hands on his hips and shaking his head. ¡°We can¡¯t do it again in this dungeon, it¡¯ll seem forced.¡± Firestorm alighted on the platform and put a hand on his friends shoulder, ¡°Next time, buddy.¡± ¡°You two are not throwing another untested lever, without warning, just to make sure you get a joke right,¡± Bluestar protested, unable to hide the amusement from her face at this point. ¡°You are ridiculous!¡± ¡°I thought it was funny,¡± Lifesaver finally spoke up, his voice utterly deadpan. They all looked at him, blank faced as the healer hero just returned their gazes, ¡°What?¡± Bandit shrugged and sat down on the debris he and Lifesaver had been hiding behind, crossing his arms and stretching his legs out, ¡°Look, this whole dungeon is some M C Escher bullshit, none of the stairs make sense, there are passages that go nowhere, and I swear we were walking upside down at one point. It doesn¡¯t help that the monsters are basically cartoon characters. You guys heard that splat up there like I did. A little humor helps smooth over the existential dread.¡± Bluestar glanced back up at the otherwise inaccessible ledge as the stairs she made vanished and made a face, ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve got a point. What the hell are those things anyway?¡± ¡°They looked like bald goats with eyes like dinner plates,¡± Bandit said with a shudder, ¡°Oh and they totally had little tiny wings,¡± He said, gesturing to his shoulders. ¡°Freaky.¡± A low thump on the ground nearby sounded out just as he finished speaking and he let out a groan of annoyance. The others did as well as they turned towards the most annoying part of this entire god forsaken place. It was about two feet tall and looked like it had been made by someone just starting to experiment with three dimensional art on a computer. It was vaguely reminiscent of a certain cartoon mouse with its big ears and far too wide smile. Its knees bounced and bobbed as its tail whipped left and right. It held a mallet in one hand. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Who¡¯s up?¡± Bluestar asked with a sigh. ¡°I think you ar-¡± Firestorm started to say only for a blue flash of light to erupt from her fingertip and burn a hole straight through the things head. It dropped and dissolved into an inky black puddle before sliding away, making whimpering sounds. ¡°Right,¡± He grunted. The nonsensical entity had been following them since they arrived in the dungeon, attacking out of nowhere and only after very blatantly announcing itself and making a show of its presence. It was by no means strong or dangerous. The only problem was that no matter what they did to it, it wouldn¡¯t die or at least stay dead. At one point Firestorm had tried incinerating the black ooze it turned to when it was killed but it only deformed into a crispy burger-like puck for a moment before bursting into a cloud of black smoke. It came back about an hour later. ¡°Do we have any jars or anything?¡± Lifesaver asked as they watched the black sludge disappear into a wall. ¡°You want to catch it?¡± Bandit asked with disgust. ¡°We can¡¯t kill it,¡± Lifesaver pointed out with a shrug, ¡°Might as well keep it contained. I¡¯d hate to actually be in a dangerous spot and get hit with that hammer by surprise.¡± ¡°Look at those arms!¡± Bandit protested, ¡°It can¡¯t swing that thing for shit!¡± Lifesaver crossed his arms and tilted his head, ¡°Explain to me how you¡¯re able to puncture stone with an arrow with your tiny arms?¡± He asked, flexing his own muscles beneath his costume. Bandit opened his mouth to protest and quickly closed it, frowning and looking at the ground. Lifesaver chuckled and nodded towards the next passage they hadn¡¯t gone down yet and Firestorm walked past Bandit, patting his shoulder again and joining the healer. Bandit shook his head, giving his two comanipons a rueful look from behind only to get a squeeze on the arm from Bluestar. ¡°I happen to like your noodle arms,¡± She said with a wink and kept walking. He grinned for a moment, just a moment, before her comment sank in, ¡°They aren¡¯t noodles!¡± He shouted, chasing after her and entering the passage with the others as they laughed. Ahead of their little group they found themselves in yet another long overdesigned tunnel of irregularly placed columns and doors in places that served no purpose other than to give them a headache. To make matters worse, the entire hallway seemed to twist like a corkscrew ahead of them until it stopped at another door that was now upside down from their perspective. ¡°I hate this place,¡± Bandit said, sounding a little nauseated. ¡°Oh this is kinda cool,¡± Firestorm commented almost at the same time. ¡°Watch the doors, boys,¡± Bluestar said, nodding to the doors that were actually embedded in the walls. She pointed at one of them and fired a tiny bolt of her azure magic at it. The bolt bent slightly in the air as it passed into the tunnel and struck off-center, still hitting the door but clearly not where she¡¯d intended to hit it. The door shuddered and opened before slamming again as a low growl of pain rumbled out from within. She frowned hard, ¡°I knew it.¡± Both Bandit and Firestorm looked back at her with a mixture of concern and disbelief. ¡°What? This place is weird, those doors had to be traps or monsters or something,¡± She protested. They both nodded, ¡°Right, yeah, that¡¯s what you meant,¡± Firestorm said and turned back towards the hall before rubbing his hands together, ¡°Alright I got this,¡± He said and the others took the cue to back off all the way to the entrance of the hallway. He reached for his belt where the treasure of their very first dungeon hung from his hip. It was an almost onyx-black double headed axe with orange red cracks running through its surface that glowed brightly. It wasn¡¯t overly long or big, small enough to hang comfortably from his belt, but boy did it help. He raised it over his head and his hand began to glow white hot, soon the orange cracks turned white and heat began to billow off of him as he took a step forward and swung. A cascade of fire ripped out from the weapon, washing through the hallway like a tidal wave as the creatures inside the doors screamed, roared, and burned. A moment later, the pristine passage was nothing but blackened surfaces and ash, the door at the far end left unscathed. ¡°Done!¡± Firestorm called, slinging the weapon miss Sonya had described as some kind of ¡®elemental focus¡¯ over his shoulder and grinning back at them. The others made their way forward, nodding and voicing their approval as they stepped into the twisted hall. Somewhere behind them, a dollop of blackness appeared in the air and began to swirl, condensing into a semi-solid shape that broke into a manic grin. Chapter 78 Sonya got to her feet, taking a step to the right as her eyes stayed fixed on An Set. The Chairman poked his head up from behind some construction materials, looking around in confusion. Marta shifted forward, her gauntlets clenching into fists. The young man standing in front of the portal didn¡¯t move for a heartbeat, he looked frozen, his eyes still vacant. Sonya glanced at Marta. She wondered for a moment if perhaps Hyunh had actually gone too far in what she¡¯d done to the man¡¯s mind, had this been a miscalculation? The Chairman slid out from behind his shelter just as the portal rippled again. Veloce came out and all hell broke loose. At that moment, every single light in Las Vegas went dark. A rolling blackout surged across the city like a tidal wave as every instinct in Sonya¡¯s body screamed at her that she had very assuredly miscalculated but in a far worse sense. Every hair stood on end, every fiber of her being recoiling in a terror born of raw survival instinct. Death was in front of her. The plan had been to pressure his mind and make him snap, lashing out in anger at what Hyunh had done to him. He was petulant and unstable so it should have been an obvious outcome. He shouldn¡¯t be this powerful! An Set¡¯s head jerked back and he whipped his hand out to grasp at Veloce, the woman let out a shriek of pain as she darted past him, covering herself as bolts of electricity raced across her skin and she hurtled into a far wall. Meanwhile, An Set jerked and writhed where he stood, his body jolting and his head twitching backwards as if he was in the midst of convulsions. His eyes rolling back and his mouth falling open. Electricity leapt from his teeth before skittering across his skin like a thousand insects. Marta reacted before Sonya could protest, frozen as she was in the face of not a young An Set, but a reminder of what he had been like at his prime. Marta grabbed her arm. Sonya blinked and whipped her head in her friend¡¯s direction. ¡°Marta, no! He¡¯s-¡± With a sudden whipping motion Sonya felt numerous g¡¯s of force act on her body as Marta literally threw her at the portal. An Set¡¯s eyes came into focus as she hurtled past him, she met his gaze, wild eyed, feral, and glowing with the yellow wrath of The Great Eel fully realized. This was more than a temper tantrum, it was like the ability itself had taken the reins. He cracked his mouth with a smile and reached for her just as she hit the portal. ¨C Marta watched with relief as Sonya passed through the rippling surface of the portal. She felt a chill run over her skin when she looked back at Duong. The young man stared at the portal for several seconds as if confused about where Sonya had gone. He frowned and tilted his head before turning to look at Marta. She clenched her fists. Sonya¡¯s reaction had spoken volumes and the darkness around them was just as telling. Something had gone very wrong that Sonya hadn¡¯t taken into consideration. ¡°Son?¡± The Chairman called out. Marta whipped her head in the old man¡¯s direction, ¡°Chairman! Stay away!¡± She shouted. She started to move forward but a spark jumped off the ground and sent a charge through her muscles. She grit her teeth and pushed through the pain, she had to get to the old man! Duong looked over his shoulder at the Chairman who froze mid step, eyes wide with confusion. ¡°My boy, what¡¯s gotten into you, I-¡± The rabid young man raised his hand and pointed it in the direction of his father, the scent of ozone filling the air, ¡°Blind and stupid,¡± came a chittering croak from the back of Duong¡¯s throat. It barely sounded human. Electricity gathered on his fingertips in a flash of light that Marta had to throw her hands up to protect her eyes from. Healing them would take seconds that she couldn¡¯t afford to spend. ¡°Chairman!¡± Marta shouted, ¡°Run!¡± The scent of blossoms cut through the scent of ozone like a knife. Marta heard a cry and then a clap of thunder that momentarily left her ears ringing. The light faded and she looked up to see an empty spot where the Chairman had been standing. She whipped her head around and spotted a woman a short distance away, the unconscious chairman slung over her shoulder. There was a sword in her hand. Black Lotus. ¡°Handmaiden! What¡¯s the situation?¡± She shouted as Duong slowly turned to face her. ¡°He¡¯s gone berserk!¡± Marta shouted back, ¡°We need to get the Chairman out of here, Miss Chernovna and Miss Feng are in the dungeon!¡± The swordswoman shot the portal a glance and a frown before nodding. ¡°Understood!¡± Black Lotus responded and tapped her earpiece, ¡°Doorway!¡± In an instant an archway appeared to the hero¡¯s left that she tossed the Chairman into. Just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished and Black Lotus turned her full attention to Duong. ¡°Hero An Set, stand down!¡± She shouted, leveling her weapon in his direction. ¡°This is my only warning!¡± Duong glanced back and forth between the two women. Marta raised her fists and took a step to the left, watching Black Lotus¡¯ position. She¡¯d attack as soon as the other did. Her legs tensed and she felt the power of her heroic strength build, amplified by Baldur''s body. Black Lotus lowered her stance and bent her knees, the scent of blossoms filling the air again. Duong didn¡¯t move, not for a full heartbeat before he barked out a laugh and the two exploded into motion. Marta drove her fist forward at his head while Black Lotus brought her weapon in a low uppercut towards his legs and knees. CLANK! Metal gauntlets and sword collided with impenetrable flesh. Eyes glowing with blue-yellow light flickered in Marta¡¯s vision for a moment before her world became a thunderstorm of pain, electricity roasting her from the inside out before she was flung bodily through the air, colliding with a wall and passing through it. Another body hit the ground next to her as her flesh immediately began working to restore itself, the pain fading almost as rapidly as it came. She coughed and forced herself to her feet as the flesh of her face knitted back over her teeth, restoring lips that had been blown clean off. Next to her, Black Lotus got to her feet as well her eyes narrowed at the glowing form of Duong as he stepped through the hole he¡¯d made with their bodies. Lightning arced off of him in spurts while his head swayed left and right to an imaginary jaunty tune. He was humming. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Marta clenched her fists again and glanced at Black Lotus who brought her finger up to her ear before cursing in her native tongue, she pulled an earpiece out of her ear and tossed it to the ground. ¡°They¡¯ll come,¡± Black Lotus spat, ¡°Can you hold out?¡± She asked. ¡°He can¡¯t keep me dead, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± Marta groused. ¡°Good enough,¡± The swordswoman acknowledged, ¡°We need to keep him here.¡± Marta entered a fighting stance, ¡°Understood.¡± ¨C Sonya hit the ground on the other side of the portal, skipping across the ground before rolling and scrambling to her feet. She spun around and was about to dart back through the portal before she froze, her heart pounding in her chest. Her hands fell to her sides. With only thirty seconds of uptime what good was she against a monster like that? She only hoped that reinforcements would come before Marta had to endure too much. Enough heroes should be able to bring him down, though now she was anticipating more than a few casualties. She clicked her tongue,. Damn it. This is more than I expected. What happened? She rounded on her feet and looked around, her eyes flicking up towards the top of the canyon walls and down at the dirt path that winded between them. She sighed, she hated this place so much. The gnolls were tiresome and wild creatures that had excellent senses. It made it an absolute pain in the ass to scout it out back in her past life. She rubbed her neck and searched the path ahead of her, her mechanical eyes focusing on details on the ground. Splotches of blood here and there but no bodies. Her expression darkened. It looks like Hyunh is holding out, she thought, putting her focus on the situation at hand. Prioritize survival, find Hyunh and make certain she¡¯s dealt with. I¡¯ll be a liability on the outside so I¡¯ll stay here as long as possible. She looked down at her fingers and flexed them, Better not get changed just yet. She thought and turned her attention towards the cliff overlooking the path and started climbing. A minute later she was looking down at the path below as she moved along in a crouch, her old skillset coming in handy. She kept her senses focused ahead of her, listening for any sound or shift. Occasionally she heard a bark or howl from one of the gnolls somewhere in the distance. BANG! An explosion sounded off in the same direction of the gnolls. There you are. She thought and picked up her pace, eager to catch up with her quarry. ¨C People were screaming. Marta threw her arms up again and blocked the blow coming for Black Lotus. The electricity rippled across her body in a terrible wave that was immediately soothed by the rapid healing that followed. The swordswoman darted out from behind her, her body whipping through the air like a rocket even as her movements were as languid and graceful as a feather. She murmured something and a series of pink arcs of light ripped through the air behind her, converging on Duong as she landed and darted past him. He snarled and threw his hand out, electricity leaping from his palms and intercepting Black Lotus¡¯ attack as he reached to grab ahold of her. Marta sprang forward and grabbed him by the wrist, the electric charge once again racing through her body as her muscles screamed in protest. She threw her back into the throw, launching him back-first at the ground with all the force she could muster. The instant he collided with the ground his body burst into a spray of sparks and bolts, scattering and sending a secondary wave of pain through Marta¡¯s body that almost had her doubling over. Black Lotus raced past her, not stopping for an instant as she chased him. Marta looked up to see him take two hops back and part his arms to either side of himself, lightning sprayed from his shoulders and up into the air before washing out in a wave of chain lightning that cascaded far and away from him, catching civilians who were desperately trying to get away from him. Bodies hit the ground as he whipped hand out and rings of electricity spread out from his palm, catching Black Lotus as she prepared another attack. She snarled and whipped her weapon up and down, cutting through the rings before resuming her pursuit. Marta shook off the pain again and darted after the dueling pair. Cars exploded around them, Duong showing no interest in keeping collateral damage low. Electricity spread across the ground as if it were a perfectly natural conductor before shooting into the air and cascading out to kill anyone and anything that got close to their fight. He¡¯s tireless! She thought, trying to figure out a way to pin him down. Ahead of her, Duong landed on a car and raised his hands again, getting ready to release another torrent of electricity. Marta pumped her legs, moving to catch up and act as shield again when something dark hurtled through the air from Duong¡¯s left. The mad hero barely noticed in time to step back and avoid the shadowy arrow fired from a rooftop a startling distance away. Bandit! Marta realized only to have her suspicion confirmed as a column of flame erupted from Duong¡¯s feet that was joined by a ring of blue spheres of light around the spot, peppering down on the man from above. A bolt of lightning darted out from the column of flame and landed nearby, reforming into Duong who lifted his head up in a sneer as Firestorm and Bluestar landed next to Black Lotus. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± Black Lotus shouted. ¡°Our jobs!¡± Firestorm shouted back, ¡°We brought friends!¡± On cue, archways rose up from the ground throughout the decimated street. Lifesaver and Vytal stepped out of one near the back, ready to provide healing at a moments notice. Pathfinder appeared at mid range, drawing a rifle from his coat and pointing it at Duong. Then more started to come through, heroes that Marta didn¡¯t recognize but assumed where members of the guilds located here in Nevada. Two dozen people in costume, their powers at the ready, came out to face An Set. An set stood up straighter as his eyes swept over the crowd of heroes. Each and every one of them ready to fight to stop him. He bore his teeth, electricity racing up his face and through his hair. He threw his head back and laughed. Above them, the clouds darkened, thunder rumbled, and a bolt of lightning shaped like an eel began to course through the murky blackness. It¡¯s terrible roar set off the next round of the fight. Marta kicked off the ground and hurled herself at Duong, fist reared back. She punched straight through the jittering clone of electricity he left behind and rolled across the ground, catching herself and getting to her feet. Flames, bolts of energy, arrows, concussive waves of wind, bullets, rays of starry matter, attacks of all kinds came from every direction as Duong darted from spot to spot, trying to reach the heroes with weaker defenses. Every time he landed, though, Black Lotus was right there swinging her sword with a wash of pink illusory petals floating around her. Duong whirled, trying again and again to deliver a direct attack on Black Lotus while she danced around him, keeping him focused on her while the others rained their attacks on him. Marta dove in once more, her entire mind focused on keeping him contained as long as possible only for the madman to let loose a roar that sent everyone stumbling back. Marta landed next to Black Lotus. ¡°Plan?¡± She asked, panting. ¡°Hold him here as long as possible,¡± Black Lotus said, ¡°Sapporo will be ready soon.¡± ¨C Sonya stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down and watching as Hyunh fought off the gnolls that had surrounded her. Amethyst bolts of energy erupted endlessly from her fingertips as she whirled and danced in place, desperate to keep them at bay. Found you. Chapter 79 Sonya considered her options a bit longer than she cared to admit. Was she enjoying watching Hyunh struggle? A bit. Frankly she considered letting the woman die right then and there. It would be as good as killing her and should earn her credit with her deal with Pandora. She glanced down the winding path towards the boss room. She remembered it was less an arena and more a battlefield. Gnolls were militant creatures and tended to form war parties, like this one. She glanced down again as Hyunh released a trio of desperate bolts to pummel a particularly hardy gnoll, driving it back. That power of hers is pretty tempting, I wonder what would happen if I merged it with Bluestar¡¯s power? She thought before letting out a sigh, Not that I have the space for it. What would that do to my already abysmal uptime? Hyunh let out a shriek of rage and drew her hand up into the air, a pair of spears of amethyst light erupted from the ground and pierced through one of the gnolls, skewering it. How does her power even work? The mind control element is a concern, but what did she do to An Set to render him in that state? It was like¡­ She frowned remembering the gaze of that beast wearing An Set¡¯s skin. She had instinctively thought of the name of the power, she¡¯d known in her gut that it was his power fully realized, fully unleashed. Knowledge of a power is based on instinct, that instinct guides a person to use those abilities. What if, what if there isn¡¯t enough left of the conscious mind? What if all that is left is instinct? How the hell did this woman obliterate that man¡¯s conscious mind? It had made sense to Sonya that it was a steady process with the occasional sharp pushes as she lost control. It would piss An Set off but nothing more than that, resulting in the expected tantrum that came when he was released. Yet she had crushed his mind into powder, that was the only explanation Sonya could come up with. Her eyes narrowed, Just what is the name of your power, Feng Hyunh? A gnoll darted at Hyunh from behind, its spear raised as the woman released another volley of amethyst darts at the slowly dwindling warband in front of her. Sonya clicked her tongue, I guess you get to live a bit longer, she thought and drew her knife, tossing it hard at the gnoll¡¯s head. The canine-humanoid let out a whimper of pain and surprise as its skull was pierced, its body hitting the ground with a heavy thud. The gnolls and Hyunh looked up in confusion as Sonya slid down the side of the canyon wall down towards the woman, snatching the knife up from the creature¡¯s head and standing next to her. ¡°Chernovna!¡± Hyunh snarled. ¡°Feng,¡± Sonya quipped with a wink, ¡°Looks like you need some help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± The woman snapped, whipping around and drawing her finger across the line of gnolls before them with a snap of her fingers. A ray of amethyst light zipped across them in an angry line, cutting through three of their throats. They dropped messily to the ground. Two more darted towards them, bloodlust overriding survival instinct. Sonya darted past Hyunh, keeping her speed close to that of a human as she drove her knife into the throat of one while she grabbed the spear of the other and pushed it down towards the ground. She punched it in the muzzle before ripping the knife out of its comrade and stabbing it in the side of the head. ¡°So it seems,¡± Sonya said, standing up to turn and look at the woman who had a finger pointed at her, a glint of amethyst beading on her fingertip. ¡°Is there a problem, miss Feng?¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re the problem,¡± Hyunh growled, ¡°What do you know about Ishtar?¡± Sonya tilted her head, feigning confusion, ¡°The mesopotamian goddess? Martin asked me the same question, funny enough. What¡¯s this about?¡± Hyunh¡¯s expression pinched a little and she looked down at the bodies of the gnolls Sonya had slain, ¡°You¡­¡± She trailed off, ¡°A person named Ishtar was the one behind that speed user that pushed me in the portal.¡± Sonya raised her eyebrows, ¡°Well, Marta threw me in after your fiance went berserk, do you have an explanation for that, by the way?¡± Hyunh froze, ¡°Berserk?¡± ¡°Yes, berserk, I got a look at his eyes, they weren¡¯t human,¡± Sonya said darkly and turned away, ¡°Put your hand down, I¡¯ve scouted this dungeon ahead of time. You need me.¡± There was a pause as Hyunh hesitated, Sonya had hard light at the ready just in case. She needn¡¯t have worried, though. The woman let out a sigh and walked up to stand next to her as they watched the last remaining gnolls retreat, realizing that they were outmatched. ¡°You¡¯re good with a knife,¡± Hyunh commented. ¡°My eyes help, but survival necessitates more than good senses,¡± Sonya said cooly, looking down at the gnoll corpse, ¡°Shall we move on? Even if we¡¯re out of sight of the portal, we¡¯re still fairly close. I¡¯d rather be as far away as possible in case your man decides to go through and pursue us. I get the impression he doesn¡¯t like me very much,¡± Sonya said with a laugh. Hyunh pressed her lips together and looked down at the body as well, ¡°I have a feeling both of us would be in danger if that happened.¡± Sonya glanced her way and started walking, ¡°Oh?¡± Hyunh snorted as she walked next to her, ¡°Prying for how my powers work?¡± ¡°The function of my eyes are public record,¡± Sonya said offhandedly, ¡°You¡¯re the one who had the chairman put your abilities in the need-to-know category.¡± ¡°So you looked me up,¡± Hyunh shot back. ¡°Of course I did,¡± Sonya chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, Feng Hyunh. Your fiance is powerful but he isn¡¯t smart and his only strong connections are you and his father.¡± ¡°You know about the hit,¡± Hyunh muttered as they rounded another corner in the winding canyon. They navigated around a rockslide that made the passage even more narrow, practically pushing their shoulders against one another. ¡°Obviously,¡± Sonya said as she climbed over a particularly obtrusive boulder and turned around to reach down and help Hyunh up. Hyunh stared at her hand and scoffed, climbing up herself. Sonya shot the woman a glance and forced herself not to click her tongue in annoyance. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Your eyes let you know the name of an ability if you come in physical contact with someone, specifically shaking hands, and that gives you insight,¡± Hyunh observed as she got atop the boulder with a grunt, she wasn¡¯t as athletic as Sonya. She cracked a grin, ¡°Nice try.¡± Sonya shrugged and smiled curtly at her, ¡°It was worth the attempt. Are you going to tell me what happened with Duong?¡± Hyunh hopped off the boulder and kept walking, staying silent for a moment as Sonya moved to catch up. They walked along the path and occasionally Sonya would redirect them, moving them out of the way of a patrol or angling them around the camp of a group of gnolls waiting in ambush. They didn¡¯t speak again until they had passed a particularly large campsite that in the past served as the half-way marker of the dungeon. Hyunh glanced her way as they took a quick breather, her expression thoughtful and a little pensive. ¡°You do know your way around here.¡± ¡°I told you, I scouted this place out before we came,¡± Sonya said, smoothly slipping from truth to a misinforming question, ¡°What, did you think I would let a group of VIPs go into a dungeon I¡¯m monitoring without taking precautions?¡± ¡°I thought you wanted me dead,¡± Hyunh said only to frown when Sonya snorted at her. She looked away and bit her lip before looking at the ground, ¡°Duong was out of control, losing his grip, he was killing the staff at his residence when he lost his temper,¡± She explained, ¡°He needed a leash,¡± She pulled a piece of amethyst out of a pouch that she pulled from her pocket. ¡°I provided that leash, though I think I may have pushed too hard.¡± Sonya raised her eyebrows in surprise, putting on an oscar worthy act, ¡°What? Mind control?¡± Hyunh pressed her lips together further, was that shame? ¡°It was either that or let him go on a rampage and waste what value he had to me, though that seems to be a moot point now.¡± She said hollowly and pushed away from the Canyon wall, starting down the path, ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°I have an explanation at least,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Though I¡¯m surprised you were able to hold someone so powerful down for so long.¡± ¡°I have a lot of stamina,¡± Hyunh shot back, ¡°Quit while you''re ahead, Chernovna.¡± Sonya held up her hands, ¡°Fine, fine,¡± she chuckled as she followed the woman around the next bend, her eyes fixed on the spot between her shoulderblades for just a moment. She looked away and moved to walk beside her, stopping when they hit the crest of a cliff that dropped down into an even deeper canyon below. There was a narrow path to the right winding around it, but their eyes both focused on the literal war camp that sat in its depths. Hyunh let out a low breath, ¡°Dungeons are truly frightful.¡± ¡°They are,¡± Sonya agreed and nodded towards the path, one side of it was sheer wall while the other was a long, trepidatious drop down into the mist of the gnoll army below. Sonya had been waiting for this. They moved along the perilous route for a few minutes, carefully inching along the path as it tapered in a downward slope. At the end was a fresh opening in the canyon just out of eyeshot of the gnolls. Sonya wrinkled her nose at the scent of smoke and burning meat down below, not sure what the gnolls were eating. She did her best not to think about it, instead looking for just the right time. ¡°Chernovn- Sonya?¡± Hyunh said, giving Sonya a moment of pause. ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°When we get out of here, I owe you an apology, perhaps there¡¯s a chance we can work something out. So long as Duong is dealt with,¡± She said hollowly, ¡°With him like that, I have nothing left.¡± Sonya¡¯s pleasant demeanor collapsed in an instant, her smile turning down, her head tilted forward, casting a slight shadow over her glowing eyes. ¡°I know,¡± She said, and created a panel of light beneath Hyunh¡¯s feet, pulling it out from under her and towards the ledge. ¡°You-¡± Hyunh started before letting out a shout of surprise, she turned, wide eyed, reaching up in desperation as she began to topple over the ledge. Sonya snapped her hand out and caught her hand, clenching tight and holding her aloft as the Gnolls below all looked up at the source of the sudden noise. Sonya met Hyunh¡¯s gaze coldly. Analyze. Sonya¡¯s eyes went wide and in a flash she drew the second power out of her warehouse. Instinct rushed through her and understanding came next. She spluttered, then laughed as Hyunh stared up at her wide eyed, ¡°So that¡¯s how it was! That¡¯s how you did it! You¡¯re one of the special ones! Did you even realize you had two abilities? How rare that is?¡± She laughed, ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°Sonya! Damn it, what are you doing?!¡± The woman screamed at her, dangling from Sonya¡¯s grip. Sonya paused and blinked, ¡°Oh, right,¡± She created a panel of light beneath the woman''s feet and lifted her up to stand floating just a foot away from the ledge. She released the woman¡¯s hand before snapping back out to grab her by the throat, ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± She said, letting out a relieved sigh, ¡°Finally¡­¡± Hyunh opened her mouth to speak but Sonya just squeezed down on her throat, ¡°Shhh, I¡¯m savoring this,¡± She said, holding a finger up to her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t bother using your ability, I¡¯ll just drop you, dear.¡± The woman froze and tried to choke out a response, rage and betrayal blossoming on her face. Sonya returned her gaze and titled her head to the right, ¡°You want to know why?¡± She asked, ¡°Why all this has happened? You, Duong, your family, your syndicate?¡± Horror and realization came next, ¡°Ish-tar,¡± she forced out, gagging. Sonya nodded, ¡°Mhm, good girl,¡± Sonya said as if talking to a child, ¡°Now, I suppose you of all people deserve to know.¡± She put the jade heart away and pulled out another ability, share the path. From their physical contact she filled the woman¡¯s mind with everything. The previous timeline, what had come of it, what Feng Hyunh had done, who she¡¯d allied with, the people her Amethyst Order had killed, as well as Sonya¡¯s actions throughout the current timeline. The woman choked, her face going paler and paler as tears streamed down her face. Sonya watched her spirit break as the last bit of sparkle dimmed in her eyes. ¡°You brought this on yourself. Goodbye Herald,¡± Sonya said to the limp woman. She let go and released the hard-light plate holding her up. Hyunh fell, her arms flopping limply for a moment before she snapped out of it, a scream wrenching itself from her lips as she hurtled towards the gathered gnolls below. Sonya stood on the ledge and looked down, watching as they tore her apart. She didn¡¯t look away until the screams finally died down, a wave of relief and exhaustion washing over her as her shoulders sagged. Sonya read the words that came from Broker, internalized them, but her mind was elsewhere. She had avenged the past timeline¡¯s Marta. That was all that mattered to her in the moment as her body felt weak from a wave of grief and triumph that made everything ache. She closed her eyes even as the gnolls below shouted at her, searching for a way to get to her. She ignored them and pulled Heavenly Jade Heart from her warehouse. A rush of mana roared through her veins, her body briefly inundated with power. The ability was pure, no quirks, no additional functions, no spells, nothing to inhibit compatibility. It was a power source, the power source that had given Hyunh the capacity to crush An Set¡¯s mind and maintain control of a Peak Mythic. With it, she could integrate magic abilities if she wanted, the word ¡®uptime¡¯ would be a thing of the past. She smiled to herself and tilted her head up to the sky as the howls of monsters became a choral symphony to her ears, a soundtrack to Ishtar¡¯s true birth, here in this desolate place. ¡°Merger.¡± Chapter 80 The air was energized, the clouds of dust, smoke, and debris were charged, sparks jumping across them as they blew across the ever widening field of devastation. Buildings had fallen, their superstructures weakened by the devastating blows thrown wildly by the living force of nature on a rampage. It was a scene out of a nightmare or waking fantasy, like a movie brought to life by a disturbed mind. The clouds overhead were darker than ever, the coiling eel-serpent of electricity continuing to worm through them and roar out its defiance to the heroes down below. The man himself stood at the center of the battlefield, his body levitating several meters off the ground as he turned in place, hand outstretched. Chunhua darted forward, eyes focused on the next smooth stone archway. Her scabbard held tight in one hand, her sword gripped in the other. Her body was a blur to any outsider that looked at her, her hair more like the tail of a comet as pink petals scattered behind her. She raised her arm again and twisted, blocking another bolt of electricity with her scabbard just as she passed through the arch and appeared in the air over him. She raised the weapon over her head as the tell-tale scent of her wrath burst around her like a cloud. Luminous Moonfall. She willed the stroke into being and felt power race through her body, the collected energy following her down as a singular beam of light that drove her blade down with it, increasing the force. He looked up at her and sneered only for his face to harden as a bullet raced through the air towards his back, jerking and weaving through space and following an impossible route towards its destination. An Set bore his teeth at her and twisted his body at an impossible angle. She heard a bone crack somewhere in his body as her blade grazed his cheek and chest, cutting a furrow through his clothing and drawing a small amount of blood. She kept heading towards the ground like a comet just as a well made of perfectly smooth stone appeared beneath her. The next moment she was rocketing into the air, upside down, and a hundred meters away from him. Chunhua pivoted, kicking hard enough to apply pressure to the very air around her and change direction as a bolt of electricity carved a path through the spot where she¡¯d just been. ¡°Pressure!¡± She shouted. A hail of attacks from the heroic-tier heroes erupted from all directions as she tagged out, the brown haired Handmaiden darting out from where she¡¯d been concealed, recovering from her most recent clash. Chunhua landed on a building and watched from above as the armored woman bounced from spot to spot in the nearly circular field of devastation, her body moving like a pinball through the archways created by Euclidia, dodging blasts as she built up more and more momentum. Occasionally a white streak would stray off of Handmaiden¡¯s body that glimmered and faded. Chunhua turned her attention back to the battle as a whole, closing her eyes and letting her senses wash out. Cultivating her body and power had made her more than a normal person could ever be, her hearing could pick up words from across the field, even with the din of combat raging around them. More importantly, her danger sense was sharper than anyone else¡¯s. She could feel when the tide shifted and when something was very wrong. Her gut twisted as an ephemeral feeling of danger washed over her but it didn¡¯t come from any particular direction. It was like it hung in the air, a potential energy ready to be unleashed as soon as it had built up enough. She tried to perceive it, understand its direction and intent, but it was wild, more wild than the man that had caused this cataclysm. Something¡¯s coming¡­ ¡°Status!¡± She called into the radio in her ear, static buzzed back at her for a moment. ¡°We lost Magnae, his heart gave out before Lifesaver or Vytal could get to him,¡± Pathfinder said heavily, his tone stricken with the loss of life. Chunhua¡¯s lips pressed together and trembled a little, ¡°Any word on Sapporo?¡± ¡°The party¡¯s in full swing,¡± Euclidia huffed, ¡°I¡¯m about to send him over! He¡¯s a big boy so it might take a second for him to go through!¡± Relief washed through Chunhua. That meant that the civilians were far enough away now as well as a chance for a reprieve. ¡°When you do, get Handmaiden out of there and get some rest, this is far from over.¡± BOOM! A crack of force ripped through the air that nearly toppled Chunhua over as Handmaiden¡¯s accelerating form crashed into An Set from the side, driving her fist into him. The serpent above roared in fury and outrage, thrashing about in the clouds as An Set was driven to the ground. He tumbled a few meters as he caught himself and with a barrel-roll of his body threw three bolts of electricity in the woman¡¯s direction. A gateway appeared in her path just as he fired the shots off, a bullet zig-zagging through the air to catch them. Marta disappeared through the portal and landed next to Chunhua, her eyes empty yet again as she dropped to her knees. Chunhua watched the woman nearly fall to her face before her chest heaved as her heartbeat resumed and she slammed her fists into the ground, digging out deep furrows before forcing herself to her feet. She breathed hard, ¡°Got a hit in,¡± Handmaiden growled while a flurry of bullets approached An Set from all directions. The maddened hero threw his head back in a roar and bolts of lightning flew, striking the bullets as he darted into the air, spinning about. Chunhua frowned, He¡¯s looking- no! ¡°Sapporo¡¯s half-way through!¡± Euclidia called into the radio just as Chunhua reached for it. ¡°New target! Move Pathfinder, now!¡± Chunhua shouted, panic exploding in her brain as An Set turned into a singular bolt of lightning and charged towards a spot on the other side of the battlefield. ¡°Pathfinder get out of there!¡± The lightning bolt struck, a cloud of electricity blooming like a bomb going off as a portion of a tilted building erupted into scattering debris and superheated rock. Chunhua heard a furious scream on the other end followed by a moment of silence as the bolt of lightning darted back out to land in the midst of the field of devastation. A moment later a ring appeared over her head and two people fell through. A scorched and twitching Pathfinder hit the ground hard just as Vytal landed next to him, holding his hands out. ¡°I¡¯ve got him!¡± The bolt of electricity jumped away from the building and landed again in the center of the battlefield, reforming into An Set beneath the writhing monstrosity overhead. His glowing eyes turned in Chunhua¡¯s direction, anger smoldering at losing his prey. Before he had a chance to protest, though, a new archway rose from the ground to his right. He paused and turned. From within the slow lumbering form of Sapporo stepped into full view. His body swayed left and right, stumbling now and then even as he held his head high. A golden glow rippled off of him in waves. Stolen story; please report. An Set tilted his head and pointed a hand towards Sapporo, releasing a bolt of electricity potent enough to vaporize a person. It fizzled against Sapporo¡¯s skin and the berserk man hesitated before reaching out and blasting the drunk-looking man again and again. Sapporo just kept walking, each step sounding heavier and heavier as he drew closer. Then he stopped and threw his head back. Chunhua threw her power into her voice, ¡°Cover your ears!¡± She shouted and clamped her hands over her own ears. A jolly, uproarious laugh caused the air itself to ripple and bend. One hero nearby let out a scream of confusion and grabbed his head, his eyes flicking about as if seeing something that wasn¡¯t there. Momentary madness gripped him before foam fizzled up his throat and he toppled over, unconscious. Chunhua shook her head, Going full tilt right out the gate, are you, Sapporo? In the midst of the battlefield, An Set took a few confused steps back, grasping at his head and shaking it. Above him, for a moment, the horrible eel flickered and almost faded away before restoring itself in a mad thrash of fury. An Set snarled and launched himself at Sapporo only for the gigging man to drive his palm into An Set¡¯s nose. The concussive force created a crack in the ground between them and sent the mad mythic tumbling back against the ground like a skipping stone. The ground shook as Sapporo took an unsteady step, his giggling loud enough to be heard everywhere. ¡°What am I watching?¡± Handmaiden gasped next to Chunhua. ¡°Festival of Dionysus. Sapporo was away stirring every single person in Las Vegas into a frenzy of celebration and pushing them out towards the edges of the city. The more people partying, the more powerful he is, he may be a stern man, but he understands celebration and embracing the inner self better than anyone I know,¡± Chunhua said as another concussive blast shook the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone who understood the meaning of his power better than him.¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± Handmaiden asked, glancing towards her. ¡°Dionysus wasn¡¯t just a god of parties, he was a powerful god of madness and illusions, he had monstrous physical strength like the other gods of Olympus. He could be wrathful unlike any of his kin, and was capable of unspeakable punishments,¡± Chunhua said, ¡°Sapporo studied Dionysus and everything there was about him when he comprehended the name of his power. At first, he could only get people drunk, but now¡­¡± The giggling and chortling Sapporo spread his arms wide and a dozen of him appeared, dancing and laughing and cavorting about, pointing and mocking the confused An Set who thrashed about, firing off bolts of electricity only for them to do nothing against the hallucinations. Everyone watched from afar, grateful for the reprieve. ¡°Get the injured out! How many have we lost in total?¡± Chunhua called out as Handmaiden marveled at Sapporo¡¯s might. ¡°You are working me to the bone here!¡± Euclidia complained into her earpiece, ¡°Twenty injured heroes, four dead so far, the reinforcements from LA say they¡¯re almost ready for a gateway,¡± Euclidia said, ¡°That one¡¯s gonna take some muscle though.¡± ¡°Take a breath then,¡± Chunhua said, not tearing her eyes from the battle for a moment. She glanced up at the great eel above, swirling and churning in the sky as it snapped its ethereal jaws at an unseen opponent. Chunhua glanced down at Handmaiden who looked deep in thought, her fists clenched tightly. She glanced back at the battle, Yeah, me too. She thought. ¨C Veloce twitched, her body spasming once as she swam back up towards consciousness. Her heart still pounded rapidly in her chest but after a few moments she managed to open her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered as an ache spread across her body. She tilted her head forward and slid out from the crater her body had left in the wall, debris falling off of her as she tumbled to the ground, catching herself on her knees. She coughed as thunder rumbled in the distance and the smell of ozone and burned flesh crawled up her nose. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m alive,¡± She groaned as she tried to move her legs. She frowned and glanced down at her knees, she couldnt feel them but she could sure as hell see them. Panic rose, ¡°No, no no no,¡± She gasped a scream bubbling up in her throat. This wasn¡¯t happening, this couldn¡¯t be happening, ¡°N-¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± A cold voice rumbled out above her. She whipped her head up in shock, tears in her eyes, and saw a dark shape sitting on one of the i-beams that made up the skeleton of the building. There was a young man sitting there, or at least she figured it was, his entire body was jet black from head to toe, only violet eyes burning down at her from above. She caught her breath, covering her mouth as he glared daggers in her direction. It felt like meeting Ishtar again. ¡°Veloce?¡± The dark figure asked. She nodded hurriedly. ¡°Blackrazor. I am an agent of Ishtar,¡± He said and dissolved, his body turning into an inky black liquid that fell from his perch like a waterfall before reforming before her. He looked down on her with narrowed eyes, ¡°Calm down. She will heal you when she returns, we are to wait here for her. After you recover, I will take you from this place, she is pleased. Your deal is complete.¡± The pounding of her heart slowed, relief washing over her even as she gripped fruitlessly at her paralyzed legs. She whimpered at them before looking around, ¡°Where is she? The Mistress?¡± Blackrazor looked up and away from her. She followed his eerie gaze towards the portal of the dungeon. The pylons that held up the portal were shaking and rumbling, energy washing off of them in visible wisps of power. A crack of energy rushed up one of the pylons, erupting into a spark that danced through the metal structure of the building. The air felt so thick, she knew that feeling. She tensed and looked up at Blackrazor, ¡°She asked you to protect me too?¡± He glanced down at her, ¡°Yes, why?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re about to have company, I think,¡± Veloce said meekly as small multicolored clouds began to form in the air around them. Shadows raced across the ground and formed a ring around Veloce, from them, violet blades lanced out in a ring, creating a wicked barricade. He rose to his full height next to her, his shadowy form becoming more solid as a pair of purple knives slid out of his hands as if from nowhere. The multicolored clouds condensed and crackled, bolts ripped out from the portal and struck them before flashing out and through the openings in the incomplete building. A raspy cackle came from one of the clouds and a creature fell from it. It had the head and body of some kind of hyena or dog but it was vaguely humanoid, standing upright with a spear in its hands. More of the horrible smelling things dropped out of the clouds, taking shape and getting to their feet with barks and cackles. They raised their spears and swung them about wildly, howling as more violet blades took shape in the air around Veloce and her new protector. ¡°This is troubling,¡± Blackrazor hissed before launching into a vicious defense. ¨C Thousands of miles away, Amos was on his feet, eyes wide as he stared at the radar screen. The other researchers were with him, watching as a massive cloud of mana was taking shape in Las Vegas. Dots were starting to appear everywhere, monsters forming in huge numbers. He ran his fingers through his hair, ¡°What the hell is happening over there?!¡± Chapter 81 Sapporo was containing An Set, but he wasn¡¯t gaining any ground either. It was a deadlock and everyone knew it. Something was going to give way one way or the other, though, they were both powerful but neither of them had truly unlimited strength. Marta watched them clash with awe in her eyes, regardless of the stalemate. The hero from the international team comprehended the nature of his ability so intimately that he embraced it, practically becoming the entity whose namesake his power drew from. It was unreal, it took her breath away, but it also made her think. Sonya had encouraged Kingshark to consider the nature of his power; she''d even suggested reading material for him. ¡°The physique of the Norse God Baldur. He could come back from any wound or injury and his body could withstand terrible punishment. His only weakness was mistletoe.¡± Sonya had said, it had been a cut and dry explanation of how the power worked. Marta could not be killed save for being poisoned by mistletoe. It was an odd, mundane weakness, but one she could live with. But is that all there is? Who is Baldur? What else did he do? What did he represent? Marta wondered to herself as the ground shook again from another collision between Sapporo and An Set. Above, the terrible serpent coiled again and lashed out at it''s invisible opponent. Was it actually fighting someone or was it a visual representation of An Set¡¯s inner state? His actions? She had her theories but she couldn¡¯t clearly wrap her mind around everything she was seeing and experiencing. She had seen some amazing and terrible things since the flash, so she was more used to it than others. She could only imagine how the others felt. A chime in her ear alerted her to an incoming communication. She raised her finger to it, her heart leaping into her throat. ¡°Sonya? Are you okay?¡± She asked hurriedly, getting a glance from Black Lotus. ¡°It¡¯s Amos, where¡¯s Sonya? I can¡¯t get in touch with her,¡± Amos said hurriedly. ¡°What the hell is happening over there?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the dungeon, I threw her in to protect her from Duong, the guy¡¯s gone berserk. We¡¯re fighting-¡± She was cut off by Amos flying into a rant. ¡°She¡¯s in the- shit! Fuck! Never mind, never mind! Just shut up and listen to me,¡± He said as fast as he could, ¡°Whatever the hell you guys are doing there is an absolute fuckton of mana in the air right now. You know what that means, right? I¡¯ve got hundreds of monster formation alerts all over the goddamn place on the radar and what¡¯s left is heading straight for the dungeon!¡± Marta¡¯s skin went cold, she got to her feet, ¡°Mana in the air?¡± She breathed, ¡°From all these heroes fighting¡­¡± ¡°Yeah! Probably? Okay, definitely! Anyway you¡¯re going to be up to your tits in monsters in a few seconds and that dungeon? Yeah well that six month timer I put on it just got a hell of a lot shorter. I hope she¡¯s up to closing it because otherwise that place is gonna look a lot like Dharan.¡± Marta¡¯s spine jolted and she shot an uneasy glance at Black Lotus who to her relief didn¡¯t seem to react. ¡°Amos, I¡¯ll let everyone know,¡± She said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m here with Black Lotus right now.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? She¡¯s a cultivator, warn me!¡± He griped, ¡°She probably has super hearing or something,¡± He sighed, ¡°Nah, I shut you up didn¡¯t I? God damn it, just be careful! It¡¯s about to get really bad in a minute!¡± He cut the call and Marta turned to an expectant looking Black Lotus. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked. ¡°We¡¯re making mana in the air by having so much of us here, fighting,¡± Marta explained, ¡°High concentrations of mana create monsters.¡± Black Lotus tensed, her expression growing thoughtful before she glanced out at the battle between An Set and Sapporo, the two had parted for a moment and now were charging at one another again. The resulting clash kicked the wind up and sent dust into the air, ¡°How long?¡± She asked quickly. ¡°A minute,¡± Marta said, ¡°And we¡¯ve got the dungeon to worry about too, it might go the way of Dharan if this keeps up.¡± Black Lotus nodded sharply and tapped her own radio which crackled for a moment before she got through, ¡°Euclidia alert everyone that we¡¯ve got incoming, monsters are going to start forming soon and there will be a lot of them.¡± Black Lotus frowned harder as she heard her response, ¡°Thank you, Stay alive,¡± She turned to Marta, ¡°I¡¯m going to cover the heroes on the west side with Vytal. Can you help the East? Lifesaver is already on his way according to Euclidia.¡± Marta tensed and squared her shoulders, ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± She said as Black Lotus grabbed her comrade and darted away. She turned towards the east side of the disaster zone before glancing back at the fighting, at the pockets of multi-colored clouds that were starting to lazily form here and there. It was like watching the initial spark of an apocalypse. Powerful light-touched fighting one another creating an atmosphere that could trigger the end of the world. Amos had mentioned once that if a big enough dungeon exploded, the released mana could trigger another in a chain reaction. Marta¡¯s heart nearly stopped. ¡°Oh my god,¡± She murmured, her hand rising to her lips. This is what she saw. Sonya''s words over the past few months came rushing back to her: ¡°They need heroes now and they know it.¡± ¡°We need to guide them, otherwise they may very well become villains in this new era.¡± ¡°The heroes need to be united with a common goal, the right goal, even if I have to force it on them.¡± ¡°You cannot let another Dharan happen! As a hero you take an oath to the people of this world and not yourselves!¡± ¡°Probably pay for my crimes, I¡¯ll deserve it in the end.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m trying to save the world.¡± ¡°It has to be me, I have to be the one to do it¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re just what I want to see from the heroes.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re going to risk their lives for us, the least we can do is stand for them.¡± ¡°Am I still Sonya?¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to do something irredeemable.¡± Tears welled in Marta¡¯s eyes. What Sonya felt was so visceral, it was like she¡¯d lived through the very apocalypse that was playing out right before her eyes. She was willing to do anything, go to any length, make any sacrifice, and bear any blame if it meant keeping mythic heroes from fighting one another. She had schemed to bring An Set down carefully but it had backfired, the look on Sonya¡¯s face at the portal had made it clear that this was not the plan. Every time she took down one of her enemies it had been calculated, avoiding a big show. Her only performance was Hero Day, where it had been a plan to bring heroes together. Marta glanced around as she turned to head towards the east side, a chill rushing through her body as she started to pick up speed. She needed to get to the other heroes, Firestorm¡¯s team was over there and the monsters would form soon. She raised her hand to her earpiece and tapped it, ¡°Amos?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Yeah, what? I¡¯m kinda busy keeping track-¡± ¡°This is it,¡± Marta said in as low a voice as possible, ¡°This is what she¡¯s trying to prevent.¡± ¨C Chunhua stood behind the pillar, she¡¯d doubled back after hearing what that man Amos had said through the earpiece. Can Chernovna clear a dungeon? How? Chunhua thought as Marta stood there, staring out over the battlefield for a moment. The woman seemed to come to a realization and Chunhua sensed shock overcome her, there was another sound, a choking in her voice. Grief? Why? She concentrated, trying to listen in a bit more carefully. The woman was a cautious one, though, and didn¡¯t say anything until she turned away and began racing towards the east side. She called up that Amos man again, it sounded like. ¡®This is it, this is what she¡¯s trying to prevent.¡¯ Chunhua stiffened, What does that mean? She thought, her mind trying to piece together the puzzle. There was something missing, something that didn¡¯t make sense and didn¡¯t fully add up. Sonya Chernovna knew that something like this could happen? How? The grief in Handmaiden¡¯s voice made it seem like the pretty young russian had thrown herself to the wolves in order to prevent what was happening right now. Certainly she had been a vocal spokesperson of heroes, but her actions had been praiseworthy not tragic. Her frown deepened and she looked up at the battle unfolding, shaking her head. Now¡¯s not the time. ¨C The monsters arrived with a cackle that nearly shook the battlefield as much as the ongoing war between two would-be gods. The multi-colored clouds had spread like wildfire after the first one appeared, more and more swelling before popping to reveal a gnoll as it fell to the ground, spear in hand, eager for bloodshed and violence. They didn¡¯t pop down at a distance from the heroes, there was no merciful placement or logical organization. They just fell everywhere, between groups, next to people, even on top of one poor man who had his throat ripped out by savage jaws. Firestorm threw his hands out and sent a cascade of flame over the ruined buildings, the creatures letting out screams of pain and fury. Even so, they didn¡¯t die right away. They were far stronger than hounds, each of them close to a lurker in general ability, and there were hundreds of them. The mayhem was instantaneous and the reaction swift. Powers flew left and right in a chaotic tumult as everyone fought for their lives. Firestorm couldn¡¯t have known that it only fueled the chaos rather than pushed it back. All he could do was fight and protect those close to him. ¡°Blue! What¡¯s the status?¡± He shouted, swinging his mace and sending another gnoll hurtling through the air with a dying whimper of pain. ¡°Barriers like this take time! Fortunately there¡¯s a lot of mana in the air, so that¡¯s definitely helping!¡± She shouted, ¡°My body¡¯s not taking it well, though, where¡¯s Lifesaver?¡± A trio of dark arrows flew past Bluestar and buried themselves into the craniums of three gnolls that had raced up behind her as she knelt, hands pressed to the ground. She was desperately trying to erect a magical structure that the other heroes could retreat into and help weather the onslaught. Bandit landed a short distance from her and glanced around, focusing on another gnoll that crawled up from behind a fallen pillar. He drew his bowstring back and killed it, looking her way. ¡°He had to stop with another group, they¡¯ll all be joining us here soon!¡± Firestorm laughed and raised his fist up, flames forming in rings beneath several gnolls that charged their way, columns of fire burst up into the air and incinerated the wretched mongrels. ¡°Our boy is getting a workout today, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Speak for yourself, ¡®peak-heroic¡¯!¡± Bluestar jeered back at him. ¡°Oh you¡¯re not doing so bad!¡± Firestorm teased. ¡°You two are making me jealous!¡± Bandit joined in, crouching and firing into the air, his shadowy arrow grew thick for a moment before exploding into dozens of narrow darts of blackness that rained over the approaching gnolls. ¡°Oh don¡¯t be like that, love!¡± Bluestar laughed, ¡°You know he only has eyes for Miss Chernovna!¡± ¡°Oh right!¡± Bandit barked, pivoting and firing off a powerful arrow that pierced three gnolls in a row, ¡°How could I forget he¡¯s utterly hopeless!¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling human resources after this!¡± Firestorm complained. ¡°We don¡¯t have one yet!¡± Bluestar said, ¡°Remind me to set one up when we get back!¡± ¡°Flag!¡± Firestorm and Bandit shouted at the same time. ¡°Nerds!¡± Bluestar shot back, ¡°Okay it¡¯s ready! Get over here! Euclidia can dump the others inside once it¡¯s formed.¡± Bandit brought his hand up to his ear and started backing up towards Bluestar, ¡°Send ¡®em our way, miss Euclidia!¡± Firestorm threw a fireball in the direction of an approaching cluster of gnolls and it exploded, sending them flying into the air. He started moving backwards, firing shot after shot. Behind him he heard the sound of a stone archway forming and voices coming out of it. Heroes pouring through to escape the chaos and restore some sense of order under the protection of Bluestar¡¯s dome. Bandit fired an arrow over Firestorms shoulder, ¡°Pull back, red! Handmaiden is on her way!¡± Relief washed through Firestorm as he started stepping back as well. He was already getting winded, between running around saving civilians at the outset, pummeling An Set with attacks, and now this, he was surprised any of the Heroes were standing. Another shuddering boom from the duel between Sapporo and An Set rang out. The ground shook and a portion of a building toppled over as the transparent blue of the barrier began to form in front of him. He could see past it now and saw an approaching trail of devastation in the form of Handmaiden. The only problem was what was between her and them. A sea of gnolls had gathered in the open space and had only missed Firestorm and the retreating heroes because of the visual barrier. Now hundreds of eyes turned in his direction. More than a heroic-tier barrier could possibly handle. He whipped his head back at Bluestar and met her eyes. Near her, Lifesaver was on his knees restoring a wounded man¡¯s arm, the poor guy screaming as flesh knitted itself back together. More injured heroes were coming through Euclidia¡¯s archway. He looked up at Bandit and his comrade nodded to him, his lips formed in a thin line. Before Bluestar could say anything he darted from his position and landed next to Firestorm, rolling his shoulders and adjusting his grip on his bow. ¡°You owe me,¡± Bandit said. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to say anything?¡± Firestorm asked, stepping through the forming barrier. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just do a thing about flags?¡± Bandit grunted. ¡°Right, right,¡± Firestorm nodded and slung his mace onto his shoulder, flames coating it and sinking into the head. It began to glow orange, then red, then white. He started to rise off the ground as Bandit stalked forward, drawing his bowstring as the arrow forming on it grew bigger and bigger. ¡°How long till she gets here?¡± He asked. ¡°Two minutes, at that rate?¡± Bandit griped, ¡°Fucking hell she¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Rain of Chaos?¡± Firestorm asked. Bandit chuckled and pulled his hood back, scratching at his mess of black hair, ¡°Keep saying stuff like that to me and Bluestar¡¯s gonna be the jealous one.¡± The ground shook again and the first cluster of gnolls at the back of the army flew into the air as Handmaiden came in contact with them. Meanwhile, the majority threw their heads back in a battle cry and charged at the two men. Firestorm let out a roar of his own and raised his mace over his head as heat surged through his body, flames spread from the weapon and leaped into the air before raining down in a self-contained cataclysm. A moment later, black arrows joined the firestorm, cutting through the flames and igniting into an explosive combination. Flaming black arrows exploding on contact and sending dark needles everywhere, spreading flames and poison through the ranks of their enemies. Behind them, the barrier finished taking shape. Dozens of injured and dying heroes inside. Side Story: Carla 1 The faint scent of coffee hanging in the air was the first thing that caught her nostrils as she came to. Her entire body ached, but not in a bad way. She rolled over onto her side and groaned, burying her face in the pillow. It was soft, so soft, and the case was ridiculously smooth. So were the sheets, they were like silk. She pulled the cool cloth over her head as more of the ache and stinging began to register in her brain. Her eyes fluttered open when she caught the scent of a slightly woody, cinnamon-like perfume. It was almost a cologne if not for the sweetness of it and hint of a flower she couldn¡¯t quite place. Huh? Her head still a little muddled as her fingers clung tighter to the sheets. Silk? This isn¡¯t my room. She thought as she pulled the sheets down over her face and peered around. She was in a bedroom, a large one, expensive. There were three doors. One looked like it led out into the rest of the house. The one to the left of her was ajar and she could see a desk inside as well as several screens showing current stock prices and financial news. The door to her right had a laundry basket next to it, a restroom. Everything had a white color scheme, with hints of pink. Hot pink. The memories came back in a rush as her breath caught in her throat. She sat up quickly, pulling the sheets up to her chest and whipping her head around in a panic. Oh my god, I¡¯m in Sonya Chernovna¡¯s bed. She felt fresh heat race up her face and she reached up to clasp at a stinging spot on her neck, several of them. The aching made sense now. She¡¯d allowed herself to let go of all semblance of control the previous night, all of her senses, all of her thoughts, her fears, her inhibitions, dominated and led along by a masterful conductor. The door leading out into the main living space of the CEO¡¯s apartment opened and the woman herself stepped inside. Not in her usual all-white suit and slacks, but in a pair of tights and a long t-shirt that had a red rounded video game company logo on it. She was holding a mug of coffee, her usually styled white hair hanging down loosely over her shoulders and face, her bangs were actually pretty long. The usual intense glow of her eyes had been turned down to a faint glimmer, making her seem so natural, normal. Sonya leaned against the door, ¡°Morning Carla. Coffee?¡± She asked, gesturing with the mug before tilting her head. Her mechanical eyes twisted and refocused in her skull as they flicked almost mechanically over Carla¡¯s torso. ¡°I did a number on you, I¡¯ve got some lotion and concealer in the bathroom.¡± Carla reached up and touched the stinging spots again, her breath caught in her throat. Her mind was a mess, nothing made sense, she thought- ¡°I don¡¯t hate you,¡± Sonya said, ¡°I hate what you did, and I¡¯ve forgiven you. Did you have fun?¡± Carla¡¯s shoulders fell, ¡°Yes ma-¡± ¡°Nope, none of that, we¡¯re well past Ma¡¯ams and that stuff in casual conversation,¡± Sonya corrected her before she could finish, ¡°You can do that when we¡¯re in public if you want, but I¡¯m just Sonya right now,¡± She laughed, ¡°Look at me, do I look like I¡¯m dressed to be called ma¡¯am to you?¡± Carla stared at her, a knot in her chest loosening a bit, she blinked a few times before a laugh bubbled up, she reached up and brushed back the raven bob of her hair back over her ear, ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± She chuckled, ¡°Coffee would be lovely, Sonya.¡± ¡°There we go!¡± Sonya cheered, ¡°Coffee coming right up!¡± She said and twirled in place, somehow not spilling her own coffee as she half skipped back into the living space. Carla slipped off the bed and pulled herself to her feet, she considered taking the sheets with her but realized that was pretty pointless. She walked to the bathroom and gave herself a once over. Sonya hadn¡¯t been kidding. ¡°Got a few shirts and essentials for you on the sink in there!¡± Sonya called. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Carla blinked and glanced down to see a couple rolled up shirts and other important bits of clothing. She tossed the first one on, a baggy t-shirt with the word ¡®Soda¡¯ written in curvy letters and glitter before dragging herself out into the living room. It was blessedly free of Sonya¡¯s coworkers-slash-roommates. Only a wide couch set in front of a widescreen tv. Behind the tv was a wall of windows that wrapped around a corner of the apartment and gave a great view of the city. To her right she saw the dining area and beyond that, Sonya standing at a large silver coffee machine, humming to herself. ¡°Taking the day off?¡± Carla asked. ¡°Figured I might,¡± Sonya said as the mug filled. ¡°Though to be honest I probably should go in later. It¡¯s pretty early still, if you¡¯re worried.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m actually on a vacation,¡± Carla admitted, ¡°Needed some time off.¡± ¡°Chairman pushing you that hard?¡± Sonya asked. ¡°..a bit,¡± Carla admitted, feeling a bit sullen, ¡°After I failed with you, I-¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t fail, he shouldn¡¯t have asked that of you,¡± Sonya said and picked the mug up, not looking in her direction. ¡°How do you have it?¡± ¡°Black, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± Sonya cringed, ¡°Yikes, you¡¯re tougher than you look,¡± Sonya said and walked over with the mug. Carla took it with a grateful smile and sipped, it had to be the best cup of coffee she¡¯d ever had. She looked up at Sonya and dared to ask, ¡°Do you not like black coffee?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a really bad sweet tooth,¡± Sonya said with a shrug, ¡°Drives Marta crazy. Double cream with six sugars.¡± Carla coughed, nearly spitting out her coffee, ¡°Six?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Sonya hummed, walking over to the couch and sitting down, stretching her legs and letting out a sigh, ¡°How else do you think I get through the day? Sheer will and gumption? Please,¡± Sonya laughed, ¡°I am powered by spite, energy drinks, sugar, and snacks!¡± She declared with way more pride than Carla really thought she should have for such a statement. Carla snorted out a laugh, earning her a beaming smile from Sonya. She flushed, remembering the far more domineering person from the previous evening. She looked down at her hands and back up again. Sonya gestured for her to sit and she obliged, sitting down a seat away as she sipped. ¡°So what happens now?¡± Sonya scratched her nose and sipped her own drink, ¡°Up to you, really,¡± She said offhandedly, ¡°I¡¯m not looking for something serious, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. I go to that club often and I rarely sleep alone,¡± She admitted before glancing in Carla¡¯s direction, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a way to blow off steam and get rid of some of that stress that was eating you alive last night, sure, I¡¯m game.¡± Carla managed to put forward a bit of a petulant pout, ¡°And here I was looking forward to getting fitted for that collar you mentioned.¡± Sonya coughed, it was her turn to nearly spit up her drink. She looked up at Carla wide-eyed, ¡°You uh, you remember that? Oh, uh,¡± She rubbed the back of her neck, ¡°Y-you do realize I was saying that stuff for your benefit, right?¡± She babbled. For the first time in a long time, with all the weight of working for the committee, with all the pressure from the Chairman to make up for what had happened, all the fear of this changing world, Carla didn¡¯t just chuckle; she let out a full and hearty laugh. Sonya seemed so scary behind the desk, she was a scary person, she was powerful and influential and demonstrably could bring serious political pressure against even a person like the Chairman. And yet there was a side to her that was normal, if a bit goofy. Carla smiled down at her mug as the laugh ended, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± She muttered. Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Carla said, ¡°A little stress relief would be nice now and then, Sonya,¡± She paused, ¡°And¡­ I think I¡¯d rather work for you, than him.¡± Sonya glanced up at her and raised an eyebrow, ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous thing to say. You¡¯re a Pandora representative, an important one. You operate on its home turf. You can see the UN building from here.¡± ¡°He should have thought of that before using me for a honey trap, then,¡± Carla said, a bit more sharply than she¡¯d intended. She couldn¡¯t help it though. She¡¯d seen it as something she just had to do at the time, but the derision that Sonya had laid down upon her in that moment, and then the way she was being treated now. It was empowering even if it had required surrendering all her power for an evening. She looked up at a genuinely surprised looking Sonya, seeking her approval, some sign that she was going a better direction than playing lapdog to that old buffoon. Sonya gave her a rakish grin, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to working with you, Carla Mint.¡± Chapter 82 Chunhua cut down another gnoll. The damn things were getting bigger. Those multicolored clouds would sprout back up now and then and change them into behemoths twice the size of their kin. Worse were the smart ones wearing bones and beads on strings. They were capable of using some kind of strange magic. She clicked her tongue as she kicked away another one of the bigger ones, sending it bounding back across the ground a few feet and raised her hand to her earpiece. Behind her, a small group of heroic-tier heroes had formed a wall, preventing the monsters from slipping past and into the city beyond the ruined battlefield. ¡°Euclidia, what¡¯s the status on the east side?¡± She asked, one of Pathfinder¡¯s bullets whizzing past her head and striking one of the caster gnolls between the eyes. She glanced over at him and nodded. ¡°Not great, Guildmaster Bluestar has a barrier up and is protecting all the injured I sent her way. She¡¯s a real friggin trooper. They got the lions share of beasties though, like, a friggin¡¯ army. Firestorm and Bandit are holding the line, and Handmaiden is fighting her way towards them,¡± Euclidia said. ¡°Can you get the injured further away? We could send Vytal, it¡¯s not as bad over here,¡± Chunhua asked, her eyes turning towards the ongoing fight between Sapporo and An Set. Sapporo drove his palm towards the mad mythic only to get rebuffed by a pulse of yellow light. An Set¡¯s movements looked jerky and static from here. She narrowed her eyes. What- ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t,¡± Euclidia¡¯s voice came back, sounding weary, ¡°I¡¯m almost done with building the bridge to LA. I¡¯m giving it all I got as it is. You¡¯re gonna have to pick me up after this. Gotta go.¡± The connection cut and Chunhua frowned, Even Euclidia¡¯s at her limits. She looked towards the warzone on the other side of the battle. Hang in there. ¨C Bandit flew through the air, pulled along by his grappling hook. He accelerated towards another wall and landed, affixing himself with his powers before firing off another volley of shots. Not far away, Firestorm whipped out one hand and a thin ripple of white-hot flame ripped through the ranks of the Gnolls, cutting them in half. One of the big ones charged at him and he snarled, firing a quick series of shots straight into its eyes. It gurgled and fell only for four of the small ones to climb over it and charge at him, spears raised over their heads. He growled, about to dart to the right when the concrete rumbled and shot into the air, forming a makeshift wall in his path. Shit, he cursed and spotted the caster-gnoll standing at the back, a wicked sneer on its dog-like face. The spears drew closer and he lowered his head, ¡°Inky!¡± He barked, ¡°Smash ¡®em up!¡± From within his cloak a tendril of liquid black ink rushed into the air and took the shape of an oversized arm with a puffy white glove. In its hand was a mallet made out of the same inky black material. It brought the weapon down on the four incoming attackers with an exaggerated ¡®bonk¡¯ sound effect, leaving nothing but greasy red smears and gore in its wake. The hand and mace turned into a circular head with white eyes and a too-wide deranged smile. It brought a hand to its lips and snickered as Bandit caught his breath, glaring at the confused caster. He conjured up an arrow and tossed it to the monster. Inky caught the arrow in its mouth and chewed, crunching noisily before letting out a delighted snicker and returning to Bandit¡¯s cloak. He drew another arrow and it snapped out, plunging into the casters throat as it began a new chant. He shook his head and jumped up, climbing the wall it had created to block him before crouching down on it, scoping the area. Everything fucking hurt and he hated having to resort to calling Inky out. The monster wasn¡¯t exactly well behaved and only stuck around because it liked the taste of Bandit¡¯s arrows. The fact that it had somehow followed him out of the madhouse dungeon had been more than a little troubling. Still, he was a big help when he wanted to be. He spotted Firestorm as his friend turned into a whirlwind of flames, the raging funnel of flame stretching up towards the sky as it marched its way across the gnolls. The small ones were drawn up into it, their bodies turning to ash while the big ones pulled away, giving the casters a chance to pelt it with various elemental-like spells. Stones, jets of water, tiny jolts of lightning, a tumult hurtled towards Firestorm as he dominated the battlefield. Bandit swallowed, he had never seen his comrade push himself so hard before. He hadn¡¯t even seen some of these moves. Don¡¯t let him outdo you, he reminded himself with a grin and drew his bowstring back, concentrating. Blackness swirled into the projectile that formed, condensing and increasing in mass. He felt his muscles scream at the rising weight of the arrow, the head turning into a saw-like barb and oozing with deadly promise. He pursed his lips and focused on the biggest clump of them. He released the arrow and it burst forth, racing across the distance before scattering into dozens of vicious arrows that pelted the battlefield, killing in droves and spreading clouds of miasma where they struck. BOOM BOOM BOOM! He whipped his head in the direction of the sudden nearing tumult. A big gnoll went flying past him, crashing into a wall and missing him by a hair. He blinked, startled. ¡°Uh¡­¡± At the other end of the gnolls trajectory, close enough to see her smiling at him, was Handmaiden with her fist raised and a cut on her cheek closing fast as the eye could see. She stood up straight, her maid-cosplay covered in blood, her gauntlets soaked, her chest heaving, but her head held high. He raised a tired fist, ¡°Glad you could join us!¡± He shouted. Nearby, the blazing tornado that was Firestorm ceased somewhere over Handmaiden. Bandit grinned at him only to frown when the guy just dropped. Handmaiden caught him in one arm before looking up at Bandit. The remaining army of gnolls just stood there, dumbstruck by her entrance. She hefted Firestorm and tossed him towards Bandit. Bandit blinked, ¡°Shit! You crazy-¡± He shouted and spread his hands out, the dark stuff that made up his arrows turning into a shortly lived net that caught his friend. He slid forward and Firestorm landed in his arms, Bandit quickly checked him. Still breathing, you monstrous bastard, Bandit thought with a laugh before sending Handmaiden a nod of thanks. He kicked off the ground and made his way back towards the dome of the barrier. ROOAAAWWRRRR! A savage roar drowned out all other sound, the bloodlust in it enough to lock Bandit¡¯s muscles in place. He tripped and slid across the ground, finding just enough wherewithal to wrap himself around the unconscious Firestorm as he skipped across dirt and concrete before slamming into the surface of Bluestar¡¯s barrier. He coughed and tried to sit up, checking again on Firestorm before looking for the source. ¡°What the hell was-¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. BOOM! A golden streak flashed from the center of the battlefield. A ring of smooth stone tried to take shape in front of it but crumbled before it could fully form. The streak lanced across his vision before crashing into the ruins of a nearby building, part of the concrete and rebar bending inward before collapsing on whatever had fallen there. He blinked, uncomprehending for a moment before he looked over at where the streak had come from. An Set stood there, alone, uncontested, his body twitching and jerking as the serpent above swam even more wildly in the clouds. He tore his wide eyes from An Set to Handmaiden who was also looking at the mad mythic. Her chest rose and fell a few more times before she closed her eyes and looked over at Bandit. She met his eyes. Fucking hell, he groaned inwardly. He closed his eyes tightly before nodding, Get out of here, damn it. Handmaiden didn¡¯t need anything else, she changed direction and like a meteor, blasted through the thickest portion of gnolls she could find, streaks of white light streaming off of her body. He smiled at her back; That was nice of her, he thought ruefully and leaned against the barrier. He glanced over his shoulder at those inside. Bluestar was hanging in there, her eyes shut tightly as she squeezed every ounce of power out into her barrier. The occasional spears and spells that made it past Firestorm and Bandit had started to take their toll. Next to her, Lifesaver leaned against a broken pillar, spent. He looked back as the Gnolls recovered from the shock of An Sets shout and Handmaiden¡¯s departure. Just another hundred or so left, no big deal, he thought as they began charging. He shifted his weight and tried to pull up his bow. His muscles didn¡¯t like that. ¡°Alright,¡± He grunted, ¡°Inky, gonna need your help bud, I¡¯ll have to pay you back later.¡± Ink began to spread out beneath him just as a hand clasped his shoulder. He jolted and looked up to see Firestorm getting to his feet, a frown on his face and flames literally dancing on his skin. He pat Bandit¡¯s shoulder and shot him a grin, ¡°I got this, man,¡± He said and started walking, his skin glowing brighter and brighter. Bandit recovered from the surprise a moment later, his eyes fixed on Firestorm''s back, and the cracks beginning to spread across his skin. He tried to get up, tried to move, but his muscles just wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°NICK!¡± He forced out, ¡°DON¡¯T YOU FUCKING DARE!¡± ¨C Marta threw herself forward, she was like a comet. She blast her way through the few remaining ranks of gnolls. The sheer force of her body impacting them enough to pulverize bone and send them flying like bowling pins. Her attention was on only one target. An Set stood at the center of the battlefield, twitching and writhing in some kind of fit. Behind her she felt a sudden flare of intense heat that even scorched her skin at this distance. She didn¡¯t look back, she couldn¡¯t, but she had a feeling she knew what had just happened. A tear strayed down her cheek, her heart cracking just a little. This is the tragedy she has been trying so hard to prevent, she reminded herself as she ran, her eyes fixed on the twitching man ahead of her. Every muscle in her body screamed in protest only to immediately heal, her strength building and building as muscle fibers tore and rebuilt over and over. They tried to revert to her natural state, tried to resist growing denser, her body wouldn¡¯t let her work out in a normal way. Here though, pushing herself to her absolute limits, she felt her power finally starting to grow. She grit her teeth against the pain. I won¡¯t let it happen, I won¡¯t let it all fall apart. This won¡¯t be the end, this will be remembered as proof. She swore, I¡¯ll make sure people can look back on today and learn from it. An Set met her gaze, the twitching of his body easing. He cracked a grin at her. All I have to do is beat you. The storm above her rumbled and the serpent coiled again, eager for a new opponent. She barely heard her radio crackle in her ear. Amos said something about mana levels dropping. An Set turned fully to face her and spread his arms open as if welcoming her. White streaks continued to build on her skin, she moved faster and faster as she slowly forced her arm back into her signature blitz punch posture. Everyone will blame her, no one will forgive her, she reminded herself, No one will know, The tears kept coming, She opened her mouth in a scream. BUT I WILL! In an instant she was in front of him and that sneer of his turned into a wide eyed look of shock. I¡¯LL FORGIVE EVERYTHING! Her entire body, coated in brilliant light, crashed into the mad mythic with titanic force. She drove her fist into his head. His body twitched and jolted, electricity trying to spread to her, his flesh trying to go incorporeal. She wouldn¡¯t allow it. She felt the cruch of cartilage beneath her fist as his head twisted to the side and he hurtled away towards the west side. She kicked off the ground again, vanishing and leaving a crater behind her. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she reappeared in front of him, passing a startled Black Lotus. She grabbed An Set and kicked him under the jaw, sending him into the sky. EVERY CRIME! She launched herself and drove a fist into his gut. EVERY LIFE! She pinwheeled in the air and kicked him in the side, shooting him off like a rocket towards the center of the battlefield. He hit the ground and scrambled to his feet, drawing his fists up and catching himself as she launched herself towards him. Every ounce of her strength, every memory, every emotion she could bring to bear, she threw it at him. Even if it took everything she had, she would stop him then and there. EVEN IF THE WORLD HATES HER! I WON¡¯T! ¨C Chunhua watched the brilliant comet that was Handmaiden fall from the sky and crash into An Set. The two punched one another, electricity lancing through Handmaiden¡¯s body in a visible stream of crackles and sparks. The woman only swayed before coming back and landing a haymaker against his face. Above, the serpent recoiled, shrieking and writhing. Chunhua glanced to her left at the scorched ground where the passing duo had left devastation in their wake. Half of the remaining gnolls simply vaporized by their passing. The rest had begun to flee as a heavy archway formed behind her. She felt something clench in her gut as another feeling welled in her chest. Pride. Whatever realization Handmaiden had come to, she¡¯d embraced what it meant to have whatever power she had. She had become one with it. It was her first time, though, and Chunhua didn¡¯t know how long it would last. Even so, it was breathtaking. The very air seemed charged with positivity. She felt stronger, ready to give anything to stop this chaos. Her troubled scowl curled into a grin and she squeezed the hilt of her weapon tight. ¡°Euclidia?¡± ¡°LA Heroes coming, Sapp¡¯s fine, but he¡¯s gonna need treatment,¡± Euclidia wheezed into the connection, ¡°Is that Handmaiden?¡± Chunhua smiled, ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m gonna go join her. Time to pick up where we left off.¡± ¡°Kick some ass, leader.¡± ¨C On the other side of the battlefield, Bandit leaned against the blue barrier. He gaped at the vast devastation ahead of him. A near perfect cone of destruction stretched out ahead of him. The ground rippled with waves of heat, stone glowed molten. His eyes barely processed it as he looked down at the pair of boots standing at its apex, and the pile of ashes surrounding it. He covered his face and bit his lip, ¡°Damn it.¡± Chapter 83 An Set lunged forward, his body splitting in half as an electric charge raced up Black Lotus¡¯ sword. She whipped it down and to the right, a huff of exertion all it took to send the charge into the ground rather than her arm. The outstretched arm of the mad mythic crackled and sparked, talons of electricity reaching for Marta. Marta tilted her head back, letting the blow catch her in the chest. Her vision went white for a moment before her head whipped forward, her heart restarting as soon as it stopped. She raised her arm and brought her elbow down, a thunderous crash echoing out as her limb crashed through his. Above, the serpent howled again, the Great Eel recoiling as a portion of it flickered and its body shrank. An Set reflected its howl with one of his own, staggering backwards as a tendril of electricity leaped from the stump of his arm and reformed into a limb. He snarled, bearing his teeth as Black Lotus darted in low, the scent of blossoms filling the air. She muttered under her breath as the pink coloration faded to an icy white-blue, a chill ripped through the air, and frost began to form on the edge of her weapon. She momentarily turned into a streak, her skin nearly turning red as the frost on her body turned into steam. The next instant she was past him, a trail of ice in her wake and his right side coated. Without stopping for a moment, An Set pulled himself in half as the serpent in the clouds struggled and thrashed. Lightning became flesh and he threw his arms out wide, the air becoming charged. Marta and Black Lotus exchanged a look and darted away, getting some distance as an enormous bolt of lighting fell down from the sky. Marta glanced up at the serpent again, noting it had significantly reduced in size. She frowned and brought up her glowing fists, the metal gauntlets gleaming with an almost holy light. She¡¯d finally noticed it, but she wasn¡¯t about to question it. Whatever she¡¯d done, whatever had changed, she was going to roll with it. An Set lowered his arms, breathing hard, his body moving with strange jerks and slowdowns as if he was moving both fast and slow at the same time. His head was looking both back at Black Lotus and Marta at the same time. He¡¯s powered up, again, but he¡¯s running out of juice. There was only so much electricity in Las Vegas, no matter how you shake it. He has a limit. She glanced again at Black Lotus and nodded at her. The other woman nodded as well and set herself into a stance, drawing her weapon up and over her head, parallel with the ground. Her hand outstretched, she let out a low breath and the chill that had surrounded her shifted to a summertime glow. The scent of blossoms filled the air again as Marta¡¯s muscles coiled beneath her, ready for another burst of movement. The two moved as one, Black Lotus raced forward in a ray-like line, a pink flash of light and motion while Marta kicked off the ground into a blitz, traversing fifty meters in an instant with her fist already descending. Her fist collided with An Set¡¯s head while a sword erupted from his chest. His head turned nearly one hundred and eighty degrees. Marta felt the point of Black Lotus¡¯ sword pierce her waist, the energy releasing out of her back but there was no pain. The heartbeat-length exchange felt like several seconds as Marta pivoted in the air and Black Lotus turned her sword to cut horizontally across his chest. There was a terrible sound of tearing and another howl of impotent fury from above as An Set was torn in half, his torso skipping across the ground away from her punch while his lower half dropped to the ground. Marta pulled back and glanced down, his legs twitched and sparked. ¡°Retreat!¡± She shouted and kicked away just as they exploded with arcs of lethal electricity, scorching the ground and sending glass-like shards everywhere. A few darted past her face, leaving cuts in her skin that quickly healed. She turned towards the torso and readied herself as another bolt of lightning came down from above. ¨C Chunhua whipped her weapon down, not that she needed to. The monster didn¡¯t bleed. She glanced up at the sky with Handmaiden, the writhing serpent above had nearly vanished. It barely resembled a coiled bolt of lightning anymore. She looked down at the reforming body of An Set, his bare lower half twitching and spasming. All of his clothes were gone at this point, he couldn¡¯t reform them with his powers. Her lip twitched as he sat up with a jerk, his appearance all the more bestial now. His teeth looked more like needles and sparks jumped off of them as he got to his feet. She readied her weapon, prepared for the next exchange, when something struck An Set in the side of the head. She blinked. A single blue bolt of power splashed against his temple and dissipated. Then a rock hurtled in from the left. A black arrow from the right. Then a blade of wind screeched across the field and knocked him to the side. One of Pathfinders bullets caught him under the chin and sent him stumbling. Chunhua looked around, bewildered, as the heroes who had fought, bled, and nearly died against the gnolls positioned themselves around the circular battlefield and resumed their bombardment that had only been paused by the monster attack. She saw Marta shift and reach for her ear and couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Marta!¡± The man called Amos said over the line. ¡°Mana levels dropping and fast!¡± Marta sagged a little, ¡°What-¡± ¡°The Dungeon¡¯s gone!¡± Amos shouted excitedly. Roars and shouts rang out all around them as everyone threw all they had left in their reserves at An Set. The serpent above shrieked and writhed in agony while Chunhua internalized what Amos had said. Gone? It was cleared? But- BZZRRTTTZZTTTT- TICK ¡­ TICK ¡­ TICK ¡­ TICK ¡­ TICK The ticking of a clock. A hum in the air. A chill up her spine. An eye appeared before her, opening wide. Chunhua froze, taking a step back but it simply followed her. It hovered there, two dimensional, transparent, it looked almost digital. It glitched and flickered, blinking once as it observed her with its eerie pink glow. Then she noticed that it was utterly silent. She glanced towards Handmaiden with a similar eye in her face. Then at An Set who was confusedly swatting at the one observing him. Eyes everywhere. Eyes in front of every hero. Eyes floating in the air looking at the battlefield from all directions. An all encompassing gaze. Then as quickly as they had appeared, they vanished, all closing at once. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°What was-¡± She felt something descend upon her, pressure, will, an absolute presence that washed over everything she was and reached down to her soul and gripped it in an iron clasp. She felt her knees buckle as light erupted overhead. She looked up, fighting against the terror that was trying to worm its way artificially into her heart. The serpent was gone but dark clouds remained. In its place was an eye as big as the battlefield, a fuschia gaze of some otherworldly thing whom they¡¯d drawn the attention of. ¡°Leader-¡± BZZZTTTT Euclidia tried to chime in but the radio immediately fizzled out. An Set tried to pull himself off the ground only to abruptly trip and fall, it looked like an invisible force was literally pushing down on him, crushing him with ruthless strength. Chunhua forced herself to breathe, drew on every ounce of training she had and will collected through her ability to stay on her feet and squeeze down on the handle of her sword, even as her fingers went numb. She looked back up at the eye and saw the inner part of the eye grow more solid, a ring of hard light that opened up into a space she couldn¡¯t quite make out. From it, she descended in a column of light. All white, her hair flowing out to either side like feathered wings, her arms spread out. Her helmet, dark and cruel with two slits of pink light burning from within, malice boiling off of her in nearly visible waves. She seemed to stand in mid air as she descended, her feet firmly planted on what looked like nothing at all as the eye loomed above her. Panels of light formed in the air around her before spreading out over the field, slamming down in a ring around the area, blocking the view of the heroes around them. The self-proclaimed first supervillain, a supposed goddess made flesh, the absolute enemy of every hero on the planet. ¡°Ishtar,¡± Chunhua breathed even as her mind reeled and connected dots. Her lips formed a thin line. She tilted her head forward and leveled a defiant glare on the woman. In the corner of her eye even Handmaiden assumed a defensive pose, shifting back a bit and readying for yet another fight in this tireless onslaught. ¡°I AM ISHTAR.¡± The voice was bloodcurdling, cold, a rasp that could likely be heard across the city. ¡°THAT FALSE HERO, A DESECRATION OF THE TITLE, IS STILL USEFUL TO ME.¡± Chunhua jolted, No! She turned her focus back on An Set and darted towards him, sword drawn. She was going to take him, she wasn¡¯t sure why, but she was not going to let that happen before she got her answers. Even if that meant killing him. She had a duty. ¡°PRIMROSE DANCE OF ONE THOUSAND-¡± She roared, her weapon vibrating as she turned herself into a rocket of motion only for her blade to come crashing into a panel of white light. ¡°I¡¯M AFRAID I CAN¡¯T LET YOU DO THAT, HERO,¡± Ishtar¡¯s booming voice declared. Chunhua darted around the barrier just in time to see a pool of blackness spread out beneath the broken man, violet needles sticking out of his neck and foam coming out of his mouth. He sank into it as if it were water before the puddle simply dried up and vanished as if it had never been there. One moment the monster known as An Set had been on the verge of death and at her fingertips, the next he was simply whisked away with nothing to show for it. Her teeth nearly cracked as she whipped her head up towards the woman hovering above her. In response to her glare, the panel beneath Ishtar vanished and she landed where An Set had been only moments before. ¡°Apologies for the steal, hero, I do feel bad about taking your glory,¡± Ishtar rasped, her voice down at a normal volume. There was a bit of amusement in it, ¡°Like I said, I have a use for him.¡± Chunhua snarled and marched towards the supervillain, her blade at her side. She didn¡¯t stop until she was right in the villain¡¯s face, looking at her own eyes in the reflective surface of the helmet. ¡°You,¡± She growled, ¡°Are you Sonya Chernovna?¡± The villain tilted her head as a low hum filled the air and Chunhua¡¯s earpiece crackled to life. A low rasp hissed into her eardrum; ¡°Yes.¡± Chunhua blinked, she had expected anything but that. Mocking would have been more expected, more reasonable. She held her ground, glaring at the woman behind the mask, trying to wrap her head around it all. The things that Handmaiden had said. That she was trying to stop things like this from happening. Yet she had been nearby when An Set had apparently lost his mind. Did she have something to do with it? What was her angle? She¡¯d said it through her earpiece, was that a clue? An admission? Why? Just, fucking why? None of it made any sense to her. She¡¯s lying, trying to discredit Chernovna. Somehow she was in the dungeon with her. It just doesn¡¯t click otherwise. ¡°I want answers.¡± ¡°If you survive, certainly,¡± The Supervillain said. Chunhua blinked only for every instinct in her body to scream at her to move. She leaped to the side just as a ray of light erupted from Ishtar¡¯s fingertip. If she had moved a second too late it would have created a finger sized hole in her heart. Chunhua slid to a stop and readied her weapon, she raised it and opened her mouth to speak, ¡°If I-¡± Handmaiden didn¡¯t need to be cajoled as much as Chunhua. She let out a roar and charged at the supervillain who took a dancing step back and swirled her hand once, a barrier of light appearing between her and Handmaiden¡¯s fist. The glass-like material shuddered and cracked, but held. Ishtar seemed to vanish into another panel of light and Chunhua¡¯s instincts were the only thing that saved her yet again, she dove low as a combat knife made of light swiped across the space where her throat had just been. Fine! She snarled and pivoted, bringing her weapon out with a snap-draw. Ishtar pirouetted out of the way and snapped out a kick, the force of it making Chunhua¡¯s eyes water as she pulled her head back and out of the way. Before Chunhua could recover a fist drove up and into her gut, sending her heaving and staggering back. I need to recapture momentum! She screamed at herself, dodging another knife blow aimed with surgical precision. She snapped her leg out to kick Ishtar¡¯s foot out from under her while sweeping her blade out towards the woman¡¯s helmet. ¡°More,¡± Ishtar growled and a barrier formed right next to her head. Chunhua pulled the weapon back, picking up speed and released a series of rapid speed jabs, One-Hundred Eighty Petals! Ishtar stepped back and swayed, moving with each motion like a blade of grass. Her head tossing lazily left and right. Chunhua snarled and followed up with the next step in the form, going from one-hundred eighty petals to Ninety-ton Flowering Branch! She felt her internal energy rushing through her muscles, her power screaming to life as she brought the weapon in, up and down in a cataclysm of force. Ishtar caught the attack at the base of the blade with her knife, pivoting past Chunhua¡¯s left side and driving a kick into her. Chunhua let out a gasp of pain and tumbled, hitting the ground and scrambling to her feet. Handmaiden had moved in place of her, her fists raging as she threw her full wrath at Ishtar. Ishtar danced and dodged, delivering light but carefully targeted blows to the woman¡¯s body. She moved into a backflip and even landed on one of Handmaiden¡¯s hands, snapping down into a split kick that caught the hero in the back of the head with her boot. Chunhua looked down at her sword and up at Ishtar, breathing hard, She had already used a lot fighting An Set, even still, that move. She knows my fighting style? Handmaiden staggered back from the blow. It wasn¡¯t one intended to injure but to stun her. She was immune to killing blows but staggering ones were effective. She moved like water, no, like a faerie, dancing on the air and even hopping on panels of light to get distance before immediately responding with vicious and lethal force. Chunhua collected herself and shook off the pressure that the supervillain was putting on them somehow. She took a new pose. ¡°ISHTAR!¡± She shouted. The Supervillain landed a few meters away from Handmaiden and raised her hands in welcome, ¡°Come, Hero! Show me everything!¡± Chapter 84 Ishtar took several swaying steps backwards, her head moving just out of the path of Chunhua¡¯s swings. Her attacks kept missing! Either she could see the goddamn future or she knew her fighting style better than Chunhua did. It was beyond frustrating. How could anyone possibly know a style that didn¡¯t exist? Yet she knew every move as it happened, moved just the right way to block it, intercept it. Chunhua grimaced, she needed to shake things up, change the momentum in any way she could. Her eyes glowed faintly as she ducked low, shifting immediately from one form to another. The stress of the shift putting extra strain on her muscles. Executing a technique from this proximity was not only difficult, it was dangerous. She usually relied on momentum and keeping the opponent on the backfoot on a drawn out fight. There were no such openings here. Besides, she needed to keep Ishtar¡¯s concentration on her for a few more seconds. Chunhua did her best to keep her eyes steady, not shifting at all when she noticed Handmaiden coming from behind. The thoughts moved through her head in the span of a single heartbeat, her body moving into a crouch so fast the force sent out a small rush of wind around her. She gripped the hilt of her sword and pushed off the ground, her muscles screaming. The uppercut came like a flash of pink light that stretched up to the sky. At the same time, a thunderous crash rang out as Handmaiden came in like a comet, her body gleaming like a star. Chunhua felt something give way and followed through with the blow, bringing her weapon up and back down into her next ready stance. Ishtar chuckled. ¡°Better.¡± Chunhua¡¯s eyes went wide as a kick drove all the air out of her lungs. She was flung backwards as she heard a cry of pain from Handmaiden. She hit the ground and skipped off of it twice before slamming down with a groan and wheeze. Her head spun, her vision blurring, exhaustion screaming through every cell in her body. She pulled herself back and up, staggering to her feet and fixing her gaze on the supervillain. Ishtar was standing there, examining her gloved hands as if she was checking her nails. The woman spread her fingers out and tilted her head, nodding slowly to herself. ¡°Not bad, I like it, a good baseline.¡± Baseline? Ishtar turned her head and looked at Chunhua, tilting it slightly like a bird of prey examining something tasty. ¡°Shall we turn it up, ladies? I have a whole warehouse to test out.¡± A thrill went up Chunhua¡¯s spine, she grit her teeth and cursed. ¡°What the hell are you?¡± She demanded. She glanced over and spotted Handmaiden getting to her feet, several deep furrows in her face and neck healing and closing. The woman looked physically healthy, but she was clearly tired. Regeneration didn¡¯t replenish stamina as fast as one might think and between An Set and Ishtar, the both of them were already running on fumes. Still. I am not letting her go! She glanced towards the west side of the battlefield where the glowing panels of light had formed an arena for them. She couldn¡¯t see any movement. Hopefully that meant that Pathfinder had figured out where An Set was and had taken the other heroes to pursue him. She glanced to the right and saw cracks forming on the east side barriers. The heroes lead by Bluestar were fighting to get through and give their support. Her focus returned to Ishtar who hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°Done figuring out your strategy?¡± Ishtar asked, crossing her arms behind her back and holding her head high, ¡°I imagine Pathfinder is off searching for your quarry, right?¡± Chunhua kept her mouth shut, slowing her breathing and allowing her cultivated energy to flow through her body, muscle tension eased and aches began to fade. ¡°I wonder,¡± Ishtar said aloud, tilting her head and looking up at the sky, ¡°Can Pathfinder handle a mythic-tier master assassin? He¡¯s good, but is he that good?¡± Chunhua bore her teeth, ¡°Handmaiden! Now!¡± She shouted and exploded into motion, her body turning into a streak as a burst of light erupted behind Ishtar. Ishtar just laughed, a cruel insane laugh as the ground beneath their feet shook. Chunhua reacted as fast as she could, changing direction and spinning out of the way as water exploded from the ground beneath her in a torrent. A column sprayed into the sky and created an artificial rain around them, water flooding out at their feet. More bursts happened around the battlefield, more columns of water. The pipes! Chunhua realized as droplets of water changed direction in mid air and began pelting her, leaving small scratches and cuts as they passed. She winced and pivoted, shifting from strength to speed. Her sword turned into a blur as she cut lethal droplets of water out of the air. How many powers does she have?! Water kept flowing, spreading, it was ankle deep when she landed again. A flash flood that filled the basin created by their battle with An Set. She slid across the ground, stopping on top of a slick slab of concrete. Ahead of her, Handmaiden lunged at Ishtar again who simply raised her hand and blocked with a barrier of hardened light. She swept her arm and used it as a plow, pushing the woman to the side before leaping into a flip kick. The impact releasing a crack of sound before sending Handmaiden back a good distance, splashing into the water. ¡°I set the terms, I set the field, I control the game,¡± Ishtar pronounced and raised a hand. The water spraying into the air stopped and the ground shook again. ¡°The battlefield is mine, heroes. You are just playing in it.¡± BOOM! The ground behind Ishtar exploded into a spray of debris and dirt, something huge roaring up into the air and spreading out. Chunhua stood there and watched, her head turning up and up as the bows of a tree spread out over them. Leaves grew and flowers bloomed as the ground shook beneath her feet. One limb caught Ishtar beneath her feet and carried her up into the air with it, now looking down on them. Another limb sprouted from the tree and curled behind Ishtar who leaned back and took a seat, crossing her legs. Chunhua felt heat rise to her face as the supervillain took the posture of a queen. She nearly lost her temper, her anger flaring with the adrenaline, confusion, and stress. She bit her lip, drawing blood and forcing herself to calm down. She¡¯s toying with us. If she could do things like this before we should already be dead. She took a calming breath as her eyes took in the changed battlefield. A massive tree hanging over an artificial lake, Ishtar sitting in her wooden throne like Titania herself. She mentioned Pathfinder and An Set, a realization hit her that should have hit her a long time ago. She¡¯s delaying us! She¡¯s using herself as a goddamn distraction! The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. She stood up straight and lowered her weapon, ¡°Ishtar! Enough games! I¡¯m leaving!¡± She shouted. ¡°About time!¡± Ishtar shouted back, laughing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say I can¡¯t let you, dear, not until I have word that my quarry is secure.¡± ¡°Try and stop me!¡± Chunhua shouted back and turned her attention to the west, ¡°If I get out of range, whatever you¡¯re doing to our communications will come back on, right?¡± She snarled, ¡°Are you faster than me?¡± ¡°Probably not, but you¡¯re not in a position to run that easily,¡± Ishtar teased and the ground shook again. ¡°Trees have roots, did you forget?¡± Chunhua¡¯s eyes shot down towards the ground and her instincts screamed at her to move. She darted towards the west, throwing everything she could into speed. ¡°HANDMAIDEN, LET''S GET OUT OF HERE!¡± She shouted and put power into her voice, ¡°HEROES! SHE¡¯S DISTRACTING US! GET AWAY AND FIND AN SET!¡± Roots erupted from the ground and grasped at her, they darted from the side, from the front, aiming to spear and incapacitate. Every blow was projected, clearly aimed not to kill but rather to slow her down. She set the infuriation she felt at the insult aside and put all her focus into running. There was no beating Ishtar, not now, not when they were all exhausted. She understood how powers worked intimately, she was more practiced, more powerful. The best strategy was to eliminate a fight all together. I¡¯ll get you one day. Chunhua thought, darting past another pair of roots as Handmaiden caught up to her. The two exchanged a look and nodded before leaping over the glowing barriers that had contained them. ¨C Ishtar watched them go through the Astral Eye hanging above and let out a sigh, leaning back in the seat she had created for herself. She rest her helmet against the tree. Sylvan Monarch worked well. She thought and looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers again. Ah¡­ your heart feels great in my chest, Feng Hyunh. She thought and glanced towards the distant ruin of the building where the dungeon had been. I didn¡¯t expect that answer, but I¡¯ll keep my promise. A chime sounded in her ear. ¡°Blackrazor?¡± She answered. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived at the first staging area, Mistress. We are securing An Set to move to the second location, I am being pursued,¡± Blackrazor reported quickly. ¡°Pathfinder, he can find anything as long as he has some sort of connection,¡± Ishtar said and shifted in her seat, watching the heroes of the east side of the battlefield make their retreat. She raised a hand and threatened them a little with the roots of her tree to keep the show up, ¡°He could be a problem, kill him, he¡¯ll be able to find the second location once we move An Set.¡± ¡°It will be done,¡± Blackrazor grunted and cut the connection. Ishtar glanced towards the east side again and a frown crossed her features beneath her helmet, she felt her heart tighten a little. ¡°Oh, Nick,¡± She sighed, ¡°You brave, incredible man, you won¡¯t be forgotten, I promise.¡± She closed her eyes and drew in a breath. The air stirred and the eye in the sky began to slowly fade. The panels of light shattered, scattering sparkling dust about the now dimly lit lake and tree. She basked for a moment, savoring the sense of power that burned in her veins. She looked down at the water below, glittering beneath the dissipating hard light and smiled to herself. ¡°...maybe a memorial garden,¡± she murmured as a panel of light appeared behind her and turned in on itself. She leaned back into it and disappeared. ¨C Blackrazor stood over the broken man. An Set was a shadow of his former self. He remembered seeing the man from afar when he once met with Feng Hyunh on a job some time ago. Now he looked¡­ diminished. His face was sunken, his muscles were deteriorated, and his eyes were just hollow. He supposed the paralytic he had used didn¡¯t help things. He glanced towards one of the gang members who walked over with a steel suitcase. The young man wore the usual uniform of those in Ishtar¡¯s employ, including the white queen chesspiece on his lapel. He opened the suitcase and revealed the cuffs. ¡°This is the prototype that the boss sent,¡± The youth said, holding it out. Blackrazor nodded, another mechanical marvel created by Amos no doubt. He nodded towards An Set, ¡°Cuff him and activate it, we don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The gang member nodded and got to work, slipping the cuffs onto An Set and securing them before stepping back and pulling a remote from the box. He fiddled with it for a moment before hitting in a combination on the number pad. There was a sizzling sound followed by a strange sense of emptiness around An Set. The broken mythic let out a groan and stirred, his eyes fluttering. Blackrazor frowned and tossed a violet needle at his throat, putting him back to sleep. He glanced at the youth, ¡°I¡¯ll take the remote for now.¡± ¡°Right, the code is one-four-seven-nine-nine-five,¡± The young man said and handed it to him. Blackrazor turned it over in his hand, it looked like a universal television remote. Well if it works it works. A rush of air drew his attention away from his new toy and he glanced over his shoulder to see Veloce return, one second she was at the door and the next she was at his side, arms zipping around his elbow. He glanced down at her, confused, as she pressed her face against his shoulder. He decided to tolerate it for now, ¡°How did it go?¡± He asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get him to target me,¡± She pouted, puffing up her cheeks, ¡°He practically ignored me, I even tried teasing him. It¡¯s like that guy doesn¡¯t have balls or something.¡± Blackrazor looked away, ¡°Did you delay him at least?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be a few more minutes,¡± She said with a sigh, ¡°Is that enough?¡¯ He nodded, ¡°Yes that¡¯s fine, we¡¯ve just finished up here. All we need is for the mistress to arrive so she and I can go to the secondary location,¡± Blackrazor said, ¡°After that, you¡¯re to find your own escape route. If you are caught you might be recognized as the one who separated Feng Hyunh and An Set which immediately resulted in his berserk state.¡± She looked up at him wide-eyed, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right,¡± She blinked and looked thoughtful. ¡°They won¡¯t settle with imprisonment, if you want to live long enough to get Mistress Ishtar¡¯s planned gifts, you¡¯ll need to give it your all to get out of here,¡± He said grimly. She squeezed against his arm, ¡°Can¡¯t I go with you?¡± He raised an eyebrow. What was with her, it was like she was physically attached to him for some reason. All he¡¯d done was fight off a few gnolls while she was paralyzed. Ishtar had been the one to restore her legs. He sighed and shook his head, ¡°No, the Mistress¡¯ orders were clear-¡± He was cut off by the sound of gunfire. ¡°And there he is, faster than expected,¡± He muttered, ¡°Time for you to go.¡± She pulled away and snapped a playful salute, ¡°Right away!¡± She grinned and in a blur of motion she was gone. He shook his head and turned away from the beaten An Set, ¡°The rest of you! Prepare to make your escape once we¡¯ve bought a little time. The Mistress will arrive soon and she will not want to be disturbed!¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± A unified shout came as the thugs and lesser villains hurried to make their final preparations while their comrades held the heroes at bay. Blackrazor threw out his hand and a short blade appeared in it, glittering, violet, and deadly. His steps made no sound as he glided across the ground towards the door, ¡°Only one thing left to do.¡± Chapter 85 A hail of gunfire greeted Blackrazor as he stepped out into the main space of the old manufacturing plant that they had used for their temporary hideout. Thugs that didn¡¯t have adequate powers to use in a fight had been armed with automatic weapons loaded with anti-monster munitions. The serial numbers would be traced back to a shipment sent to the west coast to be shipped by sea to east asia. One of the trucks had gone missing. He swept into the room as a stone, launched at high speed, hurtled at him from a stray shot by a hero who was immediately gunned down. The pebble went through his head, liquid shadow dripping from the hole that had opened in his changed body. He huffed and sealed the ¡®wound¡¯. He walked slowly as the first wave of heroes encountered surprising resistance, some of their defensive powers not ready for non-mundane bullets. He took a breath and spun the forearm length blade in his hand, spreading his will throughout the room. His mind grasped onto the shadows, integrating them into himself as he became a part of the room. He closed his eyes and shifted his senses throughout the space. Here, he was king. Autarch. Shouts rang out dimly in his ears, his mind already hunting for his prey. He had been given only one task, eliminate the greatest threat to the final step of his mistress¡¯ plan. An Set had to disappear at her hands, his reputation sullied forever no matter what happened next. If that was what she desired, she would have it without question. A gunshot sounded next to his head and he ignored the thug next to him who gave him a wide-eyed look. He kept his pace slow as he moved into view of the heroes. One face at a time. Quickly now. No. No. No. He stepped out fully and the heroes paused for just half a heartbeat and he exhaled, liquid blackness spreading across the floor in a creeping tide. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the dark-skinned man crouched near the middle, a rifle in his hand. He met his gaze, There you are. One moment he was there, establishing his presence, letting the heroes know that there was a predator in their midst. The next he dove into the ocean of shadow beneath him, his body slipping into the ground as if it had simply gone. Menace. There was power in fear. An assassin could operate on cold efficiency and silence, certainly, but fear made one make mistakes. Fear led one to change plans. Fear destroyed cohesion. Blackrazor would tear them apart one by one if he had to, all for the Mistress. He didn¡¯t have time to play it safe, he had to disorient, confuse, and break their reason as he pursued his target. Ishtar would not hold Handmaiden and Black Lotus at bay for long. He did not want a rematch with Handmaiden, not yet. ¡°Watch your feet!¡± The man, Pathfinder, shouted, ¡°He¡¯s in the shadows!¡± Blackrazor willed a poisoned knife out of himself and launched it silently from between Pathfinders feet. The tracker hero moved with almost preternatural instinct, diving out of the way as the knife darted into the air and slipped into yet another shadow. Blackrazor let that chill wash through his veins as murder became his sole focus. Another knife leaped from the shadows, coming from above and scratching a hero who was blocking for his comrades with a barrier made of some kind of metal. He winced and dropped to a knee as another knife darted across the room horizontally, striking a man behind him in the ear. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Those knives came from both sides of the room!¡± ¡°Watch the shooters, don¡¯t forget we¡¯re under fire!¡± ¡°I know that!¡± ¡°We need light in here! Push the shadows back!¡± There¡¯s a good idea, you should do that before I kill more of you, Blackrazor thought, swimming through his own personal sea. He swirled, danced, and then spotted his prey again. Pathfinder had moved to a spot above the battlefield near the entrance, faint light beating down on his back. Blackrazor swam up the crates where the man was sitting, his shadowy form slipping from place to place like oil. He reached the man¡¯s leg and the man darted away again, landing on the ground and firing his rifle at the crate where Blackrazor had hidden. Tch. Blackrazor pulled back, slinking into the shadows before releasing another flurry of blades. The metal shield hero who had been cut in the leg toppled over and foamed at the mouth. Another hero took a knife to the throat, another stabbed in the back. ¡°Shore up! Pull back! He¡¯s probably Mythic! Handmaiden and Black Lotus are on their way!¡± Pathfinder shouted, firing shot after shot. He seemed to know where Blackrazor was, no matter which way he went, as soon as he surfaced there was a bullet heading for him again. Blackrazor frowned a little, he had changed his target rather quickly. The mistress said that he needed a connection to the target to track them. I touched him, was that enough? What does he have of An Set¡¯s that makes him so confident? An article of clothing perhaps? Blackrazor mused as he pulled away from another bullet. ¡°I¡¯ll keep him contained!¡± Pathfinder shouted, ¡°Focus on the defenders!¡± Arrogant. I¡¯ll have to correct that. Blackrazor grunted internally, focusing hard as he spread his will throughout the darkness again, becoming fully one with it. He grit his teeth, clenching his fists and throwing himself into the act of control. He barely heard the confused shouts that came next as the oil-slick darkness that spread across the floor beneath the heroes began to grow deep. Boxes slid into the ground, descending, boots dropped a few inches, some managed to climb out of the trap while others found themselves stuck. I¡¯ll swallow you all- BANG! A gunshot rang out and the bullet plunged into the shadows. Blackrazor winced as he felt pain spread across his shoulder. He blinked and opened his eyes, glancing down at the wound that had been left behind. He shot a bullet into the sea of shadow? He wondered before looking back at the man who stood at the center of his allies, rifle raised, confidence in his eyes, as they pulled themselves out of the dispersing trap. Blackrazor¡¯s lips formed a thin line. As you wish. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. For a moment, a brief moment, it seemed like the entire room grew brighter. All of the shadow that had spread through the room swarmed across the ground in an angry rush. ¡°Scatter!¡± Pathfinder shouted, ¡°Get away from-¡± Blackrazor leaped from the shadow, blade in hand. Pathfinder stepped back and blocked it with his rifle, the weapon scraping against the metal barrel. A low hiss erupted from the point of impact and the poison so toxic it could burn through steel ate its way into the weapon. Pathfinder grunted and took a step back, drawing a pistol from his belt as Blackrazor dove into the shadow again and resurfaced behind him, lunging again. Pathfinder spinned and fired off a shot only to hit empty air. ¡°You can track me, certainly,¡± Blackrazor hissed, his voice filling the chamber. Pathfinder spinning and firing on the spot, always missing in the concentrated space of shadow that was forming in a ring around him. He spun again and again, his eyes going wider until a hand wrapped around his chin and a cold blade pressed against his throat. Blackrazor leaned into his ear, ¡°But you aren¡¯t fast enough.¡± He pulled the blade to a splatter of crimson blood as poison ensured the kill. ¨C Chunhua hurtled herself over another building, racing from spot to spot as she tried to get some distance from Ishtar¡¯s communications impairing ability. She could hear gunfire nearby so she figured she was on the right track. She was nearly a mile away before finally she heard the radio crackle back on. She raised her finger to her ear, ¡°Euclidia! Are you okay?¡± She shouted. ¡°I¡¯m fine, oh my god, holy shit,¡± Euclidia breathed. ¡°I know,¡± Chunhua panted, tossing herself over an electrical box and landing on the street below, ¡°Where¡¯s Pathfinder?¡± ¡°Two blocks from you, he¡¯s fighting something I can¡¯t see, it''s gross,¡± She said, ¡°Hurry!¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Chunhua said and turned to look at Handmaiden, ¡°How about you, are you okay?¡± ¡°I can keep going,¡± Handmaiden said with a firm nod, ¡°Whatever you need.¡± Chunhua felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. The interaction also triggered an intensifying sense of doubt. This woman was close to Chernovna, very close, yet she¡¯d thrown herself at Ishtar without a single doubt in her mind. The attacks that Handmaiden had delivered were not intended to subdue, she had gone for the kill from the first punch. Either Handmaiden didn¡¯t know that Sonya was Ishtar, Ishtar was lying, or this woman was a superb actress. She really hoped it wasn¡¯t the latter. She nodded at her comrade and they raced towards the building in question, flashes of gunfire still lighting up inside. She landed on a rooftop and looked down. She saw Pathfinder, ¡°Oh thank-¡± A shadow wrapped around him, and he dropped to the ground. ¡°No!¡± ¨C Blackrazor glanced over his shoulder at the two women on top of the building and huffed. There was Handmaiden, he needed to leave. He turned away, ignoring them, and raised his hand to his earpiece as he stepped into the ground. ¡°Retreat,¡± He said casually before diving down and swimming back to the room where An Set was held. There he saw the Mistress step through a rectangle of light, her arms crossed behind her back. Her head was turned to look at the unconscious An Set. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Blackrazor said as fighting broke out outside. ¡°I know,¡± Ishtar said with a nod and gestured, a new portal appearing behind An Set. ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Blackrazor confirmed. ¡°Well done, shall we?¡± She rasped and the two made their escape. Blackrazor grabbing hold of An Set and dragging him through the portal. Just as it began to close behind them, the woman Black Lotus stepped into the room. Ishtar, next to him, glanced back over her shoulder and waved as the portal shut. ¨C Everything was confusion, colors were sounds, words were nonsense, emotion was everything. Feeling was killing, killing was breathing, everything was lightning. Duong swam in a void of his own power, the great eel had slunk back to a place deep within himself to rest and recover. Yet he had not found enough of himself to resurface. When it woke again, he would feel its rage once more. That was fine. That was easy. It was comfortable, fun even, he had enjoyed the battle, had savored the carnage, had reveled in the ruination as he took a backseat to the thing inside of him. This was a good place, a good time, to drift into nothingness. Yet he didn¡¯t, something held him in place. A violet light that brought back feelings of petulant rage and incoherent fury filled his mind. He wanted to kill its source, destroy it, obliterate it, he needed to. Yet he couldn¡¯t find his strength. He couldn¡¯t move. The light kept pulling at him, guiding him. It didn¡¯t try to push him back down as before, when that woman had oppressed him. No, this violet light was a guide to bring him back to the surface above the clouds of darkness and storms. He took the offered hand, curious more than anything, perhaps desperate for one more shot at living. He didn¡¯t know, his thoughts were so jumbled and confused that he- ¡°Welcome back, Duong,¡± A voice that sent chills up his spine greeted him. Inhuman. A rasp of bloodcurdling quality that was laced with unrepentant cruelty. His vision swayed and he blinked before looking up into a pair of glowing pink eyes blazing on a faceless helmet. ¡°Who¡­?¡± He managed. ¡°I am Ishtar,¡± The woman said and stood up, a violet glow fading from her fingertips. ¡°How?¡± He tried, his head still fuzzy. ¡°I killed Feng Hyunh,¡± Ishtar said. He blinked at her and tilted his head, her logic didn¡¯t make sense to him, but he wasn¡¯t going to complain. ¡°Should I be grateful?¡± ¡°I want you to die too,¡± Ishtar said callously, ¡°But I figured I should give you the opportunity to make something useful of your last moments. In return, for a moment, you will be far more powerful than you ever were with The Great Eel.¡± He felt his stomach sink, his head tilted forward and he stared at her, a frown on his face. He searched her mask for a moment, looked her body up and down, then squinted, ¡°Take off your mask and we can talk.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± Ishtar said with a shrug and reached up, removing her mask and revealing the mechanical eyes of the bubbly, playful, mischievous Sonya Chernovna. He gaped at her, bewildered, his mouth falling open as he tried to process it. ¡°I put a lot of effort into getting you here, alone, like this An Set. You should be flattered.¡± ¡°How long have you been planning this?¡± He asked, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°Since the moment I heard your name, would you like to know why? I shared it with Feng before I killed her,¡± She said, holding out a hand to touch his chin. He jerked his head away, ¡°Nah, no thanks,¡± He spat, grinning at her. She pulled her hand back and actually frowned a little, it was satisfying, ¡°Fine, it doesn¡¯t bother me. I had the satisfaction with Feng after all.¡± ¡°How did she die?¡± He asked. ¡°Torn to pieces and disemboweled by gnolls in the dungeon,¡± The woman said frankly, ¡°After I dropped her off a cliff into their midst. She was afraid of you until the very last moment.¡± He felt something swell in him that he hadn¡¯t expected, joy, delight, he threw his head back and laughed long and hard, kicking his feet and thrashing a bit in his bindings. He glanced around, it was some sort of abandoned shack from the looks of it, barely a shed. He finally caught his breath, ¡°Oh, wow! You know what, I¡¯m grateful,¡± He said, grinning at her, ¡°So what do you want from me? You wanna make my death flashy? What¡¯s the plan, I figure we¡¯re more than even now. I owe you one for telling me that.¡± Sonya nodded at him, ¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d appreciate the news,¡± She said and held out her hand to him again. He took it and she smiled wider as she pulled him to his feet. She reached out to touch his chest, right over his heart and inclined her head, looking up into his eyes. ¡°Before we make our deal, let me make a little investment, consider it a down payment for what I¡¯m going to ask of you.¡± He felt something rush into his body, something changed, something big. He grinned, ¡°Whatever you want.¡± Chapter 86 The faint scrape of soles against gravel and dried soil was the only sound amidst the low hiss of wind across the landscape far outside of Vegas. A single pair of sneakers brushed across the ground, baggy jeans hanging behind. The wind picked up into a howl for a brief moment, the dust swirling past a head of blonde hair styled with a carefully crafted coif. A pair of glittering blue eyes glowed for a moment, examining the small structure that he¡¯d found. He slid his hands into his hoodie and tilted his head to the right, his lips forming a thin line. He had watched the battle, up until An Set had started to lose. He had figured the guy would be dead by now, but to his surprise the man was not only alive but alone. This was supposed to be one of the guys that would make his dreams a reality, that would be the heralds for his grand design. He was supposed to be amazing, and he was, he was impressive there was no doubt about that. The serpent-eel thing was really cool. The young man rubbed his neck and stared at the door, But he lost, that¡¯s weird. Was there something wrong with his information? No, that can¡¯t be right. He held out his hand and felt the air, there was indeed nobody there except for his quarry. He¡¯d been abandoned there. Something about some woman named Ishtar. He¡¯d barely paid any attention to the news, it wasn¡¯t important. Just things talking to one another about useless things. How could all those things call themselves people? They weren¡¯t important enough to matter one bit in the greater story, so why did they even bother breathing? It seemed so pointless to him, so empty. Every time he had tried to talk to people about the things that really mattered, before the flash, their eyes had glazed over and they¡¯d responded in pointless ways. His thin-lipped expression curled into a bit of a smile. Sometimes they would not even remember him when he talked to them a second time. Like they had no idea who he was even if they¡¯d met him just the day before. It made him feel like the hero in a video game and they were the npcs, saying the same things over and over as if that was all they were programmed to do. Up until the flash, my flash. His smile darkened and he hesitated, a grin cracking across his face. I wonder why I¡¯m feeling nostalgic? That¡¯s kinda funny. He chuckled and approached the small shack. It was barely a shack, more like a bunch of panels of sheet metal welded together haphazardly with wood making up the frame. He rest his hand against the door and felt the energy inside, closing his eyes and tilting his head back as he got a feel for it. An Set felt a bit off, as if the mana in his body was being restrained somehow. Interesting. He mused and pushed the door open, walking inside without a care in the world. He hummed merrily, the door shutting behind him just as he stopped and looked down at the dark haired man who seemed to be dozing off. There are cuffs on his wrists. Are they restricting his powers? Why haven¡¯t I heard of this? That¡¯s not in the guide. ¡°Hey,¡± He said. An Set blinked and looked up, squinting for a moment, ¡°A kid? Nah, you just look kinda young,¡± He mumbled, tilting his head to the right. There was a faint electric blue glow in his eyes. The young man liked it, it looked powerful. Maybe straining himself against those heroes had made him stronger somehow. That¡¯s really cool, I like that. ¡°Name¡¯s Otis,¡± Otis said with a grin, ¡°Nice to meet you, An Set.¡± An Set narrowed his eyes, ¡°Otis, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Otis said brightly, pulling his arms out of his hoodie and raising his chin, ¡°The one and only!¡± He brought his hand up to his chest and leaned forward, ¡°And you sir, have been chosen! I am going to become a god, and I want you to join up with me. The prologue wasn¡¯t quite right for you, but I¡¯m sure the next part of the story will be a great redemption arc.¡± An Set raised an eyebrow, ¡°Neat,¡± He said, dubiously. ¡°I know you have your suspicions but-¡± He started only to get cut off as An Set cleared his throat. ¡°Are you really Otis?¡± He asked, making the young man pause. That wasn¡¯t right, no one should have heard of him yet, no one that was outside whom he¡¯d been collecting. Now that he thought of it, that thing, what was its name, Craig? What happened to that thing? ¡°Yes,¡± Otis said with a bit of a frown. ¡°Great, you got somebody who wants to talk to you,¡± An Set grunted and thumbed towards the wall to his right, Otis¡¯ left. Otis glanced over and spotted a small device planted in the wall. He narrowed his eyes, Why didn¡¯t I sense it? I should be able to sense any electronic device, I made sure. I only sense mana in here though. Static hummed in the device for a moment before a rasp hissed its way out, ¡°Hello Otis.¡± Otis turned to face the thing and concentrated. ¡°Did you try to cut the signal? This is a mana-based telecommunications device, no electricity involved. A bit more complicated,¡± The voice said. That was interesting, even a little exciting, what a twist! He broke into a wide smile, ¡°Who is this?¡± He asked brightly, walking up to the device and leaning in towards it, ¡°Can you see me?¡± He reached up and tapped it a few times, ¡°It¡¯s amazing you came up with this so fast!¡± ¡°I am Ishtar,¡± The voice hissed out. ¡°Of course I can¡¯t see you, why bother? The camera won¡¯t work on you, right? I¡¯ll forget this entire conversation if I look at you. I don¡¯t want that.¡± Otis paused and glanced up, The person all the things were talking about on the radio? His smile faltered just a small amount, More importantly. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I know a lot about you, Otis,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°Most importantly, I know what you¡¯re planning. I know what you want for Earth and all the people in it. I know you want everything to look like downtown Vegas. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing what I¡¯m doing,¡± The voice paused and deepened to a threatening tone, ¡°I am going to ruin everything you¡¯re working for and put you down like the mad dog you are.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Otis blinked, confusion flashing on his face. He looked over his shoulder at An Set who just shrugged at him, he looked back at the machine and frowned. ¡°No, that¡¯s not how this is supposed to work. This is my story. There aren¡¯t supposed to be spoilers. You don¡¯t get to-¡± ¡°I do what I please,¡± Ishtar hissed. ¡°This is my story now.¡± Otis¡¯ nostrils flared, he clenched his fists as his mind worked through the options, the possibilities, how did this play into his story? How could the guide be wrong? He had so carefully crafted it, could it have been an influence from his imagination? He blinked, So that¡¯s it! Yes! I get it now! Ishtar is my Posideon, my opponent holding me back from reaching my glorious goal. That¡¯s what this is, right, just another character in the story. What tale is worth telling if there isn¡¯t a villain, right? Of course. Even so, it made him a little irritated that she was taking so much spotlight. Maybe he should move his plans up a bit? He cracked a wide smile, overjoyed, ¡°Amazing! You are a really interesting addition! I like this twist!¡± ¡°So this is what you¡¯re really like,¡± The voice sighed, ¡°I had wondered.¡± She trailed off and let out another breath, ¡°I hate you, with all my heart. I hope this hurts at least a little, though I doubt it. I¡¯ll figure out your powers eventually.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± A clank of metal sounded out behind him and he turned around, flummoxed, An Set got to his feet and grinned like a maniac, electricity sparkling on his skin. That¡¯s a bit funky, I thought he needed to drink power from somewhere. There¡¯s nothing here. The electricity intensified, magnified, Otis¡¯ eyes widened and he broke into another smile, ¡°Oh wow! What did you do?¡± He asked as An Set¡¯s body began to break down, his skin turning an electric blue before bloating up like a balloon. ¡°Good bye for now, Otis.¡± BOOOOOOOOOOOOM ¨C Chunhua stepped onto the debris and looked over the lake that had formed in the middle of downtown vegas. She had to admit, with the tree hanging over it and the blue sky reflecting down on it, it was beautiful. A helicopter flew overhead bringing in more rescue workers, although most of the work had already been done. The heroes from LA and the surviving heroes from Vegas and New York had come together to sift through the debris and find whomever they could. It was arduous, painful, and gut wrenching work. She sighed and dabbed her forehead with a towel as her earpiece buzzed. She reached up and tapped it, ¡°Euclidia?¡± ¡°Just Molly right now, please, I¡¯m too tired for code names Chuchu,¡± The young hero whined into her ear. Chunhua smiled to herself, she wasn¡¯t bothered by the nickname. If anything, the girl had earned it. If it wasn¡¯t for her pushing herself to the brink none of them would have survived the events that had transpired. She sat down on a piece of concrete and sighed, rubbing her neck, ¡°Alright, what¡¯s up Molly?¡± ¡°They found Miss Chernovna, she¡¯s alright, a bit banged up though, Handmaiden is back with her,¡± Molly said, ¡°The Chairman threw a fit over her condition and is sending her home right now. I almost got haranged into it,¡± She sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of range. LA was a bitch.¡± Chunhua frowned, she still wasn¡¯t sure about everything and had a hard time believing anything concerning Sonya Chernovna. She scratched her head and let it hang between her shoulders. Still, if it¡¯s true, it''s a relief that she was okay. ¡°How is she really?¡± ¡°Upset about Firestorm,¡± Molly said, ¡°Angry. She wants to hold a press conference about what happened while in a sling and covered in bandages. The Chairman shut that down pretty quick. Apparently she wants to see Vytal,¡± Molly laughed bitterly. ¡°Goodness knows why,¡± She added sarcastically. ¡°He¡¯s a bit busy,¡± Chunhua muttered, ¡°How are Bluestar and the others holding up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ gonna take a while, I think,¡± Molly said a bit more softly. ¡°Yeah, I imagine so,¡± Chunhua said, looking up towards the disaster zone. ¡°I¡¯m gonna stay until things are under control here.¡± ¡°I figured,¡± Molly said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯ll be here too.¡± ¡°You can head home, I¡¯m sure your girlfriend-¡± ¡°Will understand,¡± Molly interrupted her, ¡°You aren¡¯t doing this alone and I¡¯m good at logistics. Let me help.¡± Chunhua chuckled, a real smile finally coming to her face, ¡°I don¡¯t know what we would have done without you.¡± ¡°You would have managed,¡± Molly said brightly, ¡°Like, seriously, you¡¯re a fuckin badass.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just another hero,¡± Chunhua said, ¡°Just like the others. They put their everything into protecting the people of this city. Same with Sapporo and Pathfinder,¡± She said, the last name coming out with a bit of pain in her chest. She barely knew the man, only having met him a few weeks before, but it still hurt her to know that a comrade had died like that. She remembered the youthful face of the ¡®master assassin¡¯ that Ishtar had employed and clenched her fists. ¡°Sapporo still hasn¡¯t woken up, doctors say he¡¯ll be fine and Vytal¡¯s already healed him up, but he¡¯s still out,¡± Molly said sullenly. ¡°He pushed himself hard, just let him rest,¡± Chunhua said and got to her feet. As she did, she heard footsteps approaching behind her. She turned, seeing who it was, and reached up to her ear, ¡°I gotta let you go Molly. Get some rest, okay?¡± ¡°Sure. You too.¡± The connection cut and she put her hands on her hips before tilting her head, ¡°Bluestar, Bandit, Lifesaver, what are you doing out here. You should be in recovery,¡± She said sharply, trying to regain some of the commanding persona she¡¯d set aside during her talk with her teammate. All three of them looked rough. Lifesaver wasn¡¯t even wearing his mask, instead wearing a white medics outfit and baseball cap. They had bags under their eyes and their shoulders were slack but¡­ Those eyes. She thought, hesitating as she met Bluestar¡¯s gaze. The young guildmaster¡¯s eyes were blazing, fierce. It was the same with Bandit and Lifesaver. She regarded the three of them for a few moments before sighing and nodding, ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t push yourselves.¡± They sighed with relief as one and Bandit nodded to the others before darting off towards one of the rescue teams working near the east side, Lifesaver hurrying off after them. Bluestar stayed behind, though, and walked up to Chunhua. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t push it,¡± Chunhua said. ¡°I got word from Miss Chernovna,¡± Bluestar said, ¡°ASTA will be helping with the reconstruction and she wants to ask Vegas to let her build a memorial garden here,¡± She said, glancing at the artificial lake with a sad smile, ¡°She kept raving about a ¡®big ass statue for Nick¡¯. She¡¯s kind of kooky, isn¡¯t she?¡± Bluestar choked and lowered her head, ¡°What kind of guildmaster lets her people die like that, ma¡¯am?¡± She asked, bitterness in her voice. Chunhua let out a sigh and turned to the young woman, wrapping an arm over her shoulder before pulling her into a hug, ¡°That¡¯s one of the hardest parts of being a leader of warriors,¡± She said stroking her hair, ¡°They¡¯re going to fight, and they might die, and you just have to carry on and make sure that their deaths weren¡¯t in vain. You have to stay strong for the others, even if it hurts,¡± She pulled back and tilted her head down, looking the young woman in the eyes, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to always hurt. There are people you can talk to and ways to deal with the grief. I lost a lot of men under me in the army, I understand.¡± The girl¡¯s lips trembled and she threw herself into Chunhua¡¯s neck, sobbing. Chunhua held her for a while, letting her mind go blank to focus on the agonized person with her. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± She murmured into the sobbing girl¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She paid no mind to the blue sky as it flickered electric blue for just one moment, nor to the faint rumble in the ground beneath her feet from a distant blast. Chapter 87 Sonya set down the phone and stared at it, running her thumb over the glossy surface. She tilted her head to the right, lost in thought. Her chest felt lighter and tighter at the same time. She¡¯d heard his voice with her real ears for the first time in a long time. The dreams she¡¯d had about him weren¡¯t the same. The memories of his heroic persona were all a performance. The only time she¡¯d heard the real Otis speak was in the end, on that day, when she¡¯d sat atop him with a knife in her hands, unable to cry over the deaths of everyone on the planet. Unable to grieve with anyone but herself. She¡¯d seen his madness then. She¡¯d heard it again just now. She glanced at the words on her HUD, it was a useful function if not something she had any way of using anytime soon. She had no interest in playing villain for the immediate future. It was time to lay low. She waited a few more seconds before her lip twitched. No notice of Otis¡¯ death. Not that she¡¯d expected it, still she was a little disappointed it hadn¡¯t worked. And there it is, a successful test of Investment. She thought as she pulled the power out for a moment, electricity dancing across her fingertips before she put it back. She had forcibly invested it into An Set, suspecting that it would have an interesting effect when combined with The Great Eel and based on what she¡¯d sensed from him before departing, the results had been more than promising. She let out a sigh and leaned back, turning her head to look at Marta who was asleep on the couch to her right. She smiled at the woman, ¡°Thank you,¡± She said softly, ¡°I know I should say it more, I¡¯d say it every day if I could.¡± Marta mumbled in her sleep and rolled over, Sonya chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re going on vacation when we get back,¡± She said and glanced at the television in front of her, ¡°Maui, probably. That sounds nice.¡± The reporter on the television was standing in front of the devastated area around the Vegas battle site. She was reporting generally about estimated loss of life, it seemed that Sapporo¡¯s ability had cut down the lions share of it but An Set¡¯s rampage had not come without cost. Thousands of people were dead, a historic disaster, and one the world was already reacting to. However what came as more of a surprise was the next part of the news feature. ¡°Among those present during the fighting, the Georgia native turned ASTA Guild Hero, Firestorm, gave his life to save over thirty of his comrades. He was also singularly responsible for rescuing hundreds of civilians. We are still processing what little footage that was able to be acquired by drones so unfortunately we cannot provide any at the moment, however, word from the heroes and civilians on the scene has lead to an overnight trend on social media,¡± The woman said and she was moved over to the right to show social media posts. All of them were words of praise, condolence, and memory of the hero who had given his life along with a hashtag that made Sonya smile. #WeAreTheFirestorm. She felt her lip tremble a little and she looked down at her hands, I hate it. She thought. You weren¡¯t supposed to die. You were supposed to be one of the heroes to fight me, in the end, to stop me once it was all said and done. She raised her hand to her face and covered her eyes, cursing them again. She let out a breath. He knew about broker, I have to accept that it was a loose end eliminated and do what I can to make sure his memory accomplishes the right thing. She told herself, it was a cold thought, but it was a necessary one. The feeling sent a chilling wash through her body that eased a little bit of the pain. She breathed and rested her chin on her knuckles as the television went on. A picture of herself appeared, ¡°CEO Sonya Chernovna was present during the incident while taking the Chairman of the Pandora Committee on a tour of one of the active dungeons in Las Vegas. She was reported to have been temporarily lost in the dungeon when the quote: ¡°False Hero¡± An Set went berserk. According to information that was disseminated widely about An Set around the time of the disaster, he had made several attempts against Miss Chernovna including ordering an assassination and orchestrating a plot to steal her company¡¯s intellectual property by leveraging his connection with his father, the Chairman of the Pandora Committee.¡± Amos works fast. Sonya thought. ¡°It should be noted that these acts were taken unilaterally as all of the details recorded by the various anonymous sources online have reported that the Chairman was unaware of his son¡¯s underworld dealings, including his association with a dangerous criminal syndicate based in his homeland of Vietnam,¡± The picture changed to an image of An Set. ¡°There are some questions about whether or not the Chairman will step down, though an official comment from an ASTA spokesperson has insisted that Miss Chernovna does not attribute any responsibility to the Chairman and hopes he continues his good work,¡± The reporter went on, ¡°Currently Miss Chernovna is in recovery after receiving minor injuries before her rescue. We wish her a speedy recovery.¡± ¡°An international outcry has gone out concerning rules regarding the behavior and backgrounds of licensed heroes with several nations demanding adjustments to the Pandora Committee¡¯s regulations,¡± The woman continued, ¡°There have also been calls for a full investigation into the battle in Vegas and the cause of the sudden appearance of monsters during the fighting. A United Nations panel will be held in the coming weeks to discuss ways to preventing such an incident from ever happening again.¡± Sonya smiled to herself, Doing the work for me. I just have to do a little speech now. She nodded slowly and turned the television off with a thought. The world¡¯s seen an example and things will move in a better direction, but I still have more heralds to deal with and Otis is still out there. I need to be more careful. For the foreseeable future, Ishtar will remain in the shadows. She thought as she felt the air shift in the cabin and glanced up to see Veloce standing there. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You look good for a woman on the mend,¡± Veloce said with a hesitant smile. Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°And you seem to have your spine back.¡± The woman winced before noticing the smile on Sonya¡¯s face, she cleared her throat, ¡°I did as you asked, Mistress. I survived.¡± ¡°Yes you did,¡± Sonya said, sitting up a little and crossing her legs, ¡°You did very well, I¡¯m more than pleased. You even went as far as going in to support Blackrazor without my orders. I like that.¡± Veloce blushed, ¡°He helped me,¡± She said, reaching up to twirl her fingers in her hair. Sonya raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t comment, ¡°Yes well, I¡¯d like to teach you a little something about how I do business, Veloce,¡± Sonya said and got to her feet. ¡°I firmly believe that the weakest link in any organization is the lowest, most underpaid, and undervalued agent. Treat your people well, and they will treat you well in return. Keep your promises, no matter what. You are one of my people now,¡± She said and walked over to the woman, ¡°And I have something very special for you.¡± She cast her mind back into her warehouse and grabbed hold of The Great Eel and Might of Thor. Merge. Yes. It was kind of nice being able to merge things in her warehouse. As long as they weren¡¯t pulled out, she didn¡¯t feel a damn thing. Simply a rush as Broker drew on its own strength and her internal energy. A rush that continued for several seconds and left her knees a little weak for a moment and a pallid feeling on her skin. She blinked a few times and swayed, surprised by the expenditure, and was even more surprised when Veloce actually had to catch her. She dropped to a knee and shook her head, her vision swimming. ¡°Well, that was a bit unexpected,¡± She murmured, ¡°Thank you.¡± Now that¡¯s a name! Sonya thought with delight as Veloce helped her to her feet. She smiled at the young woman and placed her hand over her heart. Investment. Veloce staggered back as if shocked, she gasped and grasped at her chest for a moment, wide eyed, her pupils dilated and she stood unsteadily for a moment before flopping onto the floor of the aircraft and looking up at Sonya with wonder. Sonya smiled down at her, ¡°You¡¯ll have to come up with a proper Supervillain name,¡± She said with a wink, ¡°Oh, and please don¡¯t test it here, we¡¯re in an aircraft for heaven''s sake.¡± The young supervillain just nodded mutely, staring into space as Sonya turned away and threw herself back into her seat. She rest her head again, catching her breath. Another addition to the inner circle. I¡¯m making quite the little group. She thought with amusement. It¡¯s still not enough, though. I need more. More to keep my promise. She thought back to her interaction with Pandora at the end of the dungeon. The sole question she had time to ask, ¡®Why?¡¯ She had thought about it for a while after meeting Pandora for the first time. At first she had considered all sorts of more complicated and demanding questions, but her heart had told her that what she really needed, for closure, was the reason why the strange being had even bothered to reach out to her at the end of things. So she¡¯d asked, and the answer had been simple. It had also been exactly what she needed to hear. It had reaffirmed everything she believed about what she was doing and had shored her resolve to keep going, despite how cruel things became. ¨C Sonya looked up at the transparent being that hung over her. Her appearance seemed everchanging, always a woman, but always a different face, a different hair color, different eyes, every time she blinked. Even so, there was an exhaustion there that Sonya hadn¡¯t felt when she¡¯d met the otherworldly being on their first encounter. She was weary and sad, beaten down by something that Sonya couldn¡¯t possibly comprehend. Yet when Sonya had asked the question, she seemed to brighten and her appearance nearly became solid. ¡°I have failed humanity twice now. Once in the distant past. Once with Otis. Help them, where I cannot, so I can finally rest,¡± She said, ¡°I am trusting you, Sonya, and that grief that we both share.¡± ¨C Sonya smiled to herself as she pulled out of the memory, That, I can do. After all, she thought, her smile growing a bit darker. She clenched her fingers around the arms of her chair, I am the one who will take control of everything from within. I will set the rules, I will control the field, I am the solution to the unsolvable, the force that will overcome Otis. She pulled up the details on her newly merged abilities, Imperious, Non-Euclidian and The Astral Eye joining Heavenly Jade Heart in her newly and appropriately renamed core ability; I will be the God in the Machine. ¨C He staggered through the desert, pulling his arm back up and reattaching it to his shoulder. The agony was real and it made him angry. How dare that woman, that thing, that creature that thought it was a person like him. He was the only real person in the world, she was just another fixture in his story. To think a mere side-character would dare lash out at him like that, try to kill him, hurt him, actually hurt him. He had never felt pain since the flash, since he had snuck into the storage room behind the museum and found Pandora''s Box. Since the moment he opened it and was given the right to choose his power. He felt his flesh knit back together. He would not die, he could not die, not until he had seen his story through to the end. Anything else was inconceivable. She is not my Poseidon, she¡¯s a glitch, an error! Another player in my game! My story! She needs to die! I will find her and I will break her in ways she can¡¯t even begin to imagine! He swore it, bearing his teeth as his foot and leg twisted back into position on their own. The burns across his body sizzled and slowly began to heal, the intensity of the blast had left him as nothing but a seared lump of meat for nearly an hour before he had regained consciousness. That hurt! It hurt so much! He screamed, Ishtar. I¡¯ll remember your name and I won¡¯t let you forget me. You¡¯ll be the only one. He trudged across the heated landscape, still within the crackling radius of the blast. Electricity danced across the ground, the environment irrevocably altered by the blast. He glowered at the blue sky ahead of him before cracking into a smile. ¡°The story doesn¡¯t need to change that much,¡± He said, a thought occurring to him, ¡°That¡¯s right, this is fine, I can work with this, even. She¡¯s some kind of villain, right? Then I just need to be the hero to triumphantly take her down! That¡¯s easy! I can¡¯t die!¡± He laughed, ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill you and everyone you love, Ishtar, then I¡¯m gonna make you watch as I burn this world to the ground!¡± He felt his fingers bend as functionality returned to them and clenched his fists, ¡°Just you wait you bitch, just you wait,¡± He snarled as he trudged towards a distant road. He watched as cars drove by, salvation. A few more things to kill so he could drive back to civilization. Irrelevant mindless objects pretending to be people. ¡°Nothing can stop me, not with my ability, The Man, The Myth, The Legend. I am the main character of this story, this world, and you¡¯re just living in it!¡± ¨C Broker, Season 1: Creation Myth ¨C ¨C End ¨C Side Story: Downtime 1 The dust swirled around them, kicked up by an unseen wind. Her jet-black robes flapped around her body, she could feel it, the power swelling inside of her. She closed her eyes and brought her weapon up beside her head holding it in the ready position. Her thin smile widened into a sneer and she raised her head, her nose tilted up as she opened her glowing yellow eyes and looked down on her opponent. Across from her, he brought his own weapon up in front of him, brown robes hanging loosely off of his fit frame. ¡°This is where you fall,¡± He said, ¡°There could have been peace between us.¡± She sneered at him, ¡°Peace was never an option.¡± As one they flicked the switches on their weapons. A beam of red-colored hardened light extending from her weapon as one of a brilliant blue extended from his. With a swift movement they engaged one another, blades clashing, sparks flying, light illuminating their faces. Off to the side, Marta rest her chin on her palm and stared at the two as they played. ¡°So this is why she wanted me to make those robes,¡± She muttered and let out a sigh, shaking her head. She couldn¡¯t help but smile a little. It was a good way to spend some downtime, she supposed. ¡°Embrace your anger Amos! It¡¯s the only way to defeat me!¡± ¡°Never!¡± ¡°I will make you kneel, fool!¡± ¡°Been there done that,¡± Colin said next to her, popping a piece of caramelized popcorn into his mouth and chewing. He leaned back and crossed his legs languidly. Marta gave him a sidelong look and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are your only two defining personality traits thirsting after Amos and being Sonya¡¯s lawyer?¡± She asked frankly. The pretty boy looked up at her, ¡°When I¡¯m paid this well? Sure.¡± She barked out a small laugh and rolled her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous,¡± She said and turned her attention over to a rather disgruntled looking Blackrazor who was standing next to the oversized industrial fan that had been creating the wind to make the duo¡¯s ¡®fight scene¡¯ look more dramatic. He scratched his chin thoughtfully as if trying to figure out the point of this entire thing. She kind of felt bad for him, in a way, he was so inured to having fun that he couldn¡¯t comprehend that they were just goofing off. She called out to him anyway, ¡°Hun, you don¡¯t have to stand there anymore!¡± She shouted, waving for him to come over. He glanced her way and tensed, looking up, down, then any other direction but in hers. She frowned and tilted her head, ¡°What¡¯s his problem?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you nearly choke the life out of him with a knife in your head at one point?¡± Colin asked, crunching away at his sweets, ¡°I¡¯d be fucking terrified too.¡± She slowly turned her head towards him, grimacing, that particularly violent fight was not one of her proudest moments, ¡°Did Sonya tell you?¡± She asked with a sigh. ¡°Nah, Amos, you know he set the cameras up in that room, right?¡± Colin pointed out chewing thoughtfully before leaning forward, ¡°Get her babe!¡± He shouted, throwing his fist in the air. Back in the center of the room, Amos was on the attack, swinging dramatically while Sonya went on the backfoot, snarling at him as she blocked his strikes. Marta turned a glare on Amos, ¡°Sonya! Strike him down!¡± She shouted. Colin shot her a look, ¡°Blast her away!¡± ¡°Kick his ass!¡± Marta barked. Back near the industrial fan, Blackrazor let out a sigh and hung his head. This was beyond the normal level of silliness that he had come to expect from his mistress. He was trying really hard to get into it, he really was, but the absurdity of the situation just made his head hurt. He glanced over again at the bestial maid and rubbed his neck. She was shouting at the dueling pair now, her shoulder pressed against Colin¡¯s as the two seemed to throw themselves into their own ¡®bout¡¯. It was like she¡¯d completely forgotten about their fight. How could she forget something like that? He pinched the bridge of his nose as a hand landed on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and stared forward. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Kingshark.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Barry, kid, we¡¯re not in uniform, ain¡¯t we?¡± Kingshark said and lumbered around him, sitting down on the ground and pulling a can of beer out of a six pack he was holding. He popped it open and extended it to Blackrazor who stared at it. ¡°It¡¯s good, just fuckin¡¯ drink it man.¡± Blackrazor pressed his lips together, ¡°Um¡­ what¡¯s the drinking age in America again?¡± He asked. Kingshark-Barry turned his head slowly and squinted up at him, ¡°Are you serious?¡± Blackrazor groaned and snatched it up, plopping down on the ground and taking a long chug of the drink before pulling the can away with a sigh. ¡°Fine! Damn it! Shit!¡± He whined and reached up to scratch at his head. He turned a hard look on Barry, ¡°It¡¯s Beyol.¡± ¡°Yeah I know,¡± Barry said and cracked open his own drink, chugging it down before glancing up and grinning at Marta who waved at him. He raised his drink and winked at her. ¡°Man, this ain¡¯t a bad life, yeah?¡± Beyol looked between the two of them and huffed, taking another drink of the beer. He begrudgingly admitted that it was very, very good. He stretched out his legs and leaned back, glancing over at the two still in the midst of their ¡®duel¡¯. ¡°The first encounter notwithstanding, things have turned out quite well,¡± He conceded. Barry laughed, ¡°Yeah! You did have a pretty fucked up first time. I had some goddamn flashbacks, man. Did not envy you one bit.¡± ¡°You too?¡± Beyol asked, glancing at the big man. Barry puffed out his breath through his lips with a raspberry, ¡°Got beaten to hell by a lurker dragged off and offered my deal,¡± He grunted, ¡°Now I¡¯m a king.¡± Beyol frowned at his drink, ¡°You know mine, and now I¡¯m the Headmaster of the Night Society,¡± He said and snorted, he tilted back the can and drank the rest of it down. He crushed it and snatched up another that was immediately offered by Barry. He barked out a genuine laugh, it felt kind of good. ¡°To miserable starts and glorious futures!¡± He proclaimed, the buzz getting the better of him. Barry grinned at him, ¡°I hear that!¡± The big man said and knocked his can against Beyol¡¯s. Back with Marta, she smiled in the direction of the two men sitting next to the industrial fan. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Looked into Beyol by the way, Amos helped,¡± Colin said, the two having finally relaxed from their petulant little spat, ¡°You know he has no birth certificate or anything? There¡¯s no telling how old he actually is. We¡¯re putting it between eighteen and twenty-one. Pretty hazy on it, if I¡¯m being honest. The kind of training he went through probably triggered some early growth.¡± Marta looked at him, aghast, ¡°Are you joking?¡± Colin pursed his lips, ¡°Nope, his false identity says twenty-three, if that helps.¡± Marta got to her feet, ¡°Oh no! Not here!¡± She barked angrily. Colin laughed, ¡°Hey, the drinking age is sixteen in sw-¡± ¡°We¡¯re not in Switzerland!¡± Marta railed, marching over to Beyol and Barry to give them a piece of her mind. Colin chuckled and shook his head, glancing away and popping another candied piece into his mouth. He chewed slowly and thoughtfully as he watched the antics of this strange group that had been brought together by the strangest woman he¡¯d ever met. He couldn¡¯t help but think about how un-villain-like they really were once the costumes and masks came off. Sonya was an impish and often childish wildcard, flirtatious and exuberant in everything she did. She practically danced through life with her heart on her sleeve and a smile on her face. Amos was a hard working and diligent guy with the demeanor of a snarky middle-child and nothing to lose. Marta was motherly and patient most of the time but would swing into fretting and discipline at the drop of a hat. Beyol tried so hard to play the cool edgy guy but was really the youngest son who was just holding himself back too much. Barry was that jolly uncle who was too enabling for his own good. He glanced again at Sonya, What kind of family are you trying to build here? He thought, amused, and rest his arms on his knees. Do you really need all this support for what you¡¯re planning? He glanced down at his popcorn and plucked out another piece, popping it into his mouth and letting out a contented sigh. Guess it doesn¡¯t really matter. We have a deal, and I¡¯ll keep this whole crazy thing running behind the scenes for you. He thought as Sonya and Amos finished their duel. Amos turned to look at him and waved, beckoning him over. Colin slid off the bench and got to his feet, Just make sure you keep your promise and save the world, will ya? I¡¯m starting to like this place. AMA 1 Broker: Hey everyone! [waves] Broker aka DerelictPresence here with a very special guest. Wanna say hello? Sonya: Hello cuties! What¡¯s shakin? Broker: Would it kill you to be more professional? Sonya: Probably? Anyway! I heard some of you darlings had some questions! I hope they¡¯re good ones! To get some out of the way my favorite chip brand is- Broker: Sonya! Sorry about that, let¡¯s get started with the AMA! Sonya: Boo! Alright alright. The first one is from wcman on Royal Road! Hey there! [wiggles fingers] ahem! ¡°What were some inspirations for this story?¡± That¡¯s all you old man. Broker: Aren¡¯t you older than me? [huff] Well! I actually have had a lot of inspirations for Broker. The original version of Sonya was a My Hero Academia OC, actually, I was fascinated with the idea that superheroes in that setting could get sponsors and I thought, ¡®What if there was a Villain that sponsored heroes?¡¯ Over time I picked up more inspirations, I read a lot of myths and legends, wuxia, xiania, manhwa and manga. There was definitely some inspiration from Solo Leveling and like stories that went into it all. I love literature and entertainment in general and take bits and pieces of inspiration from everything I watch and read. Hell, you might notice a little Raymond Reddington from Blacklist in some of Sonya¡¯s interactions. Sonya: [shivers] The original version was¡­ dark. Broker: Yep, definitely lightened you up a whole lot. Far less interested in saving the world than getting rich. Next is from gibberish also on Royal Road! ¡®How do you come up with ideas?¡¯ Sonya: Yes, please, how do you come up with my various torments? [stare] Broker: [gulp] W-well! A lot of it comes from consuming media as above. Sometimes I¡¯ll play out different scenarios in my head and see what fits well. Often I¡¯ll create a new character and go through several iterations before being satisfied. Often I¡¯ll introduce a side character and just see where it goes. [rubs chin] Though my favorite way to brainstorm is to just listen to some good music and experiment in my notes. Sonya: [frown] I wonder what you were listening to when you decided to put Mikayla through all that. Broker: Ha ha! Anyway! Uh¡­ next question? Snipoxillo from Royal Road asks; ¡®How do you imagine the ending for Sonya and Ishtar? Would it be more positive of an ending, a happy ending sort of? or would it me a somber/bittersweet sort of ending, not entirely bad? or otherwise?¡¯ [laughs] That¡¯s an excellent question! I usually imagine it when I¡¯m working on my notes or adjusting my outline when a new idea occurs to me. I can see it pretty clearly in my head! It¡¯s a long way off though. Sonya: [stares hard] Broker: Something wrong? I told them how I imagine it. Sonya: [rolls her eyes] Broker: Ohhh! Here¡¯s a good one! Got this question from a couple people actually. Dont_like_to_Talk from Royal Road and GigaDotti from Scribblehub ask some variation of ¡®Will Sonya and Chunhua work things out and get back together?¡¯ [grins at Sonya]. What do you think? Sonya: Ahem! [plays with her hair] I certainly wouldn¡¯t be upset if something happened. But, you know, gotta work some stuff out first. [coughs] Did you know she could bench press me? I wonder if she still can. I¡¯m a bit heavier now with all the upgrades. Probably? Hopefully? She can bench press me right? Broker: [shakes his head] Adam Wise from Royal Road asks; ¡®What would happen if Sonya gave someone a power they already had?¡¯ That¡¯s actually a really good question, Broker won¡¯t let someone double up abilities like that. She could find something thats pretty much exactly the same with a different name and give it to them and that would work though! Sonya: Figures! Tobi131313 - is that a bad luck thing? Broker: Sonya! Don¡¯t be rude! Sonya: Fine! Fine! They ask about refinement of the categories of abilities, are there different tiers? Well yes, There¡¯s Low, Middle, High, and Peak categories of each tier. On top of that, some abilities even encroach a little on the other tiers because of their functions. The raw elemental abilities like Firestorm are Heroic but they can put up a pretty decent fight against a miss-matched Mythic! It¡¯s all about who¡¯s using it for other abilities. Amos¡¯ core ability, Genius Level Intellect, affects things he¡¯s good at. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t suddenly become an engineer when I merged it in. I¡¯m better at people. [smirk] He was already a genius before, and that ability brought it up to eleven. Even if the ability itself is Heroic, the effects are pretty Mythic if you ask me. Broker: Well put! What else do we have? NotYourSaviour asks; ¡®How far along do you plan your story?¡¯ I have most of the main story beats all planned out for the main course of the story and know what order we¡¯re going to be facing certain lurking threats in. As I said before, I also know how it ends. For the meat of it; I¡¯ve got Season 2 completely storyboarded out and some of Season 3 prepared as well. Sonya: He won¡¯t even tell me anything, don¡¯t bother. The guy¡¯s a nutcase. You should see how he treats the guys in the discord. They have memes about his distraction tactics and pranks. Broker: How can you see the discord? Sonya: [points at head] Technopath? Really? Anyway! Let¡¯s see, Oh! Finally! BIGLARGEFISH from Royal Road asking the real questions: ¡®What is the cast''s favorite food?¡¯ Well I¡¯m glad you asked; I can give you the list from the Inner Circle!
  • Sonya: Deluxe Steakburger, all the fixings, with Cheese Fries and a Cola
  • Marta: Teriyaki Chicken and Noodles, Cucumber Salad, and an IPA
  • Amos: Supreme Pizza and an Energy Drink
  • Barry: Overloaded New York Style Hotdog and a six pack of cheap Beer
  • Beyol: Instant Noodles cooked with Extra veggies, Sriracha, and a Snack Cake.
  • Colin: Filet Mignon a Loaded Baked Potato and Red Wine
Broker: You actually went that far? Sonya: Food is important! Okay! Uh, next one is from xobotun on Royal Road, ¡®Why did you make Sonya Russian?¡¯ Broker: Hoo! That¡¯s an interesting question, [rubs chin] well, when I originally designed her I wanted her to be from somewhere close to Japan while not being a native resident. That was important at the time. Her name came next and I based her appearance around her original ability. Shock! It wasn¡¯t Broker or Farsight initially! Ultimately when I started to write Broker I decided to keep her as is but made her an American Citizen and decided not to put a lot of focus on her family life. A lot of protagonists base almost their entire personalities around their initial upbringing, I wanted Sonya to be someone who was affected more by her adulthood than her youth. She¡¯s Russian by blood, but that¡¯s really about it. Sonya: Frankly I barely remember my birth parent¡¯s names, it just doesn¡¯t matter to me. [shrugs] I feel like I lived more lifetimes after the first flash than I did in the two plus decades beforehand. Okay, next one from sheep-dodger from Royal Road, huh, ¡®In the original timeline, how many dates/weeks did it take until you realized you were dating Chunhua?¡¯ [plays with her hair] Uh¡­ we-well, [clears throat] I gave her a hard time for a while after she basically pulled some strings to have me assigned to her squad. She kept coming around trying to apologize after she realized I was mad about it. We saw each other a lot but it wasn¡¯t until she went into the Vegas Dungeon that I realized I had feelings. Six months or so until we got pretty serious, I¡¯d say. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Broker: Cute. Sonya: Shut up! Broker: Heh, Karrakaz from Royal Road asks; ¡®Are we most definitely looking at a tragedy here? I cannot help but hold out hope for some kind of miraculous feelgood ending.¡¯ ._Loki_. From Royal Road asked something similar. Sonya: [squint] Broker: Every story has its high and low points, we¡¯ve got a lot of ground to cover before we reach the end. I know the ending, of course, but I think that¡¯s gonna stay up here. [Taps his head] Sorry! Sonya: Ugh, of course, Got another one from Royal Road! Questing questioner [snickers] asks: ¡®Did Otis plan for the world to end, or was it ¡®just¡¯ an unexpected consequence of the war he started. Broker: Definitely his intention. Full stop. Cheesecakegood from Royal Road asks¡­ ¡®In the old timeline, did nations¡¯ governments usually stick around for a while or did the supers take them over pretty quickly?¡¯ Sonya: I got this one, yes and no. The US collapsed pretty quickly after the Times Square disaster started to spread south towards DC. Europe had a similar problem. The Eastern Countries got their shit together pretty quick though and the pandora committee was proposed by Japan and the remnant US Government. It was their last big move. Broker: [nods] Yep, it was pretty bad for a while. The Pandora Committee being formed as early as it was in the current timeline really saved a lot of lives, Unknown Mongrel from Royal road had a couple questions¡­ ¡®What is a power you want to add that you haven¡¯t had a good opportunity too?¡¯ Oh that one¡¯s easy, Sonya¡¯s original power as an OC was a cold radiation ability that had a light application. One day, [sighs]. Sonya: Could just give it to some rando that I shake hands with. Broker: Where¡¯s the fun in that? Sonya: [scoffs] They also asked ¡®What are some miscellaneous character details that just don¡¯t come up normally?¡¯ Oh, I can give you a few. I forget to turn on the lights in rooms I go into. My base ability, Farsight, gives me perfect vision in the dark so I don¡¯t notice when the lights are out. Marta has a peanut allergy, not that it affects her anymore. Colin is really good at sudoku. Oh, oh! And Amos knows every good pizza place in New York down to being on a first-name basis with the owners. Broker: Good ones! Let¡¯s see, got some from Scribblehub too! Oinkymoo from Scribblehub asks, ¡®What is Otis¡¯ real middle name?¡¯ Sonya: Great question! Broker: Who are we talking about? Sonya: [squint and sigh] They also asked about Broker¡¯s real name. Broker: You might get some hints in season two~ Sonya: I guess that¡¯s answer enough, Lupenthewolf from Scribblehub asks, ¡®When it''s all said and done, will you be satisfied? Once the world is safe from the future you saw, once your mission is complete, will it be enough?¡¯ Well¡­ I hope so. Only time will tell I guess, [sigh] It¡¯s going to be a long road. Broker: Yep, I have a lot planned, we¡¯ll see where it goes. Michoucast from Scribblehub asks, ¡®Will we know the origin of Pandora¡¯s Box?¡¯ Yes. Definitely. Sonya: That question you answer. [shrug] Let¡¯s see¡­ oh! Look at this! Broker: Ahaha! Modality from Scribblehub really went all out! Lightning round? Sonya: Lightning round. We¡¯ll do the author one¡¯s first; ¡®Are deities real in this world?¡¯ Broker: Yep, but they¡¯re all dead. No divine final boss for this story! Sonya: What inspired you to put this story together? Broker: A love of literature and wanting to be a part of it in some way. To be honest, the first couple of chapters were a trial run, after the response and all the comments, it¡¯s you guys that keep me going. Sonya: Favorite side character and favorite individual power? Broker: I adore Martin. Euclidia¡¯s power is so interesting and it goes a lot deeper than you can imagine! Sonya: How long do you plan for Broker to go on for? Broker: Eight seasons if I have my way. Some may be longer than others. Season two is beefy. Sonya: What does your average writing session look like? What¡¯s your process? Broker: I start off with getting some music going then I make a copy of the previous chapter in google docs. I cut out most of it except for the last one or two paragraphs and pick up where I left off. Usually have some research material on the side. Then I copy in the summary for the next chapter at the bottom and work through it. Sonya: Next is¡­ questions for the cast! [turns and shouts] Hey! You guys! A few of you have questions! Broker: Oh boy. Sonya: First a few for me, ¡®Sonya, how far did research into Skills go in your first timeline? People certainly figured out a lot about the how, but was there any progress made on the why?¡¯ Well, to be honest we did the best we could. We were trying pretty hard to survive so not a lot of people spent time on the reasons why powers were named the way they were or where they really come from. We were getting somewhere as things settled down a few years in, but by then Otis was gearing up for the war. Sonya: Next is¡­ ¡®What exactly are you hoping to get out of Detecitve Martin in the long run? Do you be plan to be publicly outed, eventually?¡¯ Well, I expect to pay for my crimes, yes. My hope for Martin is to leverage him where I can. I¡¯m confident he¡¯ll sign on the dotted line for awakening, though. Broker: Next one is for¡­ Chunhua! Chunhua: [walks in] Good day, sir. [bows] Broker: [coughs] They¡¯re asking, ¡®How do you feel about your fellow Mythics, and what they represent of the worlds of the world¡¯s power dynamics? How do you feel about the fundamental inequality it poses on people on an individual level?¡¯ Chunhua: [crosses arms behind back] There is a certain level of responsibility that comes with power, those with powerful abilities, especially dangerous ones, should be reminded of that. Ultimately I have noticed that most of those who are actively awakened are younger and from more ordinary backgrounds save for a few. I imagine the effect on the world¡¯s class and power dynamic will be interesting but I will have to observe longer to give a more definitive answer. Broker: Crisp and astute as always. Chunhua: Thank you, [leaves] Sonya: ¡­god that was hot. Broker: Huh? Sonya: What? Did you say something? Anyway, Marta! Marta: Yes, ma¡¯am? Sonya: You got one, let¡¯s see¡­ [snorts and bursts into laughter] Oh no! Hahaha! ¡®Marta, how are things going with Kingshark? As a manga and cosplay lover, do you think about the fact he can use t*ntacles all that much? Marta: [clears her throat] It¡¯s going very well, thank you for asking. He¡¯s a good man. [deadpan] Every. Single. Day. [leaves] Sonya: [stares] Woah. Broker: [clears throat] Kingshark! You¡¯re up man! Barry: Yep! I¡¯m here! What¡¯s up? Broker: ¡®King Shark, just how much power do you feel like your organization has over the USA and over the world at large now? If you flexed your influence in its entirety, what do you think you''d be able to accomplish?¡¯ Barry: Eh? I haven¡¯t really thought about it all that much, the boss gives those kinds of orders. If I had to guess I¡¯d cause a good amount of damage, maybe take a state or two if I piled everyone on. Then get blasted to atoms. My boys ain¡¯t soldiers, they¡¯re street thugs. [leaves] Sonya: About what I was expecting. [shrugs] Bluestar dear! Bluestar: [peeks in] M-me? Really? Sonya: Yes, you, what do you think about your powers and how differently they seem to function in comparison to others we¡¯ve seen? Also, are you dating Bandit? Bluestar: Oh! [blushes] I uh.. Well¡­ my abilities might seem unique but there¡¯s several ¡®magic¡¯ users on the Pandora listing. I¡¯m the only color based one I¡¯m aware of, though. It¡¯s a bit odd, perhaps there are other colors out there? [clears throat] Yes, we¡¯re seeing one another. Keeping it simple right now. I hope that¡¯s okay, ma¡¯am? Sonya: You¡¯re asking me if I disapprove of fraternizing? Bluestar: Point taken. [leaves] Sonya: Last one since a certain asshole isn¡¯t around right now. Amos! Amos: [slides in] Wassuuuup? [holds out fist] Sonya: Wassuuuup? [brofist] Amos: Whatcha got for me? Sonya: If Sonya never found and rescued you, how do you think your life would have played out? Amos: [frowns] That¡¯s easy, I was near ground zero for the Times Square dungeon. Probably would have died in the break, if I got away from it, I dunno, start a business or something? [Grins] Immortal Konflict later? Sonya: Hell yes, see you later. Amos: [leaves] Sonya: And that¡¯s everything! Thank you guys for joining us! Broker: Yep! Thank you all so much for your questions and sharing your love for the story. Like I said, we got a long way to go from here! Season two will start soon! For now¡­ enjoy the trailer! Season 2 Teaser Trailer Season 2 Teaser Trailer BROKER SEASON 2 TRAILER It¡¯s a brave new world. Everything has changed since Vegas, an event that will go down in history as the climax of the sh and the punctuation-mark on the dawn of a new era. Measures have been taken to prevent such an event from ever happening again. It has been a year since that fateful day and society has reached a new equilibrium, tenacious as ever. Young people across the world areing of age and awakening their powers as new opportunities fast approach. One young soul,mitted to upholding the ideals of the man remembered as the greatest hero of the sh, dreams of bing a hero. Meanwhile, forces are on the move. Factions are forming, The Guilds are growing, Viins are rising, Dungeons have been conquered, and a cult is on the move in the American South. Even as everything is going to n, Sonya is at her wits end. Caught between her worn down heart, her fragmenting mind, and her indomitable spirit, she is growing erratic and temperamental, seeing a face in her reflection that isn¡¯t hers and crossing lines she really shouldn''t. Despite this, she moves forward with the next phase of her n, to raise a generation of heroes capable of standing against what¡¯s toe. With a new ally that causes her nothing but pain, her ever loyal inner circle, and her growing powers, she needs toe to terms with who she is meant to be and find the strength to lead humanity into the future, kicking and screaming if necessary. If only a certain nihilistic immortal hadn''t signed up for training too. Announcement Two final announcements... Broker has signed with ! More news on that development in the future! I''ll be going on a very brief break to organize the chapters for Season 2 for you all. I want to get the side stories out in the right order instead of just on Wednesdays. Season 2 Prologue – Moments out of a Year Season 2 Prologue ¨C Moments out of a Year Sonya leaned back in her chair and stared into space, pulling her knees up to her chest and tangling her fingers together. It had been a month since Vegas, a month since one really bad day. Her jaw shifted a bit in her mouth as the thoughts came back and she pushed them away with a huff, closing her eyes and trying to center herself. She nced at the cold can of soda that had been left for her on the desk and reached out before flicking it with her finger, getting that nice noise out of it. Her lip twitched up into a small smile as the inte buzzed on her desk. She let out a breath and reclined, spinning in her chair before reaching out to tap the button. ¡°You have reached the boss among bosses, Sonya Chernovna here,¡± She chirped, putting her best cheer into her voice even if it was a little forced. A small chuckle came back on the other end, ¡°Miss Chernovna, Miss Mint is here to see you.¡± Sonya sat up straight, ¡°Ca¡¯s here?¡± She asked, surprised. She hadn¡¯t seen her since the funeral and well, everything else. Their encounters had be a bit of a regr thing after that first exciting evening and while she didn¡¯t want to put abel on it, it was kind of nice to have at least one sure thing she could count on in her¡­ she paused and let the thought trail off, that face popping up again and she reached up to pinch her cheek, Stop it. ¡°Send her in!¡± The door in front of her slid open and the adorable raven haired woman stepped in, bob hair swaying a little bit as she adjusted her sses and inclined her head to Sonya, ¡°Miss Chernovna, good to see you.¡± Sonya got to her feet, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Ca, how are you?¡± She asked, walking over and taking her hand before leading her to one of the chairs in front of her desk, ¡°Please, have a seat, coffee? Soda?¡± Ca raised an eyebrow, ¡°That excited to see me?¡± Sonya froze, half-way turned, ¡°Uh- I mean,¡± She cleared her throat, ¡°You¡¯re here for business, right?¡± She said and turned with an awkward smile, ¡°Of- of course, it¡¯s just been a while since you werest here and I-¡± She rubbed her neck. Ca let out a smallugh, ¡°I finally got to tease you!¡± She said and rxed, ¡°Sonya, it¡¯s fine, I just came to check on you. At the funeral you seemed like you needed some space,¡± She said and reached up and yed with her ck hair a little, ¡°I uh¡­ I wanted toe sooner but after that things got a little busy.¡± Sonya melted, just melted, that little bit of kindness just sting all of it away, even if it was temporary, it felt good, really good. She hopped up onto the desk and snatched up the cold soda before popping it open and took a sip before passing it over to her guest with a grin, her feet swinging back and forth. ¡°You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that.¡± Ca flushed at the lip of the can before ncing up at Sonya and sighing, ¡°I guess I deserve this,¡± She said with pursed lips. ¡°You got one in,¡± Sonya winked. Caughed and took a sip of her own before setting it down, ¡°You seem stressed.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Sonya asked, tapping her fingers on the table, ¡°Yes, a little, it¡¯s a lot.¡± Ca tilted her head, ¡°I think we¡¯ve seen enough of one another that you can talk to me about it,¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you a lot of my problems during our¡­ visits,¡± She emphasized her words with a hard blush and a gentle rub of her wrists. Sonya smiled at her and reached up to run her fingers through her hair, she threw her head back and let out a long suffering sigh. She crossed her legs and tilted her head at Ca for a while. There was so much trust there, now, after everything. What she needed more than anything was someone she could trust. Even for a moment. Even if it was taking a risk. If the reaction was bad she- no, she wouldn¡¯t do that. She¡¯d deal with it. She smiled at Ca and held out her hand and an eye appeared over it, glowing, pink, it flickered as it gazed at her. Ca stared at it for a long time before looking up at her, ¡°Don¡¯t say it out loud to me, understand? Just in case,¡± She said with a warm smile. ¡°The less I know the better about it. Whatever the reasons, I know the real you.¡± Sonya blinked and her shoulders went ck, Thank goodness. Her lip trembled a bit and she dismissed the eye, letting her hands fall into herp, ¡°There¡¯s a lot I can¡¯t say, but¡­¡± A few minutester Ca was on her feet with her arms wrapped around Sonya¡¯s neck. Sonya rest her chin on the woman¡¯s shoulder as a hand ran over the back of her head. She didn¡¯t say anything, there wasn¡¯t much she could say. Sonya could only give an abridged version of the events anyway as there was no way she could share the truth about the past timeline and Ca didn¡¯t want to know about Ishtar. That didn¡¯t matter, though, the hug felt nice. Ca pulled back a bit, ¡°Sonya, I want to check on you more often, if that¡¯s okay.¡± She said, brown eyes searching hers, ¡°I¡¯m going to be in New York a lot going forward.¡± Sonya titled her head, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, I like having you around, but what changed? I thought the Chairman had you running all over the ce the past month.¡± Ca smirked, ¡°Well, apparently that was his way of introducing me to everyone I¡¯d be barking orders at in the future,¡± Ca said with a raised eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯m overseeing the North American Branch as administrator, my predecessor is stepping down next week.¡± Sonya brightened, ¡°From New York administrator to North America, Ca! Congrattions, you should have opened with that!¡± ¡°I wanted to check on you first,¡± Ca said, flushing a little and stepping back. Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°Well aren¡¯t you a good girl?¡± Ca squinted at her, ¡°Sonya, we¡¯re having a moment here.¡± Sonya chuckled and rubbed her neck, ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Ca reached out, ¡°Look,¡± She said and took Sonya¡¯s hand. Sonya looked down at her fingers and up at Ca, ¡°I don¡¯t know what we are doing here, or what¡¯s happening, or any of it, but I¡¯d like to be around more to help you when I can. We can see where things go, alright?¡± Sonya squeezed Ca¡¯s fingers and yed with them, ¡°I met a girl here in town and took her with me on my Florence trip,¡± She said thoughtfully, tilting her head and running her thumb over Ca¡¯s nail, ¡°I was¡­ projecting on her, it was unfair¡± She said hesitantly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that to you. I don¡¯t want to make that mistake again. You¡¯re you and-¡± Ca tilted her head down a bit to catch Sonya¡¯s eyes, ¡°Clearly you¡¯re already doing a better job, aren¡¯t you?¡± She said, ¡°Thank you for telling me that.¡± Sonya shifted a bit in her seat and scratched her nose, ¡°Quit it.¡± ¡°Quit what?¡± Ca asked, smiling a bit wider. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Sonya grumbled, trying to hide her smile. ¡°No idea what you¡¯re talking about, Mistress,¡± Ca quipped. ¡°Oh now you¡¯re not even trying!¡± Sonyaughed, ¡°Did Marta call you? You really came all this way after running around the US just to see me? All I do is tie you up for stress relief,¡± She babbled, ¡°Come on, I-¡± Ca looked Sonya dead in the eyes, ¡°She didn¡¯t call me, I¡¯m not here for a quicky, I just wanted to make sure you¡¯re okay and cheer you up if I could. I promise.¡± Sonya groaned and slid off the desk, ¡°That¡¯s it! We¡¯re leaving!¡± She dered, marching towards the door and tapping the button to open it, ¡°Marta, cancel all my bullshit for the evening and call that french ce I like, table for two,¡± She barked, poking her head out of the door. Marta looked up from her desk with raised eyebrows and smiled before nodding and getting to work. Ca hustled up behind her, ¡°Sonya? What on earth are you up to?¡± Sonya turned on her heel and reached out to grab the woman by the chin, ¡°You go this far to cheer me up and are surprised when I decide to take you out to dinner? Silly thing,¡± She said and tugged the woman closer with a grin and a raised eyebrow, ¡°I am going to spoil you rotten tonight, understood? Dinner, a nice dinner, for a nice first date.¡± Ca melted in her grip and her eyes went just the right amount of zed, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± ¡ª Amos shifted a bit on his feet. The shoes were unbelievably ufortable. Sonya kept insisting that they were the mostfortable dress shoes of their brand but it still felt like his feet were in a vice. That wasn¡¯t even to begin to talk about the rest of it. He could hear the distant sound of Sonya talking, giving her speech, he groaned. Sure, this was exciting, but for heaven¡¯s sake did it have to be so formal? He shifted again and a hand grabbed him by the tie, tugging him forward to hold him still and straighten it. ¡°You are worse than a kid before a school y,¡± Colin said with a huff, pulling a strand of hair behind his ear as he fussed with Amos¡¯ tie. ¡°Stop wiggling around.¡± Amos nced down at Colin¡¯s expression of concentration and went still, rxing as his boyfriend went to work straightening him up a bit more. He stared for a bit, lost in the smell of his perfume. Colin nced up at him as he pat his chest and smiled coyly, Amos¡¯ heart did a flip, ¡°Now now, none of that,¡± He said softly, ¡°I¡¯m wearing lipstick today,¡± He said and reached up to touch Amos¡¯ chin, ¡°Rx. You¡¯re going to be fine.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you have to wear lipstick?¡± Amosined in a low whisper. ¡°Because I wanted to look good for you,¡± Colin hissed. ¡°It worked,¡± Amos muttered, ¡°I can¡¯t take my eyes off you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to,¡± Colin teased and stepped back, putting his hands on his hips. He was wearing a suit jacket, tie, skirt, and ck hose. He pursed his lips and gave Amos a once over from afar before nodding, ¡°Okay, you¡¯re good to go.¡± ¡°I dunno if I can do this, babe,¡± Amos said, ¡°That¡¯s a lot of people out there.¡± Colin tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, his pretty lips doing that tilted thing again that made Amos feel weak. He walked forward and reached up to cup Amos¡¯ face in his hands. They were so fucking soft. ¡°Amos, listen to me, carefully,¡± He said putting some firmness in his voice, ¡°You got your degree back, you¡¯re Doctor Amos Carter, celebrated post-pandora scientist and the guy who probably saved billions of lives with your work. If there is anyone on the fucking who deserves whatsing out there, it¡¯s you. You¡¯re going to be fine. Fuck those guys, just talk about what you did, ept, and get the fuck outta there.¡± ¡°I-¡± He opened his mouth but it was cut off by a finger. ¡°Get through it, and you¡¯ll get that kiss, mm?¡± Colin put a bit of that husk in and Amos melted, his shoulders slumping as Colin pulled back with a wink, ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± He breathed, feeling significantly more motivated to get out there and get through it. He nced towards the curtain to the stage again, he could hear the words. Time was up. He didn¡¯t have a chance in hell at this point. ¡°...and so with that said,¡± Sonya said to the audience, ¡°I am honored beyond words to introduce my dear friend and fellow Nobelureate, without whom, nothing I aplished would have been possible. The father of the post-pandora era, Doctor Amos Carter. Doctor Carter, the floor is yours.¡± Trumpets red and Amos felt Colin push him towards the stage, he did his best not to stumble before stepping out through the curtains. The light beat down on him, the apuse of the crowd was deafening, the trumpets were a lot, and the stage was bigger than he remembered. He focused on Sonya who was standing on the podium with her arm outstretched and a smile on her face. She wore a sheer white gown that sparkled as much as her skin and her hair was done up with crystals. She beamed at him and he felt his chest tighten, You say that, but aren¡¯t you the one who pulled me out of the gutter? He thought as he marched forward and took her hand. She pulled him gently towards the podium. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you,¡± She whispered before giving him a kiss on the cheek and stepping back, pping with the audience. He cleared his throat, a little bit of pressure behind his eyes, and looked towards all of the people gathered. Physicists, scientists, historians, authors, amazing people. He looked down at the podium for a moment, his hands shaking and caught his breath. Sonya said through their technopathic connection. He took another deep breath and blinked a few times before brandishing his best smile. Just handle it like Sonya would, he thought, using his usual mantra. ¡°We all remember the time before the sh,¡± He began, ¡°Before our world irrevocably changed and life as we knew it took on a whole new dynamic. The touch of pandora¡¯s light brought out the best and the worst in us, it changed us, and with it came a force that shook the foundations of our knowledge and understanding of the universe,¡± He looked across the audience, ¡°A veil lifted, our eyes were opened to just how little we understood.¡± He rest his hand on the podium, ¡°We as a species have fought our way tooth and nail throughout history to survive, to thrive, to adapt to an ever changing world and to learn more so that we can push that progress to the next level. Mana, that force that now swirls around our world, has added a whole other level to this challenge. Yet it is the very tool we need to push through the boundaries that we once saw as insurmountable for the foreseeable future.¡± ¡°My fellowureates, excellencies, majesties, nobility and leaders, it is up to us to responsibly harness this power and turn it in the right direction. I believe in humanity¡¯s capacity to do good, to aplish good, and to struggle and thrive even in the direst of conditions. I have seen what it looks like for someone to fight against all odds, even when it feels like the world itself is their enemy, and step forward to make a difference. I have seen heroes rise, I have met them,¡± He lowered his eyes, ¡°I made Firestorm¡¯s armor. The same armor he wore when he walked into Vegas with his head held high.¡± He looked up and smiled, ¡°And I will keep supporting heroes, just like him. I hope you will too. Because that is our role in this post-pandora world. Strive for better, Earth. Thank you.¡± He bowed and the apuse took his breath away. He stood up straight and nced back over his shoulder. Sonya was gone, back behind the curtain. It was all him. He blinked a few times and looked up and out at the crowd as the representative of the nobelmittee stepped onto the stage and handed him his prize and shook his hand. The representative had tears in their eyes as they kept the handshake going for a few more moments before stepping back. ¡°It was an honor to hear you speak, Doctor Carter, thank you.¡± Amos swallowed, ¡°Thank you,¡± He said before turning and forcing himself to walk naturally back to the curtain. He dipped through it and immediately felt a thin pair of arms wrap around his neck. Before he could react soft lips pressed against his own and he staggered forward and to the right. He felt thest bits of tension wash away as his shoulders sagged and he wrapped his arms around Colin¡¯s waist. He held the kiss for a while, not wanting to ever let the moment end. Eventually though the two had toe up for air and they parted. ¡°You are amazing,¡± Colin breathed. ¡°Thanks to you,¡± He chuckled, resting his head against Colin¡¯s before ncing up at Sonya, ¡°And you too.¡± Sonya was standing off to the side, leaning against the wall with a red face. She crossed her arms and looked away, ¡°You¡¯re a jerk,¡± She said quietly. ¡°You know I can¡¯t cry, right?¡± He chuckled and while still holding onto Colin, walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. She rest her head against his shoulder and reached up to hold the back of his head. She sighed into his shoulder, ¡°So proud of you, so happy for you,¡± She croaked. ¡°This is where you should be.¡± He squeezed her tight, ¡°You deserve it too, no matter what anyone says,¡± He said and pulled back, squeezing her arm, ¡°Thank you, for saving me. You are my hero, Sonya. Don¡¯t ever forget it,¡± He said and grinned at her as she stared at him, wide eyed, her lips trembling. He chuckled and pped her arm, ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go home, get out of these horrible clothes, and y some games or something. Yeah? We don¡¯t have to go to an after party or anything, right?¡± Sonya and Colin winced and exchanged looks. ¡°...right?¡± ¡ª Beyol was troubled. The streets of Moscow were beautiful, as always, it was a sunny day despite the chill that came with the first touches of winter. He didn¡¯t mind it, his shadows were colder. The coat that the mistress had insisted he wear helped, of course. The cks too, and the designer shirt, and the new shoes. He was a bit confused about why she was so insistent he wear something different. T-shirts and jeans were cheap and practical, for someone who got blood on himself often, it seemed more sensible just to wear something disposable. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing though and it helped him blend in a bit better with all the other people who were walking around the streets of the Russian capital. Few looked his way though a few smiled at him with amusement for some reason. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on why. He rounded a corner and spotted his destination, it was a cafe. He liked coffee. That put him in a good mood. Yes, the sun was out, the air was crisp, and he had coffee to look forward to. Still, though, he was troubled. Something soft pressed against his arm again and he looked down at the mess of off-gray hair attached to the head rubbing against his arm. He felt that softness again as well as the narrow arms of the troubling woman who was gripping onto him like a vice. He raised an eyebrow and once more wondered what on earth was wrong with this woman. He had spent a short time dealing with some gnolls on her behalf and all of a sudden she was glued to him every time they were assigned together. He sighed and nced around as Veloce, she still hadn¡¯t picked her new viin name yet, mumbled something about fruits. ¡°Date, date, date, date, it¡¯s a date.¡± Veloce sing-songed against his arm, barely audible since her face seemed to be attached to his coat. He scratched his nose, he didn¡¯t hate the attention but it confused him a great deal. He hadn¡¯t been prepared for this kind of thing back during his training so he had no real frame of reference to work with. Why is she so interested in fruit? He thought to himself, Does she like dates? Should I get her some? Would that make her happy? He nced down at her again, She seems happy already, he sighed again, I don¡¯t understand. He walked into the cafe and up to the counter and a young woman greeted them with a small smile, ¡°Hi! Wee! Can I make anything for you?¡± ¡°Two coffees, please,¡± He said, pulling out some cash from his wallet that he unfortunately had to move from its usual pocket because of his new ¡®attachment¡¯. ¡°Sure! Would yourdy friend like anything sweet to go with it?¡± The woman asked brightly. Beyol considered the question before leaning in and holding his hand up to whisper, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have any dates? She apparently likes them quite a bit.¡± The woman blinked and then gave him a deadpan look, it was the same look mistress gave him all the time these days. Why did women look at him like that when he was with Veloce? The woman looked down at Veloce with a pitying look before taking out a tart from a disy and setting it down next to the two coffees she prepared and handed it to them. He paid quickly and led Veloce over to a table. ¡°We need to sit, Veloce,¡± He grunted. Veloce looked up at him with bright yellow eyes, a big grin on her face before ncing over at the table and the small tray with a treat and coffee in his free hand. Her eyes sparkled and she darted off his arm to sit in the chair, swaying merrily as he set the two coffees down and the tart that he assumed had dates in it in front of her. She looked down at the treat and brightened even more, if that was possible, before looking up at him with a big smile, ¡°You¡¯re so sweet.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± He grunted and sat down, taking his blessedly strong ck coffee in his hand and sipping. ¡°Mhm,¡± She mumbled, already a full piece of the tart in her mouth. ¡°We have work to do after this,¡± He said stiffly. ¡°I know, I know, bossdy wants us to go poke around a bit,¡± Veloce said waving her hand, ¡°No worries, I got it.¡± He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Have you given your name any thought?¡± He asked in a low voice. She pursed her lips and looked away, ¡°Always busy talk with you, good thing you¡¯re cute,¡± She said and tilted her head left and right, ¡°Yeah, I got a few books from her that have some great ideas in it. I¡¯lle up with something soon.¡± ¡°You said that a month ago,¡± He pointed out. ¡°Yeah well I get distracted,¡± She shrugged, picking at her ck fingernails. She wore a heavy coat but the rest of her ensemble was decidedly not for cold weather. A punk outfit with a torn shirt and ripped jeans that exposed enough skin to make him flush a little if he looked too hard. For some reason that seemed to make herugh when it happened. She was messing with him somehow, he knew it. She took a sip of her coffee and nced out the window, ¡°Wish we could just, you know, deal with the problem instead of being all stealthy.¡± ¡°Only if it¡¯s as bad as she suspects,¡± He reminded her, ¡°We¡¯re not here to make a mess.¡± She puffed out a breath, ¡°No fun! No fun!¡± She whined and threw her head back, slumping against the chair, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be good, but only if you buy me dinnerter, somewhere nice.¡± He nced down at his attire, he figured it was suitable for a nice restaurantter, ¡°Alright, I suppose that isn¡¯t a bad deal. I will buy you dinner at a reputable restaurant this evening after we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Two dates in one day,¡± She sighed, leaning forward on her elbow and cupping her chin with her hand, ¡°You know how to take care of a girl, Beyol,¡± She said, waggling her eyebrows at him. Again with the fruits. Is it addictive? ¡°You can have plenty of fruit tarts or whatever you like when we go,¡± He said tly and sipped at his coffee, turning to look out the window as well. Across the street was their target, an innocuous building that was home to several shops but had arge warehouse in the rear that they all shared. Apparently a group of criminals were active in the area collecting monsters that appeared in the city in order to sell them as pets on the open market. It was a bit distasteful and bound to cause unnecessary trouble for the mistress¡¯ wider goals. ording to the mistress, monsters were bad for business. That was good enough for him. Beyol finished his coffee and set it down as Veloce finished her own and popped thest piece of tart into her mouth. She beamed at him and got to her feet, stretching a little and arching her back in his face before getting to her feet and brushing her hands off. He cleared his throat and looked away, it was a little embarrassing how much she did that around him. He got to his feet and they walked past the counter where the young woman gave Veloce a look and patient smile. Veloce grinned at her before wrapping her arms around his left arm and returning to being attached to his side. Once again, Beyol was troubled. The two of them crossed the street through the cold and walked straight into a butcher¡¯s shop. They walked towards the side of the counter and the owner looked up and frowned at them, ¡°You can¡¯t-¡± He was cut off by a small spark of electricity that jumped from the clingy Veloce¡¯s finger and struck him, knocking him to the ground, unconscious. She nced up at Beyol and blew across her finger like it was a smoking gun as they stepped up to the door leading to the back. He pinched his thumb and a violet knife appeared in his free hand. One swing and the deadbolt was cut cleanly. He reached forward and opened it. The two of them stepped inside of therge space beyond, there were people shouting and going back and forth as they worked. He frowned and looked around while Veloce skipped away to peer with a hand over her eyes like a visor, ¡°Oho! Looks like we found the right ce!¡± She said merrily and nced back at him, grinning. She paused and pouted, ¡°Wait, do we still get to go to dinner?¡± She asked. He frowned at the cages with hounds in them and then nced at her. He met her gaze, big yellow eyes pleading, and sighed, ¡°Very well, go have fun,¡± He said. She turned on her heel and cheered while pumping her fist, ¡°Yes!¡± She shouted and hopped onto the rail before dering to the entire warehouse; as bolts of lethal electricity began dancing across her skin, jumping from her body to strike anything around her and immediately starting small fires, ¡°Y¡¯all gotta die please! I have a date tonight!¡± He frowned, What is it with this woman and fruit?
Chapter 88 Chapter 88 ¡°Two-twenty-four.¡± She pulled herself up, muscles heating, sweat beading on her neck, brown eyes focused on the far wall. The rm clock next to her bed ticked over and buzzed once before the radio clicked on. She pulled her chin up and over the bar as a short jingle yed. Then a voice cut into the near-silence of her bedroom. ¡°Good morning, Anta!¡± A jolly voice said, ¡°It¡¯s six am! Blue skies today with a high of eighty-four. First thing¡¯s first, here¡¯s the carter radar report: Mana levels are going to be high again as a dungeon is anticipated to form in the city by the end of the month. City leaders are looking forward to it as it¡¯ll mean more business.¡± ¡°Two-twenty-nine.¡± She nced towards the window and saw some people starting their days. Lights eithering on or people making their way out of their homes to start an earlymute. ¡°For yourmute this morning, we¡¯ve got a few hot zones already marked for a high chance of monster formation. Heroes are already being sent to the scenes. You should avoid the following streets for the next hour or so,¡± The man started rattling off street names as she pulled herself up over the bar again, her fingers tensing. ¡°Make sure to check the tracker app regrly for thetest updates. Now a quick chime in from the sponsor¡­¡± He trailed off and a slightly amused woman cut in, ¡°This morning carter radar report has been brought to you by ASTA Corporation. We are your solution.¡± ¡°Two-thirty-six.¡± ¡°Now for the news,¡± The man went on as the very digital ASTA jingle finished ying out, ¡°Two umon-grade dungeons were imed this past evening by a joint operation with the Anta and Georgia state Guilds. Seems like there¡¯s already an agreement on the books about mining rights, you can look it up on the official Pandora Guilds app. If you¡¯re a frencer looking for work, they¡¯ve still got some slots open,¡± He rambled on, ¡°The final piece of the North American carter radarwork was alsopleted this morning, finalizing a project that¡¯s been a year in the making. I for one am going to be sleeping a whole lot more easily now.¡± ¡°Two-fifty,¡± She let out a sharp breath and dropped from the bar,nding on her feet and heading for the folded towel and bottles of water on her wardrobe. She snatched up the towel and ran it over her face before cracking open a bottle of water and drinking it down. ¡°It¡¯s been just under a year since the Vegas Incident, everybody, and the day we lost one of our favorite sons. Two memorials will be held this weekend. One at the Vegas Memorial Gardens with the unveiling of a statue of our own Firestorm, and at the Nick Adders Memorial Building right here in Anta.¡± ¡°Radio off!¡± She called with a smile and dipped into the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Long ck-brown hair was trussed up in a ponytail shing with lightly tanned skin. A pair of bright brown eyes glittered back at her. She smiled and checked herself out, all muscle, a proper set of abs and toned arms. She was as ready as she could ever be. A quick showerter she threw on a tube top to allow her skin to breathe a little, some blue jeans, and of course her favorite article: an orange letterman jacket with Firestorm¡¯s logo on it. The jacket hade out very briefly as part of a funding drive to help build the Vegas Memorial Gardens. Both ASTA¡¯s Sonya Chernovna and the nowte Johnathan Adders, Firestorm¡¯s father, hade together to start the fundraiser and had both doubled the public donation. The release of hero-rted merchandise had been intended to be a one-time thing but it had triggered an intense wave of demand as more heroes who participated in the incident were publicized. Especially the international heroes. She even had her own Euclidia pocket watch, it was really cool, you could see the time reflected clearly on the inner part of the lid no matter what angle you held it at. She snatched it up and stuffed it into her pocket just as she reached the door. ¡°Lily! Lillian! Are you awake?¡± Her mother shouted from downstairs. She pushed the door open, ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m up!¡± She called back, ¡°Just finished getting dressed!¡± She hurried down the stairs, bouncing from step to step beforending in front of her bewildered mother. A head shorter than her and way prettier in her opinion. ¡°Hi!¡± She said brightly. Her motherughed, ¡°Hi! Did you have a good birthday?¡± She swept her mother up into a hug, nearly lifting her off the ground, ¡°Sure did! Thank you!¡± She kissed her mother on the cheek and hurried past her to the kitchen. ¡°Where¡¯s dad?¡± ¡°Dragging himself out of bed slower than you,¡± Her mother chuckled, walking past and setting down a te of steaming food in front of her. ¡°Hurry up and eat, you¡¯ve got a big day,¡± She paused, ¡°Any signs?¡± ¡°Nothing yet,¡± Lillian said as she scarfed her food down, ¡°Usually happens within the first week of turning eighteen though, so I got time.¡± ¡°You have your badge?¡± Her father grunted as he stepped into the kitchen. She looked up at the tough-looking man. ck hair and a bit of salt in his beard. He had anyard around his neck marking him as a mining hero. Someone with enough power to handle themselves in a fight and do work in a dungeon, but not much else. He¡¯d been a contractor before the sh, working to support his family. He¡¯d awakened his powers and started making money selling monster parts to ASTA before dungeon mining became a legitimate job a few months back. The money was great. ¡°Sure do!¡± Lillian said and pat her neck, ¡°Or not, one sec!¡± She jumped out of her seat and ran back up the stairs to the sound of her father and motherughing. She grumbled and scrambled around her room till she found it on the nightstand. She picked it up and looked at it. HIGH POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT-TOUCHED AWAKENING, LILLIAN LANDREY Getting tested for how receptive her body was to mana had been a bit nerve wracking. The machines were still in their early stages and were frankly huge and intimidating. The report that there was an extremely high likelihood of awakening was exhrating though. She sped it in her hand. ¡°We are the firestorm,¡± She breathed, holding it up to her head and muttering a small prayer to anyone or anything who would listen. ¡°Please be cool, please be cool.¡± Her little mantra done, she hurried back down the stairs and flew into her seat, scarfing down her meal. Her fatherughed as he took a bite of his toast and her mother sipped at her coffee. ¡°You¡¯re going to choke,¡± Her mother cautioned her, ¡°I¡¯ve got work in an hour, love. I don¡¯t want to take you to the hospital.¡± Lillian looked up abruptly, a piece of egg in her mouth. She scarfed it in quick, ¡°Uh¡­ sorry.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re excited, just be polite and keep a cool head, ¡®Lil,¡± He said and reached out, patting her head. ¡°Can¡¯t believe you chose this over free running.¡± Lillian grinned, ¡°It¡¯s fate, free-running was just preparation. I know it,¡± She said clenching her fists. ¡°I¡¯m strong, fast, and agile. A perfect fit.¡± ¡°Confidence will do you good, just make sure to be polite to the guild members and especially the guildmaster if you meet him,¡± Her father cautioned with a wink, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that people have personal space, alright?¡± Lilian scratched her nose, ¡°Right right¡­¡± ¡°Now get going, you¡¯ve got to make it to the terminal,¡± He said and sipped at his own coffee. Lillian hopped to her feet and ran around the table to pull him into a monstrous hug. She did the same for her mother before hopping back into the entryway of the house and snapping off a little salute. ¡°Trainee hero Lillian Landrey is off!¡± She barked and hustled to the door, snatching up her gym bag that her mother had packed for her. She fumbled with the lock before darting out onto the sidewalk to a chorus of her parents''ughter. She took a deep breath, ¡°It¡¯s gonna happen today, I know it!¡± She pulled out her phone and flipped to the map, ¡°Terminal¡­ turn on monster watch¡­ okay!¡± The route to the terminal avoiding monster watch areas was a bit back and forth, but it was the fastest route. She pulled her bag over her shoulder and broke into a jog, excitement glowing in her heart. The first annual youth camp for high-potential hero trainees. I can¡¯t believe they let in people who aren¡¯t awakened yet. Hell, I can¡¯t believe I got in. She grinned. Just goes to show how far a little passion will take you. She thought as she jogged down the street, darting past people as she made her way out of the neighborhood and into the city proper. She passed by a few shops as she went, waving at a few people she knew. One of those ferryman taxis passed by, the ritzy ck taxis that only the rich seemed to afford. They looked pretty normal to her. She shrugged as she rounded a corner and spotted a few people standing in front of arge kiosk with a tv hanging from the ceiling. She hustled over and slid to a stop, ncing up at the screen. An asian woman in dark martial artists robes ented with armor and a sword across her lower back stood at a podium with an older looking guy. ¡°The current top-hero, ck Lotus, is currently in the United States in an oversight tour with a few other members of the new International Team,¡± The reporter said, ¡°She is the first hero to single-handedly im a rare-grade dungeon. There is some spection that she is in the country to assess the epic-grade dungeon that appeared in the mountains outside of Seattle.¡± The screen changed to another woman wearing all white with a bombastic smile on her face, she wasughing and talking with a few children. ¡°ASTA CEO Sonya Chernovna visited one of the orphanages set up in the wake of the Vegas Incident yesterday. She is ted to be touring the east coast before heading to Europe for the Pandora Committee conference next month,¡± The reporter continued, ¡°After the Committee moved their headquarters to the Hague its reach has expanded, especially with the formalizing of the Vegas Act, which restricts the activities of Mythic-grade light-touched outside of dungeons.¡± She¡¯s gonna be on the east coast? Lillian stared up at the screen, Will she visit the camp? Oh man. Signing with ASTA would be crazy! She bounced on the balls of her feet and checked her phone. Oh shit! She darted away from the kiosk, racing down the street as fast as she could. That¡¯s what I get for getting distracted! Sheesh! She admonished herself, zig-zagging between cars stuck at a red light and hopping to the next stretch of sidewalk. She kept running, going from street to street, following the guide. Just a little- She spotted a small form moving out of the corner of her eye and slid to a stop, snapping her hand out to grab a kid that had wandered a little too close to the edge of the sidewalk by the shirt. She pulled him back as a car zipped by. ¡°Hey! Careful there!¡± She said and nced around to see his mother running over. ¡°Zack! I told you to stay with me!¡± The woman admonished him before turning to Lillian. ¡°Thank you.¡± The kid turned around and pouted, ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± Lillian squatted down and spotted his firestorm t-shirt, grinning at him and poking it, ¡°He¡¯d listen to his mom, right?¡± She said and then tapped his nose, ¡°Be good.¡± He blinked as she got up and turned away, darting off without another word. She came to a stop at a particrly clogged intersection. The other intersections beyond it were just as bad. People avoiding a marked area. She checked her phone again. Ah, poop. She nced around and saw an alley that would get her to her destination while skirting at the edge of the marked area. She huffed out a breath and darted between a few openings in the cars and into the alley. Just run through. She told herself and broke into a dash, hopping over things left behind. A bang sounded off to her left, Heroes must be working. She thought as she crested the alley and a hound went flying past her face. She slid to a stop and blinked, ncing to the right at the creature as it staggered to its feet only to get a bullet in its head for its trouble. It slumped to the ground as she nced to her left and a grizzled looking man walked past her, giving her a sidelong look, ¡°Did you not check the app this morning, kid?¡± He grunted. She scratched her neck, ¡°Running a littlete, gotta get to the terminal.¡± He nced at hernyard and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Better get moving. It¡¯s clear here. I won¡¯t say anything,¡± He said and strode towards the corpse. She snapped him a salute, ¡°Thanks!¡± She called and he waved dismissively, not looking back. Lillian raced across the vacant street, moving into the next alley. Buildings turned into a blur as she passed, pushing herself until she finally hopped over thatst inappropriately ced dumpster. Shended on her feet, breathing hard, as she finallyid eyes on the bus terminal. A heavy looking bus with the Pandora Committee logo on the side of it was waiting and there were already people gathered around it. ¡°Made it,¡± She let out a breath. She hurried across the street, waving her hands. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m here!¡± A guard wearing amittee inspectors coat turned and reached for a weapon on his belt only to pause when he saw hernyard pping about. He was wearing a full face helmet and armor beneath his coat. He crossed his arms, ¡°You¡¯rete! What¡¯s your name?¡± He demanded. She slid to a stop, her stomach sinking a little from the admonishment. ¡°Uh, Lillian Landrey sir.¡± He turned his head towards a woman standing off to the side, she had ck hair in a bob cut. She wore a functional pencil skirt and white blouse that almost made her miss the ornate white choker hugging the woman''s neck. Is that a pink sapphire? Lillian thought before the woman cleared her throat and drew Lillian out of her distracted thoughts. The woman adjusted her sses and looked down at a clipboard in her hand, ¡°She¡¯s on the list,¡± The woman said, ¡°You¡¯re very lucky Miss Landrey. We¡¯re getting ready to leave. Is that your luggage?¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± Lillian barked. ¡°Mhm, go ahead and put it in there,¡± She said, pointing a pen at an openpartment beneath the bus. ¡°Then get in. We¡¯re leaving in five minutes.¡± Lillian didn¡¯t have to be told twice, she hurried over and tossed her bag in before making her way over to the door to the bus. She climbed inside and looked out over the many heads that looked back up at her briefly before going back to what they were doing. Oh man this is it! Now where do I sit? She thought, making her way down the aisle until she found an open seat. There was a guy sitting there and looking out the window. She stopped, ¡°This seat taken?¡± A pair of bright blue eyes turned to look at her, blonde hair coiffed perfectly on the guy''s head. He brandished a brilliant smile at her, ¡°Nope! All yours!¡±
Chapter 89 Chapter 89 It was the single longest few minutes of her life, sitting there, waiting for the bus to start moving. She did her best to sit still, she really did. She kept her hands pressed between her knees and fixed her feet to the ground as the psec guy and the woman with the clipboard made their way up onto the bus. She nced into the aisle and saw others talking and looking around, some were just rxing, while a few looked about as nervous as she felt. The low hum of activity was dizzying, there were so many people here and all of them were at the bare minimum in the rare-tier or had the high potential of getting there. She felt like she was sitting in the middle of a powder keg. She needed a distraction and in her desperation turned to the only person who had even so much as acknowledged her existence so far among the others. The blonde guy. She turned towards him and put on her biggest smile, ¡°So what¡¯s your name?¡± She asked, trying to sound casual even as her heart pounded just about ten miles a minute. He was resting quietly against his seat, his head tilted to look out the windowzily. When she spoke she saw his shoulders tense a little before he shifted and nced back at her. ¡°Marc,¡± He said absently. ¡°I¡¯m Lillian, nice to meet you!¡± She said eagerly, holding out a hand. He raised an amused eyebrow and took her hand, ¡°Huh, sure,¡± He said his lip twitching a little, was something funny? ¡°You look a little nervous.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± She gasped, losing a bit of volume control, she nced around and saw a few eyes turned towards her before turning away with a few muted chuckles. She sighed and dipped her head, ¡°Yeah, maybe a little. I¡¯m just so excited to be here.¡± ¡°You and me both,¡± Marc said absently, leaning back against his chair and crossing his arms. She opened her mouth to ask another question when a chime rang out through the bus. Marc shifted forward and nced up over the top of the seat ahead of them, she looked his way then followed his gaze to see the woman in sses standing at the head of the bus. She adjusted her sses and surveyed everyone for a moment before nodding, ¡°This was our second tost stop, everyone, thank you for your patience,¡± She said primly, ¡°For those of you who are just now joining us, I am Ca Mint, East Coast administrator for the Pandora Committee.¡± ¡°She used to be the liaison to ASTA corp before she got promoted,¡± Marc muttered under his breath, ¡°Super well connected.¡± She nced his way, Woah, that¡¯s some good info. She thought before looking back at the woman. ¡°From here we will be making our way directly towards the facility in Green Bank West Virginia,¡± She said, ¡°It will be about half a day before we arrive, you should take that time to use your phones as much as you can. Greenbank is a signal-free zone. Keep in mind thatmunications in this vehicle are being monitored and mentioning the location of the camp will result in expulsion. This is non-negotiable,¡± Miss Mint continued sternly, ncing at a few faces in particr. ¡°You are now the first generation of East Coast Hero Aspirants, feel free to get to know your neighbors but keep moving in the aisle to a minimum. That is all,¡± She finished and with a practiced move, turned away to sit down next to the guard. On cue, the bus began to move, pulling out from the terminal without a word. ¡°Woah, this is serious,¡± Lillian breathed before breaking out into a grin, ¡°I can¡¯t friggin wait!¡± She said and clenched her fists, ¡°Today¡¯s gonna be the day, I know it.¡± ¡°Unawakened?¡± A boy said from above her. She nced up sharply into the face of a guy with short brown hair and brightvender-colored eyes. He grinned, ¡°Or are you just sleeping on it?¡± He asked, raising his eyebrows and waggling them a little. She blinked at him a few times, squinting a little. ¡°...huh?¡± Another boy popped up next to the first and nudged him, ¡°Dude your puns suck,¡± He said with a chuckle before looking down at Lillian, he was blonde with messy hair and dark eyes, dark eyes that widened when he took a look at her, ¡°Holy mother of gorgeous,¡± He breathed, ¡°I mean,¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m BLF.¡± He said, dropping his voice an awkward number of octaves. Lillian opened her mouth, her confusion only getting worse. What is happening right now? Was that flirting? Dude,e on. ¡°His name is Alex,¡± The pun-guy said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking what BLF means, he won¡¯t tell anyone. He thinks it¡¯s cool or something to do that.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Alex-BLF barked, ¡°At least mine¡¯s a bit original, ¡®Gravitic¡¯.¡± ¡°It has a certain profundity to it,¡± Gravitic said, ¡°Name¡¯s Greg, by the way,¡± He held out a hand. Lillian took the hand with a breath, finally, an actual lifeline in this confusing conversation, ¡°Lillian, I¡¯m guessing those are your chosen codenames?¡± She asked with a small smile, ¡°I¡¯m unawakened, yeah, so I haven¡¯t picked one yet. I was hoping toe up with something like Firestorm¡¯s name, though.¡± Alex rested his chin on his palm, ¡°Figured you for a fangirl, I like your jacket by the way.¡± She beamed up at him, ¡°Thanks!¡± She said before ncing over at Marc, ¡°Oh! This is Marc!¡± She hesitated and nced towards the stoic blonde, ¡°I didn¡¯t get your codename, if you have one, sorry.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve met,¡± Alex grunted, frowning at Marc before turning back to Lillian, ¡°Lilian, huh? You wanna be like Firestorm? Not bad,¡± He said with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m in it to make a name for myself, maybe do a little good along the way with my team.¡± ¡°Team?¡± Lillian asked, ncing sidelong at Marc who shrugged at the dismissivement and resumed looking out the window with a small smile on his face. She looked between the two young men who were hovering over her, ¡°You two?¡± ¡°Oh not just us,¡± Greg said, he pointed at a rather in looking guy with dark hair and slight bags under his eyes. He was wearing the most ordinary white shirt and ck tie ensemble she¡¯d ever seen. She half expected him toe up to her and ask her ufortable religious questions. ¡°That¡¯s John, just John, don¡¯t let appearances deceive you, his power is nuts.¡± Greg then pointed at the red-haired boy sitting next to him in a long sleeve shirt and hoodie. He was tapping his finger on his arm and looking generally impatient, ¡°That¡¯s Val, or Pyrolysis, cool dude, short temper, great in a brawl,¡± Greg said before leaning forward a little and nodding towards one more person. A girl who looked almost half her size was tucked into the seat across the aisle from her, separated by another guy with sses and a thin lipped expression. The girl was curled in on herself and had a hood pulled up over her head. She was fixated on the cellphone in her hand. ¡°That¡¯s Snow,¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°Hey Snow! New friend!¡± Before Lillian knew what was happening, text appeared in the air in the middle of the aisle, it looked like it came right off of a smartphone, little bubble included. The text said followed by a genuine ¡®winky face¡¯ emoji and a kiss emoji. Lillian leaned back from the abrupt appearance of the text. ¡°Snow¡¯s thing is illusions, she¡¯s got the best control of her powers out of everyone on the bus pretty much,¡± Alex cut in, ¡°Too bad she doesn¡¯t talk much.¡± A middle finger emoji popped up next. ¡°Oh yeah, you wanna go short stuff?¡± Alex asked, climbing up on his seat a little. ¡°Mister Ellis?¡± A sharp voice rang out. He froze and turned his head slowly in the direction of a very unhappy looking Ca Mint looking back at him from over her seat. She narrowed her eyes, ¡°Sit. Down.¡± He grinned, ¡°Ah, yeah, mhm, doing that, right now, look at me go!¡± He babbled, turning a bit red as he slid back down into his seat. Lillian barely made out the poor guy cover his head with his hands. ¡°Why is she so scary?¡± He whined. ¡°Because you¡¯re a simp,¡± Greg grunted and turned back to Lillian, ¡°So yeah, that''s all of us, straight out of Nashville.¡± Lillian blinked a few more times, taking it all in as a bubble of excitement welled up in her chest. She couldn¡¯t contain it after only a heartbeat, ¡°Already forming a team! That¡¯s crazy! What are your powers? I mean, besides Snow¡¯s, hers are amazing by the way. That¡¯s so cool!¡± She enthused. She hadn¡¯t even thought that far ahead. What kind of team could she be on? Would she have teammates as cool as Bandit or Lifesaver? What role would she y? There was so much to think about! Greg raised an eyebrow as a winky-face emoji appeared next to Lillian. ¡°Think mine¡¯s pretty easy to figure out,¡± He said. ¡°Gravity, right?¡± She asked. ¡°Something like that,¡± He said with a grin before pointing down at Alex, ¡°This poor guy can do weird shit with his body.¡± Alex shot up, ¡°Hey! That is not how it works!¡± He barked, ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound creepy!¡± Gregughed, ¡°As for John and Pyrolysis, they don¡¯t like talking about their powers so I won¡¯t be that guy, sorry.¡± She leaned back against her chair, ¡°That¡¯s fine, I understand,¡± She said before turning to look at Marc, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Here we go,¡± Alex grunted and sat back down, ¡°Mister Mythic.¡± Her eyes widened, ¡°...you¡¯re a mythic?¡± She asked the blonde. Marc nced her way and smirked, ¡°Only one on this bus, apparently,¡± He said with a slightly self-satisfied sigh and leaned back. Alex grumbled something on the other side of the chair that Lillian couldn¡¯t make out. ¡°Perfect power to achieve my dream. Like how you want to be like Firestorm, I happen to have a goal of my own.¡± Greg, who had stopped paying attention when Marc was talking turned his head and looked down at the guy, ¡°You actually have a goal? I figured it was just ¡®show off¡¯.¡± Marc snorted, ¡°Hardly,¡± He made a face and looked down at his hands, ¡°I have someone I want to take down more than anything in the world. To do that, I¡¯ve got to make a big name for myself so I can get picked to be on the strike-force sent after them one day, no, I want to lead it.¡± He said and clenched his fists tightly. It was a little melodramatic, but Lillian couldn¡¯t help but get caught up in that passion. To make his singr goal of taking down another person, they must be absolutely terrible- ¡°I¡¯m gonna lead the strike team to take down Ishtar.¡± His deration came with a silence that hung throughout their part of the bus. The young man in sses flinched a little bit out of the corner of Lillian¡¯s eye. Alex sat up from his seat and looked down at him, ¡°Dude, you¡¯re nuts.¡± Marc looked up at him and smirked, ¡°Am I? I know the name of my power,¡± He clenched his fist, ¡°Crown of Gilgamesh. Ishtar¡¯s enemy in myth,¡± He said, ¡°Seems like destiny to me.¡± ¡°Shh!¡± The guy in the sses said, ¡°Are you serious? Stop saying her name!¡± He urged them. They all looked over at him, Greg speaking first, ¡°What¡¯s your deal, Ollie?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? One in thirty people have a connection to that person or know someone connected to her. There¡¯s fifty two of us on the bus, that means at least one person here-¡± The guy in sses started only for Alex to hold up his hands. ¡°Dude, dude, that¡¯s just a conspiracy theory,¡± Alex said, ¡°Come on man, half the shit they say about her can¡¯t be real.¡± Lillian pressed her lips together and looked down at her hands. They clenched into fists as she felt a small twinge of fear run through her. Just thinking about that woman, that person, that monster, sent chills through her. Someone who fought off the worlds greatest heroes and stole away the man ultimately responsible for Firestorm¡¯s death, only to kill him herself afterwards. Cruel, evil, and powerful. Everyone knew her name and it was true that even at home saying it out loud was something of a taboo. It felt like thinking about her was bad luck. ¡°I believe it, most of it anyway,¡± She said with a breath. They all looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t care if some people think she¡¯s curtailing the viins. I¡¯ve heard it all too,¡± She said and nced towards Marc, ¡°If you¡¯re gonna be there to take her down, so am I.¡± Marc grinned at her, ¡°Better get a good power and keep up then. She¡¯s mine.¡± Now that fired her up, she grinned back at him, ¡°Challenge epted!¡± ¡°Oh great, now we¡¯re in a frigging shonen,¡± Alex groaned and sat back down, ¡°I for one will be happy just helping some people. No crazy suicidal goals for me, thank you very much.¡± Greg rest his arm on the back of his seat and tilted his head, ¡°Just be careful, alright? You¡¯re still unawakened and the camp isn¡¯t going to be easy, not with miss grump overseeing it,¡± He said and sat down himself. She felt a flush run up her neck and lowered her head even as she kept her fists clenched. No, she wasn¡¯t going to back down just because it sounded crazy. She let out a breath and leaned back against her seat, giving Marc a sidelong nce, ¡°Thanks.¡± He shrugged at her and looked back out the window. The young man next to her cleared his throat, ¡°I, for one, don¡¯t think that Miss Mint will be our overseer,¡± He said, adjusting his sses. The text from Snow¡¯s illusion appeared next to him. Ollie nodded at the message, ¡°Miss Snow is right,¡± He said, ¡°It¡¯s pretty safe to say that ASTA will be present, Marian Heroics, Forge Tactical, Wizney,¡± He named off a few. Alex snorted, ¡°You really think Wizney¡¯s gonna be here? I am not wearing a goddamn mouse on my hero suit.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve got money,¡± Ollie pointed out. Lillian tried to keep up with the conversation, there was so much to take in. She blinked a few times before something urred to her and it felt a little rude that she hadn¡¯t asked yet, ¡°Ollie right?¡± She chimed in, cutting out a stirring argument between the two. He nced her way, ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°What is your codename?¡± She asked, ¡°Are you awakened? I didn¡¯t ask, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°M-me?¡± He asked, blinking a little. ¡°He¡¯s a heroic,¡± Alex grunted, ¡°Scary fuckin guy, scarier than the rest of us, ain¡¯t that right, Riot?¡± He asked and poked his head up, grinning. Ollie frowned, ¡°I didn¡¯t pick that name,¡± He protested, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that karmic threads are more than just something to tug on. It¡¯s an investigative power!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just sayi-¡± Alex started with augh before freezing. Everyone froze. Most of all, Lillian froze. She looked down at her hands and blinked, a faint pale-white glow was beginning to rise up off of them. Her eyes widened as she felt something rush into her, a tingling that raced through her muscles and into her very bones. Like a wind, it built up before rushing out of her in a cool breeze. Instincts she didn¡¯t know she had tingled at the back of her head, built in knowledge that told her¡­ next to nothing. She frowned, ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡± Something¡¯s not right. No, that can¡¯t be it, can it? No, that¡¯s not right. Someone on the far end of the bus sat up, ¡°Who let rip the world''s nicest fart?¡± Oh no.
Chapter 90 Chapter 90 On a rational, logical level, Lillian knew that theughter wasn¡¯t that loud. There were only a few chuckling at the crack from the stranger near the front of the bus. And yet, to her, it was all deafening. She tried again to feel for the instincts of the ability, try to see if there was more to it, there was more information she could work with. There was nothing, she understood on a simplistic level what it did, what it was used for. She also knew that she couldn¡¯t simply turn it off either, but she could direct it and reign it in. It providesfort, She thought miserably, leaning forward and resting her head against Greg¡¯s chair. That¡¯s it. It soothes. What kind of viin and monster-fighting hero has a power like that? What am I supposed to do with it? Stand at the back? She closed her eyes and clenched her fists as theughter died down, she mutely heard a few sharp words from Miss Mint somewhere but she barely understood what the woman said. ¡°Man, nice and warm in here,¡± Alex mumbled somewhere nearby, ¡°Headaches easing up too.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Greg asked above her, ¡°I think it''s a bit cooler.¡± She frowned and peeled her head off the back of her seat. Her eyes slowly moved up to see the two looking down at her. Alex grinned at her, though he looked a bit uneasy about it, ¡°Not what you were hoping for?¡± He asked, rubbing his neck, ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I feel great.¡± She gave him a sad smile, ¡°Sort of, I guess? Is it really helping a headache?¡± To her left, Marc grunted and shifted a bit in his seat, looking more pointedly out the window. A little bit of her sank a bit. She¡¯d just got done dering that she¡¯d be fighting on the same team that took down Ishtar. With this? Who am I fooling? She thought. It probably isn¡¯t even rare. They¡¯re going to kick me out if- ¡°Miss Landrey.¡± The clipped voice drew her out of her thoughts and she looked up in horror at the woman standing over her. Ca Mint adjusted her sses and looked down at her with that piercing gaze. Up close she had a unique scent to her, some kind of rare perfume, why was she wearing perfume for an event like this? Lillian schooled her wandering thoughts, realizing that she was trying to distract herself. The woman reached into her purse and pulled out a small silvery ball about the size of a baseball and held it out to her. ¡°A portable RTE,¡± Ca said, ¡°Please hold it.¡± Lillian¡¯s heart sank but she nodded. She felt the gazes of the others who she had quickly bonded with on her as she let the ball drop into her hand. Ca pulled out her phone and tapped a few things on the screen and the ball started to hum, then glow. First white, then green, it hung there for a while and Lillian felt her shoulders droop before the color deepened to a vibrant blue and remained. A chime rang out from the phone and the ball turned silver again, Ca took the ball and slipped it back into her purse. ¡°Rare, very good. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what it''s features are. It¡¯s an unusual ability,¡± She said and departed without another word. Lillian sat there, mouth agape, ¡°It¡¯s rare?¡± She looked up at Alex and Greg as if begging them to confirm it. Alex just grinned at her and shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s rare! I can stay!¡± She gasped,ughing and getting to her feet, throwing her arms around the two boys'' necks and pulling them into a tight hug. Alex gagged and patted her arm desperately while Greg justughed. ¡°Muscles- too- can¡¯t- air!¡± Alex squeaked. She let the two of them go, beaming. She didn¡¯t understand her power, the instincts for it were so faint it felt like it wasn¡¯t even there, but it was good enough to stay. Good enough to make a difference. She didn¡¯t know how she could use it to help or live up to Firestorm¡¯s memory, Dammit I¡¯ll try my best! She thought, relief washing through her. Text appeared to her right and she nced over to see a message from Snow. The text said, followed by a thinking emoji. Lillian nced at Alex who frowned, ¡°Yeah, had a headache for a while now, honestly,¡± He rubbed his neck, ¡°Slept funny on the way to Anta. My shoulders and neck feel better too.¡± ¡°Pain relief?¡± Ollie chimed in, adjusting his sses, ¡°That would certainly be useful especially when grouped with a regenerator. They rarelye with a pain reduction feature. It isn¡¯t a fun power to have,¡± He tilted his head before narrowing his eyes and reaching out to her, ¡°May I?¡± Lillian looked at his hand, ¡°Do what?¡± She asked, reaching out to take it anyway. ¡°I wanted to-¡± He paused, ¡°Oh my,¡± He nced around as if he could see something she couldn¡¯t, ¡°They¡¯re everywhere. Instant karmic threads connecting you with the entire bus. That¡¯s¡­ very interesting. Why are they silver? Hmm¡­ new color,¡± He rubbed his chin and pulled his hand away before immediately pulling out a notebook and starting to write something down, ¡°...silver is temporary? No, mine aren¡¯t silver¡­¡± ¡°And we¡¯ve lost him,¡± Greg chuckled. Lillian looked up, ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± She said. Greg shrugged, ¡°None of us really get him, he can see the threads that connect people. It¡¯s no secret. He can even tug on them and manipte them a bit. Apparently he started a riot with it at one point and got in some legal trouble, hence the nickname.¡± Lillian looked back at the deeply focused young man across from her, ¡°Woah.¡± ¡°The fuck, John?¡± A half-grunt half-shout came from the seat directly in front of Snow and Riot, making Lillian jump. She looked up to see the stoic guy in the white shirt and tie staring at his bleeding hand. There was a knife in his other hand. His expression hadn¡¯t shifted at all, instead, he simply took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his palm down before turning to face Lillian. He held his hand out. Behind him, Val was standing up and looking at him with visible confusion. ¡°Hey you can¡¯t just stab yourself like that, man!¡± Val protested. ¡°Gross!¡± Lillian looked at John¡¯s face, unperturbed and stiff as ever. She looked at his hand. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alex said, ¡°Nice.¡± ¡°No wound, it¡¯s got a regeneration feature to it too, ssy,¡± Greg said thoughtfully. ¡°Nice of you to volunteer, John.¡± Lillian looked at the unblemished skin and back up at the stoic guy who nodded to her, ¡°Very good. You can help a lot of people,¡± He said evenly before turning back to sit as he had before. Lillian¡¯s lips twitched and she looked down at her hands. A few emojis popped up next to her, a smiley face, a wink, a hug, and a thumbs up. She pressed her lips together harder and closed her eyes. These are some really good people I¡¯ve met already. I¡¯m so d. She didn¡¯t feel the little streak of warmth that went down her cheek. Maybe I won¡¯t be a fighter, but I can help, right? That¡¯s good enough. It¡¯s gotta be. She sat up and smiled at them, ¡°Thanks, guys.¡± ¡°Ah shit, don¡¯t cry!¡± Greg griped, ¡°Alex is gonna get all weepy.¡± ¡°Am not! You asshole!¡± Alex protested. Snow said. ¡°The shrimp is gonna protect her? Yeah, okay,¡± Alexughed. Snow shot back. ¡°Slither?¡± Alex bit out. Lillian couldn¡¯t help herself, sheughed. These people were so strange that it was a breath of fresh air. They¡¯d alreadypletely set aside the moment and gone back as if nothing had changed between all of them. Everyone except Marc, who seemed to have dozed off at some point during the excitement. She smiled at the back of his head, he had a bit of an ego but he had a good goal. She sighed as the bickering continued. Val stood up at one point and told Alex to keep his mouth shut. John dozed off despite the noise. Cartoony two-dimensional illusions of Alex getting his butt kicked by monsters started filling the air. Lillian leaned back and closed her eyes. Maybe a nap would be a good idea. ¨C Lillian woke as the bus came to a stop, the faint swaying of the vehicle drawing her slowly out of her slumber. She blinked a few times and squinted before looking up and around herself. The air felt strange, still. She turned her head towards Ollie and Snow and found them both dozed off in their own seats. Alex and Greg were also asleep from the looks of it. Where are we? She wondered. ¡°Hey, Lillian right?¡± A sharp voice came from her right. She looked up and saw Val. He was up on his seat and staring at her. Facing him, she got a good look at his face. Red hair and off-orange eyes that had a slight grayness around the color. He wore thick clothing, even a turtle neck and gloves. Every inch of his skin except for his face was covered. ¡°You good?¡± She blinked at him, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Not easy not getting what you hoped for, am I right?¡± He said with a knowing smile. She smiled at him, ¡°Yeah, I guess. I¡¯m fine though. It¡¯s not what I was expecting, but it doesn¡¯t feel wrong either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± He said with a nod, ¡°Sorry about John, he just does things sometimes. Nobody knows what he¡¯s thinking, but somehow things just turn out alright,¡± Val said and rubbed his neck before ncing away and looking towards the front of the bus. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, your aura or whatever it is, it¡¯s pretty great. Haven¡¯t felt this good in a long time.¡± She smiled at him, ¡°Thanks.¡± He grinned, ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re here. At the gates it looks like.¡± She sat up a bit straighter and looked over the seats, a few of the others on the bus were looking out as well. Ahead of them, Ca was standing with the PSEC guard and talking with two others that were dressed like him. Just past them was a huge sheer white gate of metal and concrete. It trembled once before slowly splitting down the middle and sliding open. The sound of its movement woke a few of the others as Miss Mint got back onto the bus and regarded everyone. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, we¡¯ve arrived at Pandora¡¯s Green Bank Facility. You will notice that your phones are no longer functional. This is normal. We will get you to the courtyard to begin your orientation in just a moment. There are VIPs and sponsorshippany representatives present. Keep that in mind.¡± Lillian felt that excitement resurface, racing back through her body and into her mind. Her smile blossomed back to life as she gripped the back of Greg¡¯s seat. He let out a snore and she gave it a good shake, ¡°Greg, greg! Wake up! We¡¯re here!¡± He snorted and shook his head, confused, ¡°Huh? What? Mmm? Oh shit!¡± He mumbled before sitting up and giving Alex a punch in the shoulder. ¡°Ow! What the f- oh! Fuck!¡± They passed through the gates and everyone looked out the windows. It was night. A dozen PSEC guards were standing with anti-monster munition loaded guns in their hands. Past them, trees and a winding road lead up the side of a massive hill. asionally they¡¯d see a break in the trees and spot either a building or some kind of sports-like field. There were obstacle courses and what looked like a simted warzone at one point with scattered debris and craters. They continued until they reached the top where arge white building was stationed a distance away from what appeared to be an enormous dmissioned radio telescope. Behind it, hills and mountains rose in the distance, the sky was¡­ amazing. There are so many stars. She thought breathlessly. The bus came to a stop, ¡°Everyone out! Please line up in rows of five here in the courtyard,¡± Miss Mint ordered and stepped out of the bus. Lillian and the others hopped to their feet, talking quietly amongst themselves as they filed out. She stepped onto the ground and felt the air even more, still, clean, strangely empty for some reason. Like there was a noise that was just missing. She kept her moment of thoughtfulness short and hurried over with the others as they started to form columns. The Nashville crew of course formed their own line while she, Marc, and Ollie joined another, a blonde girl immediately behind her apanied by a frowning young man who gave her a steely look. She nced away from him and at the building they¡¯d been lined up in front of. It looked like some sort ofbination museum,mon building, and residence hall. Probably for the researchers who used to work here. She looked up and saw that there was a balcony looking down over the courtyard. Ca stepped past them and went into the building for a few minutes as they all settled and looked among themselves. Alex rolled his shoulders, ¡°Here we go.¡± ¡°VIPs,¡± John muttered and his expression shifted for the first time since she¡¯d seen him, down into a determined frown as he stared up at the balcony. Beyond the railing, the doors opened and Miss Ca stepped out, behind her were two men and a woman in suits. Lillian didn¡¯t recognize any of them. ¡°Wizney, Marian, Forge,¡± John muttered. Then augh like tinkling ss shattered the silence that had only been filled with light muttering. Two more women stepped onto the balcony and everyone went still, Lillian felt her heart turn into stone in her chest as her eyes went wide. The first was a woman in ck robes and armor, her stoic gaze sweeping over the gathered youths before ncing at the second woman and frowning a little. ck Lotus. Liin breathed, The world¡¯s number one. Then the second woman darted to the right, putting some distance between herself and ck Lotus. She rushed right up to the railing and leaned over it, silver hair dancing around her as a pair of luminous mechanical eyes looked over them all. ¡°Woah!¡± Sonya Chernovna said with all the enthusiasm in the world, ¡°Look at all of you! Amazing! I see some familiar faces!¡± She waved, ¡°Wow! Looking good! Oh there¡¯s Ollie! Hi Ollie!¡± She waved merrily, ¡°d you could make it! Who¡¯s the cutie behind you?¡± That was when Lillian felt the Voice of the Hero Movement¡¯s eyes directly on her. Ca sidled up next to Sonya as another person stepped out of the doors but was obscured by the gathered VIPs and representatives. Ca whispered something in Sonya¡¯s ear and the woman nodded eagerly, ¡°Oh? Really?¡± She said and whipped around, darting back towards the doors. The person that hade out immediately went back inside with the pixie-like CEO. Up above, ck Lotus looked back over her shoulder, her expression mute. What¡¯s up with that? What¡¯s going on? Lillian thought just as the entry doors of the facility flew open and Sonya strode out, pristine white suit and pink tie practically glowing against her glittering skin. She brandished a grin and strode straight towards Lillian¡¯s group. The woman winked once and Ollie shifted a bit. She knows him, I wonder how? He didn¡¯t say anything on the bus. Sonya marched right past him, giving him a yful wink as the other person stepped out and leaned against the door, arms crossed. That maid outfit, is that Handmaiden?! Of course she¡¯d be here, that¡¯s Sonya¡¯s bodygu- ¡°Hi!¡± The greeting came so abruptly that Lillian had to do a double-take. She looked down a bit and into the glowing pink eyes of Sonya Chernovna herself. She looked like¡­ wow. Was it even possible to be that pretty? She barely seemed human. It was beyond intimidating. Sonya grinned smugly at her, ¡°Lillian Landrey right? Heard you awakened on the bus!¡± She held out her hand, ¡°Mind if I have a look?¡±
Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Lillian looked down at the woman in front of her, she was so short! She had always seen Sonya as thisrger-than-life figure. But the reality was she was a petite little thing. That smile, though, cunning, a bit smug, and full of mischief. It was a bit funny to Lillian to see the person who had figuratively kicked off the age of heroes as this tiny little imp of a person, but here she was. She swallowed and looked down at the woman¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°You can find out a powers name with a touch, right?¡± She asked hesitantly. ¡°Sure can!¡± Sonya said with a wink. She almost didn¡¯t want to know, but a little part of her couldn¡¯t resist the desire. It wasn¡¯t amonce thing to know, Pandora didn¡¯t make a big deal of pointing it out, but a power¡¯s name was incredibly important. Knowing it almost made it more powerful, in a roundabout kind of way. Once you knew it, you could understand it. Lillian nced to the left at the Nashville team, Alex grinned at her and Greg gave her a thumbs up. She looked back down. ¡°Okay,¡± She said and took the woman¡¯s hand. What is that ticking sound? Lillian thought as thin, delicate fingers tangled with hers for just a moment. She¡¯s so close. Is she wearing cologne? It¡¯s ¡­ sweet? Just like that, Sonya stepped back with a chuckle and gave her a coy grin, ¡°I¡¯ll make a note of it!¡± She said with augh, ¡°Definitelye see me this evening during the open interviews and I¡¯ll fill you in.¡± Wait, she¡¯s not going to- ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell her here?¡± Alex protested, a frown on his face. Sonya turned her head and put her hands on her hips. She was standing between Ollie and Marc with a frown on her face now. ¡°Excuse me? Why on earth would I do that here?¡± She asked a bit sharply. Alex blinked, ¡°Uh¡­ because¡­¡± ¡°Listen here,¡± She said and stepped back out to stand in front of the group, ¡°I¡¯m going to make something clear for all of you,¡± She held up a finger, ¡°The name of your power is a precious thing. It tells you a lot about the nature of it, how it works, what it does, and how to help it grow to its fullest potential. All powers are capable of hitting the peak of their grade and some can even encroach higher with smart use,¡± She said, turning to give Alex a look. ¡°They are also a hint at your weaknesses. tantly shouting out your power¡¯s name is suicidal and stupid, especially the higher in rank it is. In the peak-epic, heroic, and mythic tiers, some of those powers have conceptual weaknesses,¡± She exined and ahead of Lillian, Marc flinched a little, ¡°Thematic ones, especially those named after mythological or historical figures. They can tell you a lot. Imagine if you went around bragging that you had Achilles body? Hm?¡± She spun dramatically and pointed at Ollie, ¡°Ollie dear! Tell me, what would you do if you had to fight a viin with Achilles powers?¡± Everyone nced at Ollie who shrank a little bit under the intense scrutiny. He pushed his sses up, ¡°Um¡­ I would go for his heels?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Sonya announced, ¡°Achilles was a hero who was thought invincible in myth, but his heel was vulnerable and one blow killed him.¡± Sonya turned to Alex with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Sharing the name and details of your powers is something for your closest allies and those you trust intimately,¡± She pursed her lips and smiled at him, ¡°Be more careful in the future, mm? Fortunately you¡¯re surrounded by fellow aspirant heroes.¡± She turned away with a flourish, ¡°Miss Landrey, I¡¯m looking forward to talkingter tonight!¡± She said with a wave and walked towards the doors. ¡°ck Lotus can handle it from here, I¡¯m sure!¡± She said and Handmaiden opened the door for her with a bow, the two disappearing inside. Everyone stood in stunned silence for a moment, looking at one another. Lillian looked down at her hand and up at the door, clenching it tightly. Now I definitely want to know. Behind her, the blonde girl shifted a bit, ¡°Wow¡­¡± Lillian and a few of the others within earshot looked her way. She had long straight blonde hair and dark, dark blue eyes. She pulled her hair back over her ear and scowled at Lillian, ¡°What?¡± Lillian grimaced and turned away, Scary. A sound like a whip crack broke through all the murmured conversation. Lillian turned back and looked up to see ck Lotus standing up there, leaning on the railing with one hand up. The way her fingers were positioned¡­ Did she just snap her fingers and make that kind of sound? That could deafen someone! ck Lotus frowned, ¡°Back to business!¡± She said, her voice carrying despite speaking at a normal volume. She crossed her arms behind her back and held her head high, ¡°As you are all aware this is both a training camp and a way to test you to see if you have what it takes to get your license and be a hero. Thews have changed since the sh and there are many regtions in ce and qualifications you must meet. You will be challenged here and pushed to your limits to see just the kind of person you are.¡± She swept her gaze over the gathered youths. Everyone stood up a bit straighter. Lillian felt her heart pound in her chest. ¡°You are the fifty highest potential aspirants on the East Coast, that puts a lot of pressure on you. Embrace it, face it. Tonight is your sole night of peace before theing storm. As Miss Chernovna indicated, there will be open interviews tonight and every night to introduce yourself to the various sponsors present. It is up to you to choose when to take the plunge and meet with one of them.¡± She gestured to the left, ¡°Miss Hardy from Wizney. Mister Onslow from Forge. And Mister Cramer from Marian. As well as Miss Chernovna from ASTA will be in their offices within the facility that you¡¯ll be staying in. Their doors will be open after training is done each day to meet with you.¡± She drew her arm back, ¡°As for your instructors, there are several licensed heroes present who will help oversee. As well as myself and Miss Chernovna who has agreed to assist in a few sses including one of thebat sses. You can learn more inside, there are catalogs on your bunks. It is up to you to pick which sses you attend throughout the day. Do not waste your time. It is limited.¡± The stern woman gave them all one more once over, ¡°This is your chance to prove yourselves, tonight is your opportunity to rest and get to know one another, enjoy, eat, rest, and prepare. Dismissed.¡± She finished thest statement with a clipped tone and turned away to sweep back towards the doors leading inside. The sponsor representatives scanned the gathered youths one more time before making a few notes of their own and turning away to follow her. Everyone just stood there, Lillian watching the top hero disappear into the upper floor of the building. She turned a wide-eyed look to the others. ¡°Did¡­ did you guys get all that?¡± John nodded and tapped his temple, ¡°Memorized.¡± Val crossed his arms and frowned a little, ¡°So there¡¯s no set schedule, that¡¯s rough.¡± Alex grinned, ¡°Chernovna is teaching abat ss? I gotta see this.¡± Snow tapped into her phone and a thumbs up emoji appeared followed by; Greg nced at Ollie, who was watching Marc march towards the doors without looking back at the others. More of the aspirants started to move, making their way inside. ¡°Ollie, you didn¡¯t say anything about knowing the CEO of ASTA.¡± Ollie¡¯s shoulders sank, ¡°...she got me out of prison,¡± He said morosely, ¡°Vouched for me to be here. If I make it in as a hero, my record will be cleared.¡± Lillian and the others looked at one another, ¡°Ollie, what do you mean?¡± Lillian asked delicately. He turned and looked over his shoulder with a frown, ¡°Someone died ofplications from the riot,¡± He said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m legally a viin right now. Miss Chernovna heard about my powers and gave me a chance to do something good with them.¡± He hung his head and turned away, ¡°I gotta go,¡± He said and hurried towards the doors before they could say anything. Greg rubbed his neck, ¡°Now I feel like an asshole.¡± ¡°I pressed,¡± Lillian said soberly, feeling her heart sink a little, ¡°Poor guy, he clearly didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll look after him,¡± Val grunted and shoved his hands in his pockets, ¡°C¡¯mon, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Sd sounds good,¡± John mumbled and joined him. ¡°You and fuckin¡¯ sd,¡± Valughed. Alex punched his palm and marched off after Val, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be looking after you? He¡¯s heroic!¡± Heughed as Greg shrugged and moved as well. Snow stayed behind and nced up at Lillian. She was still standing there, hugging her arms a little bit. A small finger reached up and tapped her on the nose. She looked up to see a big winky-face smiley in front of her. ¡°Woah!¡± She gasped and stepped back, ¡°Oh, shit,¡± She caught her breath as Snow turned away and hurried off after her friends. She smiled at their backs and set her shoulders, Everybody¡¯s got a story, right? It¡¯ll be okay. First things first, let¡¯s go check out the dorms! The dorms were of course separated to two sides of the building, Lillian followed Snow and the arrows on the walls to the girls dorms where there were already a few inside getting unpacked. All of the beds had a small booklet on them and a metal badge with their names. She found her bed and picked it up, it felt a little warm to the touch. She immediately understood why, it was freshly made. LILIAN LANDREY, ASPIRANT - RARE TIER ¡°Woah, that was fast,¡± Lillian said, quickly clipping it to her jacket and picking up the catalog. She flipped it open and it was filled with schedules and tables with names and descriptions of sses and tests they could take. ¡°Oh my god, look at thest ss!¡± One girl shouted on the other side of the room. Lillian looked up and then down at her book, hurrying to thest page. COMMON-TIER DUNGEON, FINAL EXAMINATION ¡°A dungeon,¡± She breathed, ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon here?¡± She looked up wide eyed and saw Snow sitting on her own bed a few bunks over. Snow was also looking up at her, those off-white eyes wide with shock. She quickly grabbed her phone and tapped into it. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lillian said, rubbing her neck, ¡°Shit, that¡¯s scary.¡± Lillian nodded, ¡°Yeah, this isn¡¯t going to be easy,¡± She was d she put herself through so much training before and after the sh. It would help, she hoped. She clutched at the catalog and nced back at the door. ¡°They said there¡¯s food, want to go eat?¡± She asked. Snow said and hopped off her bed, hurrying to catch up with the much longer legged Lillian. Lily hazarded a nce down at Snow¡¯s badge. SUMMER FINCH, ASPIRANT - EPIC TIER ¡°Summer, huh?¡± She asked, ¡°Funny.¡± Summer gave her a petnt look and tapped into her phone, Lillian burst intoughter, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard that one before. I like it, though.¡± Snow asked as they passed into the hallway. ¡°Not until I talk to Miss Chernovna,¡± Lillian said, dodging around a pair of girls that nearly raced through her to get to the dorms. Snow asked, Lillian nodded, ¡°Yeah, I caught that,¡± She said and crossed her arms, muscles tensing a little as she frowned, ¡°But Miss Chernovna invited me directly and said tonight. I can¡¯t disappoint her.¡± Snow pointed out. Lillian shrugged, ¡°This whole thing¡¯s a test, isn¡¯t it?¡± They stepped out into thergemon area that they had rushed through when they¡¯d firste in. There was a massive diorama of the earth hanging at one side of the room surrounded by rails. The rest of the space was dominated by couches and chairs. There were tables lined up along one side with a whole spread and aspirants had already crowded it, grabbing what they could before hurrying back to their cliques and teams. She spotted the rest of the Nashville team all sitting in one area, somehow they¡¯d managed to drag Ollie with them. Marc was nowhere in sight. Don¡¯t think about that guy right now, it¡¯ll just get you worked up. She thought and made her way over to the food line. Took only a few minutes to grab a heaping te of meat, veggies, noodles, some rice, the works. She made sure to grab a few slices of bread too before making her way over to the group with Snow. ¡°Dorms are pretty spartan, huh?¡± Alex said as they sat down. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t mind, reminds me of track and field camp,¡± Lillian said. ¡°You ran track?¡± Greg asked, grabbing a hot dog from his te. ¡°Yeah, moved to free running after that and it became part of my prep regime for bing a hero,¡± She said, a small smileing to her face. ¡°You do parkour?¡± Alex blurted, sitting up, ¡°I gotta see this.¡± ¡°Not here, dumbass,¡± Val chided him. ¡°I liked the dorms,¡± John muttered over a neat pile of sandwiches, ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°Of course you would,¡± Alex grunted and sat back, waving a fork in Lillian¡¯s direction, ¡°So, you gonna go see Miss Chernovna.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lillian said, ¡°After I eat.¡± ¡°Good shit, tell me how it goes,¡± Alex said with a grin, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t mind signing with ASTA, they got great gear.¡± Snow pointed out with a text in the air. ¡°I could always work with some!¡± Alex rumbled. As the bickering picked up, Lillian dug in. The food was beyond good, they¡¯d really taken out all the stops for the Aspirant¡¯s first night. She hoped it would continue but she had a feeling things would be tougher in the days that came. Her lips pressed together as she stared at her food. It¡¯s going to be really hard. But I can do it, I know I can. She looked up at the others, carefree,ughing. Yeah, definitely. She nodded to herself and scarfed the rest of her food down, getting a few startled looks from the others and shot to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± She said, her fists clenched. ¡°Hell yeah! That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Alexughed. Snow said. She looked at them and felt her chest swell a little with confidence. Yeah, she could do this. She turned around and spotted the arrow pointing up the stairs that said ¡®sponsor offices¡¯ and made her way towards it. A few groups nced up at her and whispered among themselves as she made it to the steps. She ignored them, excitement building as she forced herself not to race up the steps or hop the rail in a little parkour show. She walked slowly up before arriving at a hallway with several doors leading into conference rooms. Each had a logo set on them for the variouspanies present. One of the doors near the end opened and ck Lotus stepped out in a huff. Lillian froze. The woman¡¯s expression was frustrated and a little¡­ sad? Disappointed? No, hurt. What happened? She frowned and took a step only to draw the woman¡¯s attention. ck Lotus looked up and schooled her expression into that military frown. ¡°Aspirant,¡± She clipped and walked towards her before passing. The woman paused at her shoulder, ¡°Good luck, if there¡¯s anyone in the world that can help you, it¡¯s her,¡± She said before disappearing down the stairs to themon area. Lillian looked back over her shoulder at the disappearing wave of ck hair before looking back at the simple door that seemed a lot more ominous now. She swallowed. No pressure or anything, right?
Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Lillian stood in front of the door, her hand on the handle. On the other side was a room with someone who could literally decide how far she goes in the future as a hero. She took a deep breath and pushed down, pushing the door open and stepping inside. It was a simple conference room, one long table with several chairs. There were actually three people inside, more than she¡¯d expected. She had figured that Handmaiden and Sonya were present, but who was this third person? Across from her, Sonya was sitting at the end of the table. She was pulling her hair back and letting out a breath. There was a bit of tension in her shoulders and Lillian got the feeling she was irritated. Maybe she and ck Lotus had an argument about something? ck Lotus seemed to think that Sonya was the best person to talk to. She rubbed her neck and nced up at Handmaiden. The pretty brown-haired woman stood stoically behind Sonya, her hands crossed delicately at her waist. Then there was the third presence, it was a youthful looking person with brown hair that had been tied back into a partial ponytail while the rest spread out over their head. They were sitting a bit back from the table, legs crossed. They were ridiculously pretty. The person nced up from a notepad and raised an eyebrow at Lillian before winking at her. She flushed immediately and cleared her throat, looking at an expectant Sonya. ¡°Miss Chernovna, I¡¯m here?¡± Sonya brandished a winning smile and got to her feet, ¡°Yes you are! I¡¯m so d you came, Lillian. I was a little worried you¡¯d wait!¡± Sheughed and walked around the table to approach her. She held out her hand, offering a handshake. ¡°Allow me to properly introduce myself, I¡¯m Sonya Chernovna, CEO of the Applied Strategic Technologies Association. ASTA for short!¡± She said brightly, ¡°Mypany provides technological, logistical, and agent-based assistance for heroes as well as maintains its own Guild.¡± She gestured to Handmaiden, ¡°This is Marta Daphne, but you probably know her as Handmaiden. She is a Mythic Licensed Hero and my bodyguard and attendant,¡± She said. Marta inclined her head and her stoicism melted into a gentle smile, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, youngdy.¡± Lillian already had stars in her eyes getting the full treatment from Sonya and now Handmaiden was smiling at her. She barely processed when Sonya turned her towards the other person in the room, ¡°And this is Colin Matthews. Colin is my personal legal advisor and possesses a very unique set of skills and a fascinating ability.¡± Colin got to his feet and grinned, reaching out to take Lillian¡¯s hand. Soft. ¡°Nice to meet you Miss Landrey. I hope you don¡¯t mind me being here. ASTA takes these conversations very seriously and my role is to help Miss Chernovna vet our candidates.¡± ¡°Vet?¡± Lillian asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Colin nodded, ¡°My ability isn¡¯t on the public record as I never got licensed,¡± He said, ¡°I am able to endorse and hold people to contracts,¡± He said and reached down, he pulled a suitcase up and opened it, revealing a sheet of paper with text on it. It was very brief. I [BLANK], DO AGREE TO TELL THE TRUTH FOR THE DURATION OF THIS INTERVIEW. IN EXCHANGE, ANYTHING I SAY WILL BE HELD IN CONFIDENCE BY THOSE PRESENT. It was signed by Sonya, Colin, and Handmaiden herself. ¡°Do you understand why I am having Colin use this document?¡± Sonya asked, peering up at her from her side with a serious expression. ¡°An Set,¡± Lillian breathed. ¡°You¡¯re checking for false heroes.¡± Sonya gave her a sad smile, ¡°As much as I want to trust you, I have to be careful as does the Pandora Committee,¡± She said, ¡°The other sponsors have simr methods that they are employing. Forge has a living lie detector in their room right now.¡± Lillian stared at the paper and set her shoulders, ¡°Hand me a pen,¡± She had nothing to hide and knew what kind of person she was. She wanted to, had to believe that with all of her heart. She wouldn¡¯t have lied to begin with, but this made everything clearer for all parties. It was the right way to handle it. Sonya blinked and looked her up and down, a small smile growing on her face. ¡°I knew I had a good feeling about you,¡± She said and walked back to her seat, sitting down. ¡°Colin?¡± ¡°Right away, ma¡¯am,¡± Colin said and drew the paper out, setting it down with a pen in front of Lillian. Lillian filled her name in and signed on the dotted line. Instantly she felt a charge run up her arm and a tension wash through her body. She let out a breath, reaching up to touch her neck thoughtfully. ¡°Have a seat, Miss Landrey,¡± Sonya said. Lillian sat down, ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± She said after catching her breath. ¡°We¡¯ll start with a few test questions to keep things above board and make sure the contract is acting as intended,¡± Sonya said, ¡°What is your name, ce of birth, and age?¡± ¡°Lillian Aubrey Landrey. Anta, Georgia. I¡¯m Eighteen,¡± Lillian said. ¡°Pretty name,¡± Sonya said with a smile and nodded, ¡°Okay, are you in any way affiliated with any viin-rted organization or know someone who is?¡± ¡°No ma¡¯am,¡± Lillian said. ¡°Good!¡± Sonya nodded, ¡°Have you at any point before or after acquiring your abilities fantasized or considered using such abilities for a crime?¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Lillian said, shaking her head. ¡°Excellent, one more,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Do you have any intention to use the legal authority granted as a hero to benefit yourself in a way that would be considered by others to be selfish?¡± ¡°Not in a million years,¡± Lillian said, ¡°I want to be a hero like Firestorm.¡± Sonya raised her eyebrows, ¡°I saw your jacket, let''s talk about that,¡± Sonya said and set her notepad down, resting her hands in herp. ¡°What exactly does that mean to you?¡± Lillian shifted a bit in her seat and took a deep breath, she looked down at her hands, ¡°I want to be someone who helps people, not just that, I want to do whatever it takes to help people. I want to do a little good in the world, you know? It would be nice to make a name for myself too, and sure, it¡¯s a job. But,¡± She trailed off, ¡°He gave everything for others. Right? He made a difference, I want to do that.¡± She looked up into those glowing mechanical eyes of Sonya¡¯s, they whirred and spun quietly, for a few moments. Even though they were made of metal, Lillian could see something soft in them. The small smile that spread across Sonya¡¯s face made Lillian¡¯s heart ache. Sonya had ¡®raised¡¯ him as a hero. She already knew everything Lillian had said, it was a little embarrassing to just go on a tirade like that. She looked down at her hands with a flush, ¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°Firestorm, Nick,¡± Sonya said softly and leaned back in her chair. Lillian looked up at the distant look in Sonya¡¯s eyes, ¡°He was a special guy.¡± ¡°What was he really like?¡± Lillian asked, unable to resist the opening. Sonya looked into the distance for a moment, ¡°Kind,¡± She said, swallowing a little, ¡°He was kind,¡± She snorted and nced up at Handmaiden, ¡°Remember the cartoon dungeon where they found Inky?¡± Sonya asked with augh. Handmaiden chuckled, ¡°I remember.¡± Lillian sat up, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard this story. I know that Bandit found his monsterpanion in a dungeon, but not how.¡± ¡°Not his proudest moment,¡± Sonyaughed, ¡°Now this is all how Bluestar told it to me,¡± Sonya cautioned, ¡°They were in the dungeon and found themselves wandering these maze-like halls. Absolute nonsense it sounded like. Anyway, they stumbled upon a trap. A woman was inside of a pit, crying for help. Wailing,¡± She shook her head, ¡°It was a fresh dungeon, there was no way someone had made it inside, the likelihood of this person making it that far in was ridiculous!¡± She let out a sigh and sank a little in his seat, ¡°You know what Firestorm did?¡± Lillian couldn¡¯t help herself, her lip trembled, ¡°He jumped right in.¡± ¡°He jumped right in, no hesitation, not a doubt in his mind. Even if there was an infinitesimal chance that it was a real person in real danger, he went for it. It was of course a genuine trap and they had to pull him out but,¡± Sonya sighed, ¡°He did it anyway.¡± Lillian felt a glow in her heart and looked down at her hands, smiling a bit dumbly, ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good story,¡± Sonya said with a sigh, ¡°I miss him.¡± Lillian looked up, ¡°I want to live up to his legacy. I don¡¯t want to be him, but¡­ I want to be that person that can run in, no matter what,¡± She sighed, ¡°I just don¡¯t think my ability is up to it,¡± She said and bit her lip, ¡°What is it, anyway? You said you¡¯d tell me.¡± Sonya sat up a little, ¡°Do you mean that?¡± ¡°Mean what?¡± Lillian asked, a little confused. ¡°Do you mean what you just said? That you want to live up to that story? All of what you said? The contract demanding you tell the truth aside, from the bottom of your heart, do you mean that?¡± She asked, fixing Lillian with an intense look. Lillian hesitated, Is this what Miss Chernovna was looking for? I don¡¯t understand. She¡¯s so intense right now. ¡°Well, yes, of course!¡± Sonya nced towards Colin and then back at Handmaiden. Um¡­ what¡¯s happening? Sonya got to her feet, ¡°Alright,¡± She said and walked over, standing over Lillian. Lillian looked up into those glowing eyes as a gentle hand touched her cheek and anothernded on her heart, ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, then. Be a great hero, Follow in his footsteps, I know you can do it.¡± ¨C The next thing Lillian knew Sonya was in her seat and smiling at her, ¡°I think we¡¯ve got all we need, I want to sign you on with ASTA, Miss Landrey, but I¡¯d appreciate you keeping that information to yourself for now until we¡¯re further into the camp. Does that work for you?¡± Lillian blinked, her head felt a bit funny and her chest felt really warm, ¡°Um¡­ wait, really?¡± She gasped, sitting up in her seat, ¡°Are you serious?¡± She felt like she was flying! ¡°Yes! Is that alright with you?¡± Sonya asked with a yfulugh. ¡°Of course!¡± Lillian practically shouted, hopping to her feet. She ran her fingers through her hair, ¡°Oh my god, but, my ability, are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Sonya said, ¡°As for your ability name, take some time to figure it out yourself. I know I said I would tell it to you, but I strongly feel it¡¯s something you need to explore before you can appreciate the name.¡± Lillian nodded, that made perfect sense to her, ¡°No problem at all, I¡¯ll work on it!¡± She flexed her arm and pped her bicep, ¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡± ¡°Good luck, little hero,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Now go have fun with your friends. It looked like you found yourself in a good group.¡± Lillian bounced on the balls of her feet, ¡°Yes! Right! I mean! Oh my god!¡± She forced herself to calm down, deep breaths, deep breaths, Miss Chernovna told me to keep it to myself for now. Gotta be cool. Be cool. She breathed deep and then exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Sonyaughed, ¡°Go on, we¡¯ll talk more soon.¡± Lillian brandished her own big smile, ¡°Thank you, so much,¡± She said slipped out the door. ¨C Sonya watched the girl go and tilted her head, a sad smile ying on her face. Colin shifted a bit in his seat and looked her way, ¡°That was quite the investment, and those sanctions were¡­¡± Sonya nced his way, ¡°I know. I never said I was a nice person.¡± ¡°You made the right choice,¡± Marta said, putting a hand on her shoulder, ¡°She¡¯ll go far.¡± Sonya reached up and touched her dear friend¡¯s hand. She felt a little guilt for what Lillian would have to go through. ¡°She¡¯ll have to endure a lot to earn it,¡± Sonya said, ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from his sessor,¡± Sonya said and looked down a bit, ¡°After what happened with Chunhua, I need a sure thing, even if that means I have to stack the deck.¡± Marta squeezed her shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her, it¡¯ll just upset you. Come on, you¡¯ll have at least one more by the end of the night.¡± Sonya let out the boiling emotions that were stirring in her chest with a heavy sigh. She pped her face with her hands and drew her hair back, schooling her emotions. ¡°Right. Back to work!¡± ¨C Lillian did her best to control her excitement, she really did, but it was so goddamn hard. She hopped down the steps two at a time beforending in the now dimly litmon area. It seemed like most of the eating was over and people were just chilling now. A few of the guys had left for the dorms and now Ollie, Val, and Snow were the only people she recognized. She walked over to them and waved. Val nodded at her, ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± ¡°Pretty good! The interview is intense though, all the sponsors have lie detection methods to check for potential viins,¡± Lillian said, sitting down on the couch. ¡°Huh,¡± Val rubbed his chin, ¡°Good to know, I like that. Alright, well I got what I was waiting for, I¡¯ll go tell the guys,¡± He said, pping his knees and getting up. ¡°Ollie, youing?¡± Ollie was furiously writing something down in his notebook and mumbling to himself. He looked up and blinked, ¡°Oh? Right! It iste," He said and hopped to his feet. He turned a small awkward smile on Lillian, ¡°d the interview went well, I hope you get it. Miss Chernovna is a good person. She helped me out.¡± Lillian smiled at him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier, by the way.¡± He rubbed his neck, ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± He said, ¡°You guys are nice to me, even after that. If you need anything, I¡¯ve already plumbed through the catalog. I¡¯ll help you figure out your schedule tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Lillian said, ¡°Now go to bed you guys. I¡¯m gonna catch my breath for a minute.¡± ¡°Sure,ter,¡± Val said and walked off, Ollie close behind. A small sh of movement followed by a pressure in herp drew her attention. Lillian looked down to see Snow¡¯s head down there, facing out towards themon area. She raised an eyebrow, ¡°You know the couch has actual pillows, right?¡± Snow tapped away at her phone, The text appeared in front of her and Lillian chuckled, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair,¡± She said, ¡°Miss Chernovna said I should explore my power a bit before she gives me the name. That we¡¯d talk moreter.¡± Snow said. ¡°You know,¡± Lillian said, ncing around, ¡°There¡¯s barely anyone here, you don¡¯t have to talk to me through your texts.¡± Snow froze, shifting a bit in herp. Just the glow of her phone illuminating the slight frown on the girl''s face. Lillian felt like she¡¯d stepped in anotherndmine again. She opened her mouth to speak when another text appeared. Lillian read the words and immediately understood, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry,¡± She said. Snow said with a huffy looking emoji, Lillianughed, ¡°Sure, I can do that.¡±
Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Lillian sat down hard in the couch with a sigh, a couple breakfast wraps on her te and a cup of coffee bnced between them. Her eyes sparkled as she looked them over, the food was still good even after that first night. She grinned to herself and took a bite as the others made their way over. Snow sat down on the arm of the couch to her left. While Lillian was in her tank-top and sweatpants, Snow wore a sweatshirt so big one couldn¡¯t see her shorts. Alex and Greg had gone for t-shirts as well while John and Val wore their usual. Ollie appeared at some point and sat down with all of them as they ate. ¡°Okay, so,¡± Ollie said, adjusting his sses, ¡°Roll call will be in an hour, so we got a little time.¡± ¡°When do sses start?¡± Lillian asked, sipping at her coffee. ¡°Noon, so we gotta get at least our first few days figured out,¡± Ollie exined. ¡°It¡¯s ten weeks, right?¡± Alex asked, licking his thumb and setting down his te. He leaned forward, ¡°Plenty of time for everything.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think,¡± Ollie said, ¡°Take a closer look at the daily schedules and you might be surprised. Getting your schedule right and tailored to what you need is as much a test as the actual sses.¡± Alex scratched his head, ¡°Really? Damn man¡­¡± ¡°Same length of time as basic training,¡± John mumbled over his same obsessively neat stack of sandwiches, ¡°Soldiers designed this, and the courses.¡± ¡°Right on the money,¡± Ollie said with a grin, ¡°Most of it was organized by ck Lotus herself, she¡¯s ex-military.¡± Lillian waved her hands, ¡°We¡¯re getting off track, what¡¯s on for today?¡± Ollie nodded, ¡°Right! Of course,¡± He opened the book, ¡°At noon there are a few options, there¡¯s a physical assessment with ck Lotus for those who are unsure about where to go, followed by drills that take up a good portion of the afternoon,¡± He said, ¡°There¡¯s also a hand-to-hand basics course with¡­ Miss Chernovna?¡± Greg coughed into his cup, ¡°That tiny thing is gonna teach hand to handbat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it says,¡± Ollie said, scratching his head. ¡°I read itst night but it¡¯s still a little hard to believe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Lilly said, ¡°I¡¯m confident in my physical fitness but I wouldn¡¯t mind joining in on the drillster, what else?¡± Ollie nodded, ¡°Okay so, there¡¯s a timeslot after that set aside for pretty much the entire camp, it¡¯s about an hour to study policy, criminalw, and pandora regtions with a teacher, no name, at the end of the ten weeks there¡¯s a test,¡± He said, ¡°Then there¡¯s a scouting courseter in the afternoon with Sonya as well, a focus on mapping out and exploring dungeons safely. At the same time we have the option of taking a course on gear and pandora-tech theory.¡± Snow chimed in with the tick-a-tap of her nails against her phone. ¡°What about going forward?¡± Lillian asked. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Ollie said, flipping through, ¡°A few highlights, battlefield rescue, disaster relief, field first aid training, severalbat courses, power theory, you can register to get one on one for certain days with one of the instructors to work on your abilities,¡± Ollie said, ¡°Oh, and then there¡¯s the monster ss.¡± Everyone stopped and looked at him, ¡°...monster ss?¡± Val asked, ¡°Like, actual monsters?¡± ¡°A course centered aroundbating the standard two variations of monsters thatmonly appear outside dungeons, Hounds and Lurkers. Students will be exposed to livebat with the aforementioned entities after sufficient education,¡± Ollie read and looked up at him, adjusting his sses, ¡°Would seem so.¡± Lillian leaned back and nced at Snow who looked ufortable, she grinned at her, ¡°It¡¯ll be fine! No biggie, right? Hounds and Lurkers are the least of our concerns. Yeah? We¡¯re heroes!¡± She said with a big flex of her arm, ¡°We got this.¡± The others seemed to rx a little bit after that, Val and Greg even sending her a small smile and a nod. Alex still looked nervous though, he swayed back and forth in the couch before hopping to his feet. ¡°I gotta walk around.¡± They continued talking for a while after that, going over their schedules. Fortunately they were given pens and highlighters to make notes in the catalogs and map out their schedules for the first day or two to get a feel for things. Before long, time for roll call came around and they looked around to see if anyone was there. It took another five minutes for Miss Mint toe walking down the hallway, looking a little flustered. Next to her, Sonya wasughing. She wasn¡¯t in her usual suit and tie but instead a dress shirt and vest to go with a long pair of cks. ¡°I said I was sorry!¡± Sonyaughed. Ca harrumphed, pulling on the cor of her turtleneck as she schooled her expression and marched into themon area. Sonya smirked at her from behind before impishly wandering off with her hands behind her back. As she did, a familiar blonde head of hair got to his feet and made his way towards her, waving her down. The woman paused for only a moment before gesturing for him to walk with her. Marc? Is he looking to get signed with ASTA? She wondered, Would make sense for his goals. Lillian thought. The others were caught up on another topic. ¡°They¡¯re banging.¡± Val said. ¡°Totally banging.¡± Greg agreed. Snow wondered. ¡°She¡¯s rubbing her wrists too,¡± John muttered. ¡°Oh my god she is,¡± Gregughed. ¡°...pretty sure it¡¯s a bit more serious than you¡¯re thinking,¡± Ollie muttered, his face a little red as he looked down at his notes. Miss Mint made her way to the front of the room and pulled out her notepad before adjusting her sses and going over a few things. The others squinted at Ollie suspiciously, waiting for him to borate. He shifted a bit under their scrutiny and sighed, ¡°The- the choker. It¡¯s a pink diamond at least twenty carats and tinum, that¡¯s got to be worth more than Miss Mint¡¯s annual sry. So, just saying, maybe don¡¯t upset her, since it¡¯ll get back to Sonya?¡± They all stared at him, then immediately looked up at Miss Mint who was staring directly at them with a scornful re. Lillian suddenly felt the urge to stand up and not say another word for the rest of the day if she could get away with it. From the stiff backs of her friends, they seemed to share her thoughts. Miss Mint searched their faces for a moment and shook her head before clearing her throat, ¡°We¡¯re beginning roll call, I just saw Mister Mallory leave with Miss Chernovna so I¡¯ll count him present,¡± She said stiffly, ¡°As for the rest of you, let¡¯s begin.¡± After roll call she went over a few more things, mostly reminding them about the various rules that were already in the guidebooks and that they had until noon to decide on their uing ss. ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± Miss Mint finished, putting her clipboard away and standing up straight, ¡°You are all adults, act like it,pose yourselves, and if you¡¯re going to do anything improper at least find somewhere private and clean up after yourselves. We aren¡¯t stupid, we know things will happen,¡± She said, scanning the room, ¡°Finally,¡± She sighed and managed to put a smile on her face, ¡°This will be my only roll call, the instructors will be handling them going forward. It was a pleasure meeting all of you. I will be in my office if needed but otherwise you may not see a lot of me.¡± She met everyone''s eyes and bowed once, ¡°Thank you for your future service,¡± She said and straightened herself up, ¡°Good luck to all of you.¡± One guy raised his voice, ¡°Let¡¯s hear it for Miss Mint!¡± And a chorus of shouts and pping followed as she turned on her heel and walked back down the hall. After that the rest of their morning passed by infortable conversation and hanging out. Lillian met a few of the other aspirants who wanted to hear a bit about what happened in the ASTA interview, she told them what she could. It didn¡¯t take long for it to be time to go to the first ss, Lillian, Alex, John, and Greg went their separate ways with Snow, Val, and Ollie. Thetter three going out to the grassy field where the dark figure of ck Lotus stood waiting. Lillian and her group went to arge open building set beside the main facility. Inside it looked like the interior of a hangar, open air. The floors were made of afortable material that had light springiness to it. Probably for falls, I¡¯ve used this stuff before. Other aspirants followed them in, looking around. Ahead of them, standing at the far end of the room, Sonya Chernovna stood in her vest and cks, a pair of suspenders holding them up. She wore gloves and had her hair pulled back. She turned a rakish grin on all those present. ¡°Oh goodie!¡± Sonya chirped, ¡°So many for the first day! You¡¯re mighty brave,¡± She said and slowly slid a knife out from behind her back. It was a long, deadly looking trenchbat knife. She spun it between her fingers before catching it firmly and slipping back into a stance. ¡°Alright, who¡¯s first? Come at me. Let¡¯s get your measure. No powers first, I want a baseline to work with.¡± Alex cleared his throat next to Lillian, ¡°Hey Lil?¡± She swallowed, ¡°Yeah, Alex?¡± ¡°You go first,¡± He said. She whipped her head towards him, ¡°Me?¡± John stormed past them, reaching up and tightening his tie. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchde that he flicked once and extended. He took a stiff step forward before dipping into an easy sway. He darted towards Miss Chernovna who grinned wildly at him, her mechanical eyes moving erratically. She waited for him to get within just a few meters before she shifted and tilted the de of her weapon, Lillian squinted at the gleam of light that reflected off of it. John pivoted, holding his arm up over his eyes and hopped to the right just in time to miss getting his legs kicked out from under him. He dipped low beneath a swipe, but Lillian could see him blinking rapidly. Sonya kicked her leg up, doing a vertical split as John¡¯s knife cut across. She brought her foot back down and onto his wrist. He grunted, losing his grip on his weapon. Sonya took a step forward, following the momentum of the downward kick and snatched her hand out, grabbing him by his tie, pulling him close, and pressing her de against his neck. ¡°Ten seconds, good!. I¡¯m impressed.¡± She dropped him and brushed her hands off, turning to the others. ¡°Everything is a weapon! The light of the sun, the lights above your head, the floor, your feet, your head, your hands, everything. Discounting your surroundings is a sure way to get yourselves killed,¡± She said sharply. ¡°His opening attack was good, the swaying path was an excellent way to keep the opponent guessing. He even managed to recover quickly from me attempting to blind him. Great form,¡± She turned and looked down at him, ¡°You need situational awareness, John.¡± He got to his feet and bowed, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the specifics of knife fightingter,¡± She said to him, ¡°You¡¯re suited for it, but you need technique, not just instincts.¡± He nodded and walked back over to the group. Lillian and the others looked at one another. They looked up at the lights over their heads and only just now realized that they¡¯d been set to be extra bright in the room. There was also a switch just a few feet behind Sonya that she could use to turn them all off. Lillian felt a wave of excitement wash up and over her, a heat burning in her chest that just didn¡¯t want to die down. She grinned and bounced on the balls of her feet a few times before stepping forward, I can really learn something from this. She¡¯s good! Crazy good! Sonya watched her approach and grinned, ¡°Miss Landrey! I¡¯m d you came to my lesson, you¡¯re wasted on ck Lotus¡¯ drills, aren¡¯t you? Come on! Show me what you got!¡± Lillian didn¡¯t have to be asked twice. She darted forward in a low run, crossing the distance in a heartbeat. She let out a huff and dropped as Sonya flicked her de to shine the light in her face. She stretched her arms out and to the right, catching herself and pivoting into a near breakdance turn, swinging her entire lower half in Sonya¡¯s direction. Sonya took a half step back, guard up as Lillian pushed hard, throwing herself a few meters andnding on her behind where Sonya had been standing. She didn¡¯t stop moving, she darted forward only to throw her head back as the de of the knife appeared in front of her face. She kicked out and Sonya wrapped her arm around Lillian¡¯s ankle with a grin, she twirled the knife into a stabbing grip and brought it down towards Lillian¡¯s thigh. Shit! Lillian kicked downward, pulling Sonya with her only for the woman to let go and pivot into a goddamn one-handed handstand on Lillian¡¯s descending leg. Lillian looked up at the the woman¡¯s body as it spun and the knee came down. Lillian saw stars. Shended on her back and blinked a few times, an aching spot right between her eyes. ¡°Ow¡­¡± She groaned. ¡°Seven seconds, but good technique!¡± Sonya said, ¡°You did parkour and free-running, right? I can see it,¡± The woman tapped her chin over her, looking thoughtful for a moment, ¡°You need a weapon, something with reach topliment those dynamic movements. Not too much reach though, polearm would oveplicate things and you don¡¯t seem the kind to use a gun.¡± She turned and pointed at a random aspirant in the crowd, ¡°You, cute one! Jessica Wayne!¡± A girl who had dyed the tips of her hair blue pointed at herself, ¡°M-me?¡± ¡°Is there another Jessica Wayne?¡± Sonya asked, putting her hands on her hips. ¡°R-right! Sorry ma¡¯am!¡± Sonya snorted and shook her head, ¡°Right, do you know of any weapons that would work well for her? You practice with weapons too, don¡¯t you?¡± The girl mulled it over for a moment, frowning, ¡°A mace might be too heavy if she¡¯s moving at speed, but that momentum wouldplement it well,¡± She shook her head, ¡°A sword? Not a short sword, something longer. That or tonfa to extend her reach.¡± Sonya nodded, ¡°Good! That¡¯s what I¡¯m looking for,¡± She turned back to Lillian who had brushed herself off. The brief fight had been exhrating. She didn¡¯t even feel the pain in her forehead anymore as she looked over at the girl and then back at Sonya, nodding along. ¡°Do you know what I expect of you?¡± ¡°Find a weapon that suits me, explore those options first, ande back to you,¡± Lillian said quickly. This is great! Sonya glowed with approval. ¡°Right! In the meantime, spar with John, he¡¯s a good match-up for you.¡± Lillian beamed, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡±
Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Lillian was on the ground, breathing hard. She felt a tingling coolness wash over her muscles as they knit themselves back together at a rapid pace. Even then, even as she felt the ache fade and the weariness disperse, she was exhausted. She stared up at the ceiling and closed her eyes for a moment before sucking it up and pulling her knees to her chest. With a grunt, she threw herself forward and was standing again. She nced around the ¡®dojo¡¯ as Miss Chernovna was calling it, and saw most of her fellow aspirantsying on the ground or leaning against walls. She looked down at the disheveled John at her feet. ¡°You good?¡± She asked, breathless. ¡°Mm,¡± He mumbled, holding out a hand. She sped it and pulled him to his feet. His dark eyes narrowed and he looked up before straightening his mess of ck hair and fixed his tie. ¡°Tired, but I don¡¯t hurt, your ability?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can kind of feel it working on everyone else too,¡± She said, ncing at the others as they slowly pulled themselves together. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys lucky?¡± Sonya chimed in from a cushion she was sitting on in the rear of the area, ¡°Having someone with a passive recovery ability training with you!¡± She smiled and sipped at a c, seeing it made Lillian¡¯s stomach rumble a little, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tell ck Lotus if I were you, she won¡¯t be as nice as I am about it.¡± The other aspirants all looked Lillian¡¯s way. Some of them frowned while others smiled with gratitude. She rubbed her neck, Mixed reaction, great. She thought before ncing at Sonya who winked at her, ¡°I just hope it helps,¡± She said awkwardly, shifting a bit on her feet. Sonya slipped off of her cushion and crossed her arms behind her back, ¡°Now! For those of you who want to continue taking my lessons and improving your basicbat skills, it¡¯s time to talk about the ultimate expectation,¡± She said, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. Lillian set aside her mild difort from the gazes of the others and gave the woman her full focus. ¡°Thirty seconds and one clean if grazing blow,¡± Sonya said, holding her finger up in the air. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Lillian narrowed her eyes and then let them widen with rm, ¡°Thirty seconds?¡± She gasped. John frowned next to her, ¡°Against you?¡± Everyone murmured, ¡°Some of us onlysted a second! That¡¯s nuts!¡± Sonya frowned, the first time she¡¯d seen the woman actually make a testy expression in public, she turned her glowing pink eyes on the person who spoke. ¡°You can¡¯tst thirty seconds against an overtrained CEO? A glorified desk jockey?¡± She snapped, ¡°Then give up being a hero,¡± She said harshly. ¡°But you¡¯re way tougher than some office worker!¡± Another protest came. ¡°Yeah, how are you so good at fighting? I heard you were blind up until the sh!¡± Alex chimed in, crossing his arms. ¡°I have maintained myself my entire life,¡± Sonya said, resting her hands on her hips, ¡°My injury notwithstanding. Just because your lifestyle or career changes, does that mean you should stop perfecting the things you are good at?¡± She demanded, ¡°Should I have given up on my body?¡± Sonya asked. ¡°I worked hard to get to where I am, suffered a lot, studied a lot, and now I am here teaching you and kicking your ass, boys and girls.¡± The crowd flinched a little as she looked them over, ¡°Thirty seconds, one definite hit, do that, and I¡¯ll consider you passable as a hand to handbatant. However!¡± She held up a hand, ¡°One more thing,¡± She cracked her trademark grin, ¡°The one whosts the longest after thirty seconds by the end of the ten weeks will receive a special reward from yours truly, as long as it''s within my power, I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡± A susurrus spread through the room, everyone stared at her a bit harder as she turned away and threw up her hand, ¡°Dismissed! I¡¯ll see some of you at the scouting training tonight.¡± Lillian watched her go and rubbed her neck, Everybody¡¯s got a story, I guess. She thought and nced over at John who shrugged and turned on his heel to walk away. Greg walked over to p him on the back and wave at Lillian while Alex walked over to join them. She bit her lip and looked back at Sonya one more time before nodding to herself. The best time, huh? That¡¯s a bar worth striving for. She didn¡¯t even consider the reward, just getting there was worth it to her. She turned and hustled over to them, grinning and throwing an arm over Greg¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You survived!¡± Sheughed. He nced up at her, ¡°Yeah, kinda? That Jessica chick is no joke,¡± He said with a sigh, ¡°I wish we were allowed to use our powers here. Some of us don¡¯t have passives,¡± He said with a grin at her. ¡°Hey! You¡¯d be half-dead by now if it weren¡¯t for me!¡± She countered as they started to walk. ¡°She¡¯s got you there,¡± Alex said. ¡°Shut up, Alex, you don¡¯t get to talk,¡± Greg said, ¡°You¡¯re just as bad.¡± ¡°Ohe on, don¡¯t out me here, shhh!¡± Alex hissed, holding his finger up to his lips. Lillian raised an eyebrow but decided this time she wouldn¡¯t pry and step on yet anotherndmine. Instead, she just hung on Greg¡¯s shoulder as they walked out. Across from them in the field, the poor sods under ck Lotus¡¯ scrutiny were enduring a special kind of hell. She watched as Val ran by, pushing himself while the ruthless trainer shouted; ¡°ON YOUR FEET! KEEP MOVING! I WANT TO SEE YOUR LIMITS!¡± ¡°Oof,¡± Greg grunted. ¡°Uhuh,¡± John mumbled. ¡°d I stayed in shape beforeing,¡± Alex said. ¡°Me too,¡± Lillian winced. ¡°Hey,¡± A small voice rang out behind them. They turned as one to see Jessica standing there, she reached up and yed a bit with her hair. They all looked at one another and then back at her as she stood there awkwardly for a moment. ¡°Sup?¡± Lillian chimed in, ¡°You alright?¡± She smiled a bit and then looked at Greg, ¡°You put up a good fight, hang in there!¡± She said quickly before hurrying off. They all watched her go, blinking simultaneously. They looked at one another, then down at Greg. Greg stared into space as the three of them started to grin. Lillian squeezed his neck a little more and he shrank a bit into her muscles. ¡°Oho?¡± She was the first to chuckle, leaning in and leering at him. ¡°What do we have here?¡± Alex asked, rubbing his chin and leaning in too. ¡°Protection is in the medical office.¡± John added in his usual monotone, poking his head in from the side. Greg threw Lillian off with a grunt of frustration, ¡°Fuck you guys!¡± He shouted and stormed off, ¡°Fuckin¡¯ goddamn, fuckin¡¯ what the hell was that!¡± He barked, his ears a bright red as the three of themughed. They watched him go and Lillian rubbed her neck, ¡°One of us should probably keep an eye on him,¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± Alexughed and raced off to catch up with his friend. He practically tackled him, throwing his arm around Gregs shoulder as the two bickered in the distance. Lillian let out a breath from her nostrils and smiled at them before ncing over at John who stood stiffly at her side. He was kind of an awkward guy, stiff and blunt, it was refreshing but also made it really hard to start a genuine conversation. She scratched the back of her head and cleared her throat, ¡°So uh¡­ next ss?¡± ¡°Lunch first, health is important,¡± John said tly. ¡°Also I like food.¡± She saw a faint twinkle in his eyes. ¡°Sandwiches?¡± She asked as they started walking. ¡°Perfect food, can be anything,¡± He said thoughtfully, ¡°Protein, fiber, all nutrients can be in a sandwich. Easy to hold, looks clean on a te. Perfect.¡± She tilted her head and crossed her arms, thinking over what he said, ¡°Huh, I guess you¡¯re right, sandwiches are the perfect food aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°You understand, that¡¯s good. Sensible person,¡± John said with a small smile, ¡°I like you. Good in a fight too, surprising since your training is in mobility.¡± She shrugged, ¡°I went to a few martial arts sses while doing my training, nothing permanent though, just enough to get some ideas.¡± He tilted his head as they reached the door to themon area, ¡°Wise, overspecialization would be bad for you. You also need a weapon. Knife is too short, with your arms and upper body strength, you need reach. Like Jessica said, sword is good. ck Lotus will be teaching the sword.¡± She marveled at him for a moment, he was a startlingly analytical person. He looked up with that nk expression of his and broke into an actual smile, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± He said and wandered off to the buffet. ¡°Lillian!¡± A familiar voice shouted behind her just as she was about to follow him inside. She turned and saw Sonya standing there on her tiptoes and waving at her, ¡°Come over here a moment, I want a word!¡± She shrugged and hustled over, sliding to a stop in front of the diminutive CEO. It was still hard to believe a woman so small could move like she did, let alone fight that well. She was holding a small box in her hand, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°I have something for you,¡± She said, ¡°I need you to wear it while you¡¯re doing group training. As good as your ability is for morale, the other students need to feel the strain a bit or they won¡¯t get used to it. You can¡¯t be around all the time,¡± Sonya said with a sad smile. ¡°I¡¯m also going to want to see your guidebook, I¡¯m scheduling you with ck Lotus for one on one training.¡± Lillian felt her heart sink, she looked down at the box and had a feeling she knew what was inside. They¡¯de out almost six months after the Vegas disaster, Mana-Restraint cuffs. MRCs. They were usually used for criminals who were on trial or in prison and were a hotly debated issue. She looked down at her hands, she¡¯d just gotten her power and now she was being told she needed to restrain it. She pressed her lips together in a frown, ¡°Will-will it really help the others if I reign it in?¡± ¡°You only need to wear it when you¡¯re in group training,¡± Sonya repeated with a small smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure the others will appreciate you taking it off afterwards. You can keep snuggling with that cozy ability, Miss Landrey.¡± Lillian flushed, ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Sonya chortled, ¡°Okay, here it is. It¡¯s yours to keep. It mighte in handy in the future too until you get your ability fully under control,¡± Sonya said and put the box in her hands. ¡°Do you have your guidebook?¡± Lillian looked down at the cold metal box in her hands before looking up and nodding, ¡°Right, are you really signing me up with ck Lotus? Can you do that? She should be made avable to the others, right?¡± Sonya made aplicated face, somewhere between a frown and a grimace before it shifted to a smile, ¡°We have an agreement, she¡¯ll tutor you three days a week for extended periods. The rest will be open to the others,¡± She held out her hand, ¡°Guidebook?¡± Lillian felt awkward but it was also a huge opportunity. The world¡¯s number one hero would be giving her exclusive training three days a week for ten weeks. Thirty sessions. She nced over at the grueling effort that her friends and other aspirants were going through. ck Lotus took her work seriously, if she was really going to give her that kind of attention. Who was she to argue? It just meant a better chance at bing who she wanted to be, she only wished that her power was better suited. She let out a breath and got out of her own head, I keep going down that loop. Gotta stop. ¡°Here,¡± She said, pulling the booklet out of her pocket and handing it to Sonya. ¡°Consider this my first act as your sponsor and agent,¡± Sonya said as she pulled out a pen and started flipping through pages, writing things down and circling spots, ¡°I¡¯m also putting in a few suggestions for you to consider,¡± She said before closing the catalog and handing it back to Lillian with a nod, ¡°Do me proud.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Lillian said, ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Sonya grunted with a nod before ncing over at the field, she frowned and turned away with a breath, ¡°Go eat! I need to prepare for the scout ss tonight.¡± Lillian broke into a smile, ¡°Sure thing! I¡¯ll see you there!¡± ¡°I hope I will!¡± Sonya called back and waved at her, walking back to the dojo. Lillian watched her go again before ncing back at the field and ck Lotus. She felt an uneasiness in her gut that she couldn¡¯t exin. She shook her head and rolled her shoulders, gripping the box tightly in her hand, ¡°Focus!¡± She told herself before striding towards themon building and slipping inside. She got into line and grabbed a whole mountain of food, making sure to snag a couple sandwiches, before meeting the others at the usual couch. They were decidedly unhappy to hear that the instructors wanted her to wear a restraint while they were in training but ultimately understood the point. It was true, she couldn¡¯t be around them all the time and if they didn¡¯t get used to the ache of effort and to pain from injuries then when they were on the field it would be a terrible experience. She assured them that she only had to wear it during that time, which got some relieved looks. After a while, Val, Ollie, and Snow came stumbling into themon area looking like ghouls. None of them grabbed food, instead, they just trudged over to the group andy there for a while in Lillian¡¯s aura. Snow practically face nted into herp while Ollie copsed into a chair, Val just gave up andy on the ground, groaning and staring up at the ceiling. The three stayed like that for a good ten minutes until her power helped them recover enough to move on their own. After that, they immediately raced over to the buffet to grab as much food as they could, much to the others amusement. Eventually, everyone recovered enough to talk like human beings. Snow texted, followed by a sick emoji and an angry emoji. ¡°We got to know our limits!¡± Ollie hazarded, too tired to do the usual adjustment of his sses, ¡°She said she¡¯sing up with exercise routines for each of us.¡± ¡°Ollie, you¡¯re cool, but shut up,¡± Val mumbled, holding his head, ¡°I¡¯ve never run that much in my life.¡± ¡°Hey, be nice dude,¡± Greg grunted, ¡°Man I¡¯m feeling it again. Even with Lil¡¯s aura.¡± ¡°Still tired, a body can only do so much a day, regardless of how much we are healed,¡± John pointed out, picking up his thirteenth sandwich and biting into it, ¡°It is good that the next sses are mostly academic.¡± They nced at him before sighing in universal relief, ¡°Ipletely forgot,¡± Alex sighed, ¡°Thank you John.¡± Snow said, Lillian, Alex, and John looked at one another before ncing down at Greg who frowned at them, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± And so began the relentless teasing of Greg as they went over their exploits and failures during thebat training ss. Lillian savored it, the little moments, drank it all in. After one day of this camp she knew without a doubt that it was going to be the hardest experience of her life. If she hadn¡¯t met these amazing people around her, she didn¡¯t know if she would have been able to do it. She smiled at them as theyughed and argued, teased and joked, she¡¯d barely known them more than a day and it felt like she¡¯d known them for a lifetime. I can get used to this.
Chapter 95 Chapter 95 The Scouting course was definitely more subdued than the two more physical courses in the morning, but it promised strenuous activity in the future. Miss Chernovna spent the majority of the ss exining and emphasizing the role of the Dungeon Scout. It was a little surprising how seriously she took it, to the point that her whole demeanor changed. She stood in front of the ss with a whiteboard behind her, her usual white-pink toned attire set aside for more practical tactical clothing of an off-gray color. She even wore chest armor and wrist guards. She crossed her arms in front of the twelve that had decided to attend, Lillian included, and gestured to the board. ¡°Specific cartographic details are paramount. The Scout¡¯s kites with a distance measurement tool that uses aser and gyroscope to create measurements of distant objects,¡± She pulled a pen sized object from her chest pocket, ¡°This is one of those tools,¡± She exined, ¡°It can be synchronized to your field tablet.¡± She held it out for them to see, ¡°I cannot stress enough how important it is to a hero team going inside of a dungeon to know exact distances between points,¡± She said, ¡°That information can mean life and death in some cases. Knowing the size of areas can help them figure out where to camp and when.¡± One of the other Aspirants raised their hand and to Lillians surprise she saw it was Marc of all people. He looked genuinely perturbed. Sonya nodded to him, ¡°Mister Mallory, go ahead.¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t wrap my head around it, why not send in a higher tier team and be done with it? Smash the monsters and clear the dungeon?¡± He asked. Sonya crossed her arms, ¡°Would you rather spend a month in the dungeon or a few days?¡± She asked him, frowning. He leaned back at the question and looked down, scrunching his nose a little, ¡°A few days, obviously,¡± He said, ¡°But-¡± ¡°There¡¯s your answer. Having a guide to the dungeon before going in makes the entire process simpler,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Knowing where the monsters are, when they move, how they move, everything. That is the responsibility of the scout. Some of you may not be scouts, I expect you¡¯ll be a front line fighter, Mister Mallory,¡± She said before looking at the others, ¡°But you should know just how important a scout¡¯s job is and the kind of risks they¡¯re taking to get you this information.¡± Marc crossed his arms and leaned back, ¡°They make the walkthrough huh. That is useful. I suppose it has toe from somewhere.¡± Sonya¡¯s lip twitched only once, ¡°Yes, does.¡± Lillian watched him for a moment as he mulled it over. It was like the idea of depending on someone else baffled him. She frowned and looked away, up at Sonya as she continued her lecture. There were few interruptions after that and it eventually winded down with Sonya announcing that for those who were continuing with the course, their overall project would be going into the camp¡¯s dungeon to scout it out ahead of the final exam and that their peers sess wouldrgely depend on their work. It¡¯s a huge responsibility, Lillian thought as she packed up her notebook. She looked up at the diagrams on the whiteboard, drawings of ways to avoid monsters and navigate traps safely. Every hour she spent in this ce she learned something new, it was crazy to her how much there was to being a hero. Her image of what it took had beenpletely shattered but she wasn¡¯t really upset about it. Firestorm hadn¡¯t undergone this kind of training, but he had shepherded it. The actions of his team and others were brought up on asion as examples of things to do and not to do. She chewed her lip, There¡¯s so much to learn. She was about to turn away and leave when Miss Chernovna called out to her, ¡°Miss Landrey! You¡¯re expected in the dojo after dinner. Don¡¯t bete.¡± Lillian turned back and saw Sonya standing with the blonde girl that had been standing behind Lillian back during the initial assembly. Her hand was on the girls shoulder. She met the girls eyes and the young woman shot her a small frown. Lillian cleared her throat, ¡°Right! I¡¯ll be there! Do you want me to bring anything or say any-¡± Sonya held up a hand, ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. Thank you Miss Landrey, your instructor doesn¡¯t need my input.¡± She said before turning back to the blonde and resuming whatever they¡¯d been talking about. Okay¡­ Lillian scratched her neck and nodded before heading out to get dinner. What was that blonde girl''s name again? I don¡¯t think I ever asked. A few momentster she was sitting with the others, Alex popped a piece of fried chicken into his mouth and chewed, ¡°Hmm? The angry blonde?¡± He asked and scrunched his eyebrows together, ¡°Cass-something, I think?¡± ¡°Cassiopeia Hanks,¡± Ollie said absently, sitting upside-down in the chair in their circle. ¡°She¡¯s from Mississippi. Her older sister is some religious leader or something. That¡¯s about all I know.¡± He leaned his head back, his sses going askew over his dark eyes, ¡°You said you have something to do after this?¡± Lillian nodded, ¡°Yeah, sorry guys, I got signed up for some one-on-one.¡± Snow asked, leaning against her and tapping away at her phone. Lillian nced down and saw that she was ying with some kind of music app. Snow nced up at her and scrunched in a bit more to hide what she was doing. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lillian scratched her nose, ¡°...ck Lotus?¡± Val coughed and sat up, ¡°One on one with that¡­ beast?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little rude,¡± Lillian said with augh, ¡°How bad could it be?¡± Alex snorted, ¡°Famousst words.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Lillian said, getting to her feet. Snow just flopped down onto the spot she was sitting on, ¡°I¡¯m gonna head out, get some rest. Another big day tomorrow.¡± The others just groaned in response as she made her way past the other aspirants. She waved at Jessica who she recognized, the girl waved back brightly before going back to talk to her own little team. She saw a can leap off the ground and hop into the hand of one of them before they drank it. A few of the others were using their powers a bit more freely too. She smiled a little, two years ago this would be a crazy thing to imagine. She thought to herself, Wow. She stepped outside into the brisk night air, the wind rushed past her and carried her attention to the dojo where the lights were set down to a lower intensity than they¡¯d been earlier during the day. She walked over, her heart pounding in her chest. Thements of her friends had gotten to her a little and she could feel a bit of those nerves catching up with her. She bounced on the balls of her feet a little and shook her hands out to get the jitters out before stepping inside. She found ck Lotus sitting in the center of the space, her eyes closed and her legs crossed, she had her sword in herp and her hands clutched together right at her navel. Her dark hair hung over her face. Lillian could feel something in the air, gathering, moving, pulling, it drew past her skin and towards ck Lotus before collecting and entering the woman¡¯s body. It was a strange feeling, was it mana? She cleared her throat and nced down at the spot in front of the hero, the world''s number one hero. There was a sword there on the ground. Lillian walked forward when ck Lotus didn¡¯t react and stopped a few feet away, looking down at the sword. It was in a dark wood sheath but it was not of the same chinese design that the hero used. It had a wide crossguard and was significantly longer. ¡°A broadsword?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ck Lotus said stiffly. ¡°Please sit. Are you familiar with the Lotus position?¡± Lillian nodded, ¡°Yeah, I can do it,¡± She said and sat down, adjusting her legs and sitting with her hands resting on her knees. She waited in silence for several moments, scratching her nose and looking down at the sword again. She let out a breath and the woman looked up at her, her eyes were ck as night, deep, dark, but beautiful in their own way. She fixed Lillian with an intense stare before nodding to the weapon. ¡°That is yours,¡± She said, ¡°You may use it, if you graduate from the camp, you may keep it. Take good care of it.¡± Lillian looked at the weapon again, ¡°Seriously?¡± She asked, looking up, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s what Miss Chernovna asked,¡± ck Lotus said, ¡°You have a build and movement style that wouldpliment it. She has signed you, hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to talk about it,¡± Lillian said ufortably, feeling a lump form in her gut. ck Lotus snorted and then suddenly looked sad, she let out a deep sigh, ¡°Did she happen to give you a message?¡± She asked, looking up a bit and squaring her shoulders. ¡°No,¡± Lillian said, ¡°She said that you didn¡¯t need her input.¡± The hero¡¯s face twitched just faintly with a wince. It was small but noticeable. She nodded, ¡°I see,¡± She got to her feet and crossed her arms behind her back, ¡°Pick up your weapon. We are going to begin with drills, you may keep your ability active during this time. You will need it. These drills that I will instill into you, you will practice every day. Understood? This will be your foundation.¡± Lillian reached down and grabbed the heavy weapon, holding it by the scabbard, ¡°Muscle memory training, right?¡± She asked with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m familiar. I did it a lot for parkour and freerunning.¡± ck Lotus finally smiled properly, ¡°Good! You understand the theory then. The goal here is to ensure you can perform precise moves and stances without spending time thinking about it and adjusting. After your drills I will walk you through meditation. It may or may not help with your ability, but it will help with emotional control and focus. That is important in abat situation,¡± She exined before stepping back, ¡°After that we will work on your ability.¡± Lillian brightened, ¡°My ability? You can help with that?¡± ¡°My ability has many functions,¡± ck Lotus said frankly, ¡°You will see when we get there.¡± Lillian nodded, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, understood.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± ck Lotus took a few steps back and drew her own weapon, ¡°Draw your weapon and do your best to emte my movements.¡± ¨C Two hourster, Lillian set down her sword and let out a breath as she hit the ground. She huffed, her power already working slowly on her muscles with that faint tingle. She wiped her face, ¡°That''s a thousand reps,¡± She said, panting, ¡°All four swings,¡± She sighed and sat up, rubbing her joints and legs. ck Lotus had not, in fact, been merciful and had taken it upon herself to whack any limb that was out of ce even the smallest amount with her scabbard covered sword. It hurt like crazy. ¡°You pick up quickly,¡± ck Lotus said. ¡°It was that or get whacked,¡± Lillian challenged. She rolled back and pushed off the ground,nding on her feet. ck Lotus gave her an approving nod as Lillian stretched her arms, ¡°What¡¯s next? Meditation or more swings?¡± She was ready for anything, sure, she was more tired than she¡¯d ever been in her entire life, but it was the good kind of tired. She wanted to learn more, do more, whatever she could. Every little step was a good one. ck Lotus appraised her for a moment and nced towards the entrance to the dojo before looking back at her, ¡°It is gettingte, but we can attempt to meditate a bit while I take a look at your ability.¡± Despite her enthusiasm, she was relieved she didn¡¯t have to do more swings. She plopped down on the ground and crossed her legs, ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± The woman smiled down at her, ¡°I¡¯m sure you are,¡± She said and walked behind her, sitting down herself. ¡°I want you to close your eyes and listen to my voice, do as I say as best you can¡­¡± It started with deep breathing, she felt herself drift now and then towards sleep but ck Lotus would pinch her to wake her up and start over. Clearing her head was the hardest part, she had so much to think about. She¡¯d learned so much and she had so many ideas and directions she could go in, then there was the excitement on top of all of it. Her brain was going a mile a minute every time she tried to clear it all out and let it go nk. Eventually she could only sigh and hang her head, frustrated, ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had a long day, that is why I said ¡®attempt¡¯,¡± ck Lotus said gently and pat her shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s alright. This is only your first day, bing a hero is a marathon, not a sprint.¡± ¡°Only my first day,¡± Lillian chuckled, ¡°Nine weeks and six days to go.¡± ¡°Plenty of time,¡± ck Lotus said and ced her hand on Lillian¡¯s back, ¡°Take a deep breath and close your eyes one more time for me. Last thing before I send you away.¡± Lillian nodded to her instructor and lowered her head, closing her eyes and taking another centering breath. She couldn¡¯t clear her head but she could at least feel the breath rx her more easily than before. Then she felt it, a charge rush through her back and into her chest. She jolted a little, it kind of hurt. She winced and clenched her teeth, ¡°Is it supposed to-¡± ¡°Shh,¡± ck Lotus whispered, ¡°Deep breaths. Bear with it.¡± Lillian felt a heat begin to rise up in her chest again, like before, but it started to spread, to inch out through her body like it was following her veins. She coughed and clutched at her chest as the pain grew worse. It felt like needles in her veins, fire, she squeezed her eyes shut. It hurts! She protested, curling in further on herself as the pressure just ticked up more and more. Her heart started to race and the soothing feeling tried to push it away but only seemed to fan it like a bellows. Her mouth fell open and then the pain stopped. She gasped and rolled forward onto the ground, heaving, sweat soaking every inch of her body. Her throat hurt. Was I screaming? She wondered, falling onto her side and coughing. She felt a cool finger press against her throat and coughed again as a soothing feeling washed over her. Her ability normalized and soon it began to work on its own again. She caught her breath and looked up at ck Lotus crouched over her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked. Lillian nodded, coughing again, ¡°Yeah, Yeah, I¡¯m good. What was that?¡± ¡°The first step, it would seem, we have a lot of work to do,¡± ck Lotus said, looking a bit grim. ¡°You¡¯re in no condition to discuss this in depth. We will speak the day after tomorrow, at the same time. Do you need me to call one of your friends to help you back to the dorms?¡± Lillian shook her head, ¡°No,¡± She said and forced herself to her feet. She felt her bones creak beneath her, ¡°I can do it,¡± She said, screwing up her face in a look of determination. ¡°I can walk.¡± ck Lotus met her gaze for a heartbeat before nodding, ¡°As long as that determination does not turn into stubbornness,¡± She said and nodded to the exit, ¡°Take your sword, you are dismissed. You did well today.¡± Lillian knelt down and picked up the broadsword, wincing a bit at the effort before resting it on her shoulder, ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am,¡± She said and gave ck Lotus a genuine smile, ¡°Seriously, I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve all this help, but I promise I¡¯ll earn it. Somehow,¡± She said, forcing herself to smile as big as her aching face would allow. ck Lotus raised an eyebrow, ¡°Go on,¡± She said with a softening expression, ¡°Rest.¡± Lillian nodded, turned, and trudged away. ¨C Chunhua watched the girl stagger out of the Dojo before looking down at her hands and frowning. She let out a sigh and looked up to the sky. Are you watching? She thought, Is this my punishment? What more do I have to do? She closed her eyes and let her head hang back as she felt the mana in the air swirl around her. Another deep breath came and she turned towards the exit of the dojo. She stopped at the threshold and looked up again, this time at the balcony. Two gleaming pink eyes stared down at her, silver hair fluttering in the moonlight. The woman they belonged to stared at her for only a heartbeat before turning away and walking back inside. She hung her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Sonya closed the door behind her and pressed her back against it. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her hands shook, her fingers trembled, she chewed her lip and reached up to grasp at her chest. She closed her eyes and slid down a little in the empty hallway. Not a soul around, no eyes on her, privacy, for just a moment. She let herself feel. Why couldn¡¯t you have gone to the Asian camp? Why did you have toe here? She thought, Why can¡¯t you leave me alone? Haven¡¯t you already done enough? She slid down further until she was sitting on the ground, holding her head in her hands. ¡°Just go away. I can¡¯t stop looking at you if you¡¯re here,¡± She breathed. Footsteps came around the corner and she instinctively opened her eye on the wall. Marta. She thought with relief. Her friend came around the corner and walked up, stopping at her side. The woman rest her hands at herp and looked down at her. Marta was wearing a dark gown that could be interpreted as a maid outfit. The veil was over her face again and her hands were d in spiked gauntlets. Sonya tilted her head and looked up at her between her fingers and hair, her mechanical eyes glowing brighter than ever. ¡°Are they all asleep?¡± She asked. ¡°He is wandering, but nowhere nearby,¡± Marta said with a slight bow, ¡°Is it time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a few months, yes, I think so,¡± Sonya said with a frown and slowly got to her feet, her arms hanging at her sides. She looked up at the ceiling at one of her own eyes, the digitized flickering gaze of her ¡®madan¡¯ as she called them. Her ¡®judges¡¯. She stared back at herself through both sides before slowly tilting her head to the right and lookingzily at her friend. ¡°Where is she?¡± Ishtar asked, her voice cold and chipped with malice, ¡°I won¡¯t have her missing her first time.¡± Marta inclined her head, ¡°On her way, mydy.¡± As if on cue, more footsteps echoed down the hall. The air grew tenser as more terrible powers drew towards the epicenter that was the Queen of Viins. First around the corner was the pretty face of Mephisto in his ck business suit, ck shirt, and red tie. He wore lipstick and had powdered his face with a bit of a blush. His gaze was wicked as he whispered something and even their footsteps became silent as the dead. Next around the corner was a young blonde woman who had styled her hair off to the side. She wore ck lipstick and a tanktop exposing her waist. Long cargo pants ended in boots at her feet. Cassiopeia walked straight up to Ishtar and looked up at her with barely restrained excitement, desperation, and something else, rage, ¡°Taurus is here, mistress,¡± She breathed. Ishtar brushed the girls hair back and gave her an approving smile. ¡°d to have you, Taurus,¡± She murmured and Taurus¡¯ lips twitched nervously. She nced up at Mephisto, ¡°Do you have everything?¡± He dropped into a dramatic bow, ¡°I am always prepared, mistress.¡± She nodded, ¡°Stay close to me, Taurus, you are my heavenly bull, my hammer to the Companion¡¯s shield.¡± Companion, of all the names for Marta to pick for her viin persona, she had chosen one that utterly threw aside all form of identity. With her ability to change her appearance at will, it was apt, and it carried a weight to it. Taurus nodded, her eyshes fluttering up at Ishtar before she stepped back and bowed before standing next to Marta. Ishtar couldn¡¯t think of Marta as anything but Marta, but she would use the name she¡¯d chosen. She turned her head to the wall across from them and held out her hand palm up. Gauntlets formed on her hands in shifting tes of metal that spread up her arm and across her body. As they formed her storage space opened and her helmet fell into her outstretched hand. In a matter of seconds, Ishtar in her full regalia stood on the second floor of the East Coast Aspirants training building. She gestured and a rectangle of light appeared in front of her that hollowed out, the light inside it bending as space distended and gave way to her will. Her mechanical brain went through calctions that took hard work, training, and seconds if not minutes for the other person that possessed this ability. The portal stabilized and the faint sound of music came through. Ishtar crossed her arms behind her back and strode through, ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± She said in her cruel mechanical rasp. ¡°Yes mistress,¡± The other three said and formed up behind her. Ishtar felt the rush of traveling through the backrooms, the dominion of non-euclidian, in a split second. There was tug as she traversed a great distance in such a short time, her body bending through space until she stepped out onto plush carpet. The first thing that greeted her was rxing music, a mixture of jazz, swing, and techno. A faint cloud hung in the air from the many cigars and cigarettes smoked by those in the building. She was standing in a ratherrge lounge, several couches set up along the walls and a private bar to one side. A single billiards table sat in the middle with a single light hanging over it. She turned her head towards the space behind her and saw someone sitting on a couch with his legs crossed. A pair of milky-white circles glowed through the gloom and smoke. The others stepped through with her, Taurus coughing a little bit and waving her hand in front of her face. Marta and Mephisto were unbothered. ¡°Charon,¡± She said, a small smile in her voice as she stepped towards the eerie, gaunt shape hunched on the couch, ¡°How are you?¡± The young man who had obtained ¡®Patient Zero¡¯ was long gone. Changed by his role, his actions, and more. He leaned forward and his face came into view. ck cross-like stitches stretched up his cheeks to his ears and his jaw was discolored. His hair was short and ck, spiked a bit with white streaks. He brandished an eerily perfect white smile as he leaned forward, revealing the expensive vest and tie set over a white shirt. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal a too-long pair of arms that were also off-color, strangely ck. ¡°Ishtar!¡± He cackled, his slightly cracked new york ent still very present, ¡°I¡¯m doing great!¡± He held up his hand, ¡°What do you think? Is it me?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s was it?¡± She asked. ¡°Dunno, don¡¯t really care, he skipped out on payments too many times,¡± Charon said and got to his feet, ¡°I liked his power though,¡± He said and his fingers twitched, a ck and white me appeared in his palm before it disappeared. ¡°Nice, right? All thanks to you.¡± Ishtar inclined her head, ¡°d to be of service to the viins.¡± ¡°Callin¡¯ a meeting?¡± He asked, a cane appearing in his hand as he leaned on it, he ran those long gaunt fingers over the skull on it. ¡°Been a while.¡± ¡°It has,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°Yes.¡± Charon nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a rattly breath, ¡°Ahh¡­ I let the cooks and staff know, they¡¯ll make somethin¡¯ tasty.¡± ¡°Always d to work with you, Charon,¡± Ishtar hissed. Charon smiled a toothy smile and turned his head towards the others gathered, ¡°Mephisto, fuckin¡¯ hot as ever. How ya doin¡¯ babe? Give it any thought?¡± He asked. Mephisto flipped his hair back, ¡°I like where I work, thanks,¡± He said with a chuckle, ¡°And I¡¯m called for, I¡¯ve said it already,¡± He added with a bit of warning in his tone. ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± Charon snickered before looking up at Marta, ¡°The Companion and¡­ oh?¡± He tilted his head and took a step forward, ¡°Who¡¯s this gorgeous thing?¡± ¡°Taurus,¡± Ishtar said without moving her head, ¡°My heavenly bull. I¡¯ve ensured that she is fully capable of a city level event, minimum. She will be my hammer in the future.¡± ¡°Where ckrazor is your scalpel?¡± Charon asked with a nce in her direction and a delicate step away from Taurus, ¡°You always get the pretty ones don¡¯t ya?¡± He barked out augh, ¡°Figures!¡± He stalked past them, leaning on his cane as he made his way towards the door leading out of the room. ¡°Alright! Might as well call everyone else, it''s time for a family reunion¡± They followed him out the door and down the hall to a pair of enormous metal doors shaped to look like borate wooden ones. He stepped towards it and rapped his cane against the ground and the doors slid apart, revealing an enormous meeting room entirely made of post-pandora metals and filled with equipment. Screens hung in the air around the long table where several chairs were evenly spaced and waiting. One end held a high backed chair with a white cloth on it, the other held a simr chair with a ck cloth. ¡°It¡¯s huge,¡± Taurus breathed next to Ishtar. ¡°Mm, it is,¡± Ishtar said and strode inside, heading over to the chair with the white cloth as she mentally sent out the invitations. One response after another came in and she flexed with her power, panels of light forming around the room that distended and opened into portals. First to step out was ckrazor d in a tight fitting jumpsuit, respirator mask, and hood. He bowed to Ishtar before moving to his seat. The next portal unveiled the mountainous Kingshark, blue-grey skin gleamed and his many eyes flicked about the room. He bore his teeth in Charon¡¯s direction as thenky ferryman sat in the ck adorned throne. After him, another figure stepped out. A young woman with a wide grin on her face. She wore a loose fitting shirt with sleeves that concealed her hands and a pair of breezy pants bound with a thick sash. She turned to ckrazor and raised a hand, revealing a long wicked knife. She nced at it, gasped, and retracted into her sleeve before twiddling her fingers at him in greeting. He just inclined her head to her and she puffed up her cheeks. Ishtar inclined her head towards the young woman, ¡°Kerauna, d you could join us.¡± The living master bolt of Zeus once known as Veloce turned a wide smile to Ishtar, ¡°Anything for you, Mistress,¡± She said brightly before wandering over to her seat. Another portal revealed a man in a polo with a baseball cap on his head. Yet everyone turned to look at the ordinary looking guy with messy hair. Amos cracked a grin and strode inside with his hands in his pockets before hopping into his own seat and leaning back. ¡°Technocrat is here!¡± The others began to sit down and Ishtar joined them. Marta, The Companion, stepped up to stand behind her with her arms resting in front of her as usual. Ishtar sensed her nce towards Kingshark for but a moment before returning her attention to the hall. Taurus took a bit more dramatic approach and hopped right into Ishtar¡¯sp, throwing an arm around her neck and resting her head under Ishtar¡¯s metal ¡®chin¡¯. She kicked her feet as she looked out over the group. Ishtar didn¡¯t turn her away. The Queen of Viins looked out over the table at the faces of those who had gathered to support her, who knew her true ns, two seats remained empty. Two more to bring into the fold and her little family would beplete. She doubted she would ever get Taurus to properly sit down in a chair. ¡°We have a new inductee,¡± Ishtar began, ¡°This is Taurus, the Heavenly Bull.¡± Amos leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, his chin on his fingers, ¡°Raw destruction then, good addition. Wee to the family.¡± ¡°I could take that role,¡± Kerauna said petntly, leaning back and crossing her legs, ¡°Though I¡¯d rather be in someone elsesp.¡± ¡°Keep it in your pants nightlight,¡± Kingshark grunted. ¡°Ooh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the fish tank,¡± Kerauna teased, ¡°Bite me.¡± Kingshark turned his head and bore his teeth which grew in size, ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± ¡°Kera,¡± ckrazor muttered, his voice quiet but somehow carrying, ¡°Be nice to your family.¡± Kera tensed and slipped back in her seat a little, bowing her head, ¡°Sorry Sharkie.¡± Kingshark grunted and shot a smile at ckrazor, ¡°It¡¯s fine, we¡¯re all a little heated. The Children of the Dawn are a pain in the ass and the Darksiders are just¡­¡± He rolled his eyes, ¡°...a chore.¡± Ishtar nodded slowly. The Darksiders were a faction of viins that had formed separate from her own. They had a very campy and almost nauseatingly cringe-inducing way of handling their work. Still, Ishtar tolerated them because they used the system that she had created through Charon, though they paid her absolutely no loyalty and would often try to press in on the territory of her group. The Children of the Dawn on the other hand¡­ ¡°My sister¡¯s a piece of shit,¡± Taurus muttered, kicking her feet, ¡°That bitch has iting to her, right mistress?¡± She asked, not moving from her tight cling. ¡°Sister?¡± Kingshark grunted, ¡°You¡¯re rted to that nutjob, Liberty?¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Taurus muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, if none of you all get the chance I¡¯ll happily turn her into a pretty little smear on the ground,¡± She said bitterly, ¡°After I pull her arms out of her sockets and feed her fingers to her.¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± Ishtar said soothingly, reaching up to stroke the girl¡¯s hair, ¡°You¡¯ll get your revenge.¡± Taurus squeaked and chuckled, clinging closer as Ishtar turned to the others, ¡°The heroes training is well under way and I will have a full dossier ready before I leave for the European Convention. Our agents at the other camps will do the same. Remember that the point of this is to strike a bnce,¡± She said, ¡°Not to escte. Keep the heroes busy with the dungeons and with us and we will rake in the profits.¡± ¡°And keep the world turning,¡± Mephisto said with a frown, ¡°Another Vegas would be bad for all of us, not just our pockets.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Ishtar said and raised her head, ¡°Our little cabal exists for one purpose. To eliminate potential threats that the heroes either cannot or will not handle and curtail the other viins,¡± She turned to Charon, ¡°How is our little economy doing?¡± She asked. The undead middle-man of the underworld flicked his wrist and a blue coin appeared in his hand. He twirled it between his fingers and it hissed once before turning into a wad of american banknotes. ¡°Conversion has gone down, people like the new currency now that it has value. They¡¯re paying for everything from favors from you, to gear from Technocrat, to henchmen from Kingshark. Whatever they can get to achieve their hearts desires.¡± ¡°And the loaning operation?¡± Ishtar asked. ¡°You have a lot of debtors,¡± Charonughed, ¡°It¡¯s fuckin crazy.¡± Ishtar nodded slowly, ¡°Very good work,¡± She said and turned her gaze over those gathered, ¡°Now, let''s talk about the Children of Dawn. It¡¯s time to work out a strategy to deal with them and Liberty.¡±
Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Sonya and the others stepped out of the portal and into her office. She reached up and brushed her hair out of her face, as she deactivated her armor. Ironsides¡¯ power is convenient. She thought with a small smile. That smile faltered when her senses picked up on someone standing in the room. She turned her head towards the door with a frown and saw her standing there. Her lips turned down in a frown and she tilted her head forward, ¡°ck Lotus,¡± She said evenly, ¡°What are you doing in my office?¡± ¡°You left,¡± The hero said. ¡°I had a meeting to attend to, it¡¯s not your concern,¡± Sonya said, tilting her head up to look down a bit on the taller woman. ¡°Just go to bed or whatever and leave me be. You hound me enough as it is,¡± She said dismissively and turned away, waving her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been making up for it for a year, doing what you asked,¡± ck Lotus said, ¡°Please, just talk to me,¡± She asked, her voice cracking a little. Sonya closed her eyes tight and clenched her fists as Marta, Colin, and Cass came through the portal. Cass froze and frowned, a warhammer appearing in her hand. Marta held up her arm and blocked the girl from attacking as she red daggers in ck Lotus¡¯ direction. Sonya tilted her head up again and prayed to whatever would listen for patience before she turned around and stered a forced pleasantness onto her face, ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± She said with poisoned sweetness, ¡°That, what you just said, is precisely the problem and you know it.¡± ¡°Sonya-¡± ¡°Get out. Don¡¯t make me say it again,¡± Sonya said and turned away, ¡°I¡¯m tired. I haven¡¯t slept in two days because of you, I took it out on Ca, again.¡± ck Lotus stiffened and frowned, her eyes downcast. She stood up straighter and bowed, ¡°Miss Chernovna, have a good night.¡± ¡°Thank you, hero,¡± Sonya said, looking down at her nails as the door opened and shut quietly behind her. Her fingers curled and she carved rivets into the table''s surface, ¡°Damn it. Not only do I have to deal with her being here but he decided that this was the best ce to start his ¡®rise to power¡¯.¡± She spat bitterly, ¡°That buffoon, I never realized how stupid he was until I met him like this. What the hell kind of power does he have that he was-¡± She stopped as Marta put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. She turned and threw herself into Marta¡¯s chest and her dearest friend pulled her into an embrace, ¡°I¡¯m so angry all the time now, more than before, I can¡¯t take it, it hurts,¡± Sonya croaked. ¡°We understand,¡± Marta whispered, resting her chin on Sonya¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be angry. Are you ready for sleep tonight?¡± Sonya nodded mutely into her embrace, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ensure Cassiopeia gets back to the dorms without a disturbance,¡± Marta said, ¡°Colin has the office. Go rest. Ca will take care of you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¨C Sonya walked down the hall alone, blessedly alone, finally some quiet. She drifted past the hall leading towards the girls'' dorms and towards the small set of apartments attached to the rear of the building for the instructors and VIPs. Some of them were shared among the instructors while a couple had been set aside for exclusive use. She tried to let her mind empty a little as she wandered, reaching up to run shaking fingers through her hair. Even with all my power my hands are tied, the whole point was to avoid using it at all, only to- she paused and stood up straight. Her senses felt him as he stepped out of the turn leading to the restrooms behind her. She turned slowly and looked at him, glowing pink eyes met luminous sapphire blue. Otis. ¡°Miss Chernovna, you¡¯re upte!¡± He said brightly. I¡¯ll kill you. She smiled, ¡°A bit ofte night business!¡± She said merrily. ¡°You¡¯re upte too!¡± Break you. ¡°I¡¯m d we got to talk today,¡± He said, scratching his head, ¡°That stuff about scouts gave me a lot to think about!¡± Ruin you. ¡°Oh?¡± Sonya said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about it over breakfast tomorrow? I really should be getting to bed.¡± Your dreams! ¡°That sounds great!¡± He said, rubbing his shoulder, ¡°Definitely could use some rest myself, being Mythic doesn¡¯t exclude me from soreness!¡± Your beliefs! ¡°Handmaiden has told me much of the same!¡± Sheughed, ¡°We¡¯re all human!¡± I¡¯ll take everything, I swear it! His lip twitched and he tilted his head, closing his eyes with a youthful smile, ¡°We sure are!¡± He said, ¡°Good night, Miss Chernovna!¡± OTIS! ¡°Good night, Mister Mallory,¡± She said sweetly and they parted ways. She walked down the hall, holding it all in. Every step was a nightmare until she reached that door, she opened it slowly and shut it, closing it tightly behind her and pressing her back against it. Her breath came in gasps, He¡¯s right there! He¡¯s right there! She wanted to tear her hair out and scream but all she could do was let her hands fall to her sides. She tilted her head and looked towards the couch where she saw Ca sleeping, dozed off with a half-finished ss of wine on the coffee table. There was another empty one next to it. She smiled and felt the madness drift away for a little bit. You sweet thing, she thought and walked over, kneeling down to pick up the taller woman easily into a princess carry. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed, mm?¡± She purred into her ear. Ca mumbled and curled in a little as Sonya walked towards the bedroom door. She paid no attention to the slitted eyes that nced at her from the side as she walked past her reflection in a framed painting on the wall. She simply prepared herself for another night of nightmares. ¨C Lillian stirred and grumbled, scratching at her chin as she shifted a bit on the bed. She frowned and squinted at the ceiling. Her chest felt heavier than usual. She squinted and rubbed her eyes before sitting up and looking down. A small form was stretched across her chest and waist lengthwise. She blinked a few times before she realized what happened. Did we fall asleep talking? Oh crap. She nced around and sat up, the small form rolling off of her and onto the mattress before curling up. She nced up and saw the top of Snow¡¯s head. Short, almost shaved? Why is it ck and white? She thought before remembering how diligent the girl was about keeping her hood up. She took in a sharp breath and nced around, the other girls in the dorm were sound asleep. Careful¡­ She thought and reached forward to grab Snow¡¯s hood and slowly, very slowly, pulled it back over her head. When her friend didn¡¯t stir she let out a sigh of relief and slid off the bed, getting to her feet. Gonna have to talk about making sure she gets to her own spot before bed, she thought and scratched her neck, Might give people the wrong idea. She crossed her arms and sighed heavily before pulling Snow up towards her pillow and pulling the nket over her. It¡¯s early but I could really go for a coffee, she frowned and wrinkled her nose, And a shower. She went to her duffle bag and grabbed her toiletries before stepping out of the door. She scratched her head and grumbled a little bit to herself as she made her way towards the bathrooms on this side of the building. She rounded the corner and paused, frowning a little and ncing around. That¡¯s weird, what¡¯s that? She thought, turning around in a circle. The air felt odd. She sniffed but she couldn¡¯t pick up on anything. She looked down at her feet, Like the air was charged and then¡­ I dunno. She shook her head. ¡°Wacky ce,¡± She muttered and pushed her way into the bathrooms. A little while after that, fully refreshed, she stepped out with a much brighter disposition. She needed to get her morning workout in. She reached into her toiletries bag as she stepped back into the hallway and fished out the catalog, flipping to the back where the map was. The Dojo could work but there had to be a- there! A gym! She clenched her fists, ¡°Blessed weights and pull-up bars!¡± She said with delight and stepped fully out into the hallway, turning as someone stepped up behind her. ¡°Excited to get your workout in?¡± The merry-chirp of Sonya Chernovna rang out behind her. She spun and saw the usually formally dressed woman in a t-shirt that said ¡®C Up - Pinky Out¡¯ in yful letters. From her right arm hung a small bag with a towel hanging out of it. She was in sweatpants, sandals, and her hair was down. She definitely had a serious case of bed-head. That said, she looked far more rested than Lillian had seen her since they first encountered one another. She was smiling wider too, refreshed. Lillian realized she¡¯d been staring and flushed before scratching at her head, ¡°Uhh yeah! I always try to get a good one in the morning but, yesterday was a little crazy.¡± The CEO stood up straight and put her hands on her hips, tilting her head, ¡°ck Lotus and I didn¡¯t put you through enough?¡± She asked with augh, ¡°You¡¯re a beast aren¡¯t you?¡± Lillian shrugged and flexed her arm, grinning, ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m tough!¡± The CEO chuckled and reached up to squeeze the arm, her bare fingers were strong and strangely cold, was that why she wore gloves all the time? ¡°Careful with those, might get more attention than you can handle,¡± She teased with a wink, ¡°Have a good morning dear!¡± She said impishly and walked past towards the restroom. ¡°Someone else has the instructor''s shower so I guess I¡¯m roughing it!¡± Sheughed. Was she just- Lillian turned towards the woman and mouthed a few words before finally settling on something, ¡°Th-thanks! I¡¯m d you¡¯re feeling better!¡± Miss Chernovna paused at the door and nced back at her. Her expression softened to something far more genuine, ¡°Thank you,¡± She said before disappearing into the room. Wow, her skin really does glitter, Lillian thought stupidly before blinking, she bopped herself in the head. Stupid! Stop it! She chastised herself before turning away to head back to the dorms and grab a few things for her work out. Snow was still out cold but she was holding her phone and it clearly had an rm set based on the symbol shing at the top. She¡¯d be fine. Lillian got changed and grabbed a few more things, she couldn¡¯t get a signal but she had some ylists saved on her phone she could listen to since radio wasn¡¯t an option. She didn¡¯t forget to grab her broadsword, of course. It was a huge topic of conversation the previous night when she got back. It turned out that the girls didn¡¯t want to sleep until they heard more about the one-on-one training from her. When she came back with a freaking sword, the excitement grew even more palpable. Jessica definitely approved of the choice and one of the others had an ability that let them identify what it was made of. Post-Pandora metal. It had elements in it unique to monsters and dungeons. It was apparently seriously expensive hardware. That of course led to the deluge of questions about whether or not ASTA had signed her, she had been as nomittal as possible and one girl pointed out that she¡¯d probably been asked to sign an NDA for the camp. That had been a nice save. Snow still gave her some squinty looks but it could have been worse. She ambled through the building and to the stairs that she hadn¡¯t noticed were wrapped around the back of the earth diorama. Down the stairs she found a hall filled with ssrooms and of course the long gym with ss walls so one could see if anyone else was working out inside. She was not alone, it turned out. Several of the guys and girls from the aspirants were already getting their day started like her. She poked her head inside and spotted only one familiar face. ¡°Morning Jessica!¡± She called as she walked in and found herself a spot next to the bars and some weights. Jessica turned from a conversation with who looked like the guy who had been using his powers to pull things towards him the previous dinner. She waved, ¡°Hi Lillian! Good morning! Getting started early?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± She said and nced up at the bars, ¡°Got some sets then sword drills to do.¡± ¡°Mind if I do drills with you?¡± She asked, walking over. Lillian nced at her, she was unarmed, ¡°You don¡¯t have your-¡± Jessica held out her hand and a de of ice stretched from it bing very solid and releasing a faint white mist. ¡°Oh!¡± Jessica grinned at her, ¡°I¡¯m always armed.¡± Lillian returned her expression with an awkward smile, ¡°That¡¯s kinda scary when you say it like that.¡± Jessica blinked, thenughed, ¡°You¡¯re right! Maybe I should save that kind of thing for viins.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Lillian agreed and reached down to grab her sword, ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow you, I¡¯m curious about what she taught you,¡± Jessica said, ¡°Hope you don¡¯t mind me stealing a bit?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Lillian said, tilting her chin up a bit, ¡°We¡¯re all training to be heroes, every little bit helps, right?¡± Jessica let out a weary sigh and gave her an almost patient smile, ¡°You are too good for your own good, thanks,¡± She turned to the guy she was talking to, ¡°Hey Reek! Can we get some water?¡± The guy on the other end of the room crossed his arms and frowned, the brown hair on his head falling down just past his eyebrows as he stared back tly, ¡°That is not my codename and I am not your porter,¡± He turned away with a huff, ¡°Try again, princess.¡± She scratched her nose, ¡°Sorry Luke,¡± She said, ¡°Please?¡± He nced her way from the corner of his eye and let out a long suffering sigh, ¡°Fine!¡± He said and held out his hand, it looked like the air parted like curtains and a gallon jug of cold waternded in his palm. He set it down and then another appeared before he knelt, grabbed them, and carried them over. ¡°Was that some kind of storage power?¡± Lillian asked, amazed. There are so many cool powers out there! Luke tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Huh? No. Well, sorta,¡± He shook his head, ¡°I can pull things that I¡¯ve marked to me from any distance, pretty much, I¡¯ve got a whole storeroom back at my house full of stuff instead of carrying it with me. My folks are going to keep it stocked while I¡¯m here,¡± He said, ¡°If the item¡¯s close enough I can draw it to me physically and at high speed if I want. I¡¯m partially here to figure out if I can do it the other way. Fire projectiles.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a little detailed?¡± Jessica teased him. He shrugged, ¡°We¡¯re all heroes here and I¡¯ll be blunt, you two are thest people I¡¯d suspect spilling their guts, Jess is on my team and no offense Lillian, but Jess is kinda right. You could stand to be a bit more selfish.¡± Lillian flushed, ¡°Just kinda hard reconciling being a little selfish with being a hero.¡± ¡°Aw! That¡¯s why I like you!¡± Jessica said, pping her arm, ¡°Come on, let''s do some drills, thanks Luke.¡± ¡°Sure sure,¡± Luke said and walked off, hands in his pockets as he ambled his way over to the treadmills. They got right into it, Lillian showing Jessica the way that ck Lotus had taught her to stand, breathe, and swing. It took a little bit for Jessica to get the hang of it but soon the two of them were doing overhand cuts over and over, their eyes focused hard on the wall in front of them. Lillian didn¡¯t let her mind wander as she did, after some sleep she finally had a bit more of a clear head, it was a good feeling. She let out low breath after low breath, the meditative breathinging naturally as she brought it back from the previous night¡¯s training. A warmth began to rise up in her chest as she swung and sweat dripped down her temple. The heat intensified, but it felt good as it spread out through her body and into her arms. ¡°-ian!¡± She frowned and kept swinging, one at a time, up, down, up, down. ¡°Lillian!¡± She paused, Jessica¡¯s voice? She sounded upset. She turned and blinked at the girl, ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡± She asked, confused. Jessica stared at her frankly for a moment before pointing at her shoulder, ¡°You uh¡­ you got a little something on your¡­¡± Lillian turned her head, confused, and looked down at her left arm. mes. Fire was burning on her shoulder. Brilliant yellow-orange-gold mes. They were small but¡­ Wait. ¡°I¡¯m on fire!¡± She gasped and reached up to pat it off before pausing again. Why doesn¡¯t it hurt?
A Little Thank You A Little Thank You Hey everybody, DerelictPresence aka TheBroker here! I wanted to thank all of you for your continued support of this series as it moves into season 2! You guys have been amazing and I love reading all of yourments. They make my day. The world of the series is getting bigger, yeah? More characters, more plots, and more groundwork setting up for future events. I''ve got a lot nned and I can''t wait to share it with you all. Yourments keep me motivated and keep the story going. So as a very special thank you for everything and for hanging in there while we take a look at the world through different eyes in this little prologue, I know y''all are eager to see Sonya take center stage and find out what the hell happened between her and Chunhua- I''m one hundred percent certain that we''re almost there!- I wanted to give you guys something pretty neat. A piece of an early sketch for the cover of book one! We''re making strides towards getting it ready for y''all to enjoy. Thank you again so much for reading this series and for loving these characters so much. Be kind to one another, TheBroker Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Lillian sat awkwardly in the middle of the spartan-looking bedroom as ck Lotus sat in front of her. The world¡¯s number one hero was leaning forward, her brows knotted and rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she looked Lillian over. They had tried putting out the mes on her shoulders to pretty much zero luck. Upside was that it didn¡¯t seem to hurt anyone when they touched it, though no one put their hands in for more than a heartbeat before pulling away. ck Lotus scratched at her waist, she was in a tank top and fatigues rather than her usual robes and it was more than a little strange seeing her dressed down like this. ¡°Well,¡± She said with a frown, ¡°I can see why you called on me,¡± She said and tilted her head, squinting at the golden mes that flickered on Lillian¡¯s shoulders, ¡°They really don¡¯t hurt? They aren¡¯t burning your clothes?¡± ¡°No ma¡¯am,¡± Lillian said ufortably, ¡°Just kind of chilling there, I guess?¡± She added with a nervousugh. ck Lotus sighed, ¡°Give me your hand, let''s have a closer look.¡± Lillian nodded and took the woman¡¯s hand. She immediately felt that tingle rush up her arm again and spread throughout her body. It felt a little like ck Lotus was exploring, checking inside of her to see what had changed. The woman closed her eyes and let out a breath, the tingling moving further in towards Lillian¡¯s heart. THUMP! Her heart beat and she felt the heat on her shoulders for the first time, there was a warmth that spread out of her chest and down to meet the sensation that wasing from ck Lotus. It quickly retreated and the woman let go. ¡°Hm, it reacted,¡± She hummed, ¡°But otherwise nothing seems different,¡± She tilted her head, ¡°I¡¯d expected some manner of manifestation after checking youst night but this wasn¡¯t what I expected, to be honest,¡± She crossed her arms, ¡°Regardless I think you¡¯re just a bit of ate bloomer and your ability is unveiling itself in stages. Have you tried checking your instincts?¡± Lillian frowned and shook her head, ¡°To be honest I got next to nothing out of my awakening, so I didn¡¯t bother checking again. It felt kind of pointless.¡± ck Lotus pursed her lips, ¡°Well, try again?¡± Lillian nodded hesitantly before taking a deep breath and thinking about her ability. She knew academically that it was a process all light-touched could simply do on instinct funny enough. She took another cleansing breath in the same way that ck Lotus had taught her before and exhaled, concentrating on- That¡¯s new. There was significantly more information now, the zone offort created was just an after effect of the mes inside of her. They were the real source of benefit. mes that could spread and heal or inversely they could most assuredly be used to harm. The problem was as far as she could tell they only extended from her body, she would have to ¡®ignite¡¯ something in order for it to go further. She could also tell that her body was storing energy somehow, she wasn¡¯t sure what it was but it had something to do with what she was bing more and more aware of in the air. It seamlessly fueled the mes. She let out a gasp as she came out of her thoughts, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot more detail,¡± She said aloud, looking down at her hand and flexing her fingers. She scrunched her face a little and with some effort she felt the trickle of energy move through her body and to her palm. A tiny, coin sized golden me popped into being. She brightened and held it up to ck Lotus, ¡°Look! I did that! Oh my god! Look at it, it¡¯s so pretty!¡± Sheughed, ¡°Wow!¡± ck Lotus narrowed her eyes at it and then nced up at her face, ¡°It moved through your meridians,¡± She said with a stony face. ¡°Huh?¡± Lillian asked. ¡°I see,¡± ck Lotus muttered, ¡°I understand now. Last night makes a lot more sense to me.¡± ¡°Um?¡± Lillian tried to cut in. ¡°I checked your pathways to test your ability but my power spread because you possess the ability to channel through your meridians,¡± ck Lotus continued mumbling, getting to her feet and pacing, ¡°The energy acts as a fuel source for the mes, and because of its origins you have a knack for martial arts. Your ability is very simr to mine,¡± She kept talking. ¡°Uh, miss ck Lotus?¡± Lillian tried again. ¡°Still, it''s a very functional ability for rare grade, peak rare then, if not one of the odd ducks that encroach a little further while still reading as rare,¡± She kept going and going, ¡°I could tell that the energy couldn¡¯t leave your body very far, part of the rare-grade limitation? Yes. Hm. May not be able to form a core but we¡¯ll try. I¡¯ll have to add additional sessions. Nightly if necessary.¡± Lillian was getting very lost, she held up her hands, ¡°Miss ck Lotus!¡± She called. The woman tensed and spun, ¡°Oh! You were talking, I¡¯m sorry Lillian, what was your question?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a meridian?¡± ¨C Alex was howling withughter as they sat together at the couch, his arms wrapped around his waist as he bent over and stomped his feet. The others were chuckling too, even John seemed a bit amused despite his greater focus on his beloved sandwiches. Alex kept chortling before finally catching his breath and wiping a tear from his eye, ¡°So you just caught fire in the middle of the gym and Jessica threw water on you?¡± He threw his head back andughed, ¡°Oh man, I wish I was there.¡± Lillian flushed, ¡°Yeah, it was uh, embarrassing.¡± ¡°Sounds like you finished manifesting,¡± Greg said, resting his chin on his palm and chuckling, ¡°Happened to Alex too, he awoke in a couple stages,¡± He said, throwing his thumb over his shoulder. Alex sat forward, ¡°Hey man, that¡¯s private!¡± He barked, suddenly very unamused. Snow said through her illusions, Lillian looked over at her, stretched out on the couch they were upying. Her feet were on Lillian''sp and she was staring up at her phone with her head tucked against the arm of the couch. Alex and Greg were across from them, bickering as always. Val sat forward next to John and hummed to himself, ¡°Maybe you can ignite your sword, you can ignite your body right? Have you tried?¡± ¡°Not yet, gonna wait for the session tonight with ck Lotus,¡± Lillian said. ¡°Wise, she seems to understand your ability well, simr power sets are umon,¡± John muttered, ¡°Stick to that n and don¡¯t use it much today.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Ollie chimed in from the floor between them, he was surrounded by notebooks now and was writing furiously, he didn¡¯t even look up as he spoke, ¡°Though personally I¡¯m more interested in the physiological changes you experienced, have you looked in a mirror since the incident this morning?¡± He asked. Lillian blinked dumbly, ¡°Physiological- what? What changes? What happened to my face?¡± She gasped, reaching up and patting at herself. ¡°Eye color is brighter, closer to orange now,¡± Ollie said without looking up, ¡°And unless you somehow dug up some hair dye in the middle of the night, you now have a green streak in your hair, left side.¡± Lillian nched and looked at the others, ¡°Do I really?¡± They looked at one another, ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Val said and pointed to his temple, ¡°Right here.¡± Lillian let out a groan, ¡°Oh man.¡± Snow offered as constion, throwing a few winky and smiley emojis to help soften the blow. ¡°Maybe,¡± Lillian said and brought her hand up to her face, ¡°But my mom is gonna kill me.¡± ¨C ¡°Don¡¯t force it!¡± ck Lotus barked, pacing behind her. The two of them were in the dojo in the dead of night, Lillian was standing with her legs spaced and her broadsword in her hand. Her eyes were fixed on the de. She could feel the heat in her chest building and trying to work its way through the channels in her body that ck Lotus called meridians. Apparently the energy was supposed to be constantly moving but her body hadn¡¯t reached that stage yet. Even so, she¡¯d been able to make that tiny fireball earlier, so there was no reason she couldn¡¯t project it a bit more, right? Well, that¡¯s what she thought anyway until she actually tried it. It felt like trying to press a water hose against a metal wall. Every time she felt the energy reach her hand and build up it eventually red out from within her palm and scattered all over the ce. The worst part was she was trying to use the more dangerous version of the me, so it spread across the ground and caught portions of the floor on fire before ck Lotus swung her arm and put it out with a gesture. Lillian groaned after thetest failed attempt and dropped her weapon, ¡°I can¡¯t get it to catch,¡± She sighed, ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± ¡°Inexperience,¡± ck Lotus said consolingly, ¡°That¡¯s all. That and your body probably has to be at the cycling stage before you do anythingplicated. Why don¡¯t you sit down and we¡¯ll work on that a little.¡± Lillian nodded and sat down, hunching forward a bit, ¡°No drills tonight?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do them in the morning, won¡¯t you?¡± ck Lotus asked, ¡°Besides, getting a grip on the breadth of this strange ability of yours is far more important right now. We¡¯ll probably hold off.¡± ¡°No kidding, it even dyed my hair,¡± Lillian muttered, ¡°Mom¡¯s always been worried about meing back from a vacation or something with my hair a brand new color. She just wants to be involved in the process, you know?¡± ¡°I understand where she¡¯sing from,¡± ck Lotus said with a sigh, ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a manifestation of your ability, not some youthful venture. Have you figured out the meaning, yet?¡± ¡°Meaning? Besides green?¡± Lillian grunted irritably, ¡°Yeah I¡¯ve given it a little thought but nothinges to mind. Any ideas?¡± ¡°The nature of our abilities, yours and mine, originates in some Chinese mythology and admittedly some of its pop culture,¡± ck Lotus said, resting her hand on her back. Lillian felt the energy slowly inch into her body. The woman was a bit more careful this time, ¡°Green has some connotations, for one, Integrity.¡± Lillian frowned and shifted a bit beneath ck Lotus¡¯ hand, ¡°I don¡¯t feelfortable walking around with a streak in my hair that says ¡®hey look! I have integrity!¡¯.¡± She mumbled, ¡°I hope it¡¯s just a pretty color or something. Feels weird to me otherwise.¡± ¡°It can also be associated with health and prosperity,¡± ck Lotus added patiently, the energy spread a bit more and she felt it reaching towards her heart again. She felt her heartbeat spike and this time managed to breathe enough to allow the tingling sensation to reach its destination. It slowly spread out, inching along until it reached the point it had the previous night where the pain had started. Lillian grunted and clenched her teeth as ck Lotus pushed further this time, increasing the distance several more inches before Lillian shook her head furiously. ck Lotus pulled her hand away, ¡°Good effort,¡± She said, ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Can probably stand,¡± Lillian muttered, ¡°Everything hurts though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m opening your meridians. I originally sent my energy into youst night to explore your power, I didn¡¯t realize you possessed the trait and pushed your meridians open forcibly. I¡¯m taking a more direct and focused approach now. You should be fine in a few hours,¡± She said, ¡°We¡¯ll have to do this every night until your body ispletely open.¡± ¡°That might take a while,¡± Lillian panted, leaning back and looking up at the dark haired woman. ck Lotus grinned, ¡°Well, we have ten weeks.¡± ¨C Lillian dragged herself into the dorm after ck Lotus ruthlessly put her through a set of drills anyway even after saying she ¡®probably¡¯ wouldn¡¯t. Probably my ass. Lillian grumbled as she pushed through the door. Some of the girls were still awake and talking, Jessica waved at her and she even spotted Cassiopeia sitting up and reading a book. The girl nced her way and frowned before looking back. What the heck did I do to her? She thought, I should clear that up at some point, she thought beforending on her bed with a grunt. ¡°How¡¯d it go, golden girl?¡± Jessica asked, walking over and sitting on one of the posts of her bed. ¡°Painful,¡± Lillian said with a sigh, ¡°My ability has ¡®simr¡¯ features to hers so she¡¯s getting a little fixated, I think. I dunno. She really seems driven to get it right with me for some reason.¡± ¡°Probably because you caught Miss Chernovna¡¯s attention,¡± Another girl said a few bunks down, ¡°I saw them arguing earlier, looks like they¡¯re not on good terms right now. ck Lotus is signed with ASTA, so that¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°You saw them arguing?¡± Lillian asked. ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t make anything out, but Miss Chernovna wasn¡¯t hearing it, sent her away, can you believe there¡¯s someone out there that can send the number one away like that? Shoot, I saw her try to go into the room after Miss Chernovna and like, she couldn¡¯t even walk in the door. Probably some fancy next-gen ASTA tech. Just froze when she tried to step in,¡± The girl recounted, closing her book. ¡°Bet they were a thing once, Sonya likes ¡®em pretty,¡± Another said, staring up at the ceiling. ¡°She¡¯s not exactly shy when she¡¯s in a good mood.¡± All of the girls startedughing; ¡°She¡¯s impossible!¡± Oneughed. ¡°At least she isn¡¯t a lecher or something, just likes to tease,¡± Another said. ¡°I bet she was a dirty old man in a past life,¡± A third said before a book snapped shut and they all went silent. They nced over to see a scowling Cassiopeia staring at them. ¡°Could you not badmouth Miss Chernova in front of me please?¡± She said darkly, ¡°She¡¯s done a lot for me, and I would appreciate it if you kept your mouths shut,¡± She snapped and set her book down before rolling over, ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°Oops,¡± One girl whispered. The text box appeared in Lillian''s face before she felt Snow draw near. She shifted and looked up as the girl slipped onto the bed next to her. She looked down at her phone and tapped away. ¡°Uh, hey,¡± Lillian murmured. Snow asked. Lillian stared at the words for a moment before a pit formed in her stomach. She frowned and then slumped, ¡°Yeah. How¡¯d you know?¡± Snow said. She nced over at Snow, opened her mouth and then closed it. She¡¯d learned not to ask stupid questions over the past few days. She¡¯d already stepped on onend mine with the girl, she wasn¡¯t about to do it again. Snow said and in a quick movementnded a small peck on her cheek. Lillian watched her go, reaching up to touch her cheek, her mouth hanging open a little bit, ¡°Huh,¡± She looked at her hand and then up at Snow as she jumped into her own bed. ¡°Yeah, good night,¡± She mumbled and nced at her pillow. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was going to get any sleep after that. Not that she had a choice. Her schedule was practically set in stone now, the next day wasing, and she had a feeling things were going to start moving fast soon.
Side Story: Lillian 1 Side Story: Lillian 1 Lillian hit the ground, hard, and rolled onto her side. She let out a cough and reached up to wipe her lip. Every single time she got past that ten second mark it was like the difficulty spiked like crazy. She pressed her hands against the floor and pushed herself up to a sitting position. She was grateful for the slight give that it had. Every time she hit the ground it absorbed just enough of the shock to make sure she wasn¡¯t seriously injured. Above her, Sonya stood with her arms crossed in that same shirt, cks, and suspendersbo. Sonya crossed her arms and looked down at her, ¡°Twelve seconds, you¡¯re improving bit by bit. It¡¯s almost a shame I have to go to Europe next week,¡± Sonya said with a small smile, reaching down to her, ¡°Need some help?¡± Lillian shook her head and pushed herself to her feet. A knee buckled a little and she put her hand on it to stabilize it. ¡°N-no, I¡¯m fine,¡± She grunted, fixing her face in a determined frown. Her teacher tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t you tough?¡± She said with an admiring smile before taking a quick step back, resting her hands behind her back and swaying a little, ¡°Going to be a top hero in no time at all.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Lillian grunted and looked at her hands, the golden mes appeared on her fingertips before retracting, ¡°If only I can get a handle on it. Miss ck Lotus says I have a long way to go, but she¡¯s been a big help,¡± Lillian said, ncing up a bit hesitant at Sonya. She wasn¡¯t blind, there was something going on between ck Lotus and Sonya and it wasn¡¯t a happy thing. ¡°She¡¯s done a lot for me.¡± Sonya pursed her lips, ¡°Has she? Well,¡± Sonya reached up and flipped her ponytail over her shoulder, ¡°Keep listening to her. If anyone can help you, she can,¡± Sonya said before ncing up and past Lillian, her expression changed from one of mild disinterest to curiosity and then amusement. She raised an eyebrow, ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Lillian asked, ncing over her shoulder. There was nothing there but the open entrance to the dojo. She frowned, confused, damn I missed it. She scratched her short hair and looked back at Sonya who was fixing her with a stare. She was really, really close, nearly nose to nose. Lillian shifted back a bit, C-cologne? She blinked and staggered back onto her butt. ¡°Huh? What was that about?¡± Sonya quirked a lip at her from above, ¡°Oh, just making a social observation,¡± Sonya said with a chuckle and walked past her, ¡°Hit the showers, Landrey!¡± Lillian scrambled back to her feet and watched the woman sashay out, hand raised in goodbye. She rounded the corner around the entrance to the dojo and disappeared. Lillian stared at the spot she¡¯d just been and frowned, scratching her head, ¡°What the heck was that all about?¡± Lillian mumbled with a sigh, rubbing her arms and checking for any marks. ¡°No fresh bruises at least,¡± She muttered before taking the woman¡¯s advice and making her way towards themon building. Under the showerhead she rest her forehead against the wall, Twelve seconds, still nowhere near a passing grade. I know I¡¯m only a few weeks in but still, I feel like I¡¯ve hit a wall, She sighed and shut off the shower, drying herself off and getting dressed. She scratched her head again, Maybe I should try a different approach? Direct blows don¡¯t seem to do much now that I¡¯m past ten seconds. Maybe I can ask ck Lotus to teach me some feints. She smiled, Yeah that¡¯s a good idea! Freshly determined and blessedly clean she stepped out of the shower and rounded the corner just in time for a soft hand tond on her shoulder. She nced back and saw pink eyes staring at her with slightly unhinged mirth, ¡°Uh¡­ Hi Miss Chernovna?¡± She babbled as the woman got closer and grinned at her. ¡°Hi to you too!¡± Sonyaughed and wrapped her arm around Lillians, ¡°Walk with me,¡± She ordered and started to lead Lillian towards themon area, ¡°So I was thinking,¡± Sonya said, tapping her lips, ¡°We should talk a little about the design of your hero outfit, it¡¯s never too early, I think. You like orange, right?¡± She said yfully. Why is this happening? Lillian groaned inwardly as the woman dragged her along. ¡°Uh, I mean sure, I guess,¡± She rubbed her neck, ¡°I like orange a lot but it doesn¡¯t have to be the whole thing. Should we be talking about this out in the open, I thought we were supposed to be keeping it on the down low, covering it up for now,¡± It was true, Sonya was a bit of a flirt and an entric but she was definitely off today. What was her game? Sonya nced in one direction and smiled impishly, even going as far as to shoot a wink. Lillian started to turn in that direction when Sonya ced a finger on her abs and she looked down with surprise, ¡°Now Lillian, I would never cover all this up! That would be a terrible business decision! I have a designer that I¡¯m rather close to who would be ecstatic to have you as a subject. I¡¯m nning on meeting up with her in Europe actually, I can bring her a few of your suggestions.¡± Lillian stared down at the hand and then up at Sonya, ¡°I have a question.¡± Sonya tilted her head and smiled innocently, ¡°I¡¯m here to listen!¡± Lillian¡¯s face went a little deadpan, ¡°Why are you flirting with me?¡± Sonya gasped and put a hand over her heart, ¡°Lillian, I never! I am an instructor!¡± She snorted and grinned before patting Lillian¡¯s arm, ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you, you are so cute, honestly it¡¯s a shame you haven¡¯t found a belle yet, seems to be a fad these days at the camp,¡± Sonya said looking a little sad for a moment, ncing off to the right again and grinning. ¡°You know, if someone doesn¡¯t bite soon, I might have to take even more drastic action,¡± She tilted her head forward and looked straight into Lillian¡¯s eyes, ¡°You¡¯re smart but¡­¡± She leaned up and put her lips to Lillian¡¯s ear, ¡°Perhaps you could try to be a bit more decisive?¡± She whispered and pulled away with a slightly manicugh. Lillian blinked twice, staring at the mischievous woman as she took another yful step back. As she did, a blur moved between them and a hand grabbed onto her wrist. Sonya barked out anotherugh and keptughing as Lillian was pulled down the hall and towards one of the side rooms. She hadn¡¯t even realized she was being tugged along until she nced down and saw a ck hoodie in front of her. She nced over her shoulder at the crazy woman who gave her a wink and a thumbs up before turning away again with augh. That crazy¡­ She was pulled into the side room and the door mmed shut behind her. She looked down into a pair of white eyes that looked into hers with frustration. There were little tears there. Bits of ck and white television-snow hair poked out from beneath Snow¡¯s hood and she was gripping her long baggy sweater tightly enough that her shorts could actually be seen for once. Lillian felt her shoulders slump a little bit, ¡°Y-you- I-¡± She hesitated as the girl looked up at her even more intently, ¡°We-¡± She cleared her throat. She wanted to just pick Snow up and hug her, she knew what Snow wanted her to say right now. It was just embarrassing. Snow frowned at her, she didn¡¯t pull out her phone. Lillian let out a breath and forced herself to rx, letting an easy smile cross her face. ¡°We¡¯ve been pretty inseparable since we met, huh?¡± Lillian said, trying to figure out what to do with her hands and just letting them rest at her side helplessly. Snow¡¯s hard face rxed a little and her frown quirked a little bit towards a smile, just a little. ¡°You-¡± She cleared her throat and flushed, ¡°Me-¡± She swallowed and stumbled a bit. ¡°Dang it this is hard,¡± She scratched her head. ¡°I¡¯m just better when-¡± Snow threw her head back with a noiseless groan and whipped out her phone. She reached up and grabbed Lillian by the sleeve and tugged. Lillian crouched down a little while Snow tapped furiously on it for a moment with one hand. She shot Lillian a petnt look before shoving the screen in her face. Lillian rxed, ¡°I can do that,¡± She said and looked up into Snow¡¯s pale eyes, ¡°If that¡¯s alright with you.¡± Snow¡¯s face fell, then went through a whole litany of emotions as her hand trembled against Lillian¡¯s jacket. She pulled herself forward and rest her head against Lillian¡¯s chest, giving it one little punch for good measure. ¡°Yeah I deserved that, sorry,¡± Lillian said and wrapped her arms around Snow¡¯s trembling shoulders. She rest her chin on Snow¡¯s head as a message appeared to her right. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Hey now, not dense, just didn¡¯t know how to-¡± Snow pulled back and grabbed her by her face. Her hands were delicate, soft, a little small, but the young woman didn¡¯t hide that she¡¯d grown a little stronger through her conditioning training. She turned Lillian¡¯s head towards hers and gave her a gentle kiss before pulling back with the biggest smile Lillian had ever seen. Lillian stared at her for a heartbeat before wrapping an arm around Snow¡¯s waist. The smaller woman blinked and Lillian gave her a hard look. ¡°Come here.¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Sonya made a face, pursing her lips and squinting at the masked guard sitting across from her in the secure vehicle. The guard shifted a bit under her stare as she crossed her arms. He shifted again and the guard next to him looked away. The momentary look of betrayal in the first guard¡¯s shoulders was very telling. He cleared his throat as Sonya crossed her legs and gave him a frown. Next to her, Marta also shifted a bit in her seat. ¡°Is someone going to exin to me why I can¡¯t sit with my guests?¡± Sonya huffed. The first guard looked at hisrade again who looked away even more pointedly. Marta restrained a smile next to Sonya. Sonya could feel her trembling a little with barely concealedughter. The CEO crossed her arms and tilted her head, ¡°I¡¯m waiting,¡± She pouted. The guard cleared his throat, ¡°W-we didn¡¯t have their clearance, ma¡¯am, and there needs to be at least two of us in a vehicle with you at-¡± Sonya stared at him, ¡°Speaking of vehicles, a motorcade? Really?¡± The guard flinched and basically threw his head at hisrade for help. Marta cleared her throat and reached over to squeeze Sonya¡¯s arm, she turned, her lips trembling as she restrained herughter, ¡°Sonya, go easy on them, they¡¯re just doing their job.¡± Huffing a little, Sonya sighed and slumped a bit in her seat, ¡°Fine, fine, yeah you guys did the right thing. I guess. Would have been more fun with them with me and the motorcade during the day, though,¡± Sonya muttered and crossed her arms petntly, ¡°What good¡¯s a motorcade if nobody¡¯s watching?¡± Martaughed, ¡°You know that¡¯s not the point.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Sonya grumbled and then sighed, sitting up a bit and smiling at the two guards, ¡°Alright, teasing aside,¡± She nced between the two men and their names appeared over their heads. A quick connection to the ASTApany database pulled up the relevant information. It was hard to keep track of everyone who worked for her as much as she would like to memorize every one of their lives. She turned to the first, ¡°How¡¯s your son doing, Carlos?¡± The first guard, Carlos, stared at her for a moment, ¡°Um¡­ great! He¡¯s starting football this year.¡± She smiled, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, how old is he?¡± ¡°Nine, ma¡¯am, almost ten,¡± He said, his shoulders rxing a little. ¡°Almost ten!¡± Sonya whistled, ¡°I bet he¡¯s excited. Does he need anything, equipment? I¡¯m not a big sports girl myself so I don¡¯t know everything about it.¡± The guard rubbed his neck, ¡°Y-you pay me more than enough to cover it all, ma¡¯am.¡± Sonya nodded, ¡°You just let me know if you need anything,¡± She said and turned to the other guard who had been avoiding the confrontation, ¡°And what about you, Liam? Got any ns? I saw you put in for vacation time soon.¡± Liam cleared his throat, ¡°I¡¯m getting Married, going to Maui with her,¡± He said, looking significantly more animated. ¡°My wife saw the uh¡­¡± He trailed off. Sonya barked out augh, ¡°The Maui photoshoot cover? It¡¯s beautiful there, good for you. I know a wonderful beach house, actually,¡± Sonya said and tilted her head, ¡°Check your email during your next break, dear. You get those tickets, I¡¯ll hook you up with the same view she saw.¡± The guard slumped in his seat, ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am,¡± He mumbled. Sonya leaned forward and pat his knee, ¡°You¡¯re protecting me, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡± ¨C The motorcade arrived at the gates to the Pandora Committee headquarters not long after that and some suits hurried over to open the doors for her. Sheughed as she stepped out of the car, ¡°I¡¯lle see a game! It sounds fun, Carlos,¡± She said and took the hand of one of the men who were waiting for her outside, ¡°Thank you,¡± She slipped onto the ground and stepped away as Marta made her way out and nced around, watching their surroundings for a moment while the other two got out of the opposite side and did a quick sweep before meeting back up at her. She took their hands, ¡°Thank you both, I¡¯ll see you after the meet-and-greet.¡± ¡°It was great meeting you, ma¡¯am,¡± Liam said with Carlos nodding emphatically next to him. Sonya winked at them and nced past before holding out a hand, ¡°There she is.¡± Mika walked over and took Sonya¡¯s hand for a moment before smirking and allowing a little distance. Sonya chuckled, ¡°How was the drive? Sorry about that, rules and everything.¡± ¡°You hire some very kind people,¡± Mika said with a small smile, ¡°They were nice.¡± Sonya nodded, ¡°Good,¡± She nced up at Beta who joined them, ¡°So! Let¡¯s go see what all the excitement is about, mm? Marta, badges?¡± Marta stepped up and held out a thin metal box. She opened it and inside were two metal tes attached tonyards. Sonya picked hers up and pressed her thumb against it. The metal flickered for a moment before brightening and revealing a picture of her face, her name, her ability¡¯s tier, and the words ¡®Pandora Committee Official¡¯ above ¡®ASTA Corporate CEO¡¯. Sonya plucked thenyard up and slipped it around her neck. ¡°They¡¯re for bypassing certain security checks, tied to biometrics and a few other things,¡± Sonya exined to a confused Mika. ¡°Very secure,¡± Mika said thoughtfully. Beta nodded, ¡°Pandora Headquarters is one of the most secure government buildings in the world,¡± The woman exined, ¡°With viins on the rise, it goes without saying that their officials have passes for entry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sonya said and frowned a little, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to go through security normally but I can push it along a little bit, stick with medies!¡± Sonya said and turned on her heel, marching up to the gates where a man in a suit was holding a portable RTE in one hand and a phone in the other. He held the phone up to Sonya and Marta¡¯s badges before nodding. ¡°You¡¯re clear, wee to Headquarters, Miss Chernovna, Handmaiden,¡± The man said before turning to the other two, ¡°Please hold this device, it will check to see if you have an ability and what tier. Also-¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine, just check their RTA reading,¡± Sonya interrupted. The man nced her way, ¡°Right. Please ept the device.¡± A quick check showed that neither of them had abilities, after that there was just a cursory metal detector wand scan and the gates opened for the four of them to enter. Sonya straightened her tie as she walked in, taking in the elegant garden path that stretched out towards therge regal looking building ahead of her. Flowers lined the paths broken up by green grass. Lights were positioned to give the ce a magical feel. Near the beginning of the path, a marble statue stood bearing a achingly familiar face. Hi, Nick, Sonya thought sadly and started walking only to pause when she saw a sign at the head of the path. She grimaced, ¡°...oh no.¡± Marta snorted behind her and even Mika giggled a little, ¡°The Sonya Chernovna Path of Legends?¡± Mika read aloud, sending a chill up Sonya¡¯s spine from pure embarrassment. Sonya groaned, ¡°They didn¡¯t have to name it after me. I just paid for it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what normally happens?¡± Beta pointed out. ¡°On request!¡± Sonya whined. Marta pat Sonya¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Just endure,¡± She chuckled as Sonya shot her a dirty look. Traitor. Sonya grumbled before making her way past the god awful sign and to the statue of her lost friend. She looked up at it, the bright eyes and the gentle smile. They did a good job. She thought before looking down at the dedication. FIRESTORM, BURNED BRIGHTER THAN ANY BEFORE HIM, INSPIRED A GENERATION. HERO OF THE BATTLE OF VEGAS. Sonya¡¯s lips trembled a little as she knelt down and put her hand on the sign, ¡°I kept my promise, didn¡¯t I?¡± She said with a heavy heart, running her fingers over the words, ¡°And I¡¯ll keep doing it.¡± ¡°He was a good man,¡± Marta said. ¡°One of the best,¡± Sonya said and got to her feet. ¡°He had a crush on you,¡± Marta teased, which drew Mikalya¡¯s raised eyebrows. Sonya rolled her eyes, ¡°Oh, why did you have to bring that up? I¡¯m no blind! Of course I knew, poor thing,¡± She said with a smallugh, ¡°That goofy man,¡± She shook her head, ¡°Anyway!¡± Sonya barked, striking a pose, ¡°We¡¯ve got politicians to meet.¡± Sonya led the others down the path that had plenty of spots waiting for statues of future heroes like Firestorm. She admired the beauty of the ce, but she appreciated something a little more. A private joke just for herself. This ce, this spot, this was where Otis would have built Avalon in the future. Just another little snub to the arrogant bastard. The thought alone brought a smile to her face as she imagined the look on his stupid blonde- Wait. She frowned, I remember his face? She blinked and nearly nced over her shoulder, Hold on, the other aspirants have mentioned him in conversation too. What changed? Before she could think any harder on the sudden revtion a voice called out to her from the steps leading to the building. She looked up to see the Chairman standing there with a ss of champagne in his hand and a big smile on his face. She brightened for his benefit, ¡°Chairman!¡± She ted, walking up to him and holding out her harms to bring him into an embrace, ¡°How are you dear?¡± He returned the hug with augh, ¡°I¡¯m well, Sonya! Good to see you.¡± She tilted her head and smiled at him, Not for much longer. Your time¡¯s almost up, I think. I was impressed that you had the political strength to stick around, even with me vouching for you. It doesn¡¯t matter, though, I¡¯ve got a recement finally prepared. ¡°Thank you,¡± She said sweetly, ¡°Oh! You know Marta of course, but let me introduce Beta Li of the Li fashionpany and her head designer, Mika Summer!¡± Sonya said, stepping to the side for the two women. ¡°Charmed!¡± The Chairman guffawed, shaking both of their hands, ¡°My wife is actually wearing your clothes, Miss Summer. She¡¯ll be excited to hear that I met you. I also understand that you designed the International Team¡¯s gear, you are a master of your craft.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Mikalya flushed, ¡°Thank you!¡± Sonya nced at Beta who looked immensely proud of her protege. She turned to the Chairman, ¡°I wanted them to see the ce before they went back to where they were staying.¡± ¡°Pishposh!¡± The Chairman blustered, ¡°They¡¯re more than wee inside! Come in!¡± He turned and boisterously lead the quartet through the doors into the enormous brightly lit atrium of the building. Marble walls and floor greeted them. Sonya nced down at the expensive carpet and raised an eyebrow. They certainly went overboard with decorating. Politicians. She exchanged a look with Marta as they went further inside. There were dozens of people there all drinking, talking, and shaking hands. The pre-party to break the ice before the big meeting over the next few days. ¡°Sonya Chernovna in the flesh!¡± A voice called out to her and she nced to the left to see a pair of men in suits approaching her. The man on the left had tan skin and perfect ck hair to match his immacte goatee. The man on the right was a dirty blonde who radiated smugness in a way that reminded her of her worst enemy. ¡°Brent Marion and Adam Frask! We finally meet in person!¡± Sonya enthused before ncing at Mika and Beta with a wink, ¡°I guess it¡¯s right to business,dies, enjoy the refreshments,¡± She murmured. Mika chuckled and waved her off while Marta fell into step with Sonya. ¡°How are things at Marion and Forge?¡± She asked, shaking the two men¡¯s hands. They gripped hard, she just grinned and returned a firm grip of her own as she nced at their names. Both awakened, huh? Analyze. Fascinating. Wasted on them. ¡°Have a good look?¡± Brent asked with a grin, reaching up to pull back his blonde hair and look down at her. Next to him, Adam grinned as well. ¡°Well, they¡¯re certainly interesting. I¡¯m surprised you aren¡¯t working as heroes,¡± Sonya said honestly, ¡°A bit of a waste, if you ask me.¡± Brent frowned, ¡°I make much more of a difference providing for heroes.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Sonya chuckled, ¡°Why would I think anything else?¡± She teased before turning to Adam, ¡°Thank you for lending Axel to the camp, Adam, that was very kind of you. I know he¡¯s one of your biggest assets.¡± Adam inclined his head, ¡°It was nothing. Forge wants to see the next generation grow.¡± Sonya smiled at him, ¡°I think we¡¯ll get along famously.¡± Brent frowned harder, ¡°Um.¡± ¡°Miss Chernovna!¡± Another voice called out to her, she nced in the direction of the voice and smiled before turning back to the two men. ¡°We¡¯ll talk moreter, boys,¡± She said and walked away with Brent fuming behind her. That was fun, she thought to herself while Marta maintained her perfect stoicism next to her. Now you wear the mask, Sonya thought and gave her a small smile. Marta just winked back at her. Next were a few representatives of various countries, most of the conversation was small talk, though until a representative from Italy raised a point, ¡°I¡¯m surprised that Miss Mint isn¡¯t here,¡± He said, ncing around, ¡°You two are usually thick as thieves.¡± Sonya chuckled, ¡°Well! Ca takes the work of the Committee very seriously, she¡¯s overseeing the East Coast Aspirant Camp right now and wishes she could be here,¡± Sonya said honestly, ¡°The next generation is her priority, though.¡± ¡°Very admirable,¡± One representative said. ¡°I really should reach out to her at some point, it would be good to make contact,¡± Another said. ¡°With her managing North America she¡¯se a long way,¡± A third added. Sonya kept her pleasant poker face, ¡°She is certainly worth getting to know,¡± Sonya chimed in, ¡°I have a lot of faith in her and what she can do for the Committee.¡± ¡°Well said,¡± Another representative chimed in, Sonya eyed his massive mustache as it wriggled, it made her think of a caterpir and was immensely distracting. ¡°I hear the two of you are married? How interesting!¡± Sonya barked out augh, ¡°Something like that,¡± Sonya said, cupping her face and looking coy as best she can, ¡°Workes first, of course, and we take our jobs very seriously.¡± ¡°Oho! I see! Apologies for jumping to conclusions, the rumor mill is a scary ce,¡± The official grunted, straightening his tie. Save me from this small talk, Sonya whined as she smiled back at him as another face strode forward that took her a little by surprise. A pair of red eyes locked with hers and she froze. She returned the stare of the well dressed tan-skinned man who adjusted his tie and smiled at her from a safe distance. Far enough away to avoid a handshake. Marta shifted and Sonya gave her a sharp look to hold back. ¡°I hear you¡¯re building a new headquarters, how is that going?¡± Astaroth, future Herald of Otis said as every murderous impulse Sonya had fired off in her brain. ¡°Lucien DuCast, by the way. Though I imagine you already know that with those fancy eyes of yours.¡± She reigned it in, ¡°Mister DuCast! It¡¯s going well, thank you!¡± Sonya said with all the sweetness she could muster for the beast in human flesh, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were joining us tonight, what is a hero like yourself doing here?¡± And how do you know about my new building, you bastard? I took pains to have it constructed underyers of shellpanies. He grinned, ¡°Security for the French Representative. I¡¯m leaving in the morning, though, duty calls, being an Assistant Guildmaster is very busy work,¡± He said dramatically, ¡°But, I saw your pretty face and just had to say hello.¡± She returned his grin with one of her own, ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure this won¡¯t be thest time we meet. Thank you foring by to say hello.¡± He winked at her and turned away, returning to the side of his charge. Sonya restrained a shudder as she stared at his back. Sick bastard. She thought before turning back to the other representatives, ¡°Now, where were we?¡±
Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Sonya was relieved that Astaroth decided not to make a second appearance in her circles of conversation for the rest of the night. He was still ever present, still a constant awareness at the back of her mind, but she managed to at least push him to the periphery. She couldn¡¯t kill him here as much as she wanted to. She had her priorities and it was good enough knowing where he currently stood in the world. Her knowledge of his early years before bing a Herald was fuzzy at best at any rate. She did have Marta keep a close eye on him, though. She had other things to worry about, after all; ¡°Do you have any policy proposals for tomorrow, Miss Chernovna?¡± The representative from China asked, shaking her hand briefly. His power wasn¡¯t anything to write home about. She inclined her head, ¡°I have a few things in mind, Mister Ma,¡± Sonya said with a small smile, ¡°I do want to make sure that things are progressing properly with the Dharan project, after all.¡± The thin, balding man raised an eyebrow, ¡°That can¡¯t be all,¡± He said leadingly. You¡¯re going to have to try harder than that. She thought with a coy smile, ¡°Perhaps a discussion forter,¡± She offered as she pulled her hand away and sipped at her drink. Ugh, wine, I¡¯m so sick of wine. Every party it¡¯s wine or spirits. I need to hit a club after this or something, they¡¯ve gotta have soda or something sweeter. ¡°Do you like it, by the way? I contributed many of the drinks,¡± Mister Ma asked, eager to ingratiate himself. She knew of China¡¯s desire to poach her from the United States, not that she was loyal to the country in any real respect. New York was just convenient. Still, they were a little overbearing about it. She studied the drink with her senses, grumbling inwardly at using her powers for pedantic things, but was fortunately interrupted by another person who approached. She nced in the woman¡¯s direction and narrowed her eyes a fraction. Her lips curled upward and she turned her gaze back to Mister Ma, ¡°Forgive me, it looks like I have someone I need to catch up with a bit, Mister Ma,¡± She said and turned, walking towards the woman waiting expectantly to the side. Mister Ma opened his mouth but Marta put herself between him and Sonya. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sonya muttered before brightening at the pretty face in front of her. Dark hair fell down in curls around slender shoulders and a pretty neckline ented by jeweled earrings. Dark eyes stared into hers. ¡°Representative Ileva,¡± Sonya said politely, canting her head to the right, ¡°You look lovely.¡± ¡°Chernovna,¡± The woman said, locking eyes with Sonya, ¡°I wanted to speak with you about a private matter.¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow and looked the woman up and down, before staring her right back in the eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t tie up women I just met unless they ask nicely.¡± The woman¡¯s nostrils red a little and she cleared her throat, shifting a bit under Sonya¡¯s luminous stare, ¡°A family matter.¡± Sonya¡¯s expression shifted a bit but she kept her thoughts still, ¡°Not much to say, is there?¡± The woman nced around once before speaking, ¡°You were a target of Grelen¡¯s Education Policies, he isn¡¯t-¡± ¡°I know what happened when I was little, I¡¯m not stupid, Representative,¡± Sonya said with a sigh, ¡°I also know that the man who instituted them and the policies themselves are already abolished by the current Kremlin,¡± Sonya added. She looked down at the wine, it seemed a bit more sour than before, ¡°I don¡¯t have any attachment to specific people in my homnd, if that¡¯s what you are getting at.¡± ¡°I simply wanted to express to you that the Kremlin wants to build a better rtionship with ASTA, and that mending that bridge would be a good ce to start,¡± The woman said. Sonya shot a nce towards the Chairman, At least they didn¡¯t send an obvious honey pot. She thought before looking at Ileva, ¡°Consider the matter well and truly behind me. I have no rtionship with my parents and don¡¯t care for one. They have new names and new lives, let them enjoy it quietly,¡± Sonya said with all the pleasantness she could muster for a part of her life she cared very little about, ¡°The Kremlin doesn¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m here to support all heroes and Earth as a whole.¡± ¡°I am relieved, then,¡± The woman said with a perfect smile, ¡°Perhaps we can talk a bit more at length as the conference proceeds?¡± ¡°I think that would be a marvelous idea,¡± Sonya said with an easy grin and held out her hand, ¡°Please, Call me Sonya from now on.¡± The woman took it and they shook briefly, ¡°Polina then.¡± ¨C The rest of the party was a cyclical dance of politicking and conversations that Sonya spent most of her time listening to. She tried a few times to approach Mika and Beta to check on them but the Chairman had taken it upon himself to show her guests around with all the pageantry he could muster. It was fun enough just to watch how Beta easedfortably into everything while poor Mikalya just stared in awe at nearly everything. More importantly, the less time I spend around them while here, the less of a hassle they¡¯ll get from parties interest in me in the future. ¡°You¡¯re in your element,¡± Marta said as things began to wind down. She stood at Sonya¡¯s right, surveying the room and casting small stares at anyone who approached to give her charge a little breathing room. ¡°Hardly,¡± Sonya grunted and red down at her drink, ¡°I¡¯d rather be out having fun. I hope there are a few good clubs open thiste.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised,¡± Marta said, ¡°Just get the politics over with and enjoy the rest of the week. The conference is only for a few days.¡± Sonya clicked her tongue, ¡°Yeah I know. What¡¯s he doing?¡± ¡°Hovering with his charge and the Representative from Australia,¡± Marta said, ¡°He looks so different,¡± She added, leaving out ¡®from the memories¡¯. Sonya nced up in Astaroth¡¯s direction, ¡°Mm, not in his prime yet,¡± Sonya muttered and squeezed her ss a little, The faint creak of the ss shifting a bit beneath her fingers drew Marta¡¯s attention and her hand rested on Sonya¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just surprised. Changed the whole mood for me.¡± ¡°Some people are leaving,¡± Marta pointed out, ¡°Maybe get out of here, get thedies to the hotel, and go find yourself a club to lounge in?¡± Sonya leaned back against her dear friend¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¨C Mika and Beta were only too happy toply with Marta¡¯s suggestion when they approached the pair, happy to be free of the boisterous Chairman. Sonya led them out of the building before getting them back to their hotel. She didn¡¯t expect to see them much more until after the conference itself, but it was nice to know that they were getting a proper vacation without much in the way of real excitement. She owed Mika that much at least. After the two women retired, Sonya and Marta found themselves on the sidewalk outside ate-night club on the streets of The Hague. ¡°A speakeasy, really?¡± Sonya murmured. ¡°Turns out there¡¯s not much in the way of legitimate nightlife here,¡± Marta pointed out. ¡°Especially not to my tastes,¡± Sonya grunted, ¡°Okay then. Are youing in?¡± Marta gave her an incredulous look and Sonyaughed, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll ¡®slip¡¯ back to the hotel when I¡¯m done. Go rest.¡± Marta inclined her head and bowed a little, ¡°Have a wonderful evening, miss.¡± Sonya gave her friend a smile and slipped up to the door, knocking twice before shing a slip of paper with the phrase they¡¯d managed to dig up with a bare minimum of effort. They weren¡¯t trying very hard to keep it under wraps if you had a bit of money to throw around. She smiled as the door opened and was led down into afortable lobby by the innocuous man in a suit. Another door opened for her and music flooded into her ears along with the pleasant scents of night-club life. She took a deep breath and savored it before sliding inside. The club itself was spacious, the basement of the building above having beenpletely remodeled from its original state. Wood floors and cool lighting gave it a rxed vibe. Off to the right was a long bar with a few bartenders working while on the left was a small expanse of tables where people sat and spoke in quiet tones. A stage near the back had a single young man sitting on a stool ying guitar. She swept her gaze over the room checking names and raised an eyebrow. Interesting. She turned away from the tables and walked to the bar, slipping onto a stool and nced up at the pretty brte bartender standing behind it. The young woman turned to her with a bright smile and paused, catching herself as she locked eyes with Sonya. Sonya looked up into her face, resting her chin on her palm. ¡°Something sweet and bubbly,¡± Sonya said and winked at her. The bartender cleared her throat and turned away hurriedly, going to prepare something. That¡¯s more like it. She let herself rx and listened to the music, going as far as closing her eyes as her senses expanded around her. She could feel the woman mixing the drink a few feet away, the way the air moved, the scents of thebined ingredients. She caught little spots of heat throughout the room, ces where passion was reaching a breaking point. She sensed movement as people got up to go wherever the night would take them. She opened her eyes and looked up into that pretty face again as a stylish ss was filled with pinkish white fizzy liquid. ¡°Night Queen Fizz,¡± The bartender said. Sonya nced at it and then up at her with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Aren¡¯t you perfect?¡± She asked yfully and the bartender moved forward only to step back a bit as someone moved in to sit next to Sonya. Sonya had felt him approaching but had pointlessly hoped that she would get a few moments of sted peace. She should have left when she saw his name. ¡°Scotch,¡± The man grunted. The bartender frowned a little but obliged, pouring a ss and setting it down for him before stepping away. Sonya looked down at her drink and sipped at it, not looking up at him, it was delicious, peaches and lemon. She¡¯d have toe back hereter. ¡°Martin Fuller. What is the ex-Chief Inspector for Pandora¡¯s North America branch doing in a ce like this?¡± ¡°I figured you¡¯d show up here eventually, it¡¯s your kind of ce,¡± He grunted next to her, picking up his ss and taking a long sip. ¡°Drinking again?¡± Sonya asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± He said and set the ss down. ¡°Your partner in the NYPD would be disappointed,¡± Sonya said. ¡°Sure would,¡± Martin grumbled, ¡°Ironsides would be too.¡± ¡°Then stop,¡± Sonya said casually, sipping her drink again and savoring the sweet-tart fizz, ¡°I can set you up with treatment or someone to talk to. Perhaps we can talk about your troubles.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you, I want to talk to her,¡± Martin growled. Sonya set her ss down with a click and nced in his direction. He looked down at her from his greater height. His cheeks were sunken, his hair was even more of a mess than usual, his beard was patched in ces and his whole demeanor was a bit on the feral side. His eyes, though, his eyes were strong. A bright burnished gold that zed likemplights beneath his hooded brows. He stared at her with all the hate and barely restrained violence of a hungry, desperate wolf. She snorted at him and looked back at her drink, ¡°Signed it did you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t give me much of a choice,¡± He growled back and took another swig of his drink. ¡°You always have a choice, sometimes you just don¡¯t realize the choice is there,¡± Sonya said evenly, ¡°People should be more careful of what they say. I¡¯ve heard that faeries can strike deals without the other party even realizing.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s a myth, but I know better,¡± He grunted, leaning against the counter in front of him, ¡°Now bring her out.¡± Sonya took a long sip at her drink, ¡°You¡¯re spoiling my evening.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t very much care,¡± Martin said. ¡°No, you do not,¡± Sonya said with a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate you referring to her as a separate person.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she?¡± Martin hissed. Sonya shot him a hard look, ¡°Watch yourself, Fuller, I don¡¯t have a lot of patience these days.¡± He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh, struck a nerve, did I?¡± She sighed and gestured politely to the young bartender who hurried over to her. She reached out, ¡°I¡¯d like to pay, please,¡± Sonya said and the young woman frowned a bit, ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about cutie, your drink was fabulous. I¡¯ll being back once the atmosphere is a bit better, when do you work next?¡± ¡°...tomorrow night?¡± The bartender said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Sonya asked. ¡°Noe.¡± ¡°Noe, adorable,¡± Sonya said and took the small device the girl handed her. She pulled out the phone she used for her public life and after a moment stepped away from the counter having dropped a sizeable tip. ¡°See you tomorrow, Noe,¡± Sonya said and nced at Martin, ¡°Let¡¯s talk, killjoy.¡± He frowned and turned, nodding to one of the doors near the stage, ¡°They have rooms to stay in back there.¡± Sonya¡¯s nose wrinkled, ¡°You do understand what those are for, right?¡± She asked. He gave her a deadpan look and she rolled her eyes, ¡°Fine,¡± She followed him back through the door and down a dark hallway before he opened one of the doors with a key. Her lip twitched, ¡°You¡¯re staying here?¡± He said nothing as they stepped inside, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it while she took a look around the unkempt space. There were notebooks everywhere, maps, diagrams, photos, he was tracking everything she was doing. She nced his way and raised an eyebrow, ¡°All you need is a kooky website,¡± Sonya chuckled, ¡°Truth is out there.¡± ¡°Let me talk to her,¡± He growled. Sonya frowned again, ¡°I don¡¯t-¡± He stepped forward, his eyes zing with golden light, ¡°Now!¡± He bellowed. She didn¡¯t flinch, she didn¡¯t even blink, she just returned his stare before sighing. Her fingers twitched as her arms went a little ck and she closed her eyes. She listened to the ticking inside of her head, let it all wash away, she pulled the mask up in her mind and slowly let it slide into ce as a coldness washed through her. TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK Ishtar opened her eyes and looked at Martin from across the room, her eyes narrowed, ¡°Detective.¡±
Chapter 104 Chapter 104 She looked the same. Everything about her was the same. He knew, though, he knew she was a different person. Martin scowled at the monster that stood across from him. Those pink eyes of hers glowed a bit brighter, her posture seemed rxed but he could practically feel her body coil like a serpent ready to strike. The pressure came next, the weight of Ishtar¡¯s gaze pushing down on him as luminous digital eyes appeared in the room, flickering to life and staring down at him in judgment. He forced his way through the instinctual animal terror that raced up his spine and into his brain. This is a predator. This is a killer. This is a person fully capable of bringing this entire city down around her without a blink or breaking sweat. This is a person without qualms or any sort of restraints. ¡°Ishtar,¡± He growled. ¡°What can I do for you, detective?¡± She said that word again with derision in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m not a detective anymore,¡± He said sourly. ¡°So I heard,¡± Ishtar hissed, a series of panels of light appearing behind her in the form of free-floating steps. She took a few steps back and sat down on thest one, the rest vanishing as she crossed her legs and looked down at him from above. ¡°Couldn¡¯t handle the pressure after signing away your principles. Stepped down with honors even though you felt nothing but disgrace. Fitting for a washed up old cop like you.¡± He bore his teeth, ¡°I¡¯d ask you why you¡¯re doing all this, but you can¡¯t hide anything from me anymore,¡± He said, ¡°Not with the Gaze of Mimir.¡± Ishtar tilted her head up a little and raised her eyebrows, ¡°My, you really lucked out didn¡¯t you?¡± He ignored her and let his gaze burn. His vision in one eye dimmed as everything that was Ishtar, that was Sonya Chernovna, burned through his retinas and into his brain. Nothing could be hidden from his gaze even if his deal with her prevented him from speaking it to the world. He would know the truth, the whole truth and- Fire. He stumbled back. Death. He shook his head and gripped his skull. Grief. ¡°What the-¡± He gasped, clutching at his head, ¡°What the hell are-¡± He tried to squeeze his eyes shut, to cut off the power, but the die had already been cast. Truth was his whether he wanted it or not. He reeled and mmed his back against the door as visions of nightmares swam in his head, truths, wretched truths, when it all finally past he justy there against the wall and caught his breath, sweat dripping down his face. ¡°Stare into the abyss and all that,¡± Ishtar said casually, checking her nails, ¡°Enjoy the show?¡± His eyes flicked back to her, ¡°I get it now,¡± He growled and forced himself to stand up straight again. She frowned and gave him a disappointed look, ¡°Of course you do, is that all?¡± She asked, clearly growing bored of the conversation, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit,¡± He bit out, stepping forward through the soupy air as his body screamed against him to not approach the living breathing source of death standing in front of him. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you,¡± He bit out, working up every single nerve he had to keep staring her in the eyes even as his knees trembled and his palms sweat, ¡°I can¡¯t fight you. Not myself. I can¡¯t win on my own. I only have these two eyes and this wasted body of mine.¡± She raised her eyebrows, her attentioning fully on him, ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll find a way. I don¡¯t care how noble, you are a murderer, a psychopath, and a viin. Worse than a viin. Superviin suits you well,¡± He snorted, ¡°Nah, that isn¡¯t even fitting enough anymore is it? After you basically orchestrated Vegas and then gave a god damn speech at Firestorm¡¯s funeral!¡± He shouted. ¡°For what? A fake peace? A bncing act born out of the promise of mutually assured destruction all to get back at some punk kid?¡± Her lips thinned, ¡°That ¡®kid¡¯-¡± ¡°I know who he is!¡± He barked and pointed at his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll bring him down, not you! I¡¯ll bring you down and the rest of your disgusting cabal, I swear it.¡± She tilted her head to the right and des of light appeared around her, ¡°I could kill you now, you know? Be done with you as an interloper.¡± ¡°But you won¡¯t,¡± He said with a grin. ¡°Because you¡¯re just as crazy as he is. You want an opponent, you want someone who will bring you down in the end so you can heroically die knowing that you did the world a favor,¡± He spat, ¡°Fuck you. I¡¯ll see to it that you spend the rest of your life in a box, reminded every day of the crimes youmitted.¡± In a sh of movement Ishtar was in front of him, floating, her eyes boring down on him. He felt his heart lock up and his breath catch in his throat. Fear was everything, but he wouldn¡¯t back down, couldn¡¯t back down from the monster standing in front of him. Not if he called himself a proper human being still. He clenched his fists and stared back into those cruel mechanical eyes as the worlds most hated superviin stared down at him with naught but malice. ¡°I¡¯ll find like minded people, people you¡¯ve hurt, heroes who know. Bringing down your public image is basically impossible at this point, but there are people out there who will stand up to you, the real you,¡± He said, ¡°People who aren¡¯t swayed by your puppet ¡®Pandora Committee¡¯.¡± Her lip twitched, ¡°I like your drive, Detective,¡± She said coldly. ¡°Figured you would,¡± He shot back. ¡°I wish more people were like you. Maybe humanity would have had a shotst time around,¡± She said, still not leaving his personal space. ¡°We¡¯ll get it right this time, on our own, thanks,¡± He grunted. ¡°Sure you will,¡± Ishtar snorted and floated away,nding on the ground with her back to him. She nced over her shoulder, ¡°Astaroth is in the city. He¡¯s guarding the French Representative for Pandora.¡± He narrowed his eyes. Astaroth. From what the Gaze of Mimir had told him, Astaroth was a lunatic who would help bring the world to ruin. A ver who treated humans like cattle and fed them to his mindless demon pets as treats. Ishtar was bad, one of the worst, but at least her intentions were ¡®noble¡¯; he could trust she wouldn¡¯t go out of her way to cause harm just for fun. Astaroth on the other hand¡­ His stomach twisted and his scowl deepened, ¡°Why did you tell me that?¡± ¡°Because you won¡¯t be able to leave it alone, knowing he¡¯s here,¡± Ishtar said with a chuckle, ¡°I have no intention of causing trouble during my visit, Detective, I¡¯ll meet with themittee and go back home. That¡¯s my n anyway. What are you going to do?¡± He clenched his fists, ¡°You¡¯re manipting me.¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± Ishtarughed, ¡°It¡¯s working, isn¡¯t it?¡± He spat and looked away, ¡°This isn¡¯t over, I will find like-minded people, I will bring you down. I refuse to do any favors for you. I¡¯ll figure out how to get the truth out on my own.¡± Ishtar waved a hand and a pane of white light appeared next to her, the center of the pane distended and twisted until it turned into a deep dark hole. She nced his way and smiled at him, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it, good luck, Detective,¡± She said and stepped inside. It closed behind her and her presence vanished from the room. He felt every muscle in his body sag as he copsed, his hands on the ground as sweat dripped every pore in his body. He heaved, coughing and shuddering as all that terror he¡¯d pushed away caught up to him. His knees trembled every time he tried to get to his feet. Eventually he just gave up and fell onto his side, coughing and shaking. ¡°M-monster. I¡¯ll stop you. I swear it.¡± But first¡­ I¡¯ll build a case against Astaroth. ¨C Ishtar stepped through the portal and into the hotel room, a smile on her face despite the confrontation. She¡¯d enjoyed herself a little bit. His power is fascinating. It¡¯s too bad he¡¯s discredited himself so thoroughly. Even so, he has some fire in his belly, he might actually be able to pull something off with the right push. For now I¡¯ll have him go y with Astaroth. That will help in more ways than one, she thought as she stalked past the bed where Marta was sleeping. She walked to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. ¡°Now, I think it¡¯s time we had a candid conversation, don¡¯t you agree?¡± She asked and turned to the mirror. Sonya stared back at her in the mirror and frowned, ¡°I¡¯m getting worse.¡± ¡°We are getting worse,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°There¡¯s no point in dawdling about the point anymore, Sonya dear.¡± Sonya looked away, her expression pained. ¡°Sonya,¡± Ishtar said and rest her hands on the counter, looking into the mirror, ¡°Darling listen to me, please, I swore to you that I would never go against you, I exist to protect you, to help you get where you wanted to be. I gave you my word, between us, you know what that means,¡± Ishtar implored the young woman, ¡°I can¡¯t lie to you, to anyone.¡± Sonya turned and looked back at her in the mirror, ¡°I know. I just don¡¯t want to hear what you have to say.¡± ¡°One of us has to say it,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°Since I¡¯m the bad guy, allow me.¡± Sonya frowned, ¡°You¡¯re not the bad guy,¡± She said ufortably, ¡°You¡¯re more like¡­¡± ¡°A security nket? A mask?¡± Ishtar chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re way past that, dear.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still the same person!¡± Sonya protested, ¡°I- This isn¡¯t- We¡¯re-¡± ¡°You can take the mask off at any time, you¡¯re just talking to yourself with two different perspectives, yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°This brain of ours is very impressive, isn¡¯t it? To be both fragmented and whole at the same time?¡± Sonya went silent again. ¡°Take the mask off if you want me to be quiet that badly,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°I¡¯m here to do whatever you want, to support whatever you want. You and I both know that I am the only person who you¡¯re going to listen to when ites to the tough stuff,¡± Ishtar pointed out firmly, ¡°Marta will tease but she doesn¡¯t see herself as having a right to call you out. The rest? They worship you.¡± Sonya looked away, ¡°Just¡­ say what you¡¯ve got to say.¡± ¡°You¡¯re tired, and you¡¯ve only just begun,¡± Ishtar said softly and pulled herself up to sit on the bathroom counter, leaning her head against the ss of the mirror. Sonya¡¯s head shifted in her reflection, and it felt a little like they were leaning against one another,, ¡°You have to stop pretending that you haven¡¯t changed. You aren¡¯t the Sonya from before. You belong here now.¡± Sonya sat up in the reflection and red at her, ¡°I am not from this timeline!¡± She snarled, ¡°I can¡¯t belong here, I know too much, I¡¯ve seen¡­¡± She trailed off, ¡°I¡¯ve seen too much. I can¡¯t let myself just do that. Not after everyone else died. Why do I get to live again, try again, when everyone else-¡± Ishtar clicked her tongue, ¡°Really?¡± Sonya frowned, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Of all the pathetic things to say, after what you¡¯ve sacrificed of your own soul and mind, after what they died for?¡± Ishtar growled, ¡°You¡¯re going to sit there and wallow in survivor''s guilt? You? The most impressive woman in the world? I¡¯m honestly a little disgusted with you right now, Sonya.¡± Sonya flinched and looked down, ¡°I-¡± ¡°Sonya, you cannot function here if you¡¯re stuck in the past!¡± Ishtar barked, ¡°Listen to me, please, I¡¯m trying to help you. You can¡¯t expect this world to be the same as thest one, it isn¡¯t anymore. You¡¯ve already changed things. The world is different. Events are different. People are different.¡± Sonya leaned back against the ss again, it was warm this time. She was silent, her face contemtive instead of petnt. Ishtar supposed that was a start at least.¡°Then what should I do?¡± Sonya asked in a small voice. ¡°Reconcile yourself with your new life,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°Otherwise,¡± She pointed between the mirror and herself, ¡°This? This is going to keep getting worse. I will not allow you to fade away, Sonya. This isn¡¯t my life, I¡¯m just a mask. That¡¯s how it should be.¡± Sonya sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to start.¡± Ishtar gave her a sidelong look and raised an expectant eyebrow. ¡°Are you telling me to forgive Chunhua? After what she did? After how-¡± Sonya paused and frowned. ¡°After she was a different person than the previous timeline and met you under different circumstances and hadn¡¯t had time to be the person you knew?¡± Ishtar asked pointedly, ¡°It¡¯s a start I suppose.¡± Sonya clicked her tongue, ¡°I can¡¯t just do that,¡± She crossed her arms and flushed. ¡°I¡¯m not saying sleep with her!¡± Ishtarughed, ¡°Heavens no. You¡¯re different people now, both of you,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°It¡¯s time you started epting that she isn¡¯t going to do what you want her to do just because of some idealized image you have in your head. And you cannot live as the Sonya from that time either. You aren¡¯t. Stop it, if for no one else then for Marta who is worried sick.¡± Those words seemed to hit harder than the others, Sonya slipped a bit on the counter and yed with her fingers, guilt on her face, ¡°I know,¡± She murmured, ¡°Will I stop seeing you in the mirror as much, if I can do that?¡± Sonya asked quietly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that for the best?¡± Ishtar asked. Sonya lowered her head a bit more and smiled a little, ¡°So, until it''s over, I¡¯m allowed to be happy?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re allowed to be happy, you foolish girl,¡± Ishtar said before adding slyly, ¡°Maybe if you¡¯re a bit less grumpy all the time I can have a bit more fun with my role too. I am you after all and all that baggage is just a pain to lug around.¡± Sonya sniffed andughed, ¡°You¡¯re so mean.¡± ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m the viin.¡± Sonya slipped off the counter and set her feet on the ground, ncing over her shoulder as a small, small amount of weight slipped off of it. For the first time in a long time she saw her own face looking back at her and not those cruel eyes. Even so, she smiled at herself, ¡°Thank you,¡± She said, ¡°I needed that.¡± She took a much needed shower after that before heading into the bedroom. She crawled into her bed, exhausted, but lighter than she¡¯d been in a long, long time. Behind her, she didn¡¯t see Marta¡¯s teary-eyed smile.
Side-Story: Camp 1 Side-Story: Camp 1 The pair stood in front of the door, the others sitting behind them and watching. There were a few screens on the walls for the audience to watch the pair¡¯s progress. Next to the door, the beefy dude with dog tags, Axel, stood with his arms crossed. He was one of the new hero instructors that had arrived over the past few days. He reached up and adjusted his sunsses with a grin. ¡°You two ready?¡± He asked with a grunt, ¡°Happy with your choice of partner?¡± Greg rolled his neck and rubbed it a bit with his hand. Next to him, John stood as stiff as a board, shoulders rigid and eyes straight forward. His hands moved, though, a long training knife in his hand. He¡¯d switched from bouncing between butterfly knife and switchde after some extra attention from Miss Chernovna. Greg tilted his head and nced at his partner who nodded in his usual sullen way. Greg smirked and looked up at Axel, ¡°We¡¯re good.¡± Axel tilted his head up and looked down at them, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that, best time is three minutes so far. Clear the room of hostiles, today¡¯s theme is viins and human criminals. There¡¯s a volunteer ¡®viin¡¯ inside. Keep the killing blows to a minimum. You¡¯re heroes, don¡¯t forget,¡± He crossed his arms and turned his eyes to the small crowd of aspirants sitting behind them. ¡°You lot can watch on the screens.¡± Greg licked the inside of his lip and rubbed his thumb over his palm, tugging a bit on his fingers and flexing them. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Woo! Get ¡®em Gravitic!¡± A voice called out from behind them. He rolled his eyes and nced over his shoulder with a smirk at the girl with blue highlights sitting near the front of the crowd, gloved fist in the air. He raised his fist as well and winked before bouncing a bit on the balls of his feet. He¡¯d seen Lillian do it a few times to get pumped up. ¡°You first?¡± John asked. Greg nced at him, ¡°I¡¯ll set ¡®em up for you.¡± ¡°Shortest time then,¡± John nodded with a twitch of his lip, his version of a smile. Axel looked between the two of them, ¡°Back up that confidence,¡± He turned and tapped a button on the panel behind him, ¡°Fifteen seconds till the door opens.¡± Greg and John stepped forward and stood at the door. John twirled his knife and shifted his stance to provide a side angle of himself. Greg¡¯s right palm began to glow and he entered a crouch, ready to dash. Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­ The door snapped open with a hiss. Greg darted forward first, his eyesbing the room in a few moments. He was one of the two more observant members of the Nashville crew and he took the details in quickly. Fifteen odd doll-like figures stood in the room holding airsoft guns. They looked like store mannequins wearing clothes. They were all stationed in various spots withrge boxes scattered around to provide cover. The good news was it was all one room with one big wall behind him. He grinned and pped his palm against the wall to his right. ¡°Surprise!¡± He murmured. Gravity shifted, the wall he touched became the sky as the doorframe behind him remained open, protecting him from his own ability. In an instant mannequins and boxes went flying towards the far end of the room. Normally this would be the part where the shouts of confusion started but it was more just a series of loud thuds and crashes as boxes and baddies hit the wall. From behind him, John darted into the room with his knife at the ready. His entire body leaning forward at an impossible angle as he picked up speed. John hopped into the air and caught the gravity push of Greg¡¯s ability like a tailwind, letting it hurl him across the room. Greg quickly knelt down and pped his right then left palm to the ground with a few heartbeats between each p. The first sent gravity up from the ground, giving John a little lift, the second normalized gravity in the room. The result of all three ps was John turning into a bullet from above aimed at the tangled mess of enemies on the other side of the room. The set-up took only a few seconds and after that Greg was already back on the move, darting to the right and towards the side of the room where the majority of the boxes had been. Ahead of him, John crashed into the first of the rising mannequins with a kick before an elbow drove into another¡¯s head. The enemies scrambled to their feet with increasing urgency as John turned into a blur, blocking attacks with bats and ded weapons with his dagger while he delivered disabling blows to joints and heads with his body. Greg whipped his head around, Right, where¡¯s the- Arge shape hurtled in his direction and his eyes widened. Fuck! He dove for the ground and rolled before getting back to his feet, ¡°John, it¡¯s Alex!¡± He turned to face his attacker with hands held out as the masked ¡®viin¡¯ snapped his leg back like a rubber band. He could inly see fangs in the mouth beneath the mask and scales were forming along the skin of his friend¡¯s neck. Alex popped his neck left and right and grinned, his powerful muscles growingrger as he started forward at a slow trot. He¡¯d positioned himself between Greg and John. John was busy with finishing off the Mannequins, it wouldn¡¯t take him long, but it would take him longer than Greg liked. Still, he had options. ¡°Whatcha gonna do now, hero?¡± Alex barked with augh, bearing his arms forward with fingers outstretched as he charged. He was nearly a head taller now. Greg kept the surprise on his face for a moment longer as Alex picked up speed before tilting his head with a smirk, ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s been figuring out new tricks,¡± Greg chuckled, and took a breath. He toned down the glow on his left hand and then pped his chest. Alex, ahead of him, blinked behind his mask in confusion for a moment before he started elerating even more. ¡°Woah!¡± Alex gasped as Greg pped himself in the chest with his right hand and stepped to the side. Alex hurtled past him and Greg darted backwards, moving to get back with John who had just knocked out hisst Mannequin with a swift kick to the ¡®ribs¡¯ before turning to nce at Greg. ¡°Good work.¡± John muttered. ¡°Thanks,¡± Greg said and rubbed his shoulder, his body ached from being the center of gravity for a few seconds. He was still getting used to doing it to himself and he didn¡¯t n on doing it often in real situations until his body could take it better. He took a few more steps back so that John was in front of him, ¡°He¡¯s all yours, Mister Happy..¡± John gave him a deadpan look before looking back at Alex and twirling his knife between his fingers. Alex was back on his feet after colliding with the wall with all of his weight and force, he flexed his arm and and turned to face the two. John shifted a bit in his stance, ¡°Strong.¡± ¡°Very,¡± Greg grumbled, ¡°Borderline-fuckin-heroic.¡± ¡°Kick his ass anyway?¡± John muttered. ¡°Of course,¡± Greg chuckled and hopped back yfully to one of the crates facing their opponent and hopped on top of it, he pped his right hand down on the surface and gravity erupted from it, pushing out towards John and Alex. John darted forward, his light body taking advantage of the ¡®falling¡¯ while Alex jumped into the air tond on the wall behind him, looking up at John as he hurtled ¡®down¡¯ at him. John turned into a pinwheel, twisting his body into a falling axe kick aimed at the center of Alex¡¯s head. Alex grinned and opened his mouth, his jaw widening to fit John¡¯s entire leg if it had to. Greg snorted and pped his left hand down on the box, John suddenly falling towards him for a moment. Alex grunted as he was lifted while John kicked off the floor as Greg reversed gravity again, the result made Greg burst intoughter. Alexnded back on the ground on his butt as his jaw snapped shut so he could change which limb he was increasing. Meanwhile, Johnnded behind him and whipped his knife out to press against Alex¡¯s neck. ¡°Finish.¡± Alex groaned, ¡°Ah fine!¡± He grumbled and threw his hands up. John looked ¡®up¡¯ at Greg and nodded, perspective was weird when you could selectively change gravity based on surface area. Greg disabled his ability and the twonded on the ground properly, hopping off the wall and onto the floor. Greg slipped off the box andnded on his feet, rubbing his hands together. A buzzer went off over his head. ¡°Not bad, boys!¡± Axel¡¯s voice came in over the inte, ¡°The new time to beat is one minute, fifteen seconds.¡± Greg threw his fists up in the air, ¡°Woo hoo!¡± He cheered, ¡°Yes!¡± Alex and John came over to join him, Greg reached out and pped Alex on the shoulder. ¡°Scales look good, bud.¡± Alex smirked, ¡°Been a while since we tussled, you look happy.¡± Greg grinned, ¡°Well yeah, I just scored myself a date tonight.¡± Side-Story: Camp 2 Side-Story: Camp 2 The Dojo only had a few people in it today, with the sses bing more and more varied, aspirants were starting to prioritize different sses. Alex himself had gone to the rescue field just the previous day. It was harrowing but rewarding in its own way. It was too bad they couldn¡¯t have live subjects to rescue but he understood the logic. Those creepy forge-tech dummy mannequin-things still gave a good response based on the situation. He¡¯d done alright, not great, but it was a good enough score that he didn¡¯t get chewed out like a few who had managed to break one of them during their return trip through the ¡®disaster zone¡¯. Fine motor control was his weakness and he was very much aware of it. His body was ridiculously flexible and strong, but that came with its own problems. Precision was hard and that was why he was here. With Miss Chernovna gone for the week, ck Lotus had shifted from conditioning drills to hand-to-handbat while the guy from Forge, Axel, handled the drills in her ce. Alex sat on the ground and looked up at the pair that was currently dueling in the center of the room, John had never missed a hand-to-hand lesson. He was obsessed with getting ¡®as good or better¡¯ than Miss Chernovna when it came to knife fighting. Alex had never seen the guy that motivated in all the years he¡¯d known him. He didn¡¯t notice himself zone out a little as he thought back about his grim-faced friend going through the motions every day but an elbow to the side brought him back. He nced to the right and Lillian raised her eyebrows at him, ¡°You good?¡± She asked. ¡°Me? Yeah, why?¡± He asked only for her to give an urgent nce towards the center of the room. He slowly turned his head and saw ck Lotus staring right at him. ¡°Are you going to join me, Mister Ellis?¡± Ah crap, zoned out, he reached up and scratched his head, hopping to his feet and brushing himself off before walking past a returning John, ¡°Good work out there.¡± ¡°Not enough,¡± John muttered but nodded gratefully anyway. ¡°Crazy guy,¡± Alex chuckled and came to a stop in front of ck Lotus who stared at him hard. ¡°I understand you want to work on fine motor control with your ability active,¡± She asked, brandishing her training weapon to her side as if ready to deliver a killing blow. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a moment to prepare.¡± Alex cleared his throat a little, there was still that level of awkwardness that came from pulling his ability out in front of people. It wasn¡¯t pretty like Snow¡¯s, it wasn¡¯t ¡®cool¡¯ like Greg¡¯s, it was thankfully not as bad as Val¡¯s but still, it was rough to look at in his opinion. Then again, his first day of awakening hadn¡¯t been fabulous and the hunger that came with it wasn¡¯t something he was proud of. Yet, thanks to a few words from Miss Chernovna it had all changed for him, perspective wise. They¡¯d been almost silly, but it had hit him deeply. ¡°Heroes make sacrifices, Mister Ellis, and if all you¡¯ve gotta do is have an aching belly and some itchy scales, then what¡¯s that over saving lives?¡± He tensed and clenched his fists. It''s just hunger, not a big deal. He thought as his fangs began to grow in his jaw, his teeth changing shape in his head as the itch of the scales forming on his skin spread across his arms and along his neck and chest, covering vital spots and limbs. He felt his eyes grow denser and his field of view increase as his pupils turned to slits. He let out a slow, controlled breath and braced himself. Then the hunger hit, an ache that spread through his guts, a need to consume, a need to devour, a need to- It¡¯s just hunger, an achy belly, no big deal. He reminded himself and exhaled again, flexing his fingers before looking up at ck Lotus and nodding. ¡°Alright,¡± He said with a shaky voice. It was the first time he¡¯d done this in front of so many people. Only the Nashville crew knew about his real look. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him change before, that¡¯s badass,¡± One voice said behind him. ¡°Are those scales? How hard are they?¡± Another chimed in. ¡°Peak Epic, damn,¡± A third added and he felt the nerves about his appearance evaporate. He¡¯d forgotten that he was around other hero aspirants now, not civilians scared of their own goddamn shadow. Not around ssmates who screamed and ran away. Not around that disgusted cop that thought he was a monster on that first day. He took another breath and exhaled, raising his fists in a boxing posture as he fixed ck Lotus with a stare. ¡°Ready.¡± She looked at him for several moments before her lip twitched upward with a small smile and she nodded with approval, ¡°Yes, you are.¡± She whipped her training sword up at him in a sharp angle and he darted forward and to the right, the blow cking off the scales of his shoulder. His feet hit the ground and the weight caused the flexible floor to bend down beneath him but he kept moving, darting low to try to snap out with quick viper-like punches that ck Lotus blocked with a shift of her arm. He visualized a snake striking at just the right moment, coiled, prepared, and fast. His skin tingled beneath his scales and he twisted his body, his malleable bones moving with him as another strike came within inches of his throat. He whipped back like a rubber band, snapping forward as soon as she finished the strike. She hadn¡¯t even taken so much as a step since the beginning of the fight, not even entering a battle posture. He snapped his arm out again as her de finished its arc, his arm extending to strike her in the shoulder. She narrowed her eyes and took a single step back, the blow going past her. She whipped her weapon up to strike him in the arm but the training de just bounced off scales. He felt the impact, but it spread across the scales like a buffer. He grinned at her and snapped his arm back, trying to catch the edge on a scale. She pulled her weapon away and entered a proper stance. ¡°You¡¯re improving,¡± She said. He grinned, ¡°I¡¯m just getting started!¡± He barked and dove in, fists up. He whipped out a kick and it extended towards her. She brought her weapon up to deflect the kick only for his leg to start to bend the wrong way around her torso. She raised an eyebrow and dropped low, sliding out of his attempt to coil her. He clicked his tongue and pulled his leg back, he wasn¡¯t going to waste energy letting the attack finish if it wasn¡¯t going to seed. He brought it back up and raised his knee, standing on one foot and watched her as she shifted to the right. ¡°Patient, like a serpent,¡± ck Lotusmented. ¡°Miss Chernovna says to embrace what your power means, vibe with it, if I¡¯m gonna be a snake, might as well act like one while I¡¯m fighting,¡± He said with a grin. ck Lotus¡¯ eyebrows rose as her lip twitched, ¡°She¡¯s working on that with you already,¡± She said thoughtfully, ¡°Only a month in. I suppose I should take this more seriously, then.¡± And drew her weapon up to the side of her head, her eyes fixed on him. ¡°Don¡¯t blink, aspirant.¡± She moved so freaking fast, he barely managed to get out of the way when she was suddenly behind him. He turned and raised his arms again, blocking a far more forceful blow that fortunately didn¡¯t get through his scales. He dropped low and swept his leg out, stretching it to deal with her footing. She just hopped over it and snapped out a kick towards his head. He growled and threw his head forward, scales up, and took the kick. He reached up and tried to grab at her ankle only for her to spin andunch off of him like a springboard. Shended and darted forward again, her attacksing in faster, blow after blow rained down on him as he pivoted and blocked as fast as he could. In the end, though, he found himself on his ass with the point of a sword at his nose. ¡°Excellent start, Mister Ellis,¡± She said and reached out to help him up. He grabbed her hand and she tugged him up without any effort. Shit she¡¯s strong. I weigh almost five hundred pounds like this. He thought, dazed, and let out a breath as he settled on his feet. The scales began to retract and the muscle on his arms shrank. He exhaledpletely and the hunger that he¡¯d barely noticed during the fight grumbled at him. He was going to eat his weight in grub when he got back to themon area. He looked up at her and grinned, ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡± She nodded at him and smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Sonya woke the next morning feeling more refreshed than she had in a long time. Her eyes fluttered open and she took a deep breath of the smell of freshly made coffee, rolling over onto her side and seeing¡­ no one. She tilted her head and sat up, racking her brain as she tried to remember who she¡¯d slept with the previous night. Then it came back to her and she let out a sharpugh, flopping back onto her pillow and letting out a delighted sound as she stretched out her legs. It was like a fog had lifted a little, it was still there, but she felt clear. She let out a rxed sigh and nced down at Marta who was standing at the foot of her bed. ¡°Morning!¡± Sonya chirped. Marta gave her a pleased smile, ¡°Morning to you too, how¡¯d you sleep, all on your own?¡± Sonya sat up and grinned before hopping off the bed with a flourish, ¡°Better than I have in a long time!¡± She dered and struck a pose before raising her arm and frowning, ¡°Marta? Shower free?¡± She asked. ¡°I finished about an hour ago,¡± Martaughed. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± Sonya said quickly and fled to the restroom. As she walked in she stopped at the sink and hesitated for a moment, resting her hand on the counter and remembering. She turned and looked at the mirror and saw her own smiling face looking back at her. There was a twinkle in her reflections eye, she was still there, but¡­ No mask. She sighed with relief, No mask. How long has it been since I¡¯ve seen my own face in the mirror? She thought and looked herself over, checking her jaw and running her fingers up her pale skinned face. Like a porcin doll. A knock came to the door and she jumped. ¡°Sonya? Do you need any help getting ready?¡± Sonya looked up at her reflection and grinned, ¡°Nah, I¡¯ve got it today!¡± She said merrily and made for the shower, casting one look back at herself, ¡°Thanks again, I¡¯m d I can count on you,¡± She said with a wink. ¨C Marta sat on the bed in her gown and nced down at her phone, smiling a little at the selfie that Barry sent her from his mission in the pacific. He was grinning ear to ear, wearing a silly poka-dot vacation shirt and his hair swept back. A couple of his boys were in the background with what looked like heavy duty construction equipment atop arge boat. She tapped a quick message back to him, He shot back. She responded. Sonya threw open the door and stepped out of the bathroom with a grin on her face. Vibrant pink lipstick just how she likes it, a little bit of eyeliner and some pink shading around the eyes. Her hair hung down straight, all the stress curls long gone. She¡¯d even done up her nails, hands and feet. She cast a smug grin over at Marta who turned to give her an appraising look, relief washing over her seeing her dear friend finally able to care for herself again. ¡°Full battle paint!¡± Martaughed, ¡°Looking good,¡± She chuckled and set her phone down, ¡°Barry says hi and sends his best.¡± Sonya gave Marta a coy grin, ¡°Sexting, this early? Marta!¡± She teased. Marta switched to her most offended frown as she shoved her phone a little bit more under herself, ¡°Sonya! Get your mind out of the gutter!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t put it anywhere else!¡± Sheughed and walked by the television, hitting the button as she snatched up her clothes that Marta hadid on the bed. She started throwing on her white shirt as the news came on, pulling her tie around her neck. Marta rolled her eyes and got to her feet, walking over and giving her a hand, ¡°I can do it!¡± ¡°You have never been able to tie a tie, good days or bad, Sonya Chernovna,¡± Marta quipped and got to work as Sonya huffed and puffed up her cheeks. ¡°We¡¯re here at the Headquarters of the Pandora Committee at The Hague, Nethends. In just a few hours the first session of the fully organized Pandora Committee will be held in this recentlypleted building. As you can see behind me, the promenade is beautiful and standing prominently is a statue of the Hero of Vegas, Firestorm,¡± The reporter said and Marta nced up to see Sonya smiling at the TV. First time I¡¯ve seen you smile first when he was mentioned in a long time too. She thought as the reporter moved on down the promenade. ¡°Representatives from every member nation of the United Nations will be in attendance as well as several representatives of the new Hero Support industry from across the world. First among them is Sonya Chernovna, the Voice of the Hero Movement and CEO of the ASTA Corporation. She is ted to deliver a speech about the first round of Aspirant Hero Training Camps that have been underway worldwide since just over a month ago,¡± The reporter continued. ¡°Still remember your speech?¡± Marta asked, ncing up at the side of the woman¡¯s head. ¡°Course I do,¡± Sonya said with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m gonna make a few adjustments, though. Fit the mood a bit better.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything silly,¡± Marta warned. Sonya cast a sidelong look at her and winked, ¡°Me? Silly?¡± Marta frowned, ¡°Sonya, this is going to be internationally televised.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Sonya said with a nod as Marta finished buttoning up her shirt for her. Sonya nced down and raised an eyebrow before shrugging and grabbing the rest of her stuff, plopping down next to Marta as the television continued. ¡°Among the topics today will be rise of Superviins and the widespread increase in viin activity across the globe. Discussion will likely lean in the direction of the self-proimed First Superviin, Ishtar, and her rtionship to the growing number of organized viin groups. Notably the Darksiders who-¡± Sonya¡¯s personal phone rang and they both nced down at it with raised eyebrows. Sonya snorted, ¡°Forgot to take my cybeic phone off silent,¡± Sheughed and picked it up, ¡°Charon! Darling! How are you? Sorry about that, busy night,¡± She tilted her head and leaned back a bit, ¡°Oho? No dear, I¡¯m not worried about them. Thank you though. Oh it¡¯s no trouble, you were just adhering to the contract, I can¡¯t fault you there. Thank you for the heads up again,¡± Sheughed, ¡°Oh you¡¯re terrible, kisses!¡± She hung up and set it down. ¡°Darksiders are using gear bought from Charon or rather, me, to ¡®attack¡¯ the Pandora Session today.¡± Marta frowned, ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t they-¡± ¡°Stupid?¡± Sonya asked with augh, ¡°I don¡¯t know how some of them remember to breathe in the morning,¡± Sonya said, ¡°I-¡± Her phone rang again and she grinned at it, ¡°Oh here we go, this is going to be good.¡± ¡°Chief Bruno!¡± Sonya answered, ¡°Yes? I see,¡± Sonya was grinning ear to ear as Marta watched her friend put on the best serious act she could, ¡°And what¡¯s being done? Good. I expected nothing less from you all. Good work, thank you again, Chief,¡± She hung up the phone and tossed it down, ¡°And that was the Chief of Security for the region, they already know,¡± Sonya snorted and burst intoughter, ¡°Those idiots are going to owe me so much money!¡± She chortled and kicked her feet. Marta shook her head, It¡¯s good to have you back. Sonya hopped up as the television kept going and grabbed her heels, ¡°Several international leaders have voiced their outrage at the attacks by the group whichmunicates predominantly on message boards throughout the dark web.¡± ¡°They could at least invest in a securemunications system, don¡¯t you sell those to viins?¡± Marta asked, ncing at Sonya as she pulled her heels on and threaded the straps. ¡°Mm? Yeah,¡± Sonya said, ncing up at the television, ¡°Apparently they¡¯re big on the whole message board thing, they¡¯re a rogue offshoot of another group that used to be pretty all right a decade ago, they got kicked out for being crazies and terrorists,¡± Sonya said. ¡°Why haven¡¯t these people been rounded up already?¡± Marta asked. Sonya shrugged, ¡°Free speech? Technically only a percentage of these idiots actually do anything, just whine and talk about it,,¡± Sonya said and got to her feet, straightening herself up and grabbing her coat, throwing it on over her white shirt before striking a fresh pose, ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°Fabulous,¡± Marta said with a smile. After all her friend had been through, after the memories she¡¯d been shown, after the struggle for the past year to get back on her feet, after everything. Seeing that glee and light was more refreshing than any balm. ¡°Shall we go?¡± She asked. ¡°We shall!¡± Sonya dered and they made their way to the door. ¨C Sonya held her head high as they walked through the grand atrium of the Pandora Headquarters and to the massive doors that lead to the Committee chamber. She shook hands with a few more people and even managed to greet the French Representative who was blessedly free of Astaroth, now apanied by another young man who was far less skeevy in her opinion. As per the regtion, the bodyguards would have to stay outside the room until the session was over. Sonya snorted a little at that thought as she pat Marta on the arm and left her at the door, walking down the steps into the recessed room and towards the long desk where she would sit with others from the support industry. The entirety of the leadership of the Hero Culture gathered in one room and the worst superviin in the world is locked in there with them. Something funny about that, she snickered and skipped thest few steps before sweeping into her seat and crossing her legs. Adam Frask approached her first, sitting down next to her and inclining his head, ¡°Miss Chernovna, you look lovely this morning.¡± She beamed at him, ¡°Adam! Thank you dear, you¡¯re looking roguishly handsome as ever.¡± She shook his hand and winked, ¡°How are things with those fancy dolls of yours?¡± He puffed out his lips and leaned back, ¡°Hit a few snags, actually, wish I had your man Amos to help. The second generation Forge Dolls are still years off unless we figure out what¡¯s going wrong.¡± She hummed a bit and tilted her head, ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal, let Amos pick up what he can from their bodies, not their brains, and I¡¯ll let you borrow him for a while. Consider it a trade,¡± Sonya said and held out her hand again. He raised his eyebrows and rubbed his chin, ¡°How long?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say, on-and-off six months, I can¡¯t lose him too, you know. Hees by on asion and helps your boys work out the issues and thenes home,¡± Sonya offered. Adam grinned, ¡°Deal,¡± He said and shook her hand, ¡°We¡¯ll talk moreter.¡± She smirked, ¡°Of course!¡± Brent was the next to arrive, descending the steps and casting Sonya a small frumpy look, she raised her eyebrows at him as they stared one another down before she brandished a winning smile, ¡°Brent.¡± ¡°Sonya.¡± She pressed her lips together, ¡°I was a little hard on youst night,¡± She said and tilted her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. It¡¯s been a long couple of weeks.¡± He paused and blinked, staring at her in surprise, ¡°Uh, thank you,¡± He said and cleared his throat, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been so hostile about your ability. It muste in handy.¡± ¡°It really does,¡± Sonya said with augh, ¡°Thank you, dear. Truce?¡± He shrugged and settled into his seat a bit morefortably, ¡°Truce,¡± He agreed and they shook hands. He crossed his arms afterward and nced at the Chairman who was talking to a few representatives before things got underway, ¡°How is Madame Rouge doing?¡± ¡°Oh she¡¯s wonderful, a bit tough but that¡¯s to be expected from a woman like her. She¡¯s got her eyes on one of my endorsees, been on top of him constantly to improve his ability. Fierce one for such a propertydy,¡± Sonyamented. Brent chuckled, ¡°Certainly, shees from a big manufacturing family. Money, but hard people,¡± He said with a nod, looking thoughtful for a moment, ¡°She was going to take over the family business before the sh and developed her abilities. Terrifying powers. I¡¯ve never seen hounds behave themselves until her.¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen it once before, a very entric friend,¡± She admitted, thinking of Charon. ¡°You¡¯ll have to introduce me, those kinds of abilities are rare and valuable. Monsters can make quite the usefulmodity if maintained and turned on their own,¡± He said as he turned to face the raised podium where the Chairman was making his final preparations. I know how you feel about monsters, she thought, smuggling them through Russiast year. It¡¯s a shame you¡¯re just a jerk and not an evil man. I really want to kick you around for it. Oh well, such is life. She turned as well and set her hands in herp, smiling at the Chairman as the microphone came on. ¡°Wee, Leaders and Representatives of our new Heroic Age. Today marks the first annual meeting of the Pandora Committee. As is right and proper I want to thank those who made today possible. The people of various nations who came together to build this building, the nations that signed the Pandora ord, and the people who helped start the movement as a whole,¡± He gave a small nod in Sonya¡¯s direction. Sonya waved at him before settling in. His eyes swept the room, ¡°All national representatives are present, thismittee also recognizes the presence of the eighteen heads of the various support organizations from across the globe. They are here representing the interests of the guilds they sponsor and the organizations that make what we do possible. ording to our charter, they are here in a capacity to provide advice and submit proposals only.¡± He said aloud, ¡°With that, may the first Grand Pandora Committee begin.¡± There was a round of apuse as he stood there, nodding to everyone in turn before he cleared his throat, ¡°Our first order of business as agreed in our charter is the discussion of exigent threats to humanity and society as a whole and the deration of the ten most wanted viins in the world,¡± He paused, ¡°Of course, it goes without saying that a special ce has been reserved for the spot of public enemy number one, separate from the top ten,¡± He said grimly. There was a chorus of murmurs throughout the room and Sonya leaned back to enjoy the show. Behind the Chairman a screen slid down and flickered to life before revealing footage of her eye opening over Vegas and her descent in a column of light. The images flickered and were grainy. It was clear to everyone who it was, though. The image shifted to an artist''s rendition of herself in her full regalia and helmet. ¡°We have no close up images of the Superviin, Ishtar,¡± The Chairman said gravely, ¡°We do have this image based on all descriptions provided,¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°For the crimes of High Viiny, Murder, Terrorism, Organized Crime, Supporting Viin Activity, and others listed above me,¡± He recited, reading from the prompt, ¡°With this Committee¡¯s approval, I hereby dere the Viin Ishtar Public Enemy Number One, and the most wanted person on this we call Earth, may I hear the Ayes?¡± The resounding approval was deafening. Sonya just smiled as she added her own private, ¡°Aye.¡±
Chapter 106 Chapter 106 The vote was unanimous and so obviously predetermined that Sonya nearly burst intoughter, she controlled herself, though. Enjoying the moment of hitting the top of everyone¡¯s lists with a single vote. She leaned back into her seat, shifting her shoulders a bit to get morefortable and crossed her legs. From her spot off to the left and facing the podium where the Chairman stood, she savored it, the feeling that, in a weird way, the world acknowledged her for what she was doing, even if it didn¡¯t know why. She was pretty sure this wasn¡¯t the sense of belonging that Ishtar had intended her to feel, but it certainly was a way to look at it. As the momentary noise died down, the Chairman moved on to the proper list; ¡°There are ten individuals that have been designated as the ten most wanted viins on the after the one who is believed responsible for assisting the majority of them, Ishtar,¡± The Chairman rumbled, again reading from a prompt in front of him before turning again to getsure at the screen, ¡°These ten individuals are first; The Superviin known as The Companion,¡± A grainy picture of an armored woman in a gown with a veil over her face appeared on the screen at the top left. ¡°Little is known about her abilities, but she is the personal attendant and attache of Ishtar and likely knows all of her secrets. While she has not overtlymitted any crimes, the international ballot released to you all sinctly agreed she is a high priority for arrest, as the information she could provide could be vital to her master¡¯s arrest,¡± The Chairman continued and there were nods of approval throughout the audience. Sonya nodded along as well, it was a rational approach. If they can¡¯t get her, get Marta. Not that they ever will, she thought, I¡¯ll make sure of it. ¡°Next is the far more widely known Superviin, Kingshark,¡± The chairman dered and an image of a massive gray skinned monster that looked vaguely like a man appeared on the screen, causing a stir among the representatives. The monster appeared to be grabbing the front end of an ocean liner and lifting it up. Sonya leaned forward opened her mouth in amused interest, ¡°Oho?¡± ¡°Kingshark operates as a subordinate of Ishtar but managees his own international criminal empire. He focuses on street-level gangs and youth, bringing them in under his wing. His reach spans most nations of the with a connection to a body of water and hasmitted dozens of maritime crimes since his rise to power,¡± The Chairman exined, ¡°More importantly, it is believed that he actually ¡®rents out¡¯ his gangs and soldiers to other viins for profit.¡± Wow, they are well informed, good work, good work! She chuckled inwardly, resting her chin on her palm and watching with increasing interest as the picture turned to a nk image with the word ¡®BLACKRAZOR¡¯ over it. She restrained another snicker and tilted her head, maintaining her poker face as murmurs spread. ¡°ckrazor, number three, is a Peak-Mythic Assassin working under Ishtar. His name was discovered after extensive investigation though his connections and activities remain unknown. He is personally guilty of murdering a Mythic-Tier hero and is suspected to be involved in any number of murders across the, his face is unknown,¡± The Chairman said gravely as he looked across the crowd before continuing. ¡°Fourth is a superviin of an unknown name that has been active in recent times, carrying out terrorist attacks across the,¡± The Chairman said before gesturing to a picture of a bolt of lightning that ended with the shape of a woman, fires were burning around her, ¡°This woman has not publicly revealed her name or purpose and attacks with ferocious impunity, she has caused billions of dors in damage and ended hundreds of lives in her attacks.¡± Kerauna, Sonya thought, There was no way you wouldn¡¯t make it on the list. Wild thing. The Chairman rest his hands on the podium, ¡°These four make up the first notable superviins of our new era and are widely known through most of our member countries in one way or another, I now open the floor to the representatives to propose additions to this list.¡± ¡°The Representative of Australia asks to speak,¡± A voice rang out. The Chairman nodded, ¡°The Committee recognizes the Representative from Australia, Mister Carey.¡± Mister Carey got to his feet, a perfect mop of blonde hair slicked to the side as he adjusted his jacket, ¡°Australia would like to propose to add the Superviin Blight to the list of Pandora¡¯s most wanted. He has been active in the south pacific for some time now and hasmitted numerous acts of ecological terrorism,¡± He said firmly. ¡°New Zend supports the proposal!¡± ¡°Philippines supports the proposal!¡± ¡°Indonesia supports the proposal!¡± ¡°Japan supports the proposal!¡± The Chairman cleared his throat, ¡°Five votes for proposal, does the Committee consent?¡± He asked and a few more major nations joined in, leading many others to finally chime in with their approval. With that, the Superviin Blight was added to the list. Sonya tilted her head. We''ve not met yet, guess that needs to change, she thought with some amusement, I should congratte him, maybe he¡¯d like some flowers. After that, four more superviins were added to the list and their names reorganized in levels of importance of arrest ording to the Committee;
  1. THE COMPANION
  2. KINGSHARK
  3. BLACKRAZOR
  4. [unknown Lightning-based Light-touched]
  5. SPICE KING EREBUS
  6. BLIGHT
  7. QUEEN AUGUST
  8. PASSAGE
  9. DRASTIC
The four were all mostly isted to their own countries, Sonya had done business with the Spice King before but the others were rtively new names though from the sounds of it they hadn¡¯t beenzy. August was apparently turning people into gold and leaving their petrified corpses behind as she pilfered jewelry from homes. Passage was leaving text on walls that would trigger into hallucinations that caused mass panic for hours at a time. Drastic had burned down several small towns in South America and was believed to be a literal dragon. I don¡¯t remember someone with a dragon power like that back in the previous timeline, things really have changed, She thought, rubbing her chin as the representative from America stepped up to speak. She nced his way thoughtfully. She was pretty sure she was aware of all the superviins in- ¡°The United States would like to submit the woman known as Liberty as the tenth spot,¡± The man said. Sonya blinked, surprised but not unhappy about the turn of events, she was a little curious though. How are you going to pull this off? She thought, Officially she hasn¡¯tmitted any known crimes, she just runs a cult, which isn¡¯t illegal¡­ technically. ¡°Liberty is the active head of a cult originating in the southern United States that has begun to spread internationally,¡± The man said, ¡°It is believed she gains strength from every additional member added to her cult, though the full details of her ability are unknown. What is known is that she is getting stronger by the day and is a serious threat to international security if she is allowed to remain as simply an unlicensed, likely Mythic, light-touched.¡± Ah¡­ going the ¡®we all should be worried¡¯ route, not bad, but not great, I would have tried that if I thought it would work, Sonya thought and nced up at the Chairman who was searching the room for additional votes in favor. Japan chimed in but that wasn¡¯t really all that surprising. She considered firing off a few texts to her ¡®friends¡¯ around the room but decided against it. There was no need to push her hand on the scale just yet. She had her own ns for Liberty. ¡°I am afraid the motion remains unsupported, Mister Harman, do you perhaps have another suggestion?¡± The Chairman asked. Mister Harman nodded, ¡°As a matter of fact I do,¡± he said, ¡°I would like to propose Masque, the leader of the Darksiders. I think we are all aware of their activities, while brash, they are widespread and they are escting rapidly. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they do something to belong on this list anyway. I think we can all agree that they need to be prioritized.¡± A rumbling of approval moved through the crowd of politicians and Sonya rxed in her seat. That¡¯s more along the lines of my expectations, did he suggest Liberty to soften everyone up? She nced at Harman, Maybe he and I need to get to know one another a little better, she thought as she noted the small hint of a smile on his face as he sat down and shook hands with the Japanese Representative to his left. The Chairman nced around onest time before grabbing a gavel and banging it, ¡°The full motion is passed, the ten most wanted viins of the Pandora Committee have been confirmed. They are now the highest priority targets of the world¡¯s heroes after their duties of preventing dungeon breaks,¡± The Chairman dered, ¡°The matter is settled.¡± A round of apuse followed and the Chairman moved on, ¡°I would personally like to open a matter, if the Committee would have it,¡± He said and no one voiced their disapproval, ¡°While this woman ¡®Liberty¡¯ may not be an exigent threat, she certainlymands enough pause to investigate. The Pandora Committee should send an investigative team to confirm Representative Harman¡¯s concerns,¡± He suggested. Harman was the first to raise his hand, ¡°The United States supports.¡± Several other nations followed before Sonya raised her hand, ¡°The ASTA Corporation urges a favorable vote on this matter,¡± She said, voicing her opinion for the first time during themittee. ¡°Forge Tactical agrees,¡± Alex chimed in next to her, raising his hand. Brent nced at the two and huffed out a breath, ¡°Marion Heroics agrees.¡± That of course resulted in a tidal wave of other support corporations jumping on the bandwagon. After that, more nations chimed in and a majority was reached. The Chairman banged his gavel, ¡°The motion passes, an investigative team will be sent to the territory of the Light-Touched, Liberty, to assess her threat level.¡± Sonya grinned, Perfect, that¡¯s more like it, a little political pressure goes a long way. She nced towards Alex and gave him a wink of thanks before nodding at Brent who gave her a begrudging nod in return. The major American supportpanies are a unified front for now. People will follow our lead. After the Liberty proposal, more topics came up as the hours dragged on. While it had been pretty cut and dry in the beginning, they started moving into grayer areas as the topics grew moreplicated. The Dharan Project was one hotly debated topic. Some groups wanted to wall off the Dharan area and turn it into a restricted zone for the time being while others wanted to begin pushing in and reiming territory. The arguments continued until a general consensus of walls and towers manned by hero-led military groups was agreed upon. It¡¯s New York all over again. I remember standing on one of those towers. As the proposals came to an end, the Chairman moved on, ¡°Now on to brighter things,¡± The jovial man said, dabbing his brow. He¡¯d been standing there for hours, ¡°As you are all aware, the Aspirant Camps are now a month in. Miss Chernovna of the ASTA Corporation personally stayed at the East Coast camp for the first month and has a few words for us. Pleasee to the podium, Miss Chernovna.¡± Sonya smiled at him and got to her feet, ¡°Thank you, Chairman,¡± She said.and walked around Alex and Brent before descending the steps and making her way over to the stairs leading up to the podium. She met face to face with the Chairman and shook his hand briefly, giving him a peck on the cheek before turning to the assembled Representatives. She looked out over the crowd of those gathered, while some of them were there for their own gain, there were many who truly believed in what they were doing. She¡¯d heard it in their voices as they debated, listening to their passion. It was real. This was real. This world was real. She was really here. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reaching out to grab onto the podium and cracked a grin, ¡°We all aspire for greatness,¡± She said with a small chuckle, a few of the men in the crowd joined her but most stayed deadpan. Amos texted her almost immediately. She kept a straight face and tilted her head, ¡°A little humor is good for you, you know? Especially in times like these. It helps lift you up, brighten your day, and give you that extra bit of strength to move forward,¡± She said, ¡°I have never seen so many young men and women with so much good humor in their hearts in my life, so much drive to be more, to grow into the shoes of those who came before them. To live up to legends.¡± ¡°I have seen in one month a young man struggling with the visceral appearance of his ability ovee his misgivings with a little help from the supportpanies. He will be a force to be reckoned with one day,¡± Sonya said, ¡°I met a young man who wanted to stand up and help people, even if they were frightened of him. A man with a power some might find frightful but with a tremendous heart,¡± She smiled brightly, ¡°He wears his scales proudly now.¡± ¡°I have seen a young man who can clear a room with a touch, his sharp mind and keen eye will take him to the top within a few years, of this I have no doubt in my mind. His awareness of hisrades needs is second to none,¡± She continued, ¡°I have seen with my own eyes a troubled young man who¡¯s actions led him to harm others with his ability throw himself with every ounce of strength he had into bing a man who could not only make up for his sins, but help people heal and strengthen those around him.¡± She tilted her head, her smile growing thoughtful, ¡°I saw a young woman who couldn¡¯t speak change minds as she turned a field of grass into a winter wondend in one moment and a field of glittering gemstones in the next,¡± She continued, ¡°I have met the everyman,¡± She chuckled, ¡°Someone who¡¯s power is to simply be talented,¡± She looked at the audience, ¡°You know what he said to me when I asked why he wanted to be a hero instead of bing a very wealthy man?¡± She cleared her throat, ¡°It just makes sense,¡± She said with a gruff tone, ¡°That¡¯s it, nothing else,¡± Sheughed, ¡°These young people are heroes already, just amazing,¡± She said, ¡°So much potential,¡± She looked down at her hands, ¡°I met a young woman who¡¯s power had just awoken on the bus heading to the camp. She was scared because the first manifestation seemed unsuited for the role of a hero,¡± Sonya paused and swept her gaze over the crowd, ¡°That young woman in the firestorm jacket is one of the top aspirants now, dueling regrly with the iparable ck Lotus.¡± Sonya raised her head with pride, ¡°Those are the kinds of young people in those training camps, those are the kinds of heroes we want to raise up and support in the future. The camps are not just a good idea, or a great idea, they¡¯re just the start. In the future I believe there should be established schools like these, a permanent ce where these people with such enormous hearts and spirits can step up and join the ranks of those willing to serve and protect humanity.¡± She grinned, ¡°A friend of mine once said, ¡®Earth, Strive for better¡¯.¡± She looked over the crowd, ¡°These young people are doing just that, and I for one can¡¯t wait to see what they be.¡± Harman stood first, then Alex and Brent, then the rest of the representatives gathered began rising and pping as she descended the stairs, a smile on her face and blooming even more brightly in her heart. The apuse continued until she reached her seat and made her way to sit down only to slip as the ground shook a bit under her feet. She blinked and looked up, confused as the ground shook again. ¡°What the-¡± Brent grunted, hopping to his feet. A third shudder and sirens began to go off over their heads, Sonya whipped her head around and grabbed her phone, she hit the speed dial, ¡°Marta? What¡¯s happening?¡± She shouted as phones began to ring around her. ¡°Explosions inside the building, ma¡¯am, security is moving to investigate, stay put!¡± Marta responded as another st shook the ground and Sonya grabbed onto her chair, ¡°I¡¯m right outside. I won¡¯t let anyone in.¡± Sonya clicked her tongue, Why now? She growled inwardly as another call came in, ¡°Switching to Amos, be careful Marta!¡± She said hurriedly before switching the call over, ¡°Amos, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Theb¡¯s been bombed!¡± Amos shouted, ¡°Four of our buildings across the states, there¡¯s bombs going off all over the ce!¡± Sonya¡¯s heart nearly sank, she gripped onto the chair and took a deep breath. She had to stay calm, now was not the time to slip back. She set her jaw, ¡°Who was inside?¡± ¡°I have most of Da-som¡¯s team here but a lot of our interns and other employees were there, it¡¯s bad Sonya,¡± Amos said as more shouts rang up around her, angry voices. ¡°Who the fuck-¡± The screen that had disyed the top ten viins fizzled and static filled the air. Sonya whipped her head up to look at the screen, ¡°I think I might have an idea,¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯ll call you back, Amos,¡± She said as a dark smile spread across her face. She would not let this bitch see her frown. Not in a million years. On the screen, a pair of cruel blue eyes glowed, looking down on them and framed by long yellow-blonde hair. The woman wore a full suit of medieval armor, her gauntlet covered hands set in front of her as she broke into a sneer. Sonya looked right into the woman''s eyes and clenched her fist, her grin widening, ¡°Liberty. Now you¡¯ve done it.¡±
Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Liberty threaded her fingers together in front of her chest as she stared down at the Pandora Committee from the screen above them. Her luminous blue eyes twinkled with barely contained malice as she sneered at them in disgust. Sonya looked up into those eyes of hers and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little vindicated. The woman had graduated straight to how she was as a fully realized Herald years in advance. Or perhaps she had always been this way. It didn¡¯t matter really, it was clear who was responsible for the bombings. Sonya asked Amos as she steadied herself a little more. After Astaroth had made hisment the other day she wanted to make sure. Amos said, Sonya closed her eyes and let her heart go out to the men and women who were working there and to the memories made in that ce, good and bad. It was the birthce of ASTA and it was gone now. She said and nced at Alex and Brent who were scowling at their phones. She looked up at Liberty again as the woman waited patiently for everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°First the American Government steps onto mynd without permission,¡± Liberty said without preamble, her lip twitching, ¡°Then some heroese poking around uninvited,¡± She narrowed her eyes, ¡°And now, on international television, you call the members of my movement cultists and formally order heroes to trespass into my territory,¡± She announced with a snarl, ¡°Disgusting, petty, stupid, and blind,¡± She said coldly, ¡°It seems I was right to prepare for today.¡± The Chairman steadied himself on the podium, ¡°Are you Liberty?¡± He demanded. ¡°The people of the world cry out for Liberty, and I am here,¡± The woman said, looking down at him without blinking. ¡°You¡¯re taking responsibility for these bombings?¡± He demanded. ¡°I and the people who ced them,¡± She confirmed, ¡°Someone had to build your shrine to self-importance, you people never consider the masses, do you? Just cattle as far as you¡¯re concerned,¡± She squared her shoulders, ¡°This is a reprisal, you and the nations of this world have no right to put restraints on the light-given powers blessed upon its people, nor do you have any right to curtail our movement.¡± Sonya looked into the woman¡¯s eyes, She doesn¡¯t really believe a word she¡¯s saying. Bitch, Sonya thought as she called Marta with her internal phone. <¡°Marta, what¡¯s it look like out there?¡±> She asked, keeping her mouth shut. ¡°Not good, fires everywhere, security is in shambles. We¡¯re moving as fast as we can to get things under control. There¡¯s a lot of us heroes here but we¡¯ve got holes now,¡± Marta said hastily, ¡°I¡¯ll keep you posted.¡± The Chairman stood a bit straighter, ¡°Liberty, this Committee must demand that you pull back and cease any further attacks. You are risking a war with your faction, do you understand the consequences of that?¡± He insisted. The woman¡¯s expression hardened a little, ¡°Do I seem like I care?¡± ¡°You are a mythic, are you not? There arews about-¡± He began. ¡°I don¡¯t bend to yourws,¡± Liberty replied. ¡°If a war breaks out we will be forced to deploy Mythic heroes against you, Mythics fighting Mythics in the open could trigger another Vegas, or worse!¡± He barked, ¡°You put not only yourself in danger, but your people, and all the innocents in the region!¡± Sonya nced at the back of the Chairman¡¯s head. He was saying the right things, of course, fighting Liberty that openly in a territory that was hard to manage because of her presence was just asking for a dungeon break, or several. Of course, She narrowed her eyes at the woman staring down at them, That¡¯s exactly the point, isn¡¯t it, Liberty? She thought and grit her teeth as her grin widened. This wouldn¡¯t be enjoyable if it wasn¡¯t hard. Come on, say it. ¡°That¡¯s not my problem,¡± Liberty said callously, ¡°You should consider that before entering my territory, because there will be further reprisals if you do not,¡± She leaned forward, ¡°Mark my words, Chairman. I am not the only Mythic in the movement.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± The Chairman growled. ¡°I am justified, I am Liberty!¡± She barked back, ¡°And I have more than impudent politicians and self-important heroes as my reasons,¡± She turned her head and looked straight at Sonya. Sonya returned her stare with a straight face. ¡°I believe you have taken something that belongs to me, Sonya Chernovna. Return my property, if you don''t mind?¡± Sonya clenched her fists, letting the rage boil beneath her skin as she kept her tone even, ¡°That young woman is a human being, an adult, and has every right to choose what she does with her life,¡± Sonya said as she looked Liberty in the eyes, ¡°She made the decision to undergo hero training, I merely provided transportation after she escaped. I will see to it that she remains protected and out of your reach. You will not abuse her again.¡± Liberty snorted, ¡°Surprising, but I believe you, If she left on her own, she¡¯ll choose toe back on her own. She knows her ce is at my side, seeing the consequences of her actions will remind her,.¡± Liberty said, ¡°What she had here was a beautiful thing, heir to my legacy when my time is up. I¡¯ll keep it between sisters, then,¡± She said dismissively, ¡°Besides, you have your own problems now I suspect.¡± She turned her eyes to the rest of themittee, ¡°This is your final warning, stay off mynd or there will be further consequences, Liberty will prevail,¡± She growled and the feed cut. Shouts rang out at the screen and more than a few Representatives demanded an immediate retaliatory strike against Liberty. The Chairman looked around frantically, trying to figure out a way to calm everyone down. Sonya exhaled and pulled her hair back over her ear before walking down the steps and back to the podium. She gently pushed the Chairman aside and cleared her throat before grabbing the microphone, ¡°Enough!¡± She barked as the building continued to shake. Many of them fell silent and looked at her as she swept her gaze over the audience. ¡°You are leaders not children, act like it. She wants a reprisal,¡± She said, ¡°There are twelve active dungeons in that area, one of them is rare,¡± Sonya warned. ¡°If even one of those dungeons goes up it could trigger a chain reaction that could end in millions dead,¡± She straightened her back, ¡°Yes, a response is necessary! She has killed thousands of people today without a doubt, and will continue to act with impunity until she is punished, however-¡± The building shook again and the lights flickered, ¡°However! We are an organization that exists to protect mankind, not damn it! We will not be cowed into a mistake by a madwoman! I propose a full embargo on her cult and an international ban of all members of that organization, a proposal to the UN to freeze all of her assets, and to open discussions about further action until she is arrested!¡± She nced up at the door as Marta tried to call her. Not now, not yet. The Chairman quickly hurried to her side, ¡°I second the Proposal! Do we have three more votes to bring it to a full vote?¡± The lights flickered again as Harman, who had fallen from his seat, got to his feet, ¡°The United States approves!¡± ¡°Japan approves of the measure!¡± The man next to Harman shouted. ¡°Australia approves of the measure!¡± ¡°The United Kingdom approves of the measure!¡± ¡°Saudi Arabia approves of the measure!¡± ¡°Brazil approves of the measure!¡± More and more enraged voices rang out in approval of a full embargo to cripple Liberty¡¯s cult and iste itpletely as the building shook around them. Sonya restrained a smile and inclined her head to the men and women gathered as she epted the call from Marta on her personal phone. ¡°What-¡± ¡°Darksiders!¡± Marta barked, ¡°Those idiots are taking advantage of the chaos! They¡¯re in the building!¡± Sonya didn¡¯t hesitate, she turned to the Chairman, ¡°Viins are in the building, security is holding them back but we need to get the representatives out, now. The building can¡¯t take much more anyway, we¡¯ve done what we can.¡± He nodded, ¡°This meeting is adjourned, the matter is settled, there will be consequences for today,¡± Hemanded, ¡°All Representatives, please proceed calmly to the secure exits to the left and right of the stage!¡± The representatives hurried down the steps as Sonya shot a nce up at the doors, they trembled once, then twice, she nced over to Alex and Brent, ¡°Do one of you have a knife?¡± She shouted as they made their way to the exit. Brent looked up at her in confusion as she loosened her tie and red at the door, ¡°What? There were metal detectors at the-¡± Alex reached into his coat and pulled a knife from a strapped pouch before tossing it to her, she caught it and spun it between her fingers, ¡°It¡¯s carbon fiber, monster bone edge!¡± He said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a gun, otherwise I¡¯d stay myself!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll do,¡± She said and nced at the Chairman, ¡°You need to go, sir.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± He asked, ¡°What-¡± ¡°I am the hand to hand instructor for the camp, remember?¡± She said with a smile and hopped off the podium to face the doors from the base of the stairs, ¡°I can handle myself, go,¡± She said and brandished the knife, pulling back into a stance as the doors shook again. She sensed the man hurry down the stairs and towards the exit. Another pair of footsteps hurried up to her side, though, and she nced over, ¡°Really?¡± She asked, surprised. Brent red at her, ¡°Like I¡¯m going to let a tiny woman watch my back,¡± He grunted, looking away, ¡°You really know how to fight?¡± She smiled, Liar, she thought, ¡°Of course I do, girl¡¯s gotta stay in shape somehow,¡± She joked and popped her neck, unbuttoning her jacket. ¡°Funny way of staying in shape,¡± He growled and clenched his fist before throwing it out with amanding gesture, ¡°Stand guard at my gates!¡± He barked and a light not unlike Marta¡¯s bloomed into life at his right. A seven foot tall woman stepped out next to him, d in gleaming armor and wielding a spear in her hand. She wore a helmet over the upper half of her head. The valkyrie stepped out in front of the two of them and brandished her spear as the doors crashed open with a resounding bang. The first thing Sonya heard wasughter and then the sounds of guns firing into the ceiling. Over a dozen men in masks came racing into the chambers as the Valkyrie charged them. Theughter turned to shouts of confusion as the titanic woman swept her spear across the group of men who had stumbled into a room they thought was filled with unarmed civilians. A few of the masked men lunged at the Valkyrie from the sides, weapons in their hands as they tried to tackle her to the ground. She tossed one off while picking up another and mming him to the ground with terrible force. Sonya¡¯s eyes shifted left and right, more wereing in. I don¡¯t think they suspected that their n would actually work. Probably wouldn¡¯t have without Liberty stirring up her own chaos. She¡¯d never work with them, Sonya shook her head, A god damned coincidence, what a fine mess. <¡±Marta where are you? The doors are open.¡±> She called. <¡±At the -rggh! Doors, they¡¯ve got a tough one with them, I¡¯ll deal with him quickly,¡±> Marta barked back and there was a brief sh of light from the atrium and a loud crash. <¡±He just keeps getting up!¡±> ¡°There¡¯s Chernovna!¡± One of the viins shouted. ¡°Haha! She stayed! Nice! Grab her!¡± Another shouted. ¡°Masque wants the pearly bitch in one piece, don¡¯t hurt her too bad!¡± A third barked. Brent nced her way, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re popr.¡± Sonya smirked, ¡°So it would seem,¡± She said and twirled her knife as the Valkyrie hurled one man all the way across the room, leaving him dead in a crater in the wall. I wonder howpatible it is with Baldur¡¯s Body, she thought with amusement as another idea urred to her. Shetched onto something one of the viins said, Masque wants me? Oh? She grinned impishly, Oh no, a personal meeting with the head of the Darksiders? How scary! <¡±Marta, keep things busy, it looks like they want me alive to meet with their boss. Isn¡¯t that terrible?¡¯> She chuckled through the call. There was a long pause, <¡±Oh absolutely awful, ma¡¯am, it would certainly be a serious matter if you were kidnapped,¡±> Marta said sarcastically. <¡±Put on a good show for me dear, will you?¡±> Sonya quipped as the first of the viins who managed to get past the Valkyrie charged at her. She kneed him in the gut and brought her elbow down on his head. He hit the ground hard. <¡±As you wish.¡±> Marta said and another noisy bang rang out. Sonya nced at Brent and restrained a snicker, it was best for him not to get swept up in all this. He was a bit of a prick but he¡¯d done the right thing and stayed behind anyway. Maybe there was some hope for him after all. ¡°You should go, yourpanion is gging already.¡± Brent looked at his Valkyrie that had half a dozen men hanging from its arms and legs now, trying desperately to pull it to the ground. The building shook again and he looked at her, tense for a moment before finally speaking his mind, ¡°Wh-what about you?¡± ¡°My bodyguards the mythic that fought An Set at Vegas,¡± Sonya said with a shrug, ¡°She¡¯ll be here shortly.¡± To punctuate her statement, a man went flying through the doors and collided with the screen that Liberty had been on. Brent looked up at the crushed screen and then down at Sonya before nodding reluctantly, ¡°Fine, just, don¡¯t die or anything, alright?¡± He griped, ¡°I¡¯m leaving Hilda with you!¡± He shouted and ran for the secure exit, throwing it open and racing through. It shut behind him and Sonya popped her neck again. ¡°Well now, I guess I can¡¯t make it easy for you all, right?¡± She said yfully as she tossed the knife up and down in her hand, more viins started to crowd around her. She bore her teeth in a wicked smile and let a little tiny bit of bloodlust out, ¡°Who¡¯s first, dearies?¡±
Interlude: The Deal Interlude: The Deal A few months before the incident in The Hague, Charon leaned back on his couch in the private box overlooking his club. He slipped a cigar into his mouth and lit it with a ck me from his fingertip, he took a drag and exhaled, his graying skin vanishing behind the cloud for a moment as he leaned forward. He ran his fingers along the small pile of blue coins sitting on the table in front of them. Each and every one of them had a flexible value based on the the overall value of the new underworld market that he had built. Apparently it was some kind of trick that Ishtar and Mephisto cooked up with their contracts, he didn¡¯t quite get it, nor did he care. They more than served their purpose. He rubbed one between his fingers as he nced out at the open area of the club. Men and women, viins of all races and backgrounds were here,ing from across the globe to do business with the Ferryman, the great middleman himself. He snorted and twirled his cane between his fingers. He watched a couple neers walk over to the bar and felt the faint trigger of his puppet standing there react and go through its usual pre-programmed motions, simple conversation topics. He didn¡¯t have to split his attention as long as they kept it straight forward. Even so, it was fun to listen in. He smirked and cast a bit of his mind into the puppet, listening in for a few minutes before immediately bing bored and pulling back out. Another far more interesting flicker in his mind drew his attention and he shifted his perspective, looking through the eyes of the guard standing at the VIP entrance. A slight figure in a ck coat, ck skirt and ck pantyhose strutted down the hall and out of the guard¡¯s vision. He sat up in his seat even more and sent a few orders for refreshments. In a matter of minutes a small spread of simple snacks was set on his table as well as a noxiously alcoholic drink for himself and a colorful drink in a tall ss filled with bubbles for his pretty guest. He rxed and straightened his embroidered jacket before getting to his feet and turning with a smooth motion, a practiced wicked smile on his face joined a conductor¡¯s bow, the skull on his cane pointed out, ¡°Mephisto, gorgeous as ever. Wee to the Styx.¡± A pair of glowing red eyes were the first things he saw as the brown haired man stepped out. A pretty slightly-pale face adorned with mascara and lipstick smiled at him ruefully and raised a perfect eyebrow, ¡°All this set out for little old me?¡± The effeminate viin asked, sweeping forward and holding out a hand. Charon took it and put a kiss on the knuckle of Ishtar¡¯s Dealmaker, ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Technocrat might get jealous,¡± The devilish creature said with his usual half-purr before his eyes shed dangerously. ¡°Not wise.¡± Charon pulled his hand away and stood up straight, ¡°You¡¯re right, of course, I wouldn¡¯t dream of pissing that guy off!¡± He chuckled, ¡°Had your favorite drink made, at least.¡± Mephisto snorted and walked past him, picking up the colorful drink and taking a sip. He let out a delighted half-sigh half-squeal of delight and slipped into afortable chair to the right of Charon¡¯s couch. ¡°A Wildebeest, now I know you want something!¡± Mephisto tittered out augh and crossed his legsnguidly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite, what was so big that you needed me toe personally? I¡¯m a busy man. You have endorsed contracts, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re not out already are you?¡± Charon held up his hands as he sat down, ¡°Nothing like that, I promise,¡± He said with a nervous grin, ¡°I got someone wanting toe make a deal, a big name, but not a member of the New Underworld yet,¡± He added quickly, ¡°Masque of the Darksiders needs gear, he says he has something big nned.¡± Mephisto stopped half way through a sip and looked his way, ¡°Masque? Coming here? Today?¡± Charon grinned at him, ¡°Yeaaaah,¡± He chuckled, ¡°Figured you¡¯d like to sit in.¡± Mephisto took a long sip from his drink and set it down, settling into thefortable chair, ¡°Why Charon, it isn¡¯t even my birthday,¡± The dealmaker said with a dark smile. It wasn¡¯t long after that when the man of the hour arrived. He came in through the front door like all the neers with a half dozen of his masked thugs surrounding him. Charon peeked through the perspective of his bartender as the masked man approached, his white mask with that twisted smile giving off a strange heat to it. He assumed full control of the bartender and set the ss it was cleaning down, ¡°Masque?¡± He asked through the bartender. ¡°Yeah,¡± Masque said gravely, stopping at the counter and leaning on it. He was huge and way more fit than the goons around him. ¡°Where¡¯s your boss?¡± He smirked a little through the puppet as a rumble ofughter passed through the patrons of the Styx, many of them ncing the Superviin¡¯s way. Masque frowned and looked around, standing up straight, ¡°What¡¯s the meme?¡± He asked, ¡°What am I missing?¡± Bartender-Charon tilted his head forward and looked Masque square in the eyes, ¡°I am the boss,¡± He said as the guards at the door also spoke with his voice, ¡°I am here,¡± The waitstaff turned as one and looked at Masque, ¡°And here,¡± The bounty board host looked his way, ¡°I am everywhere, and the only people allowed to use their powers in the Styx are those I approve of. Tone it down or shut it off, Mister Masque. My only warning,¡± Came dozens of voices in concert, dozens of pairs of eyes all staring at him as one. ¡°You¡¯re in the Ferryman¡¯s territory now.¡± Masque turned around and looked at all of the puppets staring at him as well as the patrons who were staring at him expectantly. There were several understandings at the Styx. The Ferryman provided protection, a link to Ishtar, bounties, money, and supplies. He was the beating heart of the growing society of Viins. The Styx was neutral ground and everyone agreed, no one fucked with the Ferryman. Talking back was an easy way to get enemies sitting seats away from another to work together for a singr goal. Punish the prick. Masque, fortunately, seemed able to at least read the room well enough to know better than to do anything stupid. The heating off of his body lessened significantly though his mask stayed on his face. Charon smiled through the bartender as the rest of his puppets went back to what they were doing, ¡°Appreciate it,¡± Charon said, ¡°Now,e on up. Follow that one,¡± He added and pointed to a puppet standing at the foot of the stairs leading up to the raised area where the VIPs sat and the doors to his private box beyond. ¡°Leave your boys down here.¡± A minuteter and Charon looked up from his couch to see the masked man walk into the private space. He grinned at the pause in Masque¡¯s steps when heid eyes on Charon. Everyone reacted like that the first time, he sneered, ¡°Masque, wee!¡± He gestured to the refreshed spread, ¡°Got some snacks, do you drink?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks¡± Masque grunted before looking at Mephisto, ¡°Who¡¯s this? I thought this was a private meeting.¡± ¡°It is!¡± Charon said and gestured to the beauty next to him, ¡°This is Mephisto, Ishtar¡¯s personal dealmaker and the one who creates the paper the contracts go on. For someone as illustrious as you, I figured having him present to oversee the deal and make sure all your bases were covered would be the least I could do.¡± Mephisto smirked at Masque, ¡°Charmed.¡± Masque stared at Mephisto, ¡°¡®Him?¡¯¡± He repeated, clearly confused for a moment before pausing and then nodding. Something in his posture shifted and his chest puffed out, ¡°I¡¯m d you saw fit to invite him, then, well met, Mephisto,¡± He said, forcing his voice a bit lower. Charon repressed a snicker and kept his lips steady as Mephisto raised an eyebrow, ¡°Right¡­ so, why don¡¯t you have a seat and tell us about this scheme of yours. See if it¡¯s worthy of a deal with the wish-granting queen. I should reiterate that I¡¯m just the middleman here, I work with Ishtar but not strictly for her,¡± He said, ¡°We all clear?¡± ¡°Crystal,¡± Mephisto said with a smug smile. ¡°Understood,¡± Masque grunted and sat down on the other chair, opposite Mephisto. ¡°So here¡¯s the thing, those losers at the Pandora Committee have been building this fancy-ass new headquarters in the Nethends for a while. They got a meetinging up and apparently the voice of the heroes is going to be there herself, that bitch with an ego, Sonya Chernovna,¡± He began with a sneer in his tone, ¡°My boys and I want to crash the party, wreck shit, and take Chernovna,¡± He flexed his fingers, ¡°My power can make any one I see as attractivepliant,¡± He said, ¡°Among other things,¡± He added quickly, ¡°I¡¯m gonna make her mine, then I¡¯m gonna use her to control the Pandora Committee.¡± Charon leaned back in his seat, keeping a straight face as he slowly turned his head to a wide eyed Mephisto. Mephisto¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together, trembling slightly. His hands were clenched tight and if Charon didn¡¯t know him, he¡¯d think he was about to explode with anger. Quite the contrary, though. Mephisto nced his way with his eyes nearly sparkling with delight. They both shared the same thought, These idiots want to kidnap Ishtar while she¡¯s visiting one of her most beloved pet projects? Oh this is going to be good. Mephisto let out a breath, ¡°Well! That is ambitious,¡± He said and rest his chin on his palm, ¡°You have enough people to handle it, I take it?¡± ¡°Yeah I don¡¯t need any of your loner thugs,¡± Masque grunted. ¡°So gear and logistics, anything else?¡± Mephisto asked, writing down a few notes. ¡°Logistics?¡± Masque asked. ¡°Gotta get you and your boys there without the authorities noticing, and you need to house them,¡± Mephisto said, ¡°Buy out a hotel for you for a while, that¡¯ll work, right?¡± Charon squeezed his jaw shut to prevent himself fromughing, he cleared his throat and chimed in, already picking up on Mephisto¡¯s angle, ¡°Flying would be quick but risky, The Hague is on the water, maybe a couple boats?¡± Mephisto nodded, ¡°Good thinking, you¡¯ll needmunication equipment of course, Ishtar can provide state-of-the-art tech ripped right off of the stuff the supportpanies are making,¡± He paused and forced a genuine smile, ¡°I have no doubt in my mind she¡¯ll find your scheme worth supporting for her ends.¡± Masque leaned back and nodded, ¡°I figured she¡¯d be the type to see sense.¡± Charon looked away and cleared his throat again, Fucking idiot. ¡°Now let¡¯s talk gear,¡± Mephisto continued, ¡°Guns, armor?¡± ¡°Enough for at least five hundred guys,¡± Masque said with a grave nod, ¡°I¡¯m bringing a big portion of my group with me.¡± ¡°A couple extra over that then,¡± Charon chimed in, getting a smirk from Mephisto, ¡°No gear is perfectly reliable, best to be prepared for something not working properly, one can only guarantee quality so much.¡± Mephisto¡¯s eyebrows rose, ¡°R-right!¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯ll add that in,¡± He scribbled something down then nced up at Masque, ¡°How about hardware? Computers, Monitors? You guys like those right? Gotta keep track of the mission in your war room.¡± Masque leaned forward at the phrase ¡®war room¡¯, ¡°Yeah, plenty of ¡®em, make the room look impressive when they drag her in.¡± Charon would have cried from holding back hisughter if he was even able to cry with dead tear-ducts, he leaned forward, ¡°In that case you should get a desk too, big custom hardwood number, friggin sell it.¡± Mephisto raised his notepad up to cover his face for a moment to hide his expression while Masque turned to look at him with a serious nod, ¡°Good idea, I need all the supplies I can get for this. Something to keep her from using that power of hers too,st thing I want is her touching me somehow and learning my power,¡± He grunted. Mephisto lowered his notepad and cleared his throat, waving his hand next to his neck, ¡°It¡¯s a bit warm,¡± He said with a huff, ¡°Anyway, I have a suggestion. Ishtar is rolling out a new product. A copy of the power binders that ASTA is making. They¡¯re expensive, but this is a loan and as long as you seed, you don¡¯t have to pay us back. Pushing the goals of viins forward is everything to Ishtar.¡± ¡°Oh we¡¯ll seed alright,¡± Masque grunted, ¡°With all this support, we¡¯ll make it happen. I want a meeting with Ishtar once it¡¯s all over. So we can talk business,¡± He added darkly. Mephisto coughed and wrote something down, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get your chance to meet with her sooner than you think. This is a very interesting scheme.¡± Masque nodded and crossed his arms, ¡°Good. I also want you guys to keep the details to yourselves, can you put that in there?¡± Charon looked away and clutched at his cane while Mephisto wrote a few more things down, ¡°Sure,¡± Mephisto said, ¡°A non-disclosure tost until the day of the event, how does that sound? I¡¯d like to be able to discuss it with her after your sess.¡± The idiot crossed his arms for a moment and thought before nodding, ¡°Fair enough, what else is there?¡± ¡°Just matter of payment,¡± Mephisto said and nced at Charon, ¡°You usually handle this part.¡± ¡°The debt is conditional,¡± Charon said gravely, ¡°Should you seed, Ishtar forgives all debts and you are invited as a VIP of the Styx among other perks,¡± Charon said, ¡°If you fail, the debt falls fully on the debtor or debtors with an ability handling most of the financial transfers,¡± He exined with a wave of his hand, ¡°Any further debt after all assets are liquidated must be worked off, one way or another,¡± He rest his hand on his cane and leaned forward, eyes glowing with malice, ¡°So the question is, who is signing the dotted line?¡± Masque stared back at him for several seconds before clearing his throat, ¡°The Darksiders are one collective, a single entity that makes things happen as a whole. We share the load so the organization will sign as a whole,¡± Masque said. ¡°I see!¡± Mephisto said as Charon got quickly to his feet, walking away for a moment as he forced himself to calm down, his ribs were hurting now. ¡°Well I have everything written down, you can look it over and sign,¡± Mephisto continued as Charon leaned against the wall for a moment, holding back bone cracking fits ofughter. ¡°What¡¯s up with him?¡± Masque asked. ¡°Probably just a private conversation through one of his puppets, no big deal,¡± Mephisto said, his voice cracking a little, ¡°Here it is.¡± Charon looked back over his shoulder and watched Masque read over the lengthy document before snatching a pen out of Mephisto¡¯s hand and signing it, ¡°There.¡± Mephisto nced up and met Charon¡¯s eyes, ¡°It was a pleasure working with you, Masque. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing your scheme y out live on tv,¡± He said with a small smile. A few minutester and some minor details cleared up, Charon stood at the window looking down into the Styx and watched Masque and his boys leave the way they came. Behind him, Mephisto shifted in his seat, ¡°Is he gone?¡± The effeminate man said. Charon nodded, trembling, and rest his hands against the window, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s-¡± He snorted, ¡°He¡¯s g-gone.¡± ¡°G-good,¡± Mephisto snickered, ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡± The both of them burst into a fit of hystericalughter. Charon sank down against the window to sit on the floor while Mephisto grabbed his sides and kicked his feet in the chair. The two of them keptughing until they were exhausted on the ground. Charon let out a heavy sigh and stared at the ceiling, ¡°This is gonna be good.¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chunhua stared at the television as the scene progressed. The words on the bottom simply said ¡®Attack on Grand Pandora Committee: Liberty and Darksider connection?¡¯. Sonya said something to the Chairman and he hurried down from the podium, barking at the other representatives. She watched Sonya turn and shout at one of the other businessmen who sat on themittee as honorary representatives. The man pulled a goddamn knife out of his coat and tossed it to her before hurrying through the door. Chunhua gritted her teeth, On television? Everyone¡¯s watching you crazy girl! She thought. One of the other businessmen stepped up with her and with his power they began to defend the hall as the remaining politicians fled. Chunhua¡¯s fists clenched even tighter as the man began to retreat. From the camera angle she could see Handmaiden giving it her all in the atrium, fighting off dozens of masked lunatics at once. How they¡¯d managed to bring a small army into The Hague was beyond her but- she paused. The glowing creation of the businessman copsed into sparkling light and the masked thugs turned towards Sonya. She can¡¯t fight at full strength like that, not while the cameras are running. She knows they¡¯re running. Come on,e on, cut out! Chunhua chewed her lip as the men began to surround Sonya. Then she saw it, the small dark smile on the woman¡¯s lips. You want this? What are you nning? Sonya, damn it! She was on the edge when the feed finally cut out. ¡°Fuck!¡± Chunhua barked, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re nning but- damn it! I can¡¯t just see that and not do anything! She growled, turning on her heel and grabbing her earpiece from the counter. Radio and phone signals were banned in the Green Bank location, but the manamunicationswork helmed by ASTA and Dr. Carter was not only legal, it was extremely effective. ¡°Molly!¡± She said quickly, racing the locker she¡¯d set up in her room. ¡°I need a portal to The Hague, yesterday!¡± Molly''s voice came in quickly, ¡°I¡¯m on it! Running the numbers as fast as I can!¡± ¡°Hurry, please,¡± Chunhua said as she threw on her robes, tying her sash tight and snatching up her weapon. ¡°The courtyard.¡± ¡°Got it, got it,¡± Molly said hastily. ¡°I¡¯ll get you in as close as I can, but what about the Vegas Act? You could get in a whole-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it!¡± Chunhua grunted, putting her armor on. ¡°Is it ready?¡± ¡°Almost!¡± Molly said, ¡°Got it! Archway ising up in the Green Bank courtyard.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Chunhua shouted and raced out the door. Several of the aspirants were standing in the hall outside of the instructors rooms with concern on their faces. ¡°Go back to your dorms and stay put!¡± She said hurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m heading there now. Everything will be fine,¡± She met a pair of orange eyes that stared back at her, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure everyone is safe, I promise.¡± The aspirants parted and she charged through, Damn it, Sonya. You make these people love you so much and then go off and do something that dangerous where they can see it? Are you out of your mind? She snarled, Why are you even doing things like this to yourself? Haven¡¯t you suffered enough already? Damn it, you¡¯re going to get yourself killed one of these- She paused at the door, the night just beyond it, the wordsing back to her from that terrible day. From the memories shoved into her mind. ¡°I want you to do it, in the end, if it¡¯s you, it¡¯ll be okay.¡± Chunhua gasped, That¡¯s what you want? That¡¯s what this is all about? She threw the door open in a rage. You think for one minute that I would ever do something like that to someone like you, you really are out of your mind! No wonder you didn¡¯t want to share the truth with me, She bit out inwardly as she stalked towards the portal. You stupid girl. Stupid, stupid, stupid, what, do you think you can just die and leave everyone you helped behind? You think you can just disappear like you don¡¯t even belon- Chunhua stopped again and brought her palm to her face, ¡°I¡¯m an idiot!¡± ¡°Chuchu are you okay? Is the portal not there?¡± Molly called through the earpiece. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Chunhua said, ¡°Just pissed off,¡± she grunted and made her way towards the opening that showed a brightly lit city on the other side. I am going to give you a piece of my mind when I see you, Sonya! Just you wait! ¨C You know, in retrospect, having these on the menu as items that could be sold to potential viins was probably a bad idea, Sonya thought as shey in the back seat of a swiftly moving vehicle. Her entire body felt numb and heavy, she couldn¡¯t see, and her thoughts wereing in slower than she would have liked. The power restricting cuffs were certainly doing their job, she was pleased with the craftsmanship. Amos really knew what he was doing. It was a good thing they at least looked like knock-offs otherwise some even bigger questions would have to be raised by the authorities if they ever caught a viin with a set. She let out a sigh, Not that it¡¯s a problem, really. She thought, Did these idiots really not put together that mypany made the original version of these things? That I might not have a, you know, contingency n for this sort of situation? ¡°Shut up back there! Crazy bitch,¡± One of the viins somewhere ahead of her shouted. She rolled onto her back heavily, ¡°But I¡¯m hungry!¡± She whined, she was feeling a little peckish, she¡¯d missed lunch after all, ¡°Do you guys have any snacks? Maybe some C?¡± ¡°How the hell did she kill five of us before-¡± Another started. ¡°Shut up!¡± The first roared, ¡°God damn it! Fuckin¡¯ psycho with a knife!¡± ¡°Aww, didn¡¯t like my dance did you?¡± Sonya teased with a grin as she tried to lift her arms. Her muscles screamed in protest as herrgely cybeic body fought to move without any energy flowing properly through it. ¡°Somethin¡¯s up with her, it¡¯s like she can¡¯t move or something, did you hit her too hard?¡± One of them grumbled. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine!¡± The first growled again, ¡°Just the cuffs messing her up or something, I dunno.¡± Sonya wanted so badly to roll her eyes, ¡°So when do I get to meet the big boss?¡± She asked, d that at least her jaw still worked well enough. ¡°Is he handsome? Or is it actually a girl, I like girls, did you know that?¡± ¡°She won¡¯t shut up!¡± The secondined. ¡°Because she knows we can¡¯t beat on her,¡± The first snarled, ¡°Shut it back there already, god! Masque will see you when he¡¯s damn good and ready, got it? Crazy woman.¡± ¡°You know, I get the feeling you guys don¡¯t get a lot of dates,¡± Sonya said as she finally managed to get the cuffs near her lips. She was sweating, but she¡¯d managed at least, the new version of the cuffs really worked. She was going to have to reward Amos somehow. ¡°Need some advice?¡± The two men fumed in front of her as she gently lowered her jaw to the activation panel of the cuff, she pushed down on it for three seconds, released, then three more seconds. ¡°Voice authorization, peaches,¡± She murmured and released the activation panel. ¡°What was that?¡± The first, grouchy one, growled. ¡°It¡¯s my safe word,¡± She teased. ¡°Oh my god!¡± The man groaned, ¡°Do we have a gag or something for her?¡± Sonya snickered as she felt strength slowly begin to return to her body. Her eyes reactivated and she quickly turned the glow back down to nothing to maintain the illusion. Shey there, pretending to be blind and crippled while taking a quick look around. They were in a van of some kind, Really? A van? Come on, how cliche can you be? She thought irritably. At least try to have some style when kidnapping me, I¡¯m a CEO for heaven¡¯s sake! She continued to annoy them for the rest of the drive, poking fun at their love lives andck thereof while asking questions about their daily hygiene habits and whether or not their mothers knew where they were and if their basements would be okay without them. By the time they arrived at their destination, the first one was practically purple in the face. She couldn¡¯t stopughing about it, wriggling and kicking her feet while they pulled her out. She made sure to keep her head slung forward as if she couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Man she¡¯s heavy!¡± The second one groaned as he threw her over his shoulder. ¡°Did you just call me fat?¡± Sonya protested as she scanned the room with her senses and peripheral vision, ¡°See, this is why you can¡¯t get a date! You have to be a bit more ttering, at least. Goodness.¡± They were in a parking garage, based on what her connection to thework told her they were somewhere in the eastern part of The Hague underneath a hotel. It wasn¡¯t the fanciest hotel in the world and after a quick search found that it had been entirely sold out for almost two weeks. They just camped here? Ohe on, Sonya thought as one of them hustled over with a cloth in his hand. She tried not to stare at it in disgust. Please don¡¯t, that¡¯s so gross. ¡°Got a gag!¡± He shouted and she groaned as he reached for her mouth. ¡°Boys! Quit wasting time, and put that thing down, it¡¯s disgusting!¡± A third voice joined them, a heavy ent on it. Welsh perhaps? She wasn¡¯t really sure, but she was grateful nevertheless, ¡°Masque wants to talk to her, not watch her get sick on the floor.¡± ¡°Sorry Grimman,¡± One said, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t shut up though.¡± ¡°Have you not seen her on tv? She never shuts up,¡± ¡®Grimman¡¯ said as he approached and grabbed her by her hair to tilt her head up. She looked right into his face while doing her best to look around blindly, he had a thickset face with dark hair growing out of his jawline, his eyes were dark and brutish and his hair wasbed back so tightly she wondered if his mood was from a headache. ¡°Eyes are off, cuffs are working, good.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t even see your pretty face to thank you?¡± She asked cutely, ¡°You saved me from a terrible fate, what if he put that gross thing in my mouth? Whatever it was.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re funny, huh?¡± Grimman growled. ¡°I consider myself to be hrious,¡± Sonya teased, ¡°So,¡± She said excitedly, ¡°What¡¯s he like, the big boss of the Darksiders? I hear he wears a mask.¡± He let go of her hair and stepped away, ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± ¡°Right,¡± The man carrying her grumbled and they began walking. She kept her head still as she took in her surroundings. They made their way to an elevator before they began their ascent, the four of them standing awkwardly in the elevator. She nced at the panel and it looked like they were going to the top floor. Floor six. Don¡¯t tell me. She groaned inwardly as she hummed to herself. She kept her little performance up the entire time, content with just hanging out on the moron¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So¡­¡± Sonya trailed off and a few groans came out, ¡°No teasing this time, genuine question,¡± She said, ¡°Grimman right? Interesting name, guess you¡¯ve got yourself an ability, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can deliver neurological shocks to people, knock them out if they get too yappy,¡± Grimman said, ¡°So why don¡¯t you watch your mouth?¡± Sonya shrugged, ¡°Alright, fine, sheesh, no need to get touchy.¡± The door to the elevator opened and she was carried down a hall filled with masked men standing at every doorway. Well, at least they¡¯re trying to look organized. She thought, I can¡¯t wait to see the contract for this scheme. I wonder how much money they offered up to me in case the n failed. Aren¡¯t I nice? Letting them go without paying if they pull it off? She snickered as they arrived at a door and she stared at the number, her stomach churning from enough cringe to make her sick. Sixth floor, room sixty six. Oh my god they¡¯re some. Nevermind, I¡¯m killing all of these idiots as soon as I¡¯m done with their boss. ¡°Room six sixty six,¡± Grimman said proudly. ¡°Ooooh,¡± Sonya patronized him. He snarled and knocked on the door, ¡°Masque, we¡¯re here!¡± He barked. The door opened in front of her and she quickly took in the room. It was dimly lit save for over a dozen screens that provided minimal illumination along the walls. All of the screens were upied by masked men who were hurriedly typing on forums, chat rooms, and performing a variety of tasks. Her attention shifted to the back of the room where a man was sitting behind a desk that, based on how the carpet was disturbed, they¡¯d dragged in just to make him look impressive. He wore a white mask with a twisted red smile on it and a ck hat on his head. He wore all ck and was shockingly fit. ¡°Sonya Chernovna,¡± The man growled from behind the mask, ¡°Finally.¡± They sat her down on the ground in front of the desk and she pretended to look around in confusion, ¡°Masque?¡± She called, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t see your pretty face, dear.¡± A pair of heavy footsteps announced him getting to his feet and he lumbered around the desk, walking over to her. She looked down to ¡®follow the sound¡¯ before looking up at him. He had to be a good six and a half feet tall. Whatever they¡¯re feeding you, feed the others, please. She thought, ¡°Ah, is that you there? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have any light in these eyes right now,¡± She said misleadingly before holding out her hand, ¡°Sonya Chernovna, mister Masque.¡± To her surprise he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. Oh? Well that works, Analyze. What, seriously? This guy? Well it''s mine now. She pulled her hand away and shook her head as she felt warmth wash over her skin, her HUD warned her that her body temperature was rising and she mped down on it with every ounce of will she had. She stumbled back and shook her head, ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice,¡± She gasped. ¡°Yeah well, I would prefer it if you werepliant,¡± He growled. ¡°I have questions that I want answered.¡± ¡°Could have just asked,¡± Sonya said, ¡°How about a deal? You answer a few for me and I¡¯ll answer yours.¡± ¡°You have questions for me?¡± He barked out augh, ¡°Sure, why not, while I¡¯m waiting for my ability to do it¡¯s thing.¡± Have you not developed your ability at all? She thought before asking, ¡°Why be a viin?¡± She asked, ¡°Why do all of this? What¡¯s the point?¡± She asked as she took another step away from him, her backnding against Grimman¡¯s chest. She pulled away from him as she drew on her imperiousness, not for her enemies this time, but for herself. She crushed the effects going on in her body with a force of will and felt her body temperature drop. ¡°Because fuck the world,¡± He grunted, ¡°Because I have power so I have every right to use it. It¡¯s notplicated,dy, doesn¡¯t have to be. Viins use their powers freely, sounds like a good thing to me. Ishtar was right on the money though that bitch doesn¡¯t know her ce. She should have joined up with me a long time ago.¡± She went still, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± She asked. ¡°That¡¯s your reason, because you feel like it? No greater goals in mind, nothing to aplish with being a viin?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, nothing,¡± He snarled, ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever we want! That¡¯s good enough isn¡¯t-¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough,¡± Sonya sighed and pulled the bindings apart with a flick of her wrist, the metal ttering to the floor. She turned her eyes back on and popped her neck, ¡°Shut up, please,¡± She said as she looked up at the idiot in the grinning mask. He froze, ¡°Huh? What happened to the-¡± ¡°Kerauna,¡± Sonya sighed, ¡°Kill him,¡± She said, and with a terrible bang the ceiling exploded.
Chapter 109 Chapter 109 The cataclysm of light and heat that ripped through the ceiling of the top floor of the hotel released enough force to crack and shatter all of the screens in the room. The lights went out, mes immediately caught on the beds that had been shunted over to the walls. The darksiders that weren¡¯t immediately shunted into unconsciousness by the sh of electrical energy screamed. Sonya didn¡¯t move an inch, her chin up, her expression firm, her hair fluttering behind her as sunlight shone down through the hole and the vision of carnage beneath the pir of light. Kera, short off-gray hair up in a punky style over her yellow eyes stuck out her pierced tongue and grinned with a wild expression. She nced to the left, the right, then at Sonya. Her eyebrows shot up as if she were surprised to see her there, she wasn¡¯t, she was just a little off. She straightened her spiked leather jacket and took a dainty step back before sweeping into a dramatic bow. ¡°I¡¯m here as called, Mistress,¡± She said with a snicker before ncing down at her feet and standing up straight. The burned and near-vaporized carbon chunk that was Masques¡¯ corpsey before her. She barked out augh, ¡°Ew! He looks like a twice-roasted burger!¡± She grabbed her sides andughed a little more, ¡°Gross!¡± Sonya smirked and turned her head, the electricity in the air was throwing off her senses a little bit. She should probably check on the other one. I almost forgot about dear Grimman. A hand appeared in front of her face and her eyes went wide. Fingers wrapped around her head and mped down on skin. She stared through them into the frenzied, terrified face of Grimman. She opened her mouth just as Kera sprung into action. Toote. A terrible pulse erupted inside of her brain, a shock going up and down her spine as her brain trembled and sparked in her head. Her open mouth expression turned into a brief scream, and her world went dark. ¨C From an outsider looking in, Sonya just went limp in his hand. In the dark room with only the single pir of light from the sun above and the few mes that burned on fire-retardant sheets, she just hung there in his hand as he panted. Kera stood, stunned, her eyes wide. She took a step forward only to freeze as the temperature in the air dropped. Her tense shoulders rxed and she took a step back, waiting patiently as the body hanging from Grimman¡¯s grip twitched once. Grimman barked out augh, ¡°G-got her! I-¡± A petite hand snapped up and wrapped around his wrist. Pink light bloomed between his fingers and the pale woman¡¯s mouth parted into a terrible, wicked smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± ¡°H-how are you still awake?¡± He gasped, trying to pull his hand away only to find it locked in her grip. He pivoted, trying to throw her off as she squeezed down, harder, harder, bone crunched, he screamed as he was driven to his knees. The yfully wicked smile of the woman staring down at him as he gurgled and shrieked, scraping at her fingers with his nails. She tilted her head and squeezed again, his arm bending and snapping. She let go and wiped her palm off before ncing at Kera who tensed, she smiled beatifically at her; ¡°Your timing is wonderful as always, Kera dear!¡± She said, ¡°Good work.¡± ¨C Ishtar was not just awake, she was fully in control. That idiot had knocked poor Sonya out. She¡¯d gotten cocky, for a moment, with Kera¡¯s arrival. Still so much to learn, but that was okay. She understood. It felt good to be on the top of her game again. She smiled brightly, it felt really good not to have all that extra weight weighing down on her. She didn¡¯t think there was ever a time that she both had the reins and was in a good mood. Finally, a chance to have a little fun of my own. She looked down at the blubbering man at her feet, Now what to do with the man who hurt my dear Sonya? Her smile widened, ¡°Oh right!¡± Sheughed, ¡°Kera dear!¡± She turned brightly, ¡°His powers are electrical, aren¡¯t they?¡± Kera was watching her from the side with a grin on her face when her eyes widened, she bounced on her feet, ¡°Oh! Oh! Can I? Can I really?¡± Ishtar took a sashay step back and gestured at the crippled man, ¡°Be my guest, dear, enjoy your meal.¡± Kera lunged, ¡°Yum yum! Come home to momma!¡± She cackled andnded on the man. She dug her fingers into his chest and electricity danced between them, first light blue, then yellow, then a pale white that bloomed into a glow. He screamed and convulsed as Ishtar nced around the room, several of the Darksiders were getting to their feet and staring at her with horror in their eyes. Ishtar nced backzily at Kera as she continued her feast. The others watching in silence as the screaming slowly stopped. Kera got to her feet and licked her lips, ¡°Delish, thanks boss.¡± Ishtar smiled at her, ¡°The witnesses next, please,¡± She said and reached up to check her tie, Oh it¡¯s loose. She thought as Kera turned into a living lightning bolt with a shriek ofughter. Screams broke out that were immediately silenced as the singr bolt of lightning ricocheted between them, bouncing around the room and leaving carbonized hunks in her wake. She slid to a stop in front of Ishtar and saluted. Ishtar fixed her tie and checked her cufflinks. All out of sorts, they really were too rough with her, poor dear. ¡°Hallway,¡± She said as she turned her wrist over, and walked to the door, opening it. Kera turned back into a bolt of lightning andnced out as the two men who were guarding the door dashed away, likely realizing that the action inside wasn¡¯t a positive thing for their side. Sonya stepped out into the hallway after her and fussed with her cufflink. Hm¡­ still a little loose. She thought as light bulbs shed and exploded, a cascade of ricocheting bolts of lightning spread down the hallway in a wave, killing and incinerating one masked man after another. She nced up, ¡°Careful around the elevator, dear!¡± Ishtar called. Kera returned to human form long enough to respond, her hand around a darksider¡¯s throat, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± She called back. Such a good girl, Ishtar thought with a smile before brushing herself off. The wicked bolt of lightningunched past her face towards the other end of the room and more screams rung out as Ishtar turned to walk in that direction, lightning bouncing around her in a protective halo as it asionally shot forth to y another darksider that dared breathe in her presence. She held her head high, smile wide, as she approached the elevator and stopped. She stared at the button that was dim and the faint smoke that wasing out of it as Keranded next to her. ¡°Kera?¡± Ishtar asked patiently, ¡°What did I tell you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ don¡¯t burn out the elevator?¡± Kera said with a nervous grin. Ishtar kicked a carbonized body out of her way and turned to put her hands on her hips, ¡°Kera! Now we have to walk down the stairs!¡± She chastised the woman. Kera held up her hands, ¡°Sorry Mistress!¡± Ishtar straightened up a little and let out a patient sigh, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± She said with a wave of her hand before tapping the woman on the nose, ¡°You were just having fun, weren¡¯t you? How long has it been since you yed?¡± Kera tilted her head and counted on her fingers for a moment, ¡°Guessin¡¯ two weeks?¡± Kera said. ¡°Two weeks!¡± Ishtar sighed, ¡°Poor thing, all cooped up,¡± She turned and started walking towards the door to the stairs, ¡°Have you tried doingps? Just to burn a little energy.¡± She asked as she pushed the doors open and stepped into the bare staircase. All chipped white paint and grimy floors. Ishtar wrinkled her nose, No ce for Sonya at all. How could those ingrates possibly think it would be appropriate to bring her here? I should kill every single one of them. .¡±So¡­¡± Kera trailed off next to her, clearly having simr thoughts, ¡°What about the other floors? I¡¯m guessin¡¯ more of those guys are camped out down there?¡± Ishtar nced her way and shrugged, ¡°Wipe them out.¡± Kera broke into a wide grin and her body crackled durning once more into a living bolt of lightning. For a moment it had a vague humanoid shape as it stood next to her, crackling and twitching before itunched forward towards the rail leading down the stairs and through the door to the fifth floor. Ishtar brushed her hair back and straightened it up a little as she continued her descent, one floor at a time. By the time she was halfway to the fourth floor, Kera was done with the fifth, bolting out the door and winding down to the fourth floor door with eager gusto. Ishtar hummed to herself as she reached up while pulling Hands of the Healer out of her warehouse, she touched her own head and felt the energy wash over her brain. Double checking, she thought to herself. Still out though, silly girl. I¡¯ll take care of things while you¡¯re sleeping, don¡¯t you worry about a thing. You should probably wake up soon, though. I really don¡¯t like being the only one present. She thought, arriving at the third floor and moving on. Didn¡¯t we just have a conversation about this? She rolled her eyes, Oh well, I guess it¡¯s not your fault this time. Kera zipped past her again and she checked her wrists as the sounds of men screaming rang out from just a little ahead of her. Regalia? She pursed her lips, The helmet gets really hot though, she thought and crossed her arms, tilting her head, Why hasn¡¯t Sonya asked Amos to fix that? Oh right, subconscious acts of self-destructive and self-abusive behavior. Note to self, Sonya, fix the damn helmet! She thought as she set a reminder for the evening with a note from herself to Sonya in the HUD. ¡®...with love, Ishtar.¡¯ That should do, She descended to just beneath the first floor and came to a stop at the door. Kera zipped in next to her and stopped as well, ¡°Lots of ¡®em on the second floor, all done!¡± She said with a cheeryugh, ¡°Haven¡¯t had this much fun in ages!¡± Ishtar smiled approvingly at her, ¡°Atta girl,¡± She said before resting her fingers on the door. ¡°Hold back a bit for me, would you? The darksiders are already dealt with on the other side of this door it seems.¡± ¡°Huh? Aight, I guess,¡± Kera pouted and sped her hands behind her headzily while Ishtar opened the door,, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you wear your mask, though?¡± Ishtar let out a fae-likeugh at Kera¡¯s petnt behavior, ¡°You¡¯re so cute! It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s only one person out there.¡± She crowed, her voice like tinkling ss as the door flung open. She stepped outside and smiled at the sole individual standing in the lobby, her head tilting to the right. ¡°Little ck Lotus, you¡¯re far away from where you should be,¡± Ishtar said with a grin. ck Lotus stood across from her, her eyes narrowed, ¡°Ishtar, right?¡± She asked with an edge in her tone, ¡°What happened to Sonya?¡± ¡°One of the guards got a little handsy and identally knocked her out, she¡¯ll be awake soon and I¡¯ll surrender control,¡± Ishtar said with a grin, raising a small eyebrow, ¡°You got here fast.¡± ck Lotus scowled, ¡°So you really did split,¡± She sighed. ¡°Just a little,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°If it¡¯s any constion, we had a long talk about why that¡¯s a bad thing, dear. Honestly, she¡¯s never been better. Getting away helped.¡± ck Lotus looked like she¡¯d been struck, she looked away with a frown, ¡°She¡­ I want to talk to her, not you,¡± She said finally looking back at Ishtar. Ishtar raised an eyebrow, ¡°You know, someone said the same thing to her recently,¡± She tilted her head, ¡°Want to dance a little while we wait?¡± ck Lotus narrowed her eyes, ¡°Dance? What do you mea-¡± ¡°Kera,¡± Ishtar said and held out her hand. The woman behind her turned into lightning andunched herself at Ishtar before allowing herself to be caught in the superviin¡¯s hand. Ishtar marveled at the feeling. Kera controlled herself enough not to hurt her while still being a fully contained rod of electricity. She twirled the transformed woman between her fingers before pointing her at ck Lotus, ¡°Allow me to introduce Kerauna, the master bolt,¡± Ishtar said with a sneer, ¡°May we have this dance, little Hero?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wearing your mask,¡± ck Lotus grunted even as she got down into a fighting stance, drawing her sword. Ishtar tilted her head, ¡°Oh, I suppose this could draw some attention,¡± She pursed her lips and then brightened, ¡°Oh, I have an idea!¡± Sheughed and reached into her warehouse before pulling out the Masque of Oberon. She raised her hand to her face and pulled down, following the instincts of the ability. ¡°That idiot Masque had no creativity, no concept of what his ability could do. Now it¡¯s in good hands.¡± A white mask with a twisted smile formed over her face as her white clothes turned ck, her hair turning the color of night and appearing shorter. The ground at their feet shuddered and shifted strangely, hallucinations spreading off of her in a wave, bolt of lightning in hand, she struck a pose, ¡°What do you think? ck Lotus vs Masque, the leader of the Darksiders! Another addition to your legend! Now-¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead already?¡± ck Lotus asked, cutting her off. ¡°That sick sack of meat? Yes,¡± Ishtar said. ck Lotus frowned, ¡°Did you kill him, or did she?¡± Ishtar tilted her head behind the mask, ¡°Talk talk talk,¡± Ishtar sighed, ¡°There¡¯s no time for that kind of thing in a fight!¡± She dered, ¡°Defend yourself, hero!¡± In an instant they met, Ishtar bringing Kera down over her head in an overhand swing while ck Lotus let out a misty breath as her fingers seemed to change color. She whipped her weapon up and blocked, lightning dancing around them. She¡¯s stopping the flow of electricity through her hands. Good! She broke the lock and spun around with augh, dancing on her toe before swinging horizontally. ck Lotus blocked with a swipe of her own and Ishtar just bounced off the blow, changing the direction of her spin and delivering another thunderous blow. Dance with me hero! Ishtar thought, Dance with me till it¡¯s time for bed and I fall asleep in your arms!
Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chunhua darted out of the way, rolling to the side as Ishtar let out another merryugh and whipped the person-turned weapon at her. Was it a whip or a staff? It seemed to behave like both at times. One moment she would be twirling it to block blows from Chunhua¡¯s sword and the next she would beshing out to strike with it at a distance. She slid back a few feet across the ground of the lobby and held her weapon up horizontally, the ribbon of lightning wrapping it around it, flying in the face of all logic and physical sense. She grit her teeth and pulled back, bringing her weapon down in a sharp stroke before dashing forward. Come on! Wake up! She sped along the ground, zipping to the left and right and tracing a path of destruction across the tiles behind her as she elerated. Ishtar twirled in her ck suit and let out augh as Chunhua swung, a ripple of pink light sweeping across the space in front of her, cutting through everything in its path. The next moment Ishtar was in the air, palm resting on one end of the lightning bolt while the other pressed down into the ground. Chunhua felt the resistance as her de dug into the weapon before a jolt tried to strike her in the chest. She darted back and swung at the jolt, deflecting it towards the ground. The exchange took less than a second, She¡¯s so damn agile. Chunhua growled as Ishtar¡¯s hand slipped down around the end of the pole. She grabbed hold as she bent in her handstand, turning it into a descent towards Chunhua as she whipped the bolt forward with augh. The hero huffed, stepping to the side with a near saunter, her head tilted left as little sparks sent her hairs on end. She red down at Ishtar who looked up at her from her descending strike. Chunhua snapped her foot out and kicked her in the side, sending her skipping across the ground and into a wall. She turned to face the small crater that flickered with the white light of Ishtar¡¯s hard-light barriers. The womany in the hole as if it were a throne, her arms up and her head tilted to the right as she stared out at Chunhua. Chunhua stalked forward with her weapon at the ready, ¡°Satisfied yet?¡± Chunhua demanded. Rubble tumbled out of the hole as Ishtar got to her feet, still wearing the get up to look like Masque. Chunhua heard herm buzz and frowned a little, Ignore it. She thought as the woman got to her feet and brushed herself off. She held out her hand and her ¡®weapon¡¯ jumped back into it. ¡°Hardly,¡± Ishtar said before tilting her head, ¡°That was a good kick though. You aren¡¯t holding back today.¡± Chunhua scowled, ¡°More where that came from.¡± Ishtar paused and tilted her head, ¡°You figured something out.¡± ¡°I figured out that she needs a good punch in the face as much as I do,¡± Chunhua growled. Ishtar tilted her head back and looked down at her, ¡°Really now? Well don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let you hurt her easily!¡± Ishtar snarled and kicked off the groundughing wildly, the whip of lightning snapping out in an arc around Chunhua. Chunhua pivoted and spun, kicking it up a notch as she swept attacks around her in a spiral pattern. Cyclone of Rose Blooms! She ground out, each strike crackling against an attemptedsh of the electricity that tried toe at her from every angle. She spun, faster, I have to go faster! Faster! She pushed herself, gritting her teeth as the world turned into a blur. Her body moved almost on instinct, practiced motions that would have taken heartbeats happening in a tenth of the time. Her muscles burned as she opened her mouth in a silent scream of defiance. More! I need more strength! ¡°Does she even need you anymore?¡± Ishtar asked as she struck from all angles, ¡°After what you did? Do you even deserve it to be her friend let alone anything else? To have her confidence? Are you that arrogant? I promised to protect her! I promised to back her up! I promised to support her! What more does she need?¡± Ishtar demanded over the howling crackles and shes between them. Chunhua clicked her tongue and twisted around, snapping a kick out again and catching Ishtar in the chest as she darted around her again. The Superviin went flying andnded on the ground, using her lightning bolt to stab into the ground and slow herself. ¡°If you have time to talk, you could be fighting harder.¡± Ishtar stood up straight and whipped the false-dark hair back, ¡°Caught me.¡± Chunhua stalked forward, ¡°Thank you,¡± She said. Ishtar tilted her head, ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For watching over her, for supporting her, for putting on this act for her,¡± She said, ¡°I am arrogant., I am selfish, extremely selfish,¡± She and got back into a fighting posture, de raised at the side of her head, ¡°Because I refuse to let her destroy herself in the end.¡± Ishtar stood up straighter and looked down at her, ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, you know. She has a long road ahead of her before I can finally disappear. I¡¯m looking forward to it, yes, but until that happens,¡± She tilted her head forward and red through the holes in the mask, ¡°I will be watching.¡± Chunhua pursed her lips together, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect any less from you.¡± She bit out, ¡°Come, Viin.¡± ¡°Defend yourself, Hero!¡± Ishtar howled and threw herself forward, gripping onto her bolt of lightning like a quarterstaff. She brought it up and blocked Chunhua¡¯s first blow. Then the second that came from below. Up, down, down, right, uppercut, swipe upper right to left, throat cut, leg shot, ck! ck! ck! Bzzzrraaapp! She kept moving, faster and faster as the scent of petals bloomed around her, as a glow rose off her skin, as light bloomed in her eyes. She bore her teeth as their movements became too fast to see, a ripple of pink petals smashing against purple lightning. Ishtar got a lucky hit in on Chunhua¡¯s wrist and Chunhua¡¯s weapon fell out of her hand. She drove a blow up into Chunhua¡¯s chin and the hero just threw her head back forward with a snarl. Chunhua hardened her hands with mana, blocking the bolt with her bare skin. She ignored the singe and tingle that went up her arm as she sent elbow shots into Ishtar¡¯s shoulder and arm, she hit again and again,nding pinpoint blows on joints. She noticed Ishtar¡¯s grip slip on the bolt of lightning and the viin threw her hand back, casting the bolt aside that turned back into the gray-haired woman andnded against the wall, dazed. Ishtar behind the masque roared and drew her fist back, bringing it forward to crash against Chunhua¡¯s good shoulder. Chunhua threw her knee up to catch the woman in the chin but she pped both hands down and pushed into a handspring, tossing herself into the air. Chunhua wasn¡¯t going to be fooled this time. She snatched her hand up and grabbed Ishtar by the wrist, bringing her back down to the ground with force. Ishtarnded like a cat, legs parted and nting on the ground to absorb the force. She twisted her arm in Chunhua¡¯s grip and grabbed onto her as well, des of light forming around her free hand. She gestured and sent them hurtling towards Chunhua who frowned and nted her feet before pulling back with all her might, yanking Ishtar into the trajectory of her own attack. Ishtar let go and raised one arm to block, a barrier appearing between herself and the barrage of hard-light des. She corkscrewed in the air before snapping out and wrapping her leg around Chunhua¡¯s neck,ughing and throwing herself backwards as Chunhua reached up to dislodge her. Chunhua felt herself hurtle through the air before she saw the grounding for her again. The hero frowned and nced up quickly at the grinning Ishtar before reaching and pushing her thumb into a spot on the viin¡¯s thigh a hand''s length from her pelvis. Ishtar let out a gasp and quickly released her. Chunhua rolled forward and hopped to her feet as Ishtarnded a distance away from her, flexing her leg and rubbing it, ¡°That was naughty,¡± Ishtar quipped. ¡°I know all of her weaknesses,¡± Chunhua bit out, ¡°And I¡¯ll use them if I have to.¡± ¡°Pervert,¡± Ishtarughed, ¡°I like it! Good!¡± The two squared off for their next round as sirens approached. Chunhua nced to her right, breathing hard, ¡°Surprised it took so long.¡± Ishtar flipped her hair back, ¡°They¡¯ve been a little busy, the Darksiders made quite the mess,¡± She said with a sigh, ¡°Idiots unworthy of the name Viin,¡± She looked in Chunhua¡¯s direction, ¡°One more round then.¡± ¡°That your call to make?¡± Chunhua asked defiantly. Ishtarughed, ¡°I am the queen here.¡± Chunhua scowled and set herself into her stance before darting forward, she put everything she had into the nextbination. A flush of petal blossoms dancing off her fingertips as she threw herself forward, ¡°ISHTAR!¡± She bellowed. ¡°BLACK LOTUS!¡± Ishtar cried out, her fist pulled back. They neared one another in an instant and without warning the Masque costume faded away, the white mask bursting into shards and scattering into the air. Ishtar smiled softly, ¡°I guess that¡¯s it for now, do what you need to do, little Hero. I¡¯m counting on you,¡± She said as her eyes dimmed a little, her fist already moving forward. Chunhua felt her instinctive hesitation kick in as Sonya smiled at her. Resolve came next and she frowned. ¡°SONYA! YOU BETTER CLENCH THOSE TEETH!¡± She bellowed as Sonya¡¯s fist dug into her jaw, her own fist colliding with Sonya¡¯s nose. Sonya fully came to, her eyes widening as a fist dug into her face and sent her rocketing back towards the wall of the lobby. Sonya hit the wall with a crash and slumped down to the ground. Her body twitched for a moment and she tilted her head up, wide eyed as Chunhuanded on her feet, rubbing her jaw with her hand. ¡°You¡­ followed through?¡± She asked, bewildered. Chunhua stormed forward and grabbed her by her shirt, ¡°Only ¡®cause you deserved it! Idiot!¡± She snarled and pulled the woman up to look her in the eyes, ¡°I am not going to kill you, never! I wouldn¡¯t have done it before you gave me those memories and I certainly won¡¯t now. I don¡¯t know what kind of idea you have in your head, but I am a Hero! I will do it the right way if I am going to put a stop to Ishtar!¡± She bellowed and eased her grip a little. Sonya¡¯s eyes widened as Chunhua continued her tirade, ¡°I¡¯m not that Chunhua! I am me! You are you! Not the Sonya before, you¡¯re a new person and god fucking damn it you¡¯re allowed to live!¡± She swore, shaking Sonya softly, ¡°Damn it, you stupid, stupid, fucking stupid, god damn it,¡± She rambled and red at Sonya, ¡°How dare you expect that of me? How dare you put me in that position? What if I found outter? What if you left me behind to live with that?¡± She shouted. ¡°How could you do that to me and everyone else you¡¯ve helped and saved? Of all the things you¡¯ve done. That has to be the most cruel, Sonya Chernovna.¡± Sonya trembled, she tried to look away but she couldn¡¯t tear her eyes off of Chunhua¡¯s face. A red streak ran down her cheek as a little went down from her nose from the punch, ¡°It¡¯s not fair, why are you both so mean?¡± She croaked. Chunhua frowned, Ishtar said the same thing, didn¡¯t she? That¡¯s what she meant by she was counting on me. Chunhua released her grip on the woman, ¡°Yeah, you belong here. So quit fucking around and save the world already, you dumbass.¡± The sirens were getting louder now, Chunhua nced towards the doors, fortunately the crowd that had gathered was so far out that they couldn¡¯t see anything from this angle. She looked down at Sonya and felt a hand rest against her chest. Sonya looked up at her with a smile, ¡°Chunhua,¡± She whispered, ¡°I won¡¯t let you or this world down, I promise.¡± Chunhua opened her mouth but Sonya was already acting. She nced at the one called Kerauna, ¡°Kera dear, cause a bit more trouble then flee, im that you were working for the darksiders and that you got bored of them. You are escaping ck Lotus, understood?¡± Kera nodded, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± She said quickly. Sonya looked up at Chunhua, ¡°I need a few more bruises, then knock me out,¡± Chunhua recoiled a little but Sonya gave her a firm look, ¡°Do it. Hero. You have a role to y now.¡± Chunhua sighed and raised her fist, shaking her head, ¡°You asked for it.¡± ¨C A bolt of lightning ripped out of the building beforending amidst the crowd outside of the hotel, the civilians scattered as the gray haired wild woman slid across the ground with a sneer on her face. She stood up with a mad slouch to her shoulders, canting her head crazily to the right, ¡°Fuckin¡¯ Darksiders, bunch of limp-dicks and chauvies,¡± She spat on the ground and wiped her lip, ¡°Then you fuckin¡¯ show up and ruin more of my fun. Sword bitch,¡± She growled and raised the finger to ck Lotus as she strode out, a white garbed woman in her arms. ¡°Kerauna, if you keep fighting here you could trigger a dungeon break,¡± ck Lotus shouted with that dignified voice of hers, ¡°Isn¡¯t killing Masque enough for you?¡± Kera threw her head back with augh, ¡°Not nearly enough! I¡¯ll carbonize all those bitches in the darksiders for crossing me. Just you wait,¡± She said with a few steps back. The security team that had arrived on the scene watched gobsmacked as ck Lotus strode forward with the CEO of ASTA cradled in her arms and a re in her eyes. Meanwhile, the number four most wanted Viin, now finally identified as Kerauna, retreated slowly, ncing at the security teams and the approaching heroes. She clicked her tongue, ¡°Tch, whatever, this was getting boring anyway,¡± She spat and with augh turned into a bolt of lightning andunched into the sky, joining the clouds with a p of thunder before racing away faster than the eye could follow. ck Lotus stumbled as the security team raced over to her, ¡°Ma¡¯am are you alright? Why are you-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility,¡± She said, gently lowering the unconscious Sonya Chernovna to the ground, ¡°She needs medical attention. The building is the base of the Darksiders. Kerauna already killed all of them including their leader, I was toote to stop her. They may have left something behind, though,¡± She said hurriedly, ¡°Move! Before any further evidence is lost!¡± They quickly snapped a salute and raced inside as a healer hero raced up to assist ck Lotus and the woman on the ground. Shortly afterwards, Handmaiden arrived on the scene. She and ck Lotus exchanged brief looks before the brown-haired maid bowed to the martial artist, ¡°Thank you,¡± She said. ¡°Just ying my role,¡± ck Lotus said with a smile and pat Sonya on the shoulder as the chaos of emergency, pandoramittee, andw enforcement personnel swarmed around them in a cacophony of noise. Inside the building, the security team found every single camera burned out and shattered by intense surges of electricity, the horrifying sight of the well over a hundred darksider thugs left crisp on the ground, the nearly vaporized corpse of Masque, and a single cell phone that still functioned enough to get ess to the forums that the Darksiders used tomunicate. By the end of the day, the sudden extermination of the Darksiders, ck Lotus¡¯ daring rescue of the ASTA CEO, and Kerauna¡¯s flight from ck Lotus¡¯ re was all that was on the news, Liberty¡¯s tantrum slowly being overshadowed ¨C He stomped through the bushes, checking hispass again. It had to be around here somewhere. There weren¡¯t many opportunities like this. The troublesome instructors were gone, including that ck Lotus thing that kept her eyes on him all the time she was around. Which was annoyingly a lot. He frowned to himself as he listened to the radio. Liberty, that idiot, my guide said she was supposed to be a good ally. Why is everything going wrong? He clicked his tongue. It¡¯s that Ishtar¡¯s fault somehow, I know it. He shifted his jaw left and right, Hm¡­ maybe I can use this. What if I kill the Liberty bitch myself? He thought as he stumbled into the clearing he was looking for. ¡°Aha,¡± Heughed, ¡°Found it.¡± Ahead of him, two totem-like pylons rose into the air, a portal rippling between them. His smile turned cold, his eyes glowed, and he rubbed his hands together. ¡°Now, let''s see what adjustments I can make,¡± He hissed and stalked over.
Chapter 111 Chapter 111 The television hissed to life and a dark haired man withb-over hair appeared on the screen, to his right, scenes from outside the Pandora Committee building during the attack y out, masked Darksiders running through a hole in the protective outer wall and into the gardens. It cuts to recovery crews working and then a group of civilians tirelessly cleaning off the statue of Firestorm that was defaced during the attack. ¡°...with more reactions from across the globe. Fierce condemnation of the actions of the viin group, Darksiders, has led to calls for more enforcement and further expansion of the hero training programs to increase numbers.¡± The man gestured to the image and it changed to a grizzled looking man with a thick white beard and stony eyes, ¡°Some experts including Criminal History Professor Darvel Cox at Oxford University have pointed out that the Darksiders are a new and reckless criminal organization built from a rogue element of a previous era and it is unsurprising that there was infighting between them and a powerful hired element,¡± The reporter continued, ¡°With the dawn of a new kind of criminal, some upheaval is expected and the Professor cautions against widening regtion and enforcement too quickly as it could strengthen the arguments of individuals like Liberty.¡± The reporter turned to face the screen more directly, ¡°It has been twenty-four hours since the events in The Hague and the Pandora Committee has only issued a few statements, one public statement has caused some controversy worldwide,¡± The reporter said and the screen cut to an image of the Chairman standing grim faced in front of a podium. ¡°While her actions were admirable and in line with the calling of a hero, the Vegas Act is an internationally recognizedw regarding the activities of Mythic-Tier light-touched outside of dungeons. The Hero ck Lotus has been put on a temporary suspension for the next month-¡± The screen cut back to the reporter again, ¡°As a result of the decision, protests have broken out across the United States, East Asia, in particr China, and Europe,¡± Images appear in a window next to him of people walking down the street with signs held up saying ¡®We need Mythics out of Dungeons!¡¯ and ¡®She did nothing wrong!¡¯ among other things. The reporter shifted a bit in his seat, ¡°The Pandora Committee has stated that the suspension is a light punishment and is looking forward to ck Lotus returning to her work.¡± He grew serious, ¡°In other news, tensions are high in the Southern United States and several other countries with branches of Liberty¡¯s cult,¡± The reporter said, ¡°The US National Guard has been moved to various points across the Southern US and armed with post-pandora munitions. Communities are split in the region over Liberty¡¯s actions with some praising her reprisal against government oversight while others are openly condemning her violent approach,¡± The reporter frowned a little, ¡°Some groups across the iming that the sh was ¡®divine¡¯ are voicing their approval of Liberty.¡± ¡°The Pandora Committee and the United Nations has responded swiftly to the growing tensions,¡± He trailed off and the screen changed again to an image of a balding older man standing at a podium in a huge room with the words ¡®United Nations responds to Liberty¡¯ at the bottom of the screen. The old man leaned forward, ¡°The UN has agreed unanimously to sanctions against Liberty and her Organization. I have confirmation that the Pandora Committee haspleted a remote ballot and added her to the top ten most wanted Viins list, putting her at the number one spot. Her actions will not go uncontested, but this will be handled properly and in a way befitting of a civilized society.¡± The reporter returned to the screen, ¡°In addition, the before-unknown electrical viin now known as Kerauna has been updated on the top viin list. You can see a dossier on all known viins on the Pandora Committee website,¡± The screen flickered and another face appeared, a young woman with her brown hair styled up, ¡°With the Darksiders now scattered many of their members have begun surrendering to the authorities. Some have been reported as saying they are seeking asylum from Ishtar for a debt incurred by the failed plot,¡± The woman said. She gestured to one side of the screen and the screen shifted to a grim faced man with ck hair graying on the temples as a reporter approaches him, ¡°Hero Sapporo! What are yourments on the debt incurred by the Darksiders to Ishtar?¡± The reporter asked hastily. Sapporo scowled and shook his head, ¡°If there was any more need for evidence that the woman is supporting viins indiscriminately, this is it,¡± He said sourly, ¡°Arming the mad is the peak of madness, now enough questions,¡± He added gruffly before turning away. The woman returned to the screen, ¡°While Hero Sapporo¡¯sments are resonating, other groups have begun to ask who will fill the power vacuum left by therge and very public Darksiders organization,¡± The woman went on, ¡°In Hero Sapporo¡¯s own country, a certain group has made very public their own thoughts;¡± She said and the screen cut away again to show a group of men and women wearing white masks and white robes. One among them is standing in front of a crowd of people, ¡°The Light of Dawn changed the world and Ishtar is its prophet. Our leader believes that the viins of Earth should bend the knee before her eye gazes upon the again and another city is brought to ruin! Our leader has foreseen the gaze of our true savior opening wide once more!¡± The woman reappeared, ¡°The religious group based in-¡± The television cut out and Sonya let out a groan, flopping back onto the bed and rubbing her head, ¡°An actual cult?¡± She whined as she rolled around on her bed. ¡°Gross, gross gross gross!¡± Sheined before stopping on her chest and staring with frustration at her pillow, ¡°I¡¯m so bored,¡± She sighed and rest her chin on her palms, kicking her feet in her pajamas andunching some of the sheets off of her bed, ¡°Stupid idiots postponing the Committee, it was just a bombing!¡± She grumbled and flopped to her side, ¡°Not that big a deal, just patch the walls and get on with it. I wanna run around The Hague some more.¡± She rolled onto her back, ¡°And now I¡¯m talking to myself. Better than talking to you, right?¡± She said aloud before pausing, making a deadpan face, and sighing, ¡°And now I have, great.¡± She sat up and peered into her reflection in a photograph of herself and Ca standing on a beach together, ¡°Hello?¡± She called out, squinting at the reflection that squinted back at her before raising its eyebrow and shaking its head. ¡°Fine, I know it¡¯s not healthy, just could use some friggin conversation here.¡± The reflection shrugged at her and turned away before it returned to being her own reflection again. She huffed out a breath and crossed her arms, ¡°Rude,¡± she muttered. At least let me take advantage of being a little crazy if I¡¯m gonna be this way, sheesh. She sensed a presence approaching her bedroom door and perked up, catching the scent of perfume on the air. She scrambled to gather up her sheets she¡¯d kicked off during her tantrum and pull them into some semnce of order. She was about half-way back into a restful looking sitting position when the door opened and Ca cleared her throat from the doorway. She turned slowly before smiling at the woman, ¡°Hey there,¡± She said as innocently as she could. Ca rolled her eyes, ¡°Just can¡¯t sit still, can you?¡± She asked and walked further into the room, shutting the door behind her. Sonya picked up on some voices a bit further out and nced up at Ca with a raised eyebrow, ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one restless, looks like most of the camp wants to check on you. Haven¡¯t the foggiest idea why, what with you being a perpetual tease for the entire first month,¡± She said with her arms crossed. Sonya deted a little, ¡°...yeah, I deserve that,¡± She said with a sigh and rest her chin on her palm for a moment, ¡°Bad way to outlet,¡± She murmured, I really gotta be better about that, they¡¯re my students for heaven¡¯s sake, this isn¡¯t one of Marta¡¯s animes! ¡°No kidding, but it seems there¡¯s no harm done, you didn¡¯t go too far,¡± Ca said and sat down on the bed before tilting her head and looking at Sonya¡¯s shirt, ¡°The glitter-soda shirt, again?¡± Sonya brightened, ¡°Of course!¡± She said, leaning back and posing a bit for Ca¡¯s benefit, ¡°It¡¯s nostalgic, I think of your cute face when I¡¯m wearing it.¡± Ca pursed her lips, ¡°tterer,¡± She said and leaned forward a little, ¡°It needs to be cleaned, wear something different or else,¡± She reached up and tapped Sonya¡¯s nose before getting up. Sonya blinked, ¡°Where¡¯d thate from?¡± She asked, grinning ear to ear. ¡°I learned from the best,¡± Ca said and walked to the door, ¡°Are you alright enough to have a few visitors, in all seriousness?¡± Ca asked, turning back to face her. Sonya was half way through tearing off her shirt to grab another when she poked her head up and had to wriggle herself the rest of the way out to look at Ca. Her heart skipped a beat, ¡°Really?¡± She narrowed her eyes, ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Ca crossed her arms, ¡°One, you¡¯ve got more than just the aspirants wanting to check on you,¡± She said, holding up a finger, ¡°Two, you have to promise to stay in bed for at least the next two days and rx. You may not think much of it, but what happened was a lot for any person,¡± Ca said, ¡°You seem like you¡¯re on the mend, mentally, and I¡¯m not letting you backtrack.¡± Sonya¡¯s lip trembled a little and she let her shoulders rx, she felt heat rise to her face and she scratched at her nose, ¡°Using my weakness against me isn¡¯t fair,¡± She said and then took a deep breath, she sighed and looked back at Ca, ¡°I promise not to get out of bed for more than a few minutes for the next two days and I promise to rx while I¡¯m here, minimum activity. Just me, the tv, and my phone.¡± Ca nodded, ¡°Maybe you can get a little work done that doesn¡¯t involve knives and explosions while you¡¯re here,¡± She chuckled and then turned away. ¡°Are you okay with hering in too?¡± Sonya slipped on another shirt, this one said ¡®Snack Time¡¯. She pulled her knees up to her chest as Ca nced over her shoulder at her. Sonya hugged her knees and pressed her nose between them for a moment as she stared at her feet. Need to redo my nails again, she thought absently as she mulled through the sudden mixture of feelings. She looked up and took another breath, exhaling and letting out the unease. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good. She cane in alone too so we can talk a little.¡± Ca¡¯s smile grew even wider, ¡°Good, I¡¯ll send her in, you won¡¯t have long, the hounds are wing at the gates. Poor Marta can only hold them at bay for so long.¡± Sonyaughed, ¡°Better keep it short then!¡± She said and eased back onto her pillow, I have a lot I want to say, but I think it can wait. I have something in mind,ter though. Ca left and Sonya could hear the distant conversation clearly as the door shut to the suite she was staying in at the camp. A momentter there was the sound of heavy and hesitant footsteps followed by a knock at the door, ¡°Come in, Chunhua,¡± Sonya said and sat up a little. The door opened and Chunhua stepped inside. She wasn¡¯t in her usual gi, just a white polo shirt and thick dark denim jeans tucked into boots. Sonya felt a little nostalgic at the look. Very nostalgic. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, ¡°You dress like that for my benefit?¡± She asked with a smirk. Chunhua scratched her neck, ¡°Maybe, thank you for letting me in.¡± Sonya chuckled, ¡°You punch like a truck.¡± The hero crossed her arms and tilted her head, her dark eyes glittering a little, ¡°You can take it. That was a one-time thing, though. Don¡¯t make me have to do that again.¡± Sonya crossed her arms in return, ¡°You aren¡¯t gonna keep holding back on me during spars are you? The hounds out there are gonna want to see a rematch after Iid you t before I left.¡± ¡°Laid me t?¡± Chunhua blurted before pressing her lips together. She crossed her arms, ¡°Fine. Point taken.¡± Sonya barked with augh before rxing, ¡°No more holding back, Chunhua, and you cane visit whenever you want.¡± Chunhua sighed, ¡°What I said stands,¡± She said firmly, ¡°And I¡¯m still mad about it but-¡± Sonya pursed her lips and smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the heavy stuffter, can we just start with being able to breathe around one another?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± Chunhua said with a smile, ¡°Now I should stop hogging you, you have ravenous aspirants who want to make sure their favoritebat instructor is okay.¡± Sonya chuckled, ¡°Yeah, send those miscreants in,¡± She paused and looked up at Chunhua as she started to turn away, ¡°Hey,¡± She said and the woman paused to look back at her, she tapped her nose, ¡°Thanks again, I deserved that one, really.¡± ¡°Just keep your promise,¡± Chunhua said with a small smile and walked out the door. ¡°I will,¡± Sonya said after her and straightened herself up a bit more, fussing with her hair and straightening out her sheets just a bit more as she heard the door open and a few happy voices ring out. She smirked and shook her head as the sound of many pairs of feet rumbled into the small suite and down the hall towards her room. She rest her chin on her palm and put on her most iconic smug smile as the first couple of faces poked their way in. A pair of orange eyes met hers and a tuft of green on a sea of ckunched across the room before she was pulled into a tight hug. ¡°Oof! Hi there Miss Landrey!¡± Sheughed and returned the hug. She pulled back and looked her over, ¡°You¡¯re looking stronger every day!¡± She said as Lillian stepped back and beamed at her. ¡°We¡¯re so d you¡¯re okay,¡± She said as more faces flooded in, a good number of the girls, Cass, the entire Nashville team, and then one figure pushed their way through the crowd and poked his flustered head out under Lillian¡¯s arm. Ollie frowned at her with red eyes, ¡°You scared the hell out of me, Ma¡¯am,¡± The young man said angrily and she reached out to take his hand and pull him into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ollie,¡± She said and stroked the back of his head before looking up at the others, all those smiling faces. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry to you all, for a lot of things, I was a little um¡­ muchst month,¡± She said and let him go, ¡°I had a lot on my mind and I went overboard.¡± ¡°We could tell,¡± One of the girlsughed, ¡°You¡¯re fine!¡± Sonya cleared her throat, ¡°Anyway! I¡¯ll be fine, see? No terrorist bombing is going to get the better of me!¡± She dered and flexed her petite arm, ¡°See?¡± She drew a fewughs and grinned before resting her hands in herp, ¡°I¡¯ll be back with you guys next week, so no change in schedule,¡± She said, ¡°When I do, you better be ready. Because if you thought I was tough before, you haven¡¯t seen anything yet!¡± The aspirants let out groans and sheughed, ¡°Oh don¡¯tin now! You asked for it, being so damn sweet. How can I not do my best for you?¡± She asked with a tilt of her head. The aspirantsughed and started talking amongst themselves, visibly relieved. She looked up at their faces, briefly meeting Cassiopeia¡¯s gaze before taking it all in. All these people that came to see her, that she¡¯d helped, guided, taught, even if it had been for just a month so far. She had touched their lives. Chunhua¡¯s words hit her a bit harder in that moment; ¡°How could you do that to me and everyone else you¡¯ve helped and saved? Of all the things you¡¯ve done. That has to be the most cruel, Sonya Chernovna.¡± Sonya smiled, I think you might be right.
Chapter 112 Chapter 112 As the aspirants filed in and out of Sonya¡¯s room to give her their best wishes, Lillian made her way into the hallway. She was beyond relieved that Sonya was okay. Better than okay from the looks of it. She¡¯d noticed the atmosphere in the room when she¡¯de in after miss ck Lotus had been in there. It was far more rxed. Whatever had happened, at least some of the air was clear. She could only hope that things in the camp would be even better than before because of it. She smiled to herself and scratched at the back of her head, wandering down the hall until she spotted ck Lotus walking out of the building towards the dojo. She looked down at her arm and flexed it, gold mes rushing through her veins and up into her knuckles, they ignited for a moment before she put them out with a simple exhale of breath. She looked back up at ck Lotus¡¯ retreating form. Something was changing, something was different, she could feel it building up but she couldn¡¯t figure out what to do next. She frowned and hesitated, She¡¯s on suspension, though, will she even talk to me about training? She pressed her lips together and bounced on the balls of her feet. C¡¯mon Lillian, she¡¯s not a scary person, just ask. Worse she can do is say no. Shended on her feet and squeezed her fists tight. Okay, you can do this, she¡¯s in a good mood, right? Lillian reminded herself before reaching up to straighten the cor of her letterman and let out a breath. No biggie, She took a step forward and the next thing she knew she was out the door, breaking into a jog before suddenly sliding to a stop in front of the Dojo. ck Lotus was standing a few feet inside the entryway with a bottle of water in her hand and a mixed expression of amusement and concern in her face, her eyebrow raised high. ¡°Miss Landrey? Is everything okay? You ran all the way here,¡± She said and nced past her towards the entrance of themon area with a momentary frown before looking back at her, ¡°Nothing seems off,¡± She said absently and took a sip of her drink, watching Lillian catch her breath out of the corner of her eye. Lillian was leaning on her knees, she¡¯d crossed the distance in what felt like a heartbeat. She had always been fast, really fast, she was a runner after all. But that distance in a few seconds was¡­ wow. She wheezed and blinked a few times before looking up at ck Lotus from her spot, ¡°Wanted to catch up,¡± She breathed, ¡°Had a question,¡± She stood up straight, ¡°If that¡¯s okay.¡± ck Lotus chuckled, putting the bottle down, ¡°Catch your breath first, youngdy, is that your first time enhancing your body like that?¡± Lillian furrowed her brows, ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, I think? Is that normal?¡± She asked with a frown, the rational part of her brain finally catching up with what she¡¯d just done. She turned and looked back at the doors of themon area before looking back at ck Lotus, ¡°Woah.¡± ck Lotus shook her head andughed, ¡°¡®Woah¡¯, as good a reaction as one might expect,¡± She said and walked towards the center of the dojo, ¡°Sit with me?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes, teacher,¡± Lillian said quickly and hurried over, plopping down in a lotus posture in front of ck Lotus who looked up at her expectantly after a moment, her head tilted, Lillian swallowed and set her hands on her knees, ¡°Uh¡­¡± She started then frowned before rearticting her words, ¡°I feel like something¡¯s building,¡± She said and put her hand on her abdomen and then drew it up to her chest, ¡°It¡¯s like a pressure or something. I¡¯ve been doing as you asked every day and it feels like it¡¯s not going anywhere anymore. I¡¯m right at the edge of something and I just can¡¯t get past it. Like¡­¡± ¡°A wall?¡± ck Lotus asked, tilting her head. ¡°Is something emotionally troubling you?¡± She asked. Lillian sat up straighter and flushed a little, clearing her throat, ¡°N-no, honestly that front couldn¡¯t be better, honestly,¡± She said and reached up to y with the green streak in her hair. It felt different from the rest of her hair, like a feather rather than actual hair. ¡°Still, I feel like I can¡¯t progress any further doing what I¡¯ve been doing, I¡¯ve been working out, practicing with my broadsword, I¡¯ve memorized all the forms you taught me and I even¡­¡± She trailed off. Her teacher leaned forward, ¡°Even what?¡± Lillian hopped to her feet, ¡°It¡¯s easier to show you, uh,¡± She turned around and spotted the practice broadsword that was kept in the dojo for her. She hustled over to it and snatched it up before hurrying back and holding it in a standard guard pose. Her legs parted parallel to her shoulders and her back straight, the hilt of her sword at an angle from her waist pointing away from her. She shifted her neck to the right and concentrated on the instincts screaming in her blood, the golden fire in her veins, the internal energy pushed out from her heart again and into her meridians. They felt tight, restricted, but the energy flowed through them. It didn¡¯t feel like how her teacher felt when they were close by, like a constant churning sensation. She had to draw it out. She let out a breath and let the instincts guide her before taking a strong step forward and instead of a quick and sharp blow like ck Lotus had taught, she entered into a powerful swing that brought her weapon across her field of vision in a brutally clean line. Took another step forward, her footfalls heavy, and used the momentum of the swing to curve down and back up into a diagonal uppercut. That swing came with a bit of golden me trailing behind it. She took another step and delivered a third powerful swing downwards, the mes were like a stream now. She stopped and let out a breath, panting a little from going all out for a few seconds. She looked back at ck Lotus, ¡°It just came to me.¡± ¡°Unique instinctive forms for your choice of weapon,¡± ck Lotus said thoughtfully, rubbing her chin. ¡°I guess?¡± Lillian said and looked down at the weapon, catching the de in her free hand, ¡°The- The broadsword is heavy and long, if I had a hand guard or something I could hold the de during blocks,¡± She said thoughtfully, just rattling off the things that had been bouncing around in her head for a while, ¡°The pommel is tough too, I could use that,¡± She tilted her head and twisted it, pointing it outward, ¡°The crossguard too, it has potential,¡± She said and narrowed her eyes, ¡°I just feel it but¡­¡± ¡°Not quite there yet,¡± ck Lotus nodded, ¡°And how do you feel about mana and internal energy?¡± She asked thoughtfully. Lillian frowned and sat down heavily, resting her broadsword on her shoulder as she flexed her fingers, ¡°I feel mana in the air, it was like a buzz before but now it feels like, I dunno, just untapped uh¡­¡± She scratched her head, ¡°Potency, potency, that¡¯s the word. Like not power really, but the potential for power. It feels alive but not, it¡¯s not moving under its own will, like clouds.¡± ¡°Like clouds?¡± ck Lotus asked, smiling a bit to herself, ¡°As in the carter radar reports?¡± Lillian shook her head, not noticing her teacher¡¯s grin, ¡°No, no, not like that, I feel like I should be able to grab onto it. Like it¡¯s right in front of me,¡± She clenched her fist, ¡°Mana, Internal Energy, they can hurt and heal, they can do anything, it¡¯s more than I could have ever imagined. I just feel like there¡¯s a fundamental something that I¡¯m just not getting,¡± She looked up at ck Lotus desperately, ¡°What am I missing? What don¡¯t I get?¡± ck Lotus raised an eyebrow, ¡°I can¡¯t spoon feed that to you,¡± She said patiently, ¡°I can suggest that you spend a little time thinking hard about the sh, Miss Landrey, Lillian,¡± She continued and pat her knees, ¡°Meditate on it, deeply meditate, let your thoughts wander on the possibilities and I think you might just find your answer. You are so close to something I experienced,¡± She said gently, looking nostalgic for a moment, ¡°Don¡¯t force it, take your time, and let it happen. Inspiration mighte when you least expect it.¡± Lillian searched her teachers face but the woman kept her expression carefully controlled, she wasn¡¯t getting any more out of her. She smiled, ¡°Thanks teacher,¡± She said and bowed her head before ncing up with one eye and a hesitant smile, ¡°So¡­ about our sessions?¡± ck Lotus barked out a genuineugh, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I am technically suspended. I can offer you advice but I can¡¯t act as a formal teacher at the camp for the next month. I¡¯m just staying here to rest, it''s been a while since I did that, I think,¡± She said thoughtfully before ncing at Lillian, ¡°Even I hit walls every now and then,¡± She said with a smirk before raising her hand to wave a dismissal, ¡°Now go on, think about what we talked about and give those ideas of yours a chance,¡± She said, ¡°Just do what feels right, you have good instincts and a good heart, use it.¡± Lillian got to her feet and bowed at the waist, ¡°Thank you again, teacher,¡± She said with a big smile and hurried off to put away her broadsword and dart back to themon area. ¨C Chunhua watched her pupil go with a bit of pride in her heart, ¡°So close to your first breakthrough in enlightenment,¡± She said and let out a sigh, ¡°So strong too,¡± She nced up at the spot where she¡¯d been swinging her sword, She¡¯s marching towards the peak of Rare in no-time t. Once she breaks through and starts cycling, she¡¯ll reach the peak of Rare without a doubt, Chunhua thought before frowning and ncing at the opening, Yet I can feel like that¡¯s only the beginning. Her first step. What on Earth have you created, Sonya? Was this an effort to rece me? To do what I won¡¯t? She rest her hands in herp, Now that you know you have people to live for, what does that mean for her? She let out a breath and reached up to ce a hand over her heart, My heart demon is easing, I feel stronger already. I¡¯ve been so weak and I¡¯ve fallen behind, I could barely keep up with Ishtar. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Sapporo could take me out at half power. She took a centering breath and exhaled, tilting her head back and humming herself into meditation and smiled. That wild girl,ing in here and getting me all pumped up. I want to get stronger too. Maybe it''s time I started chasing my second breakthrough. She let her mind wander, feeling the mana teeming in the air around her and began drawing it into her body. She drank deeply this time, not the short bursts to use simple strikes like the ones at The Hague. She gathered her power as her meditation deepened, I wonder¡­ will her voice sound different¡­ to me? ¨C Lillian pat her shoulder and rolled it a little as she walked into themon area, most of the others were all situated in their usual spots and she quickly found her group. She waved once at Jessica and Luke who nodded at her and even met Cassiopeia¡¯s eyes. She looked tired but a bit more pleasant than usual. Wait, isn¡¯t she¡­ She shook off the thoughts, who she was rted to didn¡¯t matter one whit, she was her own person. She smiled at the blonde who gave a tired half-smile back and returned to reading something on a tablet. Lillian shrugged and stopped next to the others at their cluster of couches. ¡°Feelin¡¯ better Ollie?¡± She asked with a grin, putting her hands on her hips. Ollie looked up from his usual mind-bending mass of notes and actually put his pen down, ¡°I am, thank you. Sorry about that disy,¡± He rubbed his hands together, ¡°Miss Chernovna stuck her neck out for me and after the speech at the Committee,¡± He trailed off as the other members of the Nashville team went quiet for a moment. ¡°I still feel kinda giddy, thinking about it,¡± Alex said and rubbed his nose with a stupid smile, ¡°Wears his scales with pride, you¡¯re damn right I do.¡± Val clenched his fists, his colorful eyes glowing a bright red for a moment and broke into a savage grin, ¡°I¡¯m so amped up I can¡¯t sit still. I just need my gear, it¡¯s gonna be done by the end of the week apparently,¡± He said and literally hopped to his feet, ¡°I¡¯m gonna run some frigginps,¡± He said and darted out the door like a bullet. Gregughed and rubbed his nose, ¡°Y¡¯know, I heard that Euclidia¡¯s looking for heroes with a knack for logistics to train up after the main course,¡± He said, ¡°I might ask Miss Chernovna about going to the UK,¡± He said before ncing towards one particr ck-and-blue haired girl who was talking with her friends off to the side, ¡°Y¡¯know, maybe, I mean,¡± He said hesitantly. John bit into his sandwich, ¡°Emotional,¡± He mumbled after chewing, ¡°Did not sleep well.¡± They all looked at him nkly before Lillian caught herself and nced around, ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Snow?¡± Greg looked up and tilted his head, ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t she attached to you at the hip?¡± He asked with a chuckle before wincing at her frown, ¡°Uh¡­¡± He nced around, ¡°Honestly, no, she¡¯s usually either down in theb or going straight to one of her other courses,¡± He scratched his head and nced at Alex, ¡°You?¡± Alex blinked and looked up from mumbling something to his fists, ¡°Huh? Snow? Oh yeah I saw her go around the back of themon building. Figured she just needed some alone time, it¡¯s pretty crowded here sometimes and she ain¡¯t a social butterfly,¡± Alex said with a shrug. Lillian nodded now feeling even more worried, ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll be back!¡± She said and quickly darted away. Is she okay? Lillian thought, hopping over the rails of theary diorama and shooting past it like a rocket. Shended at the doors leading out back and pushed out, ncing around quickly. She took a few steps forward then stopped, turning around to nce at the small alcove just to the right of the door. There, sitting in the grass, with her hood up and her legs pulled tightly to her chest, was Snow. A pair of pearlescent eyes looked up at her, a few tears in them, but they were apanied by a smile. ¡°There you are,¡± She breathed and walked over, ¡°I was looking for you.¡±
Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Lillian stood over Snow, a momentary silence passing between the two of them. She stepped forward and knelt down, sitting across from her. Snow reached up and wiped her eyes, sniffing and looking away with a reddened face. Lillian tilted her head and tried to catch her gaze, ¡°Hey,¡± She murmured, ¡°Snow, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked. Snow reached up and pulled her hood down a little more, pulling her knees to her chest with one arm while she slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Lillian sat patiently as the girl typed out a message. She typed the message, then frowned and deleted it. She typed something else and made a frustrated face before erasing it again and throwing her head back in a show of frustration. She slumped a little bit where she was sitting before looking up at Lillian helplessly. Lillian just opened her arms and shifted back a bit to make room on herp. Snow¡¯s expression softened and she slipped up, sitting in Lillian¡¯sp and resting her head under her chin. Lillian reached up and stroked her head; Even Snow doesn¡¯t know what to say. Whatever it is it must be serious. Snow tapped away at her phone again, but this time it looked like she wasn¡¯t using the texting app. Lillian nced down and then felt the air shift a little as Snow tensed in herp. Lillian tilted her head, worried, ¡°Snow what¡¯s going on?¡± Just as she asked, a two-dimensional image appeared in the air in front of her. It flickered for a moment and seemed to copse into itself before bing legible. It was an image of Dr. Carter standing with his arms crossed, his expression was a little ufortable. He raised an eyebrow, ¡°We¡¯re recording?,¡± He sighed and scratched the back of his head, clicking his tongue before pausing and looking somewhere to the left of the camera, ¡°Are you really sure about this?¡± He winced at whatever reaction he got and shrugged, ¡°Alright fine.¡± Where¡¯s the sounding from? Lillian thought before ncing down and noting that it wasing from Snow¡¯s phone. I see. She looked back up and kept watching. Dr. Carter crossed his arms, ¡°Alright, so let''s go over it again. Now I want to remind you for the millionth time that this is theoretical stuff, okay? Untested, what you¡¯re doing is volunteering to be a guinea pig. You really get that, right? You understand how friggin crazy-¡± He winced again, the dark circles under his eyes twitching once before he slumped his shoulders, ¡°Alright, alright! Damn,¡± He cleared his throat and looked at the camera. ¡°A lot of our discussions down here have been about your ability and how it seems to interact with technology, specifically devices withputers in them.¡± He crossed his arms, ¡°What seems to be happening with your ability is you are using aputerized device as the focus for processing what basically amounts to a controlled interaction with light, sound, and some brainwaves,¡± He said and waved his hand, ¡°That controlled interaction follows a prompt or some sort of logical expression that you put into your device,¡± He continued, ¡°Problem is, your phone can only handle so much which exins the inconsistency and because of your injury your brain is struggling with the act of interpreting sound waves, I¡¯m guessing a traumatic response but-¡± He hesitated, ¡°Hey! I¡¯m just being honest!¡± He said, holding up his hands. Lillian nced down at Snow who nodded at the image. She wasn¡¯t going to exin until the end, then. He coughed into his fist, ¡°Anyway! Somebody overheard Dr. Da-Som and I talking about his little pet project and got hung up on it,¡± He said with a frown before rolling his eyes, ¡°The long and short is that he¡¯s been working on a foundational piece of hardware for future cybeic prosthetics. It¡¯s based on a thorough examination of Miss Chernovna¡¯s prosthetic eyes,¡± He said and nced to the right for a moment before grumbling to himself and looking back at the camera, ¡°With my help he¡¯s designed and built a processing terminal that goes into the back of the head and attaches to the brain,¡± He pointed at the base of his neck. He pursed his lips and shrugged, ¡°It¡¯splete,¡± He trailed off, ¡°Technically it¡¯s ready for testing,¡± He frowned and crossed his arms, ¡°You are not going to let up are you?¡± He groaned and shook his head, ¡°And you want to put it in your head and use it as your new hardware to make your power work, that sum it up? You know it¡¯ll require surgery, right?¡± He put his hands on his hips and his nostrils red, ¡°What did you think would happen? I just zap it into your-¡±
The image vanished and Snow settled back against Lillian¡¯s chest. Lilian stared at the spot where the image had been for a moment. Snow shivered a little bit in herp and Lillian wrapped her arms around her, taking a deep breath and releasing the soothing radiance of her ability. The young woman in herp settled and leaned in closer, clinging to her shirt. ¡°Second thoughts?¡± She asked only for Snow to shake her head vigorously. Lillian paused and went over the recording again, ¡°...the surgery?¡±
There was a pause and then Snow nodded. She started tapping into her phone for a moment while Lillian held her. When she was done she gently pushed against Lillian¡¯s arm and slipped out of her grip. The petite girl stood up and took a few steps back, leaning against the wall. Lillian smiled up at her, she was so pretty but her eyes were so sad. She felt her heart creak a little as the girl stared at her screen again, her thumb hanging over it. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me,¡± Lillian said. Snow nced at her and set her lips in a thin line before letting out a breath through her nostrils. She frowned and hit the screen with her thumb, pulling back to press herself against the wall. Multiple messages appeared. Now that she¡¯d heard Dr. Carter¡¯s exnation, she could see how each letter was a little different in font and each bubble was maybe a few shades a different color or slightly shaped differently. Why hadn¡¯t I noticed before? <¡±When I was little, before they put me into the system, I lived with my dad,¡±> Snow began, <¡±He was a drunk and blew all his money on women, but he had me to deal with. Apparently I was loud and bothered his guests.¡±> Snow crossed her arms and shrank a bit more into her hood as the messages kepting. Lillian got to her feet, reading them with wide eyes. <¡±He did things to me to keep me quiet at night,¡±> The next message said and Lillian looked up at Snow, the girl was running her fingers along a thin scar on her neck, looking down at the ground. <¡±Used drugs too, to put me under so I¡¯d sleep a lot.¡±> Lillian clenched her fists as Snow looked down and tugged at the hem of her hoodie, squeezing it in a death grip. <¡±I know that Dr. Carter and Dr. Da-Som are good guys, they¡¯re so nice to me, but I¡¯m scared of going under again. Thest time I went under I woke up in foster care,¡±> She added and reached up to tug on the short white and ck hair on her head, <¡±They kept me like this till I was old enough to leave. I¡¯m so scared Lil. But I want it so bad, if it works, I might be able to talk again. Even if it''s just with my power.¡±> Lillian felt a whole litany of emotions in that moment. Rage at Snow¡¯s father, anger at the family that kept the abuse going, pride in Snow for still having the courage to want something like this despite how scary it was, and relief because there was something she could do to help. She let out a breath and rubbed the back of her neck as Snow looked up at her with those big pearlescent eyes. She straightened her shoulders and set her jaw, ¡°Well, can I sit in with you?¡± She asked bluntly, ¡°Hold your hand?¡± Snow¡¯s eyes went ssy, she sniffed, tears flooding down her cheeks, her expression turning from confusion to relief to grief to joy to frustration to sadness to happiness all in a matter of moments. Her arms fell to her sides and she just bawled, her mouth open in a silent wail as the tears flowed. Lillian walked over and pulled her up into her arms, petite hands clinging to her shirt, back shaking, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there with you, okay? It¡¯ll be alright,¡± Lillian said, ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± ¨C Sonya frowned and crossed her arms in her bed, narrowing her eyes at the two men standing in front of her, ¡°You want to what?¡± She asked, a bit of testiness getting into her tone. She felt this time she was fully justified in sounding a little pissed off about what the two men had exined to her. She looked between the two of them and her prosthetics swirled and clicked in her head as she examined every microexpression. Amos winced under her re and Da-Som had his head hung down to his chest. She scowled and tilted her head, ¡°You want to try exining that to me again, boys?¡± She asked. Amos tried to crack a joke, ¡°Y¡¯know this isn¡¯t really the ce for a board meeting,¡± Heughed nervously, ¡°Maybe we should-¡± ¡°I made a promise to Ca to stay right where I am, so guess what I¡¯m doing?¡± She retorted, ¡°And after what I just heard, you two are going nowhere until I get more details. Exin.¡± Amos held up his hands, ¡°Lo-Look, Sonya, I don¡¯t want to do anything. Snow overheard Da-som and I talking shop about the simted technopathy patch,¡± He exined, ¡°He¡¯s been working hard on it, ya know? So we did a bit of shop talk while the girl was working on her own project and she hopped on it.¡± Da-Som shifted on his feet, ¡°I may have been a little overexcited about her interest, ma¡¯am, and overshared,¡± He said sullenly. ¡°After that, Snow wouldn¡¯t shut up about it, she figured it was the perfect solution to her problems. At first I thought that she was using her phone as a crutch but I really think she¡¯s kicking her illusions through a processor. That¡¯s why they seem to have a digital nature to them,¡± Amos exined quickly, ¡°Look as far as she knows it¡¯s just a tform for building new prosthetics.¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s the intended purpose,¡± Da-Som quickly added. ¡°But it¡¯s far more than that,¡± Sonya growled, ¡°You guys are attempting to simte a light-touched power, do youprehend how risky that is? On top of that, you¡¯re going to put it in a girl¡¯s head!¡± She said with a frown, ¡°A girl under my protection!¡± The door opened to Da-Som¡¯s left and Ca stepped in with two mugs. ¡°Sonya, they wouldn¡¯t be asking if they didn¡¯t think it was worth pursuing, give them a chance,¡± Ca said gently even as she shot the two men a look. She walked over and extended a steaming mug filled with marshmallows to Sonya. Sonya gave her a brilliant smile and sipped at it, taking a deep breath while Ca settled in next to her, leaning against her shoulder. ¡°At least I hope they thought it through beforeing in at this time of night,¡± Ca added with an equally petnt frown. Sonya rubbed her head and forced herself to rx before looking between the two of them with concern, ¡°Guys, you¡¯re working on this when you should be resting,¡± She said with a frown, ¡°Da-som you barely escaped a bombing that killed a significant portion of your staff. I don¡¯t even know how you¡¯re functioning. The same goes for you, Amos.¡± ¡°The work takes my mind off of it,¡± Amos said with a frown, ¡°A lot has changed because of that day, a whole lot.¡± Sonya leaned forward and caught his eyes, holding his gaze, ¡°Does that sound familiar to you now that you¡¯ve said it out loud?¡± She asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you do what I did. You¡¯re alive and you deserve some rest, Amos. You too Da-Som, you need to process what happened before you do anything this serious.¡± Sonya sipped at her cocoa while the two men looked at one another and nodded, ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll give her a chance to reconsider,¡± Amos said to Da-som, ¡°I kept warning her that it was dangerous.¡± Sonya looked between the two of them before ncing at Ca who just sipped quietly, observing them in silence. She turned to them fully, ¡°How fixated on this is Snow?¡± ¡°Extremely,¡± Amos said with a frown, crossing his arms, ¡°She¡¯s convinced this is what she needs to realize herself as a hero. She¡¯s already voiced her intentions to sign with ASTA too,¡± He said, ¡°I still stand on it being risky, what with the equipment we¡¯re working with here at the camp.¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°That¡¯s your primary hangup?¡± Amos shrugged, ¡°Between Da-som and I, if we had top of the line equipment the chances of at least getting through the surgery are ny-five percent,¡± He said with a small bit of smugness, ¡°We just haven¡¯t put one of these things in someone¡¯s head yet,¡± He pointed out, ¡°Theoretically it¡¯ll replicate the same signals and functions that my brain releases when I use technopathy or what your brain uses when your eyes are operating. It should work but there¡¯s a chance it¡¯ll do fuck all and the whole venture will have been pointless.¡± ¡°What are the odds?¡± Ca cut in, finally joining in. Sonya nced at her and Ca just gently gave her a nudge with her shoulder, ¡°Of it actually working?¡± Amos scratched his messy hair, ¡°Eh, fifty fifty if I¡¯m being generous, more like thirty percent,¡± He said with a frown, ¡°Everythings in the right ce and the simtedb tests worked great but this is real life.¡± Sonya nodded and cleared her throat, ¡°Nurse, is it alright if I make a few business calls?¡± She asked, sitting up straight with her eyes closed in a dignified pose. A small smirk on her face. Ca huffed out a breath and sat up straight as well, joining her, ¡°I suppose I could allow it. Don¡¯t go overboard.¡± Sonya peeked an eye open and caught Amos gaping at her, she smirked at him, ¡°I¡¯ll make your equipment happen, Amos. You both get some rest and make sure you¡¯re at the top of your game when it gets set up,¡± She said, ¡°I want you to take good care of that young woman, she is precious, and not just to me.¡± Amos and Da-Som stood up a bit straighter and nodded quickly, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± She took another sip of her cocoa, ¡°Now get the hell out of my bedroom, please? You¡¯re interrupting my evening!¡± She barked and the two looked at one another, Amos grinned and they raced out. She clicked her tongue and watched the door shut behind them. She sipped her cocoa again and rxed, ¡°Man this is so good.¡±
Chapter 114 Chapter 114 The room was cold, so cold. The floor was hard, grainy, and stung her feet with the faint slick ice that clung to its surface. Gray stone stretched up to the ceiling, looming, unbending, it felt like it was staring. A gentle shift in the foundation of the building sent a rattle through the chains hanging from the ceiling of the windless room. The cold bit and chewed at skin, it wed at bone, stinging and sending fingertips itching. Little tremors shuddered up the spine. Every sound sent a shock of alertness through the mind. There was no sleep, nofort, no peace in this ce. Days could go by without even knowing, starvation the only clue about the length of time. The rattling chains distracted the mind and bent thought away from keeping count of minutes and seconds. Cass shook, her shoulders heaving with every trembling breath. She¡¯d awakened here again. Of course she had. She clutched at her arms and dug her pained fingers into the slowly chilling skin, her head falling forward as her filthy mess of golden hair hung around her head. Was it all a dream? Awakening? Breaking through the camp while my sister was away? The camp? Ishtar? Her lip trembled and she bit down on it, drawing blood as she frantically tried to straighten up her expression. Of course, it was a fever dream, what else could it have been. There¡¯s no escape. The heavy thud of boots stopped in front of her. She jolted and shook harder, her heart going a mile a minute. She could feel her blood pounding in her ears and her veins, her flight-or-fight crushed into powder in an instant. She looked from her scarred and frigid bare feet to the pair of boots standing in front of her. Unarmored, her sister¡¯s favorite hiking boots. She shook, her fingers twitching around her legs as her eyes went up higher. Thick cargo pants affixed with a heavy belt that was loaded with pouches and a pair of knives on each side. Then a simple white tank-top clung to a chiseled torso. She hesitated at her neckline, fear and revulsion screaming in her mind. Terror scraped at the inside of her brain, wing out like an insect to writhe and scream in her skull. Her breathing quickened, her skin got colder, the tears froze on her cheeks as white tufts of breath came out in a stato. She cast her eyes up to meet the pair of blue, glowing, cold eyes of her sister. Thick blonde hair styled to the side over her expressionless face. No wrinkled scowl of disgust, not for Cass. No, Cass got to see her real face. Utterly unfeeling. Cass forced a wide, bloody smile onto her face for her sister¡¯s benefit even as she trembled, ¡°Hi Ste,¡± She mumbled ufortably. ¡°You left,¡± Ste said, it was neither an usation nor a question, it was a simple statement of unbendable fact. It broached no argument, no contest, and no excuses. Cass¡¯s pupils shrank and her chest heaved again, the cold hurt so much worse. She squeezed her legs to her chest harder, ¡°Y-yes ma¡¯am,¡± She said, not daring for a moment to look away. ¡°I ran away.¡± ¡°Coward,¡± Ste said, ¡°I went through the ceremony too when I was your age, what makes you so different?¡± She demanded, ¡°Why do you get to run away?¡± Cass opened her mouth but found herself in the air, her eyes wide, her hands reaching for her throat. She hadn¡¯t even seen or felt the millisecond it took for Ste to reach down and wrap her steel-cable grip around Cass¡¯ neck. Cass choked, reaching up and gripping at her sister¡¯s fingers. She kicked her legs as the woman continued to squeeze, her expression never changing as Cass felt the life slowly squeezed out of her. Her eyes rolled up, she tried to breathe, tried to beg for some measure of mercy. Anything to live just a little bit longer. Help. ¨C Cass woke with a start, sitting up in her bed and breathing hard, sweat stinging her eyes and clinging to every inch of skin on her body. She coughed, her stomach churned and she staggered out of her bunk, stumbling down the path between the beds as she covered her mouth in a desperate scramble. The next thing she knew she was standing in the bathroom with her hands on either side of the sink, coughing. She stared up at her face, thinner than her sisters, petite, her long hair was straighter and her eyes were more sunken. She coughed again and rest her head against the mirror. ¡°Damn it,¡± She panted, turning and resting her back against the wall and reaching up into her hair. She slid down and caught her breath on the bathroom floor. She reached up and slowly tugged on her hair, ying with it to try to calm herself down. I¡¯m still here, I¡¯m still here, it was a dream. I¡¯m still here. She reminded herself before ncing up at the door out of the bathroom. Her lips pressed together in a line. I need to see her, just to help me calm down. Just a little. That¡¯s okay, right? She staggered shakily to her feet and walked out the door like a woman possessed, her eyes turned right and looked down the hallway towards the instructor¡¯s suites. She wandered down and made her way to the first door, stopping in front of it. She rest her head against it and stood there. Ishtar. She thought wearily as her mind went back to her escape. Her awakening. Mistress Ishtar called it Mighty Asterion. The hammer in her hands. The strength. She¡¯d been hanging in the room when it came, her sister had gone to anotherpound at the time. Her body was rejuvenated, the instincts driving her rage forward. Before she¡¯d known it she was out of thepound. The only thing that had given her any concept of where to go was the little flyers she¡¯d been given about getting work as a hero, seeing the world. The little notes that came with them, offering her a ce if she managed to get away. Despite her escape, her body had been terribly beaten, bloody, and bruised. She¡¯d endured it with her power but as the effects ended she found herself closer to death than she¡¯d ever been before. She¡¯d escaped, though, she would have been happy dying like that. It would have been fine, but fate had other ns. She reached up and touched the door. Ishtar had found her, one of her spies in thepound had told her about Cass¡¯ escape. She¡¯d healed her, cleaned her, clothed her, wasforting, kind, but not without her strictness. Cass knew she was clingy, she knew she was desperate to be close, to feel that sense of security. She understood that Ishtar was putting up with it, that she was imposing, but- The door opened and she nced down a little into the eyes of Sonya looking up at her. Her hands on her hips and her eyebrow raised. There was a bit of sweat on her brow and her throat looked tense, ¡°Cass? What are you doing out here at this time of night?¡± She asked before ncing around, ¡°You¡¯ve been standing outside for the past ten minutes,e in if you¡¯re going toe in.¡± Cass froze at the door as Sonya turned around and walked inside, her movements a little stiff. She rubbed her shoulder and closed the door behind her, ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡± She asked hesitantly. Sonya nced over her shoulder and plucked a bottle of water off the counter, ¡°Me? I¡¯m fine,¡± She said and sipped the water, ¡°Just thirsty, had to get out of bed to grab some,¡± She chuckled, ¡°Forgot to put in a bit about the necessities,¡± She mumbled to herself as she took another sip, ¡°Are you here to make your report?¡± She asked. Cass¡¯ eyebrows shot up, Oh right, I was supposed to report in once she got back, I forgot! Stupid! She must be ang- ¡°I¡¯m not mad that you waited, thank you for being patient, Cass,¡± Sonya said softly before gesturing to the couch, ¡°You need to sit?¡± Cass shuddered but nodded, walking over and sitting on the plush surface. She pulled on her hair and looked down at her knees. In front of her, Sonya tilted her head and set her bottle down, ¡°Okay, what¡¯s wrong? You look terrible.¡± ¡°Another nightmare,¡± Cass admitted, sullen, ¡°The same one.¡± Sonya nodded slowly, ¡°I see,¡± She said and walked over, sitting down next to her. She shook her head and patted herp, ¡°Just for a moment, okay?¡± Cass nodded and fell sideways into Sonya¡¯sp. The woman stroked her hair and looked down at her, ¡°Better?¡± Cass nodded again as gentle fingers ran rapturously through her hair. She tried to settle, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down as the woman¡¯s glowing eyes watched her. Cass looked up at her for a moment before looking away, ¡°I patrolled the grounds as you asked and followed Marc if he behaved suspiciously,¡± Cass finally said, ¡°As you asked.¡± ¡°And?¡± Sonya murmured, taking a sip from her water. ¡°The day it happened,¡± She tensed, remembering the momentary terror that came with seeing her savior on screen surrounded by violence. She tugged at her fingers and bit her lip. It had taken a lot of soothing from Colin to get her to calm down, it wasn¡¯t like she could go help without a portal anyway, ¡°Three of her people tried to sneak in through the north woods, I killed them and disposed of the bodies as instructed,¡± Cass murmured. ¡°Did they have abilities?¡± Sonya asked, starting to braid Cass¡¯ hair. ¡°Yes, at least rare, one epic probably. I handled them quickly, minimum noise,¡± Cass said with a sigh, her shoulders rxing a bit more. ¡°Mm,¡± Sonya nodded, ¡°And what about Marc?¡± ¡°I followed him to the dungeon the camp is maintaining,¡± She said and frowned, ¡°He touched it for a little while and seemed to interact with the symbols on the pylons but didn¡¯t do anything else, didn¡¯t even go in,¡± She said thoughtfully, ¡°Then he left.¡± Sonya looked troubled for a moment but didn¡¯t say anything. Cass opened her mouth again when Sonya tilted her head and her eyes focused and unfocused. Cass had noticed that happened when she got a call from someone with her abilities. ¡°Yes?¡± Sonya said to whomever was on the other end, ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± She said with augh then frowned, hard, ¡°You found some? Deal with them and double security at the new location. Vet everyone again and thoroughly,¡± She said with a clipped tone, murder in her voice. She paused at whatever the response was, ¡°Thank you, ckrazor,¡± She said and turned her attention back to Cass. ¡°You said he touched the pylons?¡± Sonya asked. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Cass murmured as Sonya resumed stroking her hair. It was so nice. ¡°Well done,¡± Sonya praised her and Cass felt a glow in her chest, ¡°Stick to the n for now. Keep an eye on him but never, never engage. If there is one order I want you to follow without question, it¡¯s that one,¡± Sonya said, ¡°He is far more dangerous than he looks.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Cass repeated. Sonya leaned back and her seat, huffing out a breath, ¡°I¡¯ve gotta get back to the bed soon,¡± She said thoughtfully. Cass sat up, putting her hands on the couch and looking up at Sonya, ¡°Can I stay here? Please?¡± She begged, ¡°I just want to sleep through the night, I promise, I¡¯ll leave before-¡± Sonya held up a finger and looked Cass in the eyes, ¡°It¡¯s three in the morning, you aren¡¯t getting up in two hours as tired as you are,¡± She corrected her before smiling a little sadly at her, ¡°Cass, I can indulge some of your unique interpretation of sisterhood while wearing my mask,¡± She said patiently, ¡°I can let you rest your head in myp and be as good a big sister as I can for you,¡± She leaned forward and put a tiny kiss on Cass¡¯ forehead, ¡°But I need to draw the line now and then. Eventually, when you¡¯re truly free, when you have closure. You¡¯ll understand,¡± She said and stroked the side of Cass¡¯ head. Cass¡¯ eyes fell and her lip trembled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just so different with you around, ma¡¯am. I feel¡­ light and my arms don¡¯t hurt, and I don¡¯t shake.¡± ¡°That¡¯s called happy,¡± Sonya said with a smallugh and pulled her hand away, ¡°I hope you can find other ways to be happy than just me, you do know that there are other people here you can meet and bond with, right?¡± She asked. Cass bit her lip, ¡°But-¡± Sonya tapped her nose, ¡°I¡¯ve seen that grumpy face of yours when I talk to them, they¡¯re my students too, don¡¯t be greedy,¡± Sonya said with a wag of her finger, ¡°Give it a chance, talk to them, I know it might be hard to find things to talk about.¡± Cass nced towards the door and imagined interacting with the other aspirants. She felt like a confused teenager and not a grown woman. She clenched her hands together. Even she could tell that Sonya thought what she was doing was silly. She closed her eyes and sighed, ¡°What if they ask me about my sister?¡± Cass asked. Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°First, that would be rude and you should tell them that,¡± Sonya said with a chuckle, ¡°Second, just be honest that she¡¯s awful, that she was awful to you and you don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Sonya said before hesitating and leaning back against the couch, ¡°Cass, about your sister, actually. What she did, it changes things a little.¡± Cass looked over and blinked, ¡°Huh?¡± Sonya pursed her lips before resting her arm on the armrest, tapping her manicured fingers, ¡°The likelihood of a confrontation with Liberty versus Heroes is getting increasingly likely and with her bringing you up at the press conference and asking me directly,¡± Sonya frowned, ¡°You will be watched a bit more carefully by some of those connected with the Committee. There are quite a number that won¡¯t trust you until your sister is dealt with.¡± Cass blinked and worked through it, sitting up straighter, ¡°W-wait, but if heroes confront her, the rule say-¡± ¡°No killing, right,¡± Sonya said tly. ¡°And if you somehow get involved in the fight and are seen killing your sister, you can bet that not being a hero anymore will be the least of your worries.¡± Cass clenched her fists, panic rising, ¡°N-no! She has to-¡± Sonya held her finger up to her lips, ¡°I know, Cassiopeia, I know what needs to happen. I have some ideas but they are going to take some work. For now focus on the camp and work towards graduating. I made sure to fudge the results of your questionnaire and set the groundwork for you toe to the New York guild once all¡¯s said and done. Your performance so far is great, but you need to work on your social interaction. Being a hero is a social job. Make friends.¡± Cass let out a relieved breath, of course Sonya, Ishtar, would already have a n. She nodded slowly, ¡°Whatever you ask, ma¡¯am.¡± Sonya huffed out a breath through her nostrils and gave her a sad smile, she looked a little disappointed but didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she just reached up and pinched Cass¡¯ cheek before pointing to the door, ¡°Go to bed.¡± Cass got to her feet and bowed once, ¡°Thank you for¡­ everything,¡± She said after a pause and hurried out, back into the hall. ¨C Sonya watched the girl go and waited till the door shut before letting out a relieved breath and getting to her feet. Her legs were already moving towards the small hall and the room before she could even think about it. Thepulsion was strong. She could push it off long enough to take care of necessities but she¡¯d lingered too long in the living room. At least it didn¡¯t hurt or choke her. She nced back over her shoulder at the door and shook her head, ¡°Poor thing. Hang in there,¡± She murmured before slipping through the door and back into the bedroom.
Side-Story: Barry’s Gang 1 Side-Story: Barry¡¯s Gang 1 Five men stood together on the deck of the yacht, scratching their heads. They stared down into the water with perturbed looks on their faces. From left to right, Stitches scratched at his short beard and squinted into the water, tilting his head a little to the right. His dark hair soaked by the rain that had passed over just an hour before. Haus crossed his arms, the tan man sniffing once and turning his head slowly to look towards his right. His faintly glowing red eyes narrowed a bit. Wake scratched his neck, shifting a bit on his feet awkwardly and cleared his throat. Trigger exhaled through his lips, making a popping sound and bounced a bit on the balls of his feet. At the end of the line, the much taller Barry coughed into his fist and put his hands on his hips. ¡°So uh, and that¡¯s how it happened,¡± He said awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯d say a job well done, right?¡± The four others looked over at him incredulously before looking down into the water below. They looked back up at him and each made an exaggerated face of disgust, disbelief, and utter confusion. He pointedly ignored them, rubbing at his chin as he squinted into the surf for a moment. ¡°Hmm, I wonder what we should do with them now that I think of it.¡± Trigger threw his hands up into the air and walked away for a moment. Wake crouched down andughed. Stitches rubbed his hands over his face while Haus pat his shoulder consolingly. Barry kept ignoring them as he mulled it all over. ¡°It¡¯s not like any of us know how to drive one of these things. Or really need them with me and Bubs around,¡± He said thoughtfully. He didn¡¯t even blink when Triggernded on his shoulders and wrapped his hands around Barry¡¯s impossibly thick neck from behind, trying to strangle him. ¡°Could always ask the boss for Amos.¡± On his shoulders, Trigger pulled a hammer out of his tool belt and it started to glow a bit. He reared back with it for a moment before getting a look from Wake and letting out a sigh. The hammer stopped glowing and he put it back. Barry crossed his arms and tilted his head, ¡°Maybe give ¡®em a cool paint job.¡± Trigger whipped his head in Wake¡¯s direction, gesturing frantically at Barry. Wake just shook his head and waved his hands catingly. Trigger threw his head back in a silent groan and hopped off of Barry¡¯s back, walking over and crossing his arms before looking back into the water again, ¡°You stole two nuclear submarines, and your first thought is to give them a snappy paint job?¡± He asked, ncing up at his boss. ¡°mes,¡± Barry said with a toothy grin. ¡°They¡¯re submarines!¡± Trigger shouted, throwing his hands up again. ¡°Blue mes,¡± Barry corrected, his expression brightening. Wake fell back,ughing and kicked his feet. Trigger turned around and started kicking at him, ¡°What¡¯s so goddamn funny you walkin¡¯ health advisory! Get back here!¡± He barked as Wake teleported away, reappearing on the bridge of the yacht and continuing tough. Trigger turned and pulled a tennis ball out of a small sack on his waist only for stitches to grab his arm. He nced over at the guy who shook his head with a weary smile and sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t want to glue him back together, huh?¡± He said. Stitches nodded and shrugged, turning back to the view of the two nuclear submarines lined up next to one another just a few meters beneath the water next to the yacht. ¡°Guess the only thing we can do is call for Amos,¡± Trigger said with a sigh. Barry nodded, ¡°Ayep, that¡¯s my thought,¡± He said and paused for a moment. He seemed to go a little pale for a few heartbeats before he cleared his throat, ¡°Hey uh¡­ Trigger, can you do me a favor, my friend?¡± Trigger nced at him and squinted, ¡°What is it¡­ boss?¡± ¡°Would you uh¡­¡± He trailed off, ¡°Mind calling the boss and asking for Amos to visit, I gotta go check on the Commodore and his fleet. Thanks bro! Later!¡± He said quickly before diving right into the water and vanishing into the depths. Stitches and Haus both stared into the water after him for a moment before looking up at Trigger. Somewhere in the background, Wake was howling withughter, the faint nks of him punching a wall in his mirth carrying over them. Trigger stood stiffly, fists clenched, his face red, his eyes squeezed shut as he wrestled with the urge to blow everything and everyone up around him. Maybe just the boat, that would convert nicely into a few million sticks of dynamite worth. He sighed when he remembered he¡¯d have to be standing next to it when it went off. He paused and considered it anyway then scratched his head, ¡°Wake!¡± He shouted as he turned from the railing, ¡°Where¡¯s the damn Ishtar line?¡± He shouted as the man keptughing, ¡°Quit your gobblin¡¯ or I¡¯m gonna cut off your food for a week!¡± He barked. ¨C Eight figures now stood on the side of the boat, all of them leaning over the railing and staring down into the water where the subs were sitting quietly, untouched. ¡°Is there¡­ anyone inside?¡± Marta asked, brushing her hair back nervously. Amos rest his elbows on the rails and let out a sigh, ¡°Not detecting anybody with my drones, looks like they all abandoned ship at some point. You let them go Barry?¡± He asked, ncing over at the big man who stood in the middle of their gathering with a very annoyed looking Sonya. He had a small red bump on his head. Barry looked sullenly down at his feet, ¡°Didn¡¯t see any need ta kill ¡®em. Just figured I¡¯d bring ¡®em back. Y¡¯know, maybe the boss could use ¡®em.¡± Sonya had been standing in silence for a long while, ever since they arrived. Barry, Amos, Marta, and the others had done the most talking. She finally clicked her tongue and squinted at him, ¡°And, what, pray tell, do you expect me to do with two United States Navy Nuclear Submarines?¡± She started, rounding on him and putting her hands on her hips as she stared up at him. He was many times her size but he still shrank a little when she stared. ¡°Here ites,¡± Amos chuckled. ¡°They¡¯re Nuclear Submarines! Barry!¡± She rambled, ¡°That doesn¡¯t just mean they have nuclear reactors, they do! But that¡¯s not the point! They¡¯ve got rockets on ¡®em, Barry! Nukes! Do I look like a nuclear power to you? Huh? What am I gonna do with nukes? I¡¯m a superviin, not a crotchety third world dictator!¡± She threw her hands up and scratched at her head before letting out a sigh and looking back at Amos. ¡°Is there anything we can do with the bombs? I hate those things.¡± ¡°Could probably repurpose most of it, the materials could be used for a bunch of stuff,¡± He said thoughtfully, ¡°You sure you don¡¯t wanna keep one? Trophy?¡± She leveled him with a deadpan stare, ¡°With the United States looking everywhere for their precious ships and nukes?¡± She growled then nced over at the four men who wereughing at Barry¡¯seuppance. She put her hands on her hips, ¡°And what were you guys doing while he was off gvanting and picking a fight with the Navy? Haven¡¯t you heard the Amercian phrase ¡®Don¡¯t touch our boats?¡¯¡± She demanded. They looked at one another and all looked away or in any direction other than directly at her. She rubbed her temples and looked back at Amos, ¡°Can we really repurpose the missiles?¡± She asked, ¡°I want those things gone. If not through you, then find a dirty nuclear rep to pawn them off to and have them dmissioned. I don¡¯t want them connected to me, got it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can handle it, ¡± He said, ¡°Gotta get my drones over here for a day or two and work my way through the ships. Disable the self-destruct and everything,¡± He huffed, ¡°Should be able to have them running in a week with my operating system rather than the shit one they¡¯ve got installed.¡± Sonya held up a hand, ¡°You can get them running?¡± She asked seriously. Amos scratched his neck, ¡°Uh, sure? Why not?¡± He said with a shrug as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Sonya brightened, ¡°Oh! I figured we had a pair of explosive golf trophies on our hands!¡± She turned to Barry and pped his arm, ¡°Atta boy! Well done big guy! I¡¯m still gonna let you have it for going off the reservation but good catch!¡± She said merrily, the small threat thrown in there making him pale a little as she wandered over to the rail and looked over at them. ¡°Kinda ugly, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯ve never seen a sub up close. Guess that goes with the whole ¡®stealthy¡¯ thing.¡± Trigger and Wake looked at one another and then at Barry. They both shook their heads urgently but the big guy just squared his shoulders and walked over to lean next to her. ¡°Yeah, I was thinkin¡¯ a paint job! Some mes maybe?¡± He said thoughtfully. Sonya pursed her lips, ¡°Hum, gonna have to be blue mes then,¡± She said and Trigger groaned. Side-Story: Colin 2 Side-Story: Colin 2 The lurker prowled across the top of the building. It had eaten well that night. The creature it had hunted was sulent, tasty, the faint flicker of mana within making the meal all the more nourishing. It would grow stronger with each kill, wiser, every correct decision another step towards something more than it couldprehend. It was a predator and this dusty, dry, unforgivingnd of stone buildings and metal beasts was its domain. It had existed for weeks now, the days of mindlessness a blur to its ever sharpening mind. It had been cautious, avoiding the powerful creatures that wielded strange forces its primitive mind could barelyprehend. Now it had a pack, six hounds to do its bidding. Soon more would join. It only had to survive. A scent caught its nostrils, a sweet scent. It raised its head from within the metal cylinder it had found as its new home. Once filled with water, it was now air for it and its pack to rest infortable seclusion. Here they would recover after every hunt and grow strong as the lifegiving mana in the air slowly strengthened them, healed their wounds, and aided in changing delicious flesh into something more. It mbered to its feet, its body healthy and hale, and nced at the pack that raised their heads to acknowledge its dominance. With a gesture and a growl itmanded them, it was time to hunt again. Out through the opening on the roof while the others slipped through the hole it had carved in the bottom. It alighted atop the cylinder and looked down over the vastnd beyond. The tall structures were dusted with the sand of the desert beyond it. It sniffed the air again, there, that sweet scent. An alien one to it, not once in its life had it smelled such an odor. Yet beneath the scent was another, tantalizing, a deep well of mana that cried out to it, begging to be consumed. This feast alone could give it such power if only it could have a taste. Perhaps, perhaps it could be more than a mere lurker. Something greater. It leaped from the top of itsir and alighted on the building in utter silence, a vition of naturalws as its lumbering bulk left not even a crack in the ground. It moved forward and peered over the side of the building. There, walking alone in the darkened street, a single creature with a brown mane. It wore ck and carried naught but a box of some kind hanging from its right hand. The lurker tilted its head and sniffed again. Oh that smell, delicious. It ached to taste it, to feast, it needed to more than anything in the world. It was apulsion, an instinct. It nced at its pack and nodded to them. They would bring the feast to it so that it would not have to risk its own life. Their lips pulled back in hungry snarls before they threw themselves off the side, heedless, their simple minds nothingpared to its growing wisdom. They did not understand danger or risk, not like it did. They alighted on the ground behind the creature with barks and snarls, dashing forward to secure its prize while it stepped back to return to itsir. ¡°Sit.¡± The one word was like amand from the heavens above, from within the very core of its being, the word resonated and gripped at something so deep and primal that it could not begin to resist. It, like the others, sat down on the ground. It¡¯s simple mind tried to process it, tried to understand, tried to conceive of what was gripping so tightly at the very deepest parts of its being. Yet the lurker was still a beast, even in its growing wisdom, it did not know. It roared in defiance and pushed itself back to its feet, amand to the others to rise again and kill the small thing that hid its threat so easily. It mbered to the side once more and looked down and a pair of red eyes met it. ¡°Break.¡± The lurker did not understand how it died. ¨C Mephisto brushed his hair back and nced at the twisted corpses of the hounds that had tried to surround him. Every limb had been snapped and bent the wrong way, their heads pulled to the sides and their jaws cracked open, their eyes had burst and their skin had been turned against flesh, partially peeled. He sniffed and shrugged before ncing down at his watch. Barely a few seconds but still a mild inconvenience on his schedule. He shifted his grip on his briefcase and took a few powered steps forward, crossing a few blocks in as many heartbeats. He moved like a ghost, seeming to disappear and reappear with each step, from an outsider his body looked as if it twitched with eachnding. Back on schedule, He thought and resumed his casual walk. He didn¡¯t stop walking until he arrived at the office building he was looking for. A pair of guards armed with guns stood outside and immediately turned their weapons on him as he approached. He brandished his best smile when he drew near, ¡°I¡¯m here to see the Spice King,¡± Mephisto said with a small curtsey, ¡°He¡¯s expecting me.¡± The two men nced at one another before pointing their guns at him again. Mephisto¡¯s smile grew wider as he changednguages, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that. Your boss would be very upset if you died, I imagine.¡± They froze and Mephisto smiled wider, ¡°Tell your boss the dealmaker is here.¡± One of them got on his radio and said a few quick words, he tensed and then nodded before stepping aside, quickly opening the doors for Mephisto. The viin winked at him before stepping through, ¡°Thank you, handsome,¡± He said and proceeded inside. Unlike the rather nd exterior, the interior was a ce of luxury. Gardens maintained through water pumps and srmps built into the light fixtures above made it look like paradise. With the blue ceiling it was hard to even differentiate it from the outside. Ahead of him a gold elevator opened and a man hurried out, he wore a crisp suit and appeared to be in histe teens at best. Perhaps even younger than little ckrazor. Mephisto stopped and waited for the young man to approach, ¡°Master Mephisto, my father is expecting you,¡± He said quickly, bowing once. Mephisto¡¯s lip twitched, ¡°Which one are you?¡± ¡°Saleh, Master Mephisto.¡± ¡°The youngest, you just came of age, did you awaken?¡± Mephisto asked, walking past him towards the elevator. ¡°I did, Master Mephisto. Heroic, my father is quite proud,¡± The young man said, falling into step with him. ¡°He wanted me to see you, your father is such a fun man,¡± Mephisto quipped as they entered the elevator, ¡°Your brothers must be jealous.¡± Saleh cleared his throat, ¡°They have their own concerns, Master Mephisto.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they do, are there still twenty six of you?¡± Mephisto asked as the elevator rose. ¡°Twenty four, Master Mephisto,¡± Saleh said with a solemn tone, ¡°Such is the way of things in our family.¡± ¡°Far be it from me to judge how a man raises his sons,¡± Mephisto tittered out augh as the door opened and they stepped out into what was basically a throne room. A single path stretched out ahead of them made of marble and decorative columns lined it. Between the columns and facing inward were twenty three young men of various ages that looked towards Mephisto with various expressions. Some open disgust, others hatred, a few curiosity. Two, though, had very different looks. One to the left of the throne showed open lust, and to the right showed nothing at all. Only eyes of steel. ¡°Your eldest brother might be hard to beat,¡± Mephisto murmured as the young man moved quickly to stand in line with the others. He turned his attention to the throne and the mountainous man sitting on it. The Spice King was young, he looked not much older than his sons. ck hair worn almost wet on his head curled in just the right ways and matched his thick ck beard well. He had a broad chest and powerful arms that looked as if they could crack cinder blocks with a gesture. His skin glittered slightly, powdered with gold no doubt. He broke out into a wide smile as the dark figure stepped out into his glittering golden domain. ¡°The Great Dealmaker of Ishtar returns!¡± He barked, opening his arms wide, ¡°Wee, Mephisto.¡± Mephisto went into a low, yful bow before flicking his head up to make eye contact with the man, ¡°Mistress Isthar sends her warmest greetings to the Spice King.¡± ¡°The God-Queen of Viins is a magnanimous one, sending her best all this way,¡± The Spice King said, sitting back down, ¡°I have a feast and a decadent room prepared for you, as always.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Mephisto said before standing up straight, ¡°Before all the fun and games, why don¡¯t we get to business?¡± The golden-skinned man leaned forward and rest his elbows on his knees, ¡°Yes. I have a few things in mind that I¡¯m sure she will be interested in.¡± Side-Story: Shuta 1 Side-Story: Shuta 1 Reinforced heels clicked against the marble floor as three men stormed down the halls of that sacred ce. The sound resonated through the space, warning any who were thinking of stepping out to think twice. Two guards walked at either side of a man in a suit and tie. They both wore white robes fitted with hoods, sheer ck masks lined with polished steel covered their heads. He himself wore no such mask, preferring a simple silver-and-ck metal hanpo designed to look like the sneer of a demon. His long ck hair hung down his back, a single white streak tied with silver bands hanging over his shoulder and across his chest. A chime rang in his ear and he touched his earpiece. ¡°On my way,¡± He growled, dark eyes narrowed. That man was back yet again. He came more and more often these days. He came to the sacred doors and stood there, shouting his fury at the sacred temple and demanding an audience. Every time he was sent away. He was a troublesome person who didn¡¯t know how to keep his nose out of business that did not concern him, that was above him. Shuta strode down the hall as the guards on either side of him readied their weapons while he clutched at the saya of his own tool of death. A weapon he had earned in the dungeon. His head tilted forward as they drew closer to the front door of the temple, his lips forming a thin line. ¡°Do not engage unless threatened,¡± He hissed and the two masked men nodded. Shuta pushed the doors open and stepped out into the beautiful courtyard. White flowers bloomed in a green garden dotted with small ponds. The solitary stone pathway leading to the outer gates was empty save for a solitary figure that stood on the wrong side of the gates. Shuta clicked his tongue, Despoiler, how dare you. He crossed the distance quickly, the neatly cutwn nothing but a blur in his periphery as he stalked indignantly towards the man who dared stand there with impunity. He came to a stop only a few meters away, tilting his head up and looking the hulking man in the eyes. Tanned skin, tattoos showing beneath a suit that was just a little too tight. Graying hair on his head and an unforgiving stare, ¡°Hero Sapporo,¡± Shuta said, keeping his tone as steady as he could even as rage boiled beneath his skin. The international hero offered him no greeting. He only scowled. ¡°You are trespassing in a sacred ce, leave now,¡± Shuta clipped out into the silence between them. Sapporo tilted his head up and looked down at Shuta, ¡°Kato Shuta. Your organization openly worships a wanted criminal and praises her actions,¡± He said stoically, ¡°The only reason I am not leveling this building in search of your so-called leader right this instant is that officially you have notmitted any acts of viiny and my own shortening patience.¡± Shuta took a step forward and tilted his head, looking into the man¡¯s face, ¡°You have no right to enter this ce, you have been banned from the premises and a formal request put forward to the Pandora Committee demanding that you cease this harassment,¡± He said, ¡°Again, I ask you to leave. The people here want to be left alone and I will protect them from you.¡± Sapporo raised an eyebrow, ¡°A request that was denied, a ban that was countered,¡± The big man growled, ¡°You are viins, I have no doubt, and I will defend this nation from the infection of Ishtar¡¯s followers. We have suspicions that she has already made contact and it will be confirmed.¡± ¡°The savior has made no such contact,¡± Shuta insisted, ¡°Now begone.¡± Sapporo¡¯s eyes glowed for a moment and he leaned forward, ¡°Savior?¡± He growled, his voice dropping a full octave, ¡°Move me, then, I will see your leader. She has to answer for poisoning the minds of Japanese people.¡± ¡°We have a right to practice our faith-¡± Shuta began but a faint wave of power cut him off. He clenched his hand around his weapon and steadied himself as Sapporo seemed to grow just a fraction bigger before his eyes. Sweat poured down his back, the mighty mythic and warrior that had faced the beast An Set in singlebat loomed over him with a pitiless stare. Shuta felt his guts turn to ice and could sense his men trembling behind him. He set his jaw anyway and firmed every ounce of resolve he could, ¡°-until you have proof. You may note in. Even if I die I will not allow you to pass.¡± All Shuta could see for a moment was a pair of glowing eyes and smelled the faint scent of alcohol in the air. It burned his nose, even through the mask, ¡°You worship a mass-murderer and terrorist. Step aside.¡± ¡°No,¡± Shuta bit out even as he felt his knuckles creak around his weapon, a madness inching into his mind, telling him tosh out, strike first. He shook his head and glowered at the man before leaping back and striking his two guards in the back of the neck. The two men who were on the verge of drawing their weapons crumpled to the ground, ¡°I will not strike first.¡± Sapporo straightened and the pressure vanished as if it had never been there. The sweat on Shuta¡¯s brow increased and he felt his muscles tremble under the strain they had been put under, ¡°You put our homnd in danger,¡± Sapporo growled, ¡°Unforgivable. I will return again and again until your leader sees me. They cannot escape justice even if thew protects them, for now,¡± He snarled and turned away, ¡°I will be watching.¡± With that the mighty hero vanished, leaping into the sky with such force that the air had to rush to rece the space he had vacated. Shuta coughed and watched after him before looking down at the two men who were starting to get to their feet. They rubbed the back of their heads and looked up at him, ¡°Your fear almost pushed you to strike first,¡± He exined and turned away, marching towards the doors, ¡°I did what I had to do.¡± They hurried to follow him, offering apologies that he barely heard. He was fuming. It was a dirty trick the man had tried to use on them. He knew nothing about what happened in this ce, what it¡¯s true purpose was. Nor would he ever know if Shuta had his say in it. He passed by those who had awakened with the sh, their bodies altered by physiological abilities, their minds struggling under the weight of their new powers, their lives changed forever. Families had turned them out before abilities had be normalized, jobs lost, livelihoods destroyed in idents. From mundane to even heroic, they hid under his protection. If that makes me a viin, so be it. He thought bitterly as he made his way through the halls to the elevator. He summoned it and gestured for the guards to take their positions on either side, ¡°Call security and-¡± He paused when a chime came to his ear again and he frowned, ¡°-Understood,¡± He murmured and nced at them, ¡°Nevermind, just remain here.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± They both said in unison as the elevator opened and he stepped inside. Momentster he was deep beneath the ground, clean wallpaper, wood, and stone floors reced by metal halls. He rounded a corner, passing beneath security cameras that followed him until he arrived at arge circr door. There was a pause before the door opened and he strode quickly inside, passing through a faint cloud of smoke before dropping to a knee, his hair falling over his head, ¡°Lady Setsuna,¡± He rasped, ¡°I am here.¡± ¡°At look me, dear,¡± A gentle voice called out to him. He looked up and into the center of the room. There, sitting on a dais, was an enormous circr cushion surrounded by nearly-transparent silk drapes. A silhouette hid behind it, that of a woman sitting and looking down at him. He couldn¡¯t see her face, but he could feel the gentle smile. He returned it from beneath his mask before his expression fell a little, ¡°He-¡± ¡°Unimportant,¡± She corrected him, ¡°He gone is, well did you, you thank, little Shuta.¡± His lip twitched and he had the sudden urge to rub his neck a little. He held his posture at one knee, though, his fist on the ground until she gestured for him to stand. He rose and when she gestured for him to approach he did without question. She reached through the drapes and delicate hand extended to touch his cheek, ¡°Busy soon, be he will, not worry, ease at, ease at,¡± She whispered. He let out a breath and nodded, rxing his shoulders, ¡°Yes, mother.¡± ¡°A vision soones,¡± She said, ¡°Listen.¡± He nodded again, ¡°I am here.¡± She pulled her hand away and rest her hands in herp. For a moment there was stillness as her head lulled back behind the curtains. Then the smoke in the air began to gather, a cloudy mist that clung to his nose and made him feel a little dizzy. He shook it off and concentrated, not daring to miss a single word as a sound like a death rattle escaped his mother¡¯s lips. Kato Setsuna, the Oracle, the leader of Hope¡¯s Disciples, spoke, her voice echoed in the room with a powerful resonance. Every word was spoken with a different tone, a different ent, a different voice, yet not a single syble could be lost: ¡°The terrible pendragon grows mighty, the seas shall boil with the madness of a king, storms fall from above and the shadows dance. The enemy atst is revealed, reveling in the praise of the ignorant. The hammer of vengeance falls. The Savior¡¯s mask is consumed, forever changed. Her eye shall open, her wrath will fill the sky. We will see her soon, in this ce, behind the mask of an enemy.¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 The wind whipped past his head. It buffeted against his body, the ear-breaking sound held at bay by the head gear. His eyes opened wide, the clouds were getting closer, he could see them just ahead. His body elerated, faster, faster, he could go just a little faster. Just to the edge of unch¡¯. Just before ¡®stage one¡¯. The air started topress in front of his face, a ripple forming at the edge of the bubble of air that was taking shape around his body. Heat that should have been scorching his skin was dispersed into his surroundings. The clouds were right here. A wall that seemed so very solid. Impact. A rumbling. Whiteness. An endless sea of pure blue greeted him on the other side. ¡°WOOO HOOO!¡± Val shouted into the mouth guard, throwing his fists into the air and stabilizing as he came to a rapid stop. Something in the gear attached to his body shifted with the abrupt halt and he felt it spread the force across his body, counterbncing before releasing it as a st of air in all directions. Explosive force continued to rush out of the base of his feet as he stood in ce, above the clouds, above the world, above everything for just a few moments. He tilted his head back and soaked it all in. He wished he could feel the sun, but it was a small price to pay. A faint buzz sounded in his ear and a voice came in over the headgear, ¡°That¡¯s seven thousand feet, Val, how¡¯d it feel flying through a cloud?¡± Dr. Carter asked. Val spun around and looked across the sea of blue and white, ¡°That was fucking amazing!¡± Heughed and did a flip once in the air, nearly losing bnce and stabilizing himself. ¡°Woah.¡± A second voice chimed in with augh, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Just try not to go overboard with the crazy stuff until you do some more practice closer to the ground, mm?¡± Miss Chernovna chimed in. He chuckled, ¡°R-right, got it,¡± He snickered and nced up above his head towards another set of clouds, ¡°My max altitude is eight thousand right now, right?¡± He asked. ¡°Best I could do,¡± Dr. Carter said, ¡°Even then it''s a bit fuzzy, you¡¯re best staying there. Push it too hard and the headgear might crack. You¡¯ll lose consciousness really quickly after that.¡± Val clenched his fists, ¡°What aboutnding? How much can it take?¡± He asked. There was a pause, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t suggest a full speednding right now,¡± Miss Chernovna said, ¡°As amusing as that sounds. Come in slow.¡± Val clicked his tongue, ¡°I got a better idea,¡± He said and angled his body down and felt the openings in his limbs begin to heat up again. The heat spread out, not burning his skin but instead being absorbed by the gear set up around each spot. The rocket booster-like funnels started to glow just a little as the pressure built, he took a deep breath and with onest grunt he pushed, Launch! He ordered his ability, starting the cycle of his power over again. The opening in his back red, palms, elbows, feet, ankles, they all screamed to life as he turned into a bullet heading straight for the ground. ¡°Oh jeez,¡± Amos muttered into his ear, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Valughed, ¡°Gotta put it through its paces somehow!¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t end up a smear, you punk, that gear took a lot of work to make!¡± Amos grumbled. Val passed through the clouds again,ing out the other end and looking over the wide green grasnd dotted with gray buildings that was the Green Bank location. He could see the remains of the old telescope dish and the simted battlefields. It looked like Axel was teaching another rescue course. He spotted a few duels going on at the conditioning fields, they were being observed by Madame Rouge if he had to guess, since ck Lotus was suspended. More instructors were showing up every day now, the first month of Orientation was over. It¡¯s time for the real shit, Val thought before clenching his armored fist, Just in time. He hurtled towards the ground, closer and closer to the designated red mark that had been left out for him as anding spot. ¡°You¡¯re pushing it,¡± Amos warned, ¡°Thepensator I put in there can only take so much.¡± ¡°It handled my stop going up!¡± Val challenged. ¡°Yeah but now you have gravity to contend with,¡± Amos pointed out, ¡°Slow down a bit.¡± Val clicked his tongue but ultimately agreed, ¡°Alright,¡± He grunted and altered his trajectory to less a direct descent and more a corkscrew,ing down at a looping angle as he threw his hands out to counter the force released by his feet. He was stilling in really fast, but it would slowly reduce until- he whipped his body around mid flight and shoved his feet out, putting a bit more force out through the openings there. He felt the shift in his gear again as thepensator endured most of the force generated by the abrupt stop. He hung there as the force was released as anotherpressed st of air before finallynding on the ground. A series of whoops and shouts sounded out from nearby. He turned and reached up to pull the visor out of the way of his eyes, red hair sticking to his face a bit. He turned and grinned as his friends practically charged him, then his eyes went wide as they picked up speed. ¡°Oh shi-¡± Lillian, Greg, and Alex bowled him over without an ounce of hesitation, tackling him to the ground. John, Snow, and Ollie walked up behind them. John shoved his hands in his pockets as Val looked his way and nodded, his cid straight-lined expression curving upwards a full three millimeters. He let out augh and fell back onto his back as the others badgered him with questions. ¡°That was so cool!¡± Lillianughed, beaming down at him. ¡°Dude, what was it like?¡± Alex pressed, ¡°All the way up there, going through a fuckin¡¯ cloud! Shit that was amazing!¡± ¡°You feel better, bud?¡± Greg added, pulling off of him. Val justy t on his back and stared up at the sky for a moment before looking down at his friends again, ¡°It was better than I could ever describe. Up there, in the clouds, was so¡­ freeing,¡± He said and clenched his fist in front of his face before opening it to look at the dark hole that had been disguised by the gloves to look like a rocket booster, ¡°Makes it all worth it.¡± The three aggressors looked at one another and grinned before hopping up and pulling him to his feet. He gasped as Alex and Greg picked him up before they helped Lillian throw him onto her shoulders. ¡°All hail the rocket man!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°His firstunch and return! Complete sess.¡± Gregughed. ¡°Eat your heart out, Husk!¡± Lillian chimed in as she paraded him around. <¡±You guys are idiots,¡±> Snow said through that text window thing of hers. Val had a hard time reading it because the others kept jostling him around. ¡°I think it¡¯s sweet,¡± Ollie said with a big smile, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you happy, Val.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± John grunted with a nod, his voice sounding a tiny bit shaky. Everyone looked at him again and he cleared his throat, ¡°What?¡± He asked, his expression going utterly deadpan again. ¡°Could have gone easier,¡± A voice called out and Val looked over with everyone else to see Amos walking over, scratching at his messy brown hair. He had one hand in the pocket of hisbcoat and was grinning despite his words, ¡°Not bad, Val, good flying.¡± Next to Amos, Sonya walked over in a delicate looking sundress and wide-brimmed hat. She smiled at them all before looking up at Val, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± She asked. Val looked at her face for a moment, setting his jaw a bit. He pat Lillian¡¯s shoulder and she picked him up before setting him down. Hended heavily and marveled for a heartbeat at how strong Lillian was getting. He took a few steps forward before pping his hands to his sides and bowing fully at the waist, ¡°I cannot thank you both enough!¡± He shouted at the ground, ¡°Thank you so much for making this dream of minee true! I¡¯ll use it well!¡± Amos snorted, ¡°C¡¯mon man, it¡¯s just a prototype.¡± ¡°Amos, be nice,¡± Sonya chided him before Val heard a few light steps walk over to him. He felt a small handnd on his armored shoulder and looked up, Sonya looked down at him with a brilliant smile, ¡°Just be a good hero for me, then, work hard.¡± He stood up straight and cleared his throat, ¡°Right!¡± He barked before clenching his fists and looking down at them, ¡°Man, I can do all the stuff I¡¯ve been practicing outside now!¡± Heughed and bounced back a few feet. ¡°You guys thought my tricks during the spar were crazy, just you wait!¡± He kicked off the ground with a short rocket boost and flipped backwards. One hand released a shot of force and he was facing the opposite direction. In an instant he was facing away from where he was anding down with a rocket propelled kick from above. He hit the ground and grass, dirt, and dust flew up before he stood and marveled at the tiny crater he¡¯d made. He punched his palm and looked over his shoulder at everyone, ¡°You¡¯ve got yourselves a high mobility striker.¡± Sonya cupped her cheek and chuckled, ¡°I imagine an excellent rescue specialist too.¡± She tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment before ncing at John, ¡°Oh, John, about what we talked about, I spoke with Blue-¡± A crack of thunder shattered the sky, the earth shook, and everyone turned to face it. ¨C Sonya moved fast, putting herself between the sound and the aspirants while Amos reached up to grab his wrist. She looked up at the sky where a dark cloud had formed in the midst of the nearly clear sky above a spot deep in the woods. From it, a stream of lightning was pouring down relentlessly over a single spot. She blinked and frowned before dialing out mentally. <¡±Yo! Wassup boss?¡±> Kera¡¯s voice came through. <¡±Kera dear, where are you right now?¡±> Sonya asked. <¡±Eatin¡¯ sausage.¡±> Kera quipped back, <¡±Wassup?¡±> Sonya made a deadpan face, <¡±I didn¡¯t ask for the gory details, I asked where you are.¡±> <¡±Hey! You¡¯re the dirty one, we¡¯re still in Germany!¡±> Kera chimed back. Sonya rolled her eyes and stood up straight, <¡±Right, of course, nevermind.¡±> Sonya grunted and hung up. I wouldn¡¯t have assumed if that wasn¡¯t half of what you talked about, Kera. She thought with a shake of her head before crossing her arms and ncing at Amos, shaking her head a little bit. He nodded and tapped his temple twice. A momentter a small stream of metal objects swarmed into the air as the Aspirants began to calm down behind them. ¡°It¡¯s justing down,¡± Lillian breathed. ¡°Woah, it¡¯s like rain,¡± Alex murmured, ¡°The hell is that? Some kind of weird monster?¡± ¡°That would mean a dungeon break ising soon and I doubt the instructors would allow the dungeon they¡¯re maintaining here to get that bad,¡± Ollie pointed out. Amos narrowed his eyes, ¡°It looks like¡­¡± He frowned, ¡°...ck Lotus?¡± He blurted and stood up straight, ¡°She¡¯s just sitting there getting hit by it.¡± Sonya blinked and raised her eyebrows, ¡°Pull your drones back and leave it be,¡± She said and nced back at the Aspirants, more of them were starting to gather as well as a few instructors who stopped to watch the show with them. Another crack of thunder sounded and the lightning intensified, there were a few shouts of confusion, Sonya raised her voice, ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Sonya called, ¡°Hero ck Lotus is undergoing a special personal training right now, she¡¯s working hard, so you all go back and work hard as well!¡± She urged them before shooting Amos a nce. <¡±Call Marta and have her go stand guard near Chunhua, she can¡¯t defend herself in that state,¡±> She said through their technopathic connection. <¡±On it,¡±> Amos acknowledged. Sonya turned back when a single voice chimed in, ¡°A heavenly tribtion,¡± Ollie said aloud, ¡°Is that what that is?¡± Sonya nced his way, Little smarty pants, She opened her mouth to give an indecisive answer but closed it, ncing back at the lightning. She¡¯d only seen it once during her past life but she knew it all too well. This one wasn¡¯t as intense as the one she saw back then, though. Second breakthrough? She raised her eyebrow a little, Does that mean she fought me as Ishtar with only her first breakthrough? She smirked, That cheeky little¡­ ¡°What does that mean?¡± Lillian asked behind Sonya.. Sonya resisted the urge to flinch. Oh great. I hope it doesn¡¯t scare her, that boy talks a little too much sometimes. Ollie cleared his throat while most of the aspirants dispersed, fortunately they were satisfied enough with Sonya¡¯s response. ¡°I¡¯ve had a theory for a while that Miss ck Lotus¡¯ abilities are based on popr cultivation stories, a lot of abilities out there seem to be grounded in myths, legends, and well known tales,¡± Ollie said and straightened his sses, ¡°A heavenly tribtion happens when one of those individuals has a break-through in their powers and achieved another level of enlightenment. Heaven challenges them, or something to that effect, and they have to endure until the end of the tribtion.¡± Sonya looked back to watch Lillian and felt her mouth drop open a bit, the girl looked ted! Lillian bounced on the balls of her feet, ¡°She did it? That¡¯s great!¡± Lillian barked, overjoyed. She turned and looked at the seemingly unending rain of lightning on that point in the forest and clenched her fists, ¡°So I will too-¡± She mumbled and squeezed her hands tight, ¡°It¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s like the world is responding to her. Like-¡± She blinked, standing up a bit straighter and frowning a little, ¡°Huh.¡± Sonya narrowed her eyes, ¡°Everything okay, Lillian?¡± Lillian scratched her head as her friends looked at her with concern. The girl blinked a few times and looked at the ground and then up at the sky, ¡°I uh¡­¡± She scratched her head again and furrowed her brow before clearing her throat and spinning around abruptly to look at Val, ¡°N-not gonna let some lightning steal your thunder, buddy!¡± Sheughed and pped him on the shoulders. Val tilted his head at her, a little confused. ¡°You kidding? Why would I give a shit?¡± He asked her. She barked out augh as Sonya watched her carefully, ¡°Right! Right! Hey, guys? I gotta go um¡­ sit for a minute. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Lillian said hurriedly. Snow gave her a look and Lillian broke into a wide smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine, promise!¡± Sheughed before darting away at full speed. Sonya didn¡¯t miss the serious expression that washed over Lillian''s face. She watched her go and crossed her arms. What on earth did that girl just realize? She nced at the lightning where Chunhua was. She saw the streak of light that was Marta heading towards it. What do you both know that¡¯s so profound? She shook her head ruefully and turned to look at the remaining aspirants, ¡°Well! Lillian ran off before I could make my announcement!¡± She said with augh and the others turned to her with grins on their faces, ¡°First, congrattions on your new suit, Mister Kinton.¡± Val shot her a thumbs up. ¡°Next,¡± She threw her arms out, ¡°I made a special deal with the PC for a little down time for a day with you all!¡± She announced before slipping into a dramatic pause. She grinned impishly at them, looking at their faces before bouncing into an excited pose. ¡°We¡¯re going to the beach in a few days!¡±
Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Lillian rushed through the camp, past the dojo, past themon building. She wasn¡¯t even sure where she was going, it was like something in her just wanted to go somewhere. It didn¡¯t make sense, but it didn¡¯t have to make sense. She let the feeling carry her away as her mind reeled and spun, her thoughts a jumbled mess trying to splice back together only toe unwound and the process repeat. Her head hurt, her chest hurt, her muscles burned, her mind screamed at her as the dots connected in her brain. They couldn¡¯t see it, not the way I could see it, Lillian thought as her legs worked. She hopped over an obstacle that she barely noticed, she grabbed onto a tree limb and swung forward, elerating. They couldn¡¯t feel it the way I felt it. She felt the homing instinct, whatever it was, ease as she slid to a stop. Only then did she look around. She was standing among the trees, the gentle sounds of nature all around her. She whipped her head around, there was a creek nearby, a little trickle of water adding to the noise. A bird sang above her head and she looked up at it. It looked down at her and their eyes met. I could see it, really see it, the clouds of mana gathering over teacher. I could see them sparking, I could feel the process. It wasn¡¯t artificial, it wasn¡¯t like when someone used their abilities. It was¡­ Her heart pounded and her head hurt again, she gripped at her skull and shook her head. That doesn¡¯t make any sense! She thought, It¡¯s insane. It¡¯spletely insane! She looked back up at the bird, it had been joined by another that stood next to it and watched her intently. She shook her head and looked down at her feet. Mana is strong in the air here. Big concentration, almost enough to make a monster. She furrowed her brows, How do I know that? She sat down in the lotus position, her hands on her knees. She had to clear this up in her head, it was swirling in her mind and demanding attention. She only hoped, she only prayed, that it didn¡¯t take too long. Snow¡¯s waiting for me, it¡¯s tonight. I can¡¯t bete. She took a deep breath, all the way, filling her lungs and tried to clear her mind. She pushed the clutter away. Only the facts. She took another deep breath. What do I know? What do I see? What do I feel? She closed her eyes and let her head hang back, power slipped out from her heart as the golden me worked its way out through her meridians. She felt it go from one point to another, following the channels that teacher had helped her clear. She clenched her fists, I saw it. I saw what happened with teacher¡¯s tribtion. I saw the clouds. I could physically see them. She exhaled, a long breathing out of her. She couldn¡¯t see the golden mes that leaped from her lips. She breathed in again and mes drew up into her nostrils. What did teacher say? Think about the sh? She let the memories flow, The sh happened, light across the world. Powers awakened, then monsters appeared. She thought, tilting her head a little and frowning. Monsters didn¡¯t happen right away, right, I remember, it took a minute or two for it to start. She thought, Powers happened almost immediately, people were hit with the sh and they just changed. She opened and closed her hands, another exhale of golden me, another inhale of golden me. She could hear the birdsong nearby and let her head roll a bit on her shoulders, Animals don¡¯t have abilities. How does mana differentiate? Does it? No that¡¯s not the point. Humans differentiate, she thought firmly and felt movement in her chest. It''s not because we¡¯re special or anything, not because of any ¡®humans are special¡¯ bullshit. No, it¡¯s just natural for us. We can handle mana, we¡¯re built for it. Her heart rate increased and she felt the movement inside of her chest increase. The mana was moving slowly through her body, it felt like it was pulling inward, moving in a steady churning motion. She clenched her fists tightly, she could see the clouds, visualize them, feel them. We¡¯re built for it, but why are we built for it? Why are our abilities so recognizable? It doesn¡¯t make any sense but it has to make sense, it has to be the answer because there¡¯s only one rational exnation. She took another breath and a rush of mes entered her nostrils, she exhaled and a ring of gold formed around her. Mana is natural. The mana in the air kept gathering around her, she could feel its potential for action, for change. It could be anything, a monster, fuel, even a dungeon. It practically sizzled against her skin even as it ran over her like water caught in a whirlpool. It responded to her presence. It¡¯s a part of nature. The world responds to it as if it should have been there all along. The flow intensified, the tightness in her meridians and channels eased. Mana has always, will always, and shall always, exist. It was just locked away somehow. Put away? She furrowed her brow. Her mind was moving slowly through the thoughts now, like a lecture to herself. A calm breath eased out of her chest and the golden ring around her intensified in brightness. Humans adapted to it. It¡¯s in our blood. Our genes. We¡¯ve always been built for it. It was here on earth before us and it will be here long after us. She reached out for the mana again, a more intimate understanding of it guiding her mind. It was as natural to the world as the air she breathed. It wasn¡¯t something to be afraid of. Now she could feel her mental grip on it growing stronger. She felt her fingers clench even tighter in herp. Lillian tugged on the mana around her, gritting her teeth and pulling with all of her might. Come to me! Come to me! Come on! I know it¡¯s possible, I¡¯ve seen teacher do it, felt her do it! I can do it too, I know I can! She clenched her fists tight as the heat inside of her body increased manyfold. She coughed but held on even as something slid down her lip. Hang on, Landrey! She told herself, Breathe! One more deep breath, and it moved. She felt the flow of mana around her pull in, press against her skin, and slide into her body. She felt it enter her meridians before igniting against the golden mes that permeated her everything. She felt something ache under her skin, she felt her muscles grind, she felt her bones itch. She felt a searing pain around her neck and felt her hair catch fire. Everything was a mixture of pain and exhration. She felt her very cells drink in the power that was entering her body for the first time. There was nothing inside of Pandora¡¯s Box, that¡¯s what teacher learned, the world hasn¡¯t changed at all. It¡¯s been fixed. Like a freakin¡¯ valve, opening the box just turned it back on! Was the box even real? The loss of mana was a wrongness that had been corrected, Earth had been iplete until the day of the sh. Hollow. Now it was whole. That was the profound truth. Something that ordinary people could never ept, something that even her mind had been rattled by, but she didn¡¯t understand fully what that meant. What the implications were. Only that it was an unbending fact. That she could ept. But why? Her brain jolted, and her eyes flew open. A shock of orange light streaming out of them as her blood vessels glowed beneath her skin. Her head was thrown back as her mind expanded, wisdom touching her thoughts and opening her up. She saw things, shes, images, a time before. Then stars. A pair of all-gold eyes opened in the void and stared down at her. She looked up into a smiling face filled with tears. You? Your ability? Is that it? A hand brushed her cheek. What happened to you? Why did you do it? I don¡¯t understand, everything¡¯s still so confusing. What is- The vision ended in a rush, everything crashing down into her body in an instant. She let out a gasp and fell forward, gagging. A ssh of terrible smelling ck stuff came up, it coated her body, it stung her eyes. She retched and fell onto her side to the chime of birdsong around her. Golden mes spread out around her, dancing on the ground but not leaving a single burn behind. It spread across her skin as her vision swam. She tilted her head and looked up weakly at the dozens of birds looking down at her, watching over her. Hawks, songbirds, all kinds stood guard as she felt her consciousness wane. She grit her teeth, ¡°Get a fucking hold of yourself!¡± She barked and pushed herself up off the ground. She looked up at the sky and saw that it had begun to change colors. She looked down at herself, filthy, but also more than she¡¯d ever been before. She could feel the mana converting into internal energy inside of her body. She could feel it moving slowly, agonizingly slowly, but it was rotating, just like the whirlwind in her teacher. She cleared her throat and spat out another glob of whatever the hell hade out of her, ¡°Snow¡¯s waiting for me,¡± She grunted and pushed herself shakily to her feet, maddening truths bouncing around in her head. She looked around, ¡°How do I get back?¡± She breathed, ¡°I can¡¯t remember how-¡± A screech sounded above her and she looked up at a hawk that stared at her intently. She stared back and it took flight, dipping low for a moment and banking around her before darting off in one direction. She blinked at the fleeing bird before grinning. She bounced on the balls of her feet, ¡°I don¡¯t get it but lead the way!¡± Sheughed and charged after it, ¡°I¡¯ming Snow!¡± ¨C Snow looked down at herself, the gown was just enough to cover her. It was cold. She reached up and rubbed her narrow arms. Her guts did another flip and she took a centering breath, digging her nails into flesh that had barely seen daylight. She shifted her feet on the table while the doctors moved this way and that. She was surrounded by more equipment than she¡¯d ever seen before in her entire life. There were machines of all shapes and sizes, brought through one of those archway portals. Theb techs were all walking around checking on things. Dr. Da-Som was off to the side, flexing his fingers as a green glow rose off of them. She rubbed her arms. She¡¯ste. Dr. Carter seemed to be thinking the same thing. He walked over and put his hands on his hips, a look of concern on his face, ¡°You okay?¡± He asked, handing her a tablet with the agreement they¡¯d spoken about earlier. She gave him a frown before looking down at it, she gave it a once over. Just as she remembered, she signed it and passed it back to him with a huff before looking away. She didn¡¯t have her phone on her right now and it was still so hard to pull an illusion together with just her thoughts. She formed a simple image in her mind of a thumbs up. Dr. Carter nodded and rubbed his neck, ¡°You wanna keep waiting? She¡¯s-¡± Snow frowned at him and with an effort of will changed the thumbs up to a re, She¡¯ll be here! Snow insisted even if he couldn¡¯t hear her, he could read her face well enough. She felt a shake run up her spine as another chill from the cold air in the room washed over her. That¡¯s all it is, just cold, and maybe some nerves. I¡¯m just nervous. That¡¯s normal, right? She thought, rubbing her arms. That idiot, she¡¯s sote, where is she? Damn it. She got all dozy eyed and darted off to who knows where, Lily you dummy. She squeezed her arms tightly, I need you here, I don¡¯t know if I can do this- BANG! The doors to theb swung open with a crash, the two doctors and theirb techs all looked up in surprise at a very haggard looking Lillian standing in the doorway. She looked like she¡¯d just run through a waterfall or something. Her clothes werepletely soaked through and there were a few ck stains on her shirt and tube top. She was panting, wide eyed, as her gaze darted around the room. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± She barked, ¡°Sorry!¡± She turned her eyes towards Snow and their eyes met. Are her eyes brighter now? Even more orange before, wow, Snow thought numbly, Are those tattoos around her neck? She squinted at the haggard woman, there were indeed some kind of green markings on her throat that branched out like petals or feathers. They moved and shifted on her skin like they were alive. She pushed the thoughts aside, more immediate concerns taking over. She sat up a bit straighter and scowled, crossing her arms. Where the hell have you been? Why are you soaked? Are you okay? Lillian walked over, wiping her upper lip off only for a towel to get thrown at her from the side andnd on her head. Lillian jerked and grabbed at it before looking over at an impatient Dr. Carter, he had a pair of blue lensed goggles around his neck now and had another tech with him, a dark haired man with an intense stare, ¡°You¡¯re tracking water into myb, and you¡¯rete,¡± He said with a scowl, ¡°You reek too. You¡¯re lucky one of my techs has a sterilizing ability or I¡¯d have your head," He said testily. Lillian shrank a little as she brought the towel to her face to dab it while one of the techs let out a sigh and started waving his hands around the room. Snow watched her with amusement, she couldn¡¯t stay mad, whatever had happened had clearly worked. She seemed¡­ different. Not just the tattoos. Her skin had a bit of a warmth to it, her eyes brighter, her hair a little shinier, her face ¡­ Snow flushed and cleared her throat before looking away for a moment. She settled her wildly fluttering heart before looking back and instead pinched her nose. She really does smell bad. Lillian blinked, ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± Snow scowled at her, How can you not smell yourself? It''s rancid! Lillian got the meaning of her stare well enough, she grinned a little and scratched her head, ¡°I¡¯ve been running for the past hour, didn¡¯t have time to stop and show-¡± ¡°Hold still please,¡± A grumpy young man said and held his hands out towards Lillian. Snow watched Lillian turn to look at the tech only to get sted in the face with a wave of light-blue wind. Snow burst into silentughter as her girlfriend¡¯s face rippled, her hair flew back and her eyes fluttered at the sudden burst of air. The tech drew his hand down across Lillian¡¯s body before stepping back. Snow sniffed the air again, all gone. Lillian blinked and looked down at herself, baffled, before looking up at the tech, ¡°Hey thanks!¡± She said brightly, ¡°That was awesome!¡± Snow rxed, the worries gone thanks to Lily¡¯s antics. She smiled up at the taller girl who looked back at her nervously. Lily¡¯s expression shifted to a big grin and she walked over before sitting down in the chair next to the table that had been set out for her. ¡°I promised I¡¯d be here,¡± She said, looking Snow in the eyes, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯mte.¡± Snow felt her chest tighten and she reached out to touch Lillian¡¯s cheek, she smiled before making a pinching gesture with her free hand. Just a little, it¡¯s fine. She slid her hand down and into the bigger hand belonging to the tough young woman she¡¯d spied on during the bus ride. That immediate physical attraction, it had been overwhelming. At first it had just been a craving, a purely physical one. Wanting to get close, to touch, to feel. Toy eyes on someone that was just her type, she¡¯d never experienced that before until the bus ride. Then it became a little more than that. The intense sense offort that she gave off was relieving for her, it eased the stress that seemed to be Snow¡¯s entire life. That first night when she¡¯d put her head in Lillian¡¯sp she¡¯d felt more at ease than she¡¯d ever had before. Then it only got worse after that, or better, depending on how she looked at it. Every single day after the morning that Lillian had fixed her hood, she was constantly on her mind. At first it was just wary thoughts, annoying ones. What¡¯s she doing? How are her sses going? Is she bored? Is she busy? Then it became, I hope she¡¯s eating enough, she¡¯s working really hard. When she had the thought; I can¡¯t wait till dinner. I want to see her. She knew then that she¡¯d utterly and totally fallen. She¡¯d spent a week just watching her from afar, checking, hoping she¡¯s okay with all the effort she was putting in with ck Lotus. Then Miss Chernovna tricked me, that jerk. She grinned at Lillian who had no idea what she was thinking. Lillian just smiled back at her with all the warmth of those golden mes of hers. I owe that bully for it, though, it was the kindest prank I¡¯ve ever been a victim of. Dr. Carter approached them from the side, ¡°We¡¯re all set, unless you¡¯ve got more chaos to stir up?¡± He asked Lillian. Lily scratched the back of her head, ¡°Heh, sorry. No, I¡¯ll be good.¡± The man nodded, ¡°Alright,¡± He said and nodded to Snow, ¡°Just rx.¡± Snow watched him step away before turning toy down on the table. A few more nerves worked their way up her stomach, her fingers trembled, the image of angry drunken eyes surfaced in her mind. Then a heat raced through every inch of her body in an invisible wave. She blinked and looked at Lillian, stunned. No mes, no effort, no concentration. Lily just smiled at her, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Snow squeezed her hand as the fear just washed away. Shey down and Dr. Da-som walked over, his hands alight with pure green light. Over her, the lights hummed and something pink flickered out of existence. She paid it no mind, instead she just savored the warm hand holding hers. Yes you are, and after this, I¡¯ll be there for you too.
Chapter 117 Chapter 117 The balcony of themon building was nice and quiet. A gentle breeze washed over the distant trees and across her face as she sat behind the railing, looking out over the grass and the other buildings that made up the training grounds. She could have eaten downstairs, with the others, and frankly she wasn¡¯t even supposed to be up here. The only entrance to the balcony was the one through the sponsors hallway and only aspirants going in for an interview should be going through it. She didn¡¯t really care at the moment, though, she just wanted a little time to think. Lillian took another piece of brisket off her te and handed it to the hawk that sat next to her. It pulled it carefully from her fingers before eating in silence. She smiled at it and popped a piece into her own mouth, chewing quietly as another breeze ran through her hair. She¡¯s still in surgery, it¡¯s been hours, She thought. Dr. Carter had seen her out after Snow had gone under for the operation. She had wanted to hang out outside theb but Miss Chernovna had swung by and insisted that she get something to eat and clear her head a little. She was grateful, there was still so much to think about. So much that she was still digesting from her enlightenment, her vision. She took another bite of her food and let out a breath before ncing at the hawk that eyed her patiently. ¡°Thanks again for the help earlier,¡± She said. It inclined its head and she got the feeling that it was saying something along the lines of; ¡®Well, it goes without saying that I would help¡¯. Her lip twitched, Now I¡¯m imagining stuff. She shifted a bit on the ground and leaned back, resting her arm on her knee and ncing towards the spot where her teacher had been undergoing the tribtion. The lightning was long gone but she hadn¡¯t seen her. She scratched at her neck a little then paused, a tingle moved through the air behind her. She lowered her hand as the feeling from it registered in her senses. She smiled and went back to her meal, plucking another piece up and handing it to her bird friend. ¡°Hello, Teacher.¡± ck Lotus walked in next to her and sat down, ¡°You¡¯ve made a new friend.¡± Lillian nced at the hawk, ¡°Seems so, no idea why but he helped me find my way back after-¡± ¡°After you ran off to go through your first stage of enlightenment,¡± ck Lotus said, ¡°I heard that you saw my tribtion and bolted shortly afterward.¡± Lillian turned to ck Lotus and looked up at her. The woman was more serene than before, her dark eyes seemed even deeper and her smile easier. She didn¡¯t seem much different physically, a little more toned, her face a little more defined, her hair just a bit longer. It was the energy moving inside of her, though, that was dramatically different. Where there had been a steady if fast-moving whirlpool, now it was beginning to move through her body in a distinctive pattern, following her meridians and moving towards a centerpoint at her waist. ¡°Did you see her?¡± Lillian asked. ck Lotus nodded, ¡°We spoke.¡± The Lillian of just a week before would have jumped in and probed how to get to that point faster, now, now she knew better. It took time, and she could already feel that there was something off with her ability. She was approaching a much more difficult cliff and she had only just achieved the first stage. It would be some time before her second. She nodded slowly and looked back out over the trees, ¡°Sometimes I can see it, mana.¡± ¡°See it? Visually?¡± ck Lotus asked. Lillian nodded, ¡°Sounds like that¡¯s not something thates with your ability?¡± Her teacher shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether I¡¯d want that or not,¡± She said ruefully. ¡°It¡¯s hard to turn on,¡± Lillian admitted, ¡°But when it is, I can tell when a ce is primed for a monster. I just feel it in my gut.¡± ck Lotus went silent for a moment before reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small sphere and held it out to Lillian, ¡°Can you hold this for me for a moment?¡± She asked. Lillian tilted her head and took it, ¡°An RTE? You think something¡¯s up with my ability?¡± ¡°I suspect your ability is a bit different from others,¡± ck Lotus said, ¡°It¡¯s not even been two years since the sh, we understand so little about abilities, but a general rule seems to be that Abilities do not change tier except under extreme circumstances,¡± She exined as she pulled a phone out next, tapping the screen a few times. ¡°Extreme circumstances?¡± Lillian asked, confused. ¡°Are you familiar with Ishtar?¡± ck Lotus answered with her own question. Lillian frowned and looked down at her te, her stomach twisted a bit at the taboo name, ¡°Who isn¡¯t?¡± She snorted, ¡°What does she have to do with it?¡± ¡°Ishtar ims to be able to awaken the abilities in people or even give them out, it¡¯s not exactlymon knowledge but it¡¯s also not hard to hear about it,¡± ck Lotus said, ¡°More specifically, she can do it in exchange for payment or services. That is information that the Pandora Committee is keeping closer to its chest, the only reason I¡¯m discussing it with you is your situation.¡± Lillian tensed and looked down at the RTE in her hands, she looked up at ck Lotus and felt her heart sink a little, ¡°You think-¡± ¡°I think? No, you wouldn¡¯t make a deal with someone like her,¡± ck Lotus said with a shake of her head, ¡°I was instructed to make regr reports about high potential aspirants and when your situation came up I was asked to observe and test you with an RTE if you began exhibiting more and more functionality,¡± She exhaled, ¡°Your ability has the functionality of a mythic, Lillian, but you still feel like a rare to me.¡± Lillian squeezed the ball a little, ¡°So if I read higher than rare, it¡¯ll be suspicious?¡± ¡°Not so ck and white,¡± ck Lotus said, ¡°Let¡¯s just have a look. This is a Pandora Committee phone, it¡¯ll record the result and send it back regardless of what happens so I can¡¯t tamper with it,¡± She warned Lillian before cing a hand on her shoulder, ¡°We need to do this before I resume training you.¡± Lillian nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ck Lotus nodded and tapped the phone. The sphere in Lillian¡¯s hand began to glow, first a dull gray light, then white, then green, then blue, a strong brilliant blue. It glowed brighter before flickering purple and blue several times. Finally it rolled back to blue and settled. Lillian watched it with a mixture of awe and concern, ¡°I don¡¯t-¡± Her teacher let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Rare but it¡¯s trying to encroach on Epic. A function of your ability then. Thank goodness.¡± Lillian looked up at her, wide eyed, ¡°So I¡¯m okay? I never met, I mean, I-¡± She stammered before her teacher chuckled and squeezed her shoulderfortingly. ¡°I¡¯ll put it in the report, you¡¯re going to be fine, Lillian. You have a very unique ability, that¡¯s all. Be proud of it, develop it, and figure out what it takes to move on to the next level. If anyone can, it¡¯s you,¡± She said with a smile. Lillian flushed and looked down at her te again before ncing at her new bird friend, ¡°Thanks, teach-¡± She nced back at her teacher and saw the woman rx before plucking out a white bottle out of her coat. She pulled a cork out and drank a sip before letting out a sigh. ¡°Are you drinking?¡± Lillian blurted. ¡°Second stage was a lot to take inpared to first,¡± Her teacher chuckled and sipped again. Lillian shook her head with augh and looked back out over the grass again as the two sat in afortable silence. They sat for nearly half an hour before her teacher sat up and tilted her head, her eyes fixed on a spot out in the trees. She slid to her feet with a grunt before patting Lillian on the back of the head, ¡°Make sure to sleep tonight,¡± She said before hopping onto the railing, ¡°I¡¯m going to stretch my legs.¡± Lillian didn¡¯t believe that for a moment but she wasn¡¯t going to push the issue, she just nodded, ¡°Right,¡± She said and ck Lotus was gone. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, startling her, I thought there was no signal, what the heck? She pulled her phone out and looked at it. Every muscle in Lillian¡¯s body rxed and she fell back onto the surface of the balcony, staring at the words on her phone with a big smile on her face, ¡°Thank goodness.¡± ¡ª Sonya shifted on her feet in the undergrowth, the trees above her head. She checked her personal watch, she could have used her HUD but it was good to keep up normal habits. Right on time a message from mephisto came through and she focused on it. It popped open in her vision. She smiled, She took a few steps and leaned against the pylon of the dungeon, resting her head against it and crossing her arms as she put out a call. As it rang she nced up at Marta who was standing stoically off to the side. Their eyes met and they exchanged a smile before the other end picked up. <¡°Kingshark here!¡±> Barry grunted on the other end. <¡°How are things?¡±> She asked. <¡±Almost done with this one, then we¡¯ll move on to the next. Had a few military ships swing by and try to check us out yesterday. No big deal, I took care of it,¡±> He said, <¡±How¡¯s she doing?¡±> Sonya nced surreptitiously at her bodyguard who raised her eyebrow at her with a knowing stare. <¡±Statuesque and observant as always.¡±> <¡±Give her a big ol¡¯ kiss for me,¡±> Barry joked. Sonya barked out augh, drawing a frown from Marta, <¡±I¡¯m pretty sure she wouldn¡¯t appreciate it from me.¡±> Sonya chuckled, <¡±I¡¯ll give her the message, though.¡±> Barryughed, <¡±That works, thanks boss.¡±> Sonya tilted her head, <¡±What about the rest?¡±> She asked a bit more seriously. There was a pause, <¡±I¡¯ve got people in every country she does, we¡¯ve got our eyes on them. I set up a few ¡®incidents¡¯ to force some of her people into a fight. You were right, her followers are enhanced somehow. As strong as umon or even low rare. All physical improvements though.¡±> Sonya nodded, <¡±As expected, her light-touched followers will be more difficult to get a measure for. Their abilities will be amplified by her ability. Don¡¯t waste men on them right now.¡±> <¡±Got it,¡±> He grunted, <¡±It¡¯ll take a while but we¡¯ll be ready when the timees. ckrazor¡¯s people are a big help and its nice having Charon for getting my people around.¡±> Sonya grinned, <¡±Those taxis are nice aren¡¯t they?> <¡±Damn right they are, I use them all the time,¡±> Heughed. <¡±Jealous, I didn¡¯t get to enjoy it while I was in The Hague. Too many eyes,¡±> Sonya grumbled as she felt fast movement in the air ahead of her. She nced up and smirked, <¡±We¡¯ll talk moreter, I¡¯ve been meaning to reward you for your work, be safe.¡±> <¡±Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? The Lord of the Deeps is out at sea, here, I¡¯m invincible.¡±> Heughed and cut the call. <¡±Looking forward to that present,ter boss.¡±> She shook her head and pushed off the dungeon pylon, stepping out into the middle of the clearing as Marta moved to stand next to her. She tilted her head towards her beloved friend, ¡°Barry told me to give you a big ol¡¯ smooch,¡± She snickered. ¡°That idiot,¡± Marta chuckled, ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± Sonya smiled as Chunhua burst through the trees andnded ahead of them. She was still dressed down but had her sheathed sword in one hand. She nced around for a moment and frowned, ¡°Sonya? What are you doing out here? Is everything alright?¡± ¡°d you could make it, figured you¡¯de if you sensed us near the dungeon,¡± Sonya quipped before gesturing towards the rippling portal, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡± Chunhua raised an eyebrow and read Sonya¡¯s expression before nodding, she walked past her without hesitation and went straight through the water-like surface of the portal. Sonya pursed her lips and exchanged a look with Marta. The both of them shrugged before they went through as well. The next thing Sonya felt was the tug of her everything as she was pulled from one ce to another before stepping out into an almost identical forest. Unlike the real one, the area with the portal was formed of trees grown so thickly together they formed a nearplete circle. An opening on one side just wide enough for three people to walk side by side was the only exit. Sonya stepped out and brushed off her arms before ncing up at Chunhua who was standing off to the side, watching the opening, ¡°Did you clear out the first wave?¡± She asked. ¡°Marta did just a bit ago,¡± Sonya said before frowning, ¡°We need to talk about this dungeon.¡± Chunhua nodded, ¡°Fill me in.¡± Sonya crossed her arms and quickly exined what Cass had reported to her. Chunhua nodded along and nced around thoughtfully, ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel much different.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that bastard did, but he did something to it, I¡¯m worried about the aspirants, I¡¯m going to start taking them in here soon for the scouting sses, then there¡¯s the final exam we need to consider,¡± She let out a breath, ¡°It¡¯s best if we have a look around.¡± Chunhua nodded, ¡°Good idea,¡± She said before raising an eyebrow, ¡°That¡¯s not all though, is it? You never go somewhere with only one purpose.¡± Sonya smirked, ¡°Well, after you moved on to your second stage I got motivated to get stronger myself,¡± She said and rested her hands on her hips, ¡°Figured I¡¯d invite you to my little merger party.¡± Chunhua blinked and her eyes went wide, ¡°Here? You¡¯re going to do that here?¡± She paused and scowled, ¡°You¡¯re going to overdo it, aren¡¯t you? I have your memories, you realize, I know exactly how painful it is.¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s a good thing you and Marta are here!¡± Sonya barked out augh, ¡°You can keep an eye on me, because it¡¯s happening.¡± Marta crossed her arms and stared at Chunhua, ¡°She¡¯s putting a lot of trust in you being here,¡± Marta said defensively, ¡°You could-¡± Chunhua frowned further, ¡°But why? You¡¯re already power-¡± ¡°Because it isn¡¯t enough,¡± Sonya said tly, her expression going hard. She nced at the portal behind them and clenched her fists, ¡°Not for him,¡± She looked sidelong at Chunhua, ¡°My memories are a lot to go through, and some of it may be a blur for you, but for me it¡¯s all crystal clear. That buffoon may be a bumbling idiot now, but he¡¯s an invincible bumbling idiot,¡± She said and ran her fingers through her hair, ¡°Natural Selection should have done its job with him a long time ago, but it didn¡¯t,¡± She said, ¡°He barely understands how whatever his power is works.¡± She paused and she looked at Chunhua, ¡°But, even an idiot can adapt and learn if he lives long enough.¡±
Side-Story: Side Quests 1 Side-Story: Side Quests 1 The camp was abuzz, as always, everyone was talking about the big trip. Apparently the Chernovna woman was going to be taking them to the beach the next day. He wasn¡¯t fond of the beach, but it was a good enough way to get some air he supposed. He had been stuck here for four weeks, going through the motions and following the instructions set before him. y nice with others, make a few friends, smile, impress with his ability but don¡¯t overdo it. Hold back, save the good stuff forter. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling, though, that something just wasn¡¯t right. It didn¡¯t feel like the story was wholly his anymore. Like the tone had shifted, the message had changed, yet the guide refused to update every time he tried to shake things up. He changed the phrasing, changed the context, changed everything he could to get the damn thing to show him more of what he needed to do. It was troubling and frustrating. How could he be the hero if he wasn¡¯t the center of attention? Yet again, the guide urged him to be patient, so he was-to a degree. There was nothing wrong with a few little side-quests, after all. He nced at the blonde girl, the one that had followed him for the past few days. He narrowed his eyes. He wasn¡¯t sure who she was working for but he had a few thoughts. First of all, her profile came up nk just like Ishtars. Her power was strange too, it wasn¡¯t one line but three. How, he wasn¡¯t sure, nor did he really care. After all, it gave him some clues to work with. If Ishtar was nk, and she was nk, and ording to the rumors among the other aspirants, Ishtar could grant powers to people. Then it only stood to reason that this Cass girl was working for her. So she has spies here, probably in the other camps too. I¡¯ll hold on to that little tidbit, I think. He thought as he walked down the path, putting on his smile and saying his greetings. Each time it made him feel a little sick to his stomach. He had to admit, though, that these things were more interesting than he had originally expected. It was almost like a few of them were actual people, more than just the mindless NPCs that popted this tiresome world. Sonya Chernovna was one of them. No, she was a person, definitely a person. She had a mind of her own, a real one, and he could see something cunning behind her games and yful attitude. She¡¯s like me, ying the world around her fingers. I like her. He thought to himself as he nced at the guide to his left. It appeared again like a page off the inte, a walkthrough of the current stage of his story. He frowned at it with displeasure, The guide is supposed to tell me everything, but it only tells me what I need to know to get to the next stage. If I want more, I need to do more myself. He had never considered going outside of the bounds of his guide, acting out a sub-plot to build his power. Side quests are all about power leveling, after all, He thought with some amusement. I can¡¯t believe I had never thought about it. Of course it''s necessary. But what on earth to do? He mused, crossing his hands behind his back and ncing out towards the field again. An Set is dead, Liberty is a fool, and I am starting to suspect that the original seven I had nned on recruiting aren¡¯t going to be worth my time. Colin was stolen from under my nose by Sonya, but she is just a smart person. She wants the best, I don¡¯t begrudge her that. He ground his teeth, But Craig and my future henchman, killing them, Ishtar, you know something and I do not like it, not at all. He frowned and closed his eyes, he wanted tosh out right then and there. Carve a beautiful furrow through the gathered aspirants and leave their corpses for the crows. No, they¡¯ll die eventually, not today. I am the hero after all. They should love me, adore me, worship me. He smiled to himself, basking in the moment of visualizing the day when he would finally bring the world crashing down. That moment of despair. He savored the thought until something crashed into him. He turned his body with it, blinking a few times and frowning. Who the hell has the audacity to take me out of my musings? He thought with a snarl, turning to look at the head of brown hair that sat on the ground before him. His lip twitched, Oh, the criminal. The thing that had been wandering behind the perverse woman from Chicago for the past few weeks was scrambling to pick up a notebook and scattered notes. He looked down at one sheet of paper beneath his feet and his lip twitched, he knelt down and picked it up, brushing it off before examining it. Observations on the other heroes in camp. Their likes, their dislikes. He is cataloging everyone. His lip twitched; How amusing, is he trying to make friends too? This is more information than is avable in my guide at least. The thing with sses looked up at him and adjusted them, ¡°O-oh there it is!¡± The thing said before pausing and looking up at him. ¡°Marc Mallory?¡± The thing paused and it¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°O-oh my.¡± He felt it, the sensation of a power touching him. Just like the power that Miss Chernovna had to suss out the names of powers. He had activated his Immunity Cheat, of course, before shaking the woman¡¯s hand. I wasx, He thought with a frown as whatever this thing¡¯s ability was saw through him for a moment. He shut it down by activating the cheat before quickly pulling up the thing¡¯s profile. Ollie Anders, Karmic Threads, he paused, Karmic Threads? And he¡¯s exploring details about others. Oho? What are you up to? ¡°What did you see?¡± He asked. ¡°So many threads,¡± Ollie said breathlessly, ¡°Powerful ones, thousands of them, hundreds of thousands,¡± He blinked a few times, ¡°W-who are you?¡± ¡°Marc Mallory, you said it yourself,¡± Otis said with a smile, ¡°And you¡¯re Ollie Anders, the boy who got himself in a bit of trouble, right?¡± Ollie frowned, ¡°I-I suppose.¡± Otis raised an eyebrow and something changed in the walkthrough. He nced at it and his eyebrows rose. It can evolve, wonderful. Side-quests, how novel. He held out the slip of paper, ¡°Ollie, I¡¯m not judging you. We all have skeletons in our closet, don¡¯t we?¡± He said brightly with a big smile ying on his face, ¡°Nothing to be ashamed of!¡± He held out his hand, ¡°I¡¯ve been rather rude, haven¡¯t I, I didn¡¯t apologize for getting in your way.¡± Ollie reached up and took his hand, getting to his feet, ¡°I should have been paying attention. Sorry, Marc.¡± ¡°No trouble at all!¡± Otis said with a smile, ¡°Those are some interesting notes you have there, any on me?¡± Ollie scratched his nose, ¡°A bit, you¡¯re hard to track down and read. Your ability is very impressive, though. I¡¯ve only seen it once and-¡± He started before clearing his throat, ¡°-Promised miss Rouge I wouldn¡¯t ramble at people anymore. Gotta get better at it, talking to people.¡± Otisughed, ¡°You and me both!¡± He said, ncing off towards the field, ¡°Between you and me, Miss Chernovna is considering signing me if I can get a bit better with the whole socializing thing. It¡¯s a challenge I¡¯m afraid,¡± He sighed dramatically, ¡°But something I need to do if I want to achieve my dream.¡± ¡°Killing Ishtar?¡± Ollie asked. Otis nced his way and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Heroes don¡¯t kill.¡± Ollie swallowed and looked Otis dead in the eyes, ¡°But you¡¯re going to do it anyway.¡± Otis turned fully to face him, ¡°What makes you say that?¡± He asked. ¡°My gut and your¡­ threads. You¡¯ve killed people before,¡± Ollie said in a low voice before holding up his hands, ¡°I-I won¡¯t tell anybody! I mean,¡± He rubbed his neck, ¡°We all have skeletons,¡± He said with a frown and looked away. ¡°You had your reasons, right? You wouldn¡¯t kill somebody just because. I have this theory that abilities weren¡¯t distributed haphazardly. Not for the awakened,¡± Ollie said, ¡°Gilgamesh was the first hero in our myths. He was also a good man, if a bit prideful. You have what it takes to be like him, if my theory is right. So it only makes sense¡­¡± Otis was a little taken aback, Oh. I like him. He has a way with words. That power of his too, it could be very useful. Very, very useful. Maybe I should try looking for opportunities more often. There might be more real people on this world than I thought. Ollie cleared his throat, ¡°Rambling again, s-¡± ¡°I would be thrilled to hear more,¡± Otis interrupted him. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Your theories,¡± Otis said with a cold smile, ¡°How about we talk over some food?¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Sonya and Chunhua held one another¡¯s gaze. A silence stretching out between the two of them. Chunhua¡¯s expression fell for a moment before she closed her eyes and sighed. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head, ¡°You really don¡¯t take half measures,¡± She muttered and looked up at her. She smiled, though the expression was one with a bit of pain in it, concern. She scratched the back of her head and looked over at Marta, ¡°Do we have what we need in case something happens?¡± She asked, ¡°I¡¯d rather not have Miss Savior here bleed out on the ground of a dungeon.¡± Marta¡¯s stoicism broke for a heartbeat at Chunhua¡¯s words and she returned the smile, ¡°Miss Chernovna will be fine, have faith in her, she¡¯se a long way from the first time.¡± Sonya on the other hand was standing off to the side looking for a ce to sit down. She stretched her back all the way into an arch and rolled her shoulders, ¡°Sure, sure, still gonna hurt like a bitch though,¡± She grumbled before plopping herself onto the ground, ¡°First thing I¡¯m going to do is merge together a few powers in my warehouse ahead of cramming them into my core ability.¡± ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Chunhua said, crossing her arms, ¡°You gave me almost all of your memories, but you left out the name of your core ability. It changed again, didn¡¯t it?¡± Sonya looked up at her and pursed her lips. She cleared her throat and looked away, heat rising to her cheeks and burning at her ears. She rested her hands in herp and twiddled her fingers a little, ¡°So I left a few things out, not that big a deal,¡± She trailed off. Chunhua tilted her head and Sonya returned her stare. Now that Chunhua wasn¡¯t being all mopey Sonya felt squirmy under her gaze. It was annoying. She pushed the feeling down and pressed her hands down against her feet. ¡°It¡¯s just-¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, the name is extremely arrogant, she was really proud of it at first but after saying it out loud in front of me she got like this,¡± Marta teased, giving Sonya a smug side-eye. Sonya crossed her arms, Traitor, she grumbled inwardly, squinting at her. Chunhuaughed, ¡°Okay now I have to know,¡± She said and walked over. She stood over Sonya and looked down at her. ¡°You really don¡¯t want to tell me?¡± Sonya¡¯s gut twisted and she clenched her ankles, looking straight up into Chunhua¡¯s eyes. She felt her entire body tremble for a moment and not in a bad way. She cleared her throat and looked away quickly, ¡°D-don¡¯t do that,¡± She breathed, squeezing her ankles tighter, ¡°Please? I don¡¯t think we¡¯re anywhere near there yet,¡± She said, ¡°D-don¡¯t look at me like that, from that angle, I can¡¯t deal with it,¡± She said hastily, fumbling over her words. She reached up and yed with her hair before catching herself, ¡°I-I¡¯m not mad! I¡¯ll tell you, just uh¡­ just don¡¯t?¡± She murmured. Chunhua practically jumped ten feet backwards before sliding to a stop, blinking furiously. Marta held her hand over her mouth and looked away. Sonya nced up at her, red-faced, and saw the small grin under Marta¡¯s hand. She grumbled and twined her fingers together before exhaling hard. She looked up at a red-faced Chunhua who seemed to realize exactly what she had done. The world''s number one hero scratched her nose and cleared her throat, ¡°R-right I should have known better, sorry.¡± Sonya huffed and crossed her arms, ¡°It¡¯s fine, just-¡± She blurted before moving on quickly, ¡°My core ability is Deus Ex Machina. God from the Machine.¡± Chunhua mouthed the words for a moment before tilting her head, ¡°The literary element?¡± Sonya nodded in response and Chunhua pursed her lips, ¡°Does it do something different from¡­ oh what was it¡­ Cyber-punk?¡± Sonya rubbed her fingers, ¡°Cyber-punk was more like a receptacle. It didn¡¯t add any specific instincts on its own,¡± She said, ¡°I could crampatible powers into it pretty easily but that''s all it was good for,¡± Sonya exined, ¡°The new version is so, so much more,¡± She said and trailed off, examining her hands, ¡°I instinctively know that it works hand in hand with Broker¡¯s functions, seamlessly. It also has some weird functions to deal with personal narrative. I tried testing it on Lillian Landrey and Ollie Anders but I haven¡¯t seen any impact, don¡¯t think I¡¯m doing it right.¡± ¡°Personal narrative?¡± Chunhua asked. Sonya shrugged, ¡°No friggin clue,¡± she sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a very vague understanding, anyway, the most important feature of the ability right now is that it has a stupid amount of efficiency when merging in new abilities and a better understanding of how I should merge them, like a feeling in my gut. I haven¡¯t tested it though.¡± Chunhua frowned, ¡°Why not?¡± Sonya gave her an even stare, ¡°I haven¡¯t been in the right headspace to endure a merger, Chunhua, for a while.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Chunhua cleared her throat and rubbed her arms, ¡°Sorry.¡± Sonya sighed, ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± She said with a wave of her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s leave it be. I¡¯m going to get started. Keep an eye on me, will you?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Chunhua said, squaring her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll also keep an eye on the passage.¡± Marta moved quickly to stand behind Sonya at a small distance, ¡°And I will be right here for you.¡± Sonya nodded, ¡°Thank you, both of you,¡± she took a deep, deep breath and exhaled, ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Merger, ess Warehouse. She fell back into her own mind and saw her warehouse stretch out in front of her. It was filled with countlessmon and umon abilities, over a thousand mundane abilities, and the many others that she had collected over nearly two years of handshakes. She wandered the mental passages for a moment, browsing the shelves as she experienced it for the first time in a very long time. Her eyes fell shut and she let her head roll back, her hands falling to her sides. She grabbed the first two she wanted to try to cram together. Proceed. In her mind''s eye she stood in her warehouse with two glowing disks in her hands. Both were a vibrant purple. She watched as the two drifted from her palms before pressing against one another. There was a sh and fortunately, no pain. Not until she merged them into her primary ability, anyway. She watched the two lights meld into one until a new red-colored disk appeared in her hand. She let out a breath, it was a sess. A pure flight ability and based on the color it was heroic. She smirked to herself and drew out the next pair. This one might be a bit weird, but I¡¯m really curious to see what happens and frankly I¡¯ve hated using Share the Path every time I¡¯ve used it. I¡¯d rather put it to more practical use. I don¡¯t want the temptation to dump my past on anyone else ever again. She thought as her attention momentarily drifted to Chunhua, Just a little longer, I have things I want to say. Sonya raised her eyebrows a little, Now that¡¯s interesting. Okay, proceed! The purple and green disks mmed together without much prompting, shing to life and burning brightly for a moment. Sonya could almost feel her fingers tingle as the abilities molded together, their core elements, functionality,yering on top of one another to create something greater than the sum of its parts. When the light faded a red disk floated above her palm. She stared at it, surprised, Heroic? I figured at best a peak epic. What the hell does that do? She wondered, touching it briefly and pulling it out of her warehouse and into herself. She felt the instincts wash into her and felt more confused than anything else. Her instinct was just to watch people do things and she would understand what they did. That¡¯s still a little vague, I¡¯ll have to use it to properly get it I guess. I¡¯ll be merging it into Deus Ex Machina anyway so it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯ll probably change again. She set her second red disk aside before pulling out the two colored abilities she had. She was about to begin working with them when a message came up. Sonya frowned, What? Do I need the other colors? Alright I guess, I¡¯ll hold off. She pulled out two others and set them aside, she wasn¡¯t going to merge them with anything ahead of time, she had a good feeling about bringing them in as is. They were Storage Space, which she should have done much earlier. She¡¯d been using it for brief periods at a time rather than keeping it on all the time. And she also pulled out Digital Illusions. I have a good feeling about that one in particr. Next she grabbed three abilities from her warehouse and pulled them out, she¡¯d be cramming all three together at the same time. It was also a bit risky since she could lose ess to a feature she really liked but on the flip-side if thepatibilities were good she coulde out with a really nice payout. She was about to begin when another ability whipped its way out of her warehouse of its own ord. A mundane light-gray disk that spun at the center of the three. The fuck? She frowned at it and touched it, Perfect Coffee? She chuckled a little, Why? She nced around the warehouse and squinted at it only for a pair of pink eyes to stare back at her for a heartbeat. She blinked and rxed, Oh okay, not the power acting up, just me being crazy. That¡¯s a relief. She snorted at the absurd thought as thepatibility rating popped up. ¡°Okay what the fuck!¡± She barked vocally this time, she sensed Marta and Chunhua react before she tilted her head and shut her mouth. What the hell do you know that I don¡¯t? She waited and got, of course, nothing out of Ishtar, Bully. Fine. Proceed. Four abilities crashed into one another like mas that had been held apart. A blinding sh filled the warehouse as colors shifted and bloomed. Her fingers quaked and stung for a moment before a new disk remained behind. A brilliant orange. No fucking way. She would have whooped if she didn¡¯t expect to startle her guardians. She instead chuckled a little to herself, Mythic. Beautiful. She thought and set it to the side with the others she nned on pulling in. She rubbed her hands together, So much backlog! She thought greedily, really getting into the whole thing. It has been way too long since Ist did this. This is fun! She thought and pulled out the next two that she wanted to merge. I really liked your ability Brent. She hesitated a little and cleared her throat, speaking with her eyes closed, ¡°Marta, are you sure about that power I offered you?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯d rather you have it, Sonya, I¡¯ll feel better if you do,¡± Marta said behind her. ¡°But I just got a swank healing power,¡± Sonya joked, ¡°I could live without it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine Sonya, I¡¯m a one woman army already,¡± Marta said proudly. Sonya chuckled, ¡°Fine fine, you win.¡± Fun as you are, you¡¯re bad for me, she thought as she looked at the disk symbolizing Duplicate floating over her palm. She got the sense that Ishtar would approve of her decision too. She nced at thepatibility message. She pursed her lips, Interesting, I wonder how that¡¯ll work. Proceed. The two disks crashed into one another and shed, light blooming once more before a new orange disk was left behind. She read the name again, Unbound? So it¡¯ll be something else oncebined with Deus Ex, then, I get it. She nodded along as she pushed it aside and grabbed onest pair. This one she had been thinking about for a while. Her gut told her that this would be the most interestingbination of the lot. She practically rubbed her hands together with glee as two orange disks appeared in her hands. She grinned, I want nothing to do with that power of yours, Masque. Might as well put it to good use. Lets see what happens when youbine the ruler of nts with the king of the fae. She thought with amusement. It had been a long time since she acquired Sylvan Monarch and she had only used it once to any real effect. It was a useful power to be sure, but it was better used as part of a merger. Another perfect, huh? Makes sense that they would match up well. She thought and nodded, Proceed. FWOOM! Light erupted from the point of impact, force pushing out from Sonya¡¯s body so forcefully it became physical. She heard a pair of gasps as the two women standing guard over her nearly toppled over from the short-lived burst. Sonya¡¯s hands ached, her body quaking for a moment as her warehouse shuddered under the weight of what she had made. Disks ripped from the walls of her warehouse too fast for her to see, pulled in by the hungry thing forming in her palm. Light bloomed and condensed before revealing an orange disk. It was different from the others. Not a solid color. It was cracked, its surface tearing apart at the seams. Golden light shone out of it as yellow sparks leaped off its surface. Sonya marveled at how it literally felt heavy despite not touching her metaphorical skin. Woah.
Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Sonya marveled at the disk floating in her hand, it was beautiful, but also a little scary. That golden glow looked a little familiar too. She¡¯d seen it once before, though not in this state. Like it was on the cusp of bing something so very much more. She cradled the sparking and twitching disk for a moment before gently putting it to the side with the others in her warehouse. She looked them over one more time, Gravitic Flight, Adomopathy, Storage Space, Digital Illusions, Nectar and Ambrosia, Unbound Legion, and the beautiful Visage of Titania. All of them promised to be potent improvements to her arsenal and her gut told her she was grossly underestimating them. She let out a breath and opened her eyes for a moment, though, ncing up to Chunhua who was standing back at the passage into the main part of the dungeon. The woman nced back at her and raised her eyebrow, ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± She asked. ¡°Just finished making the abilities,¡± Sonya said thoughtfully, taking a quick breather to mentally steel herself for what came next. ¡°Going back in,¡± She said gravely, ¡°Going to take my time with this. If I start to¡­ you know. Just be close. I¡¯ll survive it,¡± She said as she nced back at Marta who nodded seriously. ¡°Be careful,¡± Marta said. Sonya nodded and smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve got a n.¡± Sonya closed her eyes and went back into her warehouse before picking the one most likely to help her through the rest of the process, Nectar and Ambrosia. She¡¯d had Hands of the Healer and Grace for a long time and had, admittedly, been unwise in not merging in a healing power sooner. Not that Hands of the Healer was an option anymore. She smirked as the ability became active and the instincts started to bubble to the surface. She pushed them aside, the ability might be changed by the merger so it was best to just wait to suss it out afterwards. Merger. Medium, so it¡¯s unlikely to be improved by the merger. That¡¯s okay, Proceed. First came the faint tingling, she knew it well. She braced herself as the tingling intensified. First in her muscles before seeping into her veins. She jerked as the sensation turned into pain and she let out a shuddering breath, nting her hands on her knees and gritting her teeth. She faintly heard voices around her as the pain grew more and more intense. It felt like her blood was on fire, no, molten. She reached up and clutched at her heart, coughing out a breath as her head toppled forward to the ground. She nted her hand on the soil and felt someone run towards her. She threw up her hand irritably and waved whomever it was away. ¡°I can-¡± She grunted, ¡°I can do this,¡± She gasped, rolling onto her side and kicking out her feet as the molten feeling rushed up to her brain before going back down into her stomach. It felt like the worst acid reflux she¡¯d ever experienced in her entire life. She wanted to puke. Throw it all up. She knew it wouldn¡¯t help, though. No relief came for one of the longest minutes of her life until finally it subsided. She wheezed and gasped, coughing as her body rxed. ¡°Fuck me sideways!¡± She swore, ¡°God damn that hurts!¡± She stared at the message on her HUD. ¡°Full integration, didn¡¯t alter it at all,¡± She wheezed, satisfied with her prediction while resting her head on the soothing earth for a moment. She let the instincts rise up into her mind this time, feeling out the function of the new ability. Her eyebrows rose and she sat up abruptly, ¡°Seriously?¡± Sheughed and winced at her aching muscles, ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Sonya?¡± Marta asked, ¡°Are you-¡± Sonya held up her hands, ¡°Hold on, hold on,¡± She said and held out her palm, she exhaled and small particles of light began to gather over it. They coalesced into a small sphere that popped like a bubble, a tiny ¡®bloop¡¯ sound apanying it. Out of the bubble, a humble strawberry appeared. She turned it over in her hands, it looked perfect in every way. Bright red, brilliant green stem, perfectly spaced seeds. She nced up at Marta and grinned at her, ¡°Bottoms up!¡± She snickered and popped it into her mouth. She let out a squeal of delight as it exploded with vor. More importantly, the pain immediately began to subside. She groaned, ¡°Oh that¡¯s the stuff.¡± Chunhua couldn¡¯t help herself and walked over to join them. ¡°What kind of power is that?¡± Sonya nced up at the woman, ¡°Mm? Hey Chunhua, want me to shave off a few years for ya? Piece of cake,¡± She cackled out augh and a literal piece of chocte cake appeared in her hand. Chunhua frowned at her, ¡°Excuse me?¡± She blurted, looking at the cake with surprise. ¡°Nectar and Ambrosia,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Food that heals, cures, or even grants youth and vitality if I want,¡± She said and with a gesture the cake vanished from her hand. She pursed her lips, ¡°Downside is I have to, you know, eat it.¡± The two women looked at one another before Marta let out a huge sigh, ¡°Of course your healing ability would have a drawback like that¡± She said before raising an eyebrow, ¡°How are you supposed to use it with your helmet on?¡± Sonya pursed her lips and gave her a smug smile. Marta returned her stare with a growing frown as Sonya worked her mouth a little before sticking her tongue out, a little blueberry sitting on it. She winked and pulled her tongue back in before starting to chew. ¡°Easy peasy,¡± she began before letting out another delighted sound, ¡°Man that tastes good. Want some?¡± She asked, holding up a bag of chips, waggling her eyebrows, ¡°Ambrosia, zero calories, all the vor!¡± Marta gave her a deadpan look, ¡°You are going to abuse that,¡± She grumbled while Chunhua walked over and slipped her hand into the bag. ¡°Chunhua!¡± She blurted as the hero popped an original vored chip into her mouth. Her eyes widened, ¡°Oh wow, that is good!¡± She gasped. Marta rubbed the bridge of her nose, ¡°You¡¯re encouraging this?¡± She grumbled only to freeze at the sound of a soda can opening. She pulled her hand from her face and looked down at Sonya again who was bringing the can to her lips. Sonya blinked innocently at her, ¡°What? Ambrosia and Nectar.¡± Marta sighed, ¡°Can you move on to the next one¡¯s please?¡± She asked and gave Chunhua who was now holding a full bag of chips in her hand and chewing slowly a re. Chunhua shrugged and walked back to the spot where she¡¯d been standing guard and continued munching away while Sonya just shrugged. Marta always got so testy about her snacking. These snacks were actually good for her! She paused, Well no, not really, zero calories literally means zero calories, besides healing me they won¡¯t actually feed me. I should be careful not to get caught up in that. She warned herself before sipping at the can again and sighing, Tasty as hell though. She closed her eyes and got back to it before Marta had a conniption, she still had six more to go after all. She pulled Digital Illusions out of her warehouse and primed the merger. Let''s get the unchanged ones done with next. Could get something nice out of this. Proceed. As the merger started she continued to sip at her drink. It was a weird feeling. She could sense the changes taking ce, the sensations going through her body as the circuitry in her head was rearranged, but it didn¡¯t hurt. It was more like a really aggravating itch that she couldn¡¯t scratch. She clicked her tongue at the feeling but otherwise let it pass and exhaled when it finally ended. She opened her eyes for a moment and tilted her head. Interesting, She thought before flexing her fingers. The instincts for it and hard light are kind of bleeding into one another. Just like how hard light and non-euclidian work well together. I wonder¡­ She trailed off as she flexed the new instinctual muscle, putting a little concentration into it. Light gathered in front of her before copsing. Oh that¡¯s way harder, she thought before trying a simpler task. The light gathered again before condensing into a humble white stic te. She reached out and touched it. It really feels like stic, but it¡¯s just hard light and the illusions ying tricks on my senses. Definitely going to have to practice this. She proceeded to create a pile of cookies on the te and grinned to herself before closing her eyes again, ignoring the groan from Marta. She moved on to the next one, pulling out Storage Space. Alright old reliable, time to make it official. Proceed. She thought before immediately taking another sip of her drink. She drank deeply as the sensations intensified. This time there was a little more pain than before, the merger doing a lot more work than she had expected it to for its tier. She closed her eyes and scrunched her nose as what was basically a really intense caffeine headache washed over her. Nausea came next and she grimaced before relief came. She coughed and wiped her lips, grumbling, Guess Nectar and Ambrosia isn¡¯t all powerful for ongoing sensation. Good to know. Eh? ¡°Hey uh, can somebody toss me a stick or something?¡± She called out as she opened her eyes. She immediately sensed an objecting her way and snapped her arm back to catch it. She nced down at the piece of wood in her hand, ¡°Thank you,¡± She chirped before twirling it between her fingers and concentrating. ¡°And bye bye,¡± She said as the stick started to turn blue and literally crumbled into tiny little blue cubes in her hand before they too dissolved into motes of light. ¡°Okay and¡­¡± She squinted at her HUD, ¡°...is there a folder for it?¡± She muttered, ¡°There!¡± Sheughed out loud as a small folder appeared in her vision with a single ¡®file¡¯ in it titled ¡®Stick¡¯. She focused and it reformed in her hand. ¡°Oh I am going to enjoy having this ability,¡± She snickered before tossing the stick away. Gonna have to figure out its limits as soon as possible. Wonder if I can store a car. That would be funny. She rolled her shoulders and set down the empty can, grabbing one of her cookies and shoving into her mouth as she pulled out her next pick. She got ready to bite down, Proceed. This time it wasn¡¯t an itch or a burn, but a slicing sensation inside of her head. She immediately bit down as soon as she felt it and started chewing the cookie. That proved to be a smart move. The slicing feeling only intensified after that and her vision started to blur as even her eyes began to undergo changes. She blinked a few times and shook her head, vertigo followed and she nearly fell back. She threw her hands backwards and caught herself as the slicing feeling began to go through the rest of her body, attacking her muscles and ligaments. I thought it was an observational power! She winced and snatched up another cookie, shoving it into her mouth and sighing with relief as the pain eased. When it finally stopped she flopped back onto her back and groaned. ¡°Ouch.¡± She stared at the words as her two guardians walked over to check on her. ¡°Miss Chernovna?¡± Marta whispered, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sonya pressed her lips together, ¡°Power altered things I wasn¡¯t expecting it to,¡± She grumbled. ¡°What was it?¡± Chunhua asked. ¡°Adomopathy,¡± Sonya said and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she pulled the instincts out. She actually gave them a hard assessment this time, concentrating on them, ¡°I observe and learn. I can replicate movements that are within my ability to replicate.¡± Chunhua stared at her for a moment before taking a few steps back, ¡°Let¡¯s see it,¡± She said immediately and pulled out her sword. Marta frowned but Sonya got up and got to her feet, grinning. Chunhua took a stance and performed a few quick but powerful swings. Sonya watched and felt her muscles twitch beneath her skin as the lenses in her head clicked and twisted rapidly. She narrowed her eyes, ¡°One more time,¡± Chunhua nodded and performed the movements. Sonya nodded, ¡°Got it, I think,¡± Chunhua sheathed her weapon and was about to walk it over to Sonya when Sonya held up a hand with a grin, ¡°I got this,¡± Hard Light and Augmented Reality Projection activated in tandem and a sword not very different from Chunhuas appeared in her hand. She tapped her temple at the look on Chunhua¡¯s face, ¡°Everything¡¯s working together,¡± She said before taking a step back and entering the same stance Chunhua had been in. She took a step forward and swung, up once, down, and then a thrust. Chunhua crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, ¡°Perfect form but oddly clinical somehow, I can¡¯t put my finger on it.¡± Sonya nodded and dismissed the hard light weapon, ¡°Difference in body type probably,¡± Sonya said, ¡°My body¡¯s doing the best it can.¡± Chunhua nodded, ¡°Makes sense. Still, a very potent ability. Would be useful for analyzing an opponent''s fighting style and sussing out counters.¡± Sonya raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms, she pursed her lips and thought about it. She¡¯s right. I¡¯m happy with my martial fighting style as it is, I¡¯ve always preferred knives, but this could reallye in handy for learning someone¡¯s technique quickly and bypassing it. She gave Chunhua a big smile, ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Chunhua¡¯s chest puffed out a bit as Sonya sat down, ¡°d I can finally be of some help.¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing, I¡¯m just happy I can talk to youfortably again, She thought before sitting back down, snatching up another cookie and giving Marta a sidelong look. ¡°Going back in.¡± ¡°How many more?¡± Marta asked, frowning, ¡°You seem fine but I¡¯m getting nervous.¡± ¡°Three,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Two might be big ones, I¡¯ll warn you.¡± Marta nodded and rested her hands over herp, ¡°Very well.¡± She popped another cookie in her mouth and settled it between her teeth. Time for Gravitic Flight. Her heart soared a bit at the idea, Real flight, not just walking around on glowing tforms, even if the dramatic effect is pretty nice. Okay, really nice. Still it would be good to fall back on. She rambled inwardly as the confirmations popped up. Proceed! She bit down on the cookie just as she felt an all over ache. It subsided for a moment beforeing back with a raging fury. She grunted as the ache spread from her brain to every limb in her body and finally to her skin. It burned for a while even as she downed another two ambrosia cookies and she coughed once as the pain reached her heart. Directional was magical, she realized. It''s reacting to Heavenly Jade- She was cut off as the pain intensified again and she doubled over, coughing up a small stter of red onto the ground. Okay this one¡¯s intense. She dug her fingers into the soil beneath her as the pain rose and finally, mercifully, fell. She exhaled, panting a bit as she fell back onto her rear, looking up at the canopy of the dungeon¡¯s forest. She wiped her lip, ¡°Phew,¡± She sighed before pulling up the instincts. So it lost the area of effect that Greg has and I can¡¯t exert as much instantaneous force as Val. However, she trailed off as she willed herself into the air. At first a few inches, then a few feet. She bobbed over the ground and let her legs hang down beneath her. She twirled once and let out augh, ¡°This is great!¡± She cheered, ¡°I can-¡± She kicked her foot and went rocketing into the wall of trees around the clearing, crashing into one and leaving a nice divot in the wood where she struck. She slid back down onto the ground. ¡°Okay, definitely going to need practice.¡± Marta barked out augh, ¡°Careful!¡± She chuckled and walked over, holding out a hand. Sonya took it gratefully and got to her feet, brushing herself off, ¡°I can fly, Marta.¡± ¡°Yes you can,¡± Marta smiled at her and led her back over to the spot where she was working. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°The ability I was going to give you,¡± Sonya said thoughtfully before ncing over at Chunhua, ¡°This is going to be a big one probably. I might pass out even with the ambrosia.¡± Chunhua who was smiling at her antics went stiff and nodded with a serious look, ¡°Understood, we¡¯ll catch you if it happens.¡± Sonya gave her a grateful smile before sitting back down. She waved her hand and the cookies disappeared, ¡°The drink worked better,¡± She muttered and conjured up another can of nectar soda, cracking it open as she closed her eyes. Okay, let¡¯s do this. Perfect? How is it morepatible than a technological ability? Well it did say it was guaranteed to change. She wondered before shrugging, Proceed, I guess. She thought as she began to sip at the drink, she felt the nectar wash into her and its power spread through her body only for¡­ nothing to happen at first. She just sat there for almost a minute before she felt anything at all. She blinked a few times until a gentle warmth blossomed in her chest, in her heart, before simply subsiding with a wave of rxing heat. She looked down at herself for a moment. Her clothes were covered in dirt and a few stters of red. She squinted at her chest before crossing her arms, Well that was anticlimactic. Deus Ex is what? She thought with surprise, Oh shit! She started chugging the soda as her heart felt like it exploded in her chest. When she came to, she was fortunately still sitting up, though her chin felt wet. She reached up and wiped her jaw irritably as once again her guardians were staring at her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up wearily at Marta who just sighed with relief. Sonya just groaned and turned her head, spitting out a glob of blood and cleared her throat. ¡°Yup, that sucked,¡± She muttered before checking her HUD. She narrowed her eyes, I don¡¯t like that name, she thought gruffly as the instincts started to roll in. Her shoulders tensed as she chewed her lip. She looked up at Marta and then at Chunhua before clearing her throat. She got shakily to her feet and waved at them to back up a little before holding out her hand and narrowing her eyes. She felt her heart thump, the power rising beneath her skin as the words came unbidden from her lips, ¡°Bring woe to those who nder me, march, agent of the heavens,¡± She said, her voice grave. She snapped out of the momentary trance as Marta and Chunhua gave her a bit more distance. Her hand fell to her side and a narrow band of light spread up in the air to her right as if the air itself was being cut in half. It opened, and something strode out. It looked female, whatever it was, it wore a gown that stretched down to sandaled feet. Its face concealed behind a veil that hung over its nose. Its eyes gleamed with white light and its skin was like marble. In its hand was a sword that curved in at a point and shone as if it were made of silver. Its hair was bound in silver wire that forced it into curls before falling down into marble-white dreadlocks. It stood at attention, staring Chunhua down for a moment before it turned its eyes on Sonya. It had to be at least seven feet tall, like the valkyrie. Yet the aura was far more imposing, stoic, and tyrannical. Sonya felt her mouth go a little dry before she squared her shoulders and returned its stare. ¡°That¡¯s enough, return from where you came,¡± Shemanded. It brought its sword up to its chest and inclined its head with reverence, its eyes falling shut before it dissolved into scattering motes of light. When it was finally gone she let out a breath and sat back down, ¡°Holy shit.¡± Marta and Chunhua ran up to her, ¡°What on earth was that thing? I thought it was supposed to be a valkyrie!¡± Marta blurted. ¡°Was that supposed to be that ability I saw on television? You got it from Brent, the CEO of Marion, right?¡± Chunhua asked before ncing at the spot it had stood, ¡°My god.¡± Sonya nodded slowly, ¡°It¡¯s peak mythic now, Heavenly Legion. I hate the name,¡± She said sourly as she drew her knees up to her chest. All she could think about was Otis and his mad grab for divinity. ¡°It fits Ishtar though,¡± Marta said. Sonya¡¯s lip twitched but she couldn¡¯t help but smile a little bit, it was freaking cool. ¡°Yeah, yeah it does,¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to get used to it, though. That one uh¡­ agent,¡± She said, waving her hand at the spot where it¡¯d stood, ¡°Was just the start. The name is Heavenly Legion after all.¡± ¡°Do you want to stop?¡± Chunhua asked, ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot already.¡± Sonya shook her head, ¡°Just one more. I¡¯m not backing down now.¡± Chunhua and Marta exchanged a look before they nodded and stepped away. Sonya summoned up one more can of nectar soda as she closed her eyes and pulled thest ability out of her warehouse. She cleared her throat and cracked the can open, bringing it to her lips as the messages appeared in her HUD. For an ability that seemed to be almost unstable when she¡¯d created it, it was a fairly mundane reaction from Broker. She frowned, My guts telling me I need to go for it, though even while every ounce of logic is warning me otherwise. She crushed the fear with a scowl. I haven¡¯te this far to back away from something like this. I need power for what¡¯s toe. Bring it on. She took another deep breath and started to chug the nectar. Proceed. There was no itch. There was no pain. There was no confusion. There was no loss of consciousness. There was only a surge as the world around her was nketed in light.
Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Lily threw the bag over her shoulder, tugging a bit on the strap to make sure it was secure. She scratched at her neck and looked around her bunk, making sure she hadn¡¯t missed anything. Over the past four weeks the space had evolved from a ce where she crashed after a long day of training into a real home for herself, so to speak. One of the girls had an ability that was able to shape raw materials like wood and concrete. The result was the girl¡¯s side of the residence area turning into a cluster of little open apartments with bits of furniture and ces to put personal belongings all over the ce. She reached out and tapped the picture of her mom and dad, grinning at it a little, ¡°You are going to lose your minds when you see me,¡± She chuckled nervously and rubbed her neck again. She could feel the faintly glowing tattoo shift a bit across her skin. She hadn¡¯t noticed it at all and thought it was just a bug or something at first. Then she¡¯de back to the hall after her talk with ck Lotus. When she¡¯de in, she¡¯de face to face with Cassiopeia. To her shock the girl didn¡¯t scowl at her at all, justplimented her new tattoo and went straight to bed. The subsequent mad dash to the bathroom and following mild panic attack had winded down into a fitful sleep allowed only by Dr. Carter¡¯s kind report that Snow was doing just fine. She let out a heavy sigh and nced over her shoulder. ¡°You girls have everything?¡± She called. The others looked up from their bags while a few threw a few more things in. After a few more drop outs over the past week there were now only sixteen of them. Every seven days things just seemed to get harder and harder. Still, the others were really hanging in there. They were at the half-way point, apparently. With the final two weeks dedicated to the push towards licensure and exams. She nced around at the various confident faces as Jessica popped up from her own frantic packing, she¡¯d slept in. ¡°Good to go, Dorm Captain!¡± She saluted with a grin. Lillian went deadpan, ¡°Dorm what?¡± The other girls snapped their own snickering salutes and she scanned their faces, ¡°You guys are ridiculous,¡± She muttered before looking towards the only person who hadn¡¯t joined in on the merriment. Cass was quietly folding an extra set of clothes and putting them neatly into the small bag she would take with her overnight. ¡°You got everything Cass?¡± Lillian hazarded, drawing a few surprised looks from the others. It was a bit of a risk, the girl didn¡¯t seem to like conversation much and familiarity even less. Cass looked up at her and aplicated expression washed over her face before she seemed to force herself to rx. She scratched at her yellow-blonde hair and cracked a half-grin, ¡°Sure, yeah, almost done uh¡­¡± She nced at the others, ¡°...Dorm Captain?¡± She said as if she wasn¡¯t sure about what she was saying. Lillian nched and turned her head slowly towards the others who stared at her with gleams in their eyes and big grins, Jessica was the one who spoke up first, ¡°It¡¯s unanimous!¡± Sheughed before picking up her bag and walking past patting Lillian on the shoulder. ¡°Congrattions on the election, Dorm Captain,¡± She snickered as the others walked past her. Lillian watched them go with confusion, scratching her head. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± She called after the giggling mass. She sighed and rolled her eyes before turning to look back at Cass who was zipping her own bag with a smirk on her face. She seemed to notice Lillian¡¯s stare and went back to her usual stoic frown. Lillian tilted her head, ¡°You know, a smile looks good on you,¡± She said, ¡°Whatever¡¯s going on, you deserve to be happier,¡± She added and started to turn away. ¡°Um!¡± Came the immediate response. Lillian turned back to see Cass standing there with a grimace on her face. She looked down at her feet then up at the ceiling before reaching up and scratching at her head with both hands. She groaned and let out a big sigh before rxing and letting her shoulders fall a bit, ¡°I uh¡­¡± She started, ¡°I want to apologize for being kinda-okay-very, mean, to you, and well¡­¡± She gestured helplessly, ¡°Everybody.¡± Lillian blinked, not sure what to say. Cass cleared her throat, ¡°I had a talk with someone important to me and they told me I need to do better, with everyone, I mean,¡± She rubbed her arms, ¡°Locking everyone else out isn¡¯t going to make me¡­ better,¡± She sniffed, ¡°Just kinda hard, you know,¡± She muttered and rolled her eyes before pulling back her hair, ¡°My abusive sister the number one most wanted viin on earth after Ishtar thing,¡± She rambled, ¡°Kinda puts a bit of a damper on ¡®making friends¡¯,¡± She turned a little red in the cheeks and cleared her throat, continuing to talk as Lillian set her bag down and walked towards her, ¡°Jus-just went through a lot and then there was the whole running away from home thing, and then getting registered which was hard without paperwork and-¡± Lillian pulled her into a hug and gave her a squeeze. Cass¡¯ head dropped and she just went quiet for a minute as a hand pat her on the back of the head. ¡°Apology epted, take your time,¡± Lillian said and pulled back, looking at the blue eyed girl, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the beach, yeah?¡± Cass stared back at her in confusion for a moment, her lips trembled, then she broke into a wobbly smile, ¡°Sure!¡± The two made their way out as someone¡¯s phone or something shed pink in the corner of the room. Lillian nced over at Cass who managed to set her stoic t expression back on her face as they walked out into the hallway. She¡¯s been through a lot, and that took a lot of courage to get out. Still probably gonna take a while before she opens up to everyonepletely, but, good for her. She nced down the hall towards the instructors residences, I wonder if you did something again, you scheming bleeding heart. She thought with a smile before they made their way out towards themon area and the doors beyond. ¡°Where¡¯s that Snow girl, by the way?¡± Cass asked as they reached the doors. Lillian sighed, ¡°Resting in theb,¡± She said, ¡°I dunno if she¡¯s going to being with us. I hope so, though.¡± They pushed out into the open air and Lillian spotted the crowd of nearly forty aspirants and a few of the instructors that had opted toe along. Cass nced her way, ¡°You two are close.¡± ¡°Very,¡± Lillian agreed, ¡°She¡¯s done more for me than she realizes,¡± She said as they drew closer to the crowd. The red-headed mess of Val¡¯s hair was the first to turn in their direction and he poked his head out between Alex and Greg who were crowded up with John. Val cracked a grin and pushed through, waving at them. ¡°They all have.¡± ¡°Support, huh?¡± Cass said thoughtfully. ¡°Not what I¡¯m used to.¡± Lillian pat her shoulder as her friends hustled over, ¡°Get used to it, you¡¯re stuck with us now after all that back in the dorm.¡± Cass whipped her head in her direction, ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that-¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Ladies Dorm Captain and the Constetion herself!¡± Alex barked out as they got closer, a bit of augh in his voice. Lillian went deadpan, ¡°You too?¡± He snorted, ¡°Hahaha! Oh man that¡¯s too good, you got suckered. You¡¯re in charge over there now as far as the others are concerned.¡± She clicked her tongue, ¡°Have the guys elected a Dorm Captain?¡± She asked and narrowed her eyes, ¡°Because I¡¯d like to suggest one.¡± Alex blinked at her and threw up his hands, ¡°Woah woah, easy-¡± She nced at John and raised her eyebrow with a smirk. John nodded with his usual t expression, ¡°eptable,¡± He said and turned on his heel before marching back towards the other guys who were talking andughing in the courtyard. Alex was about to turn to stop him when Greg threw an arm over his shoulder. ¡°Woah there, you can¡¯t turn down such an auspicious nomination from ck Lotus¡¯ apprentice!¡± He said with a sardonic grin. Alex withered under his friend¡¯s grin before searching for any sort of out from the conversation. He looked around a bit before focusing on Cass, ¡°Hey! You- uh- you look nice?¡± He managed only to get a punch in the ribs from Greg. ¡°What? She does!¡± Alex blurted, waving his hands frantically as Gregughed at him. That¡¯s when a new sound, an alien sound, came out over their bickering. It was augh, a bright, pretty, resonantugh. Lillian, Greg, Alex, and several others all looked at the source as Cassiopeia gripped her sides and bent over half-way. Sheughed for a few more seconds before standing up straight and wiping a tear from her eye, ¡°You guys are funny,¡± She chuckled before clearing her throat and brushing her hair back before walking past them like a little princess, yellow-gold hair flowing behind her. ¡°See you at the beach.¡± The trio standing there just stared after her, jaws open, they looked back at one another. ¡°What just happened?¡± Greg asked. ¡°Was she always that uh¡­ amazing?¡± Alex added. Lillian threw her hands up, ¡°I dunno!¡± She defended herself, ¡°She¡¯s just opening up! What¡¯s the big deal?¡± She rambled as the two boys got closer and closer, inspecting her face before turning back and watching Cass join the other girls. Alex muttered something and Greg elbowed him, the two of them started to tussle all over again as Lillian kept her eyes on yet another soul made just a bit brighter by this ce. She smiled to herself. That was when a head of white hair popped out next to hers, ¡°Hello!¡± A sing-song chirp broke her out of her reverie and she spun around, nearly crashing into the wrestling duo behind her. ¡°Woah!¡± Lillian blurted before stopping to look at Sonya and her small entourage. The petite Sonya was dressed in a long baggy t-shirt that said ¡®Party Time¡¯ in borate pink calligraphy and a white linen sarong that hung down to her ankles along with a pair of white beach sandals to show off her glittering pink toenails. She wore a baseball cap on her head with the ASTA logo that she tipped in Lillian¡¯s direction. ¡°Hi!¡± She chuckled before elbowing the woman on her right, ¡°Get a look at this girl, like she¡¯s seen a ghost or something.¡± Marta nced at Sonya, her hand on her hip. She was wearing a ck sarong and ck tank-top bikini with small white frills that made it look a bit maid-themed. She brushed her brown hair back, ¡°Think she was expecting someone else, don¡¯t you, ma¡¯am?¡± Sonya tapped her chin thoughtfully, ¡°Hmm! I think you¡¯re right, who on earth could it be, though?¡± She said thoughtfully, turning her head to the woman on her left. ¡°Ca, any thoughts?¡± The Pandora Committee administrator adjusted her thick sses as she brushed out her white floral sundress. In the sunlight, the gemstone on her tinum choker gleamed even brighter. She made an equally thoughtful face. ¡°I daresay I can¡¯t think of anyone, how troubling! Forgive me, Miss Chernovna,¡± She said and turned slightly to offer a slight bow to the CEO who huffed out a dramatic sigh. ¡°Oh, what a state of affairs!¡± She said and rest the back of her palm on her forehead, ¡°Would it not be that a hero could swoop in and bring us enlightenment!¡± Lillian¡¯s face had gonepletely deadpan at this point as her orange gaze turned over to the fourth person in the group. Standing off next to Marta with her muscr arms crossed over a sporty bikini that showed off her abs, ck Lotus shook her head of ck hair, ¡°Hmm¡­ Quite the conundrum indeed,¡± She said heavily before her head shot up and she turned to Sonya, resting her hands on her denim-d hips, ¡°You know, I think she might have expected young Snow!¡± ck Lotus offered. ¡°The two seem quite close and I have noticed some eyes exchanged here and there.¡± Lillian went bright red at her teacher¡¯s teasing. ¡°U-um.¡± Sonya¡¯s pink eyes went wide and she pped her fist into her palm, ¡°Oh! You¡¯re right!¡± She grinned in Lillian¡¯s direction, ¡°Is miss Snow who you were hoping surprised you a moment ago?¡± She asked with a snicker, waggling her eyebrows. They¡¯re messing with me, Lillian sighed and scratched her head, ¡°Yeah, I was hoping to see her. How¡¯s she doing?¡± That seemed to be exactly what Sonya and Marta specifically wanted to hear, the two broke into frankly wicked looking grins that looked more like crescent moons than natural facial expressions. They nced at one another and their eyes twinkled. Sonya was the first to speak, she dramatically brought her hand to her heart, ¡°Well, of course, after two of my people unintentionally got her involved in their little project, I had to take responsibility,¡± She said, ¡°And with such a dramatic thing happening, we needed to help miss Snow make a few adjustments, wouldn¡¯t you agree, Marta?¡± Marta stuck her nose up in the air, ¡°Some of my best stylist work yet.¡± Lillian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°Wait- is she?¡± Sonya tittered out augh, ¡°Allow your local fairy queen to grant your wish, dear aspirant,¡± She said and at the same time as Marta, stepped to the side and swept her hands out, the two making a big show of the reveal. Lillian barely noticed them waving their hands dramatically. She didn¡¯t see anything else. She just saw a pair of pearlescent eyes glimmering a rainbow of colors at her from just a few feet behind the quartet of women. Her hair was white as snow on top and shaped into a cute little pixie cut. The trimmed sides and back were ck. Even so, when the light shifted just slightly Lillian could see the static-like glimmer in her hair. A button nose was a little red over a pair of lips painted with just a bit of ck lipstick to give them a gray tone that set them off perfectly against pale skin. She wore a mostly ck choker blouse, no sleeves, white flowers running down the front before stopping at a pair of fitted blue jeans and a pair of shiny ck shoes. ¡°Wow,¡± Lillian breathed. Snow shifted on her feet, reaching up to y a bit with her hair, she swallowed and looked up at Lillian for a moment before opening her mouth. Lillian froze as a faint static filled the air, then a small soft voice entered her ears. ¡°Hi, Lily.¡±
Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Sonya smiled at the young couple as Lillian broke into a brief dash before scooping Snow up into her arms. She thumbed her nose and walked past, chuckling to herself and patting Chunhua on the arm, ¡°Thanks for ying along,¡± She said as she winked at Alex and Greg who were both staring at the pair, dumbstruck. Chunhua shrugged a little while Marta and Ca caught up. ¡°It was fun,¡± She said with a grin, ¡°Getting involved in your antics for once.¡± Ca sidled up with Sonya and Sonya opened her arm for her lover to slide it in. The two walked together while Marta, smiling to herself, took her position at the rear, hands over herp as always. Ca nced back over her shoulder at the pair who were talking to one another with bright eyes and bits of beautifulughter while Alex and Greg scrambled to join them, ¡°Were those her first words?¡± She asked. ¡°Since bing mute?¡± Sonya asked, ¡°Yes. She didn¡¯t say a word besides offeringmentary with her text illusions while we were getting her set up,¡± Sonya said with a small smirk, ¡°Saving them for her, how cute.¡± ¡°The clothes?¡± Ca asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t go out shopping in the middle of the night, did you?¡± Sonya pointed to herself, feigning offense before snorting and shaking her head, ¡°Oh no, they¡¯re mine actually. Marta is ster with a needle and had them fitted in no time t. Did her hair too.¡± Chunhua nced back at Marta appraisingly, ¡°Impressive.¡± Marta raised her head with a bit of pride and smirked at Chunhua, ¡°Only to be expected of Miss Chernovna¡¯s personal caretaker and bodyguard. I couldn¡¯t call myself such if I wasn¡¯t capable of this,¡± She said smugly only to get a snort from Chunhua. She narrowed her eyes as the woman turned away andughed, ¡°What? What¡¯s so funny?¡± Chunhua keptughing, ¡°Would you happen to consider yourself ¡®one hell of a maid¡¯?¡± She asked, putting a little emphasis on the phrase. Sonya raised her eyebrows while Ca looked confused. The two looked back at Marta who blinked a few times, opened her mouth, closed it, blinked a few more times and then went starry eyed. She hustled over to Chunhua with a delighted smile, ¡°How many episodes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read it,¡± Chunhua said with a smallugh, ¡°When I was in high school.¡± Marta nearly squealed with delight, drawing a few looks but she couldn¡¯t care less. The two immediately broke into conversation while Sonya ushered a confused Ca away. ¡°There¡¯s two of them now,¡± Sonya said and rolled her eyes, ¡°Oh boy,¡± She said with a shake of her head. Ca pursed her lips, ¡°Marta¡¯s little addiction?¡± Sonya nodded gravely, ¡°The same.¡± Ca nodded and squeezed Sonya¡¯s arm, going quiet for a moment before ncing at her, ¡°We¡¯re really going back to that beach?¡± She asked with a small smile, pressing up a bit closer. Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why not?¡± She let out a gasp, ¡°Miss Mint! Are you thinking of something unprofessional?¡± She said, scandalized, ¡°Now that is quite unbing for someone of your position!¡± Ca did her best to repress a smirk, ¡°Miss Chernovna, we are not on business, we can let our hair down a little while enjoying the beach,¡± She said with a refined tilt to her voice, looking up and closing her eyes. Sonya nced at her cor, ¡°I¡¯ll let your hair down in a-¡± A throat cleared behind the two of them and they looked back to see Chunhua and Marta both scowling at them with their eyebrows raised. Sonya shut her mouth and looked away. Buzz kills. No fun! She grumbled inwardly before huffing and throwing her hair back, marching towards the crowd, ¡°Miss Mint! Let us away from these killjoys!¡± She announced, dragging a red-faced Ca along with her. Several of the aspirants and a few instructors nced their way. Sonya brightened and waved, ¡°Hello!¡± She called, ¡°Excited?¡± There was a chorus of agreement that greeted her as she came to a stop. Axel stepped forward from the pack of boys and extended a hand, ¡°Miss Chernovna! It¡¯s been a while!¡± She pat Ca¡¯s arm and pulled herself free, extending a hand and shaking his. ¡°We¡¯ve both been very busy! I hear you¡¯re doing a fabulous job in the fieldbat courses.¡± Analyze. He smirked at her from behind his sunsses, he was at least a foot and a half taller than her so she had to peer up a bit. He squeezed her hand back and nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not half bad either, took ck Lotus to task in that spar.¡± She released his hand. He can¡¯t resist, can he? That¡¯s brand loyalty for you. She let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders, ¡°She was obviously holding back quite a bit, but it was still a good match.¡± ¡°Would you mind doing me the honor of going a few rounds?¡± He said with a toothy grin. She looked him in the eyes, ¡°After the beach I¡¯ll show you what it really means to be a knife fighter, Axel.¡± He barked out augh, ¡°Man you got guts! I like you!¡± ¡°Enough toe over to the ASTA side perhaps?¡± She said with fluttering eyshes. He snickered and shook his head, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m with Forge, thanks for the offer though, Miss Chernovna.¡± She shrugged, ¡°Had to try,¡± She said before turning to the rest gathered. She noted that Madame Rouge was decidedly not present. Figures, the woman can¡¯t go a day without wearing makeup. She¡¯d lose her mind on the beach, around water? Heaven forbid. She thought wryly before stepping forward, ¡°Everyone! This is your reward for all your hard work and struggles. I know you¡¯ve been through a loting here. The training is not easy, and some of your friends have already left us,¡± She said, holding out her arms. To her left, Chunhua tapped her earpiece and muttered something, ¡°So a little rest and rxation is in order before we hop into the second half and really get down to business,¡± She turned to Ca, ¡°Miss Mint?¡± Ca stepped forward and adjusted her sses, ¡°You already know the camp rules, they apply here. There are some things to be aware of. We will still be in the United States, so thosews are going to apply while we¡¯re at the beach,¡± She squinted at the crowd before turning her eyes on one young man in particr, ¡°Luke, I¡¯m talking to you.¡± The fair haired young man held up his hands, ¡°We¡¯ll be good!¡± She huffed, ¡°Sure you will,¡± She shook her head. ¡°Wait! Why does that matter?¡± Another voice called out, ¡°Where are we going?¡± The ground behind the group shuddered once and Sonya sensed four more presences walking up behind her. She rest her hands on her hips as the archway began to rise up from the ground. The stone structure took shape and the light within bent, then distorted inward before forming a tunnel. It bowed and twisted until copsing into a scene far removed from their mountainous and woody surroundings. A beautiful beach stretched out beyond the portal with blue waves and palm trees. Those present all stared in wonder for a moment, then Sonya decided to chime in, ¡°Wee,dies and gentlemen, to my private beach house in Maui!¡± A bunch of eyes turned back to her, even Axel looked at her surprised, ¡°W-wait, from the photoshoot? That beach house?¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°Thank you for buying the special edition issue, Axel,¡± She teased and walked past him as everyone stared. Ca and Marta moved to catch up. She sensed Chunhua shake her head a little before following along as well. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you all,¡± Sonya said loudly to the stunned group as she neared the portal, ¡°But I¡¯m going to the beach!¡± She stepped through as a cheer rose up on the other side, feeling the sand give way beneath her feet. She nced back at Marta before anyone else followed them, ¡°Go have fun, dear.¡± Marta bowed, ¡°Thank you for making the arrangements,¡± She said with a warm smile. Sonya winked at her before materializing a pair of big sunsses and slipping them on, ¡°You earned it.¡± ¨C Lillian burst out of the water and took a deep breath, her hair sticking to the back of her head. She turned just in time for Alex toe rocketing in her direction, propelled by a spinning swing from Val. Her eyes went wide and she dove to the side, diving under the water again before popping back up, ¡°Watch it you morons!¡± She shouted, ¡°You¡¯re gonna take somebody¡¯s head-¡± She paused and blinked, watching Alex skip across the water like a stone another hundred feet before flopping into the water. A peal ofughter from Val and Greg behind her told her that they weren¡¯t aiming at her. Alex resurfaced, spluttering and shook his hair out before throwing his fists up into the air, ¡°That had to be two hundred feet, right?¡± He whooped and fell back into the water. ¡°Only one eighty!¡± The small voice of Snow came to their ears. They nced over at Snow sitting at the edge of the water with her feet in it, watching with a smirk on her face, ¡°Try harder! Throw him again!¡± Alex resurfaced, ¡°It¡¯s weird hearing you under-¡± He froze when he saw the leers from Val and Greg. ¡°Oh shit!¡± He gasped and started running. Lillianughed and trudged her way to the edge, plopping down in the sand next to Snow. Snow rest her arms on her legs and watched the boys make fools of themselves before leaning over and resting her head on Lillian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Lillian asked. ¡°Still getting used to it, timings a little off,¡± Snow said, her wordsing out just a second out of sync with her lip movements, ¡°I¡¯m getting there.¡± ¡°Kind of like one of those old dubbed shows,¡± Lillian joked. Snow squinted up at her, ¡°Idiot,¡± She said petntly, ¡°Dumb, stupid, dummy, dum dum.¡± Lillianughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m teasing,¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m so d I get to hear your voice,¡± She murmured as Alex went flying past them, again, screaming the entire time. Snow leaned forward and cupped her hands over her lips, ¡°Two twenty!¡± She shouted, projecting her illusory voice. ¡°Go for two fifty next! Get ¡®em!¡± Lillian couldn¡¯t help herself, she justughed. ¨C John stood beneath the tree, the shade was adequate though the temperature was more than he was used to. The humidity was also quite high. Even so, the breezeing in from the north was sufficient to cool his body. His eyes fixed on the water. He was cognizant of the fact that with his ability he was more than capable of swimming and swimming well. Yet an oddly irrational part of his mind warned him against the water. There were fish in the water. There were other things in the water. There was a noisy ssh and Alex popped out of the water again, throwing his fists up into the air and howling. Like them. He thought. He cast his gaze over the rest of the expansive beach. Young men and women were out at y. A volleyball had been set up, people were diving and sshing. Laughter everywhere. He crossed his arms and let out a breath. Perhaps rxation is healthy. ¡°Not a big swimmer?¡± A voice popped up behind him. He blinked and rotated his body, who on earth had snuck up on him? He paused when he saw Miss Chernovna approach, sipping at what clearly was a fast food drink cup. Where had she gotten it? Did she just keep them at her beach house? She shifted those mechanical eyes and looked at him with a raised eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re overanalyzing again,¡± She said, ¡°Bad for conversation.¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°Apologies. Ma¡¯am.¡± She stood next to him beneath the tree, she was an inch shorter than himself but she cast a wide shadow wherever she went. It was eerie. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to tell you,¡± She began, ¡°I spoke with Bluestar about what we had talked about.¡± He turned her way, ¡°Good news?¡± ¡°She¡¯s willing to give you a shot,¡± She said with a shrug, ¡°It¡¯s up to you if you impress her. I only fund the ASTA Guild, I don¡¯t make decisions for her, especially when ites to giving heroes dual responsibilities.¡± He nodded, ¡°I see,¡± He said tly, ¡°Surpass expectations, then.¡± He fell silent for a moment, watching the others have fun as the CEO slurped her drink next to him. She gave him another sidelong nce, ¡°John?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡± He mumbled, his eyes still fixed on the surf. ¡°Don¡¯t make me order you to go have fun,¡± She said and turned away, walking across the beach and waved back at him, ¡°I might start rethinking things! I like a lively office!¡± He felt his lips twitch, an expression forming. A small microscopic downward tilt as his stomach twisted. He swallowed hard and looked back at the retreating figure that stopped to greet the mythic boy who made him uneasy. He let his arms fall to his sides and after ncing around a bit, let out a heavy sigh. ¡°...I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt,¡± He mumbled, and stepped out of the blessed shade. She¡¯s scary. ¨C ¡°Miss Chernovna! You look wonderful today, is that a new swimsuit?¡± Otis asked, grinning ear to ear as he approached her. She nced at him and with every ounce of strength and self control she had she returned his smile. He extended a hand to her and she took it, her abilities providing her with enough physiological control not to shudder in revulsion as his hand touched hers. Try again? Analyze. Her lip twitched, ¡°Why yes it is!¡± She said brightly, ¡°Thank you for noticing Marc.¡± ¡°Certainly, I try to stay abreast of such things,¡± He said with a small grin before releasing her hand and looking out over the beach, ¡°This is very nice.¡± ¡°Yes it is,¡± She said, keeping up the act and looking out over the water. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been doing better with socializing.¡± He frowned a little, ¡°It is¡­ difficult, but I am managing,¡± He said with a small nod, ¡°I don¡¯t want to let you down, Miss Chernovna. You said that was what I wascking in order to be considered, so that is what I will improve on.¡± Sonya sipped at her drink, resisting the urge to refill it next to him. She nced his way and took a small gamble, ¡°What¡¯s got you so fixated on joining team ASTA anyway? You could join the International Team with your ability alone.¡± He tilted his head and crossed his arms, ¡°That¡¯s the ultimate goal, yes,¡± He said, ¡°But something tells me that I need to work my way up with ASTA first,¡± He admitted, ¡°A true hero has to start somewhere, right? Work their way up and rise to the asion when it matters. Make their legend from scratch. I like stories like that.¡± ¡°You like stories, do you?¡± She asked,mitting his words to memory. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m rather fond of Greek myths. Like Odysseus,¡± He chuckled, ¡°Are you familiar?¡± Something about the way he said it sent a chill up her spine, ¡°I am,¡± She said, ¡°Lost at sea after Troy, had many adventures along the way home. Do you see yourself as Odysseus?¡± He smirked, ¡°Something like that, I have my own story to tell, though, a goal.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She asked. He turned his head and looked up at her with those cold blue eyes, ¡°I¡¯m going to bring Ishtar down and be the world''s greatest hero, ma¡¯am.¡± He paused and looked back out to the sea with that cold smile she remembered from his dying day, ¡°Then, who knows? Might start my own team, Seven guys should do, I like that number.¡±
Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Greg crept forward, slowly moving across the carefully trimmed grass. His fingers brushed against the surface, his powers set to as low as possible. Just enough to reduce the sound of impacts from footsteps and ease the pressure on the grass itself. It was great practice, really, he should honestly do it more often. Just maybe not in this particr context. His gut twisted nervously again and he nced back at the others, ¡°This is a really, really bad idea, did I mention that earlier? I feel like I haven¡¯t said that yet,¡± He whispered urgently. Behind him, in a line, were Alex, John, Lily, Snow, Cass, Val, and Ollie. The whole crew plus the new addition that Lily had insisted on bringing along with them. Apparently Cass was cool now, she was pretty andughed nice but Greg really wasn¡¯t sure about it. Alex was practically vibrating with excitement, John was as deadpan as ever despite the mild sweat on his brow, Lily looked apprehensive and curious, Snow as just as eager as Alex. Cass and Val were keeping an eye out rather than showing any emotion about their current course of action while Ollie stared at their destination with bated breath. ¡°Dude, don¡¯t chicken out now,¡± Alex grunted, ¡°We¡¯re so close!¡± Greg smiled widely at him, his eyes wide with barely restrained stress, ¡°Then you lead the way, into Sonya Chernovna¡¯s beach house. The Sonya Chernovna, who sells guns and military hardware.¡± ¡°I doubt she has weaponized security, for the beach house,¡± Ollie pointed out, keeping his voice low with everyone else, ¡°Definitely has some kind of advanced security, though.¡± Greg pointed to Ollie, ¡°See? Smart guy! Listen to him!¡± The moment after he said that, two forms darted past him. He barely had a moment to react before whirling around to see short ck hair and long blonde hair darting towards the small hedge that lined the outer ind-side patio of the beach house. A momentter the two figures leaped into the air, almost in unison. They flipped, bending backwards in mid leap before pivoting into a perfectnding on the other side. Lily nced over at Cass and shot her a thumbs up, the blond girl rolling her ams and smirking at the others with a raised eyebrow. Greg chewed his lip. ¡°I¡¯d let her bend me like that,¡± A small voice echoed in his head. He and the others left behind all turned towards Snow who stared back at them nkly, ¡°What?¡± She asked, ¡°I would.¡± ¡°T M I, Snowcone,¡± Alex grunted and entered a track-runners posture. Greg groaned, ¡°I guess we¡¯re doing this,¡± He muttered as a hand pped onto his shoulder. He looked back to see John inches from his face, his deadpan expression broken only by a nearly curved smile. For John, the look was practically psychotic. He darted past Greg who hurriedly pped his hand to the ground and reversed gravity even more, the others in hot pursuit. John sailed over the hedge, Snowunched herself before letting herself float until Lily caught her, Ollie, to Greg¡¯s surprise, threw himself into a front handspring and used the gravity to hurl himself past the defensive nts. Val just hopped over, no effort. The next thing Greg knew, he was standing on the other side as well, rubbing his head and looking around, ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this,¡± He murmured, still trying to keep his voice low. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we didn¡¯t do it sooner!¡± Alexughed and Greg held up his hands desperately to try to get his friend to quiet down. It was no use, ¡°Ho-lee-shit! This is it! Sonya Chernovna¡¯s beach house, where she has all those wild parties. Supermodels, heroes, the rich and powerful,¡± He said with a too-wide grin. ¡°Can you imagine all the cool stuff that¡¯s probably here? We gotta check it out, right?¡± ¡°Hey, she didn¡¯t say we couldn¡¯t go,¡± Lily said, shrugging, ¡°Besides, if there''s an obstacle, I hop over it. It¡¯s kind of my thing.¡± ¡°Hell yeah! Parkour girl gets it!¡± Alex barked, clenching his fists. ¡°Parkour girl?¡± Lily asked, squinting at him. ¡°I wanted to see it too,¡± Cass said, looking up at the building. ¡°How she lives in her downtime.¡± ¡°You know¡­ most of us are going to sign with ASTA right? Won¡¯t we get in trouble?¡± Greg tried onest futile time to speak up for reason. Val scratched his head and walked past him, ¡°Just don¡¯t touch anything or do anything stupid and you got nothin¡¯ to worry about, it¡¯s Alex we should all be concerned about.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Alex nched. Ollie nodded, walking with Val, Cass and Snow close behind. Snow stuck her tongue out at Greg as Ollie nced back, ¡°This is a chance of a lifetime, I am to take it, personally. It could give me some insights about my future sponsor. The only person who would actually cause any real trouble is Alex.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Alex growled. Lily sighed and nodded before patting Greg on the shoulder, ¡°See, nothing to worry about. Just keep an eye on Alex and everything will be okay,¡± She said and made her way towards the door leading into the building with the others. Greg let out a sigh, there was no way he was talking them out of it, might as well just roll with it. He rubbed his neck and nced up at Alex who made eye contact with him. Alex¡¯s nostrils red, ¡°I-I¡¯ll show you guys!¡± He barked and marched past them. ¡°I¡¯m going in first!¡± Snow raised a hand, ¡°Oh no,¡± She said, her artificial voice deadpan, ¡°Don¡¯t do it. You could set something off,¡± She added, taking no steps to stop him. Val snickered as Ollie stopped a few paces behind Alex who grabbed a hold of the handle. He tugged once and it opened without any resistance. There was a long pause as everyone stared at him and the spot where the door had been shut. Nothing happened. They all stared stupidly at the opening leading into the darkened interior for a few seconds, even Cass¡¯ expression had goneically t. They looked at one another for a moment, then back at the door where Alex had already disappeared inside. Their eyes widened and they raced in after him, scrambling through the entry and onto a narrow path of what looked like hardwood floor. The moment they stepped on it, the floor glowed a little beneath their feet, casting just enough light around them to provide personal visibility. They could see one another and a few feet in front of their faces but that was about it. Greg tapped his foot against the floor and ran the tip of his shoe over the wood, it slid right over the seam between the two pieces, not even a bump. His lips formed a line, ¡°The floor is a screen,¡± He said. The others nced down at their feet and tapped against it themselves, the floor seeming to glow around their feet where they stepped but it was some sort of borate illusion created by the screens that made up the entire floor. ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± Lily murmured. Cass looked up and sniffed the air, ¡°Do you smell that?¡± She murmured. The others sniffed before Ollie spoke up, ¡°Fresh air? But I don¡¯t see any openings in the walls.¡± ¡°There are some vents on the sides of the room,¡± Snow¡¯s voice joined in, filling their ears for a moment. She rest her hands on her hips and looked around the room, ¡°It¡¯s way too dark in here,¡± She said, ¡°Can¡¯t connect to thework so I guess the only option is¡­¡± Greg paused, resting his hand on a rail that appeared to follow the narrow path that formed a square around therge room, he nced at Snow and got a bad feeling, ¡°W-wait!¡± ¡°Lights!¡± She broadcasted, making the sound audible to anyone and anything that could hear. Immediately their entire world changed around them. The almost pitch darkness of the central room of the beach house exploded with light and color. Around them the sheer walls became a perfect mirror of the outside. Greg blinked against the sudden change in lighting before whipping his head to the left as he heard shouting. He froze. He could see the other aspirants ying volleyball in the distance. He looked up, there was the sky, a few stray clouds drifting overhead. He could hear the trees rustling as a breeze washed over him. ¡°She turned the entire room into a screen to project whatever she wants,¡± Cass said breathlessly, turning in ce, ¡°There¡¯s even a breeze. Do you feel that?¡± ¡°Woah,¡± John breathed. ¡°No kidding,¡± Alex murmured before letting out a gasp, ¡°Dude, look in the middle of the room!¡± They all turned as one to see what the path that wrapped around the room overlooked. There was a living-room and lounge in the center, slightly recessed, necessitating one to step down a bit to enter. Inside were a number of couches and chairs spread out in afortable fashion, they looked a little out of ce with the ¡®grass¡¯ and ¡®sand¡¯ beneath them. Yet the littleforts weren¡¯t what garnered their attention. Arge half-pir hung from the ceiling to hang about ten feet above the ground. Numerous t panels adorned the upper half of its surface. Greg frowned when he saw one move a bit. He took a step to the left and one of the panels tilted to point in his direction. ¡°What is that?¡± Lily asked. ¡°They look like directional speakers,¡± Ollie said, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen them in articles before.¡± They all drew a little closer, Greg unable to help himself with his curiosity. He stepped into the recessed lounge and the pir immediately reacted. Part of the pir shifted and popped open revealing what looked like a C-shaped rail that projected out of the side. The rail split in half and began to move in a circle around the lower half of the column, some kind of silver fabric following behind it. It only stopped when it returned to its starting point, meeting its other half again. The silver screen stretching just a little to form a seamless connection with itself. A momentter the screen came to life and Greg was immediately sted with the world news. ¡°Two navy subs were lost today when-¡± He covered his ears, it wasn¡¯t loud, but it was so clear it was jarring. He took a step to the right and it followed him, ¡°-a strike team is being assembled but without a clear location to investigate the Pandora-¡± He pressed his hands against his ears again. ¡°Snow! Can you shut it off?¡± He shouted, ¡°Please!¡± A few painful secondster, the voice of the reporter stopped ringing in his ears. He let out a groan and allowed his arms to fall to his sides before ncing at everyone else, ¡°That was-¡± He paused when he met their eyes, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything,¡± Val said, scratching his head, ¡°You okay dude?¡± ¡°I heard an anime theme song,¡± Ollie murmured, ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt someone¡¯s ylist.¡± ¡°I heard a football game,¡± Alex added. They all looked at one another then up at the t panels that were still shifting to point in their direction, ¡°I think we should move on,¡± Greg murmured, ¡°Or better yet, leave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to be difficult,¡± Cass said tly. He turned and fixed her with a stare only for her to gesture over her shoulder at the pristine scene of the outside behind her. An uninterrupted view. Not even a door handle to break the illusion. He stared at the wall where the door should be, trying to figure out where the door could possibly start or end. ¡°I think we¡¯re out of luck as far as going out the way we came is concerned.¡± ¡°Why the hell would she make the door handle vanish?¡± Gregined. ¡°Aesthetics?¡± Lily said, shrugging off to the side while she and Snow patted the sides of one of the couches experimentally. They looked at one another and nodded before hopping onto the couch, Lily stretching out and Snow rxing on top of her. ¡°It feels like a water bed, but less wobbly,¡± She sighed, ¡°Oh that¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hall over here!¡± Alex called, ¡°Splits off!¡± ¡°Stairs, a sub level,¡± John murmured on the other side of the room. Alex looked up at Greg and grinned. Greg closed his eyes tightly and sighed, ¡°You have got to be¡­¡± He frowned, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have a look around since we¡¯re here already. Just be careful! Everyone pair off! I¡¯ll go with Alex, keep you out of trouble.¡± Greg grunted. Alex shrugged, ¡°Right, right, fine. Whatever. I¡¯m taking the left hall.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hold down the fort!¡± Lily called, waving at them from herfortable spot. Snow looked like she was already dozing off. ¡°With Val,¡± John muttered, walking over to stand next to his friend. ¡°Works for me, we¡¯ll take the right hall,¡± Val said, punching the air a few times, ¡°She¡¯s gotta have a game room around here somewhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with Cass downstairs then,¡± Ollie added, ncing over at the girl who gave him a sideways look. She shrugged and nodded, ¡°Sounds reasonable, you have a good eye,¡± She said primly and made towards the stairs John had pointed out. The three groups went their separate ways, each proceeding into a portion of the mysterious ce that they had thought was nothing more than a simple beach house. Greg couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy about the whole thing. No rms had gone off as far as he knew, and there was no visible way out until they at least found the front door. Yet that uneasiness began to give way to something else, hungry curiosity. Just the living room alone was enough to clue him in on what Sonya Chernovna was really using it for, a testing ground, and he was very interested in what other marvels she was ying with. Despite his misgivings, he followed Alex into the hall leading out of the living room and back into the darkness. ¡ª Sonya huffed out a smallugh as she lounged on the beach, reclining on a long chair and sipping at a smoothie. An actual smoothie this time. Her big sunsses reflected the sun beating down on her stark-white skin. Her frilly pink bikini shimmered a little as she shifted, ncing over to the womanying on the beach chair next to her, ¡°Have some intruders in the beach house,¡± She snickered as a message came through in her HUD. She opened it and smiled at the selfie of Marta and Barry¡¯s smiling faces on a boat with the water behind them. They¡¯re so cute. Ca nced her way, tilting her own sunsses down a bit. While Sonya had gone for revealing, Ca had gone for a bit more modesty. The one piece she wore was a bit transparent down the middle, giving a slight low-cut look but it was also apanied by a sheer skirt that went down to just above her knees. ¡°Will that be a problem?¡± She asked. Sonya snorted, ¡°Heaven¡¯s no,¡± She said, waving a hand. She didn¡¯t keep anything of real importance there, nothing rted to Ishtar anyway. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised that Cass and Lily decided to participate in some home invasion.¡± ¡°They¡¯re basically college students,¡± Ca pointed out, ¡°Of course they¡¯re going to get into trouble,¡± She shook her head, ¡°That ce is Amos¡¯ current yground, right? Testing stuff out to put in your new house?¡± She asked. ¡°Yep,¡± Sonya said, reclining back on her chair, a smug smile ying on her lips, ¡°This should be interesting.¡±
Side-Story: House of Wonders I Side-Story: House of Wonders I Greg hurried after Alex as he disappeared into the hallway. It was disorienting. The walls in the hallway were set up to meld with the walls of the living room, giving it the illusion that the hallway didn¡¯t even exist unless one was standing right next to it and saw where the opening was. Ahead of him he could see where the illusion finally broke, the hallway splitting into two dark paths that went left and right. He stopped just as he started to turn left and nced back over his shoulder at John and Val who were taking their time at the entrance to their own path. ¡°You guys be careful,¡± He said. Val grinned at him and shrugged, ¡°Nothin¡¯ I can¡¯t handle.¡± He frowned but shrugged, ¡°Alright, suit yourself, John, watch him?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± John said tly before turning to walk with Val who gave the deadpan young man a petnt look. Greg shook his head and scratched his neck, looking back down his own hallway and spotting Alex standing a few feet in, waiting for him. He let out a sigh and sauntered after him, looking around. Unlike the walls of the living room and the illusory hallway, this space was remarkably normal. Wallpaper and wooden molding near the floor. He squinted up at the lightbulbs that remained dark over his head, ¡°See a light switch?¡± He asked. Alex shook his head, ¡°Nope,¡± He grunted and scratched his chest, frowning a little as he looked down the dark path, ¡°Hey, Greg?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Greg hummed, walking up next to him and squinting down the path himself. He held up his hand and it glowed a little, providing some small amount of light. Down the path he could see a single door before the path curved to the left. He nced over at his friend who looked thoughtful, a bit of a frown ying on his face, ¡°You good Alex?¡± ¡°Am I really that much trouble?¡± Alex muttered. Greg raised an eyebrow, blinking at him a few times before his shoulders fell. ¡°The ribbing get to ya, man?¡± He asked. ¡°A little,¡± Alex grunted ufortably, ¡°One at a time it¡¯s funny but-¡± He trailed off and leaned against the wall, ¡°-everybody?¡± Greg nced back down the other dark hall, Val and John had already disappeared. He crossed his arms and looked back at Alex, ¡°I think taking a breath before you leap would be a good idea,¡± He said honestly, ¡°Not that the others are much better. You¡¯re just louder,¡± Heughed and reached over to pat his friend on the shoulder, ¡°Look at Lily, she jumped first to get into this ce. You got nothin¡¯ to worry about. I¡¯d trust you with my life any day,¡± He said and started walking, ¡°Now are we gonna check this ce out or not? We¡¯ve already broken in, might as well, right?¡± It took a few seconds for Alex to catch up to him, but the blonde was grinning ear to ear, ¡°So what¡¯s first? Check this room out?¡± He asked, nodding to the single door in this part of the path. The both of them stopped and Greg shrugged, reaching for the handle and turning it. It opened easily and he pushed it open, peering inside. He froze and frowned, ¡°Uh¡­¡± Alex swallowed next to him, ¡°...creepy.¡± The long room was one big mirror, every wall reflective in a way that made it seem endless. The ceiling had a slight domed quality to it with angled mirrors and what looked like strips of LEDs running between them. There were several stools set up throughout the room, a few chairs, and finally the most unsettling part of the whole space. What looked like one of thosebat dolls that Forge produced. It stood stiffly at the far end of the room from the door, its faceless gaze looking out towards the opposite end. They nced at one another, frowned, then immediately raised their fists. Two drops and Greg threw out scissors while Alex threw out paper. Alex groaned, ¡°Oh man¡­¡± He muttered and slowly walked into the space. Something must have detected him because the strips between the mirrors in the ceiling lit up, brightening the area in a cheery white light with the asional pink thrown in to add a faint amount of color. Greg watched Alex continue to walk inside before following him, both of them keeping their eyes on the doll. For a moment nothing happened, then the doll stepped forward and they both tensed. It stopped in front of them and a monotone voice crackled out from somewhere in its chest, ¡°asion?¡± It asked. They looked at one another for a moment, ¡°Uh¡­¡± Greg started before Alex immediately cut in, it looked like he¡¯d figured it out. ¡°Party,¡± Alex said. ¡°Formal or casual?¡± It rified. ¡°Casual,¡± Alex added. Greg turned to look at Alex, ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her dressing room,¡± Alex chuckled, ¡°Just-¡± He went silent and stared at the doll, his mouth falling open. Greg narrowed his eyes at his expression before turning to look at the doll and immediately mirroring it. From somewhere in the walls or ceiling, Greg couldn¡¯t figure it out, something was projecting onto the surface of the doll. Thebination of projections somehow managed to create what he could only describe as a god damn hologram. Standing there, the doll was wearing a sleeveless pink blouse with a neatly folded cor and floral pattern, a pair of white jeans and a pair of white heels with pink bows. It shifted its stance a bit to simte standing on the heels as a white ponytail appeared on its head, matching Miss Chernovna¡¯s hair. ¡°Woah,¡± Greg breathed. ¡°No kidding,¡± Alex murmured. ¡°The articles are within drawers seven, four, and nine,¡± The doll said and three lights bloomed within the mirrored walls. ¡°Would you like to make adjustments, ma¡¯am?¡± Alex cleared his throat, ¡°Uh¡­ n-no that¡¯s fine, thank you.¡± The Doll went still, ¡°Understood,¡± It said and just stood there. Greg and Alex looked at one another before looking at one of the lights on the walls. They swallowed and Alex shook his head, ¡°I am not going through her clothes,¡± He said tly. ¡°As badass as hidden drawers behind mirrors are.¡± Greg let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Same, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± He turned to the doll, ¡°Uhh¡­ thank you? That¡¯s enough for now.¡± The doll just nodded, turned on its heel, and marched back to where it had been standing. The projection of clothing slipping off of its body before it turned back to its original pose and going very still. The two young men swallowed hard and quickly backed out of the room, shutting the door behind them. ¡°Bro,¡± Alex breathed. ¡°That was still abat doll, right?¡± Greg filled in, ¡°It didn¡¯t look like the others, what was it made out of?¡± ¡°Bro,¡± Alex reiterated. ¡°For dress up?¡± They looked at one another and then towards the point in the hallway where it turned to the left. Greg cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. He wasn¡¯t going to step away from this now. He marched down the hall and this time it was Alex who came after him. They rounded the corner and saw four more doors. Three along the right and one at the end of the hallway. Greg walked up to the first one and examined the door. There was a simple sign hanging from a nail in the door that said ¡®Marta¡¯ in simple ck calligraphy. His hand immediately jerked away from the handle and he nced back at Alex. ¡°Yeah¡­ no.¡± They moved down to the next two doors. The first was nk while the third had a simr sign to the first but was written in pink lettering with little sshes of glitter and smiles. It said ¡®Sonya¡¯. ¡°Miss Chernovna¡¯s room,¡± He murmured and reached out to touch the door. At least put my hand on it, right? He immediately regretted the impulse, something he couldn¡¯t see reacted and he felt a charge run up his arm. He gasped, pulling his hand away and cradling it a little. He looked down at his fingertips, ¡°Ouch, ouch ouch,¡± He gasped, ¡°What the hell?¡± Alex hurried over and they both looked at his fingers, light burns graced his fingertips, ¡°Is that a freaking force field?¡± Alex asked, scaling up his hand and reaching out to touch the door himself. Is hand was pushed back and he nced down at his hand. It wasn¡¯t burned but a little smoke rose up off of his scaled fingers. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the middle room,¡± Greg murmured and the two moved away from the personal room, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to go in anyway,¡± He admitted, ¡°Just wanted to say I touched the door.¡± Alex snorted, ¡°Getting into it at least.¡± Greg rolled his eyes and pushed the middle door open, no sparks or charges or danger came as they poked their heads inside. It was just a bedroom, luxurious with a bit of a beach theme to it. Some ocean decor and a widefortable bed. The only unusual thing was a small t tablet on the wall next to the door. The two boys looked at one another before Alex tapped the screen. It lit up and showed all sorts of details about the room. ¡°Temperature, humidity,¡± Greg murmured. ¡°Bed controls, sound level, what the hell?¡± Alex murmured and touched the sound level selection, a bar appeared with the marker set in the middle. They looked at one another again and Alex pulled the bar all the way down to zero. Immediately there was a faint hiss in the walls followed by utter andplete silence. Not just silence with the background noise that came with ambient sound, but real silence. Greg could hear his own heartbeat, every breath, every shift of his feet, every- ¡°Oh fuck no, turn it back,¡± He gasped, the sound of his own voice grating a little on his ears, ¡°Hurry!¡± Alex didn¡¯t have to be told twice, he turned it back to the middle setting and after another hiss the sound level in the room normalized. ¡°Everything in this ce is freaky as hell,¡± Alex muttered, shaking his head and immediately making for the door. The two stepped out into the hallway one more time before looking to the only remaining door. ¡°What do you think?¡± Greg asked. ¡°Bathroom I bet,¡± Alex said. ¡°Probably,¡± Greg agreed and the two made their way over, wondering what kind of marvels hid in the bathroom. Some sort of super high-tech shower? Maybe a full-room drying system? He wasn¡¯t even sure anymore. He reached for the doorknob and thankfully nothing shocked him. That was when he saw something glow beneath his fingers. He pulled his hand away and saw a faint glowing copy of his handprint. The next thing he heard was an angry buzz and something rushed up from his feet and through his body. His muscles locked, his entire body going rigid. Next to him, Alex tensed as well. It didn¡¯t hurt, but it wasn¡¯t pleasant either. He tried to move, tried to shift his body, tried to do anything but move his jaw.. Nothing. He closed his eyes and hoped that the effect would just pass when a small light shone down on them from above, a sphere floated in the air and a tittering and very familiarugh came out of it. ¡°Have fun, boys?¡± Sonya¡¯s voice called down to them. ¡°Uhh¡­ Alex?¡± Greg sighed, grateful that his jaw at least still worked. ¡°Yeah Greg?¡± Alex asked from his own frozen position. ¡°I think we¡¯re in trouble.¡± Side-Story: House of Wonders II Side-Story: House of Wonders II Val shoved his hands into his pockets as they walked in the dark, leaving the brightly lit pseudo hallway behind them. He nced over his shoulder only once to see Greg and Alex making their way towards the first door they saw. Val reached down and scratched at his elbow, sniffing a little and ncing over at John. Among their little circle of friends, he was closest to John. The guy¡¯s stoic silence was something he was used to so he didn¡¯t mind the t expression on his face even as he returned Val¡¯s nce. Val looked past him at the walls before ncing at the wall closest to him, he reached out and ran his fingers along it, ¡°Everything¡¯s mismatched in this ce,¡± He muttered, ¡°Fuckin¡¯ weird.¡± ¡°Testing new ideas,¡± John muttered as they neared the first door on their left which turned out to be a pair of double doors. There was another ahead of them before the hallway turned sharply to the right, wrapping around the building. Val nced at him, ¡°She¡¯s using her own summer house for prototyping?¡± He asked, then pursed his lips before raising his eyebrows, ¡°Yeah, sounds like her. Bet all this stuff is made by Dr. Carter. He hooked me and Snow up after all,¡± He said, flexing his arms. They couldn¡¯t be seen with the hoodie he was wearing for their little ¡®incursion¡¯ but the undertes for his gear were still affixed to his skin to conceal and protect the physiological parts of his ability. They were light and small enough that they could be worn under clothing. He turned to the doors and tilted his head, ¡°Way out you think?¡± ¡°No, kitchen probably,¡± John muttered, he gestured to the hall they¡¯de from, ¡°Large opening for easy traffic, close to the entry to themon area.¡± Val shrugged, He¡¯s talkative today. He thought and pushed the doors open. They swung out easily and revealed exactly what John had predicted. A spacious and well lit kitchen. He tilted his head and listened for the sound of artificial lighting as he stepped inside, scanning the windows that looked out towards the garden that wrapped around the rear exterior of the building. He could see the path leading out towards the thick trees beyond. Val walked over to the ss and ran his fingers across it before tapping his nails against it. It made a dull sound almost like stic. ¡°Something unusual?¡± John grunted, walking past him to examine the counters for a moment before beelining in another direction. ¡°It¡¯s some kinda reinforced ss,¡± Val said thoughtfully, ¡°I dunno, it''s weird.¡± ¡°Everything here is,¡± John mumbled and Val turned to see him holding a kitchen knife. It was an off-white color and had the ASTA logo on the handle, ¡°Monster bone.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Val murmured and walked over. John handed it to him and he turned it over in his grip, ¡°I¡¯ve never touched monster bone before, this is sick man,¡± He said, marveling at the texture of it. It was oddly smooth and felt denser than bone. To be fair, I¡¯ve only ever handled chicken bones, he thought. He nced up from the knife, ¡°Anything else interesting?¡± ¡°Visibly, no,¡± John said and turned in a stiff circle, ¡°Standard service kitchen, if well equipped. Anything interesting is well hidden.¡± Val shrugged, ¡°Well I¡¯m not gonna waste time in here then,¡± He grunted as he walked back out into the hall, scratching his head, ¡°Though you¡¯d think there¡¯d be more staff.¡± ¡°Handmaiden? She is a maid,¡± Johnmented as he joined him, the pair ncing at the next door. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Val said thoughtfully, ¡°All I can think of is her throwing people on TV at the Hague incident,¡± Val pointed out and started walking towards the door. ¡°Dining room you think?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± John grunted and pushed the door open, they slipped inside and froze. While the kitchen had been pretty standard for all intents and purposes, the dining room was anything but. ¡°What the fuck!¡± Val blurted as he stepped out onto what amounted to a balcony with stairs going down and to the left. Across from him was a fish tank that hung from the ceiling, stretching out across the entire room and supported by metal supports that went through the water before affixing themselves to the walls and ceiling. There had to be hundreds of fish inside, all provided gentle illumination from skylights that fed in from above. He gaped as he walked down the stairs, looking up at what felt like the ocean above his head. ¡°Woah¡­¡± He breathed. ¡°Yes,¡± John agreed, his own wordsing out a little breathy too. They looked at one another before ncing around the open space beneath the fish, illuminated with the ripples of water from above. The room wasrge and given its location stretched out beneath the soil outside. There were over a dozen tables set up with chairs and plenty of space for other activities. A shadow darted over Val¡¯s head and he looked up quickly to see something metallic and silver move through the water, it stopped near a gathering of fish before expelling a cloud of kes and darting away again. ¡°Robotic fish keepers,¡± Val muttered. ¡°Bar,¡± John murmured. Val turned to John who was pointing towards a long, fully equipped bar built into the wall beneath where the balcony had overlooked. The bottles were all sitting on top of ck shelves with white rings around their bases. asionally a little flicker of light would sh through the bottles giving it an appealing effect. Val grinned and hurried over, sliding up to it and pping his hands down on the counter, ¡°Oh man, Luke¡¯s gonna love this!¡± Heughed and leaned over the counter. He was about to reach out when John grabbed him and pulled him back. Val opened his mouth to protest when he noticed a floating sphere drift down from the ceiling of the bar, it rotated and shed a faint red light as John pulled Val back around the corner and to the stairs. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Val whispered, ¡°Security?¡± ¡°Likely,¡± John murmured, ¡°We should move on.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Val agreed. They both hurried up the steps and out into the hallway, shutting the door behind them. They nced to their left, down the hall where two more rooms remained. Val smirked, one run in with security wasn¡¯t enough to chase him away. Not when he hadn¡¯t seen the real prize. He hustled down the hall towards the next room, John close behind, and pushed the door open. He took one look at the interior and threw his fists up, only a look from John silencing the whoop that nearly escaped his lips. The walls were just like those in the living room, except these had a pink me in them, steadily flickering and glowing around the perimeter of the space giving a bit of an eerie ambiance. To the left side of the room was a long heavy-looking table that¡¯s entire surface was slowly pulsing with a very faint pink glow, like it was on standby or something. Surrounding the table had to be at least ten bookcases filled with books, boardgames, and other things. One full bookshelf was lined entirely with neat rows of small stic boxes filled with dice. The right side was by far more appealing. Separated from the table with a long rug was a ring of sofas like the ones in the living room facing the wall. There was no sign of anything besides the Sofas but he wasn¡¯t fooled for a moment. He grinned and hustled over, John going over to the board games to inspect them. Val crouched and ran his hands along the lower part of the wall right in front of the sofas, pushing here and there, ¡°Cmon, there¡¯s gotta be a-¡± He heard a click and grinned, ¡°Yes!¡± A very faint seam in the wall appeared as it popped open, revealing a drawer that slid out. Inside was a treasure trove of gaming controllers from any number of consoles and brands, old and new. Some of the older ones had been fitted with some sort of ck spike where their cords should be. He picked one up and turned it over in his hands, it had a funky shape to it but there was a clear start button. He got to his feet and took a few steps back, pushing the button. The drawer retracted at his feet and the pink mes in front of him went dark. The next thing he saw was a familiar logo across the entire wall, ¡°Holy, fucking, shit,¡± He breathed, turning from the screen and looking around, ¡°I need snacks, oh man,¡± He murmured as the sound of hooves came from all around him followed by piano. He spotted a cluster of cabs, one looking like a refrigerator, resting against the wall to the left of the door they¡¯de in through. String instruments started ying and some kind of flute. He raced over and reached for the fridge only to see a shing red light glinting down at him from above it. Another sphere! He gasped and turned, ¡°Joh-¡± The sound like a zipper being pulled quickly interrupted him followed by the feeling of his entire body getting bound up in thin ck strands of something. He spun, startled, and fell right on his face only to hear a simr sound ring out a secondter as John came running. He tried to pull himself free, but whatever the ck stuff was, it didn¡¯t budge an inch. A light shone down above him from the sphere and he squinted at it. ¡°Ah damn it.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t mess up my save data, Val,¡± Sonya¡¯s amused voice came from the sphere, ¡°Your exploration time is up, boys.¡± Side-Story: House of Wonders III Side-Story: House of Wonders III Just like the entrance to the hallway, the stairwell was hidden in in sight by the walls simting the outside. It would have been much easier to see if they had been deactivated, but Ollie figured that this was kind of the point. Navigating this ce required an understanding of it. More importantly, most of what he had already seen in the living room alone was clearly experimental. He considered his thoughts on Sonya Chernovna¡¯s inner circle, the people working with and around her. She was very close with her lead scientist so it would be no surprise to him if she let Dr. Carter turn her home into a yground. He nced at the hallway that the other four had gone through, The stuff above ground is probably mundane if not a little more advanced than what we¡¯re used to. He looked down the stairs. The interesting stuff is down here, he thought with a small smile. A movement nearby caught his attention and pulled him out of his thoughts. He blinked and looked up into the piercing blue eyes of Cassiopea Hanks. The blonde girl was looking at him with a bit of mild concern, her head tilted a bit to the left as she crossed her arms. It wasn¡¯t a judgy look, more like she was ufortable. ¡°You um¡­¡± She started and cleared her throat before shaking her head, she turned away and went down the stairs, ¡°...just finish pondering whatever and lets go,¡± She said hastily. He blinked and watched her descend, I think¡­ she was about to say something rude, He nced back at the couch where Lily and Snow were rxing. Lily clearly had no interest in sneaking through the ce now that she¡¯d found a ce toy her head and Snow was attached to her at the hip. His lips thinned, Lily said that Cassiopeia was trying to open up. Maybe she¡¯s also trying to be more careful with her words too. He blinked, Oh, she was going to call me out about standing there quietly and grinning to myself. He felt a bit of heat rise to his ears, Oh that¡¯s embarrassing. He thought and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he started down the stairs. He resisted the urge to get lost in thought again, taking a deep breath and clearing his mind like Madame Rouge had taught him. Sometimes an empty head was good for seeing things objectively. Get rid of preconceptions, biases, everything else, just breathe and see things for what they are. He thought as he exhaled only to stop when he nearly ran into Cassiopeia¡¯s back. ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡± He gasped, taking a step back before freezing in ce. ¡°Oh.¡± Cass didn¡¯t look back at him, ¡°Yeah, my thoughts too,¡± She murmured as they looked into therge square room, about the same size as the room above. Instead of pretty walls made of illuminated screens, the walls were made of an off-white metal that gleamed a bit against the very simple lights that lined the ceiling. The metallic walls were affixed with numerous weapons, mostly knives, held within protective ss casings. There were three exits leading out of the room, each of them had doors made of the same metal of the walls and looked like they were designed to open into the walls rather than swing. ¡°This is where she trains.¡± ¡°I knew she took it seriously but¡­¡± Ollie trailed off as he stepped into the room. He looked down at his feet, ¡°The floor feels strange,¡± He said. Cass stepped onto it with him before frowning as well, ¡°I don¡¯t- wait,¡± She tilted her head, ¡°It feels solid but there¡¯s something wrong.¡± He tapped his foot against the floor and it sounded like a normal floor. He nced at Cass and then raised his foot high before bringing it down hard, stomping on the floor. Immediately the floor gave way like a fluid, cushioning the impact. He gasped and pulled his foot out of the small impression he had made and it simply resumed its original shape, ¡°What the heck is this stuff?¡± He gasped, looking at Cass who shook her head. She stomped her foot as well and the same thing happened, she grinned. ¡°Could you imagine sparring in here?¡± She said eagerly, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even feel the falls.¡± ¡°The walls are still made of metal,¡± Ollie pointed out, walking over to one of them only to feel himself run into something that he couldn¡¯t see that stuck out a few inches from the wall. He blinked and pushed against it and it again felt solid like the floor, a lot like the floor. He pulled his fist back and punched the wall and it gave way a little. ¡°The walls are coated in it too!¡± He gasped, ¡°It¡¯s just transparent!¡± He paused and looked down at the floor, ¡°No, the floor is dyed.¡± ¡°Knives are just for decoration then,¡± Cass murmured thoughtfully and sauntered past him. She nced over her shoulder, ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing else in here,ing?¡± They approached the door to the left of the entrance and after a moment it slid open of its own ord, revealing a dark room. They nced at one another before the lights in the room began toe on of their own ord. Inside was a spacious office. Ollie froze as he stepped inside, taking it all in. I think I¡¯m underestimating how serious this woman is, just a bit. Ollie thought. The room was circr with a desk in the dead center. The desk was t and spartan and made of the same reinforced white material as the walls. There was nothing on the desk but a small ss dome containing a mana crystal that looked like it had exploded from the inside while somehow staying whole. He wanted to walk over and check it out, but he had other concerns. The walls were screens like the room above, but they weren¡¯t showing generic world news and sports. There were feeds from across the monitoring viin reports, hero progress, there was a live feed from Dharan, numerous financial trackers, a whole portion of the wall was dedicated to a dozen different news sources. Last but not least there was a map of the world showing the current carter radar readings including dungeon locations. ¡°She¡¯s keeping an eye on the entire globe,¡± He breathed, ¡°She said she was dedicated to helping humanity and heroes but this is¡­ incredible.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Cass said happily, walking further in and turning around on her heel, ¡°This is just¡­ breathtaking,¡± He swallowed a bit at her enthusiasm before walking towards the desk, going to check out the odd-looking crystal. Cass nced his way, ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything. This ce is special.¡± He pulled his hand away from the object and nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning forward to look at it. It looks likettices, little hairline pathways throughout the crystal. They¡¯re all connecting. What is this thing? He wondered. He pulled out a small notebook and wrote a few things down about the object before shoving it back in his pocket and ncing over at Cass again. She was watching one of the screens. He looked past her and saw the scowl of Liberty. The blonde woman was in a full suit of armor and shouting something from a podium. There were dozens of people wearing mismatched clothing beneath her, all raising their fists. He saw Cass¡¯ shoulders tense, the girls body shaking a little bit. This isn¡¯t good for her, he thought and hurried over. He tried to get her attention but her eyes were fixed on the screen. ¡°Cassiopeia?¡± He called, ¡°Um! We should-¡± Nothing. Her eyes were zed over with a mixture of hate and terror. He sighed, Damn it. He thought and grabbed her by her hand and started to pull. A momentter they were back in themon area. It was only then that Cass jerked and looked down at him. He was huffing, hard, resting his hands on his knees, ¡°You are so strong,¡± He wheezed, ¡°Goodness!¡± He panted, ncing up at her. He paused, his eyes going a little wide. She had so many threadsing out of her, some of them thicker than others. There was a ck thread that went off into the distance and was as thick as a bridge cable. There was another that looked like it was made of silver. He¡¯d seen one like it before. Coming out of Sonya Chernovna. What- Cass immediately grabbed him by the arms, ¡°Are you okay?¡± She gasped, ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt you did I?¡± She asked, panicked, looking him over. ¡°I cked out and you were- are you- did I?¡± He held up his hands, pulling out of her grip and forcibly canceling his power. Now was not the time to be thinking about karmic threads. He waved her hands away, ¡°I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m fine! See? No injuries, just a little worn out from dragging you out of the room,¡± Heughed, ¡°I¡¯m okay, miss Cassiopeia. I was just a little worried because of what you saw, it looked like it affected you quite a bit.¡± She stared at him, confused, then blinked a few times and cleared her throat. She looked away and pulled back her hair, crossing her arms. ¡°You guys are too nice, you know that? First Lily, now you. There''s a thing called self preservation, you know?¡± She huffed before looking down at her feet, ¡°Thank you for doing that.¡± He scratched the back of his head, ¡°From what I¡¯ve learned, a good hero has a bit of a hard time with the whole survival instinct thing,¡± He pointed out before scratching his nose, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± She turned back to say something when abruptly the floor began to liquefy beneath their feet. They looked down, wide eyed, ¡°What the-¡± Just as the words came out the floor re-solidified, encasing their feet in hard material. ¡°Oh no.¡± A faint hum caught his ears and he looked up to see a sphere floating over their heads, a red light shing on one side. ¡°And you two are thest, shouldn¡¯t have sit still,¡± Sonya¡¯s sing-song voice called down to them, ¡°Time¡¯s up, time to pay the piper, you little sneaks!¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Sonya slurped at her drink, leaning against the rail of the patio outside of her beach house. She watched the aspirants enjoy themselves as the sun continued to move further and further down. She wished she could have joined them in the water herself but a single thought back to thest time she attempted to jump into the water made her pause and frown. She sipped irritably at her drink as the slightly taller woman next to her nced over and gave her a teasing look. ¡°Thinking back to the cannonball?¡± Ca asked quietly, holding her hand over her mouth to hide her grin. Sonya slurped a bit louder while Ca snickered, narrowing her eyes as a bit of red rose to her ears. It turned out that adding so much density to her muscles, brain, bones, everything, with a new total of twenty-two sub abilities in Deus Ex Machina made her weigh quite a bit more than the average youngdy of her height and build. The obvious result of still moving normally despite this, leaping into the air, anding down at speed, meant that the ssh had been rather dramatic. Her eyebrow twitched as the memory of the nk stares of her close friends watching her from the beach came back. They¡¯d been soaked by the fallout. She huffed and cracked a grin, Okay it was pretty funny, she thought with a snicker and leaned forward against the railing. ¡°It''s about what¡­ five now, right?¡± She murmured thoughtfully. Of course she had the time on her HUD, but she couldn¡¯t just know the time perfectly off the top of her head,¡± She set her cup down and brushed her hair back, checking her wrist watch, ¡°Mhm, five on the dot,¡± She said, ¡°Look at that,¡± She nced over at Ca, ¡°Do you think they¡¯ve had enough time to think about their actions?¡± Ca inclined her head, ¡°Miss Chernovna, I think you¡¯re being most lenient.¡± Sonya turned to face her, ¡°Aw, you tter me,¡± She said and reached up to y with Ca¡¯s hair, ¡°Would you like to make them wait a little longer¡­?¡± She trailed off as her lip twitched. Ca¡¯s did the same and they both trembled from repressedughter. She cleared her throat, ¡°H-how about until nightfall?¡± She grabbed her sides, ¡°W-we could¨C¡± She burst intoughter, ¡°Oh I can¡¯t do it,¡± Sheughed and waved her hands, ¡°Enough, enough!¡± She and Ca turned around to rest their backs on the railing, Sonya snatching up her cup. The two of them looked at the group lined up against the exterior of her beach house in narrow ck restraints. Eight aspirants who had gotten it into their heads that they wanted one more childish hurrah before bing full heroes. They just so happened to all be people she was signing on with ASTA as well. Not a coincidence, she thought. She couldn¡¯t me them, she honestly would have done the same thing. Which was why a three hour time-out was the extent of their punishment. She grinned at them and tilted her head, ¡°Was it worth it?¡± She asked yfully as she held out her hand to Ca who dutifully handed her the remote for the restraints Amos had designed. She hit the button and they came loose. ck ropes of pseudo-stic fell down around the feet around the eight young adults. She scanned their faces. John was as cid as always. Greg looked world weary. Alex couldn¡¯t stop grinning. Ollie looked ashamed. Val smirked and shrugged. Lily and Snow were still flushed from thepromising way they¡¯d been caught. Then there was Cassiopeia, her little Taurus. She was smiling. She¡¯d had fun despite the punishment that hade afterward. Sonya met her eyes and gave her a warm smile of her own before looking over the others, she stopped at John, ¡°Good to see you went and had some fun, John. Next time try not to get into trouble while doing it, okay?¡± She suggested. ¡°Mm,¡± John nodded before blinking and correcting himself, ¡°Was worthwhile, it was a beautiful kitchen.¡± ¡°You liked it?¡± Sonya asked, ¡°Good! Then you can work in the kitchen tonight with the rest of the staff to help prepare for dinner.¡± John nodded, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Sonya cupped her chin, ¡°What about the rest of you, did you enjoy exploring Dr. Carter¡¯s little yground?¡± She asked with a grin. ¡°Speaking of which, who¡¯s idea was this?¡± ¡°Mine,¡± Val said holding up his hand, ¡°I got the others in on it and we dragged Greg in,¡± He said and rubbed his neck. Sonya nodded, ¡°Thank you for that, Val. I appreciate it,¡± She said with a smile, ¡°Please join John in the kitchen tonight.¡± Val grinned awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s fair, yes ma¡¯am.¡± She tilted her head and looked over at Cass, ¡°You joined them?¡± She asked with amusement. Cass brightened a little, ¡°I overheard them talking about it and well,¡± She squeezed her hands together, ¡°It sounded like fun, and a challenge, and I wanted to see so I just went for it,¡± She flushed and looked down at her hands. ¡°It was fun, I like them.¡± The others looked at Cass with surprise, Lily and Ollie the only two that gave her a more normal smile. Sonya felt a little relief wash over her, ¡°Good,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Very good. You still have to work in the kitchen tonight though.¡± Cass stuck her tongue out a little and scratched her head, ¡°Got it.¡± She nced at Ollie and raised her eyebrow, ¡°You join those three, Ollie. I hope it satisfied your curiosity.¡± Ollie looked a bit despondent, ¡°I got so swept up¡­ it- I just-¡± He stammered, ¡°It was so exciting.¡± She had a feeling it was like that, curiosity was his single driving force and he was prone to getting excited and getting carried away. It was in his nature, so she didn¡¯t begrudge him, but she did think he needed to learn a little restraint. She let out a breath and moved on to Alex and Greg, ¡°Now for Alex, I assume you were the first to hop on the bandwagon with Val? You¡¯re one hell of a hype man.¡± Alex grinned, ¡°What can I say? It was worth it, damn that ce is so freakin¡¯ cool!¡± He barked out augh and leaned back a bit, ¡°I¡¯m mad jealous. I¡¯d love to see it again when everythings done.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a prototype for my new house,¡± Sonya said, ¡°I¡¯ll invite you if you get your license,¡± Sonya added with a smirk before tilting her head, ¡°You¡¯re still in trouble though. Beach cleaning.¡± He saluted quickly, ¡°You got it!¡± ¡°Good,¡± Sheughed and looked over at Greg, ¡°Stand up for yourself more,¡± She said tly, ¡°You want to be a logistics specialist and a leader, don¡¯t you?¡± She asked, ¡°Sometimes that requires being firm.¡± He let out a breath and squared his shoulders, looking up at her and meeting her eyes, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. I will.¡± ¡°Beach Cleaning,¡± Sonya said and he nodded. She turned finally to the red-faced Snow and Lily. Neither of them could meet her eyes for a moment so she waited until they squirreled up their nerves and looked back at her. She smirked and held her hand up over her mouth to restrain a bit ofughter, ¡°Girls I-¡± She snorted, ¡°I want to say you¡¯ve been punished enough,¡± She started and snickered again getting a few odd looks from the others, ¡°B-but, I¡¯m gonna need you two to do some beach cleaning. Understood?¡± They both lowered their heads, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡­¡± They said in unison. It sounded like Snow was getting a little better with her voice timing, at least. Sonya put her hands on her hips. ¡°Alright, you little sneaks are dismissed. You¡¯ve got an hour to breathe before I put you to work,¡± She said and waved them off before ncing at Greg, ¡°Yourdy friend was looking for you. I suggest you track her down and exin where you¡¯ve been.¡± His eyes bulged and he darted off, ¡°Thank you Miss Chernovna!¡± He called back as he hustled out towards the beach. His action seemed to open the flood gates and they all split up, going their separate ways to get a little more fun out of the afternoon before they had to work off their earlier mischief. Sonya watched them go before ncing at Cassiopeia who stayed behind. ¡°They¡¯re good people,¡± Sonya said. ¡°They are,¡± Cass nodded and frowned, ¡°I¡¯m sad.¡± ¡°That you missed out on a month with them?¡± Sonya asked. Cass¡¯ shoulders fell, ¡°Yeah,¡± She said quietly before looking back at Sonya, ¡°I saw my sister on the screen in your office, I froze. I can¡¯t even think when I see her, if it wasn¡¯t for Ollie pulling me away I don¡¯t know what I would have done. I practically cked out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not time for you to face her,¡± Sonya said tly, checking her surroundings with her senses to make sure no one was listening in, ¡°It¡¯s only been a month. You can¡¯t be expected to make that kind of break-through in so little time. You need to find your own strength and courage, your own reason to fight that can give you the will to stand on your own two feet,¡± Sonya said and looked towards the retreating distant figures, ¡°People you can trust to have your back, for example.¡± ¡°I¡¯d feel better with-¡± Cass started but Sonya held up a hand to forestall her, ¡°-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sonya shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s ready for you, but you aren¡¯t ready for it,¡± Sonya said, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you¡¯re ready.¡± Cass nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll be patient,¡± She said with a breath before looking up at the beach, ¡°I¡¯m worried about Ollie, I barely know him, but I saw him talking with that man, they¡¯ve been talking a lot recently,¡± She rubbed her arms, ¡°He helped me.¡± Sonya¡¯s lip twitched and rose into a bit of a smile. She nced towards the beach herself, ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on it as well. You just focus on being a good friend to him, he¡¯s a smart guy, I have a feeling you don¡¯t need to worry about him too much,¡± Sonya said and tilted her head, ¡°Believe it or not, out of all the aspirants at the camp, that young man is one I have a particrly good feeling about.¡± Cass rubbed her arms, ¡°If you say so, I just-¡± She mumbled. Sonya smiled at the poor thing, she developed attachments so quickly. It was a strength and a curse. Sonya rest her hand on her hip to give off a stronger air of confidence, smirking a little. She flipped her hair and winked, ¡°Call it instinct.¡± ¨C Ollie deviated from the path, his mind a swirl of thoughts. There was so much hidden beneath the surface back in the beach house. He twisted his fingers together, There was so much there but I still feel guilty, I bent Miss Chernovna¡¯s trust. That was wrong of me, but it was so exciting! He thought breathlessly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his notepad to check his notes. He ran his fingers over the notes and flipped it open, reading carefully. Some of it was so small, little details, little considerations. Lines that didn¡¯t connect. He felt like he was looking at a massive puzzle and was only holding a tenth of the whole thing. He nced over his shoulder, She didn¡¯t say a thing, he thought. Miss Mint was right there and she didn¡¯t say a thing either. I¡¯m on probation. One slip up. I got carried away. That should have been it for me. One infraction and I would have gone back to prison. He bit his lip, Neither of them said a word. He cleared his throat and closed his notes as he heard footstepsing through the trees. He stopped and looked towards the source, spotting a pair of glowing blue eyes gleaming from within the trees. That was when he stepped out. Ollie reactivated his power. He¡¯d told no-one, only Madame Rouge knew, but his ability could remember those it touched. It wasn¡¯t something that hade to him right away, but a month of practice and studying his power had brought the function out. He looked at the man before him and saw hundreds of blood-red threads. Murders. He controlled his face, maintaining as timid an exterior as he could. His eyes shifted only microscopically to look down at the man''s feet and saw the thick ck thread going down into the earth. Enmity, with the whole world. There was another thick ck thread as well, pointing back at the beach house. Miss Chernovna. It¡¯s strange, how does he seem so obsessed with earning her favor when their karmic thread is ck? He met the man¡¯s eyes. Marc swept back his blonde hair and smiled, ¡°Ollie! How was your little adventure?¡± Ollie brightened, ¡°It was very informative, Mister Mallory!¡± He said and cleared his throat, ¡°I-I mean, Marc,¡± He changed the phrasing when he caught a bit of a stare from Marc. Marc seemed pleased with his shift to submission. ¡°Do tell,¡± Marc said with an eager grin. Ollie pulled out his notes, all misleadingly useful information. All the good stuff was in his head where it belonged. He handed the notepad over. Marc flipped it open and started to read, his smile widening even more. ¡°I really think we¡¯re going to make a good team, Ollie.¡± ¡°Call me Riot, sir,¡± Ollie said. I¡¯ll get close to him. I want to be an investigator after all. Once I get my license I¡¯ll be off probation, after that, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to figure this guy out. His gut twisted a little, I just hope I don¡¯t do something I can¡¯t take back in the process. Marc raised an eyebrow, ¡°And you can call me Otis.¡± ¨C Sonya stood in her office beneath the beach house, ncing thoughtfully at the map of the world that had the carter radar readings on it. The clouds of mana moving over the world were thinning out in ces while thickening in others. It was starting to look more and more like an all-over coverage of the. There were still ces that were nearly devoid of the ambient energy. Will it simply form an even coat one day? She thought, I don¡¯t think that happened by the time things endedst time around, maybe it was because of all the dungeon breaks. She huffed and dismissed the morbid thought. She shifted her eyes and looked at the dot in the northwest United States. Chunhua will be going to Seattle after the aspirants graduate, she pursed her lips, we need to talk before then. Her expression eased into a smile, Though I suppose I can say a little tonight, might be fun to embarrass her a little. She huffed out a breath and walked over to the desk, running her fingers over the domed crystal. She felt it pull a bit of mana out of her body and the air and a vague sense of connection to it washed over her. She moved to her seat and rxed as the densework of fractals within the crystal shed and flickered, lights traveling through them so fast an ordinary eye couldn¡¯t see it. A momentter, the air was filled with even more screens. It was a new kind ofputer, synchronized with her mana signature and mind. Denser than any type before it and the foundation for a whole new field of technology. Amos¡¯ greatest creation to date and the culmination of his study of pandora-based materials and mana. Unfortunately the prototype was next to impossible for a normal human mind to utilize. She smiled smugly, Good thing I¡¯m not normal. She waved her hand and everything was organized in front of her; detailed notes on the aspirants at every camp, their abilities, dreams, experience, skills and whatpanies were signing them. She¡¯d snatched up quite a few for herself. New abilities for the warehouse, she thought and leaned back in her seat, resting her chin on her knuckles with a small smile. ¡°So many heroes born in just ten weeks, even with a low graduation rate,¡± She murmured, The poption of heroes at this time in the previous timeline was barely a tenth of this. More heroes means more dungeons and monsters dealt with in less time. More importantly it leaves some to engage with viins to maintain a rivalry between the groups. She hummed, Though I might have to pump up the number of viins soon. The results have exceeded my expectations. Things are going well. She narrowed her eyes, I should expect problems soon. Can never be too careful. She steepled her fingers and mentally dismissed the images before pulling up a single projection floating in front of her like a screen. Liberty and all her notes on the woman, What are you nning, Liberty? What¡¯s your next move? Another projection appeared of Otis, And you, you were so ipetent when you were young, weren¡¯t you? What changed? When? How? You aren¡¯t the man I remember, not yet. Her gut twisted a little, You will be, though. I can feel it. I¡¯m running out of excuses not to sign him. I¡¯ll need to do it soon otherwise it will look suspicious. Right now you¡¯re in the palm of my hand, grow up well, you bastard. She thought with a small grin before dismissing the images. She stretched, scratched her neck and gestured casually with her hand, a portal appearing to her left. Two presences stepped out and she nced over to see Marta and Barry standing there in vacationing clothes. She smiled at them brightly and turned, slipping off her chair and hopping to her feet with a chuckle, ¡°How¡¯s South China?¡± She asked, pulling Festival of Dionysus out of her warehouse. ¡°It¡¯s been lovely, Sonya, thank you,¡± Marta said with a chuckle, reaching up to put a hand on Barry¡¯s arm. ¡°Damn good day, had a nice dinner on the ocean, looking forward to the rest,¡± Barry said with a chuckle, ¡°But we got business, don¡¯t we, boss?¡± Sonya grinned, ¡°That we do, you¡¯ve worked hard Barry, and now it¡¯s time for your reward,¡± She said holding out her hand, ¡°I have a feeling it¡¯ll be a doozy, so let''s talk sanctions so you can ease into it.¡± He took her hand, ¡°Alright,y it on me boss.¡± ¨C Sonya stepped out of the beach house into the dimming light. The aspirants and other instructors were already gathering around a fire pit they¡¯d been working together to make. She brushed her hair back over her ear and rxed, ¡°Marshmallows sound great right now.¡±
Chapter 124 Chapter 124 The walk across the sand was short, but in that time Sonya had a lot to think about. She thought about the aspirants, about how far they¡¯d alle in such a short time. The kind of effect this ce had on people. The hard work they¡¯d put in. She thought about the people she knew, she¡¯d affected, and the people she¡¯d killed. She thought about the past and the future, where she came from and where she was going. She thought about Ca who fell into step next to her as she walked. She thought about Chunhua who walked over towards the fire pit from the far side, sending her an easy smile. I¡¯vee a long way too, she thought before ncing at her watch, seeing her reflection in the surface. But I still have more to ovee. She exhaled and rxed her shoulders as Ca hurried to set down a towel for the two of them to sit on. She nced at the woman and reached out to touch the pink diamond hanging from her choker-cor. She smiled at it and then flicked her eyes up at Ca¡¯s face, winking once before sitting down and leaning back a bit on her hands to rx. Ca sat next to her and leaned in close, her arm pressed against Sonya¡¯s. Chunhua sat a respectful distance away, not wanting to interfere in the moment. A few of her students sat down near her and she turned to talk with them. Sonya looked past her to the coast where Greg, Alex, Lily, and Snow were running around picking up thest of the trash. Snow snatched up a can from the ground and jumped up and down, Alex spun and opened his bag and the girl tossed it in. Lily threw up her arms and all four let out a howl. Sonya giggled, she would have done the same, honestly. The quartet of troublemakers walked back over, setting the bag of garbage filled with what they¡¯d found near a small station that had been set out to provide refreshments throughout the day. Sonya watched them talk with Axel who was standing behind the counter before she turned her head the opposite direction. Rows of tents stretched out facing the sea. Some wereing out of their tents, probably having enjoyed a nap in the beautiful weather. She tilted her head and kissed Ca¡¯s temple as Lily walked over before sitting forward a little bit, ¡°Lily!¡± She called. The girl turned and Sonya smirked at her before gesturing to the fire pit filled with wood. It was dug deep to create arge me while still not obscuring the eyes of everyone present. A pair of holes were dug on each side to provide the me oxygen. ¡°Can you do the honors?¡± She asked as more and more aspirants came over and started sitting down in a ring around the pit. The sun was nearly set at this point and several of them were watching the colors on the horizon. Lily pointed to herself, surprised, and Sonya nodded. Lily brightened and looked at Chunhua excitedly who gave her a thumbs up. More aspirants noisily sat down as Lily rubbed her hands together and took in a deep breath. Sonya spotted Greg and Jessica sit down together, Greg looking a little tired. They were talking when both froze and looked at Lily. Everyone went silent as darkness washed over the beach. Gold mes appeared in the air and rushed into Lilys mouth and nose with each breath as the young hero drew in power for a moment. The glimmering mes were hypnotic. Lily held her breath and then with a grin she leaned forward and exhaled. Gold mes billowing from her mouth and onto the pile of wood. The wood immediately caught and the moment it did a wash of warmth andfort washed over Sonya and everyone else present. Little aches and pains from throughout the day vanished in moments, tired eyes were invigorated, smiles spread on faces, and even hearts were eased. Everyone pped as the young woman who hade in afraid of what others would think of her ability turned in a circle, startled. Sonya and Ca pped as well until Lily managed to pull herself together enough to hurry over to where Snow had set down a towel and they sat together. The other instructors arrived before finally another group showed up from behind Sonya. John and the cooking team walked in and brought with them delights. Sweet drinks, cocoa, marshmallows for those who wanted them, ingredients for smores, little sausages, chili, nachos, grilled fruits and baked potatoes, all sorts of things were distributed amongst the campers. Peopleughed and talked, they ate, some snatched up little poles that had been set aside for roasting the marshmallows. They extended and retracted quickly, another toy of Amos¡¯ that he¡¯d made for them as a gift. Laughter rose and fell, and for a little while these young men and women who Sonya knew would endure so much in the future as heroes, had real peace. Ca rest her head on Sonya¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You should say a few words,¡± She said. Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°Me? You¡¯re the Pandorady.¡± Ca snorted, ¡°Pandorady,e on, you¡¯re the Voice.¡± Sonya huffed and shook her head, smiling, ¡°Alright, alright,¡± She chuckled and kissed the woman¡¯s head again before getting to her feet. A few looked her way and she raised her soda can, the little straw in it shaking a bit. Some whispers followed her gesture and everyone around the fire fell silent, ¡°I want to raise a toast with this soda can of all things,¡± Sheughed and was joined by most of those present. She scanned the faces of the young men and women, even Marc was there which surprised her a little. ¡°To you,¡± She said to them, ¡°To all of you.¡± She let out a breath and looked down at herself, ¡°You know, doing a speech like this doesn¡¯t have the same impact when I¡¯m in a bikini,¡± She said sarcastically, getting some moreughter. She shrugged, ¡°Free eye candy I guess,¡± She said and smiled at them all, her eyes going soft as she dimmed the lights on them a little, theughter subsided as her jovial expression eased a little more to something close to motherly warmth, ¡°All of you, in a time like this, when everything seems so scary and uncertain. When taking a job as a soldier would frankly be safer,¡± She looked at the can for a moment and then at the fire. ¡°You chose to do the hard thing. You chose to take the tough path. You chose to be the people standing between the weak and the monsters of the world,¡± She said looking at everyone there, ¡°You decided to be heroes,¡± She said, ¡°Sure, the money¡¯s pretty good,¡± She chuckled softly, ¡°A little bit of fame might be nice,¡± She added, ¡°But¡­ It is not an easy job. You are putting your lives on the line for others every day when you¡¯re out there. It can be thankless, hard, scary. You¡¯ll face dangers no one could even imagine,¡± She looked at the can again, ¡°And you chose that, to do that, for other people. So that they don¡¯t have to,¡± She smiled at them all, ¡°That is incredible,¡± She said breathlessly. ¡°Firestorm once told me that a hero is the one who moves first, no matter the danger,¡± She said with a bit of a tremble, ¡°He was a knucklehead you know, goofed off all the time in the office. I had to yell at him a couple times,¡± She said sadly, ¡°I know what he would say about you all,¡± She looked them all over as their eyes were fixed on her, ¡°You moved first.¡± She held the can up, ¡°To all of you! And to your legends!¡± A cheer rose up, a few wiped their eyes, everyone raised their cups and cans and even a few just lifted their snacks. Sonya watched them all for a moment before going back to sit down with Ca. ¡°How was that?¡± She asked and got a hug around her neck in return. Sheughed and patted Ca¡¯s back, the woman trembling a little, ¡°Oh don¡¯t cry, you silly thing.¡± One of the boys stood up and raised his cup, ¡°To Miss Chernovna, I heard she threw one hell of a fit to make the camps happen!¡± Sonya looked up, ¡°Hey now! It wasn¡¯t a fit!¡± A round ofughter followed the guy¡¯s toast and there was another round of raised food items. Sonya shook her head, ¡°Idiots.¡± A little time of pleasant merriment followed that before things wound down to a more rxed level. Everyone stayed, talking, until one of the girls leaned forward and spoke up, ¡°Miss Chernovna! I have a question.¡± Sonya, who was in the middle of flirting, turned and nced at the girl. ¡°What¡¯s your question?¡± ¡°What are the mythic heroes like?¡± The girl asked, ¡°Are their powers really based on legends?¡± Several people fell silent as they all looked at Sonya. Sonya blinked and sat up a bit more, tilting her head, ¡°Well, you have a couple mythics sitting here, you know,¡± She asked with a smirk, ¡°Why not ask them? Though I think you¡¯re pretty well aware that it¡¯s impolite to ask the name of someone¡¯s ability.¡± The girls eyes widened and she looked around, Sonya nced over to Chunhua but it was Otis of all people who spoke up first, ¡°Some,¡± He said frankly, ¡°Are based on legends. Mine is an example,¡± He added with a wide smile, reclining where he sat and popping a grape into his mouth, Sonya raised an eyebrow, where had he gotten it? She didn¡¯t remember bringing grapes. ¡°Crown of Gilgamesh. I have no reason to hide it.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Alex called getting an elbow from Val who was chilling next to him with John. Sonya exchanged a look with Chunhua who shrugged as Otis began speaking again, ¡°King Gilgamesh was one of the first recorded mythological heroes, some say the first,¡± He said proudly, ¡°His story is the Epic of Gilgamesh and it tells his tale and that of his friend Enkidu who the gods of his time sent to kill him before they becamerades,¡± Otis exined and gestured, ¡°He defies the gods, especially Ishtar,¡± He added with a grin, ¡°And when she sends the Bull of Heaven after him, he and Enkidu y it.¡± Sonya nced at Cass who kept a straight face throughout the entire thing before looking back at the hateful young man. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more to the story, that¡¯s just the beginning isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked. Otis frowned, ¡°Well, yes, but I think that¡¯s relevant enough,¡± He grinned, ¡°The ancient heroes are amazing.¡± ¡°What other legends do you know?¡± A guy sitting next to Otis asked, Sonya watched his bodynguage. He was definitely friendly with the disgusting person. Otis nced her way and she kept her expression controlled. Showing off your friends, I see. She thought. ¡°I know the Odyssey pretty well,¡± Otis said before quickly adding, ¡°If the rest of you are interested,¡± The others around the fire nced at one another and shrugged, some leaning forward. Otis grinned, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give the summary, since it¡¯s a long story.¡± Otis spends the better part of fifteen minutes spinning his tale, glorifying the character and waxing on about his brilliance and how smart heroes like Odysseus are the best kind. He does tell the story fairly well, which isn¡¯t surprising given how obsessed he is. He takes extra time to dive into the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus. Sonya¡¯s lip twitches a bit and she exchanges another look with Chunhua. After hisments the other day she had figured that his name originated from the legend, but that confirmed it for her. His ego was incredible but she¡¯d noticed something as he told the tale. He didn¡¯t understand it at all. ¡°...and he is finally reunited with Penelope,¡± Otis finished his rambling, his hand over his heart as he sat back down. There was some scattered pping as Sonya shifted in her seat. ¡°What does the story mean to you?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s the story about an incredible hero, what more is there to tell?¡± He responded with his own question. She leaned back, ¡°The heroic stories were parables, their purpose was to teach something and exin something through stories,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Some of them were a bit harder to understand than others. Take Gilgamesh for example, ultimately his story was about the futility of seeking eternal life and how one man with too much power can bring woe to those around him.¡± Otis frowned and looked distant for a moment before ncing at her again, ¡°Then what do you think the Odyssey is about?¡± He asked, crossing his arms. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of messages in it,¡± Sonya said thoughtfully, ¡°First and foremost, it¡¯s about a man struggling to live in a world of gods,¡± She let out a breath, ¡°The greek gods were always given human-like traits but they always seemed to be the worst of us for some reason. Violent, arbitrary, unforgiving,¡± She said, ¡°Prone to disturbing but often poetic punishments,¡± She chuckled, ¡°Poseidon seems topletelyck the capacity to forgive, no matter how much Odysseus suffers throughout the story. No matter how much his men suffer.¡± She nced at Chunhua and their eyes met, ¡°Humans have the capacity to forgive, to reconcile, and to start anew,¡± She said with a small smile, drawing a bit of a flush from the woman who smiled back. She looked back at Otis, ¡°Humans are capable of incredible good and are wonderfully resilient,¡± She said, ¡°Sure, we mess up, a lot. Humans can be terrible too, but we stick with it don¡¯t we?¡± She exhaled, ¡°Despite Poseidon''s cruelty, Odysseus proves that a human with a little help, can survive a sea turned against him. It¡¯s about perseverance. I like to think that means that together, humans don¡¯t need the gods, that we¡¯re capable of standing on our own,¡± She looked down at her hands and looked up at him again, meeting his eyes, ¡°That humans are amazing.¡± There was more she could have said, about hospitality, about loyalty, about growing as a person and being changed by one¡¯s experiences, but based on his shocked expression, she¡¯d said enough. She wasn¡¯t sure about the effect she¡¯d had but it felt really good to put him in his ce. Silence fell over the gathered campers for a few moments as everyone reflected. It was finally broken by Lillian who let out a breath, ¡°Wow, I need to read that at some point,¡± She said before grinning, ¡°Anybody else? This is kinda cool. Talking about the old legends in a new age of heroes. Right?¡± Some scattered voices of agreement joined her, ¡°We¡¯re the next Odysseuses!¡± Alex barked out augh, ¡°Hot damn, gotta find me a Penelope,¡± He added, getting a rolling wave ofughter as his reward. Chunhua raised her hand, ¡°I have one,¡± She said, ¡°I heard it recently,¡± Everyone went silent again and Sonya looked at Chunhua with a raised eyebrow. Chunhua swept her gaze over the crowd for a moment. ¡°Now, I¡¯m not very good at telling stories, not like Mister Mallory or Miss Chernovna,¡± She said and rubbed her neck grinning a little awkwardly. She let out a breath and squared her shoulders, ¡°I heard it from a friend, I¡¯m a little hazy on all the names so I¡¯ll make them up if you don¡¯t mind,¡± She scratched her nose and got some chuckles from the crowd. Sonya tensed, What are you doing? Chunhua let out a breath, ¡°This is a story about a girl who had an amazing teacher,¡± Chunhua began, and Sonya rxed a little bit. Don¡¯t scare me like that! She gave Chunhua a petnt look. The woman smirked at her, Oh you did that on purpose! Chunhua grinned, ¡°Let¡¯s call her Penny,¡± She said and took another deep breath before focusing on the story, ¡°Her teacher, Iris, was very special. Powerful. And had many students just like Penny, and those students had a very important job¡­¡±
Chapter 125 Chapter 125 The air that morning was hot but soothing. She sat up in her bed, the sheets falling down her shoulders as she cast her eyes about her simple room. A humble desk carved of wood from far away, a chair with it. To the right of the desk was a small shelf that was stacked with a variety of written materials. A few tablets, some scrolls from home, and a roll of wooden strips bound together by ropes. She slid to her feet and grabbed her gown, sliding it on and ncing out the window. Beyond it was a view of the gardens, many terraces going down filled with flowing water and beautiful trees and flowers. Beyond it was the desert, an expanse of unbroken sand that stretched to the horizon. She stopped at the window for a moment and admired the view, resting her hand in the opening and leaned her head out to take a breath of air. ¡°I like it here,¡± She murmured, ¡°It¡¯s quieter than home.¡± A knock came to her door and she turned, blinking furiously and reaching up to check herself. Her blonde hair fell in rivulets around her shoulders and she quickly reached for a long needle on the small table where her gown had been, ¡°A moment!¡± She called. A gruff voice responded with augh, ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting too long.¡± She perked up, half way through binding her hair up, ¡°Father?¡± She called. ¡°Were you expecting someone else this early in the morning?¡± He asked testily. She broke into a wide smile and hurried to the door, her hair half done. She threw it open with delight and looked up into the grizzled face that looked down at her. A pair of orange eyes burned as hot as the sun behind a mess of ck hair that hung loosely to cover the wounds on his tan face. He was big, muscr, powerful, even with the false leg that he leaned on. The golden metal creaked a bit as he shifted in his stance. To anyone else in the world he seemed so scary, but to her, he was just her beloved father. The most impressive person in the world in her mind. She reached up and took his face in her hands, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sheughed, ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you!¡± Her father swept her up in his arms and gave her a hug, having to kneel down a bit so she didn¡¯t hang loosely in his grip. ¡°I came to witness,¡± He said, ¡°I wanted to be here in person for it.¡± Her eyes widened, ¡°You came all the way from Olympus to see me?¡± She gasped, leaning back a bit and looking him over, ¡°Won¡¯t grandfather be upset?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here too,¡± He said with a chuckle and caught the confused look on her face, ¡°You know him, he wouldn¡¯t miss an opportunity to get away from home for a little while.¡± She snorted and he set her down, ¡°Let me finish getting dressed. The ceremony isn¡¯t for a little while,¡± She said quickly, turning to the room. ¡°Of course,¡± He nodded, ¡°And Pandora?¡± He called. She turned to look up into his face, ¡°Yes Father?¡± ¡°Congrattions.¡± It wasn¡¯t long after that she was walking arm in arm with her father through the halls of the grand pce. The staff walked by and bowed before quickly hurrying back to their duties. It felt so strange getting such deference from them, even now. She knew most of it was due to her parentage, but she couldn¡¯t help but think about her simple life before all of this. A life as a normal girl. Not a poor life, she never wanted for anything. Except to know the man that was now walking with her out into the sunlight. Ahead of her another man stood, he somehow looked younger than her father even though she knew that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. He had off-gray hair that seemed to glimmer with violet and wore white robes under light golden armor. He was speaking animatedly with another man with dark curly hair and tan skin who wore much looser clothing, closer to what the locals wore but far more refined and expensive. Silk from the east. As they drew in closer the two men turned from their conversation and cleared their throats. They¡¯re talking about something inappropriate, I bet, she thought mutely before catching the gray-haired man¡¯s glimmering violet eyes. They shed and almost sparked as he grinned at her and she quickly bowed to him, ¡°Lord Zeus,¡± She intoned before bowing to the other man next, ¡°Your majesty.¡± Lord Zeus threw out his arms in delight, ¡°Pandora! There she is!¡± He barked out augh and walked forward, ncing over at her father, ¡°Hephaestus.¡± ¡°Father,¡± Her father said with a nod. Lord Zeus grinned, ¡°Gilgamesh here was just telling me all about these gardens and some of the exciting things that happen in them,¡± He chuckled, ¡°They have some incredible parties here. I should send Dionysus some time!¡± ¡°I believe that might be considered an act of war from some perspectives,¡± Prince Gilgamesh said as he walked over to join them, putting his hand on his hip before grinning cockily, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to anger my mother, would you?¡± Lord Zeus balked and nced in Gilgamesh¡¯s direction, ¡°You make it sound like that boy would bring the whole pce down!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he?¡± Gilgamesh countered. ¡°Enough, enough,¡± Heughed and waved a hand before turning his attention to Pandora. His eyes bored down at her and she shifted a bit on her feet, he never looked at her like he did the others in the pce. He¡¯d often seem dismissive, but for her he reserved a gaze of intense attention, ¡°We¡¯re getting distracted from the person of the hour,¡± He said and tilted his head a bit. Pandora shifted on her feet again under his stare and she felt her father get a bit closer. ¡°Gilgamesh, please,¡± Hephaestus warned the man. ¡°Hmm?¡± Gilgamesh hummed, ncing up at her father, he blinked a few times before seeming to realize something, ¡°Ah! Of course,¡± He cleared his throat and took a step back, resting his hands on his hips, ¡°Pandora!¡± He said with significantly more gravitas than before. His good humor evaporated, ¡°Your presence is requested in the throne room. Do not bete!¡± Hemanded.. She quickly bowed, ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡± He nodded before turning away and vanishing into a sh of golden light, the air seemed to weigh significantly less on her shoulders and she let out a breath, she hadn¡¯t even noticed the pressure until he was gone. A few meters away her grandfather scratched at his chin, looking curiously at the spot where Gilgamesh disappeared and then back at Pandora, ¡°I wonder what he wanted with you. It seemed important, whatever he was going to say.¡± Her father gave his father a deadpan look, ¡°The same thing you want wherever you go, father,¡± He said with a grunt, drawing a flush from Pandora who cleared her throat and looked away. Zeus balked, ¡°He¡¯s older than I am!¡± He protested. ¡°Never stopped you,¡± Hephaestus jabbed. Zeus cleared his throat, ¡°Well, either way,¡± He waved his hand to dismiss the conversation before he dug himself a hole. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing this. An Arbiter hasn¡¯t been anointed in a while, and for Olympus!¡± Pandora cleared her throat, ¡°I don¡¯t know where she¡¯ll send me, Lord Zeus,¡± She said hesitantly. He huffed, ¡°Of course she¡¯ll send you home, it is only logical!¡± ¡°There is already an arbiter on Olympus,¡± Hephaestus pointed out, though he sounded a little sad in saying so. Zeus crossed his arms, ¡°Athena doesn¡¯t count! She¡¯s part of the court now!¡± ¡°My sister would be upset to hear you say that,¡± Hephaestus said, ¡°She¡¯s rather proud of her role.¡± Pandora just stood there, trying to follow the conversation. Their lives were so beyond her. The great ones of Olympus were so distant in her mind. The battles they fought for the sake of the world in the mystic ces, beyond the world and through those terrifying portals. Everything they thought about was simply in another realm. Her grandfather was hundreds of years old, perhaps even a thousand. She had barely lived two decades, and nearly a quarter of that time had been isted here at the grand pce. Farther away from danger than anyone could possibly be. ¡°...how did things go with Thor?¡± Her father asked, his words drawing her out of her thoughts. ¡°About as well as you can expect,¡± Zeus said with a shake of his head, ¡°The man is beyond stubborn, but he agreed to help. I should be able to speak with Odin soon. Damn their manic bureaucracy,¡± Zeus spat. ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you live in a ce detached from the world,¡± Hephaestus chuckled, ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have moved into that mystic ce. It¡¯s having an effect on them, I¡¯m certain. Loki has be strange.¡± Pandora cleared her throat, ¡°Should¡­ should I be hearing this?¡± She asked. The two men swiveled to look in her direction, looking a bit startled. Zeus cleared his throat, ¡°Probably not,¡± He said ufortably, ¡°Please keep what you heard to yourself, youngdy.¡± She felt her heart skip a little, nerves going up her spine. She bowed, ¡°Yes, Lord Zeus.¡± The duo nced at one another and Hephaestus put a hand on her shoulder, ¡°We should head to the throne room. The Queen is waiting,¡± He saidfortingly before ncing at his father, ¡°Shall we?¡± Zeus hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh, ¡°Very well, I wanted to see this but to be honest I didn¡¯t want to see her,¡± He grumbled and started to walk, Pandora and Hephaestus moving to join him. He scratched at his chin, there was a little stubble there. Pandora wondered if he was thinking about growing his beard back. He used to have a thick one but had opted to remain clean shaven after he had regained some youth. Apparently grandmother hated it. ¡°That woman always makes me nervous.¡± ¡°She was your arbiter, I read about it,¡± Pandora said thoughtfully. Zeus grimaced, ¡°She was,¡± He confirmed with a grunt, ¡°Not exactly a pleasant memory.¡± Pandora looked to him, confused, ¡°But she¡¯s so kind.¡± He barked out augh, ¡°To you! Oh, that woman hated me.¡± ¡°I wonder why,¡± Hephaestus grumbled, getting a petnt look from his father as they followed the path around the pce. It would have been simple for the two men to just vanish and reappear at the entrance, they each had their ways of moving quickly, but they were kind enough to walk Pandora to the gates where the guards stood. A pair of unfeeling marble statues stood in their path, looking down on them from their great heights. They did not speak, rather, they simply pushed the doors open and allowed them inside. Just as they entered another person was leaving. The trio didn¡¯t stop their walk as the pale, dark haired man from the east walked past them. He cast them a cautious look, his slitted eyes burning for a moment before he moved on. She could feel the mana rippling off of him like a heat haze that only vanished when the doors shut behind them. Zeus and Hephaestus exchanged a look, ¡°What¡¯s the snake doing here?¡± Hephaestus asked. ¡°At least it wasn¡¯t that damn monkey,¡± Zeus grunted, ¡°We would have never made it to the throne room with that buffoon talking our ears off.¡± Pandora chose to ignore their whispers this time, ncing up towards the top of the stairs where the second pair of doors waited in the impressive pce. Around them was a grand space made entirely of blue stone, it glimmered in the lights that hovered in the air around them. The scent of flowers permeated everything, the gardens outside a pale imitation to the grandeur of the interior. She¡¯d grown used to it, though, and didn¡¯t stop to marvel. Instead she held out her hand and exhaled, feeling the mana in the air gather as a small cube the size of a fruit appeared in her hand. She opened it and drew out a tiny lotus that appeared to be made entirely of a single gemstone. She closed the box and affixed the lotus to her hair. Her father nced at her, ¡°A gift? Why do you keep it in your box?¡± ¡°It is alive,¡± Pandora said quietly, steeling her nerve as they began their ascent, ¡°It would wilt if I didn¡¯t. She gave it to me.¡± ¡°A precious thing then,¡± Her father said with a grave nod. Zeus just rolled his eyes and continued up the stairs alongside them. They arrived at the second pair of gates and the guards once more pushed the doors open to reveal the throne room. A field ofpis blue hung above them and along the walls while greenery stretched across the entirety of the space. It seemed like they were outside in the sunlight, a bright sphere glowing in the air above them. Ahead, a high seat made of gold waited. Gilgamesh stood to the right of it, but Pandora¡¯s eyes were fixed on the woman sitting on the throne. She had ck hair that curled like Gilgamesh, her tan skin gleamed beautifully against the assortment of golden jewelry that hung on her person. She was tall, regal, and just looking at her made one feel small. Tattoos across her body gleamed with golden light and swam as if fish in the sea, moving constantly. She wore a ck gown adorned with golden tes that affixed it to her body. Yet it was her eyes that were the most arresting, they burned with golden light, mes in her head rather than mortal eyes. ¡°Zeus,¡± The queen spoke and the air shuddered. ¡°Queen Ishtar,¡± Zeus said as they drew near. ¡°Still cavorting rather than doing your duties?¡± She asked. ¡°I am who I am,¡± He said unflinchingly, staring back at her. ¡°I cannot change my nature. I am a King now, and I serve my role as best I can.¡± Ishtar narrowed her eyes, ¡°I certainly hope so,¡± She said before turning her eyes to Pandora. ¡°Hello, my student.¡± Pandora dropped to a knee, ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving me soon,¡± Ishtar murmured, ¡°You will be missed by more than myself.¡± ¡°If only I could stay by your side forever,¡± Pandora said before looking up, ¡°You¡¯ve taught me so much. How to see, how to understand, how to teach, how to guide the next generation. The great ones that I shepherd will be so only because of your wisdom.¡± ¡°And to think you mouthed off to me the first time we met,¡± Ishtarughed. Pandora blushed a little and cleared her throat. The Queen leaned forward, ¡°I¡¯m proud of you. I have seen what you be, what you will do with your gift, and what you will do with mine,¡± She said before extending her hand, ¡°You will live a hard life, but one day you will be remembered for the good you do for the entire world. I cannot praise you enough.¡± Pandora choked, tears welling in her eyes, ¡°Thank you, my Queen,¡± She croaked as she got to her feet. She walked past her father and grandfather, past Gilgamesh who inclined his head, and up the dais. She reached out and took the woman¡¯s hand. ¡°I, Pandora, daughter of Hephaestus, son of Zeus, will be your arbiter. Just like my brothers and sisters, your students, I will guide those who are destined for greatness and serve this world with everything I am.¡± The great one¡¯s hand tightened and she smiled with a little bit of sorrow in her eyes, ¡°The Pact is made. Be strong, Arbiter Pandora.¡± ¨C ¡°...and so the young arbiter began her story. It¡¯ste, and that¡¯s all I have for now,¡± Chunhua pointed out, checking her watch as the Aspirants all blinked, drawn out of the story abruptly and letting out a few groans. She held up her hands, ¡°Maybe some other time,¡± She said before ncing at Sonya who was giving her an odd look. Chunhua had been careful not to use the real names, of course, and had changed a bit more, in her own version. The core was still there. Hopefully, with time, the people that needed to would understand it. She let out a breath and got to her feet, stretching her arms before putting her hands on her hips. She may still be suspended but that didn¡¯t change how she was going to handle things, ¡°Aspirants! Lights out!¡± She barked and they all quickly followed suit, their day on the beaching to an end.
Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Sonya sat back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. The story that Chunhua had told was strange, she didn¡¯t recognize any of the characters in it but her gut told her that it was important somehow. It was like Chunhua was trying to exin something without exining it. She rubbed her chin, Did it have something to do with her vision after ascending to the next stage of her ability? Was the Penny character Pandora? She scratched her neck and sighed. She just didn¡¯t have enough information and she wasn¡¯t about to go down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. Her lip curled into a small smile, Speaking of which. She waved her hand and the monitors floating around the room condensed and shifted about again, ¡°Show me Martin Fuller. Breakdown of his current movements based on existing intelligence, notable transactions, and any quotes that have been recorded and are worth listening to,¡± She said aloud and the screens flickered again. In an instant numerous camera images of Martin showed up in her field of view, different angles, all of them watching as he made his way from ce to ce. His yellow eyes gleaming in each image. Her lip twitched, Between Amos, The Night Society, Charon, and Kingsharks men, I can keep an eye on you. It¡¯s a huge investment for one man, but I think it¡¯s worth it. She watched him walk down an alley in one video and nce up at the camera, a frown on his face. Do you know I¡¯m watching? She thought with amusement before chuckling a little, What¡¯re you gonna do about it detective? She crossed her legs and held out her hand, a can of soda appearing in it. She cracked it open and sipped, No worthwhile quotes. He¡¯s being careful to avoid recording devices somehow. Her eyebrow rose, Or he¡¯s not saying much, which wouldn¡¯t surprise me honestly. She snorted and sipped her drink. She nced down at it and nced around. She knew no one was there but she just wanted to make sure Ca didn¡¯t sneak up and tease her about the next part. A hard light straw appeared in the can. She sipped through it and leaned forward, Transactions, flights¡­ already in Paris! Good for you! She set the can down, I¡¯m curious what will happen when youy eyes on him for the first time, Detective, she thought smugly. Good luck! I¡¯m counting on you. That was when something happened on one of the feeds and she leaned forward, the straw slipping out of her lips as she squinted only to lean back with augh, ¡°You little fucker!¡± She cackled and kicked her feet, ¡°Someone thinks he¡¯s aedian. Alright, game on.¡± ¨C Martin nced up at the camera and frowned. Every time he saw one he had a feeling that she was able to see him somehow. It was an indirect feeling usually, like it was saving a recording. This time, though, his eyes told him otherwise. He stopped in front of the camera and stared into it, tilting his head and fishing through his pockets for what he¡¯d prepared for this exact moment. A few secondster he pulled out a business card with the words ¡®Enjoying the show, ASTArte?¡¯. He grinned at the camera and shoved the card back into his pocket, walking away.. To think she used a damn pun for the acronym of herpany¡¯s name. How has no one else noticed it? He scoffed. Making his way around a corner and into an alley. His eyes narrowed and he felt the heat building in them for a moment before the world was illuminated before him. He shuffled through the degeneracy that took ce in the alley, the befoulment, the sadness, the sickness, until he found what he was looking for. A single man stood next to the wall, he was thin but athletic, his smile a bit coy. He wore a suit despite his surroundings and seemed utterly unbothered by the filth. He reached out and pushed in one of the bricks and the wall opened up for him. Martin blinked and his vision returned to normal, he turned his eyes from the alley itself to the point on the wall the image had indicated. He walked over to it and frowned, it lookedpletely indistinct from the rest of the wall. He reached up and pressed his fingers against it and without hesitation it depressed, sliding into the wall before clicking once. The wall soundlessly slid down in front of him, revealing a stairwell going down. His eyes narrowed and he clicked his tongue when no lights came on. Typical. He fished through his pockets before pulling out a lighter and ring at it. He nced down the passage, I could use my eyes. He considered what Chernovna had said during an interview once. That she and her team ¡®theorized¡¯ that powers were like a muscle, they need to be worked to be strengthened. It annoys me that I need to take advice from her, but it¡¯ll do. He thought as he stepped into the darkness, his eyes lighting up and the space before him covered with a yellow-gold hue. He could see clearly despite it. As he did he felt something in the air to his right and nced over, his lips curling downward. ¡°You¡¯re nosy,¡± He grunted to the floating pink digital-looking eye. The eye flickered and turned into a face thatughed impishly at him before vanishing. He clicked his tongue, Crazy bitch. He grumbled and continued down the stairs. Her range is monstrous, though I suppose as long as she has a general idea of where something is, she can pinpoint. She used the field of view of the camera and then followed me. I need to be more cautious. He thought grimly as he found the base of the stairs. A tunnel stretched out in front of him with a small stream of water going down the way on his left. He reached up and adjusted his hat, stalking forward. I should have brought a weapon. As an ordinary citizen it was far harder to get a weapon past customs and France was on high alert after what happened in The Hague. He felt that presence again and spun around, shoving his hand into his pocket and grabbing the first thing he felt. He tossed it at the pink floating eye that was now following him, ¡°Would you quit following me you goddamn voyeur!¡± He barked, annoyed, and threw his lighter through the eye. It vanished and he huffed, grumbling irritably as a ssh echoed in the tunnel. He blinked and looked at his hand and then at the water, watching his lighter float by. He stared at it for several seconds before letting out a sigh and reaching up to scratch his scruffy chin, ¡°Let her annoy me, damn it. I can practically hear herughing at me.¡± ¨C Sonya leaned forward across her desk, pping her fist down on it andughing. She held onto the desk, trying to support herself as she watched Martin mourn his lighter. She sniffed and leaned back as a chime rang out in her office. She nced up and reached out with her senses, feeling Ca on the other side, ¡°Welp, guess it¡¯s time for bed!¡± She snickered and slipped out of her chair, waving her hand over the crystal and deactivating it, ¡°I¡¯ll check on youter, have fun in the sewers, detective,¡± She snickered. ¨C He felt her presencepletely vanish this time and let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Finally,¡± He grumbled and rubbed his neck, ¡°Makes my damn skin crawl,¡± He muttered before pausing and ncing down the passage. He saw no movement. He let out a breath, I got loud. Looks like there are no guards, I doubt they¡¯d be expecting anyone to just stumble on this ce that easily. He nced again over his shoulder at the spot where her eye had been floating. Did she notice that I sensed her? He chastised himself and flexed his fingers, feeling the senses in his body react to even the smallest movements around him. It was maddening at times. If I drink more it¡¯ll cut it down, but look where being drunk gets me. He grumbled. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an ability of its own or if it was something else. He was still figuring it out and had only realized how intense they¡¯d be recently. If it was an ability, it didn¡¯te with an instinct of its own. Instead, it provided him with something far more valuable. Clear andplete understanding of Gaze of Mimir. Not just the bare minimum instinct a normal person started with, every nook and cranny of the power. Fat lot of good it does me when my state of mind and the one mostpatible with the power are so damn far apart, he thought irritably. Even so, he clenched his fist, I can never let that woman touch my hand. Thanks to the Gaze I know how her powers work and why she wanted to shake my hand so badly. He clicked his tongue, Gaze of Mimir would be bad enough in her hands, but instincts that could let her perfectly understand her powers? He shuddered and started walking, I feel like I¡¯m walking around with a nuclear football. He focused on the path in front of him, pushing the grim thoughts aside. His brow furrowed as he made his way down the passage, ncing around to get more detail on his surroundings. It¡¯s an old sewer, out of use from the look of it. Just after Haussman¡¯s refurbishment, then, lots of opportunities to build an entryway like this around then. Hardly any oversight. He rubbed his neck again and paused, feeling the hairs on his neck stand on end. He frowned and turned to the right, ncing over the wall. Another? He took a few steps back and searched the history of the wall, the various shadows that walked past it. He ignored them, the flickering shapes, until finally he saw that man again. He was standing in front of the wall and saying something. Then the door opened. Martin tilted his head and squinted, walking around to get a better look at the man¡¯s face. Damn if I can¡¯t hear what he¡¯s saying. Still not synchronized enough with the eyes. He thought irritably and watched the man¡¯s lips. Give me something¡­e on¡­ he squinted, pushing a bit more into the eyes as he tried again to rx his mind, pushing the wandering thoughts away as best he could. L¡¯humanite est betail. Martin¡¯s shoulders tensed, a wave of nausea running up his throat. He nced at the wall again and swallowed hard, the very thought of repeating those words- he grit his teeth and shook his head. Whatever it takes. He thought before stepping into the spot where the man had stood and clearing his throat, ¡°L¡¯humanite est betail,¡± He said aloud, doing his best approximation of a french ent. It wasn¡¯t great but it wasn¡¯t terrible either. High School French was good for something at least, he chuckled as the a small chime rang out, the sound of a digital lock disengaging before the wall slid down revealing a new passage. He stalked forward, moving more cautiously. The hairs on his neck were still standing on end, every sense in his body told him danger was nearby. He dipped low, pulling his hat down a bit to ease the glow of his eyes. He slipped forward into a short hallway with two offshooting passages going left and right. He pressed against the right wall and peered into that passage before turning his head left into the other. He stopped and squinted, A body? He thought, spotting the legs poking into the left passage from the side. He nced back down the right passage before quickly moving to the side of the body, keeping his senses on high alert. Danger was close, but it looks like luck is smiling on me. He thought as he pulled the gun off the belt of the dead man. He examined the man for a moment but only got a name and cursory information. He¡¯d have to concentrate hard to get more and given the state of his nerves he didn¡¯t have that kind of time. He checked the magazine, full. He nced at the body again, the pool of blood originating from the man¡¯s neck. Knife, one cut, very fast. He thought as he whipped the gun up and pointed it behind his own head. The next second a knife hesitated just an inch from his jugr, ¡°I¡¯m not much of a fighter,¡± He grumbled, ¡°So I¡¯d appreciate it if we just talked.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not one of the vers,¡± It was a woman¡¯s voice, a bit hoarse, smoker? No. Singer. There was a rhythm to her words. Her ent was¡­ Australian? What was she doing here? His senses told him she was still dangerous even with the gun in her face and the knife at bay. ¡°Who are you?¡± She demanded. He didn¡¯t look back at her, ¡°A disgraced detective,¡± He said honestly. ¡°You got a lot of nerveing down into the belly of the beast, ¡®detective¡¯,¡± She growled, ¡°You¡¯re also dead weight as far as I¡¯m concerned if you can¡¯t fight. Gimme a reason to keep you alive. You¡¯ve got ten-¡± ¡°Mythic. Ocr power. See the truth of what¡¯s before me.¡± He cut her off. ¡°-seconds¡­¡± She trailed off, the danger in the air slipping immediately, ¡°You¡¯re not lying?¡± ¡°Can I turn around?¡± He asked. She pulled her knife away from his neck and took a step back. He rose, slowly, and lowered his new weapon before turning to face her. He reached up and tilted his hat a bit, giving her a cursory look. She had red hair that was cut short, freckles across her nose and a pair of luminous green eyes. He paid little attention to her figure beyond thepression shirt and the cargo pants held up by abat belt. His eyes told him the rest, ¡°Addison Kelly,bat veteran, served in TAG, awakened and left the military after identally-¡± He held up a hand, ¡°Enough, that¡¯s enough, I believe you,¡± She said cooly. ¡°Fine,¡± He grunted and shoved his new gun into his pocket. He nced down the path behind her, ¡°I¡¯m looking into the man who owns this ce.¡± ¡°You know who owns it?¡± She asked, incredulously. ¡°Superficially,¡± He grumbled, ¡°I won¡¯t know for certain until Iy eyes on him myself.¡± She frowned, ¡°Better than me, I¡¯ve been following disappearances and human traffickers, it led me here.¡± He scowled, He¡¯s already started, then. Damn it. How many people has he- He closed his eyes and let out a breath. He opened his mouth to say something and then a face popped up in his mind. He closed his mouth and rubbed the bridge of his nose, ¡°I¡¯m moving on,¡± He grunted and started walking past her. ¡°Hold it,¡± She bit out, pping the wall and blocking him. ¡°Why don¡¯t we-¡± ¡°Team up?¡± He interrupted her again, looking her square in the eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t do partners anymore,¡± He said with a sigh and dipped under her arm, ¡°But if you happen to follow me, I can¡¯t do a damn thing about it.¡±
Side Story – Vigilantes I Side Story ¨C Vigntes I The tunnel continued on for over an hour, gradually sloping downwards into the Parisian depths. Martin kept his eyes on the path, his ability granting him rity despite the growing darkness. Despite the cool atmosphere and rtive quiet, the experience was anything but pleasant. The further he moved along, more and more signs of something terrible happening in the bowls of Paris became evident. He stopped at another half-dried puddle of blood and crouched down next to it, the rity in his vision swapping out for more detail. The images were confused and muddled, fragmented, but he knew enough. It belonged to a tourist, a backpacker just starting out on their journey across Europe. He let out a heavy sigh and scratched his chin. He knew the young mans name, where he¡¯de from, everything up until he had made the foolish decision to seek ¡®satisfaction¡¯ in a back alley. From there, everything became a blur of violence and unconsciousness marred by an oveying current of mana that made getting the full truth difficult. There wasn¡¯t enough here to draw from. He needed to find a body, from that, he could see everything. He got to his feet and turned from the puddle of blood in time to see a pair of glowing green eyes looking back at him. ¡°Still following me?¡± He grunted, turning away after holding the woman¡¯s gaze for a few moments. ¡°I¡¯m just going the same way you are,¡± Addison said while not actually moving an inch until he started walking himself. ¡°You could have gone ahead,¡± He pointed out. ¡°You can see where to step without falling over,¡± She countered, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I stand behind the bloodhound?¡± He huffed and shook his head, ¡°Do what you want,¡± He said irritably as his vision switched back over to seeing the world clearly. The pathy before him in colored relief, no shadows interfering with his line of sight. He resumed his solitary march, pretending that the nosy woman wasn¡¯t following him as he went over what little information he had in his mind. For someone with Mimir¡¯s Eyes I seem to becking a great deal of knowledge. He thought grumpily, I know why he does what he does, or at least what Ishtar believes he does. Her experiences are subjective, though, I won¡¯t know for sure until Iy eyes on him myself. Why is he doing this? How does his ability work? Something with demons but- He nced back at the blood splotch on the ground, Human Sacrifice? I haven¡¯t heard of an ability that necessitated that. He frowned, Abilities have drawbacks and downsides sometimes, costs, very rarely in mythics though. He scratched at his neck before pausing and squinting down the path. He frowned and drew the gun from his pocket before throwing his hand out to the left. Addison bumped into him and was about to bark out a question when he held his hand up over her mouth, ¡°Shh,¡± He hissed. He nced down at the gun and checked the ammunition, it was cheaply made, but it was tipped with monster bone. Enough to do some damage. He scoffed, he almost missed ASTA Quality equipment in that moment. He turned his attention up to what he¡¯d seen lurking in the shadows, watching them. It was the size of a chimpanzee but terribly thin, with too-long forearms and a squat, t faced head. It had no nose, rather just a hole like on a skull. It had long serrated teeth designed for grasping and ripping. Those teeth were revealed by the knowing sneer of a creature that believed itself invisible. If I switch to truth, I¡¯ll lose sight of it, He thought, I¡¯ll have to trust my instincts. He pivoted and aimed a little to the right of the creature and fired. The single gunshot rang out, causing Addison to step back warily. The noise was enough to startle the creature as well and it quickly dislodged itself from where it had been hiding, darting to its right. Right into the line of fire. A hole formed in the side of its misshapen head and it dropped to the ground with a thud. Silenced forever. He waited for it to dissolve like a manifested creature he¡¯d seen from another light-touched ability. Nothing. It remained. It¡¯s real. Like a true monster. He clicked his tongue. ¡°The fuck Martin?¡± Addison demanded. ¡°Demon,¡± He grunted and moved ahead, stopping next to the corpse. He crouched and switched his vision over, opening himself up to the truth about the beast. He immediately recoiled and staggered back, falling ass-first onto the ground before pushing away from it. He felt nausea run up his throat before he coughed and forced it down, mming his fist onto the ground. ¡°Damn it!¡± She was right to goad me toe here. Damn that woman! He snarled as he caught his breath. Addison wasn¡¯t far behind. She stopped next to him and nced down at the corpse. Her glowing green eyes narrowed before she looked back at him, ¡°How bad?¡± She asked. ¡°You should go home, Major,¡± He said and coughed. He scowled, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, ¡°You¡¯re out of your league.¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m here till I¡¯m done, now what did you see?¡± He red at her for a moment before letting out a sigh, ¡°They¡¯re eating people,¡± He said, ¡°Slowly. Hacking off bits at a time and keeping them alive,¡± He added, his glowing eyes dimming a bit as he looked down the path again. ¡°It isn¡¯t pretty.¡± She stiffened then squared her shoulders, ¡°Why?¡± She demanded. He got to his feet and brushed himself off, ¡°Anguish influences the meat somehow for them,¡± He said, ¡°They subsist on it and mana, they¡¯re born from it,¡± He continued as he started marching his way down the passage again, his gun at the ready. There were going to be more, he knew it. He nced back at her as she moved to catch up, ¡°And no, before you ask, there wasn¡¯t a dungeon break down here.¡± ¡°Then how? The only monsters that form without a dungeon present are-¡± ¡°Hounds and Lurkers, I know,¡± He interrupted her, ¡°They aren¡¯t your ordinary monsters. They¡¯re the end result of a mythic-tier ability. One that makes permanent entities that need to be fed,¡± He paused and let out a sigh, ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep following me, I need to know, can you handle yourself in a fight?¡± She fell into step next to him and scowled in his direction, ¡°I was a Major in TAG, you tell me.¡± He returned her scowl with a thousand-yard stare, ¡°So?¡± He grunted, ¡°I¡¯m talking abilities and monsters, not people,¡± He spat. ¡°I can¡¯t fight worth shit but if you¡¯re gonna follow me around you might as well make yourself useful,¡± She nced back over her shoulder at the demon he killed. He scoffed, ¡°Lucky shot.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn everything about me with those eyes of yours?¡± She asked after a long pause. ¡°I was trying to be polite,¡± He grumbled, ¡°Only looked into your personal history. Apparently it¡¯s rude to ask someone the name of their ability,¡± He added with a shrug, ¡°So are you worth anything in a fight or not?¡± She returned his stare for a moment before letting out a sigh and reaching into her shirt, she pulled on a thin chain that he hadn¡¯t noticed before and revealed a ring hanging around her neck. It was a simple silver band with arge emerald gleaming on it. The emerald released a faint pulse as she rubbed her thumb over it. The next moment she held up her hand and a flickering green spark appeared over her palm. ¡°I can do a lot of things, but I¡¯m best at doing damage,¡± She said harshly before tapping her temple, ¡°Got spells in my head that I can cast, it¡¯s a bit of a pain to cast anything other than the offensive ones though.¡± ¡°Bluestar has an ability like yours, the Guildmaster of the ASTA Guild,¡± He said, ¡°She¡¯s talented with defensive magic, apparently.¡± She huffed and clenched her fist, the spark vanishing, ¡°Tell her I¡¯m green with envy,¡± She quipped before looking past him, ¡°Satisfied?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll do,¡± He said with a shrug and started walking again. He paused for a moment before letting out a breath, Dammit. ¡°Sorry about the whole looking into your past thing,¡± He said, ¡°That was-¡± ¡°I get it,¡± She waved it off, ¡°I¡¯m more interested in what you¡¯re even doing here. Chasing after disappeared people and stumbling into some kind of demon-rted conspiracy or whatever,¡± She said, checking her belt absently and running her hand over the handle of her gun, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t someone with your power be out there sussing out big viins? Couldn¡¯t you find Ishtar?¡± He froze mid step, his shoulders tensing. He opened his mouth but it had gone dry. His throat clenched and he felt every cell in his body force him into immobility. He closed his eyes and took a thin breath before turning to stare at her, hard. He tried again to speak but nothing came. She returned his stare and a number of emotions washed over her face. Confusion, thoughtfulness, realization, and then horror. ¡°You already did!¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 It was the day after she¡¯d watched Martin. Sonya stepped through one of her portals and into the quiet interior of her office. The lights came on of their own ord as she strode over to her desk. The wall-screen came on line and the feeds immediately appeared, spreading around her. She barely paid any attention to it, her astral eyes already forming on the ceiling and observing. If something important came up she¡¯d divert her attention but she doubted it. Besides, she had more important things to concern herself with. She sat down on her desk and yawned, the dial tone in her head ringing over twice before the other side picked up. <¡°Mistress?¡±> ckrazor answered. She smiled, <¡±ckrazor! How are things, dear?¡±> She asked. <¡±Productive, mistress. We¡¯vepleted the selective purge and replenishment of workers at the new headquarters. We are currently just a few days behind schedule,¡±> ckrazor said in his usual mild tone. <¡±We havepleted a full and thorough investigation and have removed one hundred and thirty-four high yield explosives hidden throughout the site.¡±> She tilted her head and pursed her lips, <¡±Does that include the exterior buildings?¡±> She asked, her lip twitching a bit. <¡±Yes mistress, if we continue as is we willplete the mainplex including the central building just a small deviation past the originally projected timeframe,¡±> He let out a sigh, <¡±Shameful.¡±> Sheughed, <¡±Oh don¡¯t be such a grump about it. Do you need to hire more people to catch up?¡±> She asked. <¡±That would certainly be helpful, but I doubt simply throwing more manpower at the problem will fix it. We may very well have to ept the dy,¡±> ckrazor admitted tly. She clicked her tongue, <¡±It is what it is, then,¡±> She sighed and rubbed her neck, <¡±Damn that Liberty, she¡¯s like an infection and she knows where headquarters is going to be. I might need you to at least maintain high alert until construction is done,¡±> She said, unhappy with having to do so, that was a lot of night-society agents and security forces left standing around at headquarters rather than moving about throughout the rest of the world for her. She could be tracking more people than just Martin, not that she needed to really, nor wanted to, but it would be nice to have the option avable. <¡±Nothing will touch your new home,¡±> ckrazor said with all certainty. She smiled, <¡±I appreciate you,¡±> She said, <¡±How¡¯s Kera?¡±> <¡±Still obsessed with fruit, erratic, but efficient when doing her job, calm and content when we are simply socializing, I personally don¡¯t understand it,¡±> ckrazor grumbled. She raised an eyebrow, <¡±...fruit?¡±> <¡±Dates, in particr, mistress,¡±> ckrazor said. Sonya let out a groan, she threw herself back on the desk and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to resist the urge to grind her teeth. She threw her hand up, <¡±ckrazor, dear, could you do me a favor and use that nice phone I got for you to look up what the ¡®social¡¯ definition of a ¡®date¡¯ is? Please? For me? Really quick?¡±> She said exasperatedly. <¡±I promise it might help.¡±> There was a long, very long, ufortably long, pause. <¡±Ah. I see,¡±> ckrazor mumbled. <¡±I appear to have made an unnecessary purchase.¡±> She squinted, <¡±The hell did you buy?¡±> <¡±A date farm in Egypt, I assumed it would make Kerauna happy,¡±> He said with a heavy sigh, <¡±I appear to have wasted my efforts.¡±> Sonya snorted, rxing a little. He was as dense as a neutron star but it seemed that he at least had good instincts. He just needed to redirect them a little, <¡±When you can, call Companion and talk to her about the situation, alright? Back to business. How are our spies in Liberty¡¯s territory?¡±> <¡±Understood,¡±> He paused before speaking, <¡±We have been fortunate, two of my agents in her territory werepromised but managed to escape. A third was beginning to behave erratically and I had him extracted. We are getting a steady stream of intelligence but I still do not have anyone close enough to her to do any real damage.¡±> She exhaled, <¡±Just keep an eye on her and send me a write up on what you¡¯ve learned,¡±> She said as she nced towards the screen, Liberty was standing at a podium again, shouting, <¡±I want to know everything. We¡¯re getting closer and closer to our goal.¡±> ¨C Liberty stepped down from the balcony and through the doors. Her expression darkening as she passed the two guards who bowed quickly before shutting the doors behind her. She reached up and adjusted the armor on her shoulders, the fit was off again. She scowled and stormed past a trio of women in robes who quickly dropped to their knees and pressed their heads against the ground. She ignored them too, her metal heels cking against the hard floor beneath her. This is taking too long, she thought, those wretches aren¡¯t working hard enough, after all I¡¯ve given them. Ungrateful. She growled. The men I sent to investigate the camp where my sister is staying never returned, dead probably since I haven¡¯t heard anything about it. Wise, the bombs in their guts would have gone off if they had said anything stupid, She thought as she rounded a corner. A young man with dark hair was leaning against the wall right at the edge. He nced up at her and smiled, holding his hand over his heart and inclining his head. She shot him a hard look for a moment before looking back down the path, ¡°Philip,¡± She grunted, ¡°Your sister is moving slowly.¡± Philip shrugged as he turned to walk alongside her, ¡°She always uses indirect methods, she¡¯ll do her job,¡± He said ndly, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. It glistened a little as it seemed to harden a little on his head, ¡°She¡¯s probably waiting for the right moment.¡± ¡°Either kill Cassiopeia or drag her back here, one or the other, it is notplicated,¡± Liberty snapped, ¡°Remind your sister that my patience is not endless,¡± She said with a huff, ¡°If I must send troops to the camp myself, I cannot promise her survival.¡± Philip snorted, ¡°If she dies like that, then she wasn¡¯t worth raising,¡± He said with a shrug, ¡°She¡¯s a professional, ma¡¯am,¡± He paused and then nced her way, ¡°Actually, if you do end up doing that, I¡¯d like to go myself,¡± He said with a sneer. She nced his way, ¡°Absolutely not, I want you here. I have others from the round table that I will send in that event,¡± She said as they came to a stop in front of a door, a wave of heat radiated from it and she noticed how he stepped away a bit, reaching for his hair again, ¡°Leave me,¡± Shemanded. He quickly bowed and turned away, hustling as far away as he could without actually running. She pushed the door open and a bloom of heat crashed into her, she clicked her tongue and stalked inside, shutting the door behind her, ¡°Taylor!¡± She barked. ¡°I want to talk!¡± The room before her wasn¡¯t like the spartan concrete of the rest of the mainpound. The walls were entirely made of dark metal and an orange luminescence spread radiantly through a gray haze that hung in the room. The sound of metal crashing against metal came from every direction, making it hard to discern which way one was looking. The heat bubbled the air, oppressive and nearly lethal to most, she ignored it as if it were just a particrly warm summer day as she marched through the haze, ¡°Graham Taylor!¡± She barked again, ¡°Show yourself!¡± A low ¡®tsk¡¯ ripped through the air and the haze evaporated in an instant, taking the heat with it. The room became visible and she took in the sight of weapons hanging from the walls. All of them magnificent works of art. She shifted her view past them towards the thin man sitting at a bench in nothing but a white tanktop and off-tan cargo pants. He was leaning over an anvil made entirely of dark, crystalline stone. His glowing orange eyes burned behind his sses as he looked at her, the small stic strap holding them to his head looking a little droopy in the heat. He sat up straight and ran his fingers through his cropped orange-brown hair. ¡°Liberty, pleasee in, I wasn¡¯t busy or anything,¡± He clipped dryly, ¡°I told you to call me Craftsman.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you whatever I please,¡± She snarled and stalked towards him as she reached up and unsped the buckles of her shoulder armor. She tossed it to his feet, ¡°They¡¯ve stopped fitting again.¡± He sneered at her, ¡°Perhaps you shouldy off the treats during your ¡®rituals¡¯?¡± She stepped towards him, her head tilted and he flicked his wrist, a gun appearing in his hand. The weapon was made of the same dark crystal as his anvil. He trained it on her just as her fingers reached his throat. The two stared at one another for a few heartbeats, neither moving before she pulled her hand away, ¡°Watch your mouth, Craftsman.¡± ¡°Keep giving me materials and I¡¯ll think about it, Liberty,¡± He said with a grin before ncing down at her armor, ¡°Your body is increasing in size and mass with your ability?¡± He asked. ¡°It would appear so,¡± She said with a frown, ¡°What can be done?¡± She asked. He hummed to himself, turning the pauldron over in his hand as he considered. He nced up at her and raised an eyebrow, ¡°You could give me the name of your ability, you¡¯ve figured it out haven¡¯t you?¡± He said with a cold smile, ¡°Give me that and I can make you the perfect suit of armor, never have to get out of it again.¡± She narrowed her eyes, ¡°And allow you to start discerning possible weaknesses? I think not.¡± He crossed his arms, ¡°Suit yourself, but I¡¯m working for you now aren¡¯t I?¡± He said, gesturing around his workshop, ¡°As long as you keep me well stocked and funded I¡¯ve got no reason to turn on you,¡± He said, ¡°Besides, what would I do with that information? Kill you?¡± He barked out augh, ¡°Then who would run the cult? Your sister?¡± Heughed again and leaned forward, ¡°Look, you need me as much as I need you,dy. If you want to keep me around and get what you really need out of me, then you¡¯re gonna have to show a bit of trust.¡± Her lips curled in disgust, ¡°Trust you? You¡¯re a snake.¡± ¡°I am an inventor,¡± He corrected her, ¡°And an opportunist, there¡¯s a difference.¡± She scoffed, ¡°Hardly,¡± She crossed her arms and they stared one another down for several heartbeats. She rolled her eyes and looked away, turning her back on him for a moment as she mulled it over. ¡°Does it have to be visible on the armor?¡± She asked after a long moment, tapping her foot with growing irritation. ¡°You engrave the name of the ability onto the equipment you make, correct?¡± She asked. ¡°You noticed!¡± He said, ¡°Yeah, I do, but the name doesn¡¯t have to be visible. It could be on the inside if you want.¡± She rounded on him, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you do that for the men I sent to get fitted?¡± She demanded. He shrugged, ¡°They didn¡¯t ask,¡± He said with a sneer, ¡°Besides, it was a good opportunity to test whether or not there was a difference between high visibility cements and theck thereof. Data, Liberty, data!¡± He beamed, ¡°Every piece of information gets me closer to a perfect understanding of this ability,¡± He said and gestured to the anvil and the hammer that appeared in his hand next. The dark metal hammer wreathed in gold strips glowed with a faint orange light that caused the temperature of the room to start rising. ¡°All you care about is testing your toys?¡± She demanded, ¡°Not the lives of the men wearing them?¡± He gave her an incredulous look, ¡°Like you actually care either?¡± He scoffed, ¡°You can delude everyone else but you don¡¯t have me fooled. Your blood is made of ice.¡± She popped her neck, ¡°I would endure a lot to rip your arms out of their sockets right now,¡± She growled before letting out a sigh and reaching up to run armored fingers through her hair. She nced back at him again, ¡°Standard of Glorious Camelot,¡± She said after another few seconds of hesitation. He returned her stare for a moment before he actually gave her a half-respectable smile, ¡°See, that wasn¡¯t so hard,¡± He said and gestured to the ground, ¡°Leave your armor and I¡¯ll have it done by the end of the week. Masterwork takes time.¡± She huffed and reached up to remove her breastte, tossing it to the ground. She did the same with her gauntlets, revealing thepression shirt and her growing muscles. He stared at her for a moment, eyeing her arms, ¡°You¡¯re disgusting,¡± She spat. He wrinkled his nose, ¡°Please, physical interests are a distraction from science and creation,¡± He said, ¡°I extricated distractions from my body shortly after the sh,¡± He said and nced down at his hammer, ¡°This is all I need to derive pleasure for myself,¡± he said, hefting it, ¡°I simply find the physiological changes from your ability fascinating. Arthurian in origin, very interesting,¡± He rubbed his chin, ¡°I wonder if Excalibur or Caliburn or whatever it¡¯s called is real, then.¡± ¡°No evidence so far,¡± She said as she removed thest of her armor, leaving it in a pile at his feet, ¡°If there is, I¡¯ll find it. It¡¯s mine.¡± He smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t want me to make a sword for you?¡± He asked. She turned away from him and stalked away, ¡°There¡¯s only one weapon worthy of me,¡± She said with a growl, ¡°Be honored enough you get to make my armor,¡± She added as she left, shutting the door behind her. She closed her eyes and ignored the fit of madughter that echoed through the door as she stepped into the hallway. Psychopath, she thought and made her way down the hall. As she walked one of the women walking down the hallway saw her in nothing but herpression shirt and cks and hurried to her side, taking off her own shawl and presenting it to her without hesitation. Liberty stared at the offered cloth and resisted the urge to p it away in disgust, ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you,¡± She growled instead, continuing past, ¡°I have clothes in my chambers,¡± She said, ¡°Send for the rest of the round table. I want them to meet me in an hour.¡± She paid no attention to the figure prostrating behind her and instead marched down the hall until she got to the stairs, going up and and up until she arrived at the floor set aside for her personal residence. She pushed through the double doors as her eyes began to glow again, One week until my armor is done. That¡¯s good enough. Philip¡¯s mole has one week until I mobilize against the East Coast Camp.
Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Announcement Hey gang! I do a lot of shout outs for other series but today I wanted to do one for you guys. Thank you so much for your continued support and for enjoying this story as we continue to follow Sonya''s journey! There''s so much more toe! I wanted to let you guys know that this current volume, Fog of War, ispleted on Patreon and we are well on our way to 200 chapters within the next few weeks. Isn''t that crazy? We are also well on our way to the official published release of Volume 1: Deus Ex Machina. Editing is going well and we''re about done making decisions concerning the audiobook with Podium. It''sing!!! If you enjoy the story, please consider joining the patreon and the discord. We have lots of channels and I try to be on there as much as I can. I want to also let you guys know that I will be taking a week break next week November 11 - 15 to catch my breath a little and catch up on my backlog. Thank you guys so much! We''ve got more toe! - DerelictPresence aka TheBroker Sonya stepped out of her office, the metallic door hissing shut behind her as she traipsed over the cushy floor of her dojo. She¡¯d finished reading over the write up that ckrazor had sent her, it was shorter than she had hoped, but that was to be expected. Liberty may have a very public presence but actual detail was hard toe by. She was apparently wearing new armor recently and had been equipping her men well. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, I should have told ckrazor to push for one of his men to get into Liberty¡¯s headquarters yesterday, she thought and then scratched at her head, No, if it could have been done by now it would have. Ah, how is she vetting people? She grumbled before letting out a groan and turning left towards one of the other doors leading out of her dojo. The doors opened with a hiss and she smirked, Kind of a shame those punks didn¡¯t make it in here before I caught them. Poor Ollie, he would have been so excited, She chuckled inwardly. She stepped into the trophy hall, yawning a little. She¡¯d had to find a ce to put the rewards from the various dungeons that she and her guild had managed to clear. Some of them weren¡¯t items that were of any use to her people, yet, so she wanted them safe. She passed by the odd doll from the goblin dungeon and the mace, the real one, not the one that was on disy at the ASTA Guild Headquarters. She reached over and touched the ss around it, ¡°Hey Nick,¡± She said with a smile, ¡°Miss you buddy,¡± She rapped her knuckles on the ss before walking towards the next case, nobel was on it, just like the others. She turned to the ss and stared at it for a moment, the bone knife inside gleamed oddly in the artificial light above her. It brought back memories, she watched Feng Hyunh fall to her death all over again and exhaled as a call came in. She nced at her HUD, Mephisto? This should be good. <¡±Hey girl hey!¡±> She answered with a cheeky grin. <¡±Got somethin¡¯ for ya, ma¡¯am,¡±> Mephisto chirped back at her, a small chuckle in his voice, <¡±I¡¯m with the Spice King, he wants a word,¡±> She pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows, <¡±Oho, business call? Alright, put me on,¡±> She cleared her throat as she activated the voice filter for the call. She heard the phone on the other end shift to speaker mode and she rxed. A part of her wanted to pull the mask on, but, maybe this time she could do it herself. <¡±Spice King! What a pleasant surprise,¡±> She said, leaning against the case that held the Vegas knife, <¡±What can I do for you?¡±> ¨C The silence was a balm, like a cool towel on the neck during a heat wave. It wasn¡¯t aplete silence, he could hear his own faint breathing, the sounds of the shifting in the walls, the faint adjustments to the venttion to push air into the room. Those little sounds didn¡¯t bother him, it was like a symphony atop the blessed silence that soothed his soul even more. He rested his head against the hard wall behind him and closed his eyes, a small smile ying on his face. He savored it, the deafening silence that would notst forever. This is nice, I should kill the other inmates more often. He let out a pleasant sigh as the mild thought passed through him. He tapped his fingers against his thumbs, powerful, dense, taught muscle in his lithe arms tensed and flexed. He wanted to doze off, take a nap, he wasn¡¯t exactly sure how long he had been in this room. Not that he cared. Every second was a treasure. If only there was a way to make it permanent. After all, all good things came to an end. He opened his eyes, a blue the color of cial ice; almost white, glowed from his irises. The sole illumination in the room from his eyes was bright enough to reflect off the heavy metal door in front of him. The door shuddered and a panel slid on it. A pair of human eyes stared at him through the opening, they met his and quickly averted. ¡°Graff.¡± The guard grunted. ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡± Graff clicked his tongue. He rolled his neck and looked away from the door, ¡°How many inmates do I need to kill to stay?¡± He asked. ¡°Kill too many and they¡¯ll put you in a hospital,¡± The guard chuckled, ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to do therapy and talk about your feelings.¡± Graff¡¯s nose wrinkled with disgust and he stared at the wall a bit longer. He rose slowly to his feet and walked over to the door, resting his head against it, ¡°Having trouble with a new kid?¡± He asked, tilting his head and slowly sliding his head down the metal till he was eye level with the guard. His gaze bored into the guard¡¯s, sweat immediately beading on the man¡¯s forehead. His smile curled up just a little bit, ¡°Well? Fill me in,¡± Graff mumbled, the volume of his voice never changing. The guard pulled away a bit, blinking a few times, ¡°Yeah, came inst week,¡± The guard mumbled, ¡°He¡¯s trying to rally the others for a break.¡± Graff frowned, ¡°It¡¯s not time for a break,¡± He said cooly, the door creaked and shuddered, the concrete beneath his feet rippled, the air grew tenser, heavier, every particle in the air seemed to stop for a moment before he let out another breath, ¡°Alright, put me in, coach.¡± The guard swallowed audibly before he moved to tap away at a keypad next to the door. He took a step back afterwards, the door hissing before it slid aside and exposed Graff to the light of the hall outside his solitary cell. He narrowed his eyes against the bright artificial lighting and stepped out slowly, reaching up to rub his neck and pop his shoulders a few more times. He looked up to the ceiling for a moment before sighing, ¡°It was nice while itsted,¡± He muttered before looking down at the guard who was standing in front of him, shaking like a leaf, a metal suit case in his hands. He narrowed his eyes, ¡°Is that necessary?¡± He asked. The guard swallowed louder than before, ¡°While I¡¯m moving you back to your cell, I need to put these on you. You have a reputation for good behavior and what you did was technically in self-defense so-¡± He trailed off. Graff leaned forward, ¡°Say what you mean,¡± He growled, ¡°You need to look good in front of the inmates by having me in cuffs,¡± He held out his hands and looked the guard in the eye. His glowing pupils shrank a little as he spoke, ¡°Do it,¡± He growled, ¡°But if you turn them on, when theye off-and they wille off eventually-I will atomize every living thing in this building.¡± The guard shrank back an inch and nodded, wide eyed, before quickly opening the suitcase and pulling out the mana-restraining cuffs. He put them on Graff¡¯s wrists and spoke quickly, half-stumbling over his words, ¡°Suh-Special Category V-viin, Graff,¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°Y-you are being transported to your personal cell after your solitary confinement stay for good be-behavior,¡± He managed and turned his head to look down the hall. Graff followed his gaze and snorted, a pair of men carrying assault weapons were standing at the other end, eyeing him like a wild animal. ¡°Special Category, that something new?¡± Graff asked,zily turning towards the armed guards and walking ahead of the man behind him. He was pretty sure the guy was a leader of some kind but he couldn¡¯t care less about getting to know him. ¡°The Pandora Committee established a list of Superviins who are considered extreme threats to society and the world,¡± The man said behind him, hurrying to follow, ¡°The special category was reserved for one person originally until some idiot leaked that you exist.¡± Graff raised his eyebrows and stopped in the path. He slowly turned his head and stared at the guard for several seconds. The man shrank again before he turned back towards the hallway and slowly made his way towards the door. His expression slipped back into a thin line. He turned without waiting for the guards and walked past them, out through the open door as they scrambled to move and nk him. He rolled his jaw left and right, staring forward as they moved through the secondary security hallway for the solitary confinement portion of the prison. A small toon of guards stood at the other end this time, weapons trained on him. He clicked his tongue and nced over his shoulder, ¡°Trying to make warden?¡± He rumbled. The man frowned, squaring his shoulders a little as he put on his best act, ¡°Not your problem, inmate.¡± Graff chuckled and looked back at the guards, ¡°Open up, I¡¯m going back to my cell. Wanna get caught up on my ¡®clips ount,¡± He said, not stopping in his walk. The guards looked at one another hesitantly for a moment as the wanna-be warden waved his hands at them, hurrying to Graff¡¯s side and nodding briskly. They got the message and quickly moved to release the various locks on therge door ahead of him. He didn¡¯t stop walking and they barely managed to get it open when he reached it. He walked through and out into the hall where a half dozen inmates were walking past, heading to themon area. They froze as he walked past, the armed guards moving to take up positions around him. He didn¡¯t give them a second look, keeping his eyes fixed forward. The guards paraded him through the halls, taking a slightly round-about route all the way to his own cell in F-block, more poprly known as the VIP Block. Unlike the ordinary cells in the rest of the building, these had reinforced post-pandora ss for walls and were filled with the trappings of home. He even had a television with enough inte ess to watch his shows. His lip twitched as they stopped in front of his cell and he nced towards the cell to the left of his, a man in the cell had his face pressed against the ss and was staring at him. The guy was thin, gaunt even, with sunken eyes that burned with a faint red glow. ¡°Connor,¡± Graff said. ¡°Graff,¡± the man snickered, ¡°How ya been?¡± The guards started to remove his cuffs, ¡°Was enjoying the quiet till someone noisy showed up.¡± Connorughed, ¡°Yeah, figured they¡¯d let you out when the new guy started ppin¡¯ tables with his dick,¡± He paused and met Graff¡¯s eyes, ¡°Calls himself an Elementalist.¡± Graff paused and raised his eyebrow, ¡°Actual elementalist?¡± He asked as the cuffs finisheding off. He rubbed his wrists and nced at the guards who quickly got out of arm''s reach. One of them opened his cell and he stared at the door while waiting for Connor¡¯s response. Connor¡¯s expression went wild for a moment, his eyes bulging as he showed his teeth that had been shaved down into points, ¡°Wind user. Calls himself Gale Force,¡± Graff pressed his tongue against the inside of his lip and looked up at the ceiling, he huffed through his nostrils, ¡°And here I was almost looking forward to some TV,¡± Graff said with a small chuckle and turned on his heel. He looked straight down at the wanna-be warden, ¡°Where?¡± The warden¡¯s expression bounced between terror and delight, ¡°Enrichment Field A.¡± Graff pushed past him, ¡°Keep my cell in solitary open.¡± ¨C Graff stalked past the other inmates who took a moment to recognize him. Some of them were pulled out of the way by their friends and allies, whispers of warning spreading through the crowd. Everyone took note of his bare wrists, everyone knew, he didn¡¯t care. All he cared about was the son-of-a-bitch arrogant enough to call himself an elementalist. He couldn¡¯t care less if the guy was trying to make himself a big man on campus. The dick-measuring contest was beneath Graff. He didn¡¯t care if the guy wanted to cause a little trouble. He was even willing to overlook this idiot trying to break the schedule. ¡°A wind user calling themselves an elementalist,¡± He scoffed as an inmate raced to the doors and pushed one open for him to step through. He felt the sun against his skin for the first time in a long time and his t expression turned into a frown, ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± He stepped out and spotted a pair of familiar faces sitting at a table close to the doors and far away from the majority of the inmates. He turned in that direction, walking over with his hands in his pockets and stopped behind an enormous man who was hunched forward. ¡°Frankie,¡± Graff rumbled, reaching out and flicking the big man in the back. The big man jolted and sat up straight, turning around and pulling his fist back as if ready to tten Graff. He blinked when he saw him and broke into a smile, ¡°It¡¯s Graff! Hey!¡± Heughed and turned on his seat, nting his feet. He was at least twice Graff¡¯s size. The ability he¡¯d awakened in a contract with Ishtar was some sort of growth rted power or something. Graff really wasn¡¯t sure, but it¡¯d made him crazy strong. ¡°Hear we got a new guy,¡± Graff said, ¡°They brought me out to say hello.¡± Frankie frowned and nced to his right towards arge gathering of men on the other side of the enrichment field. Graff nced that way and spotted a ck-haired guy sitting on a table. He was beefy but not overly so from what Graff could see. He shrugged and looked back at Frankie, before ncing around, ¡°Where¡¯s Wicker?¡± He asked. Frankie shifted on his feet and stepped to the right, revealing another inmate who was sitting at the table, hiding behind the bigger Frankie with his hands over his head. Graff narrowed his eyes and walked over, grabbing the guy by the scruff of his shirt and pulling his head out from under his hands. The kid¡¯s face was a fucking mess. ck eye, cuts, scars, and from the look of it his jaw was all messed up. Graff narrowed his eyes, ¡°Wick. The fuck happened to your face?¡± Wicker looked away sullenly, ¡°Nuffin.¡± Graff lifted him to his feet, spun him around and grabbed him by the shirt, ¡°I asked you a question, Wick,¡± Graff growled, ¡°The fuck happened to your face?¡± Wick turned his eyes slowly to look at Graff then shot his gaze towards the upstart standing on the table. Graff stood up a bit straighter and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Tried to stop him from rallying for a riot?¡± Graff asked. The kid shrugged and Graff dropped him back on his seat. He licked his lips and turned towards the guy in the distance. A massive handnded on his shoulder and he nced at it, frowning. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Charon¡¯s got a bounty on high-tier powers, living is worth more,¡± Frankie said quickly. ¡°Ishtar askin¡¯ for ¡®em specifically. Just heard about it today.¡± Graff narrowed his eyes, ¡°She doesn¡¯t give me orders,¡± he growled and pulled his shoulder away, ¡°Besides, it sounds like Charon will pay for corpses too.¡± He stalked across the field, the sun was starting to annoy him more and more. His temper rising as he shoved his hands into his pockets and stared tly at the man who was now fully standing on the table. He was shouting something that Graff had no patience to even listen to. He grumbled and made his way forward, stopping in front of the crew of men that were all looking up at their new ringleader. One of them nced back and went wide-eyed. He quickly shook the guy next to him and soon everyone was staring at Graff, thest to take notice was the ringleader himself. ¡°You Gale Force?¡± He called. A whip of wind pped against his skin. He nced down at his chest and then up at the guy who had already turned away. The others were still staring at him and one reached up to grab Gale Force¡¯s attention. The man frowned and looked back at Graff, his expression souring a bit. ¡°Get lost,¡± Gale Force said, ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Gale, that¡¯s Graff,¡± One of them hissed quickly. Gale raised an eyebrow and grinned, hopping off the table and pushing through his men. He spread his arms out, ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t the so-called ¡®monster¡¯ Graff! You¡¯re shorter than I expected. I half figured you¡¯d be as big as that punk-ass Frankie, given how much everyone sucks your-¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Graff said and strode forward, fixing the guy with a stare. ¡°I was talking you-¡± Gale bit out, a gust of wind pressing against Graff. Graff just walked through it, unblinking, his ice-blue eyes glowing a little brighter as he drew nearer and nearer to the man. Gale concentrated and pushed harder, several of the men around him getting pushed away by the wind that was now bearing down on Graff. Graff just kept walking until he was standing over Gale. Graff¡¯s eyes were wide, his pupils small, his expression stony, he tilted his head, ¡°Here¡¯s what¡¯s about to happen,¡± He bit out, ¡°I¡¯m going to turn every other cell in your lungs into a razor sharp diamond. You¡¯re going to get to take onest breath. Then you¡¯re going to die,¡± He said and his arm whipped out without another word. His fingers pressed against the man¡¯s chest and he pushed him back a full step. The man held his ground, ring at Graff before he took a breath and his eyes went wide, blood poured from his mouth in a gout and he dropped like a heavy sack. Graff swept his gaze over the others, not even looking at the fresh corpse, ¡°The break happens when the call goes out, no sooner,¡± He growled. ¡°Don¡¯t bother me with this bullshit again or I¡¯ll kill everyone involved.¡± He turned away and walked towards the exit, the guards alreadying out. The wanna-be warden stopping in front of him, pale-faced. Graff smirked at the guy, ¡°Apparently Charon¡¯s paying for high-tier corpses,¡± He murmured, ¡°Get your money¡¯s worth,¡± He said and stalked past, holding his wrists out and waiting to be cuffed before getting dragged back off to Solitary. He tilted his head and nced over at Frankie and Wick who were staring at him surprised. He grinned at them and looked up at the sky, ¡°Lookin¡¯ forward to my next nap, I have a feeling my next stint in solitary won¡¯t nearly be as long.¡±
Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Sonya tossed the knife up and down in her hand, turning it over between her fingers. She stared at it for a moment, admiring the white material. She hadn¡¯t brought it out of its case in a while. It was light and harder than anything that Amos had been able to make thusfar. The long de was somewhere between abat knife and a machete. She nced up at the door leading out of her dojo and bounced a bit on the balls of her feet as she pulled up her hud and began putting in the settings for the doll that woulde out of it. The other dolls in the test house were nonbat, used for more domestic purposes. The ones lined up behind that door on the other hand. She popped her neck as the door opened and a doll strutted out, walking with a very familiar gait. In its hand was a knife of its own. It adjusted its posture and stood casually, hand on its hip and knife pointed at her. The flexible machine waited until she raised her own weapon, adopting the same pose. They faced one another for a moment before she tilted forward, ready¨C A chime rang in her head and she groaned, ¡°Ohe on! I was just about to-¡± She blinked at the name and answered immediately after changing over her voice. <¡±Mister Earl! How are you sir?¡±> She asked, lowering her weapon and gesturing for the doll to leave. It bowed and turned back to walk into the room. <¡±Mistress Ishtar, thank you for taking my call.¡±> He said stiffly. Her lip twitched, <¡±Prichard, no need to be so formal, you¡¯re doing good work for me. How are things?¡±> She asked as she twirled the knife between her fingers. <¡±Craig Hart¡¯spany has been fully acquired by the new shell corporation. At first we considered liquidating his assets but to be honest there are some interesting things in his portfolio,¡±> Prichard said, sounding a bit more rxed, <¡±You¡¯ll be pretty interested in some of it.¡±> She raised an eyebrow, <¡±Oh? Corporate transactions do move slowly don¡¯t they, what do you have for me?¡±> She asked, walking towards her office. The door opened with a hiss and she sent the mentalmand to pull up a recording of the Olympics on one of the sections of screen around the room. She sat on her desk as a file made it into her HUD. She opened it and scanned it briefly. <¡±What am I looking at?¡±> <¡±A filtered list of his properties, they make up about twenty percent of the holdings in various countries he¡¯s acquired over the years,¡±> He said, <¡±Still a pretty big list.¡±> Sonya raised an eyebrow, <¡±Your point? What¡¯s the filter?¡±> <¡±Mana hotspots,¡±> He said with augh, <¡±Zones at a high risk for dungeon formation.¡±> Sonya¡¯s eyebrows rose and a wicked smile stretched across her face, <¡±Jackpot.¡±> ¨C He walked down the hall, his cane striking the ground now and then. He didn¡¯t need it anymore, his control over his body had improved by leaps and bounds. Even so, he still liked it, it made him feel ssy. He whistled a bit as he made his way along the path, twirling his cane between his fingers now and then as he passed paintings. Paintings of himself superimposed in a number of historical events, or just famous paintings. Was it a bit egotistical? Sure, he¡¯d admit to that. Was it also hrious and really tied in this particr hallway¡¯s decor? Absolutely. He snickered a little to himself as he came to a stop in front of a pair ofrge double doors. He nced back the way he¡¯de, the high-ceiling of the dimly lit hallway giving it a cavernous feel. He reached out with his cane and rapped on it twice. A low growl answered him, deep enough to rattle the air a bit, and he brightened. He pushed the doors open and threw his hands open in greeting. ¡°Pavlov! Daddy¡¯s here!¡± He called out into therge, darkened chamber. Deep in the dark, a shadow shifted, and a glowing red eye opened. It was huge. Easily the size of a dinner te. The eye swiveled unnaturally in the creature¡¯s head before pointing in his direction. He held his arms open as something big and terrible moved. Its massive bulk shifted in the shadows, a headrger than a ridingwnmower turned in his direction. A paw hit the ground and the floor shook once then again, and again, as the massive thing barreled toward him at full speed. Charon let out augh as the titanic dog crashed into him, bowling him over and licking his face with a tongue as wide as a wee mat. He keptughing as Pavlov licked his face, pawing the ground and pressing its nose against his head, huffing and sniffing now and then. ¡°Good boy! Who¡¯s a good boy!¡± He praised the mighty canine, the sole survivor of his initial group of zombies. Out-aging all of his zombies by half a year at the minimum. His rise to power hadn¡¯t been easy, but Pavlov had been his constantpanion and ally. He scratched at the beasts fur as the zombified hound nuzzled him, overjoyed at his attention. He pat the side of its head, ¡°Alright buddy, let me up! Come on now!¡± It let out a growling ¡°Rowf!¡± of acknowledgement and pulled away, nting its rear on the ground and sitting up at attention. He had to crane his head back to look at it, even as he got up. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten big!¡± Heughed, ¡°You ready for your next meal?¡± The hound barked again and leaned forward, sniffing at him. ¡°You¡¯ve also gotten smarter again,¡± He pat the side of its nose, ¡°No I don¡¯t have it on me, buddy. It¡¯sing. So don¡¯t eat the delivery guys, alright?¡± It squinted at him as if in consideration before huffing out a breath and barking again, sitting up straight and dignified. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d never eat one of my zombies by ident. Not once,¡± He said sarcastically. The hounds head drooped a little and he snickered, ¡°You¡¯re fine, it wasn¡¯t that big a deal, bud,¡± He said and looked the creature over. It still looked like a hound for all intents and purposes but it was so muchrger than any hound he had ever heard of. More importantly, after it had reached six months in age he had felt that he could loosen some of the connections between himself and it and let it act more and more independently. It was different from programming his zombie puppets,ing up with recordings or interys. No, Pavlov was special. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because it was a monster or if it was because of its age, but he could feel it growing smarter and smarter, drawing off its connection to him to essentially construct its own identity. The result of that and regr feedings? The biggest and bestest boy in the whole wide world, as far as I¡¯m concerned. He thought proudly as the doors behind him rattled. He sensed two of his zombies on the other side and they opened the doors at his whim. Pavlov growled once but he gave the dog a look and it settled. The two zombies in suits strode inside, dragging a corpse along with them. A dead-eyed man with a portion of his forearms carved out. Charon rubbed his own forearms and checked the fresh stitching. He was getting good at that. ¡°Got something special for you today, Pavvy,¡± Charon said as the two zombies dumped the corpse on the ground. He kicked it, ¡°This is a heroic-tier viin who crossed a new friend of ours,¡± He said with a chuckle and walked around the body before stepping away from it. Pavlov sniffed the air and sent him a look. He shrugged at it, ¡°What?¡± He sneered a little and showed off his wrist, ¡°I just took a little bit.¡± The hound didn¡¯t need any more prompting, it stalked forward and snatched the remains of Gale Force into its mouth, chomping down with bone-crushing force before swallowing the body whole. A faint glow burned for a moment beneath the beasts skin and it let out a heavy breath, tossing its head left and right with a shiver of delight before barking again at him and wagging its tail. He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Don¡¯t get greedy,¡± He teased the massive canine. It let out a whine and he walked over, wrapping his arms around its snout, ¡°Oh you¡¯re so good! I can¡¯t give you anymore right now but I¡¯ll get you something tasty as soon as I can! Good boy!¡± A feeling went through him as he squeezed hispanion. It huffed and nced towards the doors. He paused as well and turned his head, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Seems we have a visitor,¡± He said gravely, ¡°Powerful one.¡± He pulled back and straightened his coat as he willed the zombies at the entrance of the Styx to invite their guest to the Large Parlor. He turned and walked out the door as the zombies that had brought the corpse opened them. Behind him, Pavlov lumbered forward, not stopping as it reached the doors and trotted out into the hallway that had been made more than big enough to fit its bulk. Charon made his way to the end before turning away from the smaller doors that lead into the main hallway of his home. Instead he turned left to anotherrge pair of doors that opened again with just a thought. The two zombies on the other side stared nkly at him and Pavolv as they walked in. The Large Parlor was just that, a wide room with a high ceiling meant for greeting guests while Pavlov was avable and giving the massive hound a ce to walk around and do other things besides sleep and y in his room. The room consisted of a false ss ceiling with blue ss arches and lights set up behind them to make it look like daytime. A garden made entirely out of artificial nts and greenery was present. He¡¯d never considered himself much of a green thumb and wasn¡¯t going to risk killing a bunch of nts just to make something pretty. A small creek flowed through it using some of the water from the building¡¯s pipes. At the center was a gazebo made of white wood. He walked towards it with a smirk on his face as he spotted the figures waiting for him. Two zombie guards and someone sitting in a wheelchair. He rest his cane on his shoulder and stepped up, Pavlov looming behind him as he alighted on the floor of the gazebo. He cracked a toothy grin, ¡°And to whom do I owe the pleasure?¡± He said with a darkugh, looking the person in front of him up and down. It was a bald old man, thin, tired, with gray mottled skin almost like a zombie¡¯s. He had haggard bags under his eyes and a cold expression. His eyes themselves, though, were full of vitality and barely restrained contempt. The old man was sitting in a wheelchair with a nket over his knees. Thin hands with delicate w-like fingers in hisp. The old man¡¯s lip twitched, ¡°Are you Ishtar¡¯s middleman?¡± He rasped. Pavlov growled and Charon held up a hand, grinning, ¡°I believe you¡¯re looking for Mephisto, in that case,¡± He said with a small bow, ¡°I am Charon. Ishtar and I have a partnership but I make my own business, thank you very much,¡± He corrected the old man before tilting his head and giving the man a vicious look, ¡°You still haven¡¯t introduced yourself, sir. That¡¯s rude. I don¡¯t like it when people do that. It makes me very disinclined to help them.¡± ¡°I am Blight,¡± The old man growled. Charon blinked and stood up a bit straighter, tilting his head to the left and right, ¡°You? You¡¯re Blight?¡± He blinked and reached into his pocket for his phone. He pulled it out and tapped away for a moment, mumbling to himself before he pulled up the Pandora¡¯s Most Wanted list. He selected Blight and a picture appeared of a frowning middle aged man with hair. He squinted at it, then up at the old man, then down again. He pursed his lips and held the picture up next to the old man¡¯s head. The old man frowned and Charon barked out augh, ¡°Well I¡¯ll be!¡± He snickered and put his phone away, ¡°You know some people frown upon posting up old pictures on your dating profile,¡± He said, waving his cane disapprovingly. ¡°I¡¯m forty two,¡± Blight rumbled. ¡°Eh?¡± Blight stared at him, ¡°My ability reverses damage on things,¡± He growled, ¡°The consequence is that my body suffers the repair as age and sickness instead. I have various forms of cancer and my body is withered and broken.¡± Charon raised an eyebrow and nced back at Pavlov who snuffed once and sat down, staring at the old man. It didn¡¯t seem interested in eating him anymore. He turned his attention back to Blight, ¡°So you want healing from Ishtar? Get your youth back?¡± Blight¡¯s lip twitched, ¡°I have a scheme to propose for Ishtar. My youth is just a portion of the deal and wholly unnecessary, though it would expedite things.. It will take time to achieve what I want, more than a year or two at minimum, but I¡¯vee to realize that I cannot achieve my ends without support.¡± Charon was impressed. This guy couldn¡¯t care less about his own body as long as it meant achieving his goals. He stood up straight and adjusted his tie, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m interested. Let¡¯s see if Ishtar would be too. Whatcha got for me?¡± Blight¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°There¡¯s a man I want to kill more than anything on this earth.¡± ¡°A single murder? I could just call up the night so-¡± The old man coughed, loudly, cutting him off. A cough that turned into a peal of wheezingughter. Charon blinked and his lips dipped into a frown, ¡°You got a problem with the Night Society?¡± ¡°You are suggesting throwing pebbles at a mountainside,¡± The old man chortled cruelly, leaning back in his wheelchair, ¡°This person won¡¯t go down that easily.¡± ¡°Who are we talking about?¡± Charon asked. ¡°First Wind,¡± Blight snarled, clenching his fists, ¡°First Wind! That insidious wretched malcontent!¡± He mmed his fists on his wheelchair, ¡°He runs around destroying natural wonders and isted pollution centers to test the strength of his abilities, then he mes it all on me!¡± He roared, his fingers popping and cracking under the pressure of his rage. ¡°I may have been an ecological activist at one time, but I stopped my activities after the sh!¡± He swore, spitting on the ground, ¡°I¡¯ve been going around restoring damaged natural sites! I was working on healing the great barrier reef!¡± The old man¡¯s rage was palpable, ¡°I heard you wrecked the reef,¡± Charon said. ¡°First Wind!¡± The old man nearly shrieked before slipping into a coughing fit, ¡°That piece of shit came in while I was working, took pictures of my ship, and then ravaged the reef with his ability! He picks isted spots to practice and train. I¡¯ve been monitoring him. The damage to the redwoods in California was him too!¡± Charon pursed his lips and nced back at Pavlov who wasying on his side and paying absolutely no attention at this point. Charon huffed through his nostrils. He was trying to look vaguely interested while he was actually extremely interested. Ishtar had made it a point to give him a list of names that she was explicitly interested in dealing with. Among that list was First Wind. Each and every one of them she wanted some sort of role in killing. He rubbed his neck with his cane, though, and tilted his head in thought. If he came across too eager then the man might make more demands than necessary. More importantly, this sounded like the kind of thing that Ishtar should address directly. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He hummed, stepping away for a moment and starting to pace, ¡°Let¡¯s say I believe you. Do you have a n? A higher goal than just killing this son of a bitch? Sounds like you can¡¯t go around healing the world forever,¡± Charon said, turning back to him, ¡°Ishtar likes long term ns too.¡± Blight stared at him for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m putting together a team and a possible sessor. We have a few ns in mind to bring First Wind down, but again, it will take time,¡± He looked down at his hands, ¡°As for my other activities,¡± He trailed off for a moment before speaking, ¡°If she deigns to return my youth to me, I¡¯ll not only start healing the world again, I¡¯ll start attacking pollution centers again if she wants. I¡¯ll be the bad guy they made me out to be if that¡¯s what it takes to earn her favor.¡± Charon raised his eyebrows and smirked, ¡°You know what? I think we could do business,¡± He said and pulled out his phone again, ¡°Let me get in touch with Mephisto and you and the dealmaker himself can have a little talk. If everything goes well, I might be able to convince the Queen to make a visit. I¡¯m sure her direct intervention is much more potent than her age-reversing contracts.¡± The withered man let out a breath of relief and slumped in his seat, ¡°Consideration is all I ask,¡± He said with a sigh, ¡°Thank you, Charon.¡± ¡°Just doing my job, Blight. Regardless of whether or not you¡¯re actually guilty of your crimes, I consider it an honor to be hosting one of the top ten in my club. Shall I set you up with a room?¡± Charon asked, finishing a quick text message and sending it off. Blight smiled at him, ¡°That would be nice.¡±
Side-Story: Side Quests 2 Side-Story: Side Quests 2 He stood in the midst of the trees and flexed his fingers, his eyes rolling up into his head. He rolled his neck, shifting once on his feet as he tasted the mana in the air. The words bounced around in his head. He let out a shaky breath. Why did it bother him so much? Was it because they came from someone he couldn¡¯t help but respect? There was a weight of truth to the words, it was like it was impossible for them to be a lie or something. The thought sent a chill up his spine and he grit his teeth. Humanity is resilient. He opened his eyes and they lit up with a blue glow as he took a few more shaky breaths. Humans don¡¯t need gods. He clenched his fists, ¡°It¡¯s not enough. I need to be more.¡± He thought, ¡°She just doesn¡¯t get it, she doesn¡¯t understand what a god is. What I could be to everyone,¡± His lip curled, ¡°Before the end.¡± He held out his hand and with a flex of his item cheat a golden sword appeared. It glowed brightly with an off-yellow light as he swung it about. ¡°A sword?¡± He scoffed and shoved it into the ground, leaving it there for a moment as he stalked back and forth and called up the crown he used to add to the illusion of his made-up power. ¡°A crown?¡± He clenched it in his fist and tossed it over to hang off of the hilt of the sword. ¡°A few item cheats, immunity, anonymity,¡± He spat, ¡°Maxing out my stats,¡± He rumbled, ¡°But are they really the max?¡± He held out his hands and activated the cheat, feeling strength rush through his body. He exhaled and mist boiled from his lips. His defenses, his self-regeneration, his health, his physical power. He glowered at his hands, ¡°Are they really enough?¡± He flexed his fingers and examined his hands, ¡°What if I¡­¡± He spat on the ground. ¡°...but I¡¯m perfect!¡± He dered, ¡°This power is perfect! It¡¯s supposed to be! Isn¡¯t it?¡± He ran his fingers through his hair, ¡°I haven¡¯t doubted myself until I heard her voice¡­¡± Ishtar. He spun on his heel and stopped, ¡°Odysseus had to struggle, humans are resilient after all,¡± He reasoned, ¡°He worked hard to reach the end of his story,¡± He muttered and looked over at the crown. He stared at it for a long time, thoughts bouncing around in his head as they tried to settle into something cohesive. He bore his teeth and tilted his head forward, his fists clenching tighter, blood dripping from them. He savored the pain for a moment, he let it give him focus, rity, he took a deep breath. ¡°I need to struggle too, don¡¯t I? To be the hero of the story. Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± He murmured, ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He opened his palm and stared as the wounds began to close, his lip curling in disgust as blood dripped off of it and onto the ground. ¡°Humans don¡¯t need gods, mm? We¡¯ll see about that. I admire you, Miss Chernovna, but you¡¯re wrong there. I¡¯ll make humanity need me and then¡­¡± His scowl broke into a wide smile as he threw his head back with a giggle, ¡°...and then. I¡¯ll end the story forever,¡± He said, ¡°So I¡¯ll get stronger, I¡¯ll work hard. I¡¯ll ¡®train¡¯ myself. I¡¯ll increase my caps, I¡¯ll find new cheats, and¡­¡± He let his head fall to the left and his shoulders went a little ck as he stared into the trees around him, ¡°Since my first two nned Heralds turned out to be idiots, I¡¯ll have to rece them,¡± He said numbly as the rest of his body turned to follow his gaze, ¡°If I can¡¯t count on an existing character to serve my purposes, maybe I should make them myself? Yeah, I¡¯ll customize my party. That¡¯ll work¡­¡± He waved his hand and dismissed the sword and crown as he stalked into the trees, Ollie. Your power is useful to me. But if you think you can hide things from me, you¡¯re wrong. My eyes alone might not be able to see through your little act, but your profile speaks volumes. You¡¯re still loyal to Miss Chernovna over me. Those notes didn¡¯t tell me anything useful. Not really. He thought darkly as he moved through the trees, only the blue glow of his eyes visible to anyone else in the dark. I need to keep an eye on him, figure out what his real weakness is, and pull on it. I can¡¯t let him slip out of my grip, so I¡¯ll have to take a carrot and stick approach. I¡¯ll break him if I have to. He growled only to stop as he sensed something nearby. He turned his head slowly and peered through the trees. There, hiding next to arge tree, he spotted a young woman crouched down with her hands clutched around one side of her head. She was on a phone. He narrowed his eyes and silently slipped through the brush, getting closer. What¡¯s this, what¡¯s this, what is this? He willed his guide to appear, a profile next to it. Jessica. The ice weapon thing. I remember her. Right, right. I never bothered to read her profile because she seemed so bor- oh? He stopped in his walk, Oh now this is juicy. He chuckled and his smile spread wider. He slipped into the brush and made his way forward, watching as she continued to murmur something on her little phone. An ASTA Phone? She¡¯d get caught if it was a normal phone, I suppose. Useful. He thought as she nced around and put the phone away. She got to her feet and the next instant he had her by the throat, her body pressed up against the tree. He jammed his fingers against her abdomen like ws. ¡°Move and die,¡± He hissed, looking up at her with amusement on his face. She choked, her eyes going wide as she looked down at him, ¡°Ma-¡± ¡°Shhh, quiet, I need to grab something real quick,¡± He snickered and activated his item cheat, this time targeting a particr item rather than just making one. The next moment she let out a cry of pain and seized up, twitching in his grip as something bloody appeared in his hand. Heughed and crushed it in his palm before pressing his palm against her waist again. Another cheat and her body rxed, her eyes rolling to the side. He let go of her and she fell to the ground at his feet. ¡°Wakey wakey little traitor,¡± He crowed, ¡°Come on now! Time to wake,¡± He reared his foot back, ¡°Up!¡± He kicked her in the ribs. She let out a croaking groan and coughed, her eyes going wide as she looked up at him and then pat down at her waist. He crouched, ¡°I took the bomb out,¡± He snickered, ¡°Did you know it was there?¡± He asked. She stared at him, horrified, ¡°N-no,¡± She stammered. ¡°Looks like Liberty doesn¡¯t trust you,¡± He hissed. Her eyes went wider, ¡°I d-don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± He snarled and grabbed her by the face, ¡°I know,¡± Heughed, ¡°Oh it feels good saying that. Eat shit Ishtar,¡± He cackled and tilted his head before pulling her close with his strength, he looked her in the eyes, ¡°Here is what¡¯s going to happen. You are going to keep acting as you have been. Keep reporting back. All normal. But you¡¯re going to tell me everything you know, everything you see, and everything you hear from home. You work for me now, little mole,¡± He whispered with a condescending tone, ¡°Do a good job for me and I¡¯ll make you into someone important in the future,¡± He was nose to nose with her now, ¡°Fail?¡± He looked her in the eyes, ¡°And I can make things hurt you didn¡¯t even know could hurt.¡± Yes, I¡¯ve been so caught up in this little act, ying the trainee hero, I forgot what my goal was. What I should be doing. I¡¯m so d the side quests came up. He thought as a new one appeared, Jessica, the Herald, huh? Okay. Sounds fun! He chuckled as all the strength left her arms and eyes. There was a rustling in the trees behind him as he got to his feet and let go of her. He didn¡¯t turn his body back, just nced over his shoulder. And there he is. Looks like he noticed a change in my threads or something. He must be able to turn it on without touching people. Sneaky little shit. He broke into a wide grin as Ollie peered through the leaves. ¡°M-marc?¡± Ollie called, ¡°That you over there?¡± Otis sneered behind his shoulder as he gestured sneakily for Jessica to get on her feet and make herself presentable. He turned his back to her, ¡°It¡¯s me, Ollie! d you swung by, though I¡¯m curious how you found me!¡± Heughed, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, I was hoping to see you!¡± He said with his friendliest smile, ¡°We have a lot to talk about!¡± Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Sonya tossed a piece of popcorn into the air from her spot as the show yed on the screen above them. She watched the piece fall towards her only for a sh of brown hair to move in her way. Marta snatched it up with a quick bite before leaning back, licking her lips as she looked back up at the screen. Sonya gave her a petnt look before ncing back at the show. A pair of men were standing on the deck of a speedboat, one of them with a megaphone. They were saying something to the crew of another ship. One of the members of the other crew was a woman who burst into flowery cursing as she grabbed her guns. Sonyaughed, ¡°Wow she has a mouth on her,¡± Sonya snickered from Marta¡¯sp. Her best friend looked down at her, ¡°What do you think so far?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty good, if a bit wild,¡± Sonya said, rolling over a bit to get a better look at the screen, ¡°This is set mostly in South China right?¡± Marta nodded, ¡°Yes, I love this show.¡± Sonya nced at her, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve noticed you have a thing for action shows.¡± Marta pursed her lips, ¡°I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie in high school,¡± She admitted, ¡°Anything to get a thrill, discovered anime while at a hotel before base jumping.¡± Sonya tilted her head, ¡°You¡¯re serious? You never told me about that!¡± ¡°You never asked!¡± Martaughed before looking up at a beautiful shot of the water, ¡°I wonder how Barry¡¯s doing,¡± She murmured as her lips curled up into a gentle smile. ¨C The feed flickered and hissed for a moment before it came to life. For a moment there was nothing on the screen but the vast sea and a little bit of the deck of a ship. The waves crashed and somewhere in the distance a bird called. The feed rustled a little as someone adjusted the position of the camera before a face leaned down to peer into the lens. Jaw as solid as steel, big dark eyes, and a mess of short hair, Barry Logan grinned with his signature sharp teeth at the lens before stepping back, putting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest. ¡°Barry here! Sup, babe!¡± He said brightly, waving at the camera. ¡°Another video diary for ya to see when I get back!¡± He nced over his shoulder, ¡°We¡¯re just about done with the frame!¡± He said and scratched the back of his head, he pursed his lips, ¡°The boss is one hell of a ve driver, y¡¯know? You tell her that next time you see her, got it?¡± Heined before chuckling and scratching at his chest, ¡°Construction¡¯s going well but we¡¯re starting to get attention from the other navies around here. Not as bad as the US Navy, they sent friggin subs after me, can you believe that?¡± He barked out augh, ¡°Not that it was a problem!¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± He said, ¡°The radar jammers are all set up as well and we¡¯re pretty much done with that funky thing that Amos said we needed to put in. Something about satellites or whatever,¡± He scratched his head, ¡°Uh¡­ what else,¡± He mumbled a little to himself before brightening. ¡°Oh! Oh! Yeah I saw pirates! A speed boat came by the ship yesterday, haven¡¯t seen ¡®em since. I-¡± He was just about to continue speaking when another man walked into view wearing a t-shirt, ¡°Are you still doin¡¯ these things boss?¡± Wake asked, ¡°Trigger¡¯s lookin¡¯ for ya.¡± The boat rocked and the camera fell over, the feed cutting out. Barry turned and gave his subordinate a dangerous grin, he reached over and grabbed him by the head, ¡°You¡¯re interrupting!¡± He growled, giving the guy¡¯s head a little squeeze. ¡°I was recording a message for Marta, you got a problem?¡± Wake disappeared and reappeared just out of Barry¡¯s immediate reach, ¡°You can do your little love notester, man! Come on!¡± Heughed, stepping back a few paces as Barry reached out again to try to grab him. Wake burst into little clouds of gray smoke before vanishing again and again as Barry kept trying. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re not fast enough to catch me! Not on your feet!¡± Wakeughed, his hands in his pockets as he darted away again and again. ¡°Cmere you little shit!¡± Barry barked, throwing himself towards Wake only tond face first on the deck. He scrambled to his feet and spun, Wake was gone. He huffed and scratched his head, ¡°He¡¯s gettin¡¯ faster. No smoke trails anymore either, no idea where he went,¡± He smirked and looked out towards the water, ¡°My boys are gettin¡¯ stronger too,¡± He thought ruefully before walking towards the edge of the deck. He¡¯d go see what Trigger wanted in a moment. He leaned against the rail and looked down into the depths. Beneath him, the Mariana Trench stretched down into the vastness of the sea. He hummed to himself and waited patiently until the water shifted a little, then a lot. Then an enormous shadow passed under the vessel. ¡°Good morning Commodore,¡± He chortled as the Sperm Whale darted out from beneath the ship and towards the trench, breaching for a moment before going back down beneath the water. Shortly after a series of ck and white shapes darted down to follow it in formation. ¡°And there¡¯s your crew,¡± He said with a toothy grin before ncing around, ¡°But where is-¡± He paused when he saw a shape, smaller than the orcas that were obediently following their assigned leader, but just as terrifying to an ordinary person. He pushed off the rail and hopped onto the water,nding on the surface and crouching down. ¡°There you are, big guy.¡± He reached out as a white and gray snout poked out of the water. He reached down and ced his hand on the slick surface of the Great White¡¯s nose, ¡°Have anything tasty to eat, Red?¡± He asked, tilting his head to look into the ruby red eyes of the natural marvel. He felt the vibration between them, the momentary connection, and visualized a sessful hunt of a tuna. He raised his eyebrows, ¡°Oho, big meal!¡± Heughed and stroked its nose again before letting out a low breath and closing his eyes, ¡°Wanna try again?¡± He murmured and concentrated, feeling the creature beneath him, every portion of its biologyid bare. He could feel its cells, its dna, everything that it was. I am the Lord of the Depths, he thought to himself. He let his wild nature wash out into his instincts, his moments of stillness and his explosive anger, he felt the vastness and depths of his own soul for a moment as his head rolled back a bit and he bore his teeth to the sky. He could already feel the growing power of his new ability having an influence on his core power, how it touched his mind, made him see things differently. He knew that if Sonya hadn¡¯t used those sanctions on him to keep the powers separate until he was ready, he would have lost his gourd. He cleared his throat and looked back down at the shark, concentrating, teasing out the gic history of the beast. He felt a tingle between them, a shift, a change, a monstrous welling up from within the shark that bubbled higher and higher until he pushed it back down. He guided it, directed it, spreading it through every cell. He was so close this time. This time he would do it, this time he would unlock- BANG! A gunshot rang out and he opened his eyes. Red retreated into the depths and he scowled, slowly turning his head towards the yacht where he and the boys were staying. He still felt the tingle, he wasn¡¯t even sure if it had worked or if it was another failure. At least Red didn¡¯t get hurt by the interruption from the looks of it, the small shadow of the shark diving down into the trench below. Barry rose to his feet and nced past the yacht to the cargo ship trailing behind it where they kept the materials for their work. He frowned, ¡°Who the fuck-¡± He grumbled, marching across the water, ¡°-Is shootin guns at my ship?¡± He bellowed. He heard someone running across the deck of the yacht and nced up to see Wake looking down at him, ¡°Who is it?¡± He barked. ¡°It¡¯s those pirates boss! They came back!¡± Wake shouted, ¡°They¡¯re firing warning shots at the cargo!¡± Kingshark rubbed his neck as his lip twitched, ¡°I was considering scaring them off, but they interrupted somethin¡¯ important,¡± He grumbled and started to walk on the water towards the cargo ship, ¡°Radio the ship, I¡¯ll handle it,¡± He said as the waves crashed around him. The sea began to stir, the ocean itself roiling in his presence. ¡°Trigger wanted to see me anyway,¡± He muttered, stalking forward with murder in his eyes. His sensitive ears heard the audible gulp from Wake before the young man teleported away to the radio station inside the yacht. His walk turned into a small jog, then a run directly at a wave that crested in front of him. He mmed into it and the gills on his neck opened. His skin turned a dark gray, his eyes grew wide and his pupilsrge. Extra lenses closed over them to protect them from the water. He felt his body growingrger andrger, the stic water-proof cloth stretching with his increasing size as he turned into a torpedo in the ocean. He spun, pushing himself faster and faster, rocketing through the water and beneath the cargo ship. He spotted light and shapes and stopped in the water, opening his mouth and releasing a pulse of sound, he closed his eyes and let the return pulse hit him. Ten ships, no, eleven. He nced up at the ten shadows above him before looking out across the vastness towards a far distant shadow. They brought a mother ship. He thought and looked up at the surface. With a rush he controlled the water around him and turned himself into a missile that shot into the air, his gills closed and he pivoted,nding on the deck of the Cargo ship. A few of his men turned and aimed weapons up at him in surprise before turning back to aim at the pirates. His second-lids opened and he swept his gaze over them while someone approached him from behind, ¡°They brought a goddamn frigate,¡± He grunted as Trigger fell into step next to him, ¡°Keep these idiots here till I get back,¡± He said before turning to the guy, ¡°Oh, did you want something?¡± Trigger shrugged looking up at him, ¡°Just wanted to let you know we were going to put the converters in tonight, might be a little dyed now.¡± Kingshark¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°You serious?¡± He spat on the ground, ¡°I¡¯m one step away from hangin¡¯ out in an underwater fortress in the Mariana Trench, the friggin dream of any superviin, and I gotta wait because of these bozos?¡± He demanded. ¡°That fuckin¡¯ tears it!¡± He barked and marched towards the edge of the seat, ¡°Keep these guys busy! I¡¯m handlin¡¯ this personally now! The Commodore can yter!¡± He bellowed before hopping off the side of the ship and back into the water without another word. The sea expanded around him as he re-entered the water and he nced to the right to see the massive shadow of the Commodore drifting closer. With a mentalmand he sent the beast back below for now, he¡¯d call on it if he needed. Instead, he turned his attention to the frigate that was just far enough away to be difficult to spot by the crew of the cargo ship. He called the water up around him andunched himself forward again, his skin darkening even more. His eyes turned a deep red, a faint glow beginning to ze in them as he drew closer. Fuckin morons, don¡¯t know a bad idea when its right in front of them! He thought in a rage, the sea growing tumultuous above him. To anyone viewing from above the water, it looked like waves were forming of their own ord and spreading left and right along his path, forming a line of angry waves leading straight towards therge metal ship. In just a matter of moments he was on them, fingers outstretched and turning hard and bony. He mmed into the side of the vessel and dug his fingers into the hull, grabbing on as the ship shifted once with the impact. Barnacles began to spread from the point of impact, growingrge before mutating. They twisted and grew, extending into terrible tentacles that extended up and out of the water as he climbed up the side. It didn¡¯t take long with his bulk, nearing twelve feet tall, he wasrge enough to cause the ship to tilt slightly as he broke the surface. Faces were looking down at him as he looked up, men in cloth masks staring down at him with wide eyes. He opened his mouth wide into a manic smile, ¡°Y¡¯all fucked up!¡± He bellowed as the tentacles breached the water and started grabbing screaming men. He climbed the side as more tentacles rose up around the ship, mming down on the surface, crushing men and equipment. He hopped onto the deck as well and a gunshot rang out, automatic fire followed, the bullets bounced against his rubbery skin as he waded into the chaos. One man leaped off a tform, his arms turning into chains. He whipped them out to try to grab hold of him only for Kingshark to raise his arm and let the chain wrap around it. He sneered at the guy and pulled, dragging him over. The man let out a cry of fright as the superviin opened his mouth and bit down on shoulder and spine, crushing bone before whipping his head and sending the bloody corpse hurtling off the side of the ship. He threw his arms out wide as more tentacles rose up, one man was grabbed by his torso and leg and torn in half. Another pirate was simply crushed when one mmed down on him. Another tentacle crashed through the hull in search of the engines. ¡°Kingshark is here, fuckers!¡± He bellowed, stomping forward and sweeping a hand forward to grab one man by the torso before bringing him down against the deck, pulverizing his chest. As he did, another gunshot rang out and he felt a pinch of pain as a bullet grazed his neck. That one actually hurt. He reached up and touched the spot, where that aching wound from Firestorm remained. His grin turned into a frown and he stood up straight, turning his head towards the bridge of the frigate. A man stood there with a rifle in hand, his eyes glowing. Kingshark tilted his head, the burning and chaotic deck of the ship a mad din around him. ¡°You must be the captain,¡± He rumbled and started his approach, blood dripping from his hand.
Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Kingshark lumbered forward, swaying left and right. Bullets grazed past his face and scraped over his arms and shoulders. One struck him in the arm and dug in an inch. He grunted and pushed it out of his body, the bone coated ammunition hitting the deck of the ship with a sad little thunk. Around him, mayhem continued. The crew of the ship desperately tried to fight off the tentacles that were now trying to crush the superstructure. One tentacle whipped up at a particrly aggressive man with a knife and speared him through the chest, yanking back and pping down on his head, leaving a smear on the ground. Kingshark spat out augh while he kept walking towards the captain, he held his belly and shifted to a full-on chortle, ¡°Doughnut!¡± He barked out, ¡°Now I get it!¡± He snickered, a conversation with Martaing to mind. He tilted his head and shifted it to the left a bit, directing one of his eyes at the man standing outside of the bridge, his rifle trained helplessly on the superviin. ¡°You gonna keep shooting or do I gottae up there?¡± He asked, showing his rows of teeth while he swatted his right arm out, folding a man in half with the blow and sending him hurtling into the ocean. He showed his neck a little and pointed at the spot where the first bullet hit, ¡°Sensitive, ya know? Don¡¯t like getting nicked there,¡± He paused in his step, faltering a little. His lips curled back, ¡°Nick,¡± He grumbled and reached up to rub the spot, ¡°Didn¡¯t get to finish where we left off,¡± He spat and started marching forward again, his footsteps now digging into the deck, ¡°Didn¡¯t get to finish, didn¡¯t get my fuckin¡¯ rematch!¡± He bellowed, the tentacles growing frantic, pping against the hull, grabbing men and just throwing them. The man stared at him in confusion. Did he think Kingshark was crazy? Probably. Did Kingshark care? No. An impotent fury was boiling underneath his skin. He had sworn to have a rematch with Firestorm when the young man was stronger. He had assured himself that he¡¯d get his revenge for the wound on his neck that simply wouldn¡¯t heal. Something he knew was impossible now. Out of his reach forever. A dead man can¡¯t put up a fight. Fury blossomed into rage, his mass increasing again as he broke through to fifteen feet in height. He was at eye level with the man on the deck now. Mist began to boil out of his mouth, ¡°I¡¯m gonna bite your fuckin¡¯ head off, bitch boy.¡± The captain staggered back a step, the glow in his eyes faltering for a moment. He swore in his native tongue, Kingshark didn¡¯t know it, didn¡¯t care. The man raised his rifle again and Kingshark jerked his head to the left, barnacles spreading out at his feet and up the wall. A tentacle erupted from the surface and pped the guy across the face before grabbing hold of the rifle and tearing it out of his hand. He tilted his head to the right and the weapon was brought back around, the stock of the rifle crashing into the side of the man¡¯s head before he could react. A noisy crack of wood against something very hard rang out. The man¡¯s head jerked to the side before he looked back at Kingshark over the cloth wrapped around his face. Something grew over his skin, it looked like scales. No, not quite. Before Kingshark could consider what he was looking at a bang sounded behind him and he felt a sudden pain through his chest and back. He nced down, perturbed, and blinked at the harpoon sticking out of him. ¡°Huh,¡± He chuckled and looked up at the man, ¡°Guess I didn¡¯t kill all of-¡± He was cut off when the harpoon retracted, a jolt went through his body and he took a few scrambling steps back through the growing mist. ¡°Hey now!¡± He snarled and looked back over his shoulder, across the deck covered in mes, impermeable mist, and bodies. One of the harpoon guns was trained on him, a ropeing out of it. Standing behind it was a wild-eyed young man, the cloth of his mask torn to shreds. The youth frantically reached for the trigger to keep the retracting going. Kingshark snarled, ¡°Oh no ya don¡¯t!¡± Kingshark grabbed hold of the rope as the tentacles wrapped around the hull started to squeeze. ¡°Rude! I was gettin¡¯ ready for a monologue!¡± He bellowed and with a titanic pull yanked the harpoon gun, the bolts that affixed it to the ship, and the young man towards him. Before he could get ahold of the young man he felt something new dig into his back. Tiny des that dug into his flesh and cleaved it. He roared in pain, his hand turning into a fist. There wasn¡¯t much left of harpoon-guy after the impact. A cry of fury rang in Kingsharks ear and he whipped his head in the direction of the man clinging to his back. His own mask had fallen open as well, revealing a t snout that extended out from his head. His body was changing, thin, leathery little tes growing on his skin like scales. His eyes were glowing brighter as he dug his ws into Kingsharks flesh. He opened his mouth and revealed a set of razor sharp fangs. In that moment, the guy must have felt triumphant. There was an eager glee in his eyes. Kingshark could feel the scalding venom spreading through his body from the points where the ws dug into the meat of his back. The captain barked out a raspyugh as the veins on Kingshark¡¯s neck began to turn dark even through the leathery skin of his transformed state. Kingshark just stared at the guy. Waiting until he began to notice that the superviin hadn¡¯t so much as moved since thest member of his crew died. Around them the ship was on fire, the bulkhead creaking as the tentacles continued to work on crushing it. Where there wasn''t fire, mist filled the air and began billowing off the side of the ship. Theughter finally stopped when the first pufferfish spine poked its way out of Kingshark¡¯s jawline. More began to form. The huge man didn¡¯t so much as blink, staring back at the tiny ¡®human¡¯ on his shoulder while the minor alteration to his body purged the venom from his blood. It was quiet for a few heartbeats. The man was staring horrified at him. His body started to tremble and vibrate as his breathing grew rapid. Kingshark just stared at him. ¡°Is that it?¡± Kingshark growled. The captain squeaked and tried to pull is ws out of Kingshark¡¯s shoulder only to find himself stuck, the skin and flesh having already closed around the ws, preventing him from getting any leverage. ¡°Really? After all that wind up?¡± Kingshark growled, ¡°You ain¡¯t the boss, are ya? Is there another ship near here?¡± He asked and the man shouted something in his native tongue, shaking his head, ¡°You don¡¯t understand a fuckin¡¯ word I¡¯m sayin, do ya?¡± He grumbled and let out a sigh as desperate limbs frantically struggled to break free of Kingshark¡¯s body. The superviin tilted his head back and opened his mouth fully, the mist going straight up out of his mouth into the air, creating a cloud that swallowed the ship whole. Soon, even from this distance, the captain could only see Kingshark¡¯s glowing red eyes. ¡°Guess you¡¯ll do, for the first test,¡± Kingshark growled, his voiceing from everywhere. The panicking man whipped his head up, looking around, his chest heaving, a little whimpering out of him. Then his entire body went rigid as a strange sound began to seep into the air. It was somewhere between chittering of vermin and the clicking cry of a dolphin, it echoed and bounced about, going high before dropping so low it sounded like heavy bass. The man seemed to be giving every ounce of strength he had not to turn his head, to look away, to not return Kingshark¡¯s stare. ¡°LoOK iNTo mY eYeS,¡± The words weren¡¯t from Kingshark¡¯s voice, it was as if the chittering, clicking, rumbling drone had a voice of its own. As if it could shape itself into something imitating spoken words. The droning intensified, a million bees buzzing in the captain¡¯s head. ws scraping at his senses. Sweat dripped in streams down the side of his head as he slowly, slowly turned towards Kingshark. Their eyes met and blood began to pour from the man¡¯s nose, from his eyes, from his ears, he opened his mouth in a silent scream as he went wall-eyed. His entire body vibrating before jerking and going very, very still. ¡°Not bad,¡± Kingshark grunted and reached over his shoulder to pull the corpse off, tossing it to the deck of the ship with the other corpses. ¡°Didn¡¯t even have to go full size,¡± He rumbled as the ship creaked again, something groaned and snapped behind him as one of the tentacles finally crushed a portion of the bulkhead, bending it in half. In a cascade, the ship began to break down, more and more tentacles squeezing it like a soda can. He turned in the direction of the distant fighting between the speed boats and his crew. He stalked to the edge of the deck and stepped off, plunging through the cloudy mist and back into the water as the Ship bent in half and something inside exploded. The blessed depths spread out around him and he took a deep breath through his gills, savoring the coolness of it for a moment with closed eyes. He opened them and looked out across the water, opening his mouth and releasing another sonic chirp. He was about to count the number of speedboats remaining when he raised an eyebrow. The hell is- He cracked a grin. Oh. Well. Guess they won¡¯t be needing me. He chortled before sting forward to get a good view of theing show. ¨C Trigger clicked his tongue and pulled another pellet magazine from his belt, slipping it into his airsoft rifle. He grabbed an air canister next and popped it in as well. A bullet whizzed past him and he tilted his head a bit, shifting his jaw left and right. ¡°Boss sure is taking a while,¡± He saidzily before pointing the gun at one of the speedboats below that was trying to make a move on the side of the cargo ship. He aimed at one of the men who was waving an assault rifle around and pulled the trigger. A single pellet mmed into the man and exploded with the force of a stick of dynamite, blowing the man¡¯s torso off, the obliterated remains sloughing off into the water. To his right, rxing against the reinforced wall that formed the outer rail of the cargo ship¡¯s deck, Wake lit a cigarette and nced up at him. ¡°He¡¯s just having fun.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going back out?¡± Trigger asked, snapping off another shot before slipping back down to sit next to the guy. Around him, the rest of the crew, most of them with abilities in the areas of mundane to umon, used traditional weapons, firing off shots to keep the speedboats busy as were their orders. Wake shrugged and exhaled off to the side, ¡°They¡¯re shootin¡¯ at anything that gets too close, almost got them to shoot each other in a panic. They¡¯re wise to my shit,¡± He said with chuckle, ¡°I¡¯m givin¡¯ em a second to get focused on fighting our boys again before going back out there,¡± He added as he checked his gun, opening the magazine and checking it once. He pped it back in when an explosion shook both of them. They blinked and looked at one another before ncing towards the direction of the sound, two crew members were on the ground, covering their heads, a faint blue light flickering on their skin. Behind them, smoke was rising from a wrecked portion of the reinforced wall. Trigger scowled, ¡°RPGs? Ohe on,¡± He groaned, ¡°They¡¯re gonna piss me off in a minute.¡± ¡°Least we got Haus with us,¡± Wake said absently, leaning back against the wall again, ¡°And Stitches.¡± As he spoke two men ran over to the guys who¡¯d been knocked down by the explosion, keeping their heads low. The first wore light clothes that had the clear look of post-pandora armoring, an off gray bone color making up most of his gear. He slid to a stop next to the two men and tapped their shoulders. The blue light that flickered became steady before he grabbed them and pulled them towards the second man who pinched his own finger and drew a glowing red thread out of it, he brought it down to their legs and started working on mending their wounds. Trigger pursed his lips, ¡°Still, this is getting tiresome,¡± He grunted and took a chance to poke his head over the wall for a moment, squinting down at the speedboats. It looked like they were adjusting their formation a bit to line up some shots. ¡°Getting ready for another run it looks like,¡± He said with a huff. ¡°I-¡± He paused and squinted, something big and dark moved beneath one of the speed boats. It couldn¡¯t bemodore, not big enough, but it wasn¡¯t an orca. It didn¡¯t look like the boss either, ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Wake hazarded a chance to look up as well, peering down with him, ¡°Uh¡­ I have no idea.¡± The two of them looked at one another as the big shape dove. ¡°I think it¡¯s gonna¡­¡± Trigger murmured. That was when the shadow came back up and all they could see was a cavernous mouth filled with teeth like a ring around one of the speedboats. Trigger hopped to his feet, ¡°Ho-holy shit!¡± Heughed just as the humongous shark breached the surface, its mouth mping down on the speedboat and pulling it under in an instant. He threw his fists into the air with a whoop, ¡°He fuckin¡¯ did it! The boss did it!¡± Heughed as bits of speedboat and corpses floated to the surface with little sshes, another speedboat flipped as a powerful shape crashed into it from below. ¡°Is that Red?¡± Wake shouted, incredulous. ¡°He¡¯s Big Red now!¡± Triggerughed, ¡°Look at that big guy go!¡± Whoops and shouts from the rest of the crew began to rise up as the great-white turned megalodon began its rampage. The attacking pirates scrambled to try to shoot into the water only to get knocked off their boats when a tail pped to the side or the entire ship was pulled under by mighty teeth. One ship tried to peel away only for a huge wave to push it right back into the killing field. Trigger smirked, ¡°And now the boss is back.¡±
Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Even with the noise, it was strangely quiet. It was an odd thing to think, but Barry really couldn¡¯t help himself at that moment. He crossed his big arms and nced out the ultra-thick window that looked out into the massive trench. A few sea critters that were able to handle the astounding pressures flitted by, blissfully unaware of what was transpiring on the other side of the ss. He took a deep breath, fresh air filling his lungs, and turned his attention to his immediate surroundings. He was standing in arge room made entirely of heavy metal. Over a dozen men were moving about here and there, moving boxes and working on the walls. Faint temporary lights glowed overhead. There were a few doors leading out, onerge one that opened up opposite the window and led deeper into the slowly growingplex. On either side of the room there were additional doors that opened out into secondary passages. One of which would be to an elevator shaft that extended up to the ocean floor far above. They¡¯d be building a secondary outpost there once time permitted. For now, there were far more crucial things to cover. The main doors hissed open and a two men stepped inside, Trigger and Amos. Trigger was beaming, a long suitcase held in one hand and a skip to his step. He was talking light-heartedly with Amos as they approached. Amos nced away from their discussion and looked up to meet Barry¡¯s gaze. His jolly look went a bit more serious before he cracked a grin, ¡°Like the view, Kingshark?¡± He asked. Barry raised an eyebrow and shrugged looking out into the water, ¡°It¡¯ll do, Technocrat,¡± He grunted as the younger man came to a stop in front of him. The both of them stared at one another for a few heartbeats. The air grew tenser, neither of them blinking, even Trigger took a full step back before Barry finally snorted and burst intoughter. He reached out and picked the scientist up for a moment and pulled him into a bear hug, ¡°It¡¯s freakin¡¯ amazing man! Damn!¡± Heughed, setting Amos down. Amosughed and brushed himself off, ¡°I figured!¡± He said, ¡°Shall I show you around? You should probably have at least a basic idea of why you¡¯re able to breathe in here.¡± Barry gave him a nervous look, ¡°Half of what you say is gibberish to me, y¡¯know that, right?¡± Amos shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it at the kindergarten level.¡± Barry rolled his eyes, ¡°Thanks, man, thanks,¡± He chortled before ncing over at Trigger, ¡°Got you a new toy?¡± He asked, ncing down at the long box in his second-inmand¡¯s hands. Trigger broke into a wide grin, patting the box, ¡°New suitcase,¡± He said sarcastically before standing up a bit straighter, squaring his shoulders, ¡°Oh, and there might happen to be a new gun in there designed by Technocrat himself, on top of an additional reward from the big boss for putting up with your crazy ass.¡± Nearby, Amos snorted out augh and Barry crossed his arms, ¡°Hey now! I ain¡¯t that bad!¡± He paused and then grinned, ¡°What she give ya?¡± His second smirked, ¡°Mobility power ording to the letter attached,¡± He pat his pocket, ¡°She sent something for Wake too. Didn¡¯t open his letter so no idea what he got.¡± The superviin nodded sagely, ¡°She takes good care of her people, that¡¯s for sure,¡± he said, pleased, ¡°Welp! Go have fun with that, can¡¯t wait to see what you¡¯re capable of. Amos! If you wouldn¡¯t mind?¡± He asked, gesturing grandly towards the doors that he and Trigger had juste from. Amos straightened dramatically and adjusted the goggles around his neck, ¡°It would be my pleasure!¡± ¨C Shortly after that they arrived in an enormous room that had been one of the first constructed throughout the growing subterranean facility. Unlike the room from before, this one was already lit with permanent lights, strips that extended across the room and provided a steady ambient glow that felt warm on the skin. The dark metal walls and floor had been covered in a white material that felt a little like something between marble and metal beneath Barry¡¯s feet. Large pipes jutted out of the walls in the rear of the room before feeding seawater into a pair of basins. It was after the basins that things started to get confusing, as far as Barry was concerned. There were various machines everywhere moving and pumping all sorts of things, including a bunch ofrge cylinders filled with some sort of odd, glowing algae. There were several more of them but they had some sort of covering on them. He narrowed his eyes at it and Amos gave him a sidelong look. ¡°This is the heart of your life support system, under tons and tons of rock and in the deepest part of your facility. The only ess is through these doors and the intake pipes which probably have more lethal security measures than a federal vault,¡± He said with a proud puffing of his chest. ¡°You uh¡­ really outdid yourself, man,¡± Barry said, scratching his head and trying to make heads or tails of any of it. It just looked like a big mess to him. A really organized and neat mess. Everything was in rows but all of it was just¡­ ¡°What the hell does any of this do? What¡¯s with the tubes, is that algae, it looks odd?¡± He asked. Amos brightened, ¡°That, my friend, is a very unique strain of algae,¡± He said, walking over to one of the tanks and putting his hand on the ss surface. Barry walked over and peered inside, he could see something glowing in the interior that the gross nt was wrapped around. There were also light sources lining the lids of the tank, providing even more light. ¡°It producesrge amounts of carbon dioxide and breathable oxygen.¡± Barry squinted at him, ¡°Ain¡¯t carbon dioxide toxic? I get that nts need it but why do you need so much of the stuff?¡± Amos nodded, ¡°Yes, but the co2 isn¡¯t for you,¡± He said with a chuckle and gestured at some of the tanks, ¡°You might notice that half of the tanks are covered at the moment. Like you said, nts use carbon dioxide and sunlight to produce that breathable air. These tanks will switch between night and daylight modes and the carbon dioxide will be distributed ordingly on a rotation,¡± He exined, ¡°All of the excess breathable air is sent to the life support system to be stored in tanks or cycled into the building.¡± Barry raised an eyebrow, something about that didn¡¯t seem quite right. He scratched his head and wished for the millionth time that he hadn¡¯t skipped out on all that extra schooling. He squinted at Amos who grinned at him and waved for him to follow. They walked over to the two water basins filled with pure seawater. ¡°Seawater is amazing,¡± Amos said, ¡°It can be used for so much with the right equipment. The first thing this room does is desalinate it,¡± He gestured to a machine on the left, ¡°That¡¯s taking all the salt out, which can be stored and used,¡± He then gestured to another group of machines, ¡°Those are purifiers,¡± He said, ¡°Some of the salt-free water will be cleaned for drinking, showering, whatever,¡± He waved his hand and then turned to another set of machines on the other side of the room, ¡°Now those are special.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me in suspense, doc,¡± Barry grumbled, growing increasingly lost. ¡°Those are water electrolysis machines,¡± Amos said, ¡°They¡¯re taking the desalinated water and breaking it down into oxygen and hydrogen. The interiors of the tanks are cold enough that the oxygen turns into a liquid form while the hydrogen gas is pumped out. It¡¯s being stored in cold tanks as liquid reserve fuel and will be used automatically if the tanks reach capacity,¡± He said, ¡°The liquid oxygen is used as a cont or¡­¡± He grinned, ¡°It¡¯s returned to room temperature and given to the night tanks for the algae.¡± Barry made a face, ¡°It¡¯s all looping around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point!¡± Amos chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not a perfect system, still gotta maintain it. So some of your crew will be trained for it, but otherwise it¡¯ll provide more than enough water, air, fuel, and salt for you guys. We may have to empty out the salt at some point, since eventually it¡¯ll pile up,¡± He scratched his head, ¡°Maybe we can sell it, I dunno.¡± Barry took a deep breath and savored the taste of the air for a moment before nodding at Amos, ¡°Welp, it definitely works!¡± Heughed and pped Amos on the back, ¡°You did a damn good job!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t just me, I oversaw it a little but we had a whole team on this project,¡± He said before looking a little sad, ¡°Lost some of them in the bombing.¡± Barry hesitated and lowered his hand, he looked towards the machines that were keeping his men alive so deep under the water and then back at Amos. He put his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°We¡¯ll get her back for ¡®em, promise ya, brother,¡± He gave the younger man¡¯s shoulder a squeeze. It would have felt so strange calling him that, thinking about their rtionship just over a year before, but now, well, he couldn¡¯t see Amos as anything else but a trusted friend. Someone he¡¯d raise hell for. He felt a twist of anger in his gut and let go of Amos¡¯ shoulder so he didn¡¯t hurt the smaller man. ¡°I¡¯ll make her pay,¡± He growled, clenching his fist. Amos nced up at him, a little surprised for a moment, before rxing into a smile. ¡°I know you will, Barry, thanks,¡± He said with a relieved sigh, ¡°Make it hurt, will ya?¡± Barry grinned, ¡°The boss gave me license to go wild when she pulls the trigger,¡± he said, ¡°And lets just say my definition of wild has evolved a bit,¡± He added, and didn¡¯t even try to hide the menace from his tone. ¡°C¡¯mon, I got somethin to show you now.¡± ¨C Barry watched as Amos crouched down on the side of the yacht. It took a while to get up here with the elevator still iplete, but they were making do. Not far away, the cargo ship was steadily emptying of materials as the members of the crew were moving up and down from the surface. He gave Amos a moment to take in what he was seeing as another member of his crew walked over. The tall woman was taking a long drink of water from a bottle as she came to a stop at Barry¡¯s side. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± He asked. Bubs shrugged, ¡°Can¡¯tin, the bubbles I¡¯ve made willst a few more hours before I have to refresh ¡®em, so I¡¯m taking a break. The digging crew is finally all down there, by the way.¡± ¡°How many did we bring?¡± She tilted her head, scratching at her thick ck hair, ¡°Sixteen mundane-to-umon shapers, six rares, and one pure elementalist as foreman,¡± She said with a huff, ¡°International team, thank fuck we have those earpieces or none of us would understand a damn thing the others say,¡± She nced down at Amos, ¡°Wait, ain¡¯t he the guy who made ¡®em?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Barry said with a grin, ¡°Thank himter, he¡¯s having a moment.¡± Amos held his hand out over the water for a moment, Barry could tell he was practically holding his breath. After a few heartbeats arge shape drifted towards the surface and a small white hill broke through the water. He flinched only a little before rxing and pressing his hand against the slick skin of the massive beast. Barry tilted his head and smirked, watching as a whole range of emotions washed over Amos¡¯ face. The scientist opened and closed his mouth before finally looking up at Barry. ¡°D-did you, Barry, did-did you do this?¡± He asked, trying to find words, he¡¯d been so eloquent earlier. ¡°Yeah,¡± Barry said with a smirk, ¡°Havin¡¯ some breakthroughs myself.¡± ¡°Y-you I mean- I- he- a-¡± He looked down at the creature again. ¡°It.¡± ¡°He,¡± Barry corrected, ¡°That¡¯s Big Red, he was a Great White when I found ¡®im, he¡¯s a Megalodon now.¡± Amos pulled his hand away and got to his feet, he marched up to Barry and grabbed him by his shirt, looking him dead in the eyes, ¡°You regressed a Great White shark into a Megalodon?¡± He demanded, his eyes somewhere between panic and excitement, ¡°You brought an extinct species back to life, on a whim?¡± Barry pursed his lips and thought about it for a moment, Bubsughed next to him, pat his arm, and walked off. A bubble formed under her and she drifted off the yacht towards the cargo ship. Barry scratched his neck, ¡°Well now that you say it that way, it does sound way more impressive, don¡¯t it?¡± Amos ran his hands through his hair in exasperation, ¡°Y-you!¡± He closed his eyes and exhaled, ¡°So I¡¯m guessing this isn¡¯t what you wanted to tell me about? I doubt um¡­ ¡®Big Red¡¯ can make a trip ontond for what Sonya has nned.¡± Barry grinned and chuckled, he was about to open his mouth to speak when a sound shook the air. He blinked, not recognizing it for a heartbeat. An explosion? He looked towards the cargo ship, it looked fine. He looked towards the water, nothing in the base, he turned around- FWOOOSH! A column of water erupted from the sea on the opposite side of the yacht. The water sprayed over him and Amos, Amos spluttering and covering his head as he got down to a lower position. Barry just frowned, ring towards the distant shape approaching them. His lip twitched, ¡°Ey, Amos, might wanna turn on that techno-power thingy of yours. We¡¯re about to have eyes on us,¡± He growled, his fingers twitching at his sides, ¡°You got that thing set up to block detection of the new base, right?¡± Amos, who was now sitting on the deck, looked up at him wide-eyed, ¡°Y-yeah? What¡¯s happening? I¡¯m not prepared for-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need t¡¯be prepared for shit, go into the yacht and stay there and stay safe, you¡¯re my guest,¡± Kingshark snarled, taking a few steps forward towards the other side of the Yacht, his skin turning gray and his body increasing in size. ¡°Let everyone know to get to safety, I got this.¡± ¡°Got wha- oh holy shit,¡± Amos stumbled before immediately running to the interior of the Yacht, ¡°On it!¡± What Amos saw, what Kingshark saw, was a naval destroyer heading straight towards them, cannons leveled. Just as Amos dipped inside the ship a dark shape raced towards Kingshark beforeing to a stop in the air. He looked up at the drone and wrinkled his nose in disgust as the speakers on the device crackled to life. ¡°Superviin Kingshark! You are to hereby surrender to the United States Navy and cease all operations in these waters. Comply immediately!¡± Kingshark scoffed and stared up at the little machine, ¡°Or what?¡± He snarled, andunched himself into the water.
Break Reminder and Patreon Update Break Reminder and Patreon Update Announcement Hey gang! Thank you all so much for continuing to read Broker. Sonya''s legend continues! Giving you all a brief reminder that next week I will be taking a break from all releases until the week after. So no chapters through November 11-15. For those of you who really can''t wait, my Patreon was just updated with a new tier and some pricing adjustments. Also made a pretty new banner for it! Oooh aaah! See you soon!DerelictPresence aka TheBroker Sonya: *pokes her head in* "Uhh... ahem!" *coughs into her hand* Sonya: "Hey guys! Nothin to see here! Just uh... hangin'' around," *scratches her head and makes popping sounds* Sonya: "Sooo... just gonna stand there? Okay, uhm... you guys y cards? No? Yes? Coool cool cool cool cool..." Sonya: "Yeah he left the door open, figures, writing something like this in the middle of the night." Sonya: "Say, you think he''ll notice if I snatch some of the art he gens up for reference when he''s writing? He''s done pretty much every named character, pretty neat. I think he should do a wiki but noooooo, that''s too much wooooork." Sonya: *pulls out her phone* "Heh, yeah, you gotta see the one he did of the original Ishtar, phew,momma,"*blinks and looks up* "Uh... I mean yeah I can show you guys if you''re interested. Let me know in thements and I''ll see if I can''t sneak back out again while he''s not looking." Broker: "Sonya? Where''d you go?" Sonya: "Aaand that''s my cue, gotta go! Toodles!" Cast Gallery Cast Gallery Main Characters
Name: Sonya Chernovna / Ishtar (Current Timeline) Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Ishtar''s Inner Circle / ASTA Corporation Ability: Broker (Mythic) / Deus ex Machina (Mythic) Name: Sonya Chernovna / Farsight (Previous Timeline) Affiliation: Pandora Committee (ck Lotus'' Command Team) Ability: Cybeic Eyes (Umon)
Name: Marc Mallory / Otis Affiliation: Himself Ability: The Man, The Myth, The Legend (Mythic?) Name: Lillian Landrey / No Hero Name Affiliation: Pandora Committee Ability: Unnamed Ability (Growth-Type)
Sonya''s Inner Circle
Name: Marta Daphne / Handmaiden / The Companion Affiliation: Sonya Chernovna Ability: Heroic Strength (Heroic), Baldur''s Body (Mythic), Man of Many Faces (Epic) Name: Amos Carter / Technocrat Affiliation: ASTA Corporation / Ishtar''s Inner Circle Ability: Genius-Level Intellect (Epic), Technopathy (Heroic)
Name: Barry Logan / Kingshark Affiliation: Ishtar''s Inner Circle Ability: Unnamed Ability - Merged from: Lord of the Depths (Mythic), Festival of Dionysus (Mythic) Name: Colin Matthews / Mephisto Affiliation: Ishtar''s Inner Circle Ability: Several Unnamed Physical Enhancement Abilities (Varies), Word of Power (Heroic)
Name: Cassiopeia Hanks / Taurus Affiliation: Ishtar''s Inner Circle / Pandora Committee Ability: Unnamed Abilities Name: Unknown / Veloce / Kerauna Affiliation: Ishtar''s Inner Circle Ability: Primal Lightning (Primal)
Name: Park Beyol / ckrazor Affiliation: Ishtar''s Inner Circle Ability: Steelblood (Epic), Toxic Blood (Epic), Autarch of Shadows (Mythic) Name: Ozzie / Charon Affiliation: Ishtar''s Inner Circle / The Styx Ability: Patient Zero (Mythic), Graft (Epic), Various Grafted Abilities
The Heralds of Otis
Name: Phan Duong / An Set Affiliation: The Heralds (Previous Timeline) / Himself (Current Timeline) Ability: The Great Eel (Mythic) Name: Este Hanks / Liberty Affiliation: The Heralds (Previous Timeline) / Herself (Current Timeline) Ability: Glorious Standard of Camelot (Mythic)
Name: Unknown / Qilin Affiliation: The Heralds (Previous Timeline) / Pandora Committee (Current Timeline) Ability: Qilin (Mythic) Name: Unknown / Craftsman Affiliation: The Heralds (Previous Timeline) / Liberty (Current Timeline) Ability: Unknown Crafting Ability (Mythic)
Name: Lucien DuCast / Astaroth Affiliation: The Heralds (Previous Timeline) / Pandora Committee (Current Timeline) Ability: Unknown (Mythic) Name: Unknown / First Wind Affiliation: The Heralds (Previous Timeline) / Pandora Committee (Current Timeline) Ability: Unknown (Mythic)
Name: Unknown / Majordomo Affiliation: The Heralds (Previous Timeline) / Unknown (Current Timeline) Ability: Unknown (Mythic)
The Pandora Committee
Name: Ca Mint Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Sonya Chernovna Ability: Unawakened Name: Logan Williams / Bandit Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Team Firestorm Ability: Dark Bowman (Heroic)
Name: Jessica Wright / Bluestar Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Team Firestorm Ability: Azure Sorceress (Heroic) Name: Nick Adders / Firestorm Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Team Firestorm Ability: Firestorm (Heroic)
Name: Larry Ellis / Lifesaver Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Team Firestorm Ability: Grace (Heroic) Name: Alex Owens / BLF Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Nashville Crew Ability: Titanboa (Epic)
Name: Summer Finch / Snow Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Nashville Crew Ability: Digital Illusions (Epic) Name: John Nattery / No Hero Name Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Nashville Crew Ability: Everyman (Epic)
Name: Ollie Anders / Riot Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Otis'' Inner Circle Ability: Karmic Threads (Heroic) Name: Jessica Wayne / No Hero Name Affiliation: Pandora Committed Ability: Frozen Armory (Epic)
Name: Val Kinton / Pyrolisis Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Nashville Crew Ability: Rocketman (Epic) Name: Greg Wilt / No Hero Name Affiliation: Pandora Committee / Nashville Crew Ability: Directional (Epic)
Name: Lian Chunhua / ck Lotus Affiliation: Pandora Committee Ability: Lord of Jianghu (Mythic) Name: Hayashi Goro / Sapporo Affiliation: Pandora Committee Ability: Festival of Dionysus (Mythic)
Name: Molly Hepburn / Euclidia Affiliation: Pandora Committee Ability: Non-Euclidiean (Mythic)
Viins
Name: Feng Hyunh Affiliation: Herself / Heralds of Otis (Previous Timeline) Ability: Amethyst Sorceress (Heroic), Heavenly Jade Heart (Mythic) Name: Unknown / Graff Affiliation: Himself Ability: Unknown (Mythic)
Name: Unknown / Spice King Erebus Affiliation: Himself Ability: Unknown (Mythic) Name: Saleh Affiliation: Spice King Erebus Ability: Unknown (Unknown)
Vigntes
Name: Martin Fuller Affiliation: Vigntes / Pandora Committee (Previously) Ability: Gaze of Mimir (Mythic) Name: Addison Kelly Affiliation: Vigntes / Australian TAG (Previously) Ability: Emerald Sorceress (Heroic)
The True History
Name: Pandora Affiliation: Olympus / The Arbiters Ability: Pandora''s Box (Unknown) Name: Zeus Affiliation: Olympus Ability: Unknown
Name: Hephaestus Affiliation: Olympus Ability: Unknown Name: Gilgamesh Affiliation: Uruk Ability: Unknown
Name: Ishtar, Inanna, Astarte Affiliation: Uruk, The Arbiters Ability: Unknown Name: ''The Serpent'' / Yamato no Orochi Affiliation: Himself Ability: Unknown
Oh, and one more...
Name: Ishtar Affiliation: Sonya Chernovna (Alter Ego)
Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Modern firearms weren¡¯t a problem, not for his men, they had ways of protecting themselves against hand-held guns. He had a good crew, and the lieutenants were more than capable of handling the bog-standard light-touched that wanted to pick a fight. They could take care of themselves, up until they faced something like this. What could an ordinary person do against a naval destroyer with its cannons pointed in their direction? What could the average light-touched do? Isted, on the water, on very sinkable ships. Amos wasn¡¯t average, of course, but he hadn¡¯te expecting a fight. He¡¯de to do the final direction for getting the Mariana Base up and running. He was set to return to that hero camp in just a day or so once the members of his team settled in. Neither of them said it, neither of them had to say it, but there was an unspoken understanding: Amos was under Kingshark¡¯s protection. The entire crew was under his protection. And these fuckers just fired a cannon at them! Kingshark snarled as he pushed through the water, moving faster, faster, faster. He opened his mouth and released a click of sound. Everything around him came into perspective. Big Red and the Commodore were waiting in the wings, ready to move if they needed to. They were good against light vessels, but a goddamn destroyer? No. They¡¯d have to hang back. Amos looked like he was already moving the yacht and the cargo ship was trying to pull around to give the battleship its profile. It wouldn¡¯t help much but it would do a little to mitigate damage. Kingshark¡¯s lips peeled back as he drew the water around himself, carrying himself forward like a torpedo. The pirates were pests. The navy was a threat. Pests were swatted, used to test out new things. Threats on the other hand? Threats were crushed. As Kingshark opened his mouth he felt his chest begin to rumble soundlessly. His eyes lit up, a red glow suffusing them. His thick leathery scales turned darker and darker. Above him, in the open air, for everyone to hear, the sea groaned. ¨C The whispers came first. Captain Oswald of the USS Bary peered through his binocrs, frowning a little when he lowered them. The bastard jumped in. He nced down at the young man sitting next to him. A seasoned radar technician. The tech¡¯s hands were a blur as he made adjustments, shifting the radar to look for smaller objects rather thanrge ones. It reduced the significant range of the radar, but not by much. The captain nced at the screen and saw a ripple appear that swept across the visible area, washing over their ship and the two enemy vessels. ¡°What was that?¡± He asked. ¡°Radar ping, Captain,¡± The tech said, ¡°Came from something that shouldn¡¯t be big enough to do that.¡± The Captain nced over his shoulder at themunications station, ¡°We recording everything?¡± ¡°Yes Captain,¡± The tech at the station said, ¡°Streaming it all back.¡± ¡°Good,¡± The captain nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll get what intel we can on him, secure their ships, and find out what they were looking for down there.¡± ¡°I still think they¡¯re building something,¡± A voice spoke up from the side. The Captain nced over irritably towards the stuffy looking man with the Pandora pin on hispel. He didn¡¯t like that this guy had basically swept in and tried to take over his ship. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that the pirates didn¡¯t get us more intelligence, couldn¡¯t see a thing through all that mist,¡± The Pandora suit said, adjusting his tie and looking just a little bored. Behind him, a muscr man with dark eyes stared the Captain down. Apparently he was a new member of the international team who specialized in seabat. Harrow or something, I can¡¯t remember. He doesn¡¯t talk much. The captain thought as he frowned at the pushy man, ¡°I still don¡¯t appreciate you using locals as bait,¡± He snarled, ¡°This is a Navy Operation, not some-¡± Brian¡­ The voice was so soft. He blinked and turned around, frowning at the radar tech, ¡°Did you say something?¡± He asked. The radar tech looked equally confused at him, ¡°I heard somethin-¡± Let¡¯s y! The voice was a childs now. The Captain shook his head, he felt heavy all of a sudden. He rubbed his nose and shook his head again and reached to grab hold of the tech''s shoulder. The young man felt rigid, he nced down at the guy¡¯s face. He was pale as a sheet, trembling. The Captain gave him a rough shake, ¡°Come out of it! What¡¯s happening down there?¡± He demanded, squinting at the screen. It flickered and blinked, dots appearing and then disappearing all over the ce. ¡°Finch!¡± He shouted at the Tech. ¡°Mist spotted off the bow!¡± One man on the bridge called. ¡°It¡¯s spreading around the base of the ship.¡± I¡¯ll be there soon. That soft voice again, his wife''s voice? He blinked again and shook his head before turning to the crewman, ¡°I want armed men around the-¡± ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± Came a voice that the Captain didn¡¯t immediately recognize. He turned in its direction and saw that Harrow had stepped up, his expression grim as he stared out over the deck of the ship. Oswald followed his gaze and felt his blood run cold. Mist had filled the sea around the ship, creeping across the water that had fallen terribly still. In fact, the entire ocean looked like a sea of ss. He watched the mist start to climb up the sides of the ship, creeping like moss. His men were already on the deck, backing away from the mist with their weapons raised. ¡°Engineering just called, we¡¯re losing speed!¡± Another officer called. Oswald whipped his head in their direction, ¡°What? What do you mean losing speed?¡± ¡°They can¡¯t exin it, Captain, it¡¯s like the propeller isn¡¯t moving the water!¡± The officer said quickly, ¡°We¡¯re slowing down!¡± ¡°His hydrokinesis has advanced again,¡± The Pandora Committee suit said with a scoff, ¡°Damn monster.¡± The Captain spun on his heel and marched towards the man, past the hulking hero, and grabbed him by his pretty little suit, he tugged him to his feet and got in his face, ¡°Are you going to exin that or keep acting like some two-bit-¡± He trailed off as he noticed the sweat beading on the man¡¯s brow. He narrowed his eyes and let the man go. ¡°borate,¡± He growled. ¡°We know Kingshark¡¯s ability has a hydrokic function, he can manipte water. We¡¯ve seen him use it as a weapon a few times, projecting and controlling it, but never to this¡­ scale,¡± The suit said hesitantly, ncing towards Harrow, ¡°I suspect he is manipting the water around the propellers, preventing them from pushing it, leaving us stuck.¡± Come out! Let¡¯s y outside! A child''s voice again, his son. He shook off the wave of weakness again and watched as the suit grew pale as well, ¡°You¡¯re hearing it too?¡± He demanded. ¡°Voices, yes, family, friends,¡± The suit said before ncing at Harrow again, ¡°Can you handle him?¡± Harrow unbuttoned his shirt and started to march towards the door leading out of the bridge, ¡°Leave it to me. The sea is mine, not his,¡± He grunted and made his way out, the door shutting behind him. Oswald looked away from the suit and towards the deck. Mist was now at ankle height for his crew. He turned to themunication¡¯s officer. ¡°Give the order to pull every man back off the deck, this isn¡¯t our fight anymore,¡± He growled, ¡°Send a distress signal back to the fleet. Let them know we might need backup,¡± There was a pause, no response, he frowned, ¡°Officer Adams! I gave you an order!¡± He barked and marched over to the man, ¡°Officer Adams did you not-¡± He grabbed the man¡¯s shoulder and pulled him back. Mad eyes looked up at him joined with a terrified smile, tears ran down Officer Adam¡¯s cheeks, ¡°Momma said not to talk to strangers, Captain, momma said, momma said, momma-¡± Oswald reared back and punched the poor guy, knocking him out cold. He snatched up the headset that the unconscious man was wearing and put it on his head. Only static came back to him. He pushed the chair aside and began turning the dial to the fleet frequency, crackling and static burned in his ears as mist began to pour out of the seams around the screen. Something popped and the screen went dead. He tossed the headset down, ¡°Damn it!¡± He snarled, reaching for the inte. I¡¯ll just order the cannons from here and blow that ship to kingdome, at least we¡¯ll stop whatever it is he¡¯s nning! Honey, why are you so busy on your vacation? That soft voice again, warm in his head, he blinked a few times and tried to shake it off. Honey, you need to rest more. How often do we get to spend time together? His hand flinched away from the inte. He tried to reach for it again but it felt like a delicate hand was pulling his own away from it. Every instinct in his brain screamed at him to resist, to act, to do anything, to give the order to fire. He felt something wet stream down his face and looked down at the teardrop on his boot. Mist was boiling around it. He could hear a voice somewhere, where? Who was talking to him about work during his vacation? He needed to focus on his wife, after all. He needed to go outside and y with his son. He heard a bellow somewhere nearby but it barely mattered. Someone grabbed him by the arm and he looked to see that strange man in the suit. What was his name? He was saying something. He felt a hand strike his face but it was just¡­ numb. ¡°Captain, get a hold of yourself! Give the order to fire!¡± The Suit bellowed at him, shaking him. Oswald swayed back and forth with the movement and shook his head, ¡°But my wife said not to work while I¡¯m on vacation,¡± He said numbly, ncing towards the door where Harrow had gone out, ¡°I need to go y with my son, do it yourself,¡± He murmured and turned away, My son, I need to go y with my son. He thought as he reached for the door. There was a click behind him, then a bang. ¨C What the hell was happening? There wasn¡¯t any intel on Kingshark having mind influencing powers! Grant gripped the side of his head and staggered, reaching into his pocket and quickly pulling out an earpiece. The whispers were growing louder now, more insistent. He bit down hard on his lip, hard enough to draw blood. Focus! He demanded of himself, Focus damn it! He snarled, shoving the earpiece into his ear and tapping it a few times. A buzzing keen ripped through his head and he coughed as sensation rushed through his body. He gasped and staggered backwards, dropping the gun in his hand. He looked down at the corpse of the captain, then at the bodies of the other officers on the bridge. He hadn¡¯t even realized he was doing it! He reached up and tugged at his hair, wide-eyed. ¡°What the hell?¡± He touched the earpiece again, ¡°Oh my god!¡± The earpiece had been intended to be used on others in an effort to scramble a mind-control ability, using it on oneself was inadvisable. His instincts had saved his mind. He felt nausea run up his throat and turned away from the bodies. The ship shook. He raced towards the window looking out the front of the bridge. Harrow was standing on top of one of the cannons, his body changing, growing in size. He¡¯d been selected for this purpose, someone who could fight other sea-based light-touched. The very first nautical mythic on the record besides Kingshark himself. The man grewrger andrger as Grant held on. The ship shuddered again, bucking and tossing even in the still sea. The mist was up to his waist now. A chime rang out behind him and he took a step back, ncing at the radar monitor sttered with human blood. There was a mark indicating the ship and something much much bigger beneath it. He looked out towards the deck, ¡°We¡¯re going to die,¡± He breathed, and reached for his ear. ¨C Harrow felt his body expand, his eyes fell shut as his arms split apart into tendrils that grew and grew and grew. His mass increasing exponentially with each passing moment. He felt his body surrender to the new shape, the concept of separateness between his extremities vanishing into the sea of strength and power that was his mythological form. He felt his tentacles stretch across the deck and slip down towards the water. His powerful maw filled with teeth and clutching tendrils grinding against the metal of the ship beneath him. He was the king of the ocean, the Kraken. He opened his eyes and took the world in, the whispers from the mist were gone but it still clouded his vision. He drew his barbed tentacles back and swept them out across the ship, readying himself for the fight toe. His body was immune to water, utterly hydrophobic and nearly indestructible. He¡¯d been tested against artillery shells and even a punch from Sapporo himself. He could handle this. He would be the first international hero to take down one of the- The sea boiled. The ship shook. A shape rose from the depths. It kept rising. Bigger. Bigger. Bigger. The mist gathering over the ship and clouding his view. It rose and rose until it towered over the ship, over him, even with his own tremendous bulk he felt so small looking up into those two red eyes that glowed down at him with nothing but malice. He could barely make out its shape, vaguely humanoid with dark gray skin. Long tendrils stretched from its shoulders and face, whipping out and twitching like a living beard. Its dome-like head tilted forward just a fraction to meet his eyes. A low groan washed over the ship, a rumbling discordant sound that pressed into Harrow¡¯s mind and wed at his insides. It was like insects skittering over his brain. The beast, the monster opened its mouth and revealed rows upon rows of ever-moving razor sharp teeth. It was like looking into a blender. He felt his tentacles retract almost on instinct, his body coiling in on itself in an effort to flee, every cell in his body panicked, screaming to retreat from the nightmare given flesh. No! I have to fight it! It¡¯s an illusion! It¡¯s- A hand reached out and grabbed hold of his body. It¡¯s real. He was lifted into the air, tons of weight handled like a child. He whipped his tentacles, trying to dig barbs into flesh that repelled them like dull knives. His mind tried toprehend what he was looking at, tried to give sense to the shape as the mist parted. He was pulled closer and closer. He struggled, twisted, thrashing wildly but eventually all he could see was a pair of red eyes gleaming against white mist and ckness. A voice entered his mind, deep, rumbling, like the sound of crashing water. I AM THE KING OF THE SEA, LITTLE MAN, AND YOU WILL OBEY.
Side Story: Camp 3 Side Story: Camp 3 Lillian crouched among the trees with the others, aspirants who were considering taking on the role of scout. They crowded over the map they had made so far. Stealth wasn¡¯t exactly her thing, but she¡¯d gotten used to sneaking around a little bit as she worked with the other scouts. While she probably wouldn¡¯t end up taking the scouting role in the future, it was good to have a strong understanding of what went into it, at least in her opinion. She ran her fingers over the digital map and tapped a spot where the path in the trees opened up, ¡°Another camp over there I¡¯m guessing,¡± She said thoughtfully as the others nced up at her. She rubbed her chin and nced up for a moment, feeling the air again. The mana was steady as always if a bit odd. She couldn¡¯t put her finger on it though. ¡°The instructors have been culling the dungeon, right?¡± One of the others asked. She nced down at the young man across from her. He had a backpack on his shoulder and metallic gauntlets that shifted a little like liquid when he adjusted his crouch, ¡°Yeah,¡± She said with a nod, ¡°We should be good for a while.¡± The other scouts around her nodded and they got to their feet, slipping through the trees towards the spot she¡¯d indicated. A good amount of the foliage in the dungeon was far too dense for passage but there were portions that were loose enough that they could creep through if they were careful. She had a suspicion that these spots were actually areas that monsters would be lying in wait so she¡¯d marked them as such and the others didn¡¯t argue her points. She stepped over a dry patch of leaves and pointed down at it, the others following her example as they made their way through. A dense cloud of mana popped into her senses, just at the edge, and she slowed down a little. She narrowed her eyes and grabbed the hilt of the sword on her back, adjusting her posture to move sideways as they tried to reduce the amount of sound they were making. Faint light shone through small openings in the canopy over them, flickers that washed over their skin. She licked her lips and drew in a bit more. We haven¡¯t seen any monsters since we started, the culling was just recently. She thought, Maybe this one hid? She narrowed her eyes and turned to gesture towards the others to move deeper towards the denser trees and hang back a little. She hopped into the limbs and kicked off with a silent movement,nding on one limb after another before alighting on a tree just at the edge. She crouched and pressed herself against the trunk, peering through the leaves at the path outside. The grass, dirt, and soil stretched out about a dozen feet before stopping at the trees at the other side of the route through the dungeons forest. Where is it? She thought, concentrating on the feeling she got from whatever it was. Then it stepped into view and she raised her hand to her mouth to hold back a sharp intake of breath. The creature looked vaguely humanoid, it even had a face, but that¡¯s where the simrities ended. It was tall, nearly seven feet, and had overlong arms that stretched down to the knees on its stretched, eerily thin legs. Its skin was somewhere between flesh and bark, stretched tightly against muscle and bone. Its long neck was wide and misshapen, stretching out all the way to its shoulders as it tapered out. It had long hair made of leafy vines that hung down to its lower back..It¡¯s face, though, was the eeriest part. It had dark slits where its eyes should be, green embers burning inside. Its nose seemed overly stiff and rigid and its mouth was shut in a permanent frown. It turned its head slightly and she caught sight of long tapered ears. Is¡­ is that an elf? She thought, There¡¯s no way. It turned its head again and looked into the trees she was hiding in. She held her breath and forced her legs into stillness. The creature flexed its fingers before turning away, marching slowly back the way it hade in slow, steady steps. She let out a slow breath and hopped backwards,nding on one tree limb after another as she reversed course to where the others were waiting. She hopped down, ¡°There¡¯s a monster patrolling the path towards the open area,¡± She said quickly. One of the girls brightened and pulled out her tablet, ¡°Details, please!¡± She said quickly, ¡°Whatever we can learn, the better.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll sound insane, but I¡¯ll try,¡± Lily said with a nod and did her best to describe the thing she saw. The more she exined, the more horrified the others started to look. A few of them exchanged nces with one another before swallowing hard. When she was done she let out a breath and searched their faces. Worry, fear, anxiety. Her lip twitched, This is bad. She thought, That thing was terrifying, how are we supposed to scout when everyone¡¯s so scared. She scratched the back of her head, Teacher would give them an earful for chickening out. She paused, What would Firestorm do? She could use her aura to ease their difort. No, not now. They need something real to lean on. She exhaled, We¡¯re heroes, right? ¡°What we¡¯re doing is dangerous,¡± She started, getting their attention. ¡°We all knew that going in,¡± She put her hands back on her hips and tilted her chin up a bit, cracking a wide smile, ¡°What? You guys scared of a couple monsters when there are superviins out in the world?¡± She chuckled and rubbed her nose, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s easy for me to say, I¡¯m strong,¡± She flexed her arm, ¡°But so are you guys. We¡¯re freakin¡¯ powerhouses and what we¡¯re doing is going to help keep our teams safe, yeah? Somethin¡¯ to be proud of,¡± She looked each of them in the eyes, ¡°Some monster isn¡¯t gonna get in our way!¡± The others started to rx, a few of them smiling. One of the guys pped the other on the chest and said something in a low voice, the both of themughed and the atmosphere eased even more. ¡°We should take it slow,¡± One of the guys said, ¡°Observe and record. If there¡¯s only one and it looks like an easy target, take it out so we can get a full map undisturbed.¡± The others nodded, ¡°Right,¡± The girl with the tablet said, ¡°Nothing we can¡¯t handle! Let¡¯s go!¡± A chorus of agreement followed and the procession through the trees resumed. Lily watched them go for a moment, smiling to herself. She reached up and put her hand on the hilt of her sword, And I¡¯ve got your backs. Don¡¯t you worry while I¡¯m here. They crossed the short distance in just a few minutes before arriving at the break in the trees where the path started. Lily checked again and this time didn¡¯t see the creature. She nodded to the others and they quickly checked to see if there were any traversable spots in the treeline leading towards the open area but found nothing but a wall of wood. They settled on taking the path proper, following it between the trees all the way to the point where the path opened up into an enormous open space. They all stopped and stared, awestruck. ¡°Woah,¡± Someone breathed. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lily mumbled. They¡¯d expected a campsite or some kind of small vige, instead they stared upon an old ruin. A single massive ziggurat made up the center of the space with dozens of small stone buildings surrounding it at various distances. They were all made of a dark gray stone and covered in thick moss that hung at ces. The architecture was strange, it jutted out at odd angles in ces, making it look like the corners of the buildings were spiked. No, like they¡¯re in the process of growing. Lily thought. Weird. She scanned the area in front of her once, frowning a little, ¡°I don¡¯t sense it,¡± She mumbled, ¡°Where did it go?¡± She turned her attention in a full circle, her awareness drifting backwards in a wave going in both directions. Her eyes shot open and she whirled around. Everything seemed to slow down for her, her heart beating a mile a minute, she kicked off the ground andunched herself at the girl with the tablet who was taking notes at the rear. The girl barely had time to look up as Lily flew past her, bringing her sword down in a fierce arc, gold mes following it in a trail. Just a few feet behind her, the misshapen creature let out a pained gurgle, arching its back to look up at the sky before copsing to the ground. She stood up straight and let out a sharp breath. She turned to look at the shocked faces of the others, especially the ghostly pale face of the tablet girl, What was her name? Nina, right, Nina. She slung her sword onto her shoulder and grinned, ¡°Where were we?¡±
Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Sonya stood on top of the small tform overlooking the sted and ruined field. It was about a hundred meters in length going down the side of the mountain that the camp had been built on. The treeline framed it on three sides, making it seem like an open bowl. She reached up and adjusted her sunsses as a small group made their way up towards the top. Faint shes of purple light indicated Greg''s movements. A pair of bangs followed and Val burst through a wall, Alex immediately behind him with threebat dolls on his back. They''d been modified, of course, to track any ¡®injuries¡¯ or ¡®stresses¡¯ from the rescue. ¡°They''re doing better,¡± She said absently. Next to her, Axel crossed his arms and frowned a little, ¡°Marginally,¡± He said, ¡°But it¡¯s a stark improvement from the first time. They¡¯¡¯ll pass on this round, mostly thanks to their support,¡± He pointed out, ¡°Greg and Jessica make a good team.¡± As soon as he said it, a trio of light blue darts hurtled out of the opening that had been made by Val, digging into the three dolls that had risen up out of the soil to confront them. Val moved quickly to dispatch while Jessica soared overhead, shended and shifted forward a bit, almost stumbling on hernding but turned it quickly into a run as she made headway for the others. Sonya tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, An injury? Nothing obvious. She thought as she pulled up the girls dossier. Most of the details weren¡¯t exactly impressive. Girl from southern mississippi, bit of an outcast at school, most of her background checked out. Frankly, she¡¯d overlooked it a little, only giving a brief once over once she heard that the girl was interested in Greg. While Jessica was impressive in some ways, Greg was the real star. His mind was excellent for logistics and his abilities had room to grow. She¡¯d even put him on a very short list of investment candidates if the opportunity arose to do so. She very much wanted to send him to the United Kingdom to get direct instruction under Euclidia. Now that she looked harder, though, the background was more than just a little nd. It was vani. It was like the backstory of every single bog-standard young-adult romance protagonist. Moderately happy home with standoffish father, good grades, popr physically but with a social rapport that set her on the outskirts. Humble, low-key, a few scattered achievements in her background from school. Swim team captain? Sonya narrowed her eyes and nced at the girls movements. She moved like someone who¡¯d done rotc like herself, drills training, and not for a couple of weeks either. Sonya¡¯s lips thinned a little as the group crossed the finish line. ¡°You guys finally made it to the end, no red signals from the dolls. You pass!¡± Axel barked down at them. The four threw their fists up in the air and cheered. Sonya leaned against the railing and forced a smile, ¡°Congrattions!¡± She called before ncing towards Jessica, ¡°Miss Wayne, have you decided on who you¡¯re going to be signing with yet?¡± She asked. Jessica nced up from where she was sping hands with the others, smiling, ¡°No ma¡¯am! Still feeling it out! Want me toe for an interview?¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow, ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll reach out,¡± She said. I can use it as an opportunity to interrogate her, after my visit with the Spice King of course. She thought idly before ncing towards Axel, ¡°She seems to have an injury,¡± Sonya said under her breath, ¡°Make sure she gets to the clinic,¡± He nodded at her and she brightened beaming at them all, ¡°I¡¯m proud of you guys, keep it up! And don¡¯t forget to support your teammates that joined the scouting team when they get back. They¡¯ve got it rough!¡± They all nodded as she waved and turned, hands crossed behind her back as she made a quick call, <¡±Marta?¡±> Martas voice came through a momentter, <¡±Yes ma¡¯am?¡±> <¡±I noticed something off about Jessica Wayne¡¯s background. It¡¯s very generic. I suspect it might be falsified. She also hasn¡¯t even attempted to sign with anyone yet.¡±> She clicked her tongue, <¡±She¡¯s suspicious and from Mississippi, it could just be conjecture but I want you to keep an eye on her, have Amos give her background a hard lookter.¡±> She said quickly. <¡±I¡¯ll be away for the next few days so you¡¯ll have to do all this as me. I-¡±> She was about to borate when Marta cut her off, <¡±Sonya, I¡¯ve got it handled. Anythinges up, I''ll let you know. You¡¯re only a portal away, after all.¡±> Sonya let out a breath and smirked to herself, she knew she was probably worrying for nothing but her gut told her to be cautious regardless. She huffed out a breath, <¡±Fine fine, do you want me to bring you back any souvenirs?¡±> She asked, changing the subject, <¡±I¡¯m sure the spice king will be happy to oblige me! He¡¯s always been very generous.¡±> There was a pause, <¡±Oh! Oh! Get me a dessert tter, just a sampler of sweets if you can. I want to try everything! Something for Barry, too. He likes dark coffee. I¡¯m sure Amos already put an order in?¡±> She said and Sonya let out a smallugh, <¡±Figures he did, always a step ahead. Is that okay?¡±> <¡±You¡¯re being so cheap!¡±> Sonyaughed, <¡±I¡¯ll get a few outfits for you too, that¡¯s what you really want, toodles!¡±> She said and cut the call before Marta could protest. It didn¡¯t take her overly long to get back to themon building and when she arrived she made sure to check in on a few of the others. Sonya stopped behind the circle of couches where Lily and her little group liked to congregate and found her and Snow sitting together while John dealt a few cards over lunch. Cass was sitting there as well, cross legged and holding some cards in her hands. She looked nervous. Sonya smiled impishly and leaned forward next to Lily¡¯s head before delivering her usual greeting; ¡°Hi! Whatcha doin?¡± Lily nearly threw her cards into the air while Snow burst intoughter. John looked up at her in confusion for a moment while Cass gave her a world weary smile, ¡°ying cards, ma¡¯am, Poker, I¡¯ve never yed.¡± Lily looked up at her, wide eyed, ¡°Miss Chernovna! Will you please stop doing that?¡± She begged. ¡°Stop making it so funny!¡± Sonya shot back with augh before standing up straight, ¡°You lot better not be betting on those cards!¡± Cass blinked, startled, ¡°You can do that?¡± Sonya went deadpan and stared at the other three, ¡°You didn¡¯t exin that part to her?¡± ¡°Easing her in,¡± John grunted, ¡°We aren¡¯t betting money,¡± He paused and met her eyes. She gave him a wry smirk and he went just a little wide eyed for a moment, showing a rare instance of self reflection. He plucked one of the bags of chips that he had piled up next to him and held it up, ¡°Chips.¡± Sonya sputtered out augh, ¡°Chips for chips! Oh that¡¯s adorable! Carry on then!¡± Sheughed and started walking before ncing over her shoulder, ¡°Make sure to congratte your friends, they passed the rescue test just a few minutes ago,¡± She said before making her way out of the room, waving off their shouts for rification. A few minutester she was outside of her residence at the camp. She nced to the right and saw Chunhua heading out of her own space, adjusting her outfit a little. They met one another''s eyes for a moment. Chunhua searched her face before firming her expression and nodding, ¡°Be safe,¡± She said. ¡°I will,¡± Sonya said with a smile and pushed into the room. Inside, she nced back at the door and let out a breath. She almost regretted using up Duplicate at that moment, but decided it was for the best. Marta would make a good enough double for her and creating an illusory copy didn¡¯t do her much good even if she could observe with Astral Eye and act through it. Herbined abilities couldn¡¯t create a perfect double that would stand up to absolute scrutiny. She exhaled, more importantly it was better for her health if she didn¡¯t make any more copies. She nced in the mirror and her reflection smiled a little in approval. She turned away and ran her fingers through her hair, walking to the bedroom. She pushed the door open and spotted Ca sitting on the bed. She smiled up at Sonya, ¡°Sneaking out?¡± She asked. ¡°I figured you¡¯d be waiting,¡± Sonya teased back. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything crazy,¡± Ca said simply before getting to her feet and pulling Sonya into a hug. Sonya returned the gesture, resting her head on Ca¡¯s shoulder for a moment. She let out a breath before pulling back and smirking, ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? I¡¯m me,¡± She chuckled as she tapped the diamond on Ca¡¯s cor, a panel of light appeared behind her and distorted, ¡°I¡¯ll be back,,¡± She said, and took a step backwards. ¨C Sonya stepped back into the elegant room, immediately feeling the difference in the atmosphere from the tepid Appchian mountain air to the dry heat of the desert night. She nced quietly towards the window the beautiful curtains drawn over crystal clear ss. No light shone through. She huffed out a breath and examined her surroundings. A singlerge bed sat in the rear of the room plush with cushions and silk sheets. The walls were painted an adobe color to give it a more ¡®exotic¡¯ feel. She didn¡¯t need it, but it was appreciated. She ran her fingers over the expensive wood furniture as her senses picked up someone approaching the sole door leading out of the room. She nced towards it and smiled, speaking before they knocked, ¡°Come on in, Mephisto.¡± The door opened quickly and shut, the pretty dealmaker slipping inside. He was wearing his usual ck suit and skirt, his red eyes gleaming behind his perfect brown hair. He grinned, ¡°d to have you, boss.¡± She rest her hands on her hips, ¡°This better be worth my time, he was pretty vague in the initial conversation.¡± He nodded, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s got a full scheme prepared for you now and wants to talk as soon as you¡¯re ready,¡± He said, flipping his hair, ¡°We¡¯ve written up a base contract but I¡¯m happy to make adjustments if you like.¡± She raised an eyebrow, ¡°It must be big to demand my personal involvement. Do you know why he needs me personally to intervene?¡± She asked. ¡°Broker,¡± He said tly. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know the name, of course, but he needs your more direct deal making ability. He seems to be under the impression that my paper contracts don¡¯t carry as much weight as the person themselves being involved.¡± She chuckled, ¡°He¡¯s wrong,¡± She said before closing her eyes and taking a deep, deep breath. She exhaled through her nostrils and centered herself. She pulled up her hud and her aptly named ¡®things¡¯ folder. She smirked to herself at the ¡®.thing¡¯ files, Amos hated that she¡¯d started using that for the items she digitized. She pulled her helmet out as she put her normal outfit in. Her head glowed blue for a moment before she stood before Mephisto, her armor forming on her body. She felt her arms go ck as the sensation of being in the helmet overcame her. Her mind rxed, her soul eased, and everything felt¡­ right. She tilted her head down and met his gaze, ¡°But I suppose I can extract payment for my direct intervention anyway, Lead the way,¡± Ishtar said, the voice modtor kicking in. He gave a prompt bow, ¡°Yes, mistress.¡± A few momentster they stepped out of the elevator and into the grandiose hall of the Spice King. The columns in a line and twenty one young men standing between them. They all had stoic expressions on their faces, doing everything they could to keep their temper. At the end another pair stood at either side of the throne. Both of them looked wary. They eyed Ishtar with caution as she strode down the hall, her head tilted up to look at the youthful man rxing on his throne. She threw her arms out in greeting, ¡°Erebus!¡± She tittered out, ¡°Youth suits you!¡± The big man got to his feet and marched down the stairs, ¡°Ishtar!¡± He bellowed and broke intoughter, ¡°Regal as always!¡± They embraced briefly before she stepped back and spun around to look over his sons, ¡°You¡¯re one short! Last I heard it was twenty-four!¡± She said thoughtfully, tapping the side of her helmet. The young men all went very still under her attention and she huffed out a cruelugh, floating into the air and drifting past them, checking one face at a time, ¡°Was someone naughty?¡± She teased, ¡°Was it you?¡± She asked, ¡°Or was it you?¡± She stopped at the youngest of them. Mephisto had informed her that the youngest son had talent and a strong ability. The young man stiffened but didn¡¯t speak, keeping his eyes forward. She turned in the air and drifted towards the Spice King, lounging on her back, ¡°Tight lipped! Good sons,¡± She said with an approving nod. He gave her a curious look, ¡°Your powers continue to grow.¡± ¡°I like to spoil myself every now and then,¡± She said as she pretended to check her fingernails. She turned her head to look into his eyes, ¡°You should see the scary ones I picked up,¡± She quipped. He raised an eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing them in action very soon.¡± ¡°Yes, about that,¡± Ishtar rasped and tilted her body,nding on her feet. The next moment a pressure washed over the room, a few of the young men simply staggered while one just fell face first to the ground, ¡°You called me all the way out here and I would like a better exnation as to why. I¡¯m a busy woman, Erebus, and I prefer rity. The only reason I bothered was because I like you. So give me the details.¡± He stood strong, unlike his sons, and he made a point to notice which ones faltered most under her oppressive aura. He grinned wildly at her, ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less,¡± He said with a low growl, ¡°I have taken pains to make sure the quarry is already here in the area. We just need to lure her into a trap and take what I need. That¡¯s where I need you.¡± She tilted her head, ¡°Who?¡± She demanded. ¡°Queen August,¡± He said with distaste, ¡°She squanders her power,¡± He clenched his fist in front of his face and met her eyes, ¡°I want to employ the Queen of Viins to strip August of her powers and give them to me. I¡¯ll put them to much better use.¡±
Chapter 135 Chapter 135 The atmosphere in the room shifted when he made his deration, Ishtar tilted her head to the right as if to examine him. She hummed thoughtfully and lifted herself off the ground again, floating as she crossed her legs and drifted overhead, she tapped the chin of her helmet as she gave it her full consideration. She didn¡¯t have a problem with doing it, frankly she found the whole idea amusing. What was troubling was that neither she nor Sonya had ever actually tried to use a deal to strip someone of their ability. She closed her eyes and searched her instincts rted to Broker. It had been a while, if she was being honest with herself, and one thing she noticed was that the details were barely any different than the first time. Sure, there were the inclusions of how to use the subsidiary features, like investment, merger, and sanction. But otherwise it simply gave her the baseline as always, how to make a binding deal. In fairness, she and Sonya should have explored this a bit more, but the way it worked for them so far had been enough. She thought for a few more seconds, her mind whirring through ways to figure out whether or not she could do the thing he was requesting. She couldn''t actually test it, there was no one to test it on. More importantly, showing such ignorance was a very bad y in front of an intelligent man like Erebus. Then it hit her. Why not just try to say so? ¡°I have the ability to strip a person''s powers and deliver them to you,¡± Ishtar said aloud, pausing for a moment after she said it. Oh, so I guess I can, Broker didn¡¯t choke me out. Interesting. She was unable state factual falsehoods, while that obviously didn¡¯t apply to things she didn¡¯t know about she had the instincts of Broker. They were limited, but if she didn¡¯t have the ability to do it right then and there, it would be a lie. It was a leap of logic, sure, but it was confirmation enough for her about her own powers. She snickered a little behind her mask and floated back down, drifting towards the Spice King. She tilted her head, ¡°The question is,¡± She continued, ¡°What are my services worth to you? This isn¡¯t an ordinary support deal. I¡¯m not throwing supplies at you and letting you do your own thing,¡± She waved a finger, ¡°No, I¡¯m taking direct action, I¡¯ll be present, and that means a chance of me getting more involved if necessary.¡± He kept his head forward as she slowly drifted in orbit around him, lounging on her side. He cleared his throat, ¡°I have ns for that ability once it¡¯s mine.¡± Ishtar shifted and her head popped out next to his, ¡°Oh? And what might those be?¡± She asked with excitement, ¡°Details, Erebus, details!¡± Around him, his sons shifted ufortably. Several of them were still getting to their feet after the harrowing ordeal of feeling her presence wash over them. Her lips twitched behind her mask, pathetic, she hadn¡¯t even brought the visage out fully. Just a little taste was enough to knock them on their backs. Erebus cleared his throat and reached into his sleeve, he plucked out a blue coin, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how you do it, but you ascribe value to these coins of yours. The value fluctuates wildly,¡± He said as he twirled the coin between his fingers. She drifted back and shifted her head a little towards Mephisto before looking back at Erebus and giving him a small nod. He smiled a little, ¡°Viins like using these coins to pay for just about anything these days in the underworld, I like it too,¡± He said with a smirk, ¡°However, would it not be better if they were a standard currency, with backing? A more reliable value?¡± Ishtar narrowed her eyes behind her helmet and drifted down to the ground again, walking past him and crossing her arms. She tilted her head, ¡°You want to be the viin bank? Back Charon¡¯s little currency with gold.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± He said and raised his head up, ¡°Of course that would involve me holding on to the lions share of actual wealth, a matter of trust,¡± He said with a smirk, ¡°And easy funding to ensure that my own faction grows out here,¡± He trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re putting me in a position to protect you if somethinges up, though,¡± Ishtar said with a titteringugh, ¡°Since it would be in my interest to protect the gold that is backing the underworld¡¯s currency,¡± She tilted her head, ¡°The backing for the ferryman¡¯s coins is valuable to me, but we¡¯re back at square one again, aren¡¯t we? My protection and you getting to use all of this to build your faction? Where is my profit?¡± She asked and waved her hand, a stool appearing behind her, first as a hard light construct before she wrapped it in an illusory wood skin. She sat down and crossed her legs, ¡°So far, youe out on top with me just getting more stability,e on now, what are you hiding?¡± She asked with augh, ¡°Quit ying coy, dear.¡± The Spice King rubbed his chin for a moment, nodding, ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right,¡± He said thoughtfully before he nced up at her and his eyes glinted. ¡°There is a rumor that you have associates among world leaders in North America and Europe,¡± He began and paused when she tilted her head towards him in warning, he held up his hands, ¡°Only vague details! But all signs point to it,¡± She rxed a little and he continued, ¡°I would like to head up your group in this part of the world. Semi-independently of course. I¡¯ll do all the footwork in gathering the useful parties for you and host them.¡± She crossed her arms, ¡°Okay, go on.¡± He held up a finger and then a second, ¡°Second, we will of course consider ourselves allies of your organization and of the greater underworld led by Charon,¡± He said with a grin, ¡°We cane and assist when called upon.¡± Having ess to his people and to more resources in the middle east would be beneficial for her, ¡°That goes both ways, don''t try to y me Erebus,¡± she cautioned, ¡°I am assisting you in acquiring potentially limitless wealth, so long as you manage it,¡± She said with a dismissive wave, ¡°Try again.¡± The Spice King frowned for a moment and rubbed his chin, ¡°I concede the point,¡± He said, ¡°A share of the dungeons harvested by my organization, crystals, ores, monster materials, and rewards for clearing.¡± Ishtar nodded, ¡°Now we¡¯re getting somewhere,¡± She said, ¡°Fifty percent.¡± He chewed his lip, ¡°Thirty.¡± ¡°Forty,¡± She countered. ¡°Done,¡± He nodded as his sons shifted around a bit, he cast them all a scathing look. ¡°I¡¯ll include some of the rewards we¡¯ve already acquired as an upfront payment,¡± He added, ¡°My sons have been doing well for themselves, they even managed to clear an Epic dungeon with the help of my footsoldiers in the region. The trophies are yours,¡± He added with a magnanimous bow. Ishtar tilted her head for a moment and considered it, An Epic dungeon already? ck Lotus will be sad. That girl needs to catch up. ¡°eptable,¡± She added, ¡°But not enough. An alliance is good, the payments are good, but I need to seemitment from you, Erebus,¡± She hissed and slipped off the stool, it vanished behind her. She stepped towards him and looked him in the eyes, ¡°What part of yourself are you willing to give up for this? I can tell it''s important to you, the first step in arger n perhaps?¡± She asked. He held his ground but she enjoyed watching a bead of sweat on his brow. ¡°I-¡± ¡°You called me out here, now you know the consequences. There¡¯s a reason I deal through Mephisto. My time is valuable, and if things get interesting during this scheme of yours you may see first hand just what you¡¯re paying for,¡± She added, her presence growing heavy in the room again, ¡°Show me that you¡¯re worthy of that name of yours.¡± He cleared his throat and took a step back, he nced at the young men lining the room; ¡°I¡¯d give any one of my sons-¡± She was about to wave it off, rejecting it out of hand. The idea revolted her. However, there was an option to consider. One where she could test his resolve and show perhaps a little mercy. ¡°Saleh¡¯s ability,¡± She finally said. She didn¡¯t know what it was, of course, but that didn¡¯t really matter, did it? He gaped at her, wide eyed, he looked at his youngest son for a moment and swallowed. He looked at her and a sh of pain crossed his face. He clenched his fists and nodded in silence. She pped her hands together in delight and turned to the young man, ¡°We¡¯ll settle up on that first,¡± She said and held out her hand, ¡°Come here, boy.¡± The young man looked to his father in horror only to receive a grim nod in response. The boy looked crestfallen for a moment before he walked towards Ishtar. She tilted her head a little, ¡°It won¡¯t hurt,¡± She promised, ¡°Give me your hand.¡± With a heavy breath Saleh put his hand in hers. Analyze. She held back a gasp, The Earth analogue to Firestorm! Oh, I know just who to give you to. When she¡¯s ready, of course. ¡°All done!¡± She chuckled and pulled her hand away, flexing her fingers as she pulled it from her warehouse. Saleh blinked, ¡°Huh? But-¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to keep it,¡± She said dismissively, ¡°I just want to try it out!¡± She cackled and with a flex of will caused the ground to shake. The building trembled for a moment before it settled and she put it back in her warehouse. She turned back to a dumbstruck Erebus, ¡°You pass,¡± She said, ¡°Mephisto?¡± He immediately swept in and stood between them, pping his hands together with delight. ¡°I think it¡¯s a wonderful agreement! The underworld gets stronger as a whole and everyone gets richer! My mistress is satisfied with the Spice King¡¯smitment to his cause and will receive due payment!¡± He said yfully before ncing towards the Spice King, ¡°I hope those treasure from the dungeon are worth my Mistress¡¯ time?¡± He asked. The Spice King stared at her for a long time before he let out a snort, then augh, running his fingers through his hair and visibly rxing. ¡°You truly are the Queen of Viins, Madame Ishtar,¡± He said with a grin, ¡°The epic reward will most assuredly be to your liking, thank you for showing my son mercy,¡± He added with an inclination of his head. ¡°If it¡¯s all the same I¡¯ll keep the details of the epic reward to myself for now. Until the scheme reaches its conclusion.¡± Ishtar barked out augh, ¡°Fair enough! I really enjoy making deals with you, Erebus, you¡¯re such a generous man.¡± ¡°I am getting infinite wealth out of this deal!¡± Heughed in response, ¡°Whatever I throw at you in exchange is paltry as far as I¡¯m concerned,¡± he paused, ¡°Even so, I appreciate you epting what I did offer, Madame Ishtar, and being so kind as to not make any overtures on that woman¡¯s ability for yourself.¡± No problem, Analyze will work just fine for my purposes, She thought smugly, ¡°Of course! I will make certain that her power bes yours. My purpose is to support the viins of the world,¡± She dered, raising her hand to her heart, ¡°I want to see to it that you grow up nicely.¡± ¡°A magnanimous queen!¡± Erebusughed, throwing his head back. She joined him in her own jollyugh before they looked down at one another. He nced over at Mephisto, ¡°The contract, then?¡± He asked. She chuckled and walked towards him, ¡°Oh no, you get the royal treatment, Erebus,¡± She said wryly. She paused before turning her head towards his sons, ¡°Leave us.¡± Shemanded. They looked to their father for a moment before he scowled at them, ¡°You heard Ishtar!¡± He barked, ¡°Leave us!¡± The young men nced among themselves before all nodding and quickly making their way out of the room. In a short time it was only Ishtar, Mephisto, and Erebus. She extended her hand to him with a shrug. Erebus nced down at her hand and blinked a few times before reaching out and taking it. In an instant the full details of their agreement filled her hud. She gripped his hand. Finally, I¡¯ve been curious about his ability. It has to be mythic, of course, but even Mephisto has said he hasn¡¯t had a chance to see it in action. She thought at high speed, her brain processing the use of her ability at high speed. Analyze. She forced herself not to react but instead moved on with the deal quickly, ¡°It¡¯s a deal, Erebus,¡± She said and ordered her ability to proceed. A very faint charge ran up her arm for a moment, it was one of her moreplicated deals and it seemed that she was able to feel it as a result. He nced down at his hand and furrowed his brow, pulling his fingers away and examining them for a moment before ncing at her. ¡°You are the true source of Mephisto¡¯s dealmaking ability, the endorsements,¡± He said bluntly, ¡°His true powersy elsewhere. This is how you are able to acquire so many powers. Fascinating.¡± Ishtar chuckled, ¡°Very astute!¡± She said, ¡°I suggest you don¡¯t divulge that information,¡± She added warningly. He barked out augh, ¡°We are allies now! I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± He agreed before waving his hands. He lowered them and looked at her inly, ¡°Thank you for sending my sons away, I imagine you would have killed them if they hade to the same conclusion as myself. Or overheard me.¡± Ishtar didn¡¯t even hesitate, ¡°Yes, I would have, and you would have been powerless, I¡¯m afraid.¡± He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, ¡°You have my gratitude,¡± He said and inclined his head before ncing past her at the door, ¡°Saleh! Come in here boy!¡± He barked. A momentter the young man hurried inside. There was pride on Erebus¡¯ face, and relief. The young man looked hesitantly at his father before standing next to him. He reached out and pped his hand on his son¡¯s shoulder before nodding to Ishtar, ¡°Now that the deal has been struck, we are off to the nning phase. I would have Saleh here for this, since he will be participating,¡± He said brightly before ruffling the young man¡¯s hair. He looked like he was about to pull the boy into a hug. Saleh politely endured it, only fussing with straightening it after his father turned his attention back to Ishtar. Ishtar shrugged and shifted on her feet, crossing her arms and inclining his head to him to begin exining the n. ¡°I have gathered a strike force of viins from across the region who have agreed to support me and my vision for the area,¡± He said with a smirk, ¡°Many of theme from groups that oppose one another but have tired of ceaseless fighting,¡± He nodded to Saleh, ¡°I¡¯ll have my young prince lead them.¡± ¡°Prince?¡± Ishtar asked, ncing at the boy before exchanging a look with Mephisto, ¡°He¡¯s your youngest.¡± ¡°And most powerful,¡± Erebus said as his eyes lingered on his son, he paused for a moment and then nced at Ishtar, ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss another deal with you after this is over. If you wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± He said gravely. She nced at the boy and the way he clung to his son, Ah. I see. ¡°Very well, continue exining your n for now.¡± ¡°As I said earlier, I¡¯ve taken pains to ensure that womanes here. You may already know this, but she is obsessed with diamonds and gemstones,¡± He said, ¡°And has no personal feelings towards precious metals. She murders wealthy collectors with her ability, turning them into solid gold before abandoning their corpses. She could be using her ability to enrich herself, or anything else, but she is like a woman possessed.¡± Ishtar shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s likely she was a serial killer before the sh,¡± She said offhandedly, waving a dismissive palm at the topic, ¡°Pandora Sickness on top of it would make anyone do something stupid and foolish. I¡¯ve encountered a few like that myself,¡± She said and got a snicker from Mephisto. She grinned behind her helmet, ¡°So you ced the bait, sowed some rumors in the underworld and kept an eye out.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Erebus said, ¡°She¡¯s in the country right now. Apparently she has had enough presence of mind to use her ability to hire a few protectors.¡± ¡°I see, that¡¯s where your little strike teames in. You lure her into the target location, destroy her allies, and leave her helpless. After that, what? You goad her into exchanging her life for her ability? Seems a bit tame for you,¡± Ishtar pointed out, ¡°Where¡¯s the ir?¡± He pat his belly andughed, ¡°You¡¯re one of a kind, Ishtar!¡± He chortled, ¡°I¡¯ve submitted an anonymous tip to the Pandora Committee that she is here. It¡¯s a bitte and they¡¯regging about a day behind her,¡± He smirked, ¡°She¡¯ll have heroes on their way behind her, us in front of her, cornered with no way out except cutting a deal.¡± She narrowed her eyes, ¡°You called the Pandora Committee here?¡± She asked, ¡°With me present?¡± He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Can you not handle them?¡± She stared at him for several heartbeats, her eyes narrowing more and more, ¡°What is your real aim out here in this region, Erebus?¡± She asked, ¡°Self enrichment, is that really it?¡± He hesitated, genuinely hesitated, for a moment before looking towards his son, ¡°Our corner of the world has been torn by war for far too long,¡± He said, ¡°Constant upheaval, religious war, madness,¡± He snarled and looked at her, ¡°You are a woman who understands order, I can tell, so I believe you will understand me when I say that the only way for the fighting to end is when a victor is dered.¡± He growled, ¡°My goals are a long way away, but this is the first step to securing the future of what you call the Middle East, my family, and my ce in history,¡± He said with a dramatic flourish, spreading his arms wide. ¡°Who better to do it than me?¡± Arrogant, driven, greedy, filled with malice for his enemies, capable of doing whatever is necessary and fully willing to embrace cruelty. A man with a vision, a clear goal, and the means and intellect to get there. Evil to the core, but someone I can respect. She smiled behind her mask. Atst, a proper viin shows his face. ¡°Erebus the Conqueror, it has a ring to it!¡± She barked out augh, her cruel rasp carrying through the hall, ¡°Let the heroese! I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡±
Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Ishtar watched as Saleh and Mephisto left the great hall, leaving her alone with Erebus. She rest her hand on a pir before ncing towards him. The old man turned young by one of her paper contracts watched the door shut and lingered for a moment. She crossed her arms and leaned against the pirzily asplicated emotions warred on his face. She nced back at the door again, ¡°You love that boy,¡± She said finally, ¡°I¡¯m a little sorry that I tested you with him. That must have been difficult for him, his father selling him like that.¡± Erebus looked down at his hands for a moment and clenched them into fists, he nced back at Ishtar and met her eyes, ¡°A cruel mercy,¡± He admitted, ¡°Part of me almost wishes you had taken his ability. Then I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about him so much. I could hide him away, forget about him, pretend that he wasn¡¯t worth my time,¡± He said before lowering his hands and letting out a sigh. ¡°He is my young Prince, though, he will inherit the family over his brothers. Of that I have little doubt.¡± Ishtar stepped away from the pir and turned to face him, ¡°You wanted to make a deal concerning the boy? His future I imagine? Do you want me to look out for him or something?¡± Erebus shook his head, ¡°Your alliance with the family is enough in that respect,¡± He said, ¡°No, I have higher concerns,¡± He looked her in the eyes, ¡°I am not a fool, Ishtar, youthes at a price and it belies immortality. I am fully capable of death, it wille for me one of these days. Just like any person. I suspect even yourself.¡± Ishtar huffed out a smallugh, ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± He snorted and shook his head, ¡°I wish I had your confidence,¡± He crossed his arms behind his back. It was good to see him let his guard down a little now that there wasn¡¯t an audience. Only the two of them. He turned away and walked towards his throne, resting his hand on the rail leading up to it for a moment. He nced back at her, ¡°If you can strip powers, I wonder,¡± He said after a long pause, ¡°Can you transfer them upon a condition?¡± She put her hands on her hips, ¡°I¡¯ve never tried it, if I¡¯m being genuine,¡± She admitted, ¡°Would you like to be my case study, Erebus?¡± She asked with a touch of humor in her tone. She had an odd feeling about the direction of the conversation. She knew what he was getting at and her instincts had mixed reactions. The little ¡®voice¡¯ belonging to Broker seemed almost jubnt while her own viinous instincts recoiled. It was a mixed feeling that she didn¡¯t quite understand. Her lips formed a thin line and she pushed the instincts down forcefully. ¡°Yes,¡± He said tly. She narrowed her eyes behind the mask, ¡°Be specific.¡± He walked towards her, ¡°My wish is that when my time is up, my ability and that of Augusts, should we acquire it, be transferred to the boy as part of his inheritance.¡± ¡°Are you asking me to officiate a will for you?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes,¡± He confirmed. ¡°I don¡¯t do anything for free, Erebus,¡± She said coldly, tilting her head to the right. ¡°What is this worth to you? No tests this time. I must extract a payment in exchange for my services. It is how it works.¡± He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯d sell my soul for my son.¡± It was Ishtar¡¯s turn to be blunt, ¡°That can be arranged.¡± He looked up at her, his eyes going wide for a moment. He searched her mask for a moment, her stance, the way her fingers flexed and the way she leaned towards him just a little. She watched his eyes as the wheels turned in his head and he closed them for a moment. ¡°Will payment upon delivery suffice?¡± He asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I was truly dealing with the devil herself. I figured you for a very powerful viin but¡­¡± ¡°Give me your hand,¡± Ishtar said, extending her own. He looked at her for a moment before nodding, he took her hand. ¡°Let me see¡­¡± Ishtar¡¯s hand twitched a little, Fascinating. It responded so readily. I knew I could take souls as payment but this¡­ why was it so natural? It even suggested a way to ensure that the abilities weren¡¯t lost if something happened to Saleh. Why? Is it trying to preserve them for some reason? She wondered for a split second, considering the possible reasons but not settling on anything concrete, only that it felt eerily right to do this for Erebus. Have I been underestimating the capabilities of Broker? She looked up at him, ¡°I can make it happen,¡± She said after a pause. ¡°Then please,¡± He said with a nod, ¡°Let us not waste time. I have a dinner party nned.¡± Yes, insure the inheritance and proceed. There wasn¡¯t a charge between them this time, no spark up her arm, no sensation of tingling. Rather it felt like a warmth passed between her and the man. It caught her momentarily off guard and she pulled her hand away, concealing the momentary frazzling with yful steps and a wave of her hand, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± He looked at his hand for a moment then back at the door, ¡°I felt it. A connection with him, for a moment, it was so strange,¡± He let out a relieved sigh, ¡°With this my legacy is secure,¡± He took a moment to bow to Ishtar, ¡°Thank you, Queen of the Viins.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job.¡± ¨C When the Spice King had said that he had a dinner party nned, she didn¡¯t know that she¡¯d be invited. It was a little annoying seeing as she normally wore a helmet that didn¡¯t allow her to eat anything. There were options she could pursue, of course, and she took advantage of one of them while she stood in the bedroom that had been set aside for her. Mephisto paced quietly off to the side, rubbing his chin as he thought over what she¡¯d told him about her second deal with Erebus. ¡°You said the ability reacted differently? No charge?¡± He murmured, walking past the television as the news rambled on about local updates. Ishtar took off her helmet. It still felt strange to feel the air on her skin. For so long she had been barely more than a state of mind for Sonya, but now she was fully realized, an identity of her own. Not that I want to be, stupid girl, She thought as she red down at her reflection in the helmet. The small smile that the tiny reflection sent her way set her heart at ease, she was doing this for her. She could carry the burden a little longer until she was ready. She sighed, ¡°No, no charge, warmth instead,¡± She said and he nced her way, ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange seeing you without your mask,¡± He said, ¡°Not Sonya I mean but, you.¡± She narrowed her eyes, ¡°We are one and the same,¡± She said warningly, ¡°Don¡¯t separate us in your mind. It¡¯s not good for her.¡± He paused and cleared his throat, ¡°R-right,¡± He chuckled a little, ¡°You know, you act like a big sister.¡± Ishtar blinked at him for a moment and raised an eyebrow. She felt something on her face that was unusual, a sense of warmth. She chuckled once and then cleared her throat and looked away, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± She said before raising her hand to her face to hide the small smile that bloomed there. She used her illusory ability to create a false helmet around her head and experimentally reached through it to touch her own face. It was easy enough to maintain and would conceal her identity while she ate. When she looked back at him he was grinning at her. ¡°Big Sis Ishtar?¡± He said cutely, blinking longshes at her. She snorted, ¡°And you kiss Amos with that mouth?¡± She said with mock disgust. ¡°Every chance I get!¡± Heughed. She snickered before tilting her head thoughtfully as she walked for the door, ¡°When was thest time I gave you a vacation?¡± ¡°You gave me a week for the nobel prize ceremony,¡± He pointed out, walking alongside her. ¡°Oh yes,¡± She said with a nod, ¡°Take another one after we¡¯re done here. Drag that man of yours off somewhere nice. He needs a break too, I think,¡± She said as he moved to open the door for her, ¡°How about the Alps? They¡¯re quite beautiful.¡± ¡°Not a fan of the cold,¡± He said with a yful bow. She smirked at him and lifted herself a few inches off the ground, drifting forward instead of walking. This new flight power was delightful. ¡°Oh? How about a tropical ind getaway?¡± She asked, drifting backwards before reclining in the air as they moved down the hall. ¡°I¡¯m not staying at your ce,¡± He teased, ¡°I know what you do there.¡± ¡°The guest bedroom is fine!¡± She shot back. ¡°I was thinking New Zend actually,¡± He said with a dark smile. She narrowed her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not a vacation if you¡¯re working, Mephisto.¡± ¡°If I happen to run into anyone worth making a deal with during my vacation, it¡¯d just be a happy ident!¡± He said with augh and dramatic shrug, ¡°Not my fault!¡± Ishtar rolled her eyes, ¡°Very well, New Zend is your next travel destination, you have two weeks with your darling to do whatever your ck little heart desires,¡± She said as they reached the elevator. He stopped next to it and hit the button to call it before sweeping down into a dramatic bow, ¡°Your wish is mymand, oh Queen.¡± They stood there for a long while as the elevator came up, both in utter silence until neither could hold it any longer. They burst into raucousughter as the elevator opened. Ishtar hanging upside down in the air and Mephisto leaning against the wall as young Saleh stared at the two of them in confusion. ¡°Oh that was the cringiest thing I¡¯ve ever heard you say!¡± She cackled, ¡°Damn it Mephisto!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! The opening was right there!¡± He wheezed before ncing up and clearing his throat. ¡°Oh! Saleh! Come up to get us?¡± Ishtar turned to look at the boy for a moment and he looked back at her with some hesitance in his eyes. He¡¯s scared of me. Of course he is. She remained silent as she shifted back to a right-side-up stance in the air and drifted towards him a bit,nding in the elevator as Mephisto joined them. ¡°Yes,¡± Saleh said after a breath, ¡°Master Mephisto, Mistress Ishtar. My father is expecting you,¡± He said before pausing and looking at Ishtar, ¡°We are having dinner.¡± Ishtar reached up and slid her hand through the illusion of her helmet, ¡°Not a problem, dear,¡± She said before crossing her arms behind her back and tilting her head, ¡°You have a good father, did you know that?¡± ¡°He raised me well,¡± Saleh said hesitantly, ¡°Mistress Ishtar.¡± She cracked a grin, ¡°We¡¯ll go with that,¡± She said as the elevator doors shut. ¨C Back in the room, the television continued to y. The reporter shifted in his seat and gestured to the right as an image of a young man with brown hair in a floral shirt posed next to a Pandora Committee prisoner transportation vehicle. ¡°In international news, the Hero First Wind has made another grand showing for himself, securing six dungeons for his guild and assisting in the arrest of over twenty umon-to-epic tier viins in the past month. While there has been some question about the coteral damage resulting in his activities, a spokesperson for First Wind stated that the costs have far outweighed the results.¡± A number of scenes yed out on the screen with the young man standing next to several portals one after another and shaking hands with another man in a ck suit wearing a Pandora Committee pin. More images came of First Wind posing with fans, taking selfies and waving as he got out of a limousine. A clip then yed from a liquormercial with First Wind sitting on a beach with a brand-name bottle in his hand and a mysterious smile on his face. He took a sip and pulled down his sunsses. The logo appeared joined by his smooth voice, ¡°Smithford, for the Good Days.¡± ¡°First Wind has already signed with the Langrey Corporation based out of Sidney and through them hasnded several advertising roles as his reputation continues to grow,¡± The reporter continued, ¡°Langrey has put out a statement in regards to their support for First Wind, quote: ¡®First Wind has the potential to be one of the most powerful and influential heroes in the world and it is our privilege to support him as he grows. His ongoing battle against the Superviin Blight is just one of the many arenas that we will back him in and we are looking forward to seeing his rise to international status.¡¯ end quote.¡± The reporter cleared his throat and continued, ¡°First Wind is rumored to be on the short list of heroes expected to get an invitation to the International Team soon, and it is likely that he is already being given probationary assignments,¡± The reporter went on before gesturing to the right again as another face appeared. This time a young chinese woman with dark hair in a green cheongsam. She was standing stoically on a wall overlooking a horde of monsters. The caption at the bottom read, ¡®Qilin in Dharan¡¯. There was a pause and then the woman gestured, almostzily. A ripple ripped out from her and the creatures began stumbling into one another, tripping, falling and crashing into the ground. She gestured again and several men and women leaped off the wall wielding weapons and abilities, their bodies glowing faintly. The woman herself didn¡¯t move, but instead watched from afar with a bored look on her face. They crashed into the stumbling and confused tide of monsters before the screen cut out and the reporter reappeared. ¡°Across the ocean from First Wind¡¯s activities, the Hero Qilin has been sent from China to the front lines in Dharan to assist in the growing effort to suppress the fallout from the dungeon break.¡±
Chapter 137 Chapter 137 The elevator ride took them down past the level where the ¡®throne room¡¯ was. Ishtar rxed against the wall as her eyes went a little unfocused. It wasn¡¯t a long trip, but it gave her a little time to go over some things. Most importantly she hadn¡¯t missed that Sonya hadn¡¯t sat down to talk with Chunhua properly yet. Still avoiding it, silly girl. She huffed out a small chuckle, drawing a look from Saleh. She ignored it and switched her thoughts to Erebus¡¯ n. It was solid enough but there were many variables. If the Pandora Committee sent out an international hero to the scene she would have to get directly involved. She doubted that whatever goons he managed to hire were up to the task. I could be wrong, of course, I hope this dinner party includes them. That would make things a little easier, She mused. She reached up to rub her shoulder a little before turning her headzily towards Mephisto. I should have dragged a briefing out of him before we went down, but I suppose there were other things to discuss. She thought absently before looking back at Saleh, Bahamut, Midas, and Earthwarden. He¡¯d be very powerful with his father¡¯s passing. Is he really up to the task, though? Or is it just a father¡¯s rose-tinted lenses? She flexed her fingers, I suppose we¡¯ll find out. The elevator opened and they stepped out into yet another floor of the office building turned mansion. There were signs here and there that this had once been a cubicle space. The way the tiles sat on the floor and the overall positioning of the lights in the ceiling. Otherwise, though, it took on the look of a grand ballroom of sorts. Decorations were set up around the perimeter of the room while the center was upied by a single long table. There were seven people already at the table. Only one of them Ishtar immediately recognized as Erebus who sat at the far head. He got to his feet as she, Saleh, and Mephisto entered. ¡°Ishtar! Wee. Please take the far seat from myself,¡± He said with an inclination of his head towards the other head of the table. ¡°Son, join me?¡± He gestured to a chair to his left. She smiled behind her mask as she gracefully strode towards the table as all eyes fell on her. A few eyes narrowed while two went wide. She stopped behind her chair and rested her hand on it as Mephisto slipped into his own chair to her immediate right. There was some mixed murmuring that she heard as clear as day. Mostly along the lines of ¡°She¡¯s actually real?¡± ¡°I thought the PC made her up.¡± She smirked to herself and moved to sit down herself when one of them clicked his tongue. She nced up and met his eyes. The dark haired man was two seats away on her left, his hairy hands gripped around a metal cup. He stared hard at her, a frown on his face. ¡°So the so-called queen finally shows her face,¡± He snorted and shrugged, ¡°Oh wait, you¡¯re wearing a friggin mask, how the hell are you supposed to eat with that thing on?¡± He asked, the water in his cup starting to boil. She slipped into her seat calmly, crossing her legs and leaning back, ¡°This one¡¯s an illusion,¡± She said inly and reached into it to tap her own chin, ¡°I can eat just fine, thank you mister¡­?¡± She trailed off invitingly. ¡°Scald, but you can keep calling me Mister. I didn¡¯t pick you to be in charge and I sure as hell ain¡¯t taking orders from you, everybody knows you got Charon in your pocket and the whole ¡®underworld¡¯ you set up is just a fucked-¡± She blocked him out as she nced into her hudzily, looking him up. It took a few moments to track some information down but it was valuable. He was someone who¡¯d caused trouble in the Styx before and got kicked out. Killed another guest. ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡± He demanded. She nced up at Erebus who kept hisposure though his eyes looked furious. She shrugged at him and he blinked once before letting out a sigh. Ishtar pointed at him and a hole formed in his head, a brief flicker of light streaking through the room between them. The man fell back in his seat and then slumped to the ground, dead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I brought so much trouble to your dinner, Erebus,¡± She said with a sigh, resting her hands in herp. ¡°None at all,¡± Erebus grunted with a small nod, ¡°Apologies for the inhospitality from my guest,¡± He said and leaned back in his chair. He nced to his right and gestured, a pair of men hurried over and picked up the corpse before dragging it away. ¡°Really doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll just redistribute his budgeted portion of the reward to the others, if that¡¯s alright with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a habit of it,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°It¡¯s a good way to get your men to kill one another,¡± She said with a sigh and looked at the remaining five assembled viins, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do something so stupid, would you?¡± She asked pleasantly. ¡°Ruin your employer''s n for a bit of extra money?¡± There was a round of quick denials and shaken heads. She chuckled behind her mask, ¡°Wonderful! Why don¡¯t we do introductions then, dears?¡± She asked and pped her hands together, ¡°I¡¯ll start!¡± She raised her hand to her heart, ¡°I am Ishtar, I have many abilities so there¡¯s no point in spelling them all out,¡± She said before gesturing to Mephisto. Might as well do some window shopping for abilities. Mephisto sneered at them from his seat, ¡°Mephisto, Ishtar¡¯s dealmaker and agent. My words have power.¡± Next to Mephisto a thin man leaning on a rather long curved sword nced her way and inclined his head. A bead of sweat dripped down from his ash-blonde hair, ¡°Cross,¡± He said coldly, ¡°I am a de dancer. I move fast.¡± Already have it. To Cross¡¯ right was the most obvious attempt at replicating the western trope of gunslingers that she¡¯d ever seen. Dark shirt with a red bandana around his neck, a cowboy hat, double belts, the works. He scratched at his thick beard and grinned a metallic smile, ¡°Grave,¡± He said with a gravelly voice, ¡°I got big iron,¡± He said and pat the revolver on his hip. Next to him, Saleh shifted a little ufortably. I hate guns, not interested. To her immediate left was an older looking man with cold eyes. He had the look of a monk about him, bald head and dark robes that looked like they¡¯d been orange once. The feel of death hung around him. He inclined his head towards Ishtar with deference, ¡°Guru,¡± He said with a cruel smile, ¡°I possess a mind for war.¡± A variation of enhanced intellect intended forbat, perhaps? That¡¯s worth analyzing. Finally, past the empty seat where Scald had been, was a woman inbat gear. She had a respirator mask on, and was eyeing Ishtar eagerly. Her violet dyed hair was pulled back into a frayed ponytail and Ishtar¡¯s senses picked up the scent of gunpowder and the feeling of barely restrained violence. ¡°Broadside!¡± The woman said eagerly, getting to her feet, she pped her hands on the table, ¡°I hear you¡¯re tough! Are you? Can we test it? I haven¡¯t shot anything I can¡¯t blow up-¡± ¡°Broadside,¡± Guru said gently before slowly turning his head in her direction, ¡°The woman just killed an epic-tier with a gesture, perhaps don¡¯t suggest fighting her, at least until you know more?¡± He turned back and smiled at Ishtar, showing his teeth, ¡°Forgive my partner, she finds challenges thrilling.¡± Ishtar tittered out augh, ¡°No trouble at all! I just don¡¯t approve of unnecessary antagonism during a friendly meeting, Scald was out of line and would have been more nuisance than asset. This team is better with his departure,¡± She said gently, ¡°You of all people should understand the need to establish order and deal with cancerous elements?¡± Guru nodded, ¡°Indeed. I appreciate your approach, madame.¡± She grinned at him, she¡¯d have to find an excuse to speak with him privately and shake his hand. Doing it at the table would seem a little off. Time and ce. She tilted her head towards Erebus who was already in the midst of gesturing towards the various attendants who had entered the room during introductions. Food and drinks were brought out,rge tes filled with foodden with spice and texture. Her stomach ached for a moment, she had forgotten to eat. Sonya loves snacking, but I prefer big meals like this, She thought. There was something about big fancy meals that just appealed to her. It¡¯s the viin in me, I suppose, she thought with a small chuckle before ncing up at the table as everyone looked ready to eat. A thought crossed her mind and she pped her hands once, ¡°Before we eat! I have a little game I¡¯d like to y and a gift for new acquaintances. It involves food so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°You like games?¡± Grave asked dubiously as Broadside leaned forward eagerly. Guru gave her an assessing look while Cross just frowned and looked longingly at his te. ¡°Love them,¡± She said mischievously before waving her hand in front of her. Eight objects appeared. Four peaches and fourrge strawberries. ¡°There are four of you here, each of you gets to pick one. Either a Peach or a Strawberry. Think of it as a way for me to learn about you.¡± ¡°Not normal fruit then,¡± Guru murmured. ¡°Peaches?¡± Broadside said, ¡°Ooh like those magic peaches in that one legend thing¡­¡± She trailed off when everyone stared at her, ¡°What? I read!¡± Cross eyed the fruits, ¡°What do they do?¡± He asked. Ishtar reassessed her opinion of Broadside again as she gestured to the strawberries, ¡°Each of the Strawberries possess powerful healing properties. I put quite a bit of oomph into them,¡± She said dramatically, ¡°Each could bring a human back from the brink of death.¡± ¡°A back-up n for the fight ahead, eh?¡± Grave chuckled and flicked his hat up a bit, leaning forward, ¡°The others?¡± ¡°The peaches will restore ten years of youth,¡± Ishtar said softly, running her finger over one of the peaches, ¡°No drawbacks, no catch,¡± She added and tilted her head and looked between the four of them, ¡°As long as you survive the fight against August, the viins she hired, and the potential interference of outside forces like heroes,¡± She added with a short nce towards Erebus who rubbed his chin, grinning at the spectacle. Their gazes met and he raised his eyebrows approvingly before slipping back in his seat and pouring himself some wine. He handed a ss to his son who watched with interest, having experienced one of her ¡®tests¡¯ himself. The four of them looked at one another for a moment as she stood there, hands out like a showman. Grave whistled and leaned back in his seat, ¡°What¡¯s to stop us from taking both?¡± ¡°One will disappear when the other is taken, and of course I¡¯ll kill anyone who does anything stupid,¡± She said merrily, ¡°That work for you?¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°Y-yeah.¡± ¡°A test of courage,¡± Cross muttered, ¡°Are we brave enough to take the peaches? Confident that we will survive the morrow?¡± ¡°A question of arrogance,¡± Guru murmured, ¡°Ten years means very little to me.¡± Broadside shrugged her shoulders, ¡°One of those peaches would put me back under age,¡± She said with a heavy sigh, ¡°Not interested in going through that shit again. Who knows? If I¡¯m not an adult anymore would I lose my abilities? Not a gamble I¡¯m willin¡¯ to take.¡± This will also help me decide on who I¡¯ll focus on helping if it bes troublesome, Ishtar thought to herself, ¡°It seems most of you already have decided,¡± She said, ¡°Cross?¡± ¡°Peach,¡± He said gravely and took one, a strawberry disappeared. ¡°Peach!¡± Grave grunted and she tossed it over to him. ¡°Strawberry,¡± Guru murmured. ¡°Strawberry,¡± Broadside said with a wave of her hand. The fruits were gone now, ¡°I¡¯d suggest waiting to indulge yourselves until after dinner, gentlemen, get some privacy,¡± Ishtar said as Grave brought the fruit to his mouth, ¡°Just in case,¡± He lowered the fruit, considered it for a moment, and then nodded, slipping it into his coat. ¡°Very interesting!¡± Erebus barked out, ¡°I enjoyed that a great deal. Tells a lot about a person, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ishtar nodded and sat back down, ¡°I learned a great deal about the people you hired today. I¡¯m impressed, honestly. It¡¯s a solid group,¡± She said and picked up her fork, ¡°I imagine that your son will be ying the lead defensive role?¡± ¡°Yes, mistress Ishtar,¡± Saleh spoke up, inclining his head, ¡°My ability is suited for creating defenses.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not all there is to it, but it¡¯ll suffice for what¡¯sing. We have more than enough attack power here,¡± She said with a pleasant wave as the others started to dig in. Broadside stuffed her face a little, chewing fast and swallowing, ¡°So are you gonna be out on the front with us?¡± She asked Ishtar eagerly, ¡°I wanna see what you can do!¡± Ishtarughed and nced at Erebus, ¡°The Spice King paid for my services but besides my ultimate role he hasn¡¯t specified, I¡¯m at your disposal to the end of this scheme, what would you like?¡± She asked casually, plucking a piece of perfectly cooked meat from the te and popping it into her mouth through the illusion. ¡°I¡¯d prefer it if you took an observational and support role, involve yourself only if you have to. While you are powerful, if by some happenstance someone sees you, more than just some punk heroes from the Pandora Committee might be sent in. They have a powerful teleporter at their disposal and that could cause trouble if things got out of hand,¡± He said tly, ¡°I want the heroes to threaten August, not us.¡± Ishtar shrugged, ¡°You heard him, if ites down to it, I¡¯ll y.¡± ¡°Light spears from the sky? Eye beams? I heard you could call lightning too!¡± Broadside said eagerly, ¡°What would you do? I love these abilities and I always want to hear about them, I asked the others about theirs and-¡± She paused when Ishtar gave her a look and she shrank a little bit, ¡°I uh¡­¡± Ishtar held her gaze for a long moment, letting the pressure hang for a bit before bursting intoughter, ¡°You¡¯re an adorable one! I like you. No, nothing so shy this time, I have a new trick I want to try out,¡± She said as she took a sip of her wine. It was delicious. ¡°I recently acquired a pocket army and would love to see what they¡¯re capable of,¡± She waved her fork at Broadside yfully, ¡°Look forward to it. It¡¯ll be their debut.¡±
Chapter 138 Chapter 138 The stage for the performance was set up. A gallery where some of the finest articles of jewelry and precious gemstones would be on disy for those around the world to see. Apparently Sonya had been sent an invitation as well, but she couldn¡¯t care less about things like that. Not unless she could use it to spoil someone else. Her idea of luxury was a bit different. Ishtar personally found it perplexing, and wondered for a time if that was just another way she was deviating from Sonya. Their personalities bing more and more distinct. She frowned a little at the thought as she settled into the building just across from the gallery, her legs crossed and her eyes shut. She took a deep breath and with a flex of will expanded her perspective. Her eyes opened. The world came into view. She was everywhere in the area. In every hall of the gallery. In every street around it. Behind her two men stood. The first was Mephisto. He hadn¡¯t agreed to participate in the action and had opted to stay behind as her bodyguard. The second was Guru, who moved to sit across from her when she gestured. He opened his mouth to speak but she held up a hand to silence him, allowing the information to feed into her mind. Her enhanced brain processed it into data. Every angle, every corner, every surface became part of a greater picture that she painstakingly pieced together. She cupped her hands and held them out, hard light filling them like water before she parted her fingers and it spilled out onto the ground. It sttered and burst, expanding and taking shape until a three dimensional representation of the area blossomed into being between the two of them. Little blips of light hang throughout the space. They flickered for a moment before taking on colors, little lines stretched from them and took the shape of words, indicating the identity of each person present. Even the wealthy visitors were named, scattered about the space. Allies were blue, neutrals were green, there were no red dots just yet. ¡°Done,¡± She said with a raspy breath, resting her hand in herp as the dots moved around from ce to ce. She opened her eyes and looked to Guru, ¡°Your assessment?¡± The old man regarded the illusion for a moment, his expression unchanged even as his pupils dted a little. She smirked when he cleared his throat and reached for the microphone on his ear, ¡°Young Master Saleh, if you would move to the parlor please, along the east wall.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Came Saleh¡¯s voice over thems. ¡°Broadside, I would have you with the young master. That is where the most valuable items are,¡± He said. ¡°Gotcha!¡± Broadside chirped. ¡°Grave, take the northern hallway,¡± He said calmly, ¡°And Cross please stay mobile between the two areas.¡± The two men both gave their affirmative before the old man looked up at her, ¡°Not a lot of men for a trap,¡± He admitted. ¡°If I have to get involved I will,¡± Ishtar said simply, ¡°I¡¯m almost hoping the situationes up.¡± ¡°Do you think it will?¡± He asked, ¡°You seem to be able to see all.¡± ¡°I can see much,¡± She corrected him, ¡°And I see the Pandora Committee arriving ahead of schedule,¡± She chuckled as she waved her hand and an illusory screen appeared in the air next to her with a view of an aircraft flying through the air. The Pandora Committee logo was on the side. She gestured again and an image of a woman getting out of a limousine appeared, she had almost mauve hair done up in aplex bun glittering with gemstones, each finger wrapped in a decadent ring. Behind her limo, another vehicle stopped and two men and two women stepped out, moving to form up around her. Before them, five red dots appeared as she let out a cruelugh, ¡°The pieces are on the table, strategist! What will you do?¡± Show me how special that power of yours is, before I make it mine. ¨C ¡°They are on the approach,¡± Guru¡¯s voice came through Grave''s earpiece. He popped a stick of cinnamon into his mouth and started to chew, wrinkling his nose a little as he moved a bit more down the hallway. ¡°They areing through the main entrance. They¡¯ll make for the parlor first. Grave, please make for the side. Cross, follow behind but at a dy. Ishtar has identified two of them from public records.¡± Grave grinned, it was nice to have real intel and backup. ¡°Who we got?¡± He asked. ¡°The blonde woman is Tenebra, a psychic, she uses telekinesis and other abilities. She¡¯s a yer, enjoys skinning people and is talented at reflecting bullets. If you can, put her down first,¡± Guru said, ¡°You¡¯ll need to be in the next section ahead of you in about forty seconds to get a good shot with sufficient surprise.¡± ¡°The other?¡± Grave grunted, picking up his pace a little as he made his way past ugly ass paintings and the smell of rich people. Cloying perfume and cologne that made them all seem more like mannequins in his head than real living things. ¡°Pike, is the ck haired youth, he can create a spear out of nothing and has powerful movement abilities, leaping specifically. Poor choice for an indoor battle,¡± Guru chuckled, ¡°He should be your next target. Ishtar insists we keep this battle as short as possible, the heroes are a bit early.¡± Grave clicked his tongue, ¡°We still locking down? All these rich pigs in here are gonna get in the way once the fighting starts.¡± A raspy voice joined the conversation, hearing it over them, in his head, it sent chills down his spine, ¡°They¡¯re expendable, nothing more than flies on piles of shit. If they get in your way, clear the path,¡± Ishtar hissed. He clenched his gun and tilted his hat forward as he stepped out into the room that had been designated his destination. Just as he rounded the corner he raised his weapon and aimed, it took a fragment of a second for him to see the five people stepping through the doors. He didn¡¯t even hear the buzz go off indicating that the lockdown of the building was starting. He found the woman with blonde hair and pulled the trigger, he poured force into the shot, demanded his aim be true, willed the bullet through anything that would stop it. A cavity formed in the woman¡¯s chest in the next second as blood sprayed against the wall. She dropped to the ground and the other three reacted immediately. A white haired man with sses quickly put his hand on the fancy woman¡¯s shoulder and pushed her towards the parlor. A woman with spiked ck hair turned to face grave but kept moving backwards, covering the first two. She brought her fingers to her lips and let out a whistle as he chanced a shot in her direction. The bullet exploded in mid air. Before he had a chance to do anything else a face was in front of him, glowing eyes boring down into his own as a spear lifted and came down. A sonorous ng rang out and Grave rolled back just in time to see Cross holding Pike off. ¡°Pursue!¡± He barked back before pushing the spear wielder back and getting into a fighting stance. Grave spat, ¡°Fuck that!¡± He growled and got to his feet, ¡°Ain¡¯t you ever yed games before? Spear beats sword!¡± He snarled, ¡°But it don¡¯t be gun!¡± He aimed at Pike who hopped backwards only to travel over ten feet. ¡°Jump power, eh? Gamer too.¡± ¡°Speak normally!¡± Cross rumbled and angled his weapon forward. Grave ignored him and fired a few shots, Pike spun his weapon and blocked the first two before pulling his body out of the way of the third. Grave took a step to the side and reloaded, watching the man carefully. ¡°Long story short, he¡¯s tough.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Cross growled, and readied himself. ¨C Saleh¡¯s foot twitched a little as shouts began to ring out throughout the building. He ignored them as best he could, but it was still trying. One wealthy man from europe rushed him and started demanding things, he just pushed him away. The idea of killing the man just to get him to buzz off seemed a bit much. He pressed his lips together, But Ishtar said so. He closed his eyes and exhaled through his nostrils as gunshots echoed. Father said to listen to her advice, he frowned, But Father- He shook his head, Father must have known it was a test. Right? Merry whistling brought him out of his thoughts and he nced down at the woman who was sitting down against the wall next to him. She had pulled her respirator off and was checking her face in a small hand mirror. He gave her an incredulous look as Guru¡¯s voice came through. ¡°They¡¯re in the main hall heading towards the parlor now.¡± She snapped it shut, ¡°How do I look?¡± She asked. He blinked at her, ¡°Uh¡­ fine? Is that important?¡± She huffed, ¡°Of course it is! That Grave guy is already kinda hot, I can¡¯t imagine what he¡¯ll look like with ten years shaved off. Not gonna miss a good chance when I see one,¡± She said with a smirk. He just stared at her then nced at the hallway meaningfully, ¡°Are you serious right now?¡± He asked. Sheughed, ¡°Oh hon,¡± She said and pressed her hand against the wall, ¡°They¡¯re in my killing field already,¡± She said with a wild grin and turned to it, ¡°Hope that Augustdy can handle it otherwise I might get in a little trouble for this,¡± She snickered, ¡°I wanted to try this on Ishtar but oh well,¡± She sighed and tapped her mic, ¡°Lighting up the hallway Guru ol buddy!¡± ¡°The target should survive, go ahead,¡± Guru said bluntly. ¡°What are you-¡± He was cut off when he saw a portion of the wall in the hall between the parlor and the main entrance open. It was a solid object but it just opened! He rubbed his eyes in disbelief as Broadside startedughing, he heard sounds like the shifting of metal and then a shout. She turned to him and waved at him, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wall please! Box ¡®em in!¡± She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, ¡°Think a little, kid!¡± Their n finally dawned on him and he whirled towards the hall, herughter growing louder and wilder as he threw his hands out and then down. He straightened his stance and clenched his fists. In a single motion and step he pulled his hands up and to his chest in a rigid motion. The ground at the threshold of the parlor shifted and then shot up into the air as a solid wall, boxing in the passage. A finalugh escaped Broadside''s lips before loud bangs shook the building, cannonfire. BOOM! BOOMBOOM BOOM! The building kept shaking as more and more shots were fired off, even the stone wall he had created began to crack and shudder before it finally went still. Civilians shouted and screamed from where they hid here and there. He stared in horror at the space as yet another gunshot went off in the distance. His heart raced. Battles in dungeons were simple, monsters were straightforward and the few that could use some manner of ¡®ability¡¯ were few and far between. Knowing that there was a person out there that could turn any surface into a hidden cannon was¡­ terrifying. ¡°August lives,¡± Guru said, ¡°As does the sound user but she is wounded, be ready.¡± ¡°Where are Cross and Grave?¡± Saleh asked. ¡°Cross is dead,¡± Guru said, ¡°Grave is on his way.¡± Before Saleh could ask more a keening sound came from behind the busted wall. He felt something trying to tear his wall apart. He resisted it at first, pushing back and holding his ground with clenched fists. He felt the power on the other end intensify. Behind him, Broadside got up and brushed off her hands, walking over to a statue stationed across from the entryway and leaned against it with an outstretched hand. Across the hall, a bloody and irritable looking Grave stalked out, pistol in hand. He pointed it at the opening with a frown. Even though there are three of us, she¡¯s insisting on pushing through. Why? He chewed his lip, What even is a Mythic? My father is one but I have never seen the scope of his power. He clenched his fists, Are the three of us enough? The wall shattered before he could get in hisst thought and he pushed his arms forward and then up, shaping the ground beneath him into small bricks that he fired in the direction of the new opening. The statue broadside was touching opened and several small guns poked out of it before opening fire as well. Grave pulled his trigger six times before lowering his weapon, his eyes glowing orange-red beneath his hat. All the while, that keening sound rang out, the bricks vaporized, the cannonballs were pulverized, and the bullets barely made it through. There was a squelching sound and a figure with dark hair stepped out, one arm hanging and another held up to her lips. She had a hole in her leg and blood spilled down onto the ground as she staggered forward. Saleh flexed his arms and twisted his body, pivoting and pulling to the right just as she whistled again, whipping her head left to right. Grave was sent hurtling backwards, the statue next to Broadside exploded and peppered her with debris. Saleh felt his arm itch for a moment as he tried to finish his motion, his left hand tore apart at the fingers before being turned into naught but red mist at the elbow. He let out a scream and threw his body into the motion anyway, agony burning through his mind. A piece of wall lurched out and crushed the woman¡¯s head as he fell to his knees. ¡°My arm!¡± He screamed, falling to his side as the pain grew worse and worse, his brain catching up with the injury. He clutched at it desperately as he tried to open his eyes through the tears. A hand grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him to the wall, before he knew what was happening he felt something get shoved into his mouth, fingers holding it shut, it was sweet. He bit down on instinct and felt the pain wash away followed by a strange, sickening sensation as something began to grow on his stump. He blinked through the shock and tears and looked up to see Broadsides crouched over him with a grin. ¡°Oops!¡± Sheughed as the sound of popping ice spread across the floor. They both looked and saw the floor start to turn to gold, spreading out like a creeping infection. ¡°Gotta move!¡± She shouted and grabbed him again, pulling him to his feet as she pped a few ss cases filled with jewelry. She reached up and touched her microphone, ¡°Her support¡¯s toast Guru! What¡¯s next?¡± She called. For a moment, all Saleh heard was empty static before an angry, bone chilling growl rumbled into his ears. ¡°First Wind.¡± That was when the wind started to blow, shaking the metal sheets that had fallen down with the lockdown.
Side Story: Saleh 1 Side Story: Saleh 1 It all happened far too quickly for Saleh to wrap his head around. One moment August was walking out of the hallway, the next all hell broke loose. The wind blew so hard it was impossible to hear anything. He could see portions of the metal sheets that hade down as part of the lockdown shudder and bend beneath the force of the wind. Based on Ishtar¡¯s words, it must be someone called ¡®First Wind¡¯, he personally hadn¡¯t heard of them but if he had to guess they were a hero and a threatening one at that. That meant they were out of time. They either secured August now or they all went down. He chewed his lip and pulled himself free of Broadside who was still holding him by the arm, giving her a sidelong look. She stuck her tongue out at him and he noticed something strange about her eyes, they were crosshairs. How had he not noticed that before? Was it only when her powers were active? He shook his head and focused on the person standing in the middle of the room. August stood like a statue, her hands over herp and her almost bored expression shifting only to look at them and Grave who was getting to his feet on the other side. Broadside ced her hand on the wall slowly. Saleh shifted his foot to the right and clenched his fists. Grave slid onest bullet into his revolver. RRRRRMMBBBHHHH Like a starting shot, the building shook again and everyone moved at once. Saleh gritted his teeth and opened his right hand, throwing his arm up and clenching his fist. The ground beneath the woman shook and shot upward from all directions, blocks of stone mming into her body to attempt to restrain her. The wall along his and Broadside¡¯s side of the room opened and cannon barrels poked out before shifting and aiming. One at a time they fired, like they were on the side of an old battleship. Each slug mming into the woman and kicking up dust and debris. Six shots from Grave¡¯s gun joined in on the attack, peppering the cloudy spot where August stood. Saleh didn¡¯t wait, he had felt the restraints he¡¯d made get obliterated by the onught. He reached out to grab onto the earth beneath her again and it¡­ resisted? No, it moved against him. ¡°She¡¯s attacking!¡± He shouted and dove to the right just in time for a long rod of gold tonce through the air, nearly scratching the side of his face. He tumbled and got to his feet and shot a look back at Broadside who was hopping back one step at a time, chuckling as spikes of gold erupted from the ground in an attempt to impale her. Broadsideughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t know she could do that!¡± Saleh turned his attention from her, breathing hard, the blood pumping in his veins and stepped easily to the right as a spike prepared to form beneath him. You¡¯re going to have to try harder than that, I can feel everything beneath me. He thought grimly. He needed to calm down, focus, if he was going to achieve his father¡¯s goal. So far the trap had beenrgely sessful, only one losspared to a full wipe out for August¡¯s side. The only problem was that August was a mythic and had clearly never left enough witnesses alive to give any hint as to what she was really capable of. He tapped his earpiece, ¡°Guru?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, young master,¡± Guru said a little shakily, ¡°Madame Ishtar is handling the heroes outside, focus on your task.¡± ¡°Could use some advice,¡± Saleh clipped, stepping to the side again as another spike formed. A cannon shot rang out nearby and the cloud of debris and smoke surrounding August became thicker. Somehow the mythic was resisting their attacks. He felt through the ground again and hesitated when he felt a change in the makeup of the floor beneath him, it was spreading again. He clicked his tongue, ¡°She¡¯s changing the floor again!¡± He shouted into them, the winds and gunfire too loud to get his voice out. ¡°She hasn¡¯t moved, I see a victory but it depends on your abilities young master. All I can do is put you in the right ce and-¡± ¡°Mine?¡± Saleh barked back. ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Got my fuckin¡¯ boot!¡± Grave barked back over the earpiece, ¡°Bullets ain¡¯t doing shit.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still attacking and I hit her with an anti material round!¡± Broadside cackled, ¡°This is awesome!¡± Saleh grit his teeth and nced down at his feet, he took a few steps back away from the gold spreading across the ground before looking up quickly as another one of those spears shot through the air towards him. He frowned a little, wondering how he could feel something that was in the air as he sidestepped it and hopped onto one of the disy cases, crouching and cing his hand on the surface. ss was hard to sense things through because of how refined it was but in the end it was still silicon and quartz. He felt the movements again, the shifting, the presence of the woman on the other side. It was like he could feel her entire body. His brows furrowed but before he could give it any more thought the winds picked up again, the building shook so hard that a portion of the ceiling started to crumble inwards. He felt something else, something that tingled against his skin. He nced over his shoulder and saw a faint glowing from the windows. What is that? He thought as his instincts screamed at him to get away from whatever the creepy radiation was. If he touched it, August would kill him. He clicked his tongue and looked around for the others as gold continued to spread across the floor. He paused, What am I doing? He hissed to himself and took a deep, steadying breath. I can see them just fine. He thought as he spread his awareness not just towards the mythic, but throughout the room. There was Broadside, hanging from the side of a statue mounted to the floor, she was firing cannon sts from the base of the statue andughing uproariously. His senses picked up on a half-barefoot Grave as well, taking a few steps away from the windows and walking steadily away from the spreading gold as he kept taking shots in the mythic¡¯s direction. His bullets seemed endless. He took another breath, Calm down, think, there has to be a solution. He thought as he nced down towards the gold spreading on the floor. He narrowed his eyes and felt for the seemingly invincible mythic again. It can¡¯t be that easy, can it? He thought, his senses spreading up from the ground and through her body. It wasn¡¯t like sensing the general shape of his hired-on allies and their positions. It was like I can feel every single- ¡°God damn it I¡¯m an idiot!¡± He swore into thems before pping both hands down on the disy case he¡¯d perched himself on. This better work! ¡°Young master Saleh?¡± Guru called, ¡°Is everything-¡± ¡°Shut up! I¡¯ve got this!¡± Saleh growled, Depends on my abilities, huh? He grit his teeth and pushed, working his powers like a muscle at its limit. Metals are just a part of earth, just another material the ground is made of. Gold is no different, just pure. He felt his mind creak a little bit under the pressure as he tugged against something that felt close and distant at the same time. He pushed his will through the ss, the floor, the gold, and he grabbed on with all his might. You will not move. He thought firmly. You will not move! He pressed his fingers through the ss, the material parting for him. Hold still! The sounds of crashing and the floor shifting with the creation of gold weapons and projectiles stopped. Somewhere distantly he heard a voice in his ear but his mind was entirely upied with holding on for dear life as the presence on the other end of his attention struggled against his grip. No, you are metal. You are mine. Another shout over hism, he shook his head and redoubled his focus. He had to be rigid. Unbending. Unyielding. You are a statue! Hemanded, A statue! He felt one of the teeth in his mouth crack a little under the strain when he finally felt the resistance begin to wane and then it just stopped. He kept his grip on it as a hand alighted on his shoulder. He blinked and suddenly noticed just how much every muscle in his body hurt, his jaw hurt, and his upper lip felt wet. He looked up to see an eerie ck mask looking down at him, two zing pink eyes meeting his. ¡°You did well, little viin,¡± Ishtar rasped as a pale white glow gleamed from her palm, ¡°Let¡¯s get her out of here.¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 The aircraft streaked through the dry air, pockets of human life streaking by. Three of the four heroes on the ship sat together in rtive silence, their eyes focused, their jaws set, their minds on what they needed to do. ording to the anonymous tip, Queen August was going to be attacking a private gallery show of jewelry and rare gemstones in the middle east. She had arrived in Syria before moving south-east before pivoting straight for Iran. They¡¯d hoped to catch her along the way but had inevitably been forced to change tactics, aiming for the small city on the border of Iran and Pakistan where the show was being held. ¡°Still seems a little iffy to me that it would be held there,¡± Breach said, rubbing his neck a little and scowling. He leaned back in his light gear, ASTA had made it specifically to work with his phasing ability. He nced to the right and frowned at the new guy. ¡°You seem rxed.¡± Luca had found one of the benches in the aircraft to be the mostfortable of them all and had strapped himself in,ying down on it and admiring the ndness of the ceiling. He grinned a little to himself, his eyes closed behind his sunsses. It had taken forever for him to get to this point but he was finally here. Finally on his first probationary mission with the International Team. He didn¡¯t let that kill his vibe, though, there was something to be said about maintaining a consistent demeanor even when not in the ¡®public¡¯ eye. Not that these eggs get it, sour bunch. He thought and his lip twitched. Heh, Sour eggs. He chuckled again and nced down at the guy who¡¯d called him out, tilting his sunsses down a little, ¡°Hey are you scrambled or over easy?¡± He asked with a snicker. Breach gave him a baffled look before turning to the hero sitting next to him. Fontaine, their group healer, sighed and shook his head, his ponytail bobbing a little bit. Breach¡¯s eyes fluttered with momentary annoyance before a new voice spoke up. ¡°He¡¯s calling you an egg, or rather a clown,¡± the woman sitting a bit apart from the rest of them said. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was frowning at the floor. Her gear seemed to be tailored to her body and made of some kind of tight fitting fabric that could stretch easily. Unlike the off-white of Fontaine and Breach¡¯s gear, it had been dyed and stylized to a rather vicious looking grey-red color scheme. She looked up, her glowing red eyes turning towards First Wind, ¡°Could you please not antagonize the support team?¡± Protean asked, ¡°This is your first mission and I¡¯m monitoring you.¡± He snorted and sat up, resting his arms on his knees. He sniffed the air, Gunpowder and Blood, nice. ¡°Then keep watchin,¡± He said, ¡°Cuz Imma get to work if you don¡¯t mind,¡± He said and unsped his restraints. ¡°Pardon? We¡¯re not at the target location yet, we¡¯re at least five minutes out, sit-¡± She began but he was already walking to the rear of the aircraft. He pped the button to open the ramp and fresh air washed over him. He closed his eyes and took it all in, the rapid winds, the dry heat, the strength of the sky in this ce. ¡°First Wind! We aren¡¯t at the target location!¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t, I am,¡± He said with a nce over his shoulder and a smarmy grin, Losers. He thought before turning around and falling backwards off the craft. There was a shout as he fell through the air, his floral shirt pping about him, his chest exposed to the sunlight. He sneered a little, ¡°Let¡¯s fuckin¡¯ go,¡± He hissed and embraced the wind. Everchanging. Unstoppable. The air pressure above him decreased while the air pressure beneath him skyrocketed. With a shift and a flip he was standing in the air. He altered the air pressure in front of him next, dropping it to next to nothing before increasing the pressure behind himself steadily. Faster, faster, faster, he pushed himself along before stabilizing the air pressure above him and turning into a rocket that shot across the terrain beneath him. Just up ahead was the city. He paid no attention to the buildings, he followed the air, that smell. Blood. He could hear it now too, sirens and shouting. It was faint on the aircraft but now it was getting delightfully close. He barked out augh as he neared his destination, ¡°Someone¡¯s having a good time!¡± He shouted and slid to a stop, rising up above the city and looking down at therge solitary building. It was gaudily built with all those weird modern shapes to it, cops had formed up around it and were moving civilians away. His lip twitched and he raked his eyes over it, Iron sidings, lockdown huh? Civvies are trapped inside then, no big, this whole gallery show thing sounds shady as fuck. Might as well bring the whole building down on ¡®em and save the trouble. She¡¯s definitely inside. He held out his hands and got to work. Urging the wind through the city streets. Sand and bits of trash began to bounce about as he pivoted and pulled, dragging the wind about slowly, turning it as he adjusted the air pressure and temperature. Good thing I practiced! He thought merrily, This power is hard to control. He clenched his fists and began pulling harder, more wildly, C¡¯mon baby, gimme a tornado! Let''s go! Tornado in the desert! He barked out a wildugh, Come on,e on,e on! Party time people! That was when he saw it, the first hint of something bigger going on. Something glowed on the side of the building. He paused and tilted his head, squinting a little. His powers didn¡¯te with long range vision so it was hard to make it out. Then the glow began to spread. Not in a ¡®bathing the area in light¡¯ kind of way, but more signs of it spreading throughout the area. Streaks of pale white light that gave him an odd feeling. The light was crawling up buildings like- Vines? Roots? He squinted again and lowered himself towards the ground. The fuck is this? This ain¡¯t gold. As he drew closer he could make it out a bit better, ignoring the shouts of the police that were aimed at him. They were definitely roots of some kind made almost entirely out of that eerie white light. He scoffed and held up his hands again to clear it out as the first root reached the top of a building. It touched the air and bloomed into a flower, beautiful, almost awe inspiring. Flecks of light rose up from the flower like pollen that spread out and touched other objects and the roots began to spread on them as well. He raised an eyebrow and the wind began to pick up around his body, pushing away some of the pollen as more and more of the stuff was released into the air. ¡°Nice trick but it won¡¯t-¡± He started and froze, narrowing his eyes. Something felt very wrong. His instincts were screaming at him. His ability was screaming at him. The light was intensifying on the flowers, spreading, truly nketing the ce. He hopped back as the light washed over him. He pushed for the sky and¡­ fell? He blinked and hit the ground stumbling back a few paces. He looked at his hands in confusion for a moment and flicked his wrist, wind coiled around it. He tried to adjust the air pressure around his body again but nothing happened. One of my ability¡¯s functions was cut off. He realized and looked up at the glowing nts, That shit is bad news. He grinned, ¡°Aight, challenge epted!¡± Heughed and began working the wind harder. He turned and began wrapping the building in a tight band of wind, the air current ripping around it so quickly it was starting to be visible. While he did, he began pushing the wind around the buildings where the vines were going, trying to peel them off. Metal rattled and paint chipped as casually increased the pressure. Even without true pressure control, there were other ways to make his tornado happen. He exhaled and the temperature began to drop on the ground, the cool air pressing hard against the heated metal and stone of the building. Metal began to bend and peel, the reinforced tes twisting beneath the force of the wind. ¡°Open up! Let me in!¡± He sing-songed before he sensed a change in the area, a shift in air pressure that reminded him of those neat portals Euclidia could make. He turned his head, ¡°Huh? What¡¯s she doing? This is my-¡± He stopped and stared. A tall rectangle of light began to form in the air across from him. He nced towards the cops who¡¯d been pushed out of his mind for now. They were all looking at the strange boxes in confusion as well. This isn¡¯t Euclidia. He realized and cut off the wind cycling around the gallery before adjusting his sunsses and smirking a bit, ¡°I¡¯m waiting,¡± He said aloud, ¡°Come on! Show yourself already! I-¡± The first one stepped out and for the first time in his life, in a long, long time, even before he¡¯d gained his powers and felt this sense of invincibility, he felt his blood get a little cold. It wasn¡¯t a person that stepped out of the portal. It was a seven foot tall statue of marble. Its burning eyes smoldered over a humorless mouth covered by a transparent silk veil. It had ¡®hair¡¯ that despite clearly also being made of marble seemed flexible. It was muscr, regal, and had a feeling of cruelty about it- No, tyranny. He thought as he took a step back to observe. It stepped fully into the world and brandished a long, curved, wicked looking sword. ¡°THIS IS A MANDATE.¡± A unfeeling voice came from the statue, the words were both outside and inside his head, he heard it in his native spanish and in maori. ¡°THE HEAVENS HAVE ORDERED YOUR DEATH, HERO FIRST WIND.¡± First Wind pointed at himself andughed, he gestured at the big thing as it started marching towards him and wrapped its arm in a tight coil of wind. He wrenched his hand to the right and down, snapping it. The limb went ck for a moment as the statue continued its approach before immediately snapping back into ce. ¡°Oho! Tough!¡± Heughed as gunshots rang out. Bullets pinging uselessly off the statue. That was when another stepped out, and then another, and then another. One of the statues turned towards the police, ¡°INTERFERENCE WILL RESULT IN DEATH,¡± the statue growled and lifted a fucking car before hurling it at the police who desperately scattered. More gunshots rang out, the police hurrying to make a new perimeter. One of the cops even charged forward, light glowing beneath his uniform as he lunged only for the light to flicker out as he drew near the statue that had thrown the car. His raised fist hesitated, his power weakened by the light. The statue grabbed him by the head and drove it a foot into the concrete before stepping over him and marching towards the police. He clicked his tongue and ignored it, focusing on the three that were now marching in his direction. So they want to y rough, huh? He threw his hands down before swaying and pulling them up, the wind that he had been gathering around the city to peel off those annoying nts changed direction. He pulled his hands together, sping them hard as the wind mmed into the three approaching figures. They crashed into one another in a tangle of limbs and he hurled them into the air just as a body flew past him. He turned his attention back to the single statue and the cops. It raised its weapon and brought it down on the car they were standing behind, cleaving it in half and pulling one piece out of the way to get to them. He clicked his tongue and nced up as he picked up on something in the air, ¡°Fun¡¯s over I guess,¡± He muttered and nced up at the Pandora aircraft shifting its wings and entering a hovering posture. That was when he saw what had happened to the three statues he¡¯d thrown. Theynded on panels of hard light and quickly extricated themselves from one another before turning their attention to the aircraft. Wait. Hard light? He whipped his head around, No way. She¡¯s here? He grinned wildly, ¡°She¡¯s here! Hell yes!¡± Heughed, ¡°Sorry Protean! Fun time ain¡¯t over yet!¡± He howled and cut loose as more of the statues began to march out of the portal, the brutal things marching towards him as the screams of men desperately fighting the solitary statue fell on deaf ears. He raised his hands high and called on the wind. Even if air pressure wasn¡¯t in his ybook right now, he could just bring a fucking hurricane down and eliminate any witnesses. He clenched his fist and called on all of the wind he could, pulling from all around him, forcing the air through the entire city to move faster and faster. ¡°Come on out Ishtar!¡± He shouted, ¡°I¡¯mma make a name for myself today!¡± He bellowed. Buildings shook, men screamed, the world creaked, and an explosion sounded overhead. He didn¡¯t care even as one of the statue things fell to the ground and got back up, badly burned but still mobile. It turned its eyes on him and he grinned at it. It lowered its weapon and tilted its head, an odd posture for such a rigid thing. Then its eyes changed color, turning into a zing hot pink. ¡°Next time, perhaps, First Wind. I¡¯ve got what I came for,¡± Came a raspy voice. He blinked, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Farewell, little hero. Perhaps focus on the job in the future?¡± It mocked him before it bowed its head and dissolved into motes of light. First Wind¡¯s eyes went wide as more motes of light rose into the air. He felt his air pressure feature return and he spun towards the gallery. ¡°Oh you gotta be kidding me,¡± Heughed and wrenched one of the metal panels off the ss wall before twisting his hand and ripping the ss out. He darted inside and found nothing but corpses. Gold was sttered everywhere, the floor, the ceiling, golden bullets, golden rocks, golden people, but there was no sign of Queen August. He licked his lips, ¡°She dyed me,¡± He mused, Just like Vegas and ck Lotus, huh? She doesn¡¯t like direct fights. Noted. ¡°First Wind!¡± Protean called out behind him, ¡°What happened here? What the hell were those things? Breach is hurt, Fontaine¡¯s looking after him.¡± He nced over his shoulder and grinned, tilting his sunsses down, ¡°I just fought Ishtar apparently,¡± He said with augh.
Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Erebus sat in his throne room, chin resting on his knuckles as he stared into space. The stage for his scheme had been more than far enough away to keep any sense of the action far away from him and his own. That was the n, after all. Why make a move and set yourself up to fail afterwards? Ultimately, every n needed a favorable end, and that included ensuring that one got away with what one intended to do. His eyes narrowed and he nced towards the small monitor that had been installed on the arm of his throne. Reports had stopped about the action, apparently the heroes were in control of the area now. ¡°First Wind, huh?¡± He murmured to himself, staring at the face on the screen, He¡¯s very powerful. He thought grimly before turning to another recording. Marble statues stepping out of portals andying waste to the police, cleaving vehicles in two, crushing one light touched man like he was an insect. Then the confrontation with First Wind, how they marched forward on him with merciless focus. The glowing nts that made his skin crawl, just seeing them put his instincts on edge, warned him to never tarry close. Ishtar. He thought to himself. Just what manner of being did I sell my soul to? Does she really have the ability to retain such a thing? Is the soul real? He nced up patiently as the air rippled a few feet away from the base of his throne. A line of white light appeared that opened into arge rectangle before the interior distorted and emptied, seeming to dive into a distant ce. His lip twitched, Her teleportation power. He thought as his son stepped through, looking tired but very much alive. ¡°Saleh,¡± Erebus said with a nod, ¡°Well done.¡± Saleh nced up at his father and nodded once before Guru, Broadside, and Grave stepped through. Mephisto came next with a jaunty strut and a smirk on his pretty face. The portal closed a momentter. Erebus frowned, ¡°Where are Ishtar and August?¡± He asked. Mephisto grinned, ¡°My mistress wanted a private word,¡± He said with a mboyant bow, ¡°It¡¯ll be just a moment, Spice King.¡± Erebus narrowed his eyes, What is she up to? ¨C The old bank vault was as good a ce as any. In fact it was a little poetic if Ishtar had to say so herself. She sat down on the table and crossed her legs, resting her hands on the surface and rxing a bit. She looked down at the figure on her knees in front of her, restrained by glowing vines and guarded by two agents of the Heavenly Legion. The two statues held their des at the woman¡¯s neck, ¡°Not much of a talker, are you, Queen August?¡± She asked in that blood curdling rasp of hers. Queen August was pretty, beautiful even, no regal was a better word for it. She had a mature countenance about her, a hint of age creasing the corners of her mouth. Her near-purple red hair had fallen out of the beehive bun on the top of her head and now was strewn messily about her face. Her eyes glowed an eerie molten gold, darker than the bright color Ishtar associated with other people, closer to orange. A result of her ability. The woman scoffed, ¡°I do not speak to the dead, Ishtar.¡± ¡°Mind games can be a useful tool in a fight, you know? Talking to a foe allows you to push them to make mistakes, lower their guard, open up,¡± Ishtar pointed out with a chuckle. She shifted in her seat and uncrossed her legsnguidly, recrossing them the other way and letting out a longing sigh, ¡°It¡¯s too bad that I prefer to keep to the background. I would love to go a few rounds with the heroes now and then,¡± She clicked her tongue and waved a coy hand, ¡°Oh you know how it is, don¡¯t you? It must be tough being famous!¡± August narrowed her eyes, ¡°Just tell me what you want.¡± Ishtar pointed at herself, ¡°Me? Oh, dear, it¡¯s not about what I want, not really. Not this time I¡¯m afraid. You see, the Spice King made a deal with me and now we¡¯re going to uphold it,¡± She said and leaned forward, ¡°He wants your power in exchange for your life.¡± The woman paled, ¡°Wh-what? My ability? It¡¯s mine!¡± She snarled, struggling against the glowing vines that only squeezed down a little harder, forcing her to be still again. One of the statues grabbed her by the back of the head and fixed her gaze on Ishtar, ¡°It is how I will bathe in the jewels of the world, they all belong to me! They¡¯re mine! I deserve it! It¡¯s owed to me!¡± She spat, trying to pull her head away from the iron grip of the legionnaire. ¡°I don¡¯t need your backstory, August,¡± Ishtar said with a wave of her hand, ¡°Either way, your story as a viin ends here.¡± August narrowed her eyes, ¡°Then just kill me. I¡¯d rather die than-¡± Ishtar clicked her tongue and waggled a finger in the air, ¡°Your survival is indeed part of the deal he¡¯s offering. He will spare your life,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°But if you refuse we aren¡¯t going to kill you,¡± She said, ¡°No. I am going to make sure that you end up in the hands of the Heroes wearing power restraining cuffs. You will be defenseless and they will take you away and lock you up for a very, very long time,¡± Ishtar said coldly, ¡°Far away from your precious jewels, far away from anything beautiful and shiny. Alone in a cage until your dying day, no doubt.¡± The viin¡¯s shoulder¡¯s drooped and her eyes went wide. Real panic filling them as her pupils shrank, Yes. Now you see the reality. ¡°You either surrender your power, Erebus spares you, you find a way to return home to what you¡¯ve already stolen,¡± She flexed her power and her glove receded into her body momentarily, revealing her bare glittering skin, ¡°Or these will be thest sparkles you ever see as the Pandora Committee puts you into a hole from which there is no escaping,¡± Ishtar hissed, ¡°And trust me, I can make that happen. I am fully capable of pulling the right strings to have a cage built just for you, drab and lifeless.¡± Ishtar tilted her head and watched as the woman¡¯s breathing grew rapid, her chest heaving as she tugged and pulled against her bindings. She screamed, struggled, iled, tried anything to move but it was no use. The woman¡¯s eyes flicked down to Ishtar¡¯s hand, staring hungrily, she gnashed her teeth, screamed again and wept. ¡°It¡¯s not fair! It¡¯s not fair! I just wanted what was mine! Why can¡¯t I have it? Give it to me! Those are mine too! Is the rest of you so beautiful? Mine!¡± She shrieked as Ishtar held up her hand and the glove returned to it, ¡°No! Don¡¯t go away!¡± She pleaded, ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this to me, I¡¯m begging you!¡± Ishtar slipped off the table, ¡°That isn¡¯t an option, August,¡± Ishtar said and walked towards her. She took her chin and looked straight into her face, ¡°A deal has been made, I do not break my promises, give up. It¡¯s over. Agree to the deal and Erebus will not kill you. You can try your hardest to go home. Wouldn¡¯t that be nice?¡± August croaked once, looking up at Ishtar with tears in her eyes. ¡°He¡¯ll let me go back?¡± She asked pitifully. ¡°He will,¡± Ishtar said. The woman¡¯s lips trembled and Ishtar saw something inside her break, ¡°I ept,¡± She whimpered, ¡°Please, no more.¡± Ishtar nodded and held out her hand, the woman¡¯s bindings loosened enough that she could move her own hand. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Analyze. Ishtar smirked behind her mask, ¡°Good girl¡­¡± Proceed. A sh of white light erupted between them, the ring light turning and bending in the air before seeping into August¡¯s skin. Her veins red, visible beneath her skin as the woman screamed in pain. She thrashed, foaming at the mouth as the agony took her. Ishtar held her grip until the woman went limp, breathing hard. Ishtar pulled her hand away and stepped a few paces back before floating to the table in the room, alighting on it and crossing her legs. ¡°Once more a mere mortal. How the mighty fall. You put up a good fight, but your ability was wasted on you, August.¡± The woman stirred a bit as the bindings fell away, the white vines retracting into the ground. Ishtar flexed her fingers a little and waited for the woman to wake up, ¡°Powerless¡­¡± The woman moaned, coughing onto the floor as thest of the vines retracted and she fell onto her face. She looked diminished, her skin grayer, her hair dimmer, the vibrancy gone. She pushed herself up to her knees and looked up at Ishtar, ¡°M-may I go now?¡± She asked, ¡°Please?¡± Ishtar wrinkled her nose, ¡°You really are pathetic,¡± the superviin said coldly, ¡°How you could even think to call yourself a superviin is beyond me. How the Pandora Committee could ever consider you a threat only tells me that they have a long way to go before I¡¯m satisfied,¡± She snarled before gesturing once with her hand. The two statues grabbed the woman by the arms and dragged her across the floor. She was too weak to even protest as they hefted her up to eye level with Ishtar¡¯s mask. She grabbed the woman by the chin, ¡°You saw my portals right, August?¡± She asked, ¡°Can you tell me where home is?¡± August¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Y-yes! I did!¡± She said hurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s in the Alps! I-I have coordinates written down so I can give them to pilots if necessary,¡± She added and reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Ishtar took it from her and set it aside, ¡°You¡¯re going to send me home? That¡¯s why you asked, right?¡± Idiot. Coward. Nothing without her powers. No spine. She was so arrogant and proud when she could kill someone with a look. Now, Her lips curved down into a frown, Now look at her. Ishtar scoffed and let her go, ¡°Hold her,¡± She said as the woman hit the ground. It took half a second to process before August scrambled away and pinned herself against the vault door. ¡°Wait! You said that you¡¯d spare my life if I gave up my power! You promised!¡± She shouted, ¡°You said you don¡¯t break promises!¡± ¡°I said that Erebus would spare your life,¡± Ishtar said and stepped off the table again, walking towards her, ¡°I said that he would offer you a way home. You heard things today that damned you, I¡¯m afraid,¡± She continued as the statues grabbed the woman by the arms and pinned her against the wall, ¡°I made no such promises of my own. You were simply too gullible and desperate to think my words through,¡± Ishtar continued and grabbed the woman by the face, ¡°You gave me the location of your home. What more use do I have for you? If I let you go now, you could very well talk about what you experienced today. My abilities, the nature of my dealmaking power,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°The moment I opened my mouth you were doomed.¡± Ishtar pulled Will of Midas out of her warehouse as the woman thrashed against the door. ¡°You will serve better as a warning to others,¡± Ishtar said quietly, ¡°Your reckless use of your ability, your wastefulness, your arrogance, no higher purpose to pursue. You weren¡¯t a viin, you were a wild animal.¡± ¡°Please! No-¡± The woman¡¯s face stiffened as it began to take on a gilded hue, it spread across her body as a look of anguish and terror was frozen in time. In a matter of seconds, she was nothing but a statue. Dead. Ishtar pulled her hand away and walked over to the table, picking up the phone. She concentrated on it and it turned on, the screen flickering and changing several times before she got the information she needed. She waved her hand and a portal opened to her left, ¡°Go. Deal with any security then locate and consolidate anything of value.¡± Shemanded the two legionnaires. ¡°Once you are done, maintain watch until I can visit to retrieve it all.¡± The marble statues inclined their heads before marching towards the portal and disappearing through it. Ishtar nced down at the phone and pressed her thumb against it, the circuitry sparked and smoked before it began to crack and fizzle out. She crushed it in her hand for good measure and dropped it onto the ground. She turned back to the statue of August, ¡°So disappointing,¡± She said quietly before gesturing and creating another portal, ¡°I wonder if it would look better at Erebus¡¯ ce or in the Styx? Might have more of an impact in thetter I think¡­¡± She paused at the portal, ¡°I should probably make a statement on the matter. It¡¯s been a while since the world heard my voice,¡± She chuckled, ¡°Pretty sure First Wind has already told everyone I¡¯m lurking around. Why bother hiding it? May as well take advantage of the situation.¡± <¡±Technocrat.¡±> There was a pause before Amos¡¯ voice came through, <¡±Yes, Ishtar?¡±> <¡±I¡¯d like to use that fancy new broadcasting toy you whipped up the other day.¡±> <¡±Really? Hell yes! Just warning you the broadcast time is pretty short, then it¡¯ll fizz out and I¡¯ll have to rebuild it.¡±> Amos said excitedly. <¡±That¡¯s fine, connect me.¡±> ¨C Across the United States and Europe televisions froze before a face appeared on them. The symbol of a glowing pink eye burning on a ck screen. At the Pandora Committee, the chairman sat up in his seat wide eyed as the image appeared on every screen in themand center. Shouts rang out, men and women scurrying about to figure out where the signal wasing from. All the while the old man clenched his fists and red at that all seeing eye. He mmed his fist on his desk as reports quickly came in that the signal couldn¡¯t be shut down. The loud bang drew the attention of everyone in the room. He nodded to the screen and everyone slowly sat down to wait as the hissing and crackling faded. There was silence for a heartbeat before a cold, rasping voice echoed out from behind that symbol. ¡°I am Ishtar.¡±
Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Lily hustled down the hall, she¡¯d been reminded multiple times not to use her physical abilities inside themon building. She cursed a little under her breath, Damn it, if Luke hadn¡¯t put his storage room half-way across the building this wouldn¡¯t have taken so long! She grouched, rounding the corner into the mainmon area before darting to the left towards theary diorama and the stairs leading down. She took two steps at a time, careful not to drop her cargo, beforending and racing past the gym. Just two doors down from the gym where she¡¯d awakened her full abilities for the first time was a viewing room. She pushed through the door and into the room where nearly everyone at the camp had gathered in the small theater. She slid to a stop as a few people poked their heads up and held up their hands. She dug into the bag under her arm and started tossing things quickly at them before turning to Miss Chernovna who gratefully took a can and popped it open, taking a sip as she stared at the screen. All done, Lily hopped over the rear seat andnded between Snow and Alex. ¡°What I miss?¡± She asked breathlessly, handing her a can of c and passing the bag to Alex who dug through. Snow nced at her with wide eyes and cracked open her can and shook her head, ¡°Nothing yet, they¡¯re still looking around the building.¡± ¡°What about those statue things?¡± She asked, ¡°Any more show up?¡± Snow shook her head and Lily looked up at the screen. The reporter was sitting at a table with footage of the gallery building that had been attacked to his right. It was huge on the screen and one could see the smoke billowing from the building as well as from the cop cars that had been crushed and cut in half by the statues. Fortunately it looked like the bodies had been cleared away. Her gut twisted and she clenched her fists as the reporter raised his finger to his ear and nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve just received a report from the field that the first responding hero, First Wind, interacted briefly with one of the walking statues,¡± The reporter said, ¡°ording to First Wind, they are in some way connected to the elusive Superviin Ishtar.¡± A few of the students sat up, she spotted Marc literally get to his feet near the front of the room. The reporter straightened himself up and frowned at the screen. ¡°We would like to remind our viewers that while the Pandora Committee has dered the individual calling themselves Ishtar as the highest priority viin in the world, there is very little evidence or information avable concerning this person¡¯s existence and that the prevailing theory is that ¡®Ishtar¡¯ is-¡± The screen cut out and voices rose in the room for a moment. Axel held up his hands and reached for the remote in his pocket just as the screen started to hiss and crackle with static. ¡°What the hell?¡± Lily murmured, leaning forward. The static cleared and a symbol appeared on the screen. It was a stylized eye made to look like it was made of digitized lines and code. It glowed pink, shing in and out for a few heartbeats as everyone went very quiet. Lily felt a small hand grab hers and she squeezed it as the pulsing increased. It stopped and everyone held their breath until a cruel voice came out of the speakers around them. It rasped and hissed, popping and crackling. It sounded like a knife being drawn down across a bloody hunk of ice, slick and terrible. ¡°I am Ishtar.¡± The image blurred and the singr eye disappeared for a moment before a figure came into view. A pair of glowing eyes zed on a dark unfeeling helmet. The figure was standing in a dark room that looked vaguely like the inside of a vault, a huge door behind them. Their-no-her arms were behind her back. Her entire body was covered in light armor that seamlessly fit together to look vaguely like a jumpsuit. She had long white hair that billowed around her in an unseen wind. She stood in front of the camera for several seconds before speaking. ¡°Today, I eliminated Queen August,¡± She began and the room grew even tenser, Snow squeezed hard against Lily¡¯s hand. Lily tried to tear her eyes away but she just couldn¡¯t. Ishtar waved her hand as if dismissing something unimportant, ¡°Her actions were aimless, pointless, and wasteful. She ran about, murdering people for the sole purpose of hoarding jewels for her own fetishistic obsessions. Feral.¡± Ishtar hissed and tilted her head towards the camera. ¡°Let me be clear, August was unworthy of the title of Supervilin. She had no higher purpose. No ultimate design. No code. Nopunctions. She killed and wrought havoc indiscriminately. So, like An Set before her, she is dead,¡± Ishtar continued, ¡°I hold the viins of this world to a higher standard. If you are bad for business, I will excise you like the cancer you are,¡± She clenched her fist in front of her, ¡°I am the final authority amongst the Viins of this world. I have judged August and found her wanting.¡± She crossed her arms behind her back and stood taller, ¡°Looks like I did your job for you this time, heroes,¡± She rasped out augh before tilting her head, ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± She scoffed and turned away, walking offscreen as the image began to blur and crackle. Everyone in the room gasped, Lily tensed and got to her feet, Snow held her hands over her mouth. Against the door, blocked initially by Ishtar¡¯s body, was a golden figure pressed against the door with eyes wide in abject terror. A woman that struck a horrible resemnce to the face on the wanted posters. The feed cut. The reporter who had just been about to dismiss Ishtar¡¯s very existence looked pale as he collected himself. He cleared his throat, ¡°W-we-we¡¯ll be right back.¡± He said and the screen cut to amercial. No one spoke for a while, Marc turned away from the screen and marched out of the room, his fists clenched, Ollie got to his feet and hurried after him. Lily nced up at the instructors. Sonya had her arms crossed and frown on her face. Axel was rubbing the bridge of his nose. ck Lotus looked thoughtful, her eyes narrowed at the screen. ¡°I heard a rumor,¡± Alex said, ¡°That Ishtar kidnapped An Set during the battle of Vegas. Helped him escape.¡± ¡°Wanted to punish him herself,¡± John said mutely, ¡°Terrible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re up against,¡± Greg breathed, ¡°That¡¯s the final boss?¡± Lily frowned as she felt the mood in the room shift. She saw Sonya turning towards everyone, about to speak, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. She got to her feet; ¡°She¡¯s trying to rattle us!¡± Lily barked before pointing at the screen, ¡°That? That was a challenge! She just told us she did our jobs for us!¡± She shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared! Be angry!¡± She bellowed, ¡°We¡¯re heroes! It¡¯s our job to keep this world safe! It¡¯s our job to help others in need! It¡¯s our job! Not hers! She just decides who lives and dies? Bullshit! We have courts and judges! We have rules!¡± She clenched her fists, ¡°We fight for those who can¡¯t! She said it herself, she only dealt with August because she was ¡®bad for business¡¯ that she didn¡¯t meet her standards as a viin,¡± She scoffed, ¡°All she¡¯s saying is that she has no problem with the viins out there that meet her standards, that those who live up to her expectations can go aroundmitting crimes with their powers without reproach in her eyes.¡± She whirled on ck Lotus, ¡°Teacher, Can she be beaten?¡± She asked tly. ck Lotus returned her stare with a smile, ¡°There are no such things as gods, just powerful people. With enough of us working together, anyone can be beaten.¡± Lily reached down and gave Snow¡¯s shoulder a gentle squeeze, ¡°That¡¯s all I need to hear. I¡¯m getting back to training. Got a final to pass,¡± She turned to the others, ¡°What are you gonna do?¡± Alex hopped to his feet and punched his palm with a wild grin, ¡°I got anti-monster training in a half hour,¡± He said and hopped over his seat, ¡°Later!¡± The others quickly rose as well, their eyes burning, fists clenched, jaws set. None of them were going to take thisying down. ¨C Ishtar stepped through the portal and into the throne room, pleased with herself. She nced up at the Spice King who sat on his throne looking down at her thoughtfully for a moment before breaking into a wide smile, ¡°You certainly took the heat off of me,¡± Heughed, pping his hand on the armrest. He got to his feet and marched down the steps, ¡°What a performance!¡± He said delightedly. He spread his arms wide and she actually returned the offer of an embrace this time, giving him a short hug before stepping back a little. ¡°I meant everything I said,¡± She said inly. He cleared his throat, ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Make sure you do,¡± She said and rest her hand on her hip, looking around the room, ¡°Everyone else go off to rest?¡± He nodded, ¡°Yes, today was an exciting day. I understand my son distinguished himself?¡± ¡°He did,¡± She said, ¡°Guru¡¯s ability was fascinating but has very narrow applications currently, he needs to develop it more. I¡¯m sure it will be very powerful in the future,¡± She pointed out, ¡°Broadside was quite impressive and she did a good job protecting your son,¡± He tapped the side of her helmet, ¡°I¡¯d keep her on retainer as a bodyguard for the boy.¡± ¡°Oho!¡± He rubbed his chin, ¡°An excellent thought! I¡¯ll have to bring it up to them. And Grave?¡± ¡°Extremely effective against opponents of his tier but next to useless against higher-tier opponents. A solid hitman if nothing else,¡± She said with a breath, ¡°Shame about Cross, but his determination outweighed his will to live. Nothing to be done about that.¡± Erebus nodded, ¡°Understood, now, what happened with August¡¯s remains?¡± He asked but she held up a hand to forestall him. ¡°Before that,¡± She said and looked him up and down, ¡°How do you feel?¡± He raised his eyebrows and cracked a wild grin, ¡°Incredible,¡± He said and reached into his coat, pulling out a business card. He held it up and with a moments concentration it began to turn into gold. He handed it to her and she took it, turning it over between her fingers, ¡°It worked just as you said it would. Marvelous. I may request your services for another if possible,¡± He said. She looked up at him from the card, ¡°And what will you pay me with?¡± She asked, ¡°Don¡¯t get greedy, Erebus. Two is more than most in this world have and both of yours are Mythic.¡± He pouted a little but nodded, ¡°Very well, I suppose I can¡¯t argue those points,¡± He said before clearing his throat, ¡°Now! I have taken the liberty of delivering most of the promised gifts to your room. ¡°However, I wanted to give you the grand prize in person. Consider me the kind of person who appreciates presentation, like yourself.¡± She barked out augh, ¡°Every good superviin is a showman. Wonderful!¡± She said with a p of her hands and floated back up into the air, drifting towards the center of the room as Erebus gestured towards one of his attendants in the corner of therge space. The attendant quickly bowed and turned to go through a door. She rxed, stretching her arms and resisting the urge to yawn. It¡¯s the first time I have ever felt tired. How interesting. She drifted back down to the ground as several attendants strode out of the door, parting before forming up around arge audacious gilded chest. She raised an eyebrow and crossed her legs as she hung a few feet off the ground, watching the short procession as it made its way to the base of the throne. There, they held it up for Erebus to approach and open the chest. She tilted her head, trying to take a peek but couldn¡¯t see past his chest. Eager, she alighted on the ground, ¡°The Epic dungeon reward, I take it?¡± He nodded as he turned around, ¡°Quite so. My sons were baffled by it,¡± He said and approached her, cupping whatever it was gently in his hands underneath a silk cloth. He stopped in front of her and held it out, pulling way the cloth. She narrowed her eyes behind her helmet in confusion. It was an egg. Just about twice the size of a chicken egg. It had a mute gray coloring to it and the faint sign of texturing. It looked as if it was made of stone. Her eyes narrowed even more and she focused on it with her senses. Warm? Internal temperature? She froze and looked up at him, ¡°There¡¯s something alive in there!¡± She exhaled. She had no memory from the past timeline of such a thing ever existing. She reached out and took it up in her hands after a nod from the man. It was ludicrously heavy, twenty pounds, thirty? Dense. She thought and ran her thumb over the surface. Something inside shuddered and twisted before settling back down again, She nced up at him, ¡°It reacted to my touch.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± He said with a nod, ¡°It came inside of the silk wrapping and when my boys touched it with their bare skin they felt a bit of their mana drain off. I believe it might depend on mana to grow and mature. I¡¯ve instructed no one to make skin contact with it since then.¡± She looked up at him and back down at it again, ¡°Fascinating!¡± She eximed, turning it over between her gloved palms, ¡°May I have the cloth?¡± She asked and he obliged her. She took it and threw it over the egg in her hand before retracting a bit of her armor so that it touched her skin. Immediately she felt an intense sense of drag going through her body as whatever it was inside the egg feasted on her power. She closed her armor and took a quick breath, ¡°Incredible.¡± ¡°If I may ask,¡± Erebus said, ¡°If it ever hatches, please let me know. I would love to see what is inside.¡± She returned his look with a nod, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll make sure to introduce you,¡± She said, carefully folding the cloth over the egg. She didn¡¯t dare digitize it and store it, who knows what could happen. Instead, she brought her hand up to her heart, ¡°With this our deal isplete besides the ongoing contractual responsibilities.¡± He grinned, ¡°It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Queen of Viins.¡± ¡°I can most certainly say the same, Spice King. Good luck on your conquest,¡± She said and created a portal before stepping back through it. She huffed out a breath as she appeared in the room, taking off her helmet and setting the egg down on a counter for a moment. She nced up and spotted Mephisto rxing on one of the beds, flipping through his phone. He looked over and sat up, grinning at her, ¡°All done?¡± ¡°All done,¡± Ishtar said and stepped towards him, ¡°You know this has been the longest-¡± Numbness washed over her face for a moment, it spread down her body and towards her feet. She staggered and dropped to a knee, gasping for breath as the sensation faded. Mephisto was at her side in an instant. She felt dizzy, her head hurt but it was also strangely¡­ quiet. She blinked and looked up at Mephisto, ¡°Mirror! Now!¡± She barked. Mephisto hopped to his feet and ran over to the vanity where he snatched up a powder clip, opening it and handing it to her. She grabbed it and looked down at her reflection. Sonya. She saw her own face but the eyes were closed in a light sleep. Sonya! She thought more fiercely. The reflection stirred and its eyes fluttered open. Sonya looked at her in confusion. I¡¯ve been in control too long. She thought and quickly relinquished control. Sonya felt herself hit the ground and blinked a few times in a daze. She sat up abruptly and looked up at a very worried looking Mephisto. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She rubbed her neck and shook off the odd sleepiness that hade over her, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± She exhaled, ¡°I think I need a nap though.¡±
Chapter 142 Chapter 142 The single light in the dark room flickered, a small hum and crackleing from the bulb. Two hooded men stood together, speaking in hushed voices. Both of them checked their watches nearly at the same time before ncing towards a door. A heartbeatter it slid open, a third man stepping inside and shutting it behind him. His expression was grim. He crossed the room slowly, pulling out an earpiece and slipping it into his ear as he came to a stop. His hair was short and gleamed a bit silver in the dim light. Dark red eyes turned between the two men. ¡°I have an update,¡± He said quietly, ¡°Information that needs to make it back to the Headmaster.¡± The two men nced at one another and nodded, ¡°What do you have for us, Tenure?¡± The tenured professor of the Night Society nodded and reached for a satchel slung over his shoulder. He pulled a tablet out and extended it to the two of them, ¡°Liberty put out an order just a few hours ago to begin assembling for an attack. No immediate word on the target area but I suspect it is one of the hero camps, likely the one that her sister is training at, we could be moving within the next few hours at the minimum,¡± The Professor said and one of the hooded men took the tablet, examining the text on the screen carefully. ¡°So soon! She¡¯s sending members of the round table?¡± The man holding the tablet asked in a hushed voice, ¡°Four? That¡¯s a sizeable portion of the team guarding her,¡± He added and turned to the other hooded man, ¡°What do you think? Is this our opportunity?¡± The second man crossed his arms, ¡°The Headmaster will want this information regardless, it is his decision whether or not we strike during the attack or not,¡± He began, ¡°Though something feels off, what changed that she decided to move so aggressively? A strike against the camps was something we considered but dedicating this much force to the attackes across as overkill.¡± ¡°She wants to be certain,¡± The Professor said, ¡°The mole that she inserted into the camp has not met their deadline, they will be killed along with the rest.¡± The two hooded men looked up, ¡°A mole?¡± They looked at one another before looking back at him, the one holding the tablet nced down at it again before looking up at him, ¡°There¡¯s no information on a mole in here, are you certain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m positive,¡± The Professor said with a callous smile. His eyes lit up with a ruby glow as he took a casual step back, ¡°She told me herself.¡± The man holding the tablet threw it to the ground and leaped back several feet, reaching for his knife, ¡°Damn it! Flicker! Get us out-¡± The second hooded man let out a garbled shriek of pain, red sparks of electricity racing over hid body as his body twitched and convulsed, his eyes rolling back into his head. He took a sudden sharp breath and seized, copsing to the ground as whatever was keeping him elevated gave out beneath him. The first man threw his hood back revealing a middle aged man with dark hair and a mosutache, ¡°Tenure, Sir! What on earth are you thinking? This is madness! You know what she¡¯s capable of better than anyone!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point, adjunct,¡± The Professor said in a cold monotone, tilting his head to the right, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± The adjunct scowled at him as he tried to get up, his movements sluggish, like he was trying to right himself in water, ¡°How long has it been Professor?¡± The adjunct demanded. ¡°Very early,¡± The Professor said with a sigh, ¡°I kept feeding urate but ultimately useless information to the members that sided with me,¡± He scratched his neck and tilted his head, ¡°Oh, and please call me Sir Halloway, now.¡± The door opened behind Halloway and a dozen men with guns stormed inside, raising their weapons to point them at the three men before turning their attention to focus on the two men on the ground. Flicker jolted and twitched, trying again to use his ability but only managing to cause his body to twist and bend in ways that a human¡¯s really shouldn¡¯t. He let out a cry of pain and fell onto the ground again, both legs broken and bent. He opened his mouth to scream but received a bullet in his forehead for his trouble. Halloway lowered the gun, ¡°What a noisy assassin,¡± He sighed before turning on his heel, looking away from the adjunct and bowing at his waist, ¡°My Lady.¡± ¡°Well done, Sir Halloway,¡± A cruel voice came from the doorway. A tall shadow slipped into the room, blue eyes glowing so brightly they cast a shadow over her face. She wore a suit of heavy armor that gleamed and glittered, portions of it illuminated by some strange force. In her right hand was a sword, her left, a shield. She stalked into the room with heavy footfalls that sounded more like thunder in the confined space. Her blonde hair fell down around her face as she entered the faint light. She looked down on the adjunct who stared up at her, his expression hard. ¡°That should be thest of the unaligned spies in my midst,¡± She snarled, ¡°At least in the mainpound. How many does that make for my off-brand Night Society?¡± Halloway stepped back a bit and raised his hand to his heart, ¡°Thirty six agents, Leader.¡± Liberty nced towards him but said nothing, just nodded thoughtfully. She turned back to the adjunct with a sneer before reaching down and grabbing him by the throat. She lifted him off the ground and held him there, he struggled, his weight pulling down against his spine, his eyes bulged and he reached frantically for his throat. Her lips twitched a little, ¡°How sad, an adjunct of the Night Society made to fret and scramble for his breath so easily. It seems that even the death dealers fear it in the end, how human,¡± She said coldly as she squeezed until there was a noisy pop. She dropped the corpse to the ground. She turned towards a frowning Halloway, ¡°We have enough and your betrayal will color any attempts at conversion. Better to liberate him now rather thanter,¡± She sighed, putting a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. He nodded, ¡°Yes, leader.¡± She tilted her head, ¡°You¡¯ve earned your ce on the Round Table, kneel, Halloway.¡± He did as instructed immediately, dropping to a knee and pressing his knuckles to the hard ground beneath him. He bowed his head as a de rested on his shoulder. ¡°I am here to serve, Leader.¡± ¡°As it should be, you are better than those beasts out there and have finally found your rightful ce. I have chosen to reward you for that, despite your heretical origin, be grateful for my mercy,¡± She intoned. He bowed his head further and she raised the sword up to rest on his other shoulder, ¡°I gain power from my followers, every one adds to my strength. I have learned a lot about my abilities, Halloway, thanks to your insights. My Round Table can be more than just titles,¡± She said proudly and a light began to gleam on her weapon, ¡°I can spread that power that I have acquired out, give it back. So I will do so with you first.¡± ¡°You honor me,¡± He said as the light began to seep into his body. ¡°I dub thee Sir Halloway, Knight of my Round Table. Take now a portion of my strength and let it power your ability, be strong, and be my tool against the Pandora Committee,¡± Shemanded. He looked up at her, a smile on his face, ¡°I am honored.¡± She sheathed her weapon and turned away, marching towards the door. He got to his feet as the men around him set to work cleaning up the bodies. With two quick steps he was just behind her, walking in silence. She nced his way and then looked back at the path in front of her. The concrete buildings of thepound stretched out ahead of them as they stepped out of the alley, ¡°Come,¡± She ordered as they made their way along the path before turning on to the main route, heading towards the core building where the rest of the Round Table waited. ¡°Did you see the broadcast?¡± He asked, slipping in next to her and giving her a hard look. ¡°I did,¡± She said with a thoughtful frown before turning a cold look on Halloway, ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°While Sonya Chernovna is an annoyance she is ultimately nothing more than a pir of the Pandora Committee and is currently at the target location, despite all public discourse to the contrary, killing her would send the Pandora Committee into a tailspin,¡± He said tly, ¡°Ishtar is a far greater threat. She is genuinely powerful and quite real despite all evidence to the contrary,¡± He said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, ¡°She also poses a philosophical threat to your Grace.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Liberty growled, turning on him, ¡°What do you mean, Philosophical Threat?¡± ¡°I was told through a contact that it was possible that our new headmaster was put in ce by Ishtar but there was nothing to genuinely prove his words, so I opted for a wait-and-see approach. Ishtar is a powerful superviin, ma¡¯am, and she reigns over the underworld with an iron fist, keeping order and holding viins who go wild ountable but otherwise seems to preach simr ts to your own faith,¡± Halloway said with a tap to his chin, ¡°Shees across as both more lenient and more strict in ways that are appealing.¡± ¡°She could attract potential recruits that should be going to me,¡± Liberty nodded, ¡°I see your point,¡± She crossed her arms as they walked into the building. ¡°Then I know what I need to do,¡± She said with a breath and nced to the left, ¡°I¡¯m putting you in charge of the raid. You will attack in twelve hours.¡± Halloway blinked at her, ¡°I- Yes ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°You are to kill everyone at the camp, leave no stone unturned. There will be trainees in the dungeon there. Do your best to press it as close to breaking as possible but don¡¯t sacrifice round-table lives to do so,¡± She said with a scoff. He nodded and read between the lines, The other cultists were fine to sacrifice, though. ¡°What¡¯s our progress on Chairman Phan?¡± She asked. ¡°We¡¯re in position,¡± Halloway said with a nod, ¡°We¡¯ll move on your order.¡± ¡°Have it happen just before the attack,¡± She said, ¡°Don¡¯t leave any time to react, have we confirmed that ck Lotus is still suspended?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, her personality indicates that while she is prone to rash action when there are minor consequences on the line, the likelihood ofpletely losing her Hero License will hold her back from acting unless things get serious, if she is pushed, she will move,¡± Halloway said. Liberty nodded and rubbed her chin with a gauntleted finger as they walked down the carpeted path, past armored guards, ¡°I¡¯ll send Dame Kant with you to deal with her,¡± She counted on her fingers once before narrowing her eyes, ¡°Sir Ewen for Axel, his red magic will be more than enough,¡± She tilted her head, ¡°And sneak Sir Ellis in with the initial attacking wave so he can get close while pretending to be a grunt,¡± She hummed a little, ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll be optimal for dealing with Rouge if your intelligence about her abilities is correct.¡± ¡°She uses music, I¡¯m certain of it,¡± Halloway said with a nod. Liberty let out a breath, ¡°Very well, do you think that your ability will be able to aplish what we need it to?¡± She asked, giving him a sidelong look as they reached the apex of the hall inside the main building. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, nothing will-¡± He was cut off as the doors to the outside flew open and they both nced back towards the entryway. Halloway¡¯s lips curled with disgust as he took a step back from the monstrosity that lurched its way inside, grabbing one of the armored guards and hurling him past a stoic Liberty. The woman crossed her arms and wrinkled her nose as she watched the humanoid¡­ thing lurch to a stop and look up at her. It was nearly twenty feet tall with grayish flesh that seemed to bend and twist however it needed, perhaps he was made of some sort of y? Liberty¡¯s lip twitched, ¡°Oscar Ferguson,¡± She sighed, ¡°You finally made it out of the hole I left you in,¡± She said, raising her eyebrows and looking down on the freak. Halloway nced her way, ¡°You know this thing?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s technically a member,¡± She said cooly, watching the nightmarish thing twist and adjust its body to try to move in the confines of the building. The horrible misshapen man turned his head towards Liberty, his face looked like it was loosely carved from flesh and mud, it was barely human. It bore misshapen malformed teeth and bellowed, ¡°Ste! You have run your father¡¯s good name into the dirt for too long! I challenge you for leadership of the fellowship!¡± He bellowed, mming his palms onto the ground, the entire building shook. ¡°Can he do that?¡± Halloway asked. ¡°Yes of course,¡± She muttered, stepping away from Halloway, ¡°He¡¯s a member, though I haven¡¯t called the order a fellowship in a while,¡± She said and began walking down the steps, ¡°More importantly, he¡¯s strong, so he gets a say.¡± Halloway frowned, ¡°How strong?¡± ¡°Mythic, He¡¯s the Golem,¡± Liberty said and in one smooth motion drew her sword from its sheath as she returned to the center of the room. She crossed one arm behind her back and pointed the sword in the direction of Oscar, ¡°I ept, Oscar.¡± The titanic man turned on her, his body literally coiling in preparation for the strike. ¡°STELLA!¡± He bellowed, ¡°DIE!¡± He raised his fists into the air. ¡°Halloway! Do you know the difference between Freedom and Chaos?¡± She shouted as she watched the massive man ready for his attack. ¡°No ma¡¯am! Please enlighten me!¡± He called. ¡°EVIL BITCH!¡± Ferguson roared, his body expanding in size until he could barely fit into the building before he literally threw his enormous bulk at her, his y-like body turning into hundreds of stony spikes that gleamed like metal. She frowned as she watched the attacke towards her and lowered her sword, she sighed and held out a hand. BOOOOM! Ferguson¡¯s unsettling face frowned, sculpted eyebrows knitting together in confusion before he let out a grunt of surprise as his body was lifted into the air, one foot, two feet, then three as something beneath his massive bulk hoisted him into the air and then without ceremony threw him straight through the ceiling and outer wall of the building. He took a portion of the structure with him in a terrible crash as he hurtled through the air andnded bodily in the middle of the open square that made up the heart of thepound. He swiveled his head as his y-like body ignored most of the impact damage, he narrowed his eyes when a shadow stepped out of the damaged main building. His eyes widened and he bellowed, ¡°STELLA!¡± He roared and threw his arms up, absorbing the ruined portions of structure beneath him and growingrger,rger,rger, increasing in size to his maximum height. He was hundreds of feet tall now, a titan of his own right. If anyone could take her- A flicker of silver light was all he saw before a wave of concussive force carved his body in half. Not even enough time for a half-sane thought as his brain, spine, and internal organs were eviscerated. Halloway hurried through the crushed front end of the building, ncing back at the now exposed main hall as other members of the round table hurried out to see what was going on. He stopped when he saw Liberty standing there, her weapon at her side and her head turned to look over her shoulder, ¡°Chaos is freedom without an ideal to uphold,¡± She said coldly and turned away from the four hundred foot tall corpse, sliding her de into its scabbard as she stalked past him, ¡°I am your ideal,¡± She growled, ¡°Have one of the heads of construction take over disassembling the corpse and use it to rebuild the main hall. Do what you want with the rest,¡± She said. ¡°I have a broadcast to host.¡±
Chapter 143 Chapter 143 She could hear the crackling again, it¡¯d been a while. Every night was another nightmare, but at least they were tamer and tamer these days. She¡¯d been wondering when the peace would end. She let out a breath and opened her eyes. The street was decimated, lurkers everywhere, hounds darting past them in clumps as they sought out any bright sources of mana in the area. Sonya ran her fingers through her hair and looked down at her fingers. Everything was all mixed up now. Her nails were manicured and long, pink nail polish gleaming against pale near-white skin. White locks hung past her head as her eyes clicked. Why hadn¡¯t she heard them recently? Was she just putting it out of her mind? She felt the blood drip down between her fingers and stter on the ground. Whose blood was it? She looked over her shoulder at the bodyying against the wall. Ah, right. The young man who had been a trainee years ago, she¡¯d taken him under her wing as a scout. Now hey there, a chunk of his torso crushed by a lurker¡¯s fist. ¡°Hello, little hero,¡± A cruel rasp called out behind her, sending a chill up her spine. ¡°Who?¡± She gasped, turning and looking up into a pair of glowing pink eyes that burned down at her through a faceless helmet. Her hands dropped, ¡°Oh.¡± Ishtar hung in the air in a rxed pose, ¡°You ran after Otis next, right?¡± The Superviin asked. Sonya¡¯s eyes shifted back a bit, but she didn¡¯t look at the body again, ¡°Yeah,¡± She said with a sullen nod, ¡°I¡¯d been chasing him for days,¡± Sonya said and fell to her knees, ¡°After he-¡± Ishtar floated down a bit, kicking her legs and resting her chin on her palms, ¡°That hasn¡¯t happened yet,¡± She said, ¡°But I think you¡¯re getting distracted.¡± ¡°Distracted?¡± Sonya barked, looking up at her, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯m adhering to the n! I¡¯ve been training the next generation, Chunhua is on our side, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re ying house,¡± Ishtar said, ¡°We can kill her.¡± Sonya mmed her fist to the ground, ¡°You know that isn¡¯t the point! Of course we can kill her! We can kill all of them except him! Why are you even doing this? We had a great day yesterday! Made some good deals!¡± ¡°We created a monster in the middle east, pissed off First Wind, ran away, and killed a nobody, the only real progress was the broadcast,¡± Ishtar said with a scoff, ¡°In doing so I stayed in control too long, I hurt you!¡± Shended on her feet, ¡°You made a liar out of me! I promised you!¡± Sonya bit her lip, clenching her fists and fighting down the scream of frustration boiling up in her gut. She got to her feet and looked Ishtar in the eyes, ¡°What do you want from me? We both know that this is going to take time! We have to do it right!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not arguing that point,¡± Ishtar hissed, ¡°But how long are you going to pretend to be something that you aren¡¯t anymore. Chunhua has changed, she¡¯s a new person. The timeline has changed and she has been far too quiet! Stop coasting!¡± Ishtar shouted, ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up!¡± Her voice echoed as something huge roared in the distance, a building fell, and a cruelugh filled the air as golden light bathed the sky. Sonya jerked up in her bed and blinked, her chest heaving. She clutched at her head, her temples pounding. ¡°Fuck,¡± She gasped and rubbed her eyes. She¡¯d been out for hours. Sonya nced outside. It was still pretty dark. She checked her clock on her hud, Little while before sunrise here, should be inching close to sunset over there. She got to her feet and yawned. I need to get back. She grumbled and dragged herself over to the mirror. She stopped in front of it and stared into it, ¡°That was harsh,¡± She growled, ¡°Now you want to talk to me?¡± She asked. The face that looked back at her was her own and for once, it didn¡¯t change. She frowned and furrowed her brow, ¡°Ishtar?¡± She called and the face in the mirror flickered for a moment. For a heartbeat she saw a tired face nce up at her before turning away and closing its eyes in slumber. She huffed out a breath, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re tired,¡± She murmured and reached up to touch the mirror, running her fingers down the cool surface, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I pushed you too hard,¡± She said and let out a heavy breath as she went over what Ishtar had done in her head. Things that she should have done herself. If only- she shook her head. ¡°The job¡¯s done, let''s just go back,¡± She said with a sigh, A hasty knock came to the door and she nced up, sensing the presence on the other side, ¡°Mephisto? Come in!¡± He slipped inside hurriedly and shut the door behind him, ¡°You need to see this,¡± He said in a rush, walking past her and turning on the TV. ¡°What?¡± She asked, following him as the screen came to life and the scowl of Liberty filled her vision. She narrowed her eyes as Liberty leaned forward on her podium. ¡°The Pandora Committee has failed again, Viins were the winners of the day in Pakistan. Make no mistake of it,¡± Liberty said, ¡°Once more the so-called Queen of Viins has swept in and dealt with the problem while making heroes look like idiots,¡± She continued, ¡°Pathetic. They go about touting their heroism while they do nothing to back up their words. The ¡®new international hero¡¯ First Wind is supposed to be some kind of problem solver, yet all he did was cause enormous property damage and disobey orders!¡± She pointed at the camera, ¡°That is what the Pandora Committee isn¡¯t telling us, he was supposed to wait for the rest of his party to arrive before dealing with the viins, but by then they would have already been toote. Ipetent!¡± Liberty barked, ¡°These are the people telling you to restrain your powers! These are the people talking about registering every light-touched and regting you,¡± She mmed her fist on the podium, ¡°These are the people who have categorically ignored my demands to have by sister returned home!¡± ¡°Kidnappers, imbeciles, and tyrants!¡± She shouted, ¡°They¡¯ve made their bed and made their decisions, now it is time to reap the consequences,¡± She snarled and raised a fist, ¡°Freedom is for the strong! It is for those who hold to an ideal while living their lives. I can make you strong. I can protect you. And I can do what they can¡¯t and won¡¯t do,¡± She said and stood up straight, looking down on the camera, ¡°I will tear the seeds of oppression out by the root and destroy them,¡± She said before tilting her head, ¡°Is that bad for business, Ishtar?¡± Sonya took a step back as her phone rang in her head, she answered it immediately, ¡°ckrazor, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost contact with my entire team at the mainpound, they¡¯ve gone dark along with three cells,¡± He said hurriedly, ¡°You need to return, quickly!¡± She spun on her heel and gestured, creating a panel of light that distorted and bent into a portal, ¡°I¡¯m going! What other cells were lost?¡± She said, marching towards it. Why did she announce her attack so openly? Euclidia can just send reinforcements! She¡¯s got something up her sleeve, but what? She thought quickly, not noticing the faint red sparks that hid in the corners of the portal. ¡°The New York cell, the California cell, and the one monitoring the Chairman, mistress, I have never-¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it, ma¡¯am.¡± Sonya nced back at Mephisto, ¡°Do you have everything covered here?¡± She asked. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Mephisto said breathlessly, ¡°I¡¯ll handle Erebus, go!¡± He called and hurried out the door. She turned to the portal and stepped through. Ishtar was right, I¡¯ve been- Before Sonya couldplete another thought, her world turned into pain. ¡ª Chunhua stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath. It was odd feeling nervous about interacting with, well, anyone. Yet here she was steadying herself ahead of a conversation. She brushed her hair back over her ear and knocked twice. A small voice called from inside for her to enter and she pushed the door open. The office was humble with minimal distractions save for a few trophies andndscape paintings on the wall. Ahead of her, Ca sat at a desk and was checking something on herputer. She nced up and smiled, ¡°Wee Chunhua.¡± The Pandora Administrator got to her feet and extended a hand. Chunhua moved in and took it, shaking her hand, ¡°Thank you for seeing me again and for convincing the Chairman to ease the restrictions a little.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± She chuckled, ¡°Least I could do,¡± She said with a breath and sat back down, gesturing for Chunhua to sit, ¡°How is Lily by the way?¡± Chunhua smiled with a bit of pride, ¡°She¡¯s certainly growing, I had my military training to fall back on when I awakened and so it took me less time to master some of my abilities. She¡¯s achieved a level of skill that would be unheard of in these few months. Still early Epic I believe,¡± She said and rubbed her chin thoughtfully, ¡°She makes up for it in versatility but she might be surprised by the growth of her friends who were already Epic to begin with..¡± Ca nodded, ¡°The Chairman is fascinated by her ability, actually moving from one tier to another.¡± Chunhua frowned a little and looked off to the side, ¡°You and I both know it¡¯s moreplicated than that.¡± Ca closed her eyes and nodded, ¡°I do,¡± She said and Chunhua looked her way. ¡°You know she did it so-¡± She stopped when Ca held up a hand and shook her head. ¡°Chunhua, we shouldn¡¯t talk about this, especially not with her absent, it isn¡¯t fair,¡± She said softly, ¡°I know you¡¯re worried. I am too.¡± Chunhua bit her lip but couldn¡¯t argue the point, she let out a breath and sighed, ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry,¡± She said with a sigh, ¡°When is she getting back?¡± ¡°She was supposed to be back earlier, honestly,¡± Ca said with a sigh, rubbing her fingers together, ¡°But I haven¡¯t heard from her. Probably getting some extra rest, she went a little wild.¡± Chunhua snorted and frowned, resting her chin against her knuckles. She was still struggling with reconciling her beliefs as a hero with what was happening with Sonya. She believed in her and what she was doing, the ultimate goal, but that didn¡¯t make the coteral feel any better to her. She let out a sigh and reached back to rub her neck. She wished she had a chance to actually talk to her, but it felt like they kept missing one another. ¡° Ca gave her a sympathetic look and reached under her desk, pulling out a small bottle and two sses. She poured out a finger in each ss and slid one over. Chunhua nced down at the amber liquid and then up at Ca. ¡°But the meeting?¡± ¡°Are you really going to get tipsy over one shot?¡± Ca asked with a chuckle and picked up her own ss. Chunhuaughed and grabbed her ss, leaning forward and holding it up, ¡°To a certain idiot we can¡¯t help but worry about.¡± The administrator smiled and nodded, ¡°What would she do without us? Cheers,¡± They brought their sses together and took a quick drink. It burned just the right way. Chunhua let out a sigh and rxed as Ca turned to theputer and started typing. She nced up at Chunhua, ¡°He¡¯s ready.¡± The hero set her ss aside and nodded, sitting up straighter as Ca turned the screen around and a video call started. A few momentster, as Ca walked around her desk to sit in the seat next to Chunhua, the Chairman appeared on the screen. He cleared his throat and graced them both with a broad smile, ¡°Ladies! d to hear from you!¡± He said with a boisterousugh before growing serious, ¡°I¡¯ve been given discretionary power to oversee this matter directly. So let¡¯s talk about getting ck Lotus off the hook, shall we? Every day counts.¡± ¡ª Axel stood on the observation tform, leaning against the rail and watching as the two aspirants made their way up through the obstacle course. Val hopped over another treacherous trap with a rescue doll in his arms while Snow hurried up behind him, covering their tracks with a gesture and creating illusory obstacles to confuse the dolls that pursued them. She hopped over the obstacle as well,nding steadily and continuing to move, keeping her eyes back on the route behind them. asionally she would draw a small pistol from her thigh and point it at the approaching attack dolls. The pellets it fired exploded on contact, sending the attackers hurtling away. He tightened his grip on the rail, Reminds me a bit of Trigger. He thought, frowning a little. The image before him bringing him back to that first time Kingshark had made his way through his turf. Axel had been trying to get the growing gang problem under control in town with the help of the local police, then they suddenly got organized and started retaliating. It was a little scary if he was being honest. Trigger had been the biggest problem, explosions could bypass his ability to a degree and even overload it. Fighting the guy off had been hard. He watched Snow take a few more shots as they made their way up thest slope and he checked his watch. He smiled a bit as they passed the finish line, ¡°Good job you two,¡± He said, ¡°I was surprised when you said you were going for a two man group for this test but¡­¡± He trailed off as he spotted movement in the trees. He frowned, ¡°What the?¡± He muttered before ncing down at the two aspirants, ¡°You two, drop the dolls and get up here now!¡± He shouted.. Val didn¡¯t need to be told twice, he dropped the dolls and grabbed Snow by the side beforeunching himself into the air andnding behind Axel. Axel threw his arms up in a cross just as a bullet mmed into it. He felt the momentum of the bullet absorb into his skin and pass through and into his muscle fibers. He bore his teeth and nced back at the two, ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± He barked. Val took a step forward and started to warm up his body rockets while Snow raised her hands in a ready pose. He would have smiled if it weren¡¯t so serious, ¡°No! You two get back to the camp, pronto. Let them know what¡¯s happening and follow orders, got it?¡± Snow hesitated, a frown creasing her features and Val opened his mouth to protest but he leveled the two of them with a re. ¡°Now!¡± They nodded and Val knelt down, holding out his arms, ¡°We can move faster if it¡¯s just me doing the moving, Snow. That alright?¡± She nodded and hopped into his arms, ¡°No problem, let''s go,¡± She said hurriedly and he turned away, firing up the rocket in his back, feet, and elbows beforeunching into the air like a thrown spear. He was just a glimmer of red a momentter. Axel turned back towards the field and saw arge group of masked men and women marching towards him. He tilted his head and cracked a grin, ¡°You chose the wrong camp to attack, assholes,¡± He said, ¡°And the wrong training course to sneak in on!¡± He snatched up the tablet that controlled the training field and dialed the difficulty up to maximum, ¡°Come and get me!¡± He bellowed as the attack dolls designed by his homepany sprung to life. ¡°You aren¡¯t getting anywhere near those brats!¡± ¨C The Chairman nodded slowly, listening to what the two of them had to say. While they all agreed that the restrictions needed to be formally lifted, the debate had turned to just what restrictions were really necessary for the Mythic tier heroes. The vote had codified the Vegas Act, but it had proven almost immediately to be faulty as shown at the Hague. Running in fear of a dungeon break wasn¡¯t the way, but he had his own points to make himself. ¡°While I agree with you on some points, you have to understand that the threat of a dungeon break is an incredible deterrent. No one wants to set off a possible chain reaction by sending multiple mythics to a strike zone,¡± He said tly, ¡°There¡¯s no way to actively limit a mythic¡¯s output either without simply getting their word that they¡¯re holding back.¡± Chunhua nodded, No way except getting Ishtar to do it, which would never happen. She thought with a frown and leaned back in her seat, ¡°Then at least administrators like Miss Mint here should be allowed to give a Mythic the go order,¡± Chunhua urged, ¡°I don¡¯t want another Hague.¡± ¡°None of us do, which is why we¡¯re talking about this,¡± The Chairman said and rubbed his chin, ¡°At any rate we¡¯re getting distracted,¡± He said with a huff and put his hand on the table, ¡°For now let¡¯s focus on what we can do in the immediate, yes?¡± He said and typed something into hisputer before tapping a few more keys and grabbing his tablet and a stylus, ¡°Let¡¯s get that suspension lifted fully. As I said earlier, there¡¯s only a few days left on it but I¡¯d rather get you active sooner rather thanter.¡± Chunhua let out a breath, ¡°Thank you sir.¡± He smiled at her, ¡°Your work is appreciate-¡± He paused and nced up, frowning, ¡°Excuse me? What are you talking about, where?¡± He demanded as he got to his feet. A chill ran up Chunhua¡¯s spine and Ca leaned forward, ¡°Chairman?¡± Ca called, ¡°Chairman, what''s happening?¡± Something loud rang out in the background of the call and then it went dark. ¡°Chairman?¡± Ca shouted, ¡°Chairman!¡± ¨C Pain. For a heartbeat, Sonya¡¯s world was pain as she hit the ground, skidding across something hard. She let out a cry and rolled onto her side, her body twitching and flinching as sparks skittered across her skin. She gasped and her eyes shot open, the pain starting to subside. She coughed and curled up on herself for a moment, taking a few steadying breaths. What the hell was that? She thought, wheezing and rolling over onto her arm. Her fingers found smooth ground beneath them. She blinked and looked around, panic rising in her gut, ¡°Where the hell am I? Where¡¯s the camp?¡± She was standing in a room of some kind. Every wall was made out of either white or gray stone or some variation thereof. Every surface was ridiculously smooth. She frowned, I don¡¯t know any ces like this. Her hud shed and she nced at it.
Chapter 144 Chapter 144 He lowered his hand and examined the readout from the dungeon, the changes were starting to take effect. It was so interesting. He had only used a few of his cheats and the features of his ability. They were all he needed and the others seemed so pointless when he¡¯d first acquired them. What more did he need than to be invincible? He frowned a little, Clearly much more, he thought as he remembered the pain of being blown nearly to pieces by a self-destructing An Set. He raised the hand that had regrown and flexed it a little. He nced up at the dungeon again, The monsters will respawn faster now and its drawing in more mana. I¡¯ve uncapped it so it shouldn¡¯t burst at least. He chuckled, he didn¡¯t really care whether or not it was forcibly altering a ¡®natural¡¯ process of the dungeon. In fact, I wonder what could happen if it just keeps filling up. Maybe the reward will get better? He paused, Oh, weren¡¯t the scouting trainees inside? Oh well. He snorted and turned away to look at the young woman leaning against a tree nearby. She frowned at him and sighed when he gestured for her toe to him. ¡°Jessica,¡± He said with a wide smile, ¡°How have your powers been developing?¡± She stared deadpan at him, ¡°Well enough, I¡¯ve kept pace with the Nashville team,¡± She said and crossed her arms, ¡°Why?¡± He pursed his lips, ¡°That¡¯s not good enough,¡± He said and she narrowed her eyes before taking a momentary step back, ¡°I want to try something, if you¡¯ll indulge me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t,¡± She said, pulling her arms closer to her chest only to freeze when he leveled a cold stare on her. Her face went pale and her knees buckled once, ¡°Please?¡± She asked, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be your guinea pig.¡± ¡°That ship has sailed,¡± He said with a his and snapped his arm out, grabbing her by her throat. He tilted his head to the right, ¡°I¡¯m going to make you strong enough to deal with that Cassiopeia girl, whether you like it or not. Liberty has the right idea in this case, surprising for an idiot like her,¡± He said with a snarl as she coughed and squeaked, trying to pry his fingers off of her throat, ¡°Stop struggling, it¡¯ll only hurt for a moment.¡± He drew on his powers, his eyes widening as a smile cracked his face in half. ¡°Let¡¯s try it out!¡± He cackled and activated the cheat. She let out a scream of anguish as pale white shocks of energy ripped through her body. She convulsed, her arms falling limp and her head bucking as the energy tore through every cell in her body. When he was done, he let her go and she copsed face-first to the ground. He tapped the side of her head with his boot but she didn¡¯t stir. Still breathing though, I suppose that¡¯s good enough. He scoffed. He nced towards the trees, ¡°Not watching today either, probably preparing for the exam ahead. Ignorant thing,¡± He muttered only to pause as two presences approached. He narrowed his eyes until two of the aspirants he had brought in asckeys came into view. They paused when they saw Jessica. His eyes narrowed. And this is what I get for being careless. He grumbled, ¡°What is it?¡± They blinked a few times and looked away from her. The first opened his mouth and was about to say something when the second cut in, ¡°We spotted a group of people wearing masks heading this way, sir,¡± He said, ¡°They¡¯re heavily armed.¡± ¡°Isaac tried to teleport to you but his ability¡¯s on the fritz,¡± The first added quickly. ¡°He¡¯s unconscious.¡± He frowned at them for a moment before ncing over at Jessica, ¡°Ah, I see what¡¯s happening. It looks like she took too long,¡± He tilted his head, ¡°The camp is under attack. That works for me,¡± He said with a smirk. ¡°Sir what happened to¨C¡± Otis essed his cheats and called a gun to his hand. He turned his weapon on the two young men and fired off two quick shots. Both of them dropped like sacks of meat to the ground. He wrinkled his nose and walked over to them, he kicked each to make sure they were dead. Stupid things, shouldn¡¯t ask questions like that. More trouble than your pathetic abilities were worth. He thought before pausing and chuckling, Oh, Liberty, now look what you did! He turned towards Jessica, ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t have time to rest,¡± He said aloud and walked over to her, kneeling down and grabbing her by the face. ¡°Let¡¯s try stat modification next,¡± He chuckled, ¡°Rise and shine!¡± Golden energy crackled across her body as all of her muscles contracted once before she threw her head back in an anguished scream. He released her face and got to his feet, brushing his hands off, ¡°Get up,¡± He snarled. She stared up at the canopy of trees for a moment, tears in her eyes as her chest rose and fell. She looked at him, her pupils tiny with terror. He sneered, ¡°The camp is under attack, we¡¯ve lost two already,¡± He said, mocking sympathy and gestured to the two corpses behind him. She sat up and brought her hands to her mouth before retching and looking away, he sniffed, ¡°Come on now, you¡¯re a killer aren¡¯t you?¡± He said and took a step towards her. ¡°But they-¡± ¡°Were loose ends and unreliable,¡± He corrected before she could continue, ¡°Now, as I said, the camp is under attack, by your old owner if I had to guess,¡± He said with a shrug. She coughed and looked up at him, ¡°B-but I- I haven¡¯t had enough time to get close! I finally set up my cover and-¡± ¡°And there¡¯s your problem, cially slow,¡± He said with a shrug, ¡°You forget that winter can onset suddenly,¡± He continued, ¡°Now get up, we¡¯re going to join the others back at camp.¡± She pulled herself up, stumbling a little at how fast she rose. She blinked and looked down at her hands, ¡°What did you do to me?¡± ¡°Made some improvements,¡± He said callously, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± She bowed her head, ¡°N-no sir.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think so,¡± He said, ¡°You and I are going to pretend like we know nothing about the attack and return separately. Follow any orders given,¡± He said and waved her away. She straightened a little before nodding and darting into the trees. He watched her go before turning back to the corpses, ¡°A little close to the portal,¡± He said thoughtfully and walked over to grab both of them, ¡°Lets put you somewhere a bit more entertaining, might as well get some use out of you. A good timewaster before my heroic arrival.¡± He snickered, ¡°Today¡¯s the day! I gotta hand it to you, Liberty! You really do make an excellent unwitting subordinate!¡± Heughed as he walked into the trees and disappeared. ¨C The doll lunged from behind cover, its arms open wide and its fingers syed out. It hurtled through the air as gunfire rang out around it. The masked man spun in ce and looked up at it, his eyes going wide behind his mask. He let out a scream as itnded on him, raising its arm that swiftly extended a baton from its wrist. It brought the weapon down and delivered an electric shock that sent the man into convulsions before he copsed, unconscious. The doll rose to its feet and turned its attention on the next masked invader only for its head to be separated from its body as a third raced up behind it and swung an axe with all his might. The axe-wielder raised his weapon into the air, ¡°Strength from Liberty!¡± He roared and snatched another doll out of the air with his free hand, throwing it to the ground and bringing the axe down again. ¡°Forward!¡± A chorus of responses, repeating his words, spread out throughout the training field as they ran up the slope, shing with dolls as the automatons threw themselves at the enemy. shes of energy shot from fists, powerful blows cause small localized tremors, weapons were fired with pinpoint uracy. A masked woman spun through the air, a ripple of wind wrapping around her leg before she sliced a doll in half. She turned to face the slope and continued upwards, grabbing an injured man and pulling him to his feet. Axel frowned, crossing his arms at the top of the slope, his eyes fixed on the intruders. A wide array of powers and abilities from umon to one or two epics it looks like, he thought, his gaze shifting from person to person. Another bullet mmed into the side of his head and turned into a t wad of metal as the momentum sank into his muscles. He let the energy build as he remained still, ignoring the attack as if it were a fly buzzing near his ear. He shifted his attention to one of the lead epics, a man with brown hair and a farmers tan, de-like ws of energy hovered over his hands as he sliced through dolls. The hero reached up and rubbed his dog tags thoughtfully for a moment before slipping his hand into the side pocket of his cargo pants. He pulled a gray wad of modeling y out. He plucked off a piece and rubbed it between his fingerszily as the man drew closer and closer. Woulda taken you on as a hero if you¡¯d applied, moron, Axel thought irritably before holding his hand out with the freshly formed ball of y out. He exhaled and a bit of energy left his muscles, the ball leaping from his fingers without a gesture and mming into the man¡¯s head between the eyes with a noisy thud. The man fell backwards, pping down into the wet soil with foam bubbling from his mouth as a single wad of y stuck to his forehead. Axel snorted and began repeating the process, firing off balls of y as bullets struck him and restored his momentum. Each followed by a sudden and final thunk! The slow to defend fell quickly, but where he had raw power, they had numbers, numbers that were growing at an rming rate. How many people did that psycho send? And where the hell are the reinforcements? Shouldn¡¯t Euclidia have started sending people by now? He griped, pivoting and firing shot after shot off as they got closer and closer. BANG Something heavy mmed into the side of the observation deck. He steadied himself and whipped his head to the right. A man climbed over the side, a sneer in his eyes. He reared back and revealed a forearm that had grown three times in size and had been coated in some kind of metal. The invader lunged over the rail and charged, throwing a massive fist towards Axel. Axel scoffed, ¡°Haymaker? Come on man,¡± He grunted and stepped to the side, rapping his knuckles against the metal fist with a gentle tap. The invader blinked before abruptlyunching past him like a rocket, screaming. ¡°Seriously,¡± Axel shook his head, rubbing his ear at the ringing that had started in it, ¡°It¡¯s like-¡± He felt something tingle in the air. No, on his skin. A feeling he knew all too well. Years in the military had given him something of a sixth sense, not a true ability, but enough to know when his head was in the wrong location. He used the momentum built up in his body and pushed himself to the right so fast it looked like he¡¯d disappeared and reappeared. He slid to a stop just as a ruby-colored streak of something that felt like raw mananced through the air, spearing two of the attackers and going off to the sky. It was fast! Notser fast, but fast enough. Heroic? He watched the two men look down at the holes in their chests, eyes filled with confusion and betrayal. Son of a bitch. A gentle palm pressed against his back and he blinked before pain exploded through his back. He stumbled forward, gasping for air and whirled around to see a younger man with his fingers reaching towards him. Axel frowned and nced towards the base of the slope, They¡¯ve stopped shooting at me. Someone with a brain showed up. He thought as the young man stepped towards him soundlessly, his movements odd and jerky. There was a faint chime, the ringing! He realized as the young man vanished and reappeared next to him. He jerked back a step and pped the iing hand away only for two fingers to brush against his chin. Agony ripped through his jaw and he felt one of his teeth crack. Shit! Sound waves! He thought before dipping low and sweeping his leg out, transferring momentum into his attacker¡¯s ankle and sending him spinning through the air like a pinwheel before falling to the ground and vanishing with a noisy chime. Just as the chime rang out another sh of red came his way, this time narrower and far, far faster. He jerked his head out of the way as the searing ray cut his cheek only for another palm strike to send rippling soundwaves through his calf muscle. He jerked his leg away and then kicked the guy in the head before quickly taking stock. I¡¯m taking too many hits and more of them areing! I¡¯m gonna lose momentum at this rate. He turned towards the camp and nced over his shoulder at a red light lingering at the base of the slope. Another figure stepped out to join it. He clicked his tongue, The real attack force is here, time for a tactical retreat. He thought and threw his momentum into his feet,unching himself forward over fifty yards beforending and doing it again. Shouts rose up behind him that he pointedly ignored, Gotta meet up with the others! I only hope I bought them enough time. ¨C As Axel made his retreat, Sir Halloway stepped out of the trees, his eyes glowing brightly. ¡°I¡¯ve locked down the region,¡± He said calmly, ¡°Euclidia won¡¯t be sending any reinforcements anytime soon, certainly not in a way that would matter.¡± He nced at the other two who were standing there as the main force raced up the now unguarded slope. ¡°How was he?¡± He asked. Sir Ewen pulled back his cropped blonde hair and slung his bow over his shoulder, ¡°Fast, at the very least,¡± He said with a chuckle, tugging at his pierced lip, ¡°Managed to avoid my ruby shots. Looked like he took more damage from Sir Ellis,¡± He pointed out, gesturing towards the observation deck where Sir Ellis sat on the rail, kicking his feet as little bells rang around his ankles. Halloway nodded, ¡°Good work, now,¡± He turned to thest member of their four man strike force. A woman with steely gray eyes and burned-charcoal colored hair. Her lips were curled up into a delighted sneer, ¡°Dame Kant?¡± She met his gaze, ¡°I know, ck Lotus is mine.¡±
Chapter 145 Chapter 145 ¡°Everyone! Please remain calm and move in an orderly fashion!¡± The dark haired instructor shouted, waving his hands towards themon building, ¡°Please follow Miss Chernovna, she will lead you to the bunker beneath themon building! The Security force will be upying the building, make sure to listen to their instructions,¡± The man continued. Alex hadn¡¯t had a training session yet with the guy but he knew his name at the very least. Bedrock was a peak-epic earth elementalist hero and had been brought in by Marion like the heroic Axel. ¡°The instructors will handle the situation, it is best that you all get to safety!¡± ¡°Where are the reinforcements?¡± One of the aspirants shouted. ¡°Why aren¡¯t more heroes showing up?¡± Another called. Alex clicked his tongue and nced towards Greg who was frowning hard. Both of them understood why they were giving the order but that didn¡¯t mean he had to like it. They had worked hard to get to where they were, they were more than strong enough to take on some thugs. He let out a sharp breath and calmed himself, there was no point in getting worked up about it. They weren¡¯t licensed yet and orders were orders. He¡¯d promised himself he wouldn¡¯t go running off half-cocked anymore. A small hand gripped his shirt and he nced down at Snow who was looking at the ground with furrowed brows. He felt her hand shake a little and looked up at Greg who was looking around as well. I have a bad feeling¡­ He thought as Greg let out a relieved breath. Jessica waved at him from the front of the crowd leading into themon building. She¡¯s ounted for, okay, he paused and then looked down at Snow again as Val and John hustled over. ¡°Found John,¡± Val said before looking past Alex and waving his hand hard, ¡°Hey! Over here!¡± He shouted. Alex felt Snow whip her head in the direction and tense a little. Then it hit him. Wait¡­ Cass and Ollie slid to a stop with the rest of them, ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± Cass asked, her eyes wide, she started to head count when Ollie let out a weary breath. Cass¡¯ hand fell to her side as everyone looked at Snow who was starting to shake even harder. ¡°Lillian is still in the dungeon,¡± Ollie said, his chest heaving with the effort of trying to remain calm, ¡°The entire scout team is with her.¡± Alex whipped his head back towards Bedrock, and two other heroes joined him. First was a woman wearing a hunter''s hood and cloak, the other was a man in a bowler hat. Canis and Crowley. He remembered, he raised a hand to the trio, ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± He shouted, ¡°Wait! We¡¯re missing people!¡± They didn¡¯t respond, they didn¡¯t even look his way. They were so focused on keeping control of the situation that they couldn¡¯t spare the time. They¡¯re counting on us to run to safety on our own. He thought. Even with months of training hardening the aspirants, there was a difference between controlledbat and a surprise attack. Fear was powerful, Alex knew that better than anyone. A bang rang out in the distance followed by a brief explosion. The other aspirants began moving faster as they hurried past the heroes who were trying to keep order. ¡°They¡¯re not going to raid the dungeon,¡± Greg said, ¡°She just needs to-¡± ¡°No!¡± Cass shouted rounding at him, ¡°Listen to me, if you think she¡¯s just going to settle for missing a few, you¡¯re out of your mind!¡± She looked down at her fingers, trembling, ¡°This has got to be Liberty, it has to be, there¡¯s no one else who would do this. She won¡¯t stop until everyone is dead and she¡¯ll trigger a dungeon break to get her way.¡± Alex gripped Snow¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Cass we aren¡¯t-¡± ¡°When will we be? When we get some card on a stage?¡± Cass shouted. ¡°A hero acts,¡± John said with a nod. ¡°She needs us,¡± Val agreed, ¡°I ain¡¯t sitting out of this fight, no fuckin¡¯ way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Snow said, her voice popping into their ears, bypassing the ambient noise of fear and distant fighting. Greg bit his lip, ¡°Ollie?¡± Ollie adjusted his sses, ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys,¡± He said and squared his shoulders even as his knees buckled, ¡°But I¡¯m already a hero,¡± He said and turned on his heel, racing towards the path between the dojo and themon building that led out to the portion of the woods where the dungeon was hidden. Cass rounded on her heel and raced after him, Snowing next. Val nced at Greg, ¡°Youin?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m going to let you idiots run into danger without me?¡± Greg shot, ¡°Fat chance,¡± He said and bolted off after the others. A shout rang out behind them, calling for them toe back. Alex stood there for a moment and looked past the heroes who were angrily shouting towards the doors. He saw Miss Chernovna there, gripping the door with white knuckles. He met her eyes. We¡¯re off. She nodded to him with a smirk before bringing her fist to her heart. He returned the gesture and turned, pping Val and John on the shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll be back in time to get yelled at.¡± He said and the three of them raced down the path to catch up with the others. Ahead of him, Cass and Ollie were almost at the trees with Greg and Snow close behind. Another loud bang rang out behind them followed by the initial pops of gunfire that signaled the enemy drawing closer. Where the hell is Axel? He thought just as he noticed something else. ¡°Movement in the trees!¡± He shouted, ¡°Get down!¡± Cass and Ollie dropped like lead sacks, Snow rolled forward and threw up her hands but she needn¡¯t have bothered. Greg moved like lightning, his legs shing with violet light for a moment before heunched himself to a spot between Cass, Ollie, and Snow. He threw up his hands and pped the air as the roar of gunfire filled the air. A wave of purple light rippled out like a wall between him and their attackers and the bullets slowed to a stop, ¡°Need a striker!¡± he called and Val vanished from Alex¡¯ side, one moment there was a sh of heat and movement and then the next there was the sound of metallic armor crashing into three bodies that dropped to the ground. Valnded, ¡°Move!¡± Alex and John hurried up, catching up with Snow. Alex scooped her up and kept running while Greg dropped his defensive technique and moved back to running with the others. ¡°Go go go!¡± Greg called, ¡°We¡¯re moving as a unit! Cass, you¡¯re a striker right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Cass called as she got up and started moving. ¡°Cass and Val, you¡¯re striking. Alex, rear guard. I¡¯ll take the front. Snow and Ollie on support. John, stay nimble and call out threats!¡± Greg barked. ¡°Right!¡± Their little crew shouted as one and dove into the treeline. ¨C They snuck past me! Axel snarled inwardly as he crashed into the ground amidst a group of attackers. He snapped a fist out and sent one man hurtling into the dojo wall with a crunch of the man¡¯s jaw. He pivoted away from a bay aimed at his chest and snatched the rifle out of the man¡¯s hand, pumping a little momentum into the joints of the object and shattering it in an instant. He kicked his foot out and sent the attacker sprawling as the sound of gunfire rang out to his left. He nced that way as a sh of purple greeted it, What the? Oh no. The Nashville team plus Ollie and Cassiopeia. Damn it they¡¯re probably here for that girl! He thought before backhanding another idiot that dared to approach him and sent the man pirouetting away. Where do they think they¡¯re going? The dungeon? But- He froze and fury bubbled up in his gut, God damn it! He swore inwardly and kicked down at the knee of a guy running at him with a knife. He elbowed the already screaming man in the nose and sent him to the ground. The fucking scouts! A pair of rocks shot past him and collided with two attackers as he leaped back to get some distance and get closer to themon building. ¡°Axel!¡± Bedrock called, relieved, ¡°We have to get those- URK!¡± Axel grabbed him by the shirt and looked him in the eyes, ¡°Did you call back the scouts?¡± He barked. ¡°Huh? The-¡± ¡°DID YOU CALL THEM BACK?!¡± He bellowed. The horrified expression on Bedrocks face told him enough, he let his subordinate go and wiped the sweat off his face before turning towards the distant treeline where more and more attackers were pouring out, ¡°Let¡¯s hope those crazy kids can get them out of there safely. Because we¡¯ve got at least three elitesing this way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re hurt!¡± Canis said as she hurried over. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± He said, ignoring his aching jaw, back, and leg. ¡°We need to set up a perimeter, Bedrock, form a defensive wall,¡± He said quickly, ¡°Canis, conjure up some backup,¡± He continued, gesturing left and right. ¡°Crowley, do we have air support?¡± The dark haired earth-wielding instructor nodded and turned away, holding up his hands to urge the ground to rise up between them and the approaching danger. Another, a woman with short blonde hair took a few steps back and brought her fingers to her lips in a silent whistle. A quartet of wolves appeared around her as if stepping out of thin air. The third, a pale man with sunken eyes nodded with a grin and pulled his hat down over his eyes, ¡°For some reason this ce is absolutely crowded with birds,¡± He said with a chuckle and threw his head back, letting out a sound that was eerily simr to a hawks screech. A solid wall of shrieks and birdcalls responded to him. ¡°They¡¯ll be here any second,¡± Crowley said, ¡°What¡¯s ck Lotus¡¯ status?¡± Axel frowned and nced back at themon building, ¡°Something went wrong. I just hope she doesn¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± ¡°But, this is an emergency!¡± Crowley protested. Axel frowned, ¡°So was The Hague,¡± He said irritably, ¡°If that didn¡¯t change the rules about the Vegas Act, this sure as hell will! Get ready, they¡¯re iing!¡± Hundreds of racing footsteps and shouts caused Axel¡¯s ears to shudder a little. He clenched his fists, We still haven¡¯t seen the leaders clearly! He nced towards the path behind them leading towards the dungeon. They¡¯re alling from one direction, this should be a good enough spot to defend from. As if to confirm his thoughts, a portion of the stone wall created by Bedrock exploded as a bolt of red light streaked through it. Then another that was pointed a few feet to the right, and another. They¡¯re cleaving through! ¡°Get ready!¡± A bloom of red light blossomed on the other side of the wall, growing brighter and brighter with every passing moment. Axel clicked his tongue, ¡°Bedrock!¡± He called, ¡°We need more wall!¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on-¡± FWOO- A concussive st of red light crashed into the stone wall, obliterating it. Axel threw up his arms to protect his face and chest, wincing. This one is going to- huh? He blinked and lowered his arm, confused at the absence of pain and shouts from hisrades. Something yellow-gold blossomed amidst the red light and he took a step back as a figure seemed to materialize out of the red glow that was struggling to get past a rippling transparent sheen of gold. Standing at the center was another aspirant, Marc Mallory. This kid¡­ holy shit. The red light faded and Marc turned, lowering his hand and calling back the barrier. In his other hand was a golden sword that shone with dangerous promise. ¡°Sorry for ignoring orders sir!¡± He said brightly, ¡°My legs just moved.¡± Axel grinned, ¡°Kid you just saved our asses, Bedrock!¡± ¡°On it!¡± Bedrock shouted back and threw his back into creating a taller, thicker wall around the perimeter. More howls joined the initial group that Canis summoned and a small flock began to gather around Crowley as the heroes rallied themselves. Axel looked Marc over once before ncing towards the path to the dungeon, ¡°You think you can handle any of the small fry?¡± He asked the aspirant hero. ¡°I can manage,¡± Marc said and slung his sword onto his shoulder, ¡°Orders, sir?¡± ¡°Some of your peers went to the dungeon, the scouts are still inside, back them up,¡± He said quickly. Marc gave a quick salute, ¡°Yessir!¡± He said and like a rocketunched himself in the direction of the path. Axel let out a breath of relief, They¡¯ll have a mythic with them. It¡¯ll be fine. He thought as he stepped back towards the steps of themon building. The others moving with him. Birds filled the air and wolves prowled the interior of the wall as shouts and moring grew to a fever pitch, the ground shook from their steps and the wall shuddered as more attacks mmed into it. He clenched his fists. That was when a chime rang out. A sonorous sound that sent a chill down his spine, That sound guy again¡­ He cursed only to feel his blood run cold as the wall that Bedrock so diligently built began to shudder and crumble. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, They aren¡¯t even going to make demands. I have no choice. He nced at Bedrock who met his eyes. The man paled a little before swallowing hard. ¡°Orders, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility, do it,¡± He said with a frown. Bedrock set his jaw and nodded, he took a step forward and threw his hands up, gesturing at the thick wall he¡¯d created. It continued to crumble and shudder under the sound-users onught. He flexed his fingers and the wall was cut into segments, tall bs of stone as opposed to one singr mass. There had to be at least a hundred attackers in the shadows of those things. He reared his arms back to push. BRRRAAANNNNGGGG The sound was so intense it nearly sent Axel to his knees and Bedrock reeling for a moment, canceling his lethal order, he reached up and clutched at his ears as he turned back towards the source. He blinked, No way, He thought, dumbstruck. She came out? Atop the balcony, looking down at the approaching horde of invaders and the three silhouetted leaders at the front, an eye-wateringly beautiful woman stood. She wore an immacte gown decorated in jewels around the neck and down the front. Her ck hair up in a stylish bun andrge jewels hanging from her ears, framing an irritable scowl. In her hands was an electric guitar. She drew her extra-long fingernails along the strings and wrinkled her nose in disgust. ¡°You¡¯re going to pay for making mee out when it¡¯s this humid,¡± She said and even though her voice was even and calm, it carried across the entire field. Madame Rouge had finally entered the fray.
Chapter 146 Chapter 146 In Rouge¡¯s mind, personal beauty was a tool as well as a form of art. It was something to be used and appreciated in small amounts, not unted or paraded about. Art was fleeting, so too was youth. It was not meant tost forever. One did not go to the same museum every day and stare at the same piece and get the same emotional response. There were other, more important things in life to concern oneself with than getting lost in something that would cease to be in just a few short years. This was why she rarely left her office. Her focus was on raising the heroes in her care, not strutting about like some pompous preening peacock. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the scene before her. Segments of wall had been created by Bedrock and it looked like he was fully prepared to tip them over onto their attackers. That would mean needless loss of life. Heroes did not kill humans. Period. It was a rule set by the Pandora Committee and one she vehemently agreed with. Life, like art and beauty, was fleeting and precious. Something to be maintained and cultivated. Her frown deepened as she took in the feral masses of inebriates moring to get at the young embryonic heroes under her care. ck Lotus has taken up position inside the building. Thest line of defense given her situation. When there is no other option she will take action, unless Administrator Mint can figure something out. She clicked her tongue, And that stupid boy, running off without permission. I¡¯m going to give Ollie one hell of a talking to when he gets back. Don¡¯t you dare die young man, She growled as she strode forward and stood at the ledge. There was a stillness despite the shouting and brandishing of weapons on the other side of the wall. Neither side was going to make the first move, it seemed. She reached up to her ear and gently tapped an earpiece that hung seamlessly over her ear and along her jawline, ¡°Deploy,¡± She growled. An instantter a pair of basketball sized spheres floated up on either side of her. Despite her corporate affiliation, she appreciated Dr. Carter¡¯s craftsmanship. She tilted her head up and looked down on them all, ¡°Last warning, retreat while you have the opportunity, otherwise I will see to it that you all leave in chains,¡± She said evenly, projecting her voice across the main courtyard now turned battlefield. ¡°Afraid we can¡¯t do that!¡± A voice called out from the other side. She narrowed her eyes and heard a chime ring through the air. A heartbeatter a figure was standing on the wall,nky, with slightly overlength arms that had been concealed by long sleeves. The figure tilted their head and grinned wildly. He dipped into a bow, sweeping his arm to his chest, ¡°Sir Ellis, Knight of Liberty¡¯s Round Table, Madame Rouge. I heard you were here! How exciting!¡± Rouge narrowed her eyes and didn¡¯t deign him with a response. His lip twitched and he barked out augh, ¡°Just as haughty as I heard too! Wow!¡± He covered his face for a moment and let out a sigh, ¡°Look, we¡¯re not here for you! We¡¯re here for Cassiopeia, right everybody?¡± He called, flicking his head back at an odd angle to shout at hisrades. They all let out a roar of agreement. ¡°See? Just hand her over and we¡¯ll be on our merry way! She belongs at her sister¡¯s side, after all. How terrible to see siblings apart!¡± He threw out his hands, ¡°You so-called heroes cut corners all the time! What¡¯s the big deal?¡± He held up a finger, ¡°Just one girl and you save the lives of everyone here! Not a bad trade!¡± He snorted, ¡°That way you people can do some proper hero work for once instead of ying summer camp while the world goes to shit.¡± She let out a sigh, ¡°Are you quite finished?¡± She asked. He picked at his ear, ¡°Yup, that¡¯s about it, what do you say?¡± She pursed her lips and shook her head, looking down at the others below. Axel¡¯s shoulders were rising and falling as he did everything he could to hold back his rage. The wolves created by Canis were poised to strike. Crowley was holding onto his cane with a white knuckled grip. She flicked her eyes up to Sir Ellis, ¡°You fundamentally misunderstand what we heroes do, Sir Ellis,¡± She said with all the venom she could muster, ¡°And you live in a fantasy world created by your madwoman of a leader,¡± Her finger twitched over the strings of her guitar, ¡°If you think I will let youy a hair on the head of any of the young people under my protection, regardless of who they are rted to, you are by far the greatest imbecile walking the face of this earth.¡± He blinked a few times and his arms fell to his sides, his smile vanishing, ¡°Well-¡± She tilted her head forward, and if you think you get the first move, you¡¯re even more foolish! She snarled and strummed her guitar, flicking through three notes. His eyes widened and he lifted his foot, the chimes beginning to jingle, the two spheres on either side spun with a lightning fast rotation and brought a pair of t ted speakers to bear on him. A sonic wave crashed into him, his eyes rolling up in his head as he was knocked back, blood spraying from his nose and ears. ¡°Come and take them!¡± She shouted and flicked a switch on her guitar. A roar of fury rose up among the spectating cultists, ¡°STRENGTH FROM LIBERTY!¡± The next moment they charged as one at the segmented walls, mming into them as their bodies glowed with a pale rusty light. She ran her nails over the strings, heavy metal it is, she growled and a deep bass growl matching her own rumbled out from the speakers. She strummed the guitar slowly, her head swaying left and right to an imaginary beat, despite none being present, the sound of drums began to pulse from the speakers. She nodded a little faster, stepping left and right as her lips curled, she took a deep breath and began to sing. ¡°Say your prayers!¡± ¨C The music started to y, and Axel felt something burning up inside of his chest. The instant the drums began to beat and the guitar filled his ears he felt as if his blood was moving faster through his veins, not just that, his mana. He was angry to begin with, but now, he was pumped. He threw his hands down and released momentum as the first crowd of cultists climbed over the wall. Several were pelted by rocks that knocked them back, the strange glow reinforcing their bodies enough that the blows weren¡¯t lethal. Hended on the nearest block of stone and whipped out a kick, releasing some stored momentum in a wave that sent several more crashing to the ground. Gunshots sounded and he threw his arms open, Yeah! Gimme all that momentum! Heughed as bullets struck him from dozens of angles, he felt the momentum build in his body as a score more of the cultists climbed the wall and lunged at him. One grabbed him by the arm while four more tackled his chest, two grabbed his legs and they pushed, throwing him back over the side. He let them, falling to the ground on the other side of the wall amids the crowd of angry wolves. They started to rain fruitless punches on him as the wolves howled and charged, grabbing them by the legs and pulling them off of him. Screams of pain joined the shouts and gunfire. Birds shrieked and darted down from above as they formed a cloud over the field. Axel pushed one of the men off of him with a tiny burst of momentum and got to his feet just in time to see a man with a bownd on the wall and sneer down at him. Axel squinted until he saw the color of the bow and his eyes widened, he rolled out of the way just as the man snapped out a shot of ruby light that struck the ground and left a sizzling hole in its wake. He got to his feet and kicked stomped the ground, throwing himself into the air with a burst before pivoting in the air and releasing another from his feet. He drew his fist back as the archer doubled back,nding on a temporary panel of red light and firing off another shot. Axel fired a burst of momentum from his shoulder and spun out of the waynding amidst the crowd of cultists that immediately turned on him. ¡°Body shields won¡¯t work!¡± The archer shouted and took aim. Axel threw his hands out and released a st that sent the fodder around him stumbling away. ¡°Not what a hero does, asshole!¡± The archer sneered and was about to release another shot when a pair of hawks darted down and started pecking at his face, ¡°The fuck- get off!¡± He shouted before slipping and falling off the side. Axel turned away from him and chuckled, his attention now on the horde of masked men and women all readying to charge at him. He opened his stance and grinned only for his expression to fall as a chime filled his ears. His eyes widened as a pair of bloodshot eyes appeared in his vision and a palm pressed against his chest, ¡°Got. You.¡± Sir Ellis wheezed and a sudden agony sted through Axel¡¯s chest and out his back, creating a hole in his shirt on both sides. He coughed out a gobbet of blood and staggered back as a palmstrike whipped across his face and his jaw creaked. The music swelled and he drove his foot to the ground, releasing a good third of his stored momentum. A crater formed in an instant, dirt and debris either pulverized or sent all over. Ellis let out a shout and flew back into the crowd of hisrades as Axel wiped his lip. He stood tall even as his body creaked, the music keeping most of the pain at bay, ¡°Only a couple hundred of you?¡± He shouted, ¡°COME ON!¡± ¨C Canis and Crowley stood next to one another as the fighting grew more and more intense. The wolves were biting and disabling anyone who dared get over the wall. Birds darted down from above, attacking anything that the wolves didn¡¯t have time to attack. Crowley nodded along to the music while Canis rolled her neck. Just a short distance away, Bedrock raced towards the wall and with a lurch was sent flying by a pir of stone leaping from the ground beneath him. He flew over the side to join Axel. ¡°I do believe we¡¯re getting shown up, dear Canis,¡± Crowley said with a huff and tapped his cane against the ground as a pair of hawks darted down and began attacking a man with a red bow that had been ready to assault Axel. The man fell to the ground and scrambled to his feet, whipping his hand and releasing a short range wave of red light that cut through half a dozen wolves, turning them into the motes of mana from which they came. He bore his teeth at the pair, ¡°Oh great, the cheerleaders,¡± He snarled and nced down at his bow. ¡°I won¡¯t be needing this.¡± Crowley narrowed his eyes and squinted at the bow, ¡°Are those letters? Whatnguage is that?¡± He said thoughtfully. The man stalked forward, pointing at wolves and destroying them as they charged, ¡°Crowley, the Pandora Legal Expert sent to teach the trainees the ins and outs of herow,¡± He sniffed, ¡°Canis, who they sent to manage the monsters they would be training against,¡± Heughed out loud, ¡°A pair of weaklings with barely epic-tier abilities. How do you get away calling this epic?¡± He gestured around himself. Canis stood up a bit straighter, ¡°I think we¡¯re being underestimated, dear Crowley.¡± Crowley huffed, ¡°I do believe we are, dear Canis, that¡¯s unfortunate!¡± The man wrinkled his nose, ¡°Once a weakling always a weakling. You barely qualify asbat heroes.¡± Crowley let out a sigh and scratched his brow with the handle of his cane, ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny, I would have agreed with you a few months ago. But there¡¯s a strange thing about being surrounded by young people with so much potential and being in proximity with talented licenced heroes.¡± The man paused and narrowed his eyes, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Inspiration,¡± Canis growled and hunched forward, fur spreading across her face as her snout extended. Her body grew in size, her fingers stretching and her muscles expanding. She snapped her jaws and whipped her head left and right as her body changed. She grew and grew until she was the size of a Lurker, her white-gray fur gleaming in the moonlight from above, glimmering and shining like metal. The man clicked his tongue and pointed at her, a beam of red light crashing into her shoulder. She rolled back a foot before snapping forward and snarling, only a small burn and a bit of smoke left behind by his attack. Her yellow eyes burned and she threw her head back into a howl. The sound of howls and bones snapping joined her in chorus. Behind her a cloud of birds exploded into existence as the man whipped his head left and right, the wolves copsing and going through a simr change to herself. He whipped his finger out and pointed at one of the wolves as the birds condensed behind him and a cane struck him in the back of the head. He gasped and staggered forward, grasping at the back of his head and spinning. He reached out towards Crowley who was now standing behind him, glowing red ws forming around his hands as he tried to tear the man¡¯s throat out. Crowley just chuckled and exploded into a burst of ck birds that spread out over the area. ¡°Fucking - AUGH!¡± The man screamed, jaws digging into his shoulder. He nced to his right and looked into the feral eyes of a wolfman that had grabbed onto his arms and was attempting to bite his entire shoulder out. Enraged he opened his eyes wide and a pair of red beams shot from them, skewering its head and sending it to the ground. He spun and whipped his hand out, releasing another wave of red and cutting three more of the much stronger creatures in half. As they dissolved he reached for his bow and leveled the bestial Canis with a stare. ¡°It seems I owe you an apology,¡± He snapped, ¡°I won¡¯t be making the same mistake twice.¡± The music hit a crescendo and a new song began, above them, the music rapidly increased in tempo. ¡°You¡¯re never gonna stop me!¡± Rouge sang, moving on to her next song. As she did, a glimmering sheen washed over Crowley and Canis.
Chapter 147 Chapter 147 The din of battle raged over the other side of the wall, shouts and screams shook the air. A masked man was flung skyward, falling unceremoniously to the ground while four more were sent hurtling away in an arc that briefly revealed them to those on the other side. The wolfmen moved in from all sides, ws extended and eyes filled with bloodlust as they focused their bestial fury on the red-light wielding archer. The blonde man scowled at the pair as the glimmering sheen crawled across their bodies, the music once again changing the nature of the fight. He strode to the right and then the left like a caged animal, this gaze contemtive. Crowley shifted a bit where he stood, his legs tensing as he readied for another movement. ¡°There is something strange with his weapon, be careful,¡± He said in a low voice, ncing towards Canis, ¡°There are odd letters that glowed faintly when he used his abilities. They¡¯re connected somehow.¡± Canis tilted her lupine head, yellow eyes narrowing a little as she looked the man over. Her pointed ear flicked and she let out a low, predatory growl, ¡°I see them,¡± She murmured. The man stopped pacing and clicked his tongue, throwing his arms out wide, ¡°The song onlysts so long doesn¡¯t it? What are you waiting for? Come at me!¡± He barked out. ¡°This Sir Ewen will be your executioner, fake heroes!¡± Crowley reached out and put a hand on Canis¡¯ arm, ¡°We must vet him, we don¡¯t know how his powers work yet, though I am beginning to suspect a kinship with the Guildmaster.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Canis agreed and dipped low into an open grappling stance. With a mighty roar she charged just as the wolfmen leaped from every conceivable angle, going high and low, from the side and from the front, any way to throw off his extremely directional attacks. Fur and ws closed in on the man as he stood there, hand clutched around his bow. A heartbeat, a flurry of movement, and as Canis sped across the field in his direction she bore witness to a dome of red arrows spraying out in all directions, her wolfmen carried off with them. She grit her teeth and charged, throwing her shoulder into the attack as he became visible. He was standing with his hand held up like he was holding a tray, hovering over it were several red arrows. He smirked as she collided with him, crashing into the wall. A glob of blood pouring from his lips as he looked down at her with madness in his eyes. He didn¡¯t defend? ¡°CANIS!¡± Crowley shouted, a cloud of birds wrapping around her and pulling her away just in time to avoid the arrows that had skewered her wolfmen returning to their sender and turning the spot she¡¯d been standing at just a moment before into a glowing pincushion. She nced up at him in gratitude before getting to her feet, she scanned the area as the shouting intensified on the other side, the loud bangsing more frequently. I hope Axel¡¯s alright. Sir Ewen clicked his tongue and wiped his lips, ¡°Worth a try,¡± He wheezed before wrenching up his hand, the arrows of red light dissolved into motes that raced to his palm and formed a shifting and roiling glob. ¡°Suppose I should stop messing around,¡± He said with a sigh and threw the glob at the ground at his feet. It vanished as if the ground wasn¡¯t even solid. Canis and Crowley didn¡¯t wait to see what he had nned, Crowley burst into a cloud of birds and spread out, hiding his location while Canis charged in again. She brought her wed hand up and down, raking at Sir Ewen as he hopped to the left, raising his bow and creating a faint dome of red light that she easily cleared even if it prevented her from hitting him. He skipped back a few more paces and whipped around, throwing a backhand at Crowley as he took form and readied a swing of his cane. Crowley took the blow to the face, the shimmer on his skin flickering for a moment as he burst again into a flock before reforming in front of Sir Ewen, swinging his cane up and catching the man on the chin. As the archer took a half step back from the blow, Canis lunged and swiped her wed hand across his chest. He threw his arms up in a cross, a thicker panel of red light appearing between him and her. He narrowed his eyes as her ws dug into it and threw his head forward, spitting a red glob into her eye. She gasped and stumbled as he created an arrow in his hand and drove it forward at her heart. The glimmer gave way but the loss of force from piercing the musical barrier left it helpless against her metallic fur. He grunted and hopped back a few more paces, ncing up towards the furiously ying Rouge. ¡°Just about-¡± He muttered as Crowley reformed to his right, his eyes wide and turning an off-orange color. Crowley let out a screech and Ewen peeled away from him, cupping his ear in irritation. ¡°Little shit,¡± He snapped and threw out his hand, a flurry of arrows bursting from his palm, passing through the cloud of birds that was Crowley and riddling a hunk of wall with holes. ¡°I take it back! You two are a genuine pain in the ass!¡± Heughed, ¡°But! All good thingse to an end and we¡¯ve yed enough!¡± He shouted as he pivoted, throwing up two domes on either side of himself and catching a furious w strike from Canis and a brutal caning from Crowley. For a heartbeat, there was silence. More than just the pause between exchanges. Canis blinked in slow motion as her mind caught up with what he had done. Her eyes went wide and she mmed her foot on the ground, trying to create enough force to put some distance between herself and him. She opened her mouth to shout only to let out a howl of pain as a spike of red lightnced up from the ground beneath her feet, skewering her foot. Another spliced her arm, another up through her other leg¡¯s knee. A screech of pain answered her own howl and through the momentary agony she saw Crowley hung up in the air like a scarecrow, his arms and legs all pierced, his eyes spinning from the pain. ¡°I heard your guildmaster can create defenses as her specialty, that her powers are like mine,¡± Ewen said with a sneer, stepping away from the two of them as they struggled to do anything but hang there in blinding agony. ¡°I specialize in constructs, the beams are my weakest spells,¡± He mocked them. He took a step backwards onto a panel, then another, and then another, ¡°Now, I would love to kill you two, but I think I¡¯ve killed enough time,¡± He nced up at Rouge who turned her speakers towards him, ¡°It¡¯s time!¡± He shouted and the tform beneath his feet threw itself upwards before vanishing,unching him up into the air and dodging the sonic st that crushed a portion of the wall where he¡¯d stood into powder, he flipped through the air as another figure darted past him with a whimsical chime following it. A secondary chime rang out as anky figurended between both Canis and Crowley as the red spikes dissolved. Before they could regain their senses Sir Ellis threw out his palms and struck both of them in the chest, sending sonic waves through their bodies. He didn¡¯t even stop there, his ankle chime ringing again as he vanished and darted up towards Rouge. Canis stumbled and clutched at her chest, it felt like her organs had been turned to putty for a moment. Her ears rang and she tried to shake her head but even her bones hurt. She looked up to see Crowley in not much better condition. That was when things went from bad to worse. A bang and a whistling sound shrieked through the air, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. Over the forest a white-yellow re arced through the air. Canis narrowed her eyes before a small chuckle drew her attention back to Ellis. She reached up and favored her chest a little, taking a step back and getting ready to move. Ellis just stood there, staring at the re as he threw his head back and let out a noisy groan, wiping a bit of blood off of his nose, ¡°Finally!¡± He whined, ¡°Took him long enough!¡± Canis lowered her stance, spreading her arms and extending her ws while Crowley¡¯s eyes began to glow orange again. Ellis sniffed and tilted his head slowly before making eye contact with Canis. He broke into a wide smile, ¡°Power from Liberty, I am Sir Ellis of the Round Table,¡± He intoned and a column of orange-gold light mmed down from the sky as if sent by a god. The column crashed into Ellis who threw his hands out and cackled. A sonic wave rippled down at him from the floating speakers on either side of Rouge, he didn¡¯t so much as budge. His body grew in size, his muscles bing denser as his fingers twitched. Another column of golden light fell down on the other side of the wall. Then hundreds of little streaks of coppery light streaming down from the sky in a terrible light show. Canis looked up at the disy with wide eyes, ¡°What on earth?¡± She breathed before turning towards Ellis as the light faded, she raised her guard and he shot a grin in her direction. ¡°Jingle jingle,¡± He snickered and disappeared from sight. Her ear twitched and tried to turn her head as he stepped out of the air behind her. His hands reached out to either side of her head, ¡°You got pretty good hearing, huh?¡± Heughed as a high pitched shriek ripped through her mind. The wavelength burned into her skull, her eyes rolling back as she convulsed where she stood, a silent scream on her open maw. Her hair stood on end as the piercing sound ripped through her senses, blood dripping from her nose, her ears, she- ¡°Canis!¡± Crowley shouted, appearing next to Ellis in a flutter of feathers, his cane already moving. Ellis whipped his head in his direction so fast his neck had to have snapped, the man barked out augh and opened his mouth releasing a shrill sound that sent Crowley flying backwards, buffeted by the force of it. He flipped through the air and skid to a stop,nding on his back and blinking up at the sky in confusion. He tried to sit up but his bnce felt off. He couldn¡¯t hear. He blinked a few more times and rolled onto his side, tilting his head down enough to see Canis drop to her knees before falling face first in the dirt. No! He tried to pull himself to his feet. My arms aren¡¯t working! He gasped, pressing his head against the ground to try to gain some purchase. Need to get to, Canis- white hot agony ripped through his leg. He croaked, his voice barely able to make a sound under the unbelievable pressure. He rolled and looked at the sword stabbed down into his leg. A woman with burned-charcoal hair stared down at him with mild amusement as she pushed her sword forward and then left and right, grinding the de against his muscle and bones. He screamed as she reached down and grabbed him by the shirt, she said something but he couldn¡¯t hear it. His arms were limp while she dragged him over to Canis and tossed him on top of her. He felt vibrations in the air, rumblings, something was happening above him. He felt Canis¡¯ slow breathing too, barely alive. His eyes fluttered as he tried to move his head to look up at the action above him. Rouge was on the backfoot, strumming her guitar andunching sts of sound in the direction of Ellis who was snapping left and right like some kind of horror movie ghost. It looked like she kept trying to start up a new song but as soon as she opened her mouth he would make a shushing gesture and nothing would happen. The ground shook and a st of red light ripped through the wall, with it came Axel, burned and hurtling through the air tond just a few feet away. Crowley tried to push himself up, to see hisrade better but something worsended between them. His heart sank as Ewennded and tossed the unconscious body of Bedrock to the ground. Crowley tried to rally himself, he needed to get up! He needed to move! He needed to- pain exploded in his gut. His eyes went wide and he tried again to turn his head. He looked up, horrified, into the face of the sword wielding woman. She sneered at him and with a quick motion pushed the sword through his gut and down. He felt his entire world begin to shatter as Canis¡¯ breathing slowed even more. No! He screamed on the inside, his lung was punctured. He could barely breathe. The woman grinned and seemed to take a deep breath, savoring something, a dark aura beginning to form around her body. Crowley felt himself get lifted to a kneeling position, something wrapped around his torso and squeezed. He looked down at the glowing red ropes around his body. Panic overrode everything. How had things gone so wrong? Why? What was that strange light? He whipped his head around, taking in his surroundings. Next to him, in a line, were the other three, all in various states of unconsciousness. Canis wasn¡¯t moving. His heart sank. Please no, stay awake! He closed his eyes and tried frantically to use his ability, he had to escape and get some distance. Find some way to turn this around- A sharp pain went through his good leg and he threw his head forward in a scream that he couldn¡¯t hear. His throat was hoarse now. A pair of sandaled feet stopped in front of him and a hand grabbed him by his hair, pulling it up to look him in the eyes. The gray-haired woman shook her head and wagged her finger before ncing up at the ongoing fight between Ellis and Rouge. He red back at her with all the hatred he could muster. She let go of his head and he forced it up just enough to see the figure standing just behind the doors of themon building. A sword in that person¡¯s hand. Don¡¯t. It¡¯s what they want¡­ He begged in silence as he tried to catch his breath. ¨C Chunhua stood at the entrance, the students having been sent down to the secure rooms beneath theary diorama. She held her sword in one hand, her eyes fixed on the scene outside. Her stomach lurched as she took a step forward only for a hand to snap out and grab her wrist, pulling her back. She rounded on Amos and nearly punched him in the face. He looked more tired than usual as he threw his hands up, ¡°Stop, stop, it¡¯s me!¡± Her chest heaved as she pointed towards the scene of four of herrades in an execution line outside, ¡°You all expect me to stand here when-¡± ¡°If you go out there, they¡¯ll broadcast it as proof that the Committee doesn¡¯t hold on to its rulings and is an arbitrary organization, just like they im. You go out there without clearance and you¡¯ll be proving them right,¡± Amos snarled, getting right back up in her face. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to die!¡± She shouted. ¡°They know the risks!¡± He shouted back, ¡°I got Ca reconnected to thework, count on her! She¡¯ll pull through! I¡¯m almost done with the contingency I worked out too. If they try to get in you can defend yourself but-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go out there, I know,¡± She snapped and turned away, rage billowing off of her in waves. The ground cracked beneath her feet and she gripped her weapon so tightly blood streamed down the de, ¡°Just hurry up! I can barely contain it any longer,¡± She paused and looked down at the floor, ¡°I hope Lily and the others are alright¡­¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 A bullet whizzed by Alex¡¯s ear, his head whipping forward in response to the sound. He dove forward and kept running, pushing off the ground with his hands to get a little eleration before he leaped into the air and whipped his arm out, covered in scales. The massive limb that grew from his body crushed a pair of trees before colliding with one of their attackers. Hended and kept moving, patting his waist to check that the pair of small legs were still wrapped around him. He nced back at Snow who gave him a determined look before he turned back and kept running. ¡°Move! Move! Move!¡± Greg shouted behind them, the heady buzz of his powers activating rattling Alex¡¯s senses for a moment as a hail of bullets was deflected. Alex darted around another tree and made for the path again, they couldn¡¯t be much farther, could they? How long had they been running? He pressed his lips together, Hang in there Lily! He thought, ducking beneath a branch and alighting on the path. He turned and his eyes widened at the sight of a pair of gun barrels pointed at him. ¡°Shit!¡± He threw up his arms. ¡°Got it!¡± A voice called from above. He whipped his head up to see a streak of gold and pink collide with the ground, there was a noisy crash and when the dust cleared Cass was standing there with the biggest hammer he¡¯d ever seen slung over her shoulder. She nced his way and gave him a nod before moving away from the small crater she¡¯d created, racing towards their destination. He shook his head after a testy poke from Snow brought him back to his senses and he followed after her. ¡°I see it!¡± Came another voice from ahead, Val, the lights of his rockets guiding them through the trees, ¡°Someones there!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t engage!¡± Greg shouted, ¡°We¡¯reing!¡± Off to the left Alex saw John and Ollie hurrying along. Ollie looked pensive while John had a scowl of absolute focus on his face. Alex had never seen the guy frown so hard. Alex hopped over a low hanging branch and picked up his pace, whipping his arm out to grab the next one and snapping towards it like a rubber band, ¡°Hold on Snow!¡± He called as a tiny squeak sounded behind his head. He pulled himself forward, one branch at a time, Come on,e on,e on! He willed himself to go faster, if he could turn fully into a serpent he could just move around everything. Nothing could get in his way. He pulled himself forward again andunched into the air, kicking his feet slowly as he caught a bit of air time. He nced down and spotted the clearing. The pirs of the dungeon were in in view as was a man standing off to the side with his hand extended towards it. Reddish bolts of ¡®something¡¯ were darting from his fingertips and striking the portal. What the heck his that guy doing? ¡°Mana levels skyrocketing!¡± Snow said quickly behind his head. He nced back at her as they descended, ¡°How do you know?¡± He asked. ¡°My imnt, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± She said quickly, ¡°We got a problem. He¡¯s trying to trigger a break!¡± Her voice seemed to echo for him and he realized it was the after effect of her broadcasting her voice to the others as a series of curses answered her immediately. Just as Alexnded at the edge of the trees another shape came racing out in the form of Cass, her weapon raised and a snarl on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± She shouted, her body picking up tremendous speed as her head tilted forward. Something on her head- Is that a crown? No, Horns? The man spun and his eyes widened, ¡°Cassiopeia!¡± He gasped, breaking into a wide smile, ¡°You came to me!¡± Heughed and drew something from his belt. He pointed it to the sky and pulled the trigger,unching what looked like some kind of re. He pivoted away from the portal and threw out both hands, he held them together for a moment before spreading them open in quick movement. Between his palms a glossy surface that looked remarkably like that of a bubble appeared. She kept moving, her legs pumping against the ground and leaving deep holes with each step. He took another step back and opened the bubble wider as Greg let out a shout, ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± Cass didn¡¯t hear him or didn¡¯t listen, her eye burning with fury as she crashed into the bubble. It popped and she vanished. What? A cry of surprise and rm filled the air and Alex looked up in time to see Cass falling from the sky. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Move!¡± Cass shouted as she threw herself forward in a sommersault in the air, gripping tightly to her weapon as she spun towards the ground like a blunt chainsaw. Alex looked to the portal, ¡°Just go in?¡± He shouted to Greg. ¡°Everyone get inside, we need to get Lily and the others out before anything worse happens!¡± Greg called back. John didn¡¯t need to be told twice, he was darting towards the portal the moment Greg gave the order. Val rocketing off next. The man whipped towards the two approaching him just as a screaming Cass came down towards him with the force of a small meteor. Her hammer aimed at his head. The man let out a gasp of rm and for a moment he flickered before appearing a few feet to the right of where Cass had intended to hit him. Cass hit the ground and the whole area shook. She stood up and Alex darted forward as Ollie hurried behind them, ¡°You still good Ollie?¡± He called. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± His friend said, ¡°Just get in the portal, you too Cass! Hand to hand isn¡¯t going to work with him!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just leave him!¡± Cass shouted back, pointing her weapon at the man as he took a few steps back, holding his hands up. ¡°I oughta-¡± ¡°You oughta follow orders!¡± Greg barked behind the lot of them, ¡°Get in there Cass! I already know what his power is, you aren¡¯t a good match!¡± Cass clicked her tongue and doubled back, hopping backwards through the portal with a re aimed at the man. Val and John raced through next. To Alex¡¯s surprise, Ollie barreled bast him and literally threw himself through the portal. Alex was next, he nced at Greg as they got close, ¡°What would be a good match?¡± He asked, ¡°I¡¯m ready to-¡± Greg frowned at him and pped the air to his right, just behind Alex. Alex blinked and felt himself get lifted off the ground and thrown forward towards the portal. He looked back at a grim-faced Greg and his eyes widened in horror. ¡°Are you fuckin- GREG!¡± He hit the portal with a ssh and stumbled onto the grass and roots of the undergrowth, hitting the ground with his shoulder and scrambling to his feet. He quickly pulled Snow off of him and turned around, racing back towards the portal only to hit it and something else on the other side that sent him stumbling backwards. ¡ª ¡°I am,¡± Greg said quietly as Alex was thrown through. He walked slowly over to it and tapped the surface, a wall of purple light forming over it before wrapping around the entire structure. He nced over his shoulder at the man who stood there, hands on his hips, with an amused look on his face, ¡°You aren¡¯t getting past me.¡± ¡°Brave!¡± The manughed. ¡°Sir Halloway. I used to go by Rift though.¡± Greg nodded and turned to face him, his fingertips zing with violet light, ¡°Gravitic,¡± He said even as the butterflies in his stomach screamed at him to retreat. He mped it down, that wasn¡¯t battle instinct, it was cowardice. He straightened his shoulders and clenched his fists, raising them up in a fighting stance. Halloway tilted his head, ¡°Gravitic?¡± He asked before his expression fell and his eyes narrowed, ¡°Oho, you¡¯re a smart one. They¡¯d just get in your way, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Sad to say, but yeah,¡± Greg said as he started walking forward, ¡°Just you and me, Halloway.¡± ¡°Bravely said, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re up against a professional killer, it¡¯s over,¡± raised two fingers, he whipped them across his field of view and released an arch of that same bubbly substance outlined with red snaps and crackles of electricity. Greg threw his hand out and formed a w shape with his fingers, he twisted his hand to the right and pushed. A small cone of purple light pushed out from his palm and split the iing ¡®de¡¯ in half. The two halves raced past him and cut through half a dozen trees on the other side of the clearing before stopping. Halloway frowned and looked down at his hand in confusion, ¡°What?¡± He looked up at the young man for a moment and raised an eyebrow, ¡°What just happened?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t y a lot of games as a kid,¡± Greg quipped, tilting his head up, ¡°Gravity bends space, I have the advantage here,¡± Greg said before stomping his right foot andunching almost horizontally across the ground. Halloway snarled and moved his hand to the right before it vanished into a red rift in the air. The next thing Greg knew, he was face to face with the man, his shirt held tightly in his grip. Halloway sneered at him and pulled his hand back, red arcs dancing on his fingertips just as Greg shot him a smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± He said and pped the guy on the abdomen. Halloway jerked back before abruptly lifting off the ground with a start. He snarled a curse as he spun helplessly for a moment. Greg threw himself forward, rearing back and driving a fist into the side of the man¡¯s head. Just before the moment of impact, two shes of violet appeared, on on his knuckles and the other at the impact point. Halloway¡¯s eyes widened and he tried to turn away just as the punch came. Greg felt his knuckles shudder a little but it was far worse for Halloway who was sent flying across the clearing, striking a tree and knocking it over with the impact. ¡°Super effective,¡± Greg said with a smirk, shaking out his hand. He took a few steps to the right and watched the tree, trying to keep himself between the man and the portal. ¡°Whatever you were doing, it stops here,¡± He said with a growl. The feeling of the air shuddering was his only response, a dozen des of spatial riftsunching out in all directions and striking anything nearby, disintegrating the tree that had fallen on the man. He staggered to his feet and bore his teeth, ¡°That was a mistake,¡± He snapped. A momentter light blossomed in the distance, pirs that came down from the sky and struck the ground. Halloway watched them for a moment and smiled, ¡°Good,¡± He said, ¡°All ording to n.¡± Greg nced at the light, ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out if you do well enough,¡± Halloway said with a hiss as he stepped out of the trees, space rippling around him, bits of wood and ground gouged out around him with every step. Greg opened his right palm and held it out, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was over earlier?¡± Greg goaded, pulling on a bit of Alex¡¯s antics, ¡°Come on, that kind of phrase loses its impact the first time it flops.¡± Halloway¡¯s face fell and he dove forward, his body vanishing through a rift. Greg turned and threw up both arms, blocking the rippling strike that came out of thin air to his right. He slid back a few paces as Halloway vanished again and he ducked down, Halloway¡¯s attacking from behind. Greg rolled onto his back and snapped his foot out, catching the man on the chin. Halloway snarled at him and vanished again, Greg rolling to the right on the ground as the man came up from beneath him. ¡°How are you doing that?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re predictable,¡± Greg said as he got to his feet, ¡°Miss Chernovna fights better than you do.¡± Halloway¡¯s eyes widened and his nostrils red as he pulled himself out of the rift in the ground. Greg positioned himself again to riposte an attack only to hesitate when the man didn¡¯t move. Halloway chuckled and nced in the general direction of the fighting near the main building, everything was very quiet. ¡°Alright, fine, you¡¯ve earned it,¡± He let out a sigh and shook his head, ¡°Oh well, as long as I kill you, no one has to know.¡± Greg clenched his fists and got ready to p his own chest in defense if he needed to. The man threw his head back and opened his arms, ¡°Strength from Liberty! I am Sir Halloway of the Round Table!¡± He dered and a pir of light mmed down from above, infusing him with a copper-gold glow. It turned orange and then almost golden as his body seemed to expand, his muscles growingrger and the red glow around his fingers intensifying. He lowered his hands and looked down at Greg before he abruptly vanished. Greg blinked, he¡¯d lied a little about the guy being predictable, he could feel the spatial bends from his rifts. Three? Three fists collided with Greg¡¯s head, two on either side of his face and one to the back. Painnced through his skull, his brain shaking in its casing. Blood streamed from his nostrils as he tried to steady himself. He staggered forward and pped his chest just as two rifts appeared on either side of him and des of rippling spatial might swung forward to try to carve through him. Greg threw up his arms and kicked off the ground, one of the des catching him on the knee. It dissolved but not before leaving a gash of torn and ripped flesh. Greg let out a cry and staggered, He¡¯s taking the momentum from me! Gregnded on his bad leg, wincing and throwing himself down to the ground as two rifts began to form above and below. He looked down into the cold eyes of Halloway and pped the guy in the face just before he could get off another strike. Both Halloways let out a grunt of pain and pulled away. Not real copies, just him repeating himself somehow. One rift going to multiple ces? He turned and struck out at another rift and sted through it with purple lined fingertips. ¡°You little shit!¡± Halloway snarled and reappeared off to the side, he reached into his coat and drew a gun. ¡°Die!¡± He raged as a rift appeared to his right. He fired several rounds into it as an equal number of rifts appeared in the air around greg. Shit! He intensified the repulsive force around his body, More! He pushed harder. The close range and sheer number of projectiles digging into his reserves. He felt his body tense and his stomach flip as the nausea finally began to hit him. Not now! He pushed it down and felt the bullets catch in the field around his body. One two- an explosion of pain ripped through his leg. Missed one! He winced and bit his lip, concentrating with everything he had. Nine, ten, got ¡®em! They floated there for a moment as he traced an imaginary line from each of them with his thoughts, pointing them back to the man who had fired them. His vision blurred for a moment and he looked down at his leg. Lot of blood, isn¡¯t it? He thought weakly before shaking himself out of it. Focus! Come on,e on,e on! Do it this time! He ground his teeth together and pushed every ounce of will he had through the movement. Curving gravity like a ribbon. He created new trajectories that peeled away from him. Slugs of metal changed course andunched themselves in Halloway¡¯s direction as Greg¡¯s arms went ck, he coughed and felt some bile rise up in his throat as his leg gave out under him. Halloway let out a scream and he looked up to see the man gripping his side. Blood dripped from his arm and his waist. ¡°You rancid little brat!¡± Halloway bit out, ¡°How are you morepetent than a licensed hero?¡± He raged and stalked forward as Greg tried to get to his feet. He had nothing left and this guy, full of bullets, was still walking around like it was just an annoyance. ¡°I went to school for it,¡± Greg bit out, grinning up at him, ¡°Learned a lot here. So did they,¡± He nced back at the portal. ¡°They¡¯ll get out just fine.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Halloway hissed. ¡°You don¡¯t know that yet,¡± Greg said as both of his palms glowed purple. The man stood over him and created another curved spatial rift. ¡°I got one more trick left. It¡¯s a bit stupid though!¡± Halloway rolled his eyes and swung down, aiming for a killing blow as Greg pulled his hands back. With all his might brought them together in a thunderous p that shook the earth. I¡¯m right behind you guys, I won¡¯t fall behind! He swore as purple light enveloped him.
Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Halloway¡¯s eyes shot open as a sharp pain rushed up his side. He coughed, wincing against the zing heat that had begun to pool around his right side as his skin sizzled and burned. His vision swam and he forced himself to look down at the injury. A shard of wood was sticking out of his waist, the long branch stretching out another foot and a half and saturated with blood. His eyes fluttered as he reached for it, snarling against the pain. As an assassin he had specialized in the sudden attack, a quick strike with a knife thrown at the throat. He had adapted that strategy to his spatial powers, his first refinement of his ability had been the rift de. He hadn¡¯t needed much more than that. Nothing could block it. No armor, no shield, even power barriers were functionally useless against it. Liberty had even deigned to allow him to test it against her impregnable body. The wound he had carved into her skin had been enough to earn his life; his efforts to bring numerous members of the night society over to her side had earned his position. It was only after he had begun working under her that he had considered other avenues for his ability. Creating a zone of stable space was one of them. He coughed again and tried to put some force down to break the stick at a joint, at least it would be less to pull out when the time came. His abs recoiled from the effort, screaming in protest while every inch of the skin on the front half of his body practically cracked under the strain. He grunted and took a shuddering breath. Calm down, you got too riled earlier. He reprimanded himself and pointed his finger at the branch. He cut through it with a sharp release of his ability before pulling himself off and copsing to his knees. With a monumental effort of will he lifted one of his hands and examined it, the skin had turned almost ck and cracked in several ces. The sheer pressure of whatever that boy had done to him had pulverized his flesh. He was lucky to be alive. He brought the hand gingerly down to his wound and pressed against it. It was fruitless with another hole on the other side but it was all he could do. His other mangled hand slipped down to his belt. Where is it? He wheezed, his fingers slipping through a hole in the base of the pouch. He grunted and whipped his head around, searching. A small glimmer on the ground a few feet away drew his eye and he let out a raggedugh. With every muscle in his body screaming at him to stop he crawled towards it, his shaking fingers reaching out until they wrapped around what appeared to be an extremely thick metal needle with a razor sharp point. Etchings ran down one side of the object and glowed with a faint green light. He fell onto his side, his vision darkening as he pulled the implement to his chest and jabbed it in with thest fragment of strength he had left. A low hiss followed by an explosion of torturous agony racked through his body. His flesh sizzled, his eyes burned, his bones creaked, everything twisted and warped as the object given to him by Liberty and created by that madman went to work. He screamed, convulsing on the ground as ckened and pulverized skin smoothed and cleared, knitting together. Bones set, wounds closed, and his body began to take on the general appearance of a living thing rather than the incinerated corpse he resembled moments before. It was only when the process wasplete, a minute of agony that he would never forget, that hey there on the ground, breathing hard. He closed his eyes and focused on the space he had created around the camp. Miles upon miles of spatially neutral terrain. Anything teleporting within it would be blocked and the user of the ability ¡®reprimanded¡¯, either by pain for the weaker powers or even having their ability disabled for the more powerful teleporters. Still there. Still working. Good. d it didn¡¯t drop when I lost consciousness. He thought and forced himself to sit up. He turned his head towards the prone form of the boy that had nearly killed him. He may very well be the only person on this I can¡¯t hurt, he thought sourly. Bad match-up indeed. He got to his feet and started to walk, at first gingerly before his body moved with purpose. He came to a stop over the youth, eyes shut with a smile on his face and his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. His hands were mangled terribly and his wounds were still seeping blood, but he was still very much alive. Halloway narrowed his eyes, I can¡¯t suffer you to live, Gravitic, you are my natural enemy. He thought and conjured up another rift de. The rippling edge pointed down. ¡°I was getting bored of waiting for you to get up,¡± A new voice said behind him. Halloway¡¯s entire body tensed and he brought the weapon up anyway, he wasn¡¯t about to get distracted from his task, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that. I need him alive, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Tough,¡± Hallway snarled and brought the rift de down only for a hand to grab his wrist. He nced at it just in time for his eyes to bulge as he was pulled away from Gravitic and thrown several feet. His rift de flying off to one side and digging a five foot divot in the ground before it exploded and left a crater in its wake. He hit the ground and hopped back to his feet, creating another weapon as he stared down his new adversary, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for chil-¡± He paused as he met those glowing blue eyes. They weren¡¯t the eyes of a child. Not a bright eyed aspirant. He felt his stomach churn a little as a cold smile curled on the boyish face of the youthful pretty-boy. A killer. One who does it for pleasure. Pure psychopath. He kept his guard up but lowered his hands, ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked, ¡°A viin?¡± The boy blew out an obnoxious sound between his lips and burst intoughter, ¡°Me? No way, I¡¯m the hero of this story,¡± He said and put a hand on his hip and rested a glowing golden sword on his shoulder. He tilted his head up and looked down his nose at Halloway. Arrogant. ¡°And you work for that piece of work Liberty, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯d refrain from insulting her if I were you,¡± Halloway snarled. ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll kill me? That would be a neat trick,¡± The boy said and took a step before appearing in Hallway¡¯s face. Halloway froze, He teleported? No. He just- what? What just happened? The boy looked him up and down, ¡°You got potential man, I like you, but you¡¯re pretty hung up on that self aggrandizing bitch still, shame, once she¡¯s dead I¡¯ll pick you up if you like,¡± He said with a grin, ¡°What do you say?¡± Hallway snarled and whipped his hand out, edging his fingers with a rift and digging it into the young man¡¯s side. He felt flesh give way and blood dribbled down the young man¡¯s mouth. The boy blinked once and looked down at Halloways hand as if confused before looking up at him and grinning a bloody grin. ¡°Nice! Real nice! Got through my skin! That¡¯s impressive. You know,¡± He said as if he hadn¡¯t just been stabbed, ¡°I¡¯ve been starting to think a lot more about how valuable some of you things are. Maybe some of you are actually people, with brains and shit. You know? Neat powers too,¡± He said with a sagely nod as if he had the entire world figured out now. ¡°People can be useful. A good lesson. Miss Chernovna is so smart. That¡¯s why I want to sign up with her.¡± He¡¯s insane! Halloway thought as he pulled back, his fingers dripping with blood. He took a few steps away and watched with mute horror as the wound just started to close on its own, the young man not even blinking or even reacting. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet, man, Halloway right? Cool name. I like nicknames better though, you got one of those?¡± He said and lowered his weapon from his shoulder, waving it up and down with clear intention to use it. ¡°What are you? A mythic?¡± Halloway demanded. The youth blinked at him and tilted his head, ¡°Obviously,¡± He said with a snort, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re slow, that would be disappointing,¡± Thatst word, the way he said it, the inflection¡­ it sent a chill down Halloway¡¯s spine. It felt, for just a moment, like the very specter of death was looming in front of him. ¡°R-Rift, I go by Rift,¡± Halloway said quickly. ¡°On the nose! Good stuff,¡± The youth said with a nod, ¡°You may call me Otis, consider it an honor to know my name,¡± He said and the waving of his weapon eased a little. He searched Halloways face and pouted, ¡°You¡¯re not gonna even consider joining up till she¡¯s dead, are you?¡± He let out a heavy sigh and shrugged, ¡°Alright fine. I¡¯ll make it happen if that¡¯s what it takes.¡± Halloway squared his shoulder, ¡°You may be powerful but-¡± ¡°h h h, dialogue,¡± Otis waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Go on with your little scheme or whatever you have nned here, I couldn¡¯t care less, it¡¯s going to fail anyway,¡± He said with a shrug and slipped his hand into his pocket, he pulled out what looked like a thumb drive and tossed it to Halloway who caught it on instinct. ¡°That¡¯s for your boss. Maybe with it she can actually aplish something meaningful instead of iling around like an idiot. It¡¯s really annoying watching her,¡± He said with a sigh. Halloway had just about enough of this arrogant little- ¡°I used my ability to divine a course of action she could take that would really hurt her enemies and get what she wants. If she follows it, she might do well enough that I¡¯ll reconsider what I have nned for her,¡± Otis continued, before looking Halloway dead in the eyes, ¡°My sword can cut through anything, Rift, and I like taking my time with things that annoy me.¡± With that, Otis seemed to decide the conversation was over. He turned away to walk over to Gravitic and knelt next to him, holding his hand over his chest. Halloway wasn¡¯t done, though. If he could just get one quick blow in at the neck he could separate- ¡°My head will reattach,¡± Otis said as he tilted his neck forward, ¡°Or grow a new body, not sure, but it will,¡± He said, ¡°You¡¯re starting to annoy me, Rift. Run.¡± ¡°I could just tell her about you, about what you look like. She could tell the world what kind of monster you really are,¡± Halloway pointed out as he backed up, ncing around for the perfect route away from this ce. ¡°No you won¡¯t,¡± Otis said and nced back to smile at him, ¡°Once you leave, you¡¯ll barely remember me. I¡¯ve decreed it so.¡± Fucking lunatic! Halloway thought and darted away, racing towards the trees before leaping into the foliage. He stopped there, watching from afar as Otis did something to Gravitic that caused his hated enemy to twitch and writhe before picking him up and throwing him over his shoulder. He walked over to the portal into the dungeon and without looking back, walked on through. Halloway watched the disappearing form of Otis and frowned. Like I¡¯d forget someone like you. He thought and hopped down to the ground, approaching the portal and holding his hand out. You¡¯re going to die in there, just like the rest. Now that I¡¯ve opened more pathways for mana to get into the dungeon, it¡¯ll overload any time now and this entire region will be a wastnd. He thought before focusing on the portal itself, wrapping a wreath of crackling red lightning around it to seal his enemies inside. He turned away and nced down at his shaking fingers. Gravitic had done a number on him. A worthy adversary. A nemesis even. A small part of him was sad that he had to die so ignobly inside of a breaking dungeon, but that was the way of things. He would rather be rid of such a dangerous opponent than let him live out his life. He marched towards the edge of the trees. I need to get back to the main camp and gather up the others, the damage has been done. It would be best if we weren¡¯t present when the dungeon went critical, He thought with a wry smile and stepped into the trees. He slipped his hands into his pockets and let out a sigh before blinking as his fingers wrapped around something metallic. He pulled it out and examined the thumb drive that had appeared there in confusion. Huh? What¡¯s this? He thought for a moment. Odd. I don¡¯t remember. He blinked again. I¡¯m supposed to give it to Liberty, it will be useful to her, right, right. He reassured himself as he tried to remember where he¡¯d gotten it from. His stomach churned and he scratched at his neck, ¡°Who was it again?¡± ¨C Otis stepped through the portal and dropped Greg on the ground. He didn¡¯t need to carry him anymore. He nced over his shoulder and watched as the portal was wreathed with red lightning, blocking his return. He could cut through it but there was no reason to do so. This is where he needed to be, after all. He nced down at the healed aspirant and nudged him once with his foot. Not waking. Whatever he did burned through a lot of his internal energy. I can see it. He¡¯ll recover quickly in here though, no worries, he¡¯ll see me as his savior, that¡¯ll be good enough. Otis scanned his surroundings. The forest was thick ahead of him with a single path leading out of the clearing. The space had an odd headiness to it, as if a powerful presence had been here at one point but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. The guide told him nothing either. How strange, he thought with mild amusement before tilting his head to listen. Something exploded and shook the distant trees. Ah, there we go. He snickered and turned back to Greg, nudging him again as the sounds of distant fighting filled the air. The young hero-in-training groaned and his eyes fluttered open, squinting before locking on Otis. ¡°Marc? Where-¡± ¡°Got you away from that psycho out there, he was about to kill you,¡± Otis said and held out a hand for him to take. He pulled Greg to his feet, ¡°You¡¯re lucky I got there when I did but you sure did a number on him. He was half-dead before he used some odd metal thing to heal himself.¡± Greg blinked, ¡°I-I did? You did? I-¡± He blinked and looked down at his hands, ¡°My hands.¡± ¡°I fixed you up, new trick of mine,¡± Otis said with a shrug, ¡°Got a whole bag of ¡®em.¡± Greg let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you, Marc. You¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°Thank me when we save the others, we¡¯re stuck in here,¡± Otis said, keeping up the act and nodded towards the portal before turning to the trees. ¡°Ready to go save the day?¡± Greg grinned at him, ¡°I was born ready.¡±
Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Just moments after Greg had sealed them inside the dungeon, Alex and the rest of their small group had found themselves staring at the portal in disbelief. Alex ran his fingers up and through his hair. It was not supposed to y out like this. Not to his mind. They were supposed to go in together, a cohesive unit as always. Greg had always been a kind-of leader for the rest of them, even if Alex chafed at it a little now and then. He was a nner with more foresight than the rest of them. They needed him, and Alex would be damned before he left anyone behind to face danger alone. He drew his fist back before anyone could say anything and mmed it into the vibrant violet field only to find himself against a cracked tree trunk a momentter, his head spinning. He got to his feet and marched towards it again, ¡°Son of a-¡± A hand wrapped around his wrist and he whipped his head towards Val who was looking him dead in the eyes. ¡°Let go.¡± Val gave him a hard look, ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot man,¡± Val said. Alex tugged his arm from Val¡¯s grip and turned on him, ¡°What¡¯d you call me?¡± He barked and pointed at the portal, ¡°Greg is out there, he needs us!¡± He shouted, ¡°We can¡¯t just leave him behind!¡± Val frowned at him, ¡°Dude, you gotta chill-¡± ¡°Chill?¡± Alex threw up his hands, ¡°Greg was the nner! He was the voice of reason, are you seriously expecting me to just- He¡¯s our fucking friend! I¡¯m not gonna leave him out there!¡± He barked. ¡°Alex, don¡¯t take it out on him, Greg gave us a chance, we need to take it,¡± Another voice chimed in and Cass stepped in behind Val. Alex¡¯s lips twitched, ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? You just get inserted into our group like you¡¯ve always been here and expect me to listen to a word you say? I¡¯ve known Greg since we were in middle school! I don¡¯t know a damn thing about you!¡± He shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving him behind!¡± He immediately regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth, his pounding heart stuttering once in his chest as he caught the pained look on the young woman¡¯s face. Cass looked away and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ fair,¡± She said quietly and turned away, ¡°Do what you want. I¡¯m going to find Lily.¡± John, off to the side, frowned at Alex and shook his head while Ollie pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Alex clenched his fists, ¡°I-¡± He ground his teeth. Damn it, why don¡¯t they understand? I don¡¯t get it! ¡°Alex,¡± A small soothing voice rang in his ear and he turned to see Snow looking at him with a sad look in her eyes, ¡°What would Greg do right now?¡± Alex looked away, ¡°How should I know? I¡¯m not Greg,¡± He grunted petntly before ncing back into those pearlescent orbs. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sigh, Damn it. He looked up at Val who held his gaze while Ollie and John moved to follow Cass. ¡°He¡¯d finish the mission if one of us was covering the rear. He doesn¡¯t do self-sacrifice. He¡¯s confident, but he doesn¡¯t want us wasting time,¡± He said hollowly, he didn¡¯t like saying it, he wanted to fight at his friend¡¯s side. Val reached out and squeezed his arm, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll see him in no time, yeah?¡± Val said with a smirk and pat his arm before turning away. Alex didn¡¯t move for a moment, staring at his feet, ¡°Val, sorry about-¡± Val snorted, ¡°Dude, we go back too, I get it,¡± He said as his steps moved further away, ¡°I¡¯m not the one you should be apologizing to.¡± Alex winced and nced up at the back of the blondes head as she dipped under a branch and stepped onto the path leading into the first ¡®passage¡¯ of the dungeon beyond what the scouts had started to call the ¡®lobby¡¯. She didn¡¯t look back. Ollie caught up to her and said something with a smile on his face and she nced at him, returning the expression. Alex let out another sigh, Shit, I fucked that up, He thought and scratched the back of his head before moving to follow the others. Val, his hands up behind his head, tilted a bit to listen to something John had to say and raised his voice, ¡°Yo, we need a fuckin¡¯ formation. We don¡¯t got any heals right now, right?¡± Alex chewed his lip, ¡°I can regenerate a bit, I¡¯ll take rearguard.¡± Val nced back at him and met his eyes. Alex looked away and felt his stomach twist. I just don¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m not good at that kind of stuff. ¡°Alright, Alex is on rear guard, Cass you got the front?¡± Val called out. ¡°No problem,¡± Cass said, ¡°Nothing will get past me.¡± ¡°Cool, John and I have nks, Ollie and Snow should stay in the middle,¡± Val said as they fully stepped into the open path. Alex had been given the small opportunity to peek into the dungeon a little while back so he¡¯d seen the eerie circr clearing surrounded by a literal wall of tree trunks that made up the lobby. The trees went way up into the sky and made it a crazy thought to try to go over them to do anything. Apparently one scout had tried and had gotten attacked by something though they¡¯d had a hard time describing it. He had not, however, seen the actual ¡®operating¡¯ parts of the dungeon. They didn¡¯t have anyone who¡¯d been memorizing the paths either. They were flying blind. That didn¡¯t make it any less breathtaking. The trees that hung over the initial passage out of the lobby made it impossible to see the sky while the path itself bent just slightly to the right in azy curve to block anyone standing in the lobby from seeing further inside. At the end of the passage, though, it was like they¡¯d stepped into something out of a dream. He nearly walked right into Ollies back, the others standing in mute fascination at the awe inspiring view. They were standing before a vast forest with tall trees that spread out wide throughout a vast area of beaten undergrowth. Thousands of pirs of wood interspaced among one another with cascading beams of sunlight piercing between breaks in the foliage. He nced up to see a blue sky overhead, a few clouds drifting past. The trees themselves were a rainbow of colors, mostly green leaves and brown wood but interspersed were whites and reds and even some greens. The leaves were anything from the brightest gold to various shades of purple. The air smelled so¡­ clean. ¡°Found the path,¡± Cass said a few feet ahead, pointing at the ground, ¡°Lily said that they had been taking the leftmost route mostly and that the right path led to a dead end.¡± Alex looked down at his feet and noticed that amongst the undergrowth there was a clearly marked path of dirt that split off in several directions before leading off into the multicolored forest beyond. The leftmost path looked the most well worn, from the looks of it. He looked up from the path to Cass and opened his mouth. She nced his way and he shut it, looking down at his feet again, Damn it. He thought as she turned her focus on what she was doing. He fell back a bit, taking his spot at the rear as he tried to work through the roiling emotions in his chest. It still didn¡¯t sit right with him that they¡¯d gone on ahead. They should have waited for Greg. The others were right, though, on a logical level anyway. He exhaled through his nose and nced over his shoulder, scanning the area for a moment. Focus on what you¡¯re doing, you can worry about itter, he chastised himself. You¡¯re gonna fuck up again at this rate, what happened to promising to do better? He grumbled as they walked along the path, the forest at their right while they hugged the thick wall of trees to their left that made up the boundary of this area. He clenched his jaw as scales formed along his neck, face, arms, knuckles and legs. Don¡¯t get caught off guard, be ready for anything, breathe. He took another steadying breath and nced back over his shoulder, examining the path behind them for any sign of creatures moving to follow them. ¡°Do we have any intel on the monsters here?¡± Val asked. ¡°No, unfortunately, tonight was going to be their first mission where enough time had passed between thest culling and the next to see a few,¡± Ollie said, ¡°I was really looking forward to Lily¡¯s report.¡± ¡°First hand is better anyway,¡± John said grimly, twirling a knife between his fingers. Leaves falling now and then among the trees to their right. Cass nced back over her shoulder, ¡°Snow, can you use your illusions to give us some cover as we walk?¡± She asked as Alex continued to turn his head from where he had been looking back to her. Snow was nodding and raising her hands to craft her illusion when a bad feeling began to wriggle up in Alex¡¯s gut. He couldn¡¯t see it, but his instincts told him that something was off, it was like a tightness in his legs, an instantaneous flight response. He flicked his tongue out and tasted the air and his eyes went wide. ¡°Everyone duck!¡± He shouted. In the same moment as the others reacting to hismand, the leaves that had been falling from the trees to their right pivoted in the air and darted in their direction. Fragile falling fragments became as solid as steel, des that ripped through the air and embedded themselves in the tree-wall to their left. Behind them, appearing as if out of thin air, were a trio of figures that stood a head and a half taller than even himself. All three had eerie skin that seemed to be both flesh and wood, their faces stiff as boards even as their zing green eyes all turned to look at him. Two of them carried ded weapons in their hands while the third was unarmed and seemed more frail than the others. It threw its hand out in Alex¡¯s direction with a barely audible hiss of unintelligible words and vines ripped from the ground at his feet. He threw his arm forward on instinct, extending it and grabbing onto the tree nearest to the group of three as the hard wood began to wrap around his legs and pulled. The force of the movement snapping the vines before they could harden into restraints and carried him across the distance on a collision course with the three. The two de wielders raised their weapons, ready to intercept him and he released his grip on the tree, throwing both arms up to defend himself as his feet went out for a skiddingnding. Somewhere off to the side he heard an explosion of sound. His feet hit the ground and he braced himself, setting his jaw. CLANG! A pair of des shed against his arms and he nced up into the eyes of one of the two de wielders. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a sh of yellow and the gleam of a long metal haft as the other de wielder was pushed back and away from him. Cass whipped her leg out and kicked it in the chest before driving her shoulder forward in a tackle, pushing it further onto the backfoot. He turned his attention back to the one engaged with him and pushed up and away with a grunt, sending it stumbling back as well. ¡°Val! John!¡± ¡°Right!¡± The two called at the same time. The sudden st of a rocket engine activating as a red blur crossed his vision. He ducked beneath Val¡¯s speeding body, his friend whipping his entire body around in a tremendous kick that collided with the de wielder¡¯s head, pulverizing it. At the same time, John closed the distance like an olympic sprinter, his knife at the ready as he swept towards what Alex assumed was a ¡®caster¡¯ type whatever-the-hell these things were. His knife moved so fast it left behind rigid lines of light for a heartbeat before a low croak of pain sounded, the frail monster dropping to its knees and gaping at its missing hands. Just as John swiped his knife across it¡¯s throat, the other de wielder came soaring through the air to crash at Alex¡¯s feet, its body covered in crater-like wounds that looked eerie on its wood like body. It didn¡¯t get up. Alex let out a sharp breath, it had happened so fast. If he¡¯d been a few seconds slower, who knows what those leaves would have done to the others. They weren¡¯t as durable as he was, save maybe for Val and his armor and Cass in general. He nced up at Cass as she approached from where she¡¯d engaged the de wielder, her hammer slung over her shoulder. He met her eyes and she looked away from him, a frown on her face. Damn it. I gotta do something about this. ¡°Cass,¡± He said, clearing his throat. She looked up at him with a stony stare and he rubbed his neck, ¡°I- I shouldn¡¯t have said that. You¡¯ve been really trying to fit in and I was just-¡± He groped for excuses but found none, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what I said. You¡¯re one hell of a badass, thanks foring with us.¡± She stared back at him for several heartbeats, the others getting out of the way. She walked over to him and he realized for the first time that she was just as tall as he was. Was it her ability? He¡¯d seen her get bigger at one point but- she flicked him in the forehead and he nearly fell onto his back, a smarting spot forming at the point of contact. He reached up and grabbed his head, ¡°Ouch! What the-¡± ¡°Now we¡¯re even,¡± She said with a smile and reached down. He squinted at her and then at her hand before grabbing it. She pulled him to his feet. ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly friendly to start with either,¡± she admitted. ¡°You guys have made this¡­ better, and you haven¡¯t said anything about, you know¡­¡± She trailed off. He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head, What is she talking about? He blinked, ¡°Oh right! You¡¯re rted to Liberty or something, yeah? Ipletely forgot!¡± The others blinked in unison and their eyes went wide before Val barked out augh, ¡°Who the fuck cares? You aren¡¯t her, obviously.¡± Cass looked at them all in bewilderment, ¡°You¡­ forgot?¡± Her shoulders sank and a look between weariness and relief washed over her face. It was Snow¡¯s turn tough, ¡°Well! At least this heroic rescue mission won¡¯t be awkward anymore,¡± The small girl pointed out, ¡°We should get back to that by the way.¡± They all exchanged a look and nodded. Alex clenched his fist and gave Cass a nod while the blonde gripped her weapon tightly and returned the gesture, marching back to her spot in the lead. Alex set his jaw and firmed up his resolve, this wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but if anyone could do it, they could. Hang on Lily, we¡¯reing.
Chapter 151 Chapter 151 One had been scary, they moved like ghosts. When more came, it was a nightmare. Lily raced down the stone-paved street-if you could call it a street-that stretched between two rows of the eerie buildings that made up the ¡®city¡¯ nestled within thergest section of the dungeon. Her heart pounded in her chest as she hopped up and cleared another fallen piece of a building, pushing her palm against the surface andunching herself further along while the monsters continued their pursuit. They were relentless, leaping into the air and reaching heights that no normal human could ever hope to achieve. She spun on her heel as she felt the mana shift behind her again, whipping her sword across the path of the iing projectile. The arrow split down the middle across the edge of her de, scattering as she continued her spin and resumed her flight. I gotta get back! She thought, forcing down the rising panic in her gut. I wasted too much time out here and there¡¯s so damn many of them! Everything had gone downhill just a short while ago. They had been exploring the dungeon as usual, mapping out thisrger section and studying the structures that made up the city. The scouting party¡¯s numbers had dwindled as the camp had dragged on, either through drop-outs or aspirants deciding that it wasn¡¯t for them. Now there were only five of them together. While the town they¡¯d found the other day had been impressive to say the least, this ce was practically a metropolis. Sure, none of the buildings went over three stories in height for the most part, but the few that did struck quite the chord with the scouts. They had taken up camp in what appeared to be some kind ofrge religious building, there were murals everywhere and it had captured the imagination of several of the more academic members of their group. It was a good four hours into their research and cataloging when they showed up. The first two had been scouts, it seemed. Just like the one they¡¯d been followed by the other day, they had bark-like skin and vine-like hair. They had ¡®elvish¡¯ appearances but they could hardly bepared to the pretty creatures that they¡¯d all heard about in myths and legends. The initial surprise had nearly been catastrophic, but they¡¯d decided to go for Lily first. The cuts and scrapes had healed quickly. They should have been on high alert at that point, but the mystery of the murals had be even more intriguing. There were two kinds of ¡®elves¡¯ on the walls. One set looked beautiful and were often seen positioned above the other set who looked very much like the monsters they¡¯d encountered. There were even a few depictions of elves turning into these things after some kind of cmity. None of them were sure exactly where reality began for the murals and where some manner of fiction ended, crafted by the dungeon. There were even theories tossed around that the dungeon was just filling in details to add atmosphere. They should have paid more attention. She should have considered how strange the mana felt in the dungeon. She should have given it more thought. Instead, all they concerned themselves with was patting themselves on the back for ¡®discovering¡¯ the ¡®Dire Elves¡¯ as they decided to call them. That was when Nina got hit with an arrow right below the shoulder de. She wasid low in an instant, some kind of poison on it paralyzing her before she¡¯d had a chance to react. William, the healer, had frantically done his best to get her stabilized and had seeded but only as Lily and the others were beset by dozens of attacking dire elves. By the time the fighting was over, three of their group had been seriously injured and William was working double-time to get them back on their feet. Without much choice, they fortified the temple using the nearby rubble and ruins for materials and Lily had been sent out to get a better idea of how bad the situation was and figure out a route to take out of the city and back towards the previous parts of the dungeon. They needed to reach the portal. It was worse than they could have imagined. She raced around another corner before pivoting a second time into an alley just as the three pursuing dire elves followed her. They ran past her position, gleaming eyes zing with bloodlust. She grit her teeth and shot forward like a rocket, cleaving across their backs with her broadsword in one quick movement. When she slid to a stop she turned to see them drop to the ground, their faces hitting the broken stone pavement. She panted, sweat dripping down her face as she turned in a circle before spotting the rising shape of the temple. Almost there, please be okay, please be okay! She didn¡¯t hear any fighting, at least, but that could mean one of two things and she didn¡¯t want to even consider one of them. She raced down the nearest alley, leaping and springing, grabbing onto whatever she could to get higher before finally alighting on a rooftop. She squinted, peering at the distant building as she nearly turned into a blur, her legs pumping with mana as she used her internal energy to enhance herself. Faster! She willed, begging her body to move beyond its limits as she hopped from one building to the next. Ahead of her, she could make out the distant shapes of dire elves marching up the steps in columns. There had to be dozens more, Where are theying from? She thought frantically, The mana¡¯sing into the dungeon way too fast! Still, it was almost a relief to see them crowding around the walled-off entrance to the main part of the temple. Even as several robe wearing dire elves began sting it with bursts of verdant green energy. That just meant that the others were still alive. She hopped another gap andnded, spotting the end of this cluster of buildings and the beginning of the za that surrounded the temple. She slid to a stop and crouched, peering over the side. Holy shit, she breathed. There were at least a hundred of the damn things, all formed into neat columns. They looked more like footsoldiers rather than monsters. I¡¯d heard that monsters could speak on asion, especially the humanoid ones but- ¡°Ik Th¡¯aahht!¡± A raspy voice croaked so loudly she nearly jumped out of her skin. She whipped her head in the direction of the sound and saw the strangest thing. It looked like a pnquin but it didn¡¯t have any curtains or roof, instead it looked like the cutting of a massive tree-trunk that had grown out four roots to be used as handles. Four dire elves were carrying it on their shoulders. Atop it, the ghostly visage of a dire-elf stood. Unlike the others who wore tattered robes or odd wood-metal armor, it wore finery and jewels embedded in its long fingers. Its face was more natural too with the ability to make expressions despite otherwise clearly being one of the nt-like monsters. It raised a finger and pointed at the temple, ¡°Ik Th¡¯aahht asa am!¡± Itmanded, bearing its needle-like teeth and gesturing wildly. Is that the boss? Looks like he¡¯s projecting himself rather than being here, that¡¯s good. She wondered as more robe wearing dire elves ran up the steps, already weaving their verdant green spells. Not the time to gather intelligence, Lillian! She gripped the hilt of her sword and froze, a tremor going through her hand. She felt her heart leap into her throat as she took in the sheer number of them down below. There¡¯s so many. She closed her eyes, Fuck, I¡¯m so scared! Her knee shook as she rest her hand on the roof beneath her. She couldn¡¯t move. A couple monsters was one thing. Sparring against teacher was a controlled situation. This was- Stop! Right now! She mped down on the terror with a snarl, biting her lip so hard it bled. A st rang out and a portion of the wall erected to protect the others crumbled. They need you! What would Firestorm do right now? He wouldn¡¯t hesitate, that¡¯s what! Didn¡¯t you make a promise to Miss Chernovna that you would be that kind of person too? How is this any scarier than facing down Ishtar someday? She snarled at herself, gripping her weapon tighter. It¡¯s now or never, Lillian! Do it! With every ounce of strength she had to throw into it, she kicked off the roof, leaving a small crater behind her as she hurtled through the air at the heart of the columns of dire elves. She took a deep breath and exhaled through her nostrils, setting her body aze with golden fire. A shriek of anger rose up from her right just as shepleted her arc; ¡°Th¡¯aahht!¡± The boss shrieked furiously as she shifted forward, her arms crossed in front of her. Her eyes zed, light ring up in them as the tattoo on her neck began to glow in concert. Her muscles tensed and in the heartbeat between hernding and the dire elves rounded on her, she swung in a wide arc, her free hand whipping out as well. A short range burst of me erupted around her, catching a dozen of them aze while the handful in front of her were cut down in short order, their bodies incinerated as they crumbled to pieces. She rose and pushed forward, catching the hilt of her weapon with her free hand and adjusting her grip. She brought the weapon down and to the left, cutting through another pair as she stepped forward. ¡®Our martial arts are about momentum,¡¯ ck Lotus¡¯ voice rang in her head. ¡®How momentum is defined is based on our styles ofbat.¡¯ She took another step forward and carried through with the momentum of her swing, spinning her body around and cutting through a trio that raced up to catch her from behind. Her footnded hard and cracks formed in the ground, golden mes bursting up from them. She set her jaw, her eyes focused on the stairs leading up to the temple and shifted the trajectory of her weapon, changing her grip again as she followed through with another horizontal swing. Two steps¡­e on¡­ ¡®Mine is more about fluid motions and grace, taking advantage of quick stabs and powerful finishes,¡¯ ck Lotus¡¯ voice continued, ¡®Despite or perhaps because of your preferred movement style, who you are, your strikes are powerful and direct, a clear goal in mind. You don¡¯t stop pressing forward for anything.¡¯ Lily took a third step, her muscles bulging on her arms as she bore her teeth, mes dancing on the edge of her de. She felt the mana and internal energy cycling through her body, mingling, spinning, rotating. Her skin felt energized as she threw her back into the next stroke, she didn¡¯t feel the arrows peppering her skin. She didn¡¯t pay any mind to the knife that struck her in the shoulder, she kept moving. Diving low beneath a particrly deadly swing from a warrior behind her and spun again, catching another dozen up in a whirlwind of steel and fire. Shended, still facing forward as the hissing screams of the dire elves winked out as suddenly as she ripped them from their lungs. Three steps, don¡¯t stop moving, she ordered herself. She cut through two more and blocked another strike, catching it on the de of her weapon and letting it slide down to the hilt as she passed by, finishing a swing and bisecting the warrior before it had a chance to react. Block, uppercut, block, block, horizontal sh, block, she snapped out a kick, gold mes beginning to burn around her eyes as she caught one in the abdomen and sent him flying. ¡®You push through any obstacle, over, around, or through. A juggernaut. A force of nature. Burning bright with golden mes,¡¯ ck Lotus continued to push her, just as she always had, no matter how hard it got, no matter how much it hurt. Five steps, six steps, seven steps! She felt the momentum build to a fever pitch as more and more of them came running at her. A big one charged from the front, holding a longsword over it¡¯s head. It swung down and she threw her weapon up, grabbing the de with her armored hand and pushing with all her might. She bellowed, shoving the dire elf back as she brought her leg up. Weeks spent perfecting the first technique of her martial style. Days of trial and failure, frustration, fatigue. Now! Do it now! She grit her teeth and felt the instincts ze through her body, every muscle triggered, every neuron fired, every sense exploding with rity. ¡®A Crusader¡¯ ¡°AAAHHHHH!¡± She screamed in challenge, the fire bursting from her lips and catching in her hair. First March of the Golden Crusade! In an instant her movements became a flickering blur. Her weaponing up in a right-to-left diagonal sh. Heat erupted from her weapon, the air shuddering for a moment from the force. The big dire elf was blown away by the strike, the mes so intense that he was turned to ck ashes in an instant. She stepped down and swung again. BOOM! More of them were thrown about like ragdolls as Lillian brought her sword down in an impossible vertical stroke. The sudden shift in position almost impossible for a normal human to pull off. Step after step came with a thunderous boom and more dire elves falling in her relentless path of destruction. Her foot work was slow, but her blows came in faster, harder, crashing into anything in her path and leaving gilded cuts and carvings in the stone beneath her feet. Firestorm was the spark! She grabbed a dire elf by the face and threw them to the side, bowling over itspatriots. She took another booming step and swung again, I won¡¯t stop, not for anything, not until the people of this world feel safe! I¡¯ll protect them! I¡¯ll give everything! All of it! She cut through a set of robes as a caster turned at her, eyes wide with confusion and fear. ¡°GET OUT OF MY WAY!¡± She bellowed as she took the final step of her march, swinging with all her might as the golden mes began to stutter and die on her shoulders. Blood dripped from her arms and legs, from her chest and side, some of the wounds started to close faster than others as clumps of cloth and incinerated monster flesh copsed to the ground around her. She panted, turning her back to the wall guarding the entrance to the temple. She pointed her weapon down the steps, not knowing how or when she¡¯d ascended this far. It didn¡¯t matter. She was here now. ¡°I AM CRUSADER!¡± She roared even as her entire body ached and her vision swam. Beneath her, a horde of dire elves raced up the steps, weapons drawn. A sea of bodies that seemed endless. She breathed hard, she was in so much pain, but she pushed her zing aura out as far as she could, letting it wash down the steps and into the temple interior behind her. ¡°AND I AM THE HARBINGER OF THE HEROES BEHIND ME!¡± The wall crumbled behind her, revealing the interior of the temple. William and his patients in the back and one that stepped up to join in,a familiar face. She nced back and smirked at Luke, ¡°Finally got a chance to shine, Luke?¡± Luke brushed his brown hair out of his eyes, giving her a petnt frown, ¡°Get back there and help him,¡± He said quickly, thumbing over his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll hold the line till you¡¯re ready.¡±
Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Lily raced back into the temple as Luke positioned himself where she¡¯d been standing, his hands outstretched. Behind her she heard a silent woosh of air and then a noisy bang as something distantly exploded. She didn¡¯t have time to appreciate that Luke had managed to achieve his goal with his power, she needed to help the others. She slid to a stop next to William who was looking pale, his head leaning against a wall and his eyes fixed on the two resting scouts. Each of them had little mounds of wriggling ooze sitting on top of their various injuries. His haggard eyes turned to look up at her, ¡°Did my best,¡± He wheezed, ¡°Healing isn¡¯t-¡± ¡°I know,¡± Lillian saidfortingly and pat his arm, ¡°You kept them alive, you did great.¡± He was the only one with anything remotely close to healing abilities besides hers, but they¡¯d had to prioritize finding a way out. It had been a hard choice to send her to scout. She turned to the nearest of the three. He called himself Anton. An immigrant. New to the country and even so he had signed up for this. She reached down and took his hand as he opened his eyes and looked up at her, frustrated tears welling up in them. ¡°I want to fight,¡± He croaked. She smiled at him as she closed her eyes, pushing the mes out and letting the golden light wash down from her hands to rush across his body. He let out a gasp and his breathing eased, ¡°Just a bit longer. It works on everything but takes a while, hang in there,¡± She said softly before letting go of him and hurrying over to Nina. Her arrow wound looked bad. It was sealed for the most part and she wasn''t bleeding thanks to William¡¯s oozes but she was suffering from the poison. She took her hand as well, ¡°Here¡¯s some more,¡± She murmured and more mes spread. Bangs and crashes rang out behind her but she dared not look back. Luke wasn¡¯t a fool. He¡¯d call for her if he needed her. She stood up and held her hands over both of them, concentrating as hard as she could. Feeling the energy cycling through her body before going out again to fuel the mes and give themfort and health. She panted, she¡¯d used so much power that it was beginning to wear on her stamina but she couldn¡¯t just stop, she couldn¡¯t- ROAAARRRR The sound sent a chill spider walking down her spine. She spun and looked out towards Luke who¡¯s arms had fallen to his sides in horror. She looked up at William and he nodded to her, reaching into his bag and pulling out a bottle of water and drinking from it before turning his attention to the wounded pair. She cursed and turned to race over to Luke¡¯s side only to stop cold at the sight of what had been brought to the base of the stairs. A creature out of books, it¡¯s body wasn¡¯t especially big, about the size of a school bus. Not as massive as she¡¯d imagined they¡¯d be. It had a feline gait,nguid and slow as it prowled between the gathered dire elves. It¡¯s scales were green and gleamed angrily in the ambient light. It had a reptilian head with a long snout filled with terrible teeth that it showed as it let out another bone chilling roar. She nced up at the blue glowing figure of the dungeon boss pointing at her and Luke with rage in his malformed eyes. The sub-boss? She thought as her heart clenched in her chest. She squared her shoulders and nced at Luke who returned her stare. If any of you guys areing, I sure hope it¡¯s soon. Until then¡­ Her broadsword ignited. ¡­looks like I¡¯m fighting a dragon today. ¨C Chunhua clenched her fists and lifted her head. Her jaw tight, her lips in a thin line. Behind her, Amos had already gone after theirst exchange. Just a few heartbeats felt like an eternity when the lives of others were on the line. She wondered what that said about her, wondered if she really could somehowpromise between her code and what she believed Sonya was trying to do. Sonya¡­ She watched as that woman with the sword paced back-and-forth before the doors to themon building, throwing her hands open in a challenging gesture before returning to her prowling. The animals that hade with her, Ellis and Ewen, stood behind the line of restrained heroes with barely restrained murder glittering in their eyes. The horde of masked cultists, recovered with the use of that strange light, stood as if they had not just beenid low by a small handful of courageous men and women. It was insulting, to them, to her, to everything she stood for, to everything Sonya was trying to do. To the very core, it made her sick to see them smiling. If we could field Handmaiden¡­ but she¡¯s wearing Sonya¡¯s face. She can¡¯t just¡­ Chunhua clenched her eyes shut and bit her lip, the mana and internal energy inside her body swirling together, ready to burst forward at a moment¡¯s notice. Sonya, where are you? Don¡¯t you have a n? Isn¡¯t there anything you can do? I-We need you. Turn it around. Like you always do. I know you will. ¨C Amos leaned over the desk, his face stiff as stone as he soldered together another part. He set it aside and frowned as Da-Som stood next to him, his face pale. He nced up at the doctor and frowned, ¡°What? I¡¯m working as fast as I can,¡± He said hollowly. As confident as he sounded in front of Chunhua, things were a lot moreplicated and difficult than he¡¯d been willing to admit. He was d for the millionth time he didn¡¯t have Sonya¡¯s weakness. Being unable to lie. Damn it, Sonya, where are you? He thought as he got to his feet and marched over to the suit of armor he¡¯d prepared. The shining metal gleaming beneath theboratory light. Half of our n was to use your ability to get reinforcements here if something happened. Now that¡¯s shot. He nced at a nearby screen, Spatial stabilization, not an ability those monsters outside have. There¡¯s another one out there. He ground his teeth. ¡°We could just cut them loose now, cause confusion,¡± Da-Som suggested. Amos pinched the brow of his nose, ¡°With the heroes on their knees? Not a chance. I won¡¯t let anything happen to them,¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out, invent something, I don¡¯t-¡± He exhaled, ¡°At least I¡¯ve taken care of that streaming feed,¡± He trailed off and looked back in the armor before looking up at the screens where the situation unfolding live. He looked back at Da-Som, ¡°Think you can do it when it¡¯s time?¡± Da-Som looked at his hands, ¡°This ability is more than I expected, or deserve,¡± He said heavily before clenching his fists and nodding, ¡°But I¡¯ve got it figured out.¡± ¡°Good, because they¡¯re going to need you,¡± Amos said. Hurry up boss, we¡¯re waiting for the next big show. You don¡¯t wanna miss mine. ¨C Ca stared at the screen, her lips pressed together so tightly they were turning white. Faces from around the world arguing with one another. Fear. They were afraid. None of them knew what to do. It wasn¡¯t just the Chairman who had died. The entire upper chain ofmand of the Pandora Committee had been assassinated all at once. There was only one group this organized and good at killing people like ghosts. The Night Society. This isn¡¯t her doing though, something happened. Ca looked down at the photograph on her desk, She and Sonya standing on the beach all smiles andughter. She reached up to touch the pink diamond hanging from her cor and rubbed it. Where are you, Sonya? What would you do? Is this the moment we talked about? Is this the only thing I can do? Throw myself to the wolves to save their lives and hold together everything you built? She squeezed her eyes shut, What if it¡¯s too early? What if the groundwork youid wasn¡¯t enough? Did you need more time? What if I ruin everything? She nced at the security camera and watched Ewen and Ellis stalk back and forth behind the line of heroes, their smiles cruel. She looked back at the bickering morons arguing over policy this and regtion that. This wasn¡¯t the time for arguing and squabbling. This wasn¡¯t the time for nonsense. This wasn¡¯t the time for cowards, not them, and not her either. She reached out and touched Sonya¡¯s face on the picture. You said I could do it. So I will. She said as her lips trembled, her whole body shook as she nted her hands on the table and leaned in. ¡°Representatives of the Pandora Committee!¡± She barked, ¡°I have a proposal.¡± ¨C Marta set her jaw. I might have to blow my cover at this rate, Sonya, where are you? Marta stood at the door. It was the only weapon she had at her disposal at the moment, while she was wearing Sonya¡¯s face. It had gone quiet outside just a few moments ago, but there was no all-clear signal, no message of victory. Things were not going well and every cell in her body demanded that she go out there and help with every fiber of her being. She nced back over her shoulder at the crowd of young heroes-in-training. All of them looking downcast, their eyes shadowed, their faces withdrawn. The question on all of their minds; If the instructors can¡¯t handle this, what hope do we have? And yet, among them, there were those who stared back at her with a glint in their eyes that she recognized. An unwillingness to back down. A desire to go out there and do what needed to be done. Among the fearful and worried were the real heroes who had been born through the struggle of the camp. She turned away and frowned at herself, Doubt? Me? She took a deep breath before shaking off the moment. She had to be strong, now more so than ever. She felt Baldur¡¯s Body roar up in response to her feelings, prepared to set aside anything, endure any pain to protect these young people. If there¡¯s anyone on this who can figure out what to do, how to get here in time, how to set things right, it¡¯s you. I believe in you, Sonya. ¨C Tch. The screen had gone dark, the only image on it a symbol of a grinning face with goggles on its head, a stylized middle finger held aloft just for her. She leaned back in her seat for a moment and scowled, ncing to the left at Craftsman who pursed his lips. He looked almost impressed. She scoffed before turning her attention to the other three in the room. The three figures had their arms crossed and were ncing at one another thoughtfully as the seconds ticked by. This is taking too long, Liberty thought irritably. They¡¯re wasting time. I told them to kill everyone not y games. She got to her feet and the others nced at her. She turned to Craftsman. ¡°My sword,¡± She growled. ¡°Hmm? You told me not to make one for you,¡± Craftsman chirped back with a grin. ¡°I know you did anyway,¡± She said with a snarl, ¡°Give it to me.¡± He snorted and reached into the leather sack hanging from his shoulder. He pulled a sword as long as he was tall out of it. He hefted it once before tossing it to her. She caught it and immediately felt something burning beneath her skin. A connection with the weapon. She stared at it for several seconds as the connection bore fruit, strength, even more strength. She nodded brusquely and marched around the table. ¡°Where you going?¡± Craftsman called after her. ¡°To do it myself,¡± She growled and stepped out of the room. ¨C This wasn¡¯t a trap, this wasn¡¯t a space created by liberty¡¯s cronies, this wasn¡¯t some trick or nonsense or anything like that. This ce was very, very real. What¡¯s worse, Sonya knew exactly where she was. She hadn¡¯t wanted to believe it for the first few minutes of wandering the endless halls, running at top speed. Yet the more she traveled and the stranger this ce became to her eyes, the more she had to ept it. I¡¯m in the Backrooms, the ce that Non-Euclidian travels through. Whatever happened, it happened while I was in the process of teleporting. No other exnation. A god damned coincidence. She wasn¡¯t even sure if it was possible to leave even if the cooldown on her disabled ability ended. That thought alone drove her to keep looking, to keep searching through the endless nk halls that changed every time she turned a corner. Sometimes they looked like the corridors of an office building, other times they were that eerie white-gray stone, and others they looked like something far older. Something ancient. Ancient and empty. Not a soul, not a trace of anything living. She was alone here and with Ishtar silent and resting she didn¡¯t even have anyone to bounce her ideas off of. So she ran, and ran, and ran, flying where she could. Every ounce of power put into speed to explore every inch she could traverse, searching for something more than the tireless madness of this ce. It was as she rounded thetest in a thousand corners that she felt it. Her hair shifted a little, a fragment of movement, a breeze. Wind. She chased the wind, followed the feeling, she had to get back. Marta¡¯s hands are tied. I have no idea of Liberty herself is there. If she is, with how long I¡¯ve been gone I- she swallowed hard, Chunhua will hold the line. The instructors are stronger than they think. Amos wille up with a n. Ca, be brave and do what you need to. Marta, guard them for me. I won¡¯t let you down. She grit her teeth as the wind began to pick up, she could hear it howl in the distance. I¡¯ll be there to turn this story on its head! A ripple of light carried out behind her as she sped up, she didn¡¯t notice it, didn¡¯t feel it, but it was there. Her eyes were fixed on the next corner where the wind was even stronger. She rounded it and stopped, looking up the passage at a bright opening in the distance and a dark figure standing in front of it. She drew her knife and charged, she wasn¡¯t about to waste time right now. She¡¯d let her enhanced mind take in everything in the time between her movement and connecting. It looked like a man but its body was gaunt and weathered, flesh decayed and partially frozen, eyes like burning motes of me in ck holes. Its skin glittered in the light behind it. It was gray, with its jaw hanging open in a silent scream and marred with a patchy beard. It wore ill-fitted leather armor designed for a much more muscr figure. In its right hand it held a heavy metal axe, in its left, a circr shield. Wait, where have I seen- She collided with it and instead of digging into flesh the de of her knife shed against steel as it held its axe up to block her blow. Fast! She gasped just as it pushed her back with all its might, throwing her clear to the end of the hallway and crashing into the wall. She coughed up blood and created a berry in her mouth, chewing it before getting to her feet. And strong too, it pushed me away. Mythic? How? What the hell is this ce really? She clicked her tongue and drove forward again, putting on more speed, she darted low before zipping up high with a horizontal movement. It swung its shield down to block her feint and she whipped her leg out, willing a shin-guard of light and spikes to form on her limb. It crashed into decayed flesh and a cloud of glittering dust erupted from it¡¯s body in a rainbow of colors as it¡¯s head whipped to the right a few inches. She squinted and threw her arm over her mouth, Dust? Poison? The moment she recoiled, it brought its axe up in a movement so fast even her enhanced brain took a heartbeat too long to register. de bit into skin just as she started to form armor around her body to protect herself. Pain seared across her waist, and she pulled herself away, spinning and throwing a dozen spears of light in its direction. It raised its shieldzily and blocked the ones aimed for its vitals only for the others to pierce through leg bone and feet. She slid to a stop, breathing hard and created a berry in her mouth. She chewed and felt¡­ nothing. She looked down at her side at the bloody wound that was struggling to heal. Suppression? She whipped her head up at the creature as it tried to take a step forward but it¡¯s pinned legs and feet wouldn¡¯t allow it. She pressed her hand to her side, shuddering once from the pain. Two can y at that game. She snarled and brought out a small fragment of the Visage. Just a little. It was overwhelming using it, like it was resisting her somehow. Pale white vines wrapped around her waist and she felt the healing finally start to kick in. She darted at it again, this time watching its movements carefully before retreating from each strike. She spun and weaved, diving about and taking a few hits as she did. Each wound didn¡¯t heal properly at first, it¡¯s the weapon not the dust. She thought, It had a power suppressing property. This has to be some kind of Mythic dungeon. She watched every swing, every move of its shield, drank it in, understood it, processed it. Where is your weakness? Where do you hesitate? Where- there! Just as it shifted stances between an uppercut and a horizontal swing there was a moment where it paused. Her eyes red with light as she brought imperious down on it with all of her might in that heartbeat. She bore her teeth and shed forward, extending the edge of her knife with an edge of light. Shended a few paces past it, her body bloody and aching, the healing still slowed by its weapons power. She panted and turned back to see its head fall to the ground, its grotesque body following it. Her chest heaving, she turned away from it as her eyes clicked, adjusting to the sudden bright light. Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart stilling for just a moment. Her eyes going wide as she stepped out onto the tform and looked out over the enormous empty void. Beneath her, a shattered bridge of rainbow ss glittered and sparked, beyond it, far, far away, a gleaming city of silver spires and towers vaster than any she¡¯d ever seen before. ¡°What is this ce?¡±
Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Sonya found a set of stairs that led down from the tform she¡¯de in on. She winced as she stepped down and nced down at her body, pulling the armor off for a moment to examine herself. The healing is going so slowly, she thought as she alighted on the lower tform that turned out to be some kind ofnding. It was also wayrger than it looked from above, deceptively so. She turned on the spot and nced back where she¡¯de from. There was something mounted to the wall directly across from where the rainbow ss started. A metal ring that shimmered with the same multicolored hue. She narrowed her eyes and walked up to it, running her fingers over the surface. She felt one of her instincts rise up in response, resonating, a thrumming rhythm vibrating through her fingertips and down into her chest. Non-Euclidian? She reached up and touched her heart before looking up at the ring, A portal? She turned back to the bridge thaty shattered just a few feet out from the edge of thending. She followed its direction with her eyes all the way to the vast city miles and miles away. Her eyes focused and she zoomed in at the spot that it was reaching towards. There was another end to the bridge, it sparked and sizzled at the end where the city began. Power source? She thought before walking over to the bridge itself and crouching down. She ran her fingers over the bridge, It¡¯s not rainbow colored, it¡¯s optic fibers. She thought, surprised. Millions upon millions of tiny threads of crystalline ss woven together to create a solid tform. The light shining through created the multicolored effect. A rainbow bridge, she let out a shaky breath and looked up at the city in the distance again. It couldn¡¯t be¡­ She moved forward a bit to the edge and found where the break began. She squinted at the cracked and torn edges of the fibers and watched in real time as they slowly grew before dimming and cracking off, falling into the abyss below. That¡¯s when she saw something else, something that made a hole form in her stomach. A root. No, a vine. She thought as she reached down to touch it. She wrapped her fingers around the nt that seemed to be wrapped around the underside of the bridge and snapped off a piece. It regrew immediately as she got to her feet and rubbed it between her fingers. Pale white. She thought and looked down at the bridge that was struggling to restore itself. Suppressed. She held out her hand and willed Visage of Titania to create a vine in her palm. Shepared the two and swallowed. Impossible¡­ was she real? Was she here? Did¡­ did she do this? Why? Sonya looked down at the vines growing over the broken piece of bridge and held out her hand. It¡¯s my power now, she thought and concentrated. She felt the instincts of the ability rise up in response and she reached out through it towards the nts only to meet resistance. It felt as if she was reaching across centuries, across millenia, touching something that shouldn¡¯t be touched. But if that¡¯s a portal, I need to get it working. She thought as she grit her teeth and pushed only for the vines to push back with their own suppressive force. She let out a gasp and stepped back, sweat dripping down her temple and felt Visage retreat. She panted, ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± She held out both hands this time, fingers curled like ws as she pushed harder, her expression grim faced. Tension burned in her muscles as her eyes focused on the vines. This time Visage barely responded at all, only a flicker of its power rising up to greet her. She cursed and dropped her hands to her sides, letting out a groan of frustration. ¡°Damn it! Work!¡± She snarled and turned around to pace, It¡¯s a mythic power, they respond to mindset more so than other abilities. She thought and rubbed her chin, I had an easier time back in Pakistan, why? No, that was Ishtar. Damn it, what does she do differently? She sighed and sat down on the ground, ¡°I need to get back! Ishtar, wake up, please. I need advice.¡± Silence. Utter silence. She pushed forward and nted her hands at the edge of the bridge. She could see the vines, she could feel them distantly. She knew at the depths of her soul that she could grab hold of them and wrench control of them. It was like they were the only thing standing between her anding home. Just some tiny nts. She mmed her fist on the bridge, cracking some of the fments. They wriggled before regenerating and she looked down at bloodied knuckles. She tried again, and again, and again, blood dripping from her nose as she threw all her focus into forcing the vines to obey. Please. Let me go home! She let out an exhausted gasp, her heart pounding and she threw her head back and screamed out her frustration. ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± She repeated, ¡°Ishtar, please!¡± She begged, her hands falling to her sides. ¡°I need you. Please, just talk to me!¡± She croaked. A sigh rang out in the back of her mind. You¡¯re bing too dependent on me. She sat up wiping the blood from her nose, ¡°Ishtar?¡± You know what to do, you¡¯re just unwilling to admit that it¡¯s so simple, Ishtar said cooly. I told you, you¡¯ve been coasting, Sonya. She got to her feet and clenched her fists, ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I-¡± No, you aren¡¯t. Her shoulders sank and she looked down at her feet. She felt that hollow spot in her gut growrger, like a yawning chasm in her spirit. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes as she felt Augmented Reality activate of its own ord. She opened her eyes and looked up as she saw her own face take form across from her, a wisp of smoke that drifted back before standing a few feet away. Ishtar¡¯s expression was stoic but rxed, her arms crossed and her head tilted as she regarded Sonya with a thoughtful gaze. ¡°You¡¯re doing better, I will concede that point,¡± She said and checked her nails, ¡°You¡¯ve internalized what we talked about in The Hague. It¡¯s not enough, though, your mindset is still off and that¡¯s why you¡¯re struggling here.¡± Sonya threw out her arms, ¡°What mindset? Exin it to me!¡± She said, she was so tired of hearing these indirect responses from Ishtar. Ishtar frowned, ¡°Sonya, you know I can¡¯t give you the answers,¡± She said sadly before ncing back at the bridge, ¡°You need a Viin¡¯s mindset. A real viin¡¯s mindset. You¡¯re missing something, that one internalized belief above all others,¡± She looked back at Sonya and fixed her with a stare, her eyes glowing with fiery intensity, ¡°Until you can make that a part of who you are, we won¡¯t ever get anywhere near bing whole,¡± Ishtar said before letting out another sigh at the desperate look in Sonya¡¯s eyes. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand what you mean,¡± Sonya said. ¡°You will,¡± Ishtar said with a small smile, ¡°For now,¡± she pointed at the vines on the bridge, ¡°Who was Titania?¡± ¡°Myth says she was the queen of the fae,¡± Sonya said frankly, ¡°I researched her after I got the power I know all-¡± ¡°Clearly you don¡¯t know anything about her,¡± Ishtar clipped back, ¡°Do you honestly think a fae queen would frantically approach this? Tense muscles, desperate thoughts, forcing her power to work?¡± Ishtar barked out augh, ¡°You were doing so well when it came to letting it all roll off of you. Do you have that little faith in those you left behind? Do you not think they can handle it?¡± Sonya bit her lip, ¡°But if Liberty-¡± ¡°Answer the question,¡± Ishtar said firmly. Sonya let out a breath and slowly began to nod. ¡°Chunhua is strong, powerful, she can keep Liberty at bay. Marta can help if she¡¯s forced to, even if it means blowing our cover a bit,¡± Sonya said with a sigh, feeling tension leaving her muscles, ¡°Amos cane up with a back-up n, and I invested steelblood into Da-som to make his healing power more easy to use.¡± Ishtar titled her head, ¡°And?¡± ¡°The kids are ready,¡± Sonya said, looking up and returning her stare. She clenched her fists and felt her lips tremble a bit. ¡°I¡¯m proud of what they¡¯ve grown into,¡± She squeezed her eyes together, ¡°Even that bastard is there, he doesn¡¯t want something bad happening to the camp, it would be disadvantageous for him. I hate it, but I can count on him to act as well if need be. Even if it¡¯s just to make himself look good,¡± She said with bile on her lips. ¡°Those two Bluestar sent over, Crowley and Canis, they¡¯re better than they know,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Axel and Rouge are outstanding heroes,¡± She sighed again and felt a pressure in her lower back ease that she didn¡¯t even know was there. ¡°Ca knows what she¡¯s doing too, they don¡¯t need me even if they don¡¯t realize it.¡± Ishtar tilted her head and nodded, ¡°Feel better?¡± Sonya exhaled and threw her head back, ¡°Yes,¡± She said as her fingers twitched at her side. She bounced a bit on the balls of her feet. ¡°Much better,¡± Her eyes fluttered as she let the ease wash over her. There was nothing to worry about. Nothing she couldn¡¯t ovee. Even if she had to turn the world on its head, she would do what she set out to. She just had to let the inconveniences wash over her and past her. She exhaled again and looked into her hud, pulling up some dance music. She smiled mischievously to herself as Ishtar gave her a grin. ¡°That¡¯s the way,¡± Ishtar murmured as she began to vanish, ¡°Have fun with it. Enjoy it. Revel in it like a Faerie.¡± The music started to y in Sonya¡¯s head, a jaunty beat that thrummed through her chest and into her limbs. She swayed a little on the spot and hummed, taking a step to the left, and then the right, and then she rose off the ground and spun in the air. She felt something bubble up inside of her chest that burst out in a titteringugh like falling ss. She did a flip in the air, a loop, she spun andughed and giggled as she felt those instincts roar back up into the back of her mind. Stronger and louder than ever before. Her lips parted as white light began to gleam on her bare skin, her hair became like fments, zing with a cascade of pale light. She threw her head back and let out a howl of delight and exaltation as a thrill went through her entire body. She twirled, streamers forming on her arms and legs, her clothing vanishing in blue sparks only to be reced by a flowing white gown. She let the instinct guide her, followed them, danced with them. She let the stressed and fears and worries wash away. She would pass through them or over them, around them, dancing with them and using them to her advantage. That¡¯s how she worked, thats what she did. That was her modus operandi, she was the force that would intercede and break the storyline, turning it in whatever direction she wanted. Her lips parted and a song rose up from within her, words in anguage she did not know but that felt so deeply bound to her heart. The words were sorrowful, filled with regret, even as she danced with lively abandon. She let the world pass her by as her mind drifted into the power. Her skin glowed as something metal rose up and formed over the upper half of her face. She spun again and held her hands high, floating over the bridge as she smiled down at the nts that had been suppressing it for aeons. ¡°It¡¯s time to rest, go back to where you came from,¡± She whispered, her voice a melody on the wind as her glowing hair danced about her serene face. Petals exploded into the air around her that condensed into flowers. They drifted out and around her, glowing with that eerie pale white light. A bloom of illumination that spread out to fill the void that surrounded her, that cast out and reached towards the distant city. Below her, those vines that had held fast for time immemorial began to glow, life and power flooding into them. At first they began to squeeze down on the broken bridge, trying to strangle thest mote of life out of it. She chuckled and shook her head, ¡°No no, go to sleep now,¡± She cooed, lowering her hands, ¡°Come home.¡± The vines writhed and then slowly, slowly, began to retract back down beneath the bridge. She felt them recede all the way back to a spot just beneath where she had been standing before. A single flower hanging upside-down that slowly began to dissolve into motes of light that drew up into the air and joined the other petals. More motes raced across the vast void from the city, tiny balls of light that arrived at her side like children eager to see their mother once more. She caught one over her hand and admired it as she drifted back down to the ground. Shended on heels made of ss that shimmered as the bridge trembled beneath her feet. She smiled to herself and stepped towards the edge only for it to begin growing at a rapid pace, the suppression gone, the fments grew and grew and grew. They raced out ahead of her as she walked, sauntering across the bridge towards the distant city. Her hair flowed behind her as she reached the middle point of the void and watched the two ends of the bridge collide with one another. In an instant a deep glorious rush of power flooded across it, flickers of light that raced down the innumerable paths as the entire bridge glowed with restored life and power. She looked up at the city in the distance and smiled at it, observing the gaunt figures that stood on its outer walls, waiting for invaders. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, and then I¡¯ll im you for my own,¡± She giggled and waved at it, turning away as the light reached thending. She strode back across the bridge as the ring against the wall red to life, multicolored light radiating from its metal surface as a pool like a dungeon portal began to form within its bounds. It swirled and undted as she drew closer, stopping before it and drawing her eyes across its rippling surface. Once again, her instincts guided her; ¡°Take me where I need to go,¡± She said casually, her fingers brushing the metal ring. The rippling portal went still like a sheet of quiet water in an instant, responding to her words. She stared through it and grinned, ¡°Sounds like fun,¡± She chuckled and stepped on through. ¨C Ishtar lingered there, the illusion pulling itself back together as she stared at Sonya¡¯s back. She let out a breath and shook her head, ¡°That was quite the sad little song, Sonya,¡± She said and looked back at the city, humming to herself. She walked towards the bridge and admired the pulsing mana that passed through it. ¡°A viin¡¯s mindset,¡± She chuckled and crossed her arms behind her back. ¡°You¡¯re so close, little sister,¡± She said with a sad smile. ¡°I wonder what will happen when you figure it out. It¡¯s so simple, you¡¯ll be mad at me, will I disappear? I suppose I¡¯m okay with that, as long as it makes you strong.¡± Sheughed and let out a sigh. Her body began to disappear as she strode towards the distant city, a song on her lips. ¡°From behind my mask of iron, for each wicked sin I atone. I gaze upon the world once more, from atop my lonely throne.¡±
Chapter 154 Chapter 154 A sea of dire elves ran up the steps towards her and Luke. She nced his way and he set his shoulders as her golden aura washed over him. He nodded his thanks to her and she returned the gesture. There was no running from this fight, even if they wanted to. With three people behind them that needed protection and no other routes, it was either down and through the enemy or die trying. She took a few steps to the left and put herself between Luke and the approaching enemy, the dragon stomping and roaring as it marched its way towards the base of the steps. Luke took a few steps back and positioned himself over her with a clear view of everything below. She wrapped her fingers around the grip of her sword and took a stance, weapon outstretched in front of her as the first group drew nearer. They raced up at the stairs, their wild eyes zing with bloodlust. Lillian¡¯s nose red and she bent her knees, letting the internal energy and mana in her body blend together again. She started the cycle up, feeling the swirl as it looped through her body like blood, cycling down until it reached her navel before spreading back out again, refined and filled with power. She set her jaw and took a step forward, sweeping her weapon in a wide arc. Golden mes danced off of its surface in a short wave that crashed into the iing enemy just as a series of ck projectiles flew over her head. A series of cascading explosions ripped through the ranks of the iing dire elves, the burning wrath of her sword turning the ones that had gotten too close into ash. There will still more on their way, though, and that dragon right at the edge of the stairs. For some reason it wasn¡¯t using those massive wings to gain air superiority. She squinted at its form, trying to figure out the reason as the dire elves regrouped from their first failed assault. The dragon lumbered forward, whipping its paw at any of the dire elves that got in its way. They were sent flying, crashing into the others and sending them sprawling. It whipped its wings out now and then, pping them angrily before throwing its head back in a roar and trotting forward with purpose. She focused on the wings, What- there! Tears in the leathery portions of the wings, damage from some previous attack or another. The dragon roared again when a dire elf got directly in its path and it pped it down with its massive paw. In one quick movement it snapped its head forward and ate the dire elf whole. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s their friend, She nced up at the cuts in its wings, No, those are purposeful. They need it to obey. She set her jaw as the next group got closer, more dark shapes flying past her to crash into the oing ranks of the enemy. More explosions sending them flying off the steps and down to the ground far below. The sheer number of bodies being thrown at them were the only reason any of them were getting past Luke¡¯s ceaseless volley. She swung again and again, shifting stance to simte steps as she built up her momentum. The little pauses between each group cooled it down a bit, but that was okay, she was making up for it in spades. It was just as she felt like she had momentum to pull off march again when the dragon decided that it had waited long enough. With a terrible roar that rattled the air and sent a chill running up Lily¡¯s spine, it raced up the stairs, plowing its way through the remaining bulk of the attacking dire elves. Lily¡¯s eyes went wide as it fixed its own zing gaze on her, behind her, Luke shouted something and more explosives went flying in its direction. They struck true but the creature just kepting, racing through the clouds of ck smoke left behind as it opened its jaw to consume Lily with one quick snap. Not gonna happen! She took a step forward, down closer towards the beast as it drew closer and let her instincts carry her through the motions of her technique. She swung up just as it lowered its head down towards her and caught it on the chin, the impact causing a golden re to ripple out between the two of them and send the dragon¡¯s head whipping upward with a shriek of pain and confusion. She exhaled and mes billowed out, taking another step and swinging again, this time catching it on the shoulder as it pivoted to avoid her cutting it¡¯s head right off then and there. Tch. She grit her teeth and pushed forward anyway, her next blow going up towards its wing and it snapped its jaws at her de. She caught it on the side of the head instead and it stumbled before righting itself. Blow after blow rained down on the dragon, each one following in with explosive force as she tried to destabilize it, knock it off, hurt it, do something to it. She pushed forward and it fell back, small explosions raining down on the horde below rather than the dragon as to not catch her as well. She steeled her focus, hit it harder! She thought, swinging up again to bat its head away and get to its neck. Step after step pushed it further back, her movements a blur, the world around her blending away as she let out a roar, ¡°STAY DOWN!¡± She bellowed, her muscles burning. She swung with all of her might, a muscle felt like it tore in her shoulder only to immediately start trying to heal itself again. She let out a gasp just as the swing struck and she felt the resistance of its hard scales give way a bit. She followed through, despite the pain, andpleted the swing with a scream of pain and fury. The dragon whipped its head away, stumbling back a dozen steps as ck blood oozed from its neck. She panted and looked up to meet its eyes. The pupils were tiny now and they seemed to glow. ¡°Oh shit, now it¡¯s mad,¡± She bit out as it reared back on its haunches and tilted its head towards her. Her eyes went wide as a verdant green glow rose up its throat. She turned, ¡°Luke! Run!¡± She shouted, pivoting away and racing up the steps. A gurgling sound proceeded a sudden surge of mana in the air, she spun around when she reached the top of the steps, Luke diving for cover. The others can¡¯t move! Shit! She snarled, ncing back over her shoulder and meeting William¡¯s frantic gaze. She looked back at the dragon as the light blossomed in its mouth. Damn it. Fine! She set her stance and held her weapon up, golden mes wrapped around it. She squeezed them tighter, tighter, tighter, pushing down and applying pressure with her will as the iing attack reached its zenith of charge. She grit her teeth. I am Crusader. I will not let you get past me! She swore. ¡°Not in this life and not in the next! I won¡¯t budge an inch!¡± She roared, ¡°Bring it on!¡± Verdant light red and a cone of emerald energynced out from the creature¡¯s maw and mmed into her de. The golden mes burned bright as the attack split around her, corroding and annihting the stone at her back. She felt her arms groan with the strain, her muscles screaming in protest. She felt her feet dig into the ground beneath her as the wave of raw power roared around her. Her skin ked, her armor burned, the pain was more than she¡¯d ever felt in her entire life. Like shocks of electricity beneath her skin eating away at her flesh even as her power steadily healed her body. She was in a suspended state of breaking down and recovering and it never seemed to end. She clenched her teeth. I¡¯m not dying here! She swore, I¡¯m going to win, I¡¯m going to get out of this ce, and I¡¯m going to be a hero! She raged, her eyes itched, her neck ached, every strand of hair on her head felt like it was on fire. The ground shook beneath her feet, the shuddering and crashing growing more and more intense, closer. Was it walking towards her while it did this? How much energy did it have to keep this up? She felt her knee buckle beneath her and she shifted her weight slightly, forcing herself to stay standing as the constant pressure weighed down on her. She felt her eyebrows singe and the vision in her left eye started to fail her. She screwed up her face in an expression of fury and defiance, a sound keening from her throat. She couldn¡¯t hear anymore, but she could feel it, something welling up inside of her chest. I need more! More! Just a little- With a thunderous boom the st from the dragon winked out of existence and she felt all of her strength leave her as she hit her knees and nearly fell face first into the stairs beneath her when something moved in and caught her. She blinked, her vision swimming, as she turned her head and looked up into a pair of pearlescent eyes. ¡°Damn you¡¯re a pretty hallucination,¡± She mumbled, and reached up to touch Snow¡¯s face. Snow gave her a big smileced with worry and tears. She ran her fingers through Lily¡¯s hair and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m as real as it gets, babe,¡± She said as Cass collided with the dragon¡¯s head, screaming at the top of her lungs just over Snow¡¯s shoulder. Another shape dipped in and pulled her to her feet, throwing her arm over a broad shoulder. She had to turn her head to see Alex¡¯s focused face as she ran up the steps to get her inside the building. Snow hustling next to them. The sound of a rocket went off behind her and she heard a terrible impact followed by a howl of pain from the dragon. She shook her head, trying to shake off the hallucination one more time. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing even as Alex set her down next to William. He crouched next to her, ¡°How fast can you get back on your feet?¡± He asked. She blinked at him in confusion again, ¡°You¡¯re really here,¡± She said with a smile, delirious. ¡°Alex! Get your ass out here!¡± Val shouted, ¡°Could use a little reptile v reptile if you don¡¯t mind!¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy!¡± Alex barked back before looking down at her. Next to him, Snow looked over her face and reached out to brush back a bit of her hair. Her lip trembled a bit and she nced at Alex who gave her a hard look. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± He said and got to his feet, ¡°Won¡¯t you?¡± Lily stared up at him as confusion gave way atst to rity, the pain muddling her thoughts easing off as her ability got right to work, soothing the injuries first before it started to heal. She coughed, ¡°Right as rain in no time,¡± She said with a grin, ¡°Now go.¡± He nodded and scales spread across his neck and jawline in an instant, his eyes turned to slits and his nostrils red. He whipped his head around and charged, fangs bared as he leaped through the air and tackled the face of the dragon that was now frantically fighting off a whole new host of enemies. John clung to its back and stabbed it over and over while Cass struck it in the side with her hammer. She panted and looked up at Snow who was still examining her face. ¡°How bad is it?¡± She asked with azy grin, ¡°Any good scars in my future?¡± ¡°Pretty sure those¡¯ll heal,¡± Snow said softly, ¡°Though I don¡¯t think your mom is going to like the new color added to your hairstyle, or the eyes, or the updated tattoo,¡± Snow quipped, ¡°You sure you weren¡¯t a scene kid or something in your past life?¡± Lily barked out augh, it hurt, so much. She keptughing anyway even as her body started to feel numb. ¡°My eyes changed now? Great!¡± She chuckled sarcastically and leaned her head back with a groan. She watched Luke get out from his hiding spot and race over to resume his support of the others. Good, she thought, relieved and nced at William who had a bit more color in his face. The othersying on the ground did too. Her head swam a little and she frowned, she nced down at her feet, the numbness had given way to¡­ nothing, stiffness. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my feet,¡± She mumbled. Snow looked down at her feet and reached for her boots, she tugged for a moment and with some difficulty managed to get them off. They both stared in rapt amazement and rm as something green had spread across her skin. It¡¯s not the color of that magic but¡­ She blinked slowly as she felt the emptiness creep up her leg. It¡¯s spreading. ¡°Is that jade?¡± Snow whispered, panicked, she looked over at Lily, ¡°Lily, what¡¯s happening?¡± Lily¡¯s eyes fluttered as the feeling spread up further. Despite every rational thought telling her she should be panicking, her instincts said something else. Let it happen. Just let it happen. She let out a shaky breath, the fear warring with her instincts as her heart raced. She reached up to take Snow¡¯s hand and squeezed it before nodding towards the others still engaged with the Dragon. ¡°Get going, I¡¯ll be back in no time.¡± ¡°What do you mean, back?¡± Snow asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lilian closed her eyes and searched her instincts, the manual of her powers, every time she essed them it felt like they grew more and more detailed. She grinned a little to herself. That¡¯s a pretty long cooldown, she thought with amusement. Not a bad trade-off though. I can live with that. She opened her eyes and just nodded, ¡°Just a quick power nap,¡± She said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Focus on supporting them, okay? Follow Greg¡¯s lead.¡± She didn¡¯t see Greg or the usual tell-tale purple hue of his powers but he had to be somewhere nearby orchestrating the fight. Snow forced a smile onto her face and reached up to stroke Lily¡¯s chin as the jade spread up to her waist. She nodded and kissed her forehead before getting to her feet and racing out, drawing that funky pistol from her thigh. Lillian let her head fall back as she breathed, ¡°Just hang in there for five minutes guys,¡± She muttered as she felt the jade reach her heart. Her breathing began to slow. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in five minutes,¡± She mumbled as her vision swam and the spread reached her throat. ¡°Just hang in there¡­¡± She whispered as her vision went dark, her body falling utterly still.
Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Amos marched past the screens, a small box in his hands. He frowned a little, his eyes shooting over to Da-Som who gave him an uneasy look. He exhaled through his nostrils and stopped next to a portion of wall that seemed innocuous at first. With a flex of will he urged the false wall to part and slide open, a portion of theb hidden from the less trusted techs, students, and instructors revealing itself. On the other side, five figures stood with an eerie stillness. A light came on and he leveled them with a stare. They had once been dolls created by Forge Tactical. He had visited theirbs numerous times since The Hague, exchanging notes and ideas with their top scientists. These were the fruits of his own study. Five dolls remade with all the skills he¡¯d acquired since the sh. I just hope I don¡¯t have to use them yet. Just in case, though¡­ He trailed off as he opened the case, revealing five long slightly rounded cards that had been ted on one side with that bone-colored white metal. He clicked his tongue and walked around the first one, ncing at the back of its neck where a slot justrge enough for one waited. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Da-Som asked, ¡°What if-¡± Amos snorted, ¡°I can handle it,¡± He said before he flinched and nced at the screens. ¡°Things are getting worse out there,¡± He scoffed, ¡°They were going to film everything and doctor it up before releasing it to the public, nasty,¡± He muttered and looked back at the machine in front of him, ¡°They¡¯re going to regret noting in prepared for a live-stream.¡± He paused and blinked before looking at the screens again, lowering the box in his hand. He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow as the idea that struck him caused his heart to start thundering. He looked back at the dolls and began to slide the cards into their necks one at a time, e on Chunhua,¡± He murmured, ¡°Give me a reason to do it. Put on a good show and I¡¯ll make sure everyone sees,¡± He thought as he nced at another screen where over a dozen faces were flush with anger. Ca could really use it. ¨C Chunhua trembled with rage, watching as that woman with the ashen hair stalked back and forth in front of the doors. ¡°ck Lotus! Come on out!¡± She called, meeting her eyes. Chunhua set her lips into a thin line and held her ground before ncing past her towards the other two that were standing behind herrades, just waiting for an excuse. Rouge, Axel, Canis, Bedrock, Crowley, she thought, searching their faces. Axel was bloody but defiant in his stare. Canis wasn¡¯t faring well, she could die at any moment, and Crowley¡¯s face was stricken. Rouge held her head high despite every attempt to push her forward towards the ground. Bedrock¡­ Bedrock was half-dead from the looks of it. The woman nced over her shoulder at the others, following Chunhua¡¯s stare and whipped her head back, eyes narrowed. Something tingled in the air and mana drew towards the woman as she took a step forward with a quick swing of her sword. The ss of the door shattered in front of Chunhua who didn¡¯t so much as blink. Chunhua looked down at the ss and then up at the woman. That felt like my ability, Lillians. A cultivator? She narrowed her eyes as the woman smirked at her and rested her sword on her shoulder, bouncing on the balls of her feet. ¡°I think you need some motivation,¡± The woman said, ¡°Come on out or-¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chunhua demanded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you face me here?¡± The woman tilted her head and shrugged yfully, ¡°You think I¡¯m stupid? We know ASTA¡¯s chief scientist is in there as well as all those students of yours. Who knows what kind of trap you guys have set,¡± She said before scratching her head and meeting Chunhua¡¯s gaze with one eye open. She sighed, ¡°Fine, have it your way,¡± She grunted, ¡°Sir Ellis, how about the half-dead one? She¡¯s almost done anyway,¡± she shook her head, ¡°Nah, do the annoying earth guy.¡± Behind her, thenky man sauntered over to stand behind Bedrock, a small chime ringing out over her ears now that the ss was gone. Chunhua tensed, Shit! They¡¯re going to- Ahead of her, the others whirled and tried to pull from their bindings only for the red light user to clench his fist and pull them back down to a kneeling position. He grinned at them and then at Chunhua. Ellis flexed his fingers and held up his hand before swinging back down to strike. Chunhua squeezed her eyes shut and cursed, Damn it! She swore before stepping out. ¡°Stop!¡± Chunhua barked. Ellis froze and looked up at her, disappointment flickering on his features before he lowered his hand to his side and took a few steps back from Bedrock. ¡°What do you want?¡± Chunhua asked, her heart pounding in her ears. ¡°A duel,¡± The woman said, pointing her sword at Chunhua¡¯s heart, ¡°You and me, ¡®World¡¯s Strongest¡¯. I want to know who¡¯s better.¡± Chunha gave her a t stare, she didn¡¯t have any choice in the matter but maybe she could set the terms. ¡°No powers.¡± The woman smirked, ¡°That¡¯s your choice,¡± She said with a snort, ¡°Not something I¡¯m going to abide by.¡± Chunhua red at her but didn¡¯t dignify her with a response. She let out a sigh through her nostrils. She was more than strong enough without her abilities to handle most Light-Touched.. Even if this woman was powerful, she couldn¡¯t use her powers, that¡¯s what they wanted from her. She would never give them the satisfaction. She ground her teeth as she drew her sword and leveled the woman with a stare. ¡°Your name?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m not usually in the habit of giving dead people my name,¡± The woman said, checking her nails, ¡°But if you must know, it''s Dame Kant, a member of Lady Liberty¡¯s Round Table. Though you can call me Heavenly Demon.¡± Chunhua¡¯s shoulders stiffened, Worse than a cultivator. She thought before taking a fighting stance. Her weapon held up before her as she shifted her weight. She wouldn¡¯t be lured into using her abilities here, no matter what. Dame Kant held her own weapon outzily, her head tilted as her eyes began to glow with a dark red light tinged with orange. She sneered before kicking off the ground in a sh of movement. One moment she was there, the next she was- Chunhua spun, raising her weapon and bracing herself as an attack came from behind and to the left. The strike pushed her back, her feet sliding against the ground as she met a pair of burning crimson eyes with her own ck stare. Dame Kant sneered at her, ¡°If you cheat, I¡¯ll know!¡± Sheughed and her body moved impossibly, her waist twisting before she whipped her leg out to catch Chunhua on the shoulder. Chunhua pulled her arm back and pivoted, avoiding the strike as something wet struck her in the eye. Spit? She blinked, her eye stinging just when a fist drove up and into her gut. She wasunched up a foot and a half before she came back down, rolling out of the way and whipping her leg out to strike at the woman¡¯s ankle. The woman hopped back lightly,ughing, her feet stepping on thin air as she got a little distance beforeunching herself forward with a snarl. Chunhua flung herself to her feet with a quick kip up, turning as fast as her body would allow, pushing down every instinct to amplify her reflexes and speed with her abilities. She brought her sword up just in time, the two des shing as she was driven back. ¡°I hate you,¡± Dame Kant snarled, ¡°You and your pretty ability,¡± The woman pushed hard, shoving Chunhua¡¯s sword back. ¡°You talk too much,¡± Chunhua bit out through the sword lock, ¡°This is a fight.¡± Dame Kant¡¯s lips curled into a sneer before she punched Chunhua in the mouth, her fist as fast as lightning. Chunhua saw stars as she staggered, training the only thing that caused her to pivot just as a stab snapped out to catch her in the abdomen. ¡°I could have been a hero too,¡± Dame Kant continued despite Chunhua¡¯s statement. ¡°But my powers, my ability, they thrive on suffering.¡± A blow came from above, and then to the left, and then the right. Chunhua blocked, pivoted, redirected, taking step after step backwards as she looked for some kind of opening. Every stance was perfect, every movement practiced. She¡¯s trained hard, kind of sad really. Chunhua thought as the woman bore down on her. She deflected each attack as she followed the woman¡¯s movements, picking up on tells from her style. Next will be a retreat and then a jab. ¡°Who needs a hero that needs people to be in pain to grow?¡± Kant bellowed before leaping back several meters, leveling her weapon with the ground. Blood-red light began wrapping around it as her eyes grew dark. The wind up happening in the span of seconds. ¡°Liberty gave me purpose and the chance to kill the person who has everything I wanted!¡± Chunhua didn¡¯t dignify her with a response, she set her jaw as she judged the distance in a heartbeat. Too far to interrupt her, she figured and readied to defend. The first couple of jabs came in fast but manageable. She turned them away as more and more red streaks began to dart in her direction. Soon, though, her vision turned red, so many strikesing at once that there was just no way. A crash rang out behind her, crumbling masonry. She shifted from a total defense to protecting her vitals, deflecting blows aimed at her torso, head, and thighs, while strikes nced off and cut against her arms and calves. She pushed through the pain, her eyes fixed on the woman¡¯s face, unblinking. When the strike ended the woman was just¡­ there. Dame Kant swung down with a powerful blow that Chunhua could only block, throwing her weapon up and nting her palm against it to hold it off. She winced as her knee buckled and bore her teeth at her enemy. She shifted her right hand up, letting Dame Kant¡¯s weapon slide down and to the left, she drew her knee up and into the woman¡¯s gut. Dame Kant let out a gasp as Chunhua stepped past her, swinging her sword down hard. Kant was fast, though, and she rolled out of the way to avoid a fatal blow-not without her side getting cut in the process. Chunhua panted as she turned to face the woman, ¡°I¡¯m not even using mana,¡± Chunhua spat at the ground, ¡°How shameful,¡± She rumbled as blood dripped from every limb, from her lips, her nose, her bones creaked and groaned under her own weight. Kant tilted her head and looked down at her injury, she stood up straight andughed before gesturing towards one of the cultists she¡¯d brought with her. The man let out a cry of pain and copsed, a ck energy ripping through the air to collide with her hand. Chunhua took a step back, horrified, as the wound on Kant¡¯s side healed. Her knee buckled and she slipped, hitting the ground and catching herself. Kant threw her head back in a peal ofughter, ¡°You were saying?¡± She snarled, ¡°Come on! This duel is boring! What happened to the world''s mightiest hero?¡± ¨C Ca leaned forward in her desk, she was standing, her eyes fixed on the screen. Still nothing but inconsequential bickering. Her lips trembled. She didn¡¯t know when to do it, what the timing was, was this the moment that Sonya talked about? Did she dare waste what political capital that Sonya had scrounged together for her? What if the gambit failed? She resisted the urge to rub the bridge of her nose as her heart leaped to her throat. If only you were here, you¡¯d know what to do. She thought, wishing, praying, hoping that she could feel her somehow. Know that she wasing or watching or somehow, some way, supporting them. She was about to nce at the cameras to check on Chunhua, she hadn¡¯t in several minutes and she was beginning to get worried, when a message appeared on her screen. Just a few words. ¡®Check the News¡¯. Amos? Her eyes widened and she turned fully away from the camera to the television in her office. As she did so, the other representatives and administrators paused their howling at one another to regard her. The image of a reporter appeared on the screen, words trailed on the bottom: ¡®Liberty Attacks Pandora Committee, Hero Training Camps¡¯. The reporter looked gravely at the camera, ¡°...with the currently suspended ck Lotus being the sole remaining line of defense. We¡¯re not sure where this live stream originates from, but there is no doubt what we are watching is unfolding in real time. I¡¯d ask the viewers at home to be aware that the footage you¡¯re about to see may not be meant for the weak hearted.¡¯¡± Chunhua was standing, swaying a little, her sword drawn as a woman with ash-colored hair stood across from her with her own weapon pointed at Chunhua. ¡°Come on! This duel is boring! What happened to the world''s mightiest hero?¡± The womanughed, ¡°I thought you were supposed to defend this ce! What¡¯s wrong with breaking a couple rules to get the job done? Use your powers! Show everyone that the Heroes and the Pandora Committee are just arbitrary and fake!¡± The womanughed, ¡°You¡¯re the strongest, aren¡¯t you? If you¡¯re the strongest, then no one can stop you, right? That¡¯s the point! That¡¯s what it means to be free in this new world!¡± Ca looked away for a moment at the faces on the screen, she chewed her lip and looked back as Chunhua stood up straight, blood dripping from her arms. ¡°And that is exactly why I follow the rules¡­¡± Ca whipped her head towards the screen, her heart clenching in her test. She stared at the faces on the screen, she could tell they were watching the same thing she was. She chewed her lip, You aren¡¯t fighting alone, Chunhua. No way in hell. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough!¡± She barked at the screen, the faces all whipping up to look back at her, startled. She mmed her fist on the table, ¡°We are an organization dedicated to supporting the heroes! To making sure this world is safe from people like Liberty! If there aren¡¯t regtions in ce to handle the situation then damn the regtions!¡± She said and stood up straight, her stare cold, her jaw set, her fists clenched. ¡°I¡¯m taking over,¡± She dered, ¡°I am hereby tendering a proposal to themittee. I will serve as acting Chairwoman of the Pandora Committee until this crisis is over, after which we will hold an election,¡± She scanned the faces on the screen that had gone pale. A general proposal wasn¡¯t something she was allowed to tender, she was just an administrator. Even if they allowed it, she¡¯d need at least five votes in favor for it to nominally pass with those present. Please. ¡°The United States endorses the proposal,¡± Representative Harman said and gave her a small nod and she nearly felt her knees give out beneath her. ¡°All in favor?¡± ¨C ¡°You¡¯re the strongest, aren¡¯t you? If you¡¯re the strongest, then no one can stop you, right? That¡¯s the point! That¡¯s what it means to be free in this new world!¡± Kant roared, throwing her arms wide. ¡°Liberty has it right! The strong survive, the weak serve! Heroes go against the natural order of things!¡± She bellowed and started striding towards Chunhua while pointing at the cultists. ¡°They¡¯re here because they want to be! Because they know they serve a higher purpose. Us!¡± She roared, ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? We mythics are the future of mankind!¡± Chunhua glowered at the woman from where she knelt, blood dripping from her body. Her vision wobbling. She frowned. You¡¯re wrong. We have a responsibility. She thought as she tried to get up. Her heart sank as her leg trembled. What can I do? Even if I beat her, I still have the others to deal with. They couldsh out and kill them as soon as it¡¯s over. She bit her lip. She looked the woman in the eyes as she got even closer. ¡°Screw the rules, am I right?¡± Kantughed. Rules. Chunhua thought and looked down at her knees. Do I even deserve to call myself a hero? She thought about Sonya. About that day in her office. About what she¡¯d done. About how much Sonya had given to a world that would never forgive her for saving it. About how every single day she struggled topromise her feelings, her respect, and her desire to do what she needed to do and stop Ishtar, regardless of her intentions. Rules. The World¡¯s Strongest? What a joke. Her shoulders sank and the woman stood over her. What am I supposed to be? She thought. Who am I supposed to be? ¡®Stand up little hero, that¡¯s not all you¡¯ve got, is it?¡¯ Ishtar¡¯s mocking voice sounded through her mind. A memory, a message, a challenge. Kant raised her weapon and snorted as Chunhua¡¯s heart pounded in her chest. Not even in the slightest, monster. Chunhua snarled back. I¡¯ll be there. I¡¯ll fight you every step of the way. I¡¯ll be there for her and I¡¯ll fight you. I¡¯ll beat you. Somehow I¡¯ll make it work. Because that¡¯s what a hero does. They make the impossible possible. Chunhua forced herself to her feet and got in Kant¡¯s face. The woman leaped back, surprised as Chunhua held her sword out. ¡°And that is exactly why I follow the rules!¡± She shouted, ¡°Because if I¡¯m the strongest, if I can do whatever I want, and I make that choice, then everyone behind me will know it¡¯s okay to do the same! That it¡¯s the right thing to do!¡± She bellowed. ¡°So I¡¯ll follow those rules, even to my dying breath!¡± She shouted and marched forward, weapon at her side, ¡°Come, viin! Because that¡¯s all you are, and all you will ever be!¡± Kant bore her teeth and stalked forward in response, a sneer on her face, ¡°Have it your way!¡± BRRZZZT! Both of them froze, Chunhua looked up, The inte? ¡°Attention invading force. My name is Ca Mint of the Pandora Committee. I am asking you toy your arms down immediately and surrender. This is non-negotiable,¡± That small woman said in a hard voice, ¡°Respond at once.¡± Kant snorted and raised her voice, ¡°No!¡± Sheughed and looked back to Chunhua. ¡°Very well,¡± Miss Mint said, ¡°Then as acting Chairwoman of the Pandora Committee¡­¡± She began and Kant¡¯s head whipped towards the building, her eyes going wide before looking back at Chunhua, ¡°I hereby temporarily reinstate Lian Chunhua, ck Lotus and end her suspension until the time that all existing threats are dealt with,¡± there was a heavy pause, ¡°ck Lotus!¡± she snapped with amanding tone. Chunhua felt something fall off her shoulders she didn¡¯t even know was there, she stood up straight and squared her shoulders, her lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am!¡± she barked with all the strength in her lungs. ¡°Do not hold back under any circumstances, bring them to their knees and show them exactly what the world''s strongest hero is capable of!¡± Camanded and cut the signal. To all the world around her, Chunhua¡¯s eyes started to glow. The ground shook. The clouds moved. The earth cracked. She gripped her sword tight as she took a thunderous step forward, ¡°Hero ck Lotus, on duty!¡± she rumbled as she raised her sword.
Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Dame Kant felt her entire body tremble as the air itself pressed down on her with a might she had no way of anticipating, no way of expecting. She took a step back as the figure before her glowed and shed with internal energy, mana burning on her skin, her muscles growing, veins tensing, wounds healing, her eyes alight like the sun. ck Lotus raised her head high and let out a roar and a crack formed in the earth between them, splitting open so wide that Kant almost fell in. She hopped back a pace, sweat beading on her temple. It¡¯s not fair, she bit out and looked at the building her lips thinning into a line, No! I should have brought that building down first! Damn that woman, how did she pull that off? ¡°Look at me,¡± an even voice said and no amount of will or strength of mind would allow Kant to resist. She turned and looked into those void-like eyes that burned brighter than anything she¡¯d ever seen in her life. ¡°You wanted the world''s strongest,¡± ck Lotus said, ¡°Here I am.¡± Kant bit out a curse, her jaw working slowly left and right as she felt her beating heart rouse in her chest. Her eyes narrowed. No, this is fine. She thought darkly, chewing on the anger and fear like it was a fresh meal. Like marrow from a bone she tasted the terror that burned in her veins and put it to use. She didn¡¯t do it often, she didn¡¯t need to, she had prey for this kind of thing. But if it was necessary there was another source she could feed from to rally her power. It was a slippery slope, she was aware of it, embracing her baser emotions to fuel her cultivated power. She didn¡¯t care. Not when you¡¯re right in front of me, Lian Chunhua! ck Lotus! ¡°Kant!¡± Ellis bellowed off to the left and she pointed her sword at him. ¡°Shut up!¡± She barked, ¡°Don¡¯t do a damn thing, this duel isn¡¯t over!¡± She didn¡¯t take her gaze off ck Lotus for a moment, she didn¡¯t dare to. It made something inside of her crack a little to admit it, but even without her powers this woman had stood up to her and fought back, even delivered a blow. Sure, Kant was not wielding her full might at the time, but that didn¡¯t make a lick of difference. She¡¯d stood her ground and fought back without using an ounce of mana, an ounce of internal energy. She¡¯d stood tall. Her lip trembled as she pointed her weapon at that woman who represented everything she couldn¡¯t have. ¡°I hate you,¡± Kant hissed, ¡°I hate you and everything you stand for,¡± She said, her voice shaking. She refused to say the rest, what was on her mind as she stared down the mountain that had sprung up before her. She set into her stance, not thezy wild stance she¡¯d opened the fight with. She gripped her weapon with both hands and tilted her head forward, the power in her body cycling through her meridians, pooling at her core, filling it up as she drew the energy into her body and amplified it with the raw feelings that filled her mind. A light that wasn¡¯t light burned around her body, an absence that looked almost ck, she felt strength surge through her as she threw her head to the sky. ¡°Strength from Liberty!¡± She bellowed, that coppery light crashing down upon her. She felt the power surge through her, more, more, MORE! She charged. ck Lotus whipped her weapon down in a slow stroke, holding it out to her side, her eyes unblinking, her face a stony calm. ¡°First Whisper of Spring,¡± Was all she said in a voice so gentle it made even Kant¡¯s raging heart ache. Something rippled past Kant as she closed the distance, the half second it took her to move that far felt like an eternity as cuts formed across her arms and chest, nicks and scrapes that stretched into wounds from an invisible de meters and meters long. She willed the wounds closed, the unnatural power at her fingertips knitting her body together as ck Lotus swung again, ¡°Second Drop of Rain,¡± She murmured, her deing up in an arc just as Kant reached her. Their weapons shed, Kant throwing all of her strength into the strike that sent the ground shaking and cracks forming around ck Lotus in a ring. Kant¡¯s weapon pushed down, her hands shaking with the effort as ck Lotus stared back at her with those cold¡­ no¡­ pitying eyes. Kant bore her teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± She screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare pity me!¡± She bellowed and broke the lock, spinning like a top and swinging into an uppercut that the woman blocked with a casual swipe down. The swing cut a divot in the earth just past Kant¡¯s own weapon. Kant snapped her hand out, reaching for the hero¡¯s face, I¡¯ll take your vit- WHOMP! A blow caught her in the gut, the strength behind it so tremendous that only her own physical enhancements and Liberty¡¯s gift saved her life. Kant¡¯s eyes bulged as she flew back, through the opening of the dojo where that hateful woman likely trained, honed herself, with all the luxuries and adoration of her students. Kant coughed up a gobbet of blood as she crashed through the rear wall and kept going, her vision blurring for a moment before she righted herself. She threw her power back to catch her flight, stop before she got too far away. She¡¯s going to attack the other- a presence appeared behind her and her heart dropped to her gut. She turned as fast as she could, raising her weapon as a shadow cast over her, a pair of dark eyes staring down at her from atop a peak. She grit her teeth and blocked as fast as she could, flexing her muscles as the strike annihted the momentum from beingunched one way and sent her careening back through the very same hole her body had made. She¡¯s so fast! I can¡¯t keep up! Kant reeled, spinning her body to try to dig her weapon into the ground and catch herself again. Yet the moment she turned to face the ground, there she was again. Those eyes, stop looking at me like that! A blow sent her up into the sky and she drifted for a moment. She looked up at the moon. Not like this! Not so pathetically! She swore, NO! She screamed in her own mind as she forced her internal energy out through her feet, catching herself in the air as she redirected and kicked off, hurtling down towards the hero. ¡°BLACK LOTUS!¡± She screamed, she drew it all in, everything she had as she shifted her stance in the air. One hand open and her weapon drawn back. Obelisk of One Hundred Eight Judgements! She wailed, the power in her body screaming to fill her limbs, to get out, to attack, to destroy, to consume. She threw all of her hatred down at the woman as Ellis and Ewen shouted something at her. She didn¡¯t care, she didn¡¯t listen, she had to do this! She had to! ck Lotus stood beneath her and looked up as a pir of dark light rained down upon her. Atoms sizzled against it, the air screamed, the world darkened in that ce. ck Lotus lowered her weapon to her side before taking it in both hands. Her dark, pitying eyes met Kant¡¯s. ¡°Three Songs for the Fallen Heroes,¡± ck Lotus intoned and mana surged. Kant could feel it. As if the entire world turned its eyes on that damned woman. ck Lotus whipped her weapon up and swung it, once, twice, three times in a bisected x that remained before her, glowing with a blue-white light. She drew her weapon back and stabbed through it. ¡°Let the petalse.¡± WHOOSH It was over so unfairly fast. That was all Kant could think as the light consumed her mightiest blow. It was all she could do to let hatred and regret burn through her blood as her skin was cut and marred, her arm twisted and cracked, her leg bent the wrong way, her nose bled, her eyes leaked, she hurtled towards the ground like a meteor. Beaten. Just like that. Even so, even as her body was broken and she fell to her death, she held onto her rage. That was when a hand caught her in mid air, her body going ck against the weight of gravity. She looked down at the ground just a few feet away before turning to see the woman standing on the air. Not kicking off like Kant had to. Just standing there, looking down at her. Kant¡¯s lips trembled, her body shook, she snarled and threw her head left and right. All that emotion she had used to fuel her powers burning in her blood. She couldn¡¯t hold it back any longer, she screamed, ¡°I HATE YOU!¡± She wailed, ¡°I WON¡¯T LET YOU WIN! NO!¡± She whipped her head towards Ewen and Ellis who were looking up at her in shock. ¡°DO IT! DO IT NOW!¡± ck Lotus nearly let go of her, she felt the momentary pulse in the woman¡¯s grip. The instant of tension, of panic. Kantughed and grabbed onto her with her one good hand. Her eyes wide with malice, ¡°No you don¡¯t!¡± Sheughed through bloody teeth, ¡°No you-¡± BOOOM! The front of themon building exploded. A streak of glittering white light streaked from where the door had once been, across the field, and collided with Ewen and Ellis as they readied to put the heroes down for good. The two men were thrown back, crashing into the remnants of that stone wall and crumbling, dazed. Where they had been standing, another woman stood. She wore a ck gown with white ruffles on her shoulders. Her brown hair flowed off to the side in the wind of the mountaintop as she clenched her gauntleted hand over her head and nced over her shoulder where a small sack hung. ¡°Handmaiden?¡± Kant croaked, ¡°B-but she wasn¡¯t supposed to be here!¡± Handmaiden turned her head and looked up at them before nodding to ck Lotus with a smile. She turned her attention back to the wall, her gaze going past Ewen and Ellis towards the army beyond and to something else that Kant couldn¡¯t see. She kicked off the ground and charged, mming into the mass of cultists and sending them scattering. Her fists flying as she plowed through them like they were naught but grass. It only got worse. Another figure leaped out of the ruined front of the building d in some kind of machine armor, nked by a number of those humanoid dolls. He threw out his hands as the dolls raced past him towards the scrambling cultists and from the openings between the tes in his armor, metallic insects crawled out glowing with an inner green light. Ewen and Ellis struggled to their feet as the dolls charged them. The insectsnded on the disabled heroes and¡­ stung them? Kant watched in horror, hanging from ck Lotus¡¯ grip as the heroes started getting to their feet, their eyes clear and coloring back to their faces. She looked up at ck Lotus in confusion and was surprised to see the woman just as confused as she was. Then something seemed to click into ce in the back of her mind and she nced back at the building below her. A smile crossed her lips and she looked down at Kant as the tide of battle slipped from the dark cultivator¡¯s broken fingers. ¨C This was taking too long, they¡¯d been dyed. The mana pouring into the dungeon had caused the monsters to respawn faster and faster. Otis chewed on his lip, rage boiling beneath his skin. How am I supposed to save the day ande out the hero if I can¡¯t get there in time? He thought, racing across thetest stretch of path between the trees. We have no idea where we¡¯re going either! Damn it! He spat on the ground in frustration as he raced on ahead. That guy, Greg, was close behind. If only we had a map or- he cursed again to himself. Miss Chernovna was right! Scouts! I need a scout for my heralds! Everything wouldn¡¯t be going wrong if I had a scout! ¡°I told you we should have gone this way!¡± Greg shouted. Otis bit his lip, ¡°Yes! You were right!¡± He said, ¡°We need to hurry, they need us!¡± That seemed to mollify the guy, no, the thing, no- he squeezed his eyes together. He¡¯s useful, powerful, he has potential. He counts as a person, right? He wondered when he had started attributing personhood to more and more people. It seemed like the number was growing each passing day, ever since Ishtar, ever since Sonya, ever since that day in Vegas and that night at the Beach. He pumped his legs harder. I¡¯m not wrong! He thought. Humanity deserves death! Just because there¡¯s a few good ones doesn¡¯t mean a damn thing! He pushed forward, he needed to get there, to be the hero, to save the others from whatever fate awaited them. He needed them to worship him. He nced at the profiles screen, pulling up his bookmarked tabs. That girl that kept growing stronger, the impressive one. She was weakening, struggling, she was going to die. The agent of Ishtar, that girl with the hammer, she was fighting for her life as well. No! If they die then everything will be ruined! The guide says so! I can¡¯t let that happen! I need to be faster! Is there a cheat I can use? A power? Something! He snarled, reaching into the depths of the instincts that governed his ability. He barely touched them, barely considered them, but right now if he wanted his way he needed to look past the stats screens, the guides, the menus, he needed something more. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed hold of Greg¡¯s arm. Greg shouted something but he ignored him. He let the feeling take him, his bloodlust, his greed, his hatred, his desire, he let all of it push him. I will be a King, I will be the one to rule this world and destroy it! He felt his body lift off the ground as streaks of gold slipped past his body. The world turned into a blur around him and in an instant, he and Greg were gone. ¨C The room beneath themon building was quiet for a moment. No one spoke, no one moved, especially after that crash outside. Miss Chernovna had run out to have a look. The aspirants all looked at one another, huddled together in the dim light. When the door opened again, a few of them moved to defend the others only to stop and rx as Miss Chernovna stepped back inside with a flourish, a smile dancing on her lips. ¡°Miss Chernovna!¡± One called, ¡°Is everything okay out there?¡± The CEO grinned at them, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine!¡± She said, ¡°Things are turning our way. Why don¡¯t you cuties just take a load off and rx a bit longer. It¡¯s been a wild night, hasn¡¯t it?¡± They looked at one another as one raised a hand, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go help them?¡± The woman just pointed to herself with surprise before barking out augh. She sat down in the same chair she¡¯d been sitting at before, right next to the door. She crossed her legs and looked them all over, there was a softness there that had been missing for a few days. A warmth that set their hearts at ease. ¡°I¡¯m right where I need to be, with you,¡± She said, and leaned back in her chair, a mischievous look on her face. ¡°This should be interesting.¡±
Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Liberty felt the final teleportatione to an end and nced down at the phone in her hand. The GPS said she was at the edge of the area that Halloway¡¯s ability should be able to cover. She nced down at the man hanging from his shirt in her grip, her eyes searching his pale, worn face. Blood streamed down his nose, ears, and eyes even as the coppery glow of her power continued to strengthen him. He smiled wildly at her, his eyes parting slightly, his mind warped under the pressure of dozens of sequential teleportations. She scoffed and dropped him to the ground, ¡°Good work,¡± She grunted and strode away, her expression set and scowling. Those idiots. She snarled, When I get my hands on them. She checked her phone again and saw the news reports. Her signal had been redirected and the battle was being streamed live. Ca Mint had taken over as acting Chairwoman and released ck Lotus. She felt a little of her power wane, a tiny bit, small numbers of her followers turning on her. I¡¯ll kill them all and make a statement of my own. She bit out, drawing back some of the strength she had spread around the world and back into herself. She felt mighty again. She let out a breath through her nostrils and continued her steady stalk forward, getting ready to pick up speed. That was when she felt a shift in the air. Her senses weren¡¯t quite as in tune with the ebb and flow of ambient mana as Kant, but she could feel enough to know that a powerful ability had just activated nearby. She paused in her walk, her eyes flitting around. Her scowl deepened and she drew her sword. The power in the de stayed dormant, the cold silver-blue edge gleaming a bit in the moonlight. She tilted it over and turned her head, ¡°Come out,¡± She growled in a low voice. There was a sudden sh of movement from within the trees ahead of her. A shape rocketing out of the treetops and hurtling into the air. She whipped her head up as the dark figure reared up in the sky, holding something over its head. Liberty¡¯s eyes narrowed and she whipped her weapon to the side before holding it up to prepare to block. That was when she saw a flicker of blonde hair in the moonlight. Her eyes went wide. What? A scream of rage and fury fell down towards her as her sister came hurtling towards the ground, an enormous metal hammer gripped with both hands. ¡°Cassiopeia?¡± Liberty gasped as a pair of glowing blue eyes raced towards her, streaks of white light rippling off of her body. Her shock dissolved into an expression of scorn, And now you have the gall to attack me, you have spent far too much time in this ce. She thought as her sister drew closer, It¡¯s time toe home, brat. You¡¯re all alone. ¨C ¡°Cass! Watch your back!¡± Alex shouted at her as she dove beneath a sweep of the dragon¡¯s ws. She rolled to the side as a short volley of arrows hurtled through the spot she¡¯d just been standing in. She clicked her tongue and tried to reacquire her target but the dragon had moved. The massive beast reeked in a way she couldn¡¯t quite describe, like dead nts and rancid musk. Her lips curled down as the creature took a step back to try to fix its gaze on her and she whipped her weapon up and into its throat. The hard scales absorbed most of the blow but the force was enough to force its head back up. She nced towards Alex who was in the midst of whip-kicking away the dire elves that had climbed the long temple stairs and tried to turn her into a pincushion. ¡°Thanks! Keep them off me, I can¡¯t get its joints if I keep having to dodge!¡± She shouted as the dragon let out another terrible roar. It pped its useless wings and tried to get some more distance from her and she charged forward, mace in hand. She had to be careful about how she did this. The two powers that Ishtar had gifted her with her investment were nothing like her core power and she didn¡¯t need more questions when she used them. She dove again, working her way through the dragon¡¯s legs. It shifted its weight and moved out of reach of her again and again. It had amazing senses. I can¡¯t use Shatter on just any part of its body, that¡¯d be too obvious. The joints are a good target though. She thought, I also can¡¯t get hurt too much, grace has a clear glow to it. She pursed her lips as the beast raised its entire body and pressed its wed back legs into the steps beneath it to gain stability. Next came the green glow up its throat. Oh no you don¡¯t! She kicked off the ground with all the strength she could muster and brought her weapon up in a hard uppercut, mming it into the creature¡¯s jaw just as it opened its mouth to release that terrible breath weapon that had done so much damage to Lily. I hope she¡¯s okay. Cass thought as she collided with the beast, knocking its head back and sending it iling backwards. It let out a howl of fury and twisted its body to attempt to catch itself. As Cass descended from her leap she threw her weight forward into a spin, I¡¯ll get you this time! That was a mistake. During her third rotation she noticed it, the creature¡¯s powerful tail whipping in her direction at terrible speed. Her eyes went wide, I forgot about the tail! She gasped as it collided with her, sending her to the ground like a falling stone and embedding her in the stone stairs. Her entire body creaked with pain and she felt something crack in her chest, the only thing that stopped it from killing her was the natural toughness she got from her innate ability. She coughed, scrambling to her feet as the creature turned around and raised its talons to skewer her. Shit! She rolled to the side and the dragon let out a howl before hesitating in it¡¯s descent. She nced back and saw a copy of herself standing an equal distance from where she¡¯d fallen but on the opposite side. Thank you, Snow. She thought and nced up at the dragon that was looking between the two Cass¡¯ in confusion. She didn¡¯t waste the opportunity. She charged throwing her back into a swing at one of its legs. Her copy mimicked her movements, darting towards its other nk. The dragon threw its head back in a roar before snapping down to bite at the copy. Got you! She bit out and swung with all her might, activating Shatter. CRRUNCH! The blow, enhanced with her already tremendous physical strength, crashed into the dragon¡¯s leg joint which exploded into a mist of blood and powdered bone. There was a heavy thud as the beast''s left foot hit the ground, separated from the limb. She grinned, This isn¡¯t so bad, might not even need- SCCREEEEEEEEE! The sound was deafening, she staggered as a shriek that made her legs weak and her head spin pierced the air. Her hand went numb and she dropped her weapon on instinct, reaching up to clutch at her ears as the dragon let out a pained sound. Nausea washed up her throat and it took everything not to copse and puke her guts up. A verdant green light bloomed in front of her as she tried to get her body to move, the terrible sound pinning her to the spot. She forced her eyes open and watched as wood began to grow from the stump where the dragon¡¯s leg had been separated from the limb, forming a false leg. You have got to be kidding me! She thought through the pain. She looked past the beast towards the paused fight going on behind it. Even the dire elves and herrades had been struck by the creature¡¯s agony. Val, who had been in the midst of fighting off a group of sword wielding attackers who were trying to interfere with the fight had copsed to a knee while two of the attackers had just fallen over. John was clutching his head just past him. She couldn¡¯t see Snow, probably hiding to maximize her ability. Where¡¯s Alex? She forced the muddled thoughts out, the pressure of the scream making it hard to think. Her vision swam a little. It¡¯s still going? Her eyes tried to fix on the false leg that rested on the ground and she saw the dragon take a few steps, turning towards her. I can¡¯t move! She thought as a pair of burning green eyes looked down at her, teeth bared, the sound pushing down even harder just before it ended abruptly. Her legs felt like jelly. The dragon lunged and she felt the back of her shirt get grabbed by a strong hand. She blinked and watched as the dragon¡¯s jaws mped down on the spot where she¡¯d just been, bits of stone crumbling beneath its mighty bite. Her strength started toe back enough to nce towards her savior. Alex let go of her shirt, scales grown over his ears. He was panting, his skin pale and a bit green. ¡°I gotcha.¡± She thought about what he¡¯d said to her. Those cruel words that weren¡¯t entirely false. He¡¯d apologized, but she hadn¡¯t really been able to work through them. Not because she hated him for it, but because she really didn¡¯t feel like she belonged. Like she was a useful add-on. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t forgive him for it, that was easy, he wasn¡¯t wrong. She just didn¡¯t know how to reconcile it all. He met her gaze and nodded to her, his eyes burning with resolve. He wasn¡¯t backing down and he wasn¡¯t going to let an ally die, no matter what. She pressed her lips together as she felt the dragon turn its attention to them. She rolled her shoulder as it started to approach and she returned his nod. That one gesture from him was more genuine eptance than she¡¯d ever felt in her entire life from someone of her age. Sonya had taken her in, cared for her like a little sister. She didn¡¯t quite know how the others felt, but she knew how at least one of them did. That was enough to know what she wanted and what Sonya had meant when they talked that night. That was more than enough. She grit her teeth as the dragon charged, jaws open, and dipped in deep. I am Ishtar¡¯s hammer, I am the Mighty Asterion, and fuck it all, I¡¯m going to be a hero too! She bellowed out a roar that shook the stones beneath her feet. Each step forward of the dragon was met by one of her own as she mmed her hammer into the ground. She held out her hands as her body began to grow, expand, her muscles bing denser, her eyes beginning to burn. Her hair grew longer and longer as her fingers reached up. She was seven feet, eight feet, nine feet, ten feet tall when her hands collided with the dragon¡¯s jaws. She gripped them tightly with a snarl and bellowed back at it, horns sprouting from her head and curling brutally. She nted her feet. The massive beast that overshadowed her, just like her sister, I¡¯m big now too! She wrenched her arms to the right with a bellow and pulled with all her strength. A sound of gurgled confusion wrought its way up the dragon¡¯s throat as she threw it to the ground, mming it onto its side. Her muscles tensed and burned and she pulled again, mming it down in the opposite direction. Again! Again! Again! She roared inside, letting those feelings of rage power her through as she bashed the dragons head against the ground over and over until a sh of green light made her blink and squint. She threw its head to the side and a st of verdant light ripped through part of the staircase and swept across the city around the temple, annihting anything it touched. The st stopped and the dragon pulled itself to its feet, shaking its head and stumbling a little. Despite all she¡¯d done it was just pissed off. She caught her breath and took a step back as she met the creature¡¯s eyes. She grabbed her hammer with one hand and its eyes burned at her with unshackled hatred. It spread its wings and threw its head back in another roar, that verdant glow burning on its flesh. Something sprouted from the tears in its wings. Thin strands of¡­ Are those fungus fibers? Her eyes widened and she charged, No! Don¡¯t you dare! The fibersshed out across the opening, knitting together and pulling the tears in its wings together and binding them. Alex darted in next to her, fangs growing in his mouth as his entire body was covered in scales. Both of them mmed into the hind legs of the big thing grabbing hold and trying to fix it to the ground. It tried to whip its legs as it restored its wings, attempting to dislodge them. She looked around. They needed someone to get rid of the damn wings somehow. John was the best choice but he was upied covering Val and keeping the still dense horde of dire elves off of them as an illusory stretch of ded terrain washed down the steps to hamper their advance. The things were endless, like the dungeon was spawning them every second. Is that what Otis did? Did he uncap the- Her thoughts were broken by a wrenching sensation as her body was nearly thrown off the dragon¡¯s leg. She mmed her hammer into the ground to act as an anchor. I can¡¯t hold on forever! She nced at Alex who met her gaze, ¡°Hang in there!¡± She shouted. ¡°That¡¯s about all I¡¯m doing!¡± Alexughed despite the situation and tried to dig his sharpened fingers into the scales. ¡°Damn thing is so tough! Why is this thing so strong?¡± ¡°Ties that bind, , a union of strength.¡± The words washed through her entire being. Ollie? I thought he was hiding with Snow. She nced over her shoulder and saw the thin young man standing there at the top of the steps, his hands outstretched, his entire body shaking. Get inside you idiot! There¡¯s too many! He met her gaze and clenched his outstretched hands into fists, bringing them together. A shock ran through her body. She felt something growing on her skin, it itched and felt disgusting but her body felt¡­ harder, tougher, her bones tried to knit together as the cuts and scrapes across her skin started to close beneath thick golden scales. Scales? Then that¡¯s Alex¡¯s regeneration. That means- She whipped her head towards Alex who¡¯s body began to expand, he threw his head back in a terrible rasping hiss as his arms pulled close to his body, he released the dragon¡¯s leg only for a moment before he changed. A ck scaled horned serpent as wide around as a sedan wrapped its way around the dragon¡¯s leg before slithering up its side and weaving itself around the dragons neck and body, applying even more weight. The dragon struggled, pping its restored wings but it just couldn¡¯t move. Alex reared his massive head back andshed out, biting down on the dragons throat and not letting go. She nced back at Ollie in amazement only to see him go pale and copse to his knees, sweat beading on his face. He looked stricken. Beneath him, a half dozen dire elves raced up towards him, Alex no longer there to block them. Shit! We¡¯ve got the dragon held now but- A field of illusory static washed down the steps in front of Ollie, causing the dire elves to hesitate as a small figure darted out to help Ollie to his feet. Cass turned her attention back on the dragon that was struggling to dislodge her. She gripped tighter. Get to the wings! I need to get to the wings! She thought, They¡¯re gonna get past that illusion any moment, she thought desperately and pulled down with all her might, dragging the creature to a knee. How long can Val and John hold out? The dragon pulled back, snapping its leg out and throwing its body in a frantic il to dislodge Alex¡¯s new mass. It was so strong. It was unfair. It was¡­ purple? She blinked. Purple? With an abruptness that left her breathless the dragon mmed into the ground under a tremendous force. She barely got out from beneath it in time as she staggered back. Wait- Greg?! The shriek of a bird of prey ripped through the air behind her at the same time as a golden sh came up from the base of the stairs. Two figures appeared on top of the dragons back simultaneously, both holding swords outstretched in a horizontal sh. Two mighty wings separating from their joints as Otis and Lily cut them clean off.
Chapter 158 Chapter 158 There was a momentary stillness, a pause that hung in the air over the entire temple and surrounding za. For a heartbeat, all eyes were on the pair that stood atop the copsed dragon. Even the massive ck serpent that had the beast coiled in its grip could only stare in shock at the two. Lillian, Crusader, stood looking down at the enemies below. Her hair fluttered in the wind, one green streak and one red streak dancing like feathers amidst a sea of ck. The red and green tattoo on her neck glowed brightly, petals dancing. Her avian eyes zed with internal energy as she surveyed everything. She turned her head and looked Marc in the eyes. His bright blue eyes glimmered in response, a golden crown on his head as his spun-gold hair fluttered around him. She quirked her lip a little, it was so strange seeing him. He usually kept to himself so she thought he just didn¡¯t like anybody at the camp, if she was being honest. Perhaps even a little full of himself, ¡°Looks like I get to fight at your side after all,¡± She said tentatively. His lip twitched before he brandished a perfect smile at her, ¡°Looks like it,¡± He said and looked up towards the entrance to the temple, ¡°Injured?¡± She nced up at the top of the steps, reassessing her thoughts a bit. If he¡¯s concerned about the injured, he can¡¯t be all bad. Maybe he¡¯s just a loner. She paused and spotted a small form behind some rubble and smiled, There she is, good. ¡°A few,¡± She said with a nod before ncing down at the massive serpent head that stared at her from below. She smiled at it, ¡°Hey Alex!¡± Sheughed, ¡°You look good! Put on some weight?¡± She turned to look at Cass and met her eyes, her smile turned a bit more gentle, ¡°Thank you, for holding out for me.¡± She clenched her unblemished fist, her muscles tensing in her arm as power coursed through it. The blockages that she¡¯d felt through her meridians were gone, every cell in her body felt like it was soaring. She felt stronger than she¡¯d ever been in her entire life. Stronger than she¡¯d ever conceive of feeling. Around her, no one spoke, no one breathed. She looked back at Marc and exhaled, ¡°I¡¯d ask what you guys are doing here, but I just really appreciate it,¡± She said before nodding to him, ¡°Ready to clean up, hero?¡± He tilted his chin up a bit and met her gaze, his chest swelling a bit. ¡°You know what? I¡¯d be honored to help,¡± He said with a firm voice. She couldn¡¯t help it, she grinned a little at him. Now that¡¯s the right attitude, she thought as the dragon began to rouse from its shock. The beast beneath them writhed against the force that suppressed it and Crusader nced at Alex, ¡°Go help the others,¡± She said with a nod, ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold him down!¡± Another voice joined in from afar and the serpent whipped its head towards Greg, floating up the side of the temple beforending on the steps and making his way to the top. He casually gestured and the group of dire elves that had been ready to charge the top and attack Snow and Ollie were flung away, screaming as they fell to their deaths. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned around to stand stalwart in front of the opening to the temple. As if his pose was the firing of a starting gun, a roar rose up among the dire elves. The dragon thrashed and Alex dislodged from the beast while Marc and Lily hopped into the air, Cass doubling back several paces and readying her weapon. It staggered to its feet. It could stand but its movements were sluggish. Dazed by losing its wings and suppressed by Gregs powers. Cass shot the two a look before brandishing her hammer and charging with a shout. Alex slithered down the steps to join Val and John who had resumed their fight. Crusader could only smile as she took it all in, her power building, her internal energy cycling. Val was like a machine of destruction, he darted from ce to ce, his body spinning like a top at times. He weaved and bobbed, each punching out with the force of a rocket. He crushed armor, smashed defensive spells, ruined weapons, andid waste to anything that got too close to him. Heughed the entire time, throwing out hoots and whoops as if he was having the time of his life. Heunched into the sky, ¡°Faster!¡± She heard him shout, ¡°Faster! Faster! Faster!¡± The air began to bubble around his body as he whipped back around andunched straight for the ground. He let out a roar of triumph as he picked up speed in a matter of seconds. She felt his heart thundering in his chest even from so far away. Her breath caught as he hit the ground and broke the sound barrier at the same time, shing every rocket in his body to stop himself. A shockwave that ripped out of the point of impact sent a mass of dire elves hurtling through the air. He staggered and fell forward for a moment but caught himself, throwing his fists into the air. He threw his head back and let out a whoop, ¡°I¡¯m a fuckin¡¯ superhero!¡± John twirled the knives between his fingers and moved with a steady rhythm, his body swaying and dipping. Those stiff and jerky movements that he had always used began to melt away as he darted between des, arrows, and spells. He pivoted and twisted, his body moving at strange and impossible angles. She felt his heart thundering in his chest even as she heard something else, something she¡¯d never heard from him before. A low humming and the asional chuckle. He swayed and danced and if she didn¡¯t know better she could have sworn she was watching Sonya fight. He dodged a sword that screamed through the air in his direction as arge dire elf darted towards him. His movements went faster and faster as he engaged in his dance. He threw himself into a backflip beforending on another de thatshed out at him from behind. He¡­ grinned? His foot snapped out with a kick and caught one dire elf in the head as he threw a knife at its throat. It fell and he hopped atop it, pulling the knife out and rolling before stepping left and right with a casual grace, dodging another pair of swings. He was so¡­ alive. Just past him, Alex came roaring in with a titanic movement, his entire bulk mming down on a dozen dire elves before rearing back and whipping his tail out. He coiled and struck, mmed and crushed, wreaking havoc and creating space for his two friends. Valunched over his head and joined in while John moved between and beneath his coils, using Alex¡¯s armored body for protection against iing fire. That was when a series of explosions sttered against the line of dire elves, sending more of them scattering. Crusader whipped her head up to see Snow standing next to Greg with her pistol pointed out. She lowered the weapon and drew her hands back before pushing outward in a forceful gesture. Shouts and confusion rang out, the dire elves below slipping and sliding atop ice that they didn¡¯t know wasn¡¯t real. The tide turned, it all happened in just a few heartbeats. She grinned wildly, it felt like she could feel their momentum inside of her, pushing her further, harder, she wanted to match them, wanted to surpass them, wanted to be at their side and bring all of her might to the table. Out of the corner of her eye, Marc had drifted up to hover in the air briefly next to her as they began to fall back down. The dragon threw its head up in a roar as light billowed in its mouth. It spread across its body in a brilliant barrier, preparing for what they had in mind. A sh of long blonde hair and silver metal mmed into the beast. Cass letting out a bellow of challenge as she collided with it, her hammer crashing into the barrier it had just formed and shattering it with a single blow. Crusader drew her sword back and it exploded with golden mes, more burning from her lips and catching on her brows. It was an impromptu move, but she didn¡¯t care. She was feeling creative. Her eyes sparkled as she threw herself forward into a spin, mimicking Cass¡¯s own favored move. Alongside her, Marc drew his weapon over his head and let himself fall, yellow-white light blooming from it. So much energy! She thought, feeling the power rippling off of his weapon as he plummeted with her. So this is what a mythic¡¯s power is like? I¡¯ve felt teacher¡¯s power but she¡¯s always kind of held back around me. The next instant, she was standing on the ground, her weapon burning bright as the massive weight of the dragon''s headnded on the stairs with a resounding boom. She nced over her shoulder at Marc and Cass and nodded before they turned their attention on the horde below. The three of them charged. We¡¯re all getting out of here, alive! Crusader swore and threw herself back into the thick of it. Her steps came easier, each movement was almost enough to build momentum for First March. She barreled through the dire elves, each swing releasing enough heat and fire to st any behind those who were up close away. Beside her, Marc brought his weapon down and sent a streak of light in a line ahead of him, clearing a path. He turned and punched one of the monsters in the face, crushing its head with a single blow. A hoot of tion rose up over them and Cass collided with the crowd just past them. She stood to her full ten feet of height, golden scales glistening on her skin as she raised her hammer and swung, knocking more and more of them away. Marc turned next to her and spun his sword once, mming into the ground by its point with a grunt, he bore his teeth and a sheet of golden light rushed up from the spot, spreading out and blocking a volley of arrows and spells that were aimed at the two of them. He hunched his shoulders and whipped his head to the right, swinging hard again and releasing another arc of gold that cut clean through a pair of sword wielding dire elves that were racing towards Val in the distance, already engaged with a small group. Val nced at him, surprised, and shot him a thumbs up before rocketing into another group. The massive shape of Alexunched past her, crashing into more and even swallowing a few whole. He reared his body up and stood tall, wrapping his long body in a ring. Valnded on his head, John flipping over tond on one part of his body. Cass joined them, standing with the others as Crusader charged, shouldering her way through the thinning crowd of enemies. She hopped onto the tail as well, Marc joining her a momentter. They stood together, looking around at the remaining army of monsters that had finally, finally, started to turn into a trickle. She felt a lump in her throat as she pointed her sword towards a cluster of them. Snow falling around her head. She smiled to herself just as a bright purple glow washed over everything. She looked back to see Greg at the foot of the steps, his hand on the ground. Illusory copies of snow standing around him with knives in their hands. From her feet, the world began to change. The breath caught in Crusader¡¯s throat as the false ice on the ground began to jut up in hundreds of spikes that spread out in a wave. The snow fell faster, harder, it whirled around them, making visibility for anyone not on theposer¡¯s side even more difficult. The spikes stretched and morphed until dozens of copies of snow rushed out into the mass of enemies, crashing into them. Some shattered on impact, but manynded on their targets and brought their knives down with ruthless precision as Snow sowed even more chaos. At the foot of the stairs, Greg looked up and nodded to her in gratitude. The violet light that had begun to blossom across the field built and built and built. What came next, he threw his entire being into. WHOOSH! Screams and cries of anger and bewilderment spread across the field. The dire elves floated into the air, kicking and iling about. Next to her, Marc held his sword over his head in triumph, ¡°Heroes!¡± He shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s finish them off and get out of here!¡± ¨C Ewen hurtled through one of the remaining walls before another block of stoneunched up from beneath him and struck him in the chin. He was thrown up into the air just as arge rock caught him in the gut. He let out a cry of pain, catching a bit of air before hurtling back to the ground. He tried to right himself only for Axel to be in his face in an instant, a stoic look in the heroes eyes. Axel brought his fist forward and struck, a burst of force sending Ewen straight back to the ground and embedding him in the topsoil. He crawled out and spat on the ground, red light building on his fingertips. ¡°I should have killed you all sooner!¡± He snarled, ¡°Make a show of it my ass!¡± He tried to get to his feet but a blur of off-white crashed into him. He staggered as a foot collided with his chest and then another with the side of his head. His vision spun and he whipped his hand out to fire off a st only for it to get knocked to the side. Why is it so fast? I can¡¯t even see- a metallic leg whipped down and crashed into his ankles, driving him back down to his knees. He let out a sharp breath, panting and snarled, drawing on his power for a volley just as a de pressed against his throat. His chin, swelling from the earlier blow, jutted up and he nced to the left to see one of those doll-things standing over him. It¡¯s cold eyes watching his every move. He set his jaw, ¡°Fucking doll,¡± He muttered before looking at the trio that approached him. Axel stood in front of him, his shirt torn and covered in blood, but his skin undamaged. A pair of green glowing bugs crawled on his arms, ready to heal him if necessary. Ewen nced past him towards the man in armor that hade out near the end. Someone new, I need to tell Liberty. ¡°Sir Ewen,¡± Axel grunted and he looked back up at the man as a cold eyed Bedrock approached and stood at his side. Bedrock¡¯s muscles flexed beneath his shirt and several blocks of stone shot up to hold Ewen where he knelt. ¡°You are under arrest,¡± He said as Madame Rouge started a new song. ¨C Ellis tried to get some space, teleporting again through the sound waves. He reappeared a few meters away only for a falcon to screech past him. The birds were even faster now, something was pumping them up. Their eyes all glowed with a golden light as a shriek of some massive bird of prey carried through each of them. One flew past him after another, crashing into him. He waved his hands and tried to bring them together in a p, onended at his feet and he whipped his head down to see the chain of his ankle chime get torn. ¡°No!¡± He gasped and snapped his arm down just as something hard struck him in the back of the head. He stumbled forward and sagged, the hook of Crowley¡¯s cane pulling his leg out from beneath him. He rolled onto his back and opened his mouth to shriek at the man only for Crowley to burst into a cloud of birds and avoid it. His eyes whipped around, Where¡¯d he go? He looked back down at his ankle and then tried to find his chime. My chimes, I need my chimes! He panicked, scrambling until a powerful hand grabbed him by the shoulders. He was wrenched to his feet as a drum solo yed. He looked up into a pair of burning avian eyes that belonged to a very angry Crowley. There were tears in the hero¡¯s eyes. His lips thinned, ¡°Well shit,¡± he cursed as Crowley pulled him close. Where the hell is that asshole Halloway? He nced past Crowley to a prone figure on the ground and couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the irate man. ¡°Guess your bugs can¡¯t heal the dead-¡± He was cut off as Crowley''s cane drove into his gut and he was thrown to the ground again. It didn¡¯t take long for the avian wielding hero to secure him after that, delivering a crippling blow to his throat. Without his voice and his chimes, he was helpless. More birds darted past, charging into the scattering ranks of the cultists. Amidst the people who were supposed to be their attack force, ck Lotus moved like a wraith in the night. She danced and spun and flipped, glints of silver flickering through the air as each blownded to incapacitate and disable. Shended in front of a small group and threw her hand forward, the force from the movement enough to send them all bowling over. She drew her weapon back, her de aligning with her face as her eyes glowed. The scent of blossoms filling the air as she began to spin. The wind picked up, and pink petals exploded into a storm that washed over the cultists in a wave. They fell in droves as she spun like a hurricane, dust and grass and dirt coiling around her. Lightning shed overhead as she built up speed. She was like a force of nature, roaring through the ranks with nothing to stop her and not an ounce of reservation in her steps. Kant watched all this from afar, on her knees, her hands at her sides. Three of the dolls stood around her, their weapons at the ready in case she so much as blinked. She chewed her lip and one of the des pointed at her shifted. A few meters away, the man in armor held out his hands as more insects floated out from beneath his armor tes. They swarmed out, one evennding on her knee. It was made of metal and it was the stinger that glowed with that eerie green light. She wrinkled her nose at it. They¡¯re even getting ready to heal us, She thought bitterly. She looked up at the horizon, the color was starting to change. Damn it, Liberty would havee if things had gotten this bad, but she wasn¡¯t there. She hadn¡¯te. ¡°We lost,¡± Was all she could say as the ground shook just ahead of her and something made of smooth stone began to rise out of it. ¨C Halloway dragged himself across the ground. He had to get back, he had to get back to Liberty. He had to warn her, he had to deliver the information he¡¯d acquired. He still wasn¡¯t sure where the thumb drive hade from, but it was far less of a concern now. Every bone in his body ached, he barely had enough concentration to use a simple rift let alone suppress teleportation. What is that woman even doing here? I thought she was away! That¡¯s what all our intelligence said, my spies! Idiots! He thought angrily, his ribs creaking. He leaned against a tree and let out a shuddering breath. He grinned to himself, ¡°At least I chased her off, after she got a swing in. I¡¯m lucky to be alive, though,¡± He murmured and nced down at his fingers. A bit of his power wasing back after expending it in the initial tussle. ¡°She grew her head back, it was so fast,¡± He rumbled. First that Gravitic boy blocking my powers and now Handmaiden is practically unkible. Why do I keep running into people who are functionally immune to me? He felt his body go ck for a moment and he lowered himself to his knees, catching his breath. He grit his teeth and concentrated, feeling for Liberty¡¯s presence. She wasn¡¯t far. Just a few miles, he could manage that. He focused on his powers and ripped thergest rift he could open and fell through. Hended amongst trees as the ground shook beneath him. He whipped his head up, adrenaline giving him the strength he needed. He staggered forward only to see two figures sh in the distance. He was toote. Liberty had been intercepted. There¡¯d be no help for the others. Something was wrong, though. That wasn¡¯t Handmaiden. ¡°Cassiopeia?¡±
Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Sonya crossed her legs and gotfortable. Her eyes swept over the gathered aspirants. There were almost a quarter of them missing and she wasn¡¯t going to get a headcount until they all returned. In particr, her favorites were all gone, including him. She narrowed her eyes a little, Marta had told her that Lillian and the scouts were in the dungeon when everything had gotten started and Amos had seen the Nashville crew race towards the dungeon through his cameras. She still wasn¡¯t sure what Otis had done to the dungeon. Cass was convinced he¡¯d done something, but it was all she could do to hope they¡¯d be okay. She closed her eyes and opened an Astral Eye over the battlefield outside, observing from a well hidden spot. Things were drawing to a conclusion it seemed. Euclidia¡¯s archway had risen in the center of the courtyard, heroes pouring out. She paused for a moment to watch Chunhua step away from yet another cultist who copsed beneath her overwhelming might. Chunhua turned her head and looked up, meeting her ethereal gaze. Her lips twitched, You¡¯re getting stronger and stronger aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m d. Finally out of your rut. Chunhua nodded to her before turning back to her work. Sonya set her hands in herp and turned her attention to the dungeon, the swirling light of the portal bubbling and rippling as Lillian stepped out, sword strapped on her shoulder and an injured aspirant cradled in her arms. Yet another streak in her hair. You fought hard in there, didn¡¯t you? You endured pain and threw your life down to protect someone else. You survived. I¡¯m proud of you, She thought as the others stepped out, talking andughing. Everyone ounted for. Otis stepped out as well, his appearance flickering through her sight. And it looks like you¡¯ve started using that ability of yours with a bit more nuance, bastard. Couldn¡¯t be so lucky that you¡¯d die in there, but I suppose I should be happy you went in, even if it¡¯s for the wrong reasons. You helped and now I have to pay that debt, she thought before a ghost of a smile widened on her face. Good. I¡¯ll use it as a chance to keep you on a leash until I figure out how to kill you. Keep your enemies close, right? Her sight moved again and she followed her sense of where Marta was. Her smile turned into a grin as her eye opened on the side of a tree and she took in the sight. Should I let it y out a bit longer? Liberty slid across the ground several feet, her sword raised and tilted as the massive hammer swung by the disguised Marta crashed into it. Marta followed through with a grunt, pushing the weapon¡¯s swing into a full arc that attempted to knock Liberty into the sky. The future herald snarled and pushed back, her body glowing with coppery light and Marta was forced back, her weapon moving in the opposite direction as Liberty swung again, aiming for her throat. Marta whipped her body backwards in a backflip, hopping off the ground twice beforending and readying herself. Liberty was the first to move this time, kicking off the ground and hurtling like a meteor towards Marta as her de glowed brightly. Glowing? Sonya sat up a bit in her seat, ignoring the looks a few of the aspirants gave her. Her senses picked up on every movement around her even as her eyes were shut. She pressed her lips together. I know that sword. She resisted every instinct to break into a manic grin, I found you! I found you Craftsman! Looks like you¡¯re ying house with Liberty! Two for the price of one? I¡¯ll take it! She thought as Liberty collided with Marta with a howl of fury. A thunderp sounded that Sonya could even hear from where she sat. The aspirants sat up in surprise. Marta was thrown into the sky, white streaks whipping off of her body as her power continued to build with the length of the fight. Liberty said something but Marta didn¡¯t react. Hm? Liberty tilted her head and then narrowed her eyes, pointing her weapon at Marta and shouting something else. She looked angry, furious even. She lowered her weapon as Martanded on the ground and Sonya watched as Marta¡¯s arm, which had been broken by the exchange, set itself. Liberty turned her attention towards the trees where Sonya¡¯s eye lurked and she said something else. Sonya¡¯s eyes narrowed, She figured it out, it looks like. Oh well. Time¡¯s up. You lose this time, Liberty. She used technopathy to ess her earpiece and sent a voice message to Marta. <¡°Marta dear, looks like she figured it out. Deliver a message for me¡­¡±> ¨C The thunderp shook the earth, the ground trembling beneath Liberty¡¯s feet as sheunched her sister into the sky. Something felt off though, Is Cassiopeia really this strong? Still not a match for me, but¡­ She thought as the woman hurtled into the air, higher and higher. She followed the arc of her sister¡¯s flight and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Bonnie!¡± She shouted at the girl. There was a pause and then¡­ no reaction. Liberty¡¯s lips formed a thin line as rage bubbled in her gut. She bore her teeth at the person masquerading as her sister. No reaction to the name of her beloved childhood stuffed toy? The one I tore to pieces to send a message? No, this isn¡¯t my sister. ¡°Who are you?¡± She demanded, pointing her sword at the person. ¡°Why are you wearing my sister¡¯s face?¡± The personnded and Liberty watched as the woman¡¯s arm, which seemed to have been broken, set of its own ord. She scowled and turned her gaze towards the woods. A regenerator disguised as my sister, sent to block my progress. Underhanded, mischievous, and reeks of one particr person who yed simr games during Vegas ording to my intelligence. A faint pink light glowed in the trees that she couldn¡¯t get a fix on and her lips set thinner. I knew it. Her eyes cast down towards a figure sitting in the trees, beaten to hell from the looks of it. Halloway. If you¡¯re here- She scoffed and turned her gaze back towards the person wearing her sister¡¯s face. ¡°Are you Ishtar?¡± She demanded, ¡°Interfering on behalf of the heroes? Seems beneath you.¡± The false Cassiopeia flipped her hair and lowered her hammer, she tilted her head as if she was listening to something before smiling. ¡°My mistress has a message for you,¡± The fake said, ¡°You lose this round, Liberty. I¡¯ming for you. You wanted a war? You have one.¡± Liberty bore her teeth with a snarl, ¡°Just a henchman then,¡± She bit out before smiling. ¡°A war it is, then,¡± She said and stood up straight before pulling a needle from her pocket and snapping her arm out, whipping it towards Halloway¡¯s chest. It dug into his flesh and he let out a cry of pain before his body began to heal. The fake turned in surprise towards the spot as Liberty barked out augh, ¡°The heroes won¡¯t take my best people so easily,¡± She said and raised her head, ¡°Halloway! Gather the round table, I would have words with them back home.¡± Several rifts opened in the air around Liberty. Kant and Ellis fell through. Their bodies were bloodied and beaten from the vicious fighting. No Ewen? They must have grabbed him before he fell through, no matter. He failed. Halloway appeared next to her, blood dripping from his nose as he staggered a little. She grabbed him by the back of the neck as the fake readied her hammer. ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± Liberty snarled and pushed power into Halloway. He grunted and seized for a moment before a silvery multicolored line stretched out beneath her and the others. She tilted her head towards the fake, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to our battle, Ishtar and¡­ I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Companion.¡± The fake didn¡¯t react, but it did lower its weapon and re back at her. ¡°Good to know you¡¯re a shapeshifter as well, I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± She said as the rift yawned open and she fell through with her battered lieutenants. ¨C Marta watched them go, her arms shaking. She let out a shaky breath. Sonya had warned her that Liberty was strong, but she was absolutely monstrous. She took her hit like it was nothing, even swinging her hammer with all of her strength. What¡¯s more, Marta¡¯s arm broke from the impact, not the other way around! She looked down at her wrist and flexed her fingers. If that turned into a protracted fight, I would have been turned into paste. I¡¯d havee back, but¡­ Her thoughts trailed off as she reached for her earpiece. ¡°Some of them got away,¡± She said. <¡±It¡¯s fine, we have one at least, thanks to Chunhua. The Committee will lock him up, but I¡¯ll pull some strings for an interview. I want his power regardless,¡±> Sonya said to her. <¡±Come on back and well done. She¡¯s not an easy opponent.¡±> ¡°That¡¯s putting it mildly, she¡¯s stronger than I estimated,¡± Marta said as she turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I went all in on thatst swing, not trying to emte Cass.¡± There was a long pause, <¡±So she has more followers than I expected, understood. That doesn¡¯t change much. This war won¡¯te to blows for a while yet, we have time. Propaganda will sap some of her strength.¡±> ¡°So we¡¯re following through with the original n?¡± Marta asked. <¡±With some minor alterations, yes,¡±> Sonya said, <¡±Kingshark is ready. ckrazor is pulling his people out of her camps for now and purging traitors. I¡¯m also sending Mephisto to South America. The young heroes will be ready and I have some apparent worshippers to meet and see if I can¡¯t leverage in Japan. We have a lot to do before the final confrontation and I want to make you stronger, dear. Just in case.¡±> Marta clenched her fist, it trembled again, an aftershock of the impact. ¡°Yes, mistress. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± ¨C Sonya strode down into the depths of her beach house. Her arms crossed behind her back. Her eyes glowed in the dark, the faint ticking louder than ever in her head. She hadn¡¯t heard it in a while. She strode past one of the ss cases containing a decorative knife and looked back at Ishtar who nodded to her. She set her jaw. I need to do this myself. She¡¯s right. I can¡¯t keep hiding behind her. In the end, this is on me. She thought as she walked into her office. Her mind reached out and the screens came on in the dark. She didn¡¯t need lights, after all. She stood in the middle of the room and took a steadying breath. Ewen has been secured and is being transported by the Pandora Committee to a new prison. She thought as her eyes swept over the screens. The surviving aspirants are better off than I expected, driven even. Her lips dropped into a frown. Ten died, not including Canis. Crowley said she bled out while being held hostage by the enemy. Her heart felt heavy in her chest and she let out a sigh as a re of anger rose in her chest. Those two aspirants in particr, left hanging from trees like that¡­ disgusting. Liberty¡¯s people are warped beyond anything I had considered. She shook her head only to pause as a presence made itself known in her home. She nced up and narrowed her eyes before smiling and turning around to face the door. The door opened a few momentster and Chunhua stood at the threshold. She tilted her head to the right, a gesture of invitation, and Chunhua stepped through. ¡°You did well out there.¡± ¡°Ca came through,¡± Chunhua said quietly, she¡¯d been a little morose after finding out that she hadn¡¯t been able to save Canis but had recovered, the strength of a real hero, ¡°She¡¯s¡­ pretty great. Am I talking to Sonya right now?¡± She asked. Sonya¡¯s eyebrow rose, ¡°Sure are.¡± Chunhua hesitated, reaching up and brushing her dark hair back, ¡°Can I¡­ talk to her? For a moment?¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow but felt Ishtar¡¯s presence at the back of her mind give her assent. She felt her arms go ck as her eyes went unfocused. Her breathing eased as she floated up to sit casually in the air, resting her chin on her palm and looking down at Chunhua. Ishtar smiled cooly, ¡°You called, little hero?¡± Chunhua squared her shoulders and looked up at Ishtar, meeting her gaze and setting her jaw tightly. ¡°I have only one thing to say to you,¡± Chunhua said, ¡°Out there, out in the world, no matter what you do. No matter what your goals. If you are there, I will stand against you. I will stop you from hurting people, no matter what,¡± She let out a breath, ¡°But-¡± She closed her eyes and nodded to herself, ¡°I will help Sonya, I will be there for her. Not because of her past or mine, not because of thest timeline, but because of who she is today. I hate Ishtar, and I will never, ever, forgive her for the things she¡¯s done,¡± She said and exhaled, ¡°I want to talk to Sonya now.¡± Ishtar returned her stare for several heartbeats, her expressionplicated. She felt Sonya¡¯s presence wriggling at the back of her mind but didn¡¯t let go just yet. She leaned forward and grinned, ¡°You¡¯re ying a dangerous game, hypocrite.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say the same to you two,¡± Chunhua shot back. Ishtar barked out augh, ¡°And how do you n on doing this? A noble heart like yours? How can you rationalize it all?¡± ¡°Let me talk to Sonya,¡± Chunhua insisted. Ishtar¡¯s brows furrowed and she canted her head to the right, ¡°Very well,¡± She said and drifted back to the ground. Her eyes softened a little and her shoulders sagged before straightening up. Sonya brought her hand to her lips for a moment before looking away, clearing her throat. ¡°That was¡­ quite the speech.¡± Chunhua stepped forward, ¡°Sonya,¡± she said, ¡°Your memories may have set me down the path to trying to figure out how to reconcile with you. I don¡¯t know what this is, I don¡¯t know how I feel, I don¡¯t know any of it. I can barely function some days, but¡­¡± She looked down at her hands, ¡°You are so¡­¡± She clenched her fists and looked up at her, ¡°...you can set conditions in your deals, right?¡± Sonya felt her heart clench a little, ¡°What kind of deal?¡± She asked. ¡°I want to be the hero that you need me to be, that the world needs me to be,¡± Chunhua said with a shaky voice. ¡°You were right that day. I regret what I did, what I asked for, what I got out of it. That was the most painful kiss of my life.¡± Sonya looked away, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I forced it on you, all of it,¡± She said soberly. ¡°You may have, but I wanted to know,¡± Chunhua said and looked up at her. ¡°I want to make a deal.¡± Sonya looked back at her and brought her hand to her chest, their eyes meeting, ¡°Name your terms.¡± ¡°When I am on the field, when I face Ishtar or her agents, when I am fighting as a hero,¡± She said, ¡°I want you to lock those memories away. I want to fight unrestrained, unchained. I want to face her with my full might, not knowing who she is under that mask.¡± Sonya frowned, ¡°You want me to go against a previous deal,¡± Sonya said even as her heart rate picked up, ¡°That¡¯s quite the ask, and what are you going to give in exchange?¡± ¡°When I am at rest, when I see your face, those memoriese back and I suffer through them all over again,¡± Chunhua dered, ¡°I will never kill you, but I will try my best to stop you when the timees,¡± She touched her chest and looked Sonya in the eyes, ¡°I want to suffer like you are, I want to experience it, every day if I must, if that means being the hero the world needs me to be. Just like you¡¯re the viin the world needs most.¡± Sonya swallowed hard, ¡°I still love you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Chunhua said, ¡°I¡¯m not deaf. You told Ca.¡± Sonya snorted, ¡°Eavesdropper.¡± ¡°Just spying on a known superviin,¡± Chunhua snarked back even as the agony lingered in her eyes. Sonya let out a shaky breath, ¡°Are you sure you want this? I¡¯m never going to force a deal on you again. That is a promise. It broke me to do it to you the first time.¡± Chunhua gave her the gentlest smile in the world, it made Sonya¡¯s heart ache. She wanted to run to her, hold her, kiss her,fort her, to ease her pain in any way she could. But she held her ground, her lips trembling as Chunhua gave her assent with a nod, ¡°Yes. I want to fight Ishtar, but I want to be your friend and whatever the hell else, I want to be there for you if I can.¡± Sonya swallowed and held out her hand, ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± ¨C Libertynded on her feet as the others copsed onto the cold floor beneath them. She paid them no mind for the first few moments, her eyes fixed on the wall ahead of her, her thoughts roiling. The room was dark, only faint lights providing minimal illumination to allow someone to navigate if they needed to. She felt him approaching before he even stepped through the door, the cropped brown hair shimmering a bit in the light that framed his body. Orange eyes glowed brightly as he stepped inside with nonchnt grace. ¡°Craftsman,¡± She bit out. ¡°Looks like things went about as well as I expected,¡± He said, ¡°They should have taken the tools I made for them.¡± She snorted and nced down at the sword on her hip, ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree,¡± She said sourly, ¡°Your toy is powerful, it withstood quite a hit, it seems like you¡¯re the only person working for me in this room with a mind,¡± she added, her voice dripping with venom. Ellis, who as shifting to his feet, nced at Kant and scowled. He said nothing and she noticed the injury on his neck. They silenced him, amusing, she thought before looking to Dame Kant who was sitting on her knees, a mixture of shell-shock, grief, and rage warring on her face. She drew ck Lotus out, then, too early. She failed. It will take time to piece her ego back together. Now is not the time for that though. She reached down and grabbed the woman by the shirt and pulled her to her feet, looking her in the eyes, ¡°Did you enjoy your duel?¡± She demanded. Kant¡¯s eyes seemed to waver for a moment before they fixed on Liberty. Distant. ¡°M-myd-¡± Liberty snarled and pulled her close, ¡°You are fortunate I did not cast you aside like Ewen,¡± She growled in a low voice. ¡°All that nning, wasted, to soothe your precious ego. If you weren¡¯t useful to me still, I would kill you now,¡± She rumbled and the room shook. The faint coppery light that glowed in Kant¡¯s eyes began to fade and her body seemed to wither a little under her touch. Kant¡¯s eyes went wide and she struggled for a moment. ¡°P-Please! Don¡¯t-¡± ¡°You will earn your ce all over again,¡± Liberty hissed, ¡°Struggle well, Kant,¡± She dropped Kant to her knees and the swordswoman groveled. ¡°Please!¡± She begged and sat up, whipping her head towards Halloway and opening her mouth. Liberty kicked her in the chest and sent her careening to the far wall. She struck it, hard, and lost consciousness. ¡°Lip service,¡± She spat before finally turning to Halloway. ¡°You.¡± Halloway seemed to fight down his terror as he looked up at her, ¡°It was-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses!¡± She snarled, ¡°I trusted you with this operation! I gave you more than enough power and put you in a position to seed! It was your responsibility to keep Kant reigned in, even if she is your peer!¡± She bellowed and grabbed him by the throat, ¡°Give me a good reason not to crush your throat now and save myself the trouble of enduring your pathetic groveling!¡± He wheezed and coughed, but didn¡¯t struggle with his body as she held him aloft. ¡°You¡¯re hard on them,¡± Craftsmanmented at her side. ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± she said cooly, ¡°Well? Do you have anything to show for this failure?¡± she demanded. Halloway reached into his pocket, his face going red, then purple, he pulled a small object out and held it out. She snatched it from his fingers and examined it before letting him go. He coughed painfully on the ground as she turned it over in her hand. ¡°A drive?¡± She held it out to Craftsman who shrugged and took it from her. He pulled a thin rod looking device out of his own pocket and pulled on it, stretching out what looked like a screen made of fabric. He slid the drive into a slot on the side and began to read after tapping the fabric screen a few times. ¡°That¡¯s all you have?¡± She asked. ¡°The aspirants are far more powerful than we suspected, well trained,¡± He gasped as he pushed himself up, ¡°A boy named Gravitic had abilities that countered mine and enough skill to hold his own.¡± ¡°A boy?¡± Liberty asked, frowning in thought, ¡°So she could get such training as well, I see. So many camps manufacturing heroes just like that.¡± ¡°Liberty,¡± Craftsman said and held the screen out to her. She turned and frowned at him before looking down at the screen. Her eyes sweeping over the text slowly. At first her face contorted with rage before it began to rx as she read more and more of it. She took the scroll-like object from Craftsman and kept reading, pacing back and forth for several minutes before she finally handed it back over to him. Her gut was doing backflips. Who is this person? They somehow manipted Halloway into delivering this to me. It¡¯s¡­ magnificent. She rubbed her chin and nced at Halloway. He has no idea. Even so. He was loyal enough to bring it to me without hesitation. ¡°I will stay your punishment, Halloway. You brought me something good,¡± She said with a cold smile before turning to Ellis. ¡°You will oversee Kant¡¯s training and recovery until she is worthy of rejoining the Round Table ranks, Ellis. Do this and I will forgive you as well. I¡¯m suddenly feeling very generous.¡± Ellis dropped to the ground and pressed his head to the floor. ¡°-ank -ou,¡± He wheezed. ¡°May I ask what was on the device, ma¡¯am?¡± Halloway asked. She turned to him and rest her hand on the pommel of her sword, ¡°A new strategy, and a new standard to adhere to,¡± She said, ¡°My path to glory.¡± BROKER SEASON 2 PART 1: FOG OF WAR END
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 157 Liberty felt the final teleportation come to an end and glanced down at the phone in her hand. The GPS said she was at the edge of the area that Halloway¡¯s ability should be able to cover. She glanced down at the man hanging from his shirt in her grip, her eyes searching his pale, worn face. Blood streamed down his nose, ears, and eyes even as the coppery glow of her power continued to strengthen him. He smiled wildly at her, his eyes parting slightly, his mind warped under the pressure of dozens of sequential teleportations. She scoffed and dropped him to the ground, ¡°Good work,¡± She grunted and strode away, her expression set and scowling. Those idiots. She snarled, When I get my hands on them. She checked her phone again and saw the news reports. Her signal had been redirected and the battle was being streamed live. Carla Mint had taken over as acting Chairwoman and released Black Lotus. She felt a little of her power wane, a tiny bit, small numbers of her followers turning on her. I¡¯ll kill them all and make a statement of my own. She bit out, drawing back some of the strength she had spread around the world and back into herself. She felt mighty again. She let out a breath through her nostrils and continued her steady stalk forward, getting ready to pick up speed. That was when she felt a shift in the air. Her senses weren¡¯t quite as in tune with the ebb and flow of ambient mana as Kant, but she could feel enough to know that a powerful ability had just activated nearby. She paused in her walk, her eyes flitting around. Her scowl deepened and she drew her sword. The power in the blade stayed dormant, the cold silver-blue edge gleaming a bit in the moonlight. She tilted it over and turned her head, ¡°Come out,¡± She growled in a low voice. There was a sudden flash of movement from within the trees ahead of her. A shape rocketing out of the treetops and hurtling into the air. She whipped her head up as the dark figure reared up in the sky, holding something over its head. Liberty¡¯s eyes narrowed and she whipped her weapon to the side before holding it up to prepare to block. That was when she saw a flicker of blonde hair in the moonlight. Her eyes went wide. What? A scream of rage and fury fell down towards her as her sister came hurtling towards the ground, an enormous metal hammer gripped with both hands. ¡°Cassiopeia?¡± Liberty gasped as a pair of glowing blue eyes raced towards her, streaks of white light rippling off of her body. Her shock dissolved into an expression of scorn, And now you have the gall to attack me, you have spent far too much time in this place. She thought as her sister drew closer, It¡¯s time to come home, brat. You¡¯re all alone. ¨C ¡°Cass! Watch your back!¡± Alex shouted at her as she dove beneath a sweep of the dragon¡¯s claws. She rolled to the side as a short volley of arrows hurtled through the spot she¡¯d just been standing in. She clicked her tongue and tried to reacquire her target but the dragon had moved. The massive beast reeked in a way she couldn¡¯t quite describe, like dead plants and rancid musk. Her lips curled down as the creature took a step back to try to fix its gaze on her and she whipped her weapon up and into its throat. The hard scales absorbed most of the blow but the force was enough to force its head back up. She glanced towards Alex who was in the midst of whip-kicking away the dire elves that had climbed the long temple stairs and tried to turn her into a pincushion. ¡°Thanks! Keep them off me, I can¡¯t get its joints if I keep having to dodge!¡± She shouted as the dragon let out another terrible roar. It flapped its useless wings and tried to get some more distance from her and she charged forward, mace in hand. She had to be careful about how she did this. The two powers that Ishtar had gifted her with her investment were nothing like her core power and she didn¡¯t need more questions when she used them. She dove again, working her way through the dragon¡¯s legs. It shifted its weight and moved out of reach of her again and again. It had amazing senses. I can¡¯t use Shatter on just any part of its body, that¡¯d be too obvious. The joints are a good target though. She thought, I also can¡¯t get hurt too much, grace has a clear glow to it. She pursed her lips as the beast raised its entire body and pressed its clawed back legs into the steps beneath it to gain stability. Next came the green glow up its throat. Oh no you don¡¯t! She kicked off the ground with all the strength she could muster and brought her weapon up in a hard uppercut, slamming it into the creature¡¯s jaw just as it opened its mouth to release that terrible breath weapon that had done so much damage to Lily. I hope she¡¯s okay. Cass thought as she collided with the beast, knocking its head back and sending it flailing backwards. It let out a howl of fury and twisted its body to attempt to catch itself. As Cass descended from her leap she threw her weight forward into a spin, I¡¯ll get you this time! That was a mistake. During her third rotation she noticed it, the creature¡¯s powerful tail whipping in her direction at terrible speed. Her eyes went wide, I forgot about the tail! She gasped as it collided with her, sending her to the ground like a falling stone and embedding her in the stone stairs. Her entire body creaked with pain and she felt something crack in her chest, the only thing that stopped it from killing her was the natural toughness she got from her innate ability. She coughed, scrambling to her feet as the creature turned around and raised its talons to skewer her. Shit! She rolled to the side and the dragon let out a howl before hesitating in it¡¯s descent. She glanced back and saw a copy of herself standing an equal distance from where she¡¯d fallen but on the opposite side. Thank you, Snow. She thought and glanced up at the dragon that was looking between the two Cass¡¯ in confusion. She didn¡¯t waste the opportunity. She charged throwing her back into a swing at one of its legs. Her copy mimicked her movements, darting towards its other flank. The dragon threw its head back in a roar before snapping down to bite at the copy. Got you! She bit out and swung with all her might, activating Shatter. CRRUNCH! The blow, enhanced with her already tremendous physical strength, crashed into the dragon¡¯s leg joint which exploded into a mist of blood and powdered bone. There was a heavy thud as the beast''s left foot hit the ground, separated from the limb. She grinned, This isn¡¯t so bad, might not even need- SCCREEEEEEEEE! The sound was deafening, she staggered as a shriek that made her legs weak and her head spin pierced the air. Her hand went numb and she dropped her weapon on instinct, reaching up to clutch at her ears as the dragon let out a pained sound. Nausea washed up her throat and it took everything not to collapse and puke her guts up. A verdant green light bloomed in front of her as she tried to get her body to move, the terrible sound pinning her to the spot. She forced her eyes open and watched as wood began to grow from the stump where the dragon¡¯s leg had been separated from the limb, forming a false leg. You have got to be kidding me! She thought through the pain. She looked past the beast towards the paused fight going on behind it. Even the dire elves and her comrades had been struck by the creature¡¯s agony. Val, who had been in the midst of fighting off a group of sword wielding attackers who were trying to interfere with the fight had collapsed to a knee while two of the attackers had just fallen over. John was clutching his head just past him. She couldn¡¯t see Snow, probably hiding to maximize her ability. Where¡¯s Alex? She forced the muddled thoughts out, the pressure of the scream making it hard to think. Her vision swam a little. It¡¯s still going? This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Her eyes tried to fix on the false leg that rested on the ground and she saw the dragon take a few steps, turning towards her. I can¡¯t move! She thought as a pair of burning green eyes looked down at her, teeth bared, the sound pushing down even harder just before it ended abruptly. Her legs felt like jelly. The dragon lunged and she felt the back of her shirt get grabbed by a strong hand. She blinked and watched as the dragon¡¯s jaws clamped down on the spot where she¡¯d just been, bits of stone crumbling beneath its mighty bite. Her strength started to come back enough to glance towards her savior. Alex let go of her shirt, scales grown over his ears. He was panting, his skin pale and a bit green. ¡°I gotcha.¡± She thought about what he¡¯d said to her. Those cruel words that weren¡¯t entirely false. He¡¯d apologized, but she hadn¡¯t really been able to work through them. Not because she hated him for it, but because she really didn¡¯t feel like she belonged. Like she was a useful add-on. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t forgive him for it, that was easy, he wasn¡¯t wrong. She just didn¡¯t know how to reconcile it all. He met her gaze and nodded to her, his eyes burning with resolve. He wasn¡¯t backing down and he wasn¡¯t going to let an ally die, no matter what. She pressed her lips together as she felt the dragon turn its attention to them. She rolled her shoulder as it started to approach and she returned his nod. That one gesture from him was more genuine acceptance than she¡¯d ever felt in her entire life from someone of her age. Sonya had taken her in, cared for her like a little sister. She didn¡¯t quite know how the others felt, but she knew how at least one of them did. That was enough to know what she wanted and what Sonya had meant when they talked that night. That was more than enough. She grit her teeth as the dragon charged, jaws open, and dipped in deep. I am Ishtar¡¯s hammer, I am the Mighty Asterion, and fuck it all, I¡¯m going to be a hero too! She bellowed out a roar that shook the stones beneath her feet. Each step forward of the dragon was met by one of her own as she slammed her hammer into the ground. She held out her hands as her body began to grow, expand, her muscles becoming denser, her eyes beginning to burn. Her hair grew longer and longer as her fingers reached up. She was seven feet, eight feet, nine feet, ten feet tall when her hands collided with the dragon¡¯s jaws. She gripped them tightly with a snarl and bellowed back at it, horns sprouting from her head and curling brutally. She planted her feet. The massive beast that overshadowed her, just like her sister, I¡¯m big now too! She wrenched her arms to the right with a bellow and pulled with all her strength. A sound of gurgled confusion wrought its way up the dragon¡¯s throat as she threw it to the ground, slamming it onto its side. Her muscles tensed and burned and she pulled again, slamming it down in the opposite direction. Again! Again! Again! She roared inside, letting those feelings of rage power her through as she bashed the dragons head against the ground over and over until a flash of green light made her blink and squint. She threw its head to the side and a blast of verdant light ripped through part of the staircase and swept across the city around the temple, annihilating anything it touched. The blast stopped and the dragon pulled itself to its feet, shaking its head and stumbling a little. Despite all she¡¯d done it was just pissed off. She caught her breath and took a step back as she met the creature¡¯s eyes. She grabbed her hammer with one hand and its eyes burned at her with unshackled hatred. It spread its wings and threw its head back in another roar, that verdant glow burning on its flesh. Something sprouted from the tears in its wings. Thin strands of¡­ Are those fungus fibers? Her eyes widened and she charged, No! Don¡¯t you dare! The fibers lashed out across the opening, knitting together and pulling the tears in its wings together and binding them. Alex darted in next to her, fangs growing in his mouth as his entire body was covered in scales. Both of them slammed into the hind legs of the big thing grabbing hold and trying to fix it to the ground. It tried to whip its legs as it restored its wings, attempting to dislodge them. She looked around. They needed someone to get rid of the damn wings somehow. John was the best choice but he was occupied covering Val and keeping the still dense horde of dire elves off of them as an illusory stretch of bladed terrain washed down the steps to hamper their advance. The things were endless, like the dungeon was spawning them every second. Is that what Otis did? Did he uncap the- Her thoughts were broken by a wrenching sensation as her body was nearly thrown off the dragon¡¯s leg. She slammed her hammer into the ground to act as an anchor. I can¡¯t hold on forever! She glanced at Alex who met her gaze, ¡°Hang in there!¡± She shouted. ¡°That¡¯s about all I¡¯m doing!¡± Alex laughed despite the situation and tried to dig his sharpened fingers into the scales. ¡°Damn thing is so tough! Why is this thing so strong?¡± ¡°Ties that bind, comrades, a union of strength.¡± The words washed through her entire being. Ollie? I thought he was hiding with Snow. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the thin young man standing there at the top of the steps, his hands outstretched, his entire body shaking. Get inside you idiot! There¡¯s too many! He met her gaze and clenched his outstretched hands into fists, bringing them together. A shock ran through her body. She felt something growing on her skin, it itched and felt disgusting but her body felt¡­ harder, tougher, her bones tried to knit together as the cuts and scrapes across her skin started to close beneath thick golden scales. Scales? Then that¡¯s Alex¡¯s regeneration. That means- She whipped her head towards Alex who¡¯s body began to expand, he threw his head back in a terrible rasping hiss as his arms pulled close to his body, he released the dragon¡¯s leg only for a moment before he changed. A black scaled horned serpent as wide around as a sedan wrapped its way around the dragon¡¯s leg before slithering up its side and weaving itself around the dragons neck and body, applying even more weight. The dragon struggled, flapping its restored wings but it just couldn¡¯t move. Alex reared his massive head back and lashed out, biting down on the dragons throat and not letting go. She glanced back at Ollie in amazement only to see him go pale and collapse to his knees, sweat beading on his face. He looked stricken. Beneath him, a half dozen dire elves raced up towards him, Alex no longer there to block them. Shit! We¡¯ve got the dragon held now but- A field of illusory static washed down the steps in front of Ollie, causing the dire elves to hesitate as a small figure darted out to help Ollie to his feet. Cass turned her attention back on the dragon that was struggling to dislodge her. She gripped tighter. Get to the wings! I need to get to the wings! She thought, They¡¯re gonna get past that illusion any moment, she thought desperately and pulled down with all her might, dragging the creature to a knee. How long can Val and John hold out? The dragon pulled back, snapping its leg out and throwing its body in a frantic flail to dislodge Alex¡¯s new mass. It was so strong. It was unfair. It was¡­ purple? She blinked. Purple? With an abruptness that left her breathless the dragon slammed into the ground under a tremendous force. She barely got out from beneath it in time as she staggered back. Wait- Greg?! The shriek of a bird of prey ripped through the air behind her at the same time as a golden flash came up from the base of the stairs. Two figures appeared on top of the dragons back simultaneously, both holding swords outstretched in a horizontal slash. Two mighty wings separating from their joints as Otis and Lily cut them clean off. Chapter 158 There was a momentary stillness, a pause that hung in the air over the entire temple and surrounding plaza. For a heartbeat, all eyes were on the pair that stood atop the collapsed dragon. Even the massive black serpent that had the beast coiled in its grip could only stare in shock at the two. Lillian, Crusader, stood looking down at the enemies below. Her hair fluttered in the wind, one green streak and one red streak dancing like feathers amidst a sea of black. The red and green tattoo on her neck glowed brightly, petals dancing. Her avian eyes blazed with internal energy as she surveyed everything. She turned her head and looked Marc in the eyes. His bright blue eyes glimmered in response, a golden crown on his head as his spun-gold hair fluttered around him. She quirked her lip a little, it was so strange seeing him. He usually kept to himself so she thought he just didn¡¯t like anybody at the camp, if she was being honest. Perhaps even a little full of himself, ¡°Looks like I get to fight at your side after all,¡± She said tentatively. His lip twitched before he brandished a perfect smile at her, ¡°Looks like it,¡± He said and looked up towards the entrance to the temple, ¡°Injured?¡± She glanced up at the top of the steps, reassessing her thoughts a bit. If he¡¯s concerned about the injured, he can¡¯t be all bad. Maybe he¡¯s just a loner. She paused and spotted a small form behind some rubble and smiled, There she is, good. ¡°A few,¡± She said with a nod before glancing down at the massive serpent head that stared at her from below. She smiled at it, ¡°Hey Alex!¡± She laughed, ¡°You look good! Put on some weight?¡± She turned to look at Cass and met her eyes, her smile turned a bit more gentle, ¡°Thank you, for holding out for me.¡± She clenched her unblemished fist, her muscles tensing in her arm as power coursed through it. The blockages that she¡¯d felt through her meridians were gone, every cell in her body felt like it was soaring. She felt stronger than she¡¯d ever been in her entire life. Stronger than she¡¯d ever conceive of feeling. Around her, no one spoke, no one breathed. She looked back at Marc and exhaled, ¡°I¡¯d ask what you guys are doing here, but I just really appreciate it,¡± She said before nodding to him, ¡°Ready to clean up, hero?¡± He tilted his chin up a bit and met her gaze, his chest swelling a bit. ¡°You know what? I¡¯d be honored to help,¡± He said with a firm voice. She couldn¡¯t help it, she grinned a little at him. Now that¡¯s the right attitude, she thought as the dragon began to rouse from its shock. The beast beneath them writhed against the force that suppressed it and Crusader glanced at Alex, ¡°Go help the others,¡± She said with a nod, ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold him down!¡± Another voice joined in from afar and the serpent whipped its head towards Greg, floating up the side of the temple before landing on the steps and making his way to the top. He casually gestured and the group of dire elves that had been ready to charge the top and attack Snow and Ollie were flung away, screaming as they fell to their deaths. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned around to stand stalwart in front of the opening to the temple. As if his pose was the firing of a starting gun, a roar rose up among the dire elves. The dragon thrashed and Alex dislodged from the beast while Marc and Lily hopped into the air, Cass doubling back several paces and readying her weapon. It staggered to its feet. It could stand but its movements were sluggish. Dazed by losing its wings and suppressed by Gregs powers. Cass shot the two a look before brandishing her hammer and charging with a shout. Alex slithered down the steps to join Val and John who had resumed their fight. Crusader could only smile as she took it all in, her power building, her internal energy cycling. Val was like a machine of destruction, he darted from place to place, his body spinning like a top at times. He weaved and bobbed, each punch coming out with the force of a rocket. He crushed armor, smashed defensive spells, ruined weapons, and laid waste to anything that got too close to him. He laughed the entire time, throwing out hoots and whoops as if he was having the time of his life. He launched into the sky, ¡°Faster!¡± She heard him shout, ¡°Faster! Faster! Faster!¡± The air began to bubble around his body as he whipped back around and launched straight for the ground. He let out a roar of triumph as he picked up speed in a matter of seconds. She felt his heart thundering in his chest even from so far away. Her breath caught as he hit the ground and broke the sound barrier at the same time, flashing every rocket in his body to stop himself. A shockwave that ripped out of the point of impact sent a mass of dire elves hurtling through the air. He staggered and fell forward for a moment but caught himself, throwing his fists into the air. He threw his head back and let out a whoop, ¡°I¡¯m a fuckin¡¯ superhero!¡± John twirled the knives between his fingers and moved with a steady rhythm, his body swaying and dipping. Those stiff and jerky movements that he had always used began to melt away as he darted between blades, arrows, and spells. He pivoted and twisted, his body moving at strange and impossible angles. She felt his heart thundering in his chest even as she heard something else, something she¡¯d never heard from him before. A low humming and the occasional chuckle. He swayed and danced and if she didn¡¯t know better she could have sworn she was watching Sonya fight. He dodged a sword that screamed through the air in his direction as a large dire elf darted towards him. His movements went faster and faster as he engaged in his dance. He threw himself into a backflip before landing on another blade that lashed out at him from behind. He¡­ grinned? His foot snapped out with a kick and caught one dire elf in the head as he threw a knife at its throat. It fell and he hopped atop it, pulling the knife out and rolling before stepping left and right with a casual grace, dodging another pair of swings. He was so¡­ alive. Just past him, Alex came roaring in with a titanic movement, his entire bulk slamming down on a dozen dire elves before rearing back and whipping his tail out. He coiled and struck, slammed and crushed, wreaking havoc and creating space for his two friends. Val launched over his head and joined in while John moved between and beneath his coils, using Alex¡¯s armored body for protection against incoming fire. That was when a series of explosions splattered against the line of dire elves, sending more of them scattering. Crusader whipped her head up to see Snow standing next to Greg with her pistol pointed out. She lowered the weapon and drew her hands back before pushing outward in a forceful gesture. Shouts and confusion rang out, the dire elves below slipping and sliding atop ice that they didn¡¯t know wasn¡¯t real. The tide turned, it all happened in just a few heartbeats. She grinned wildly, it felt like she could feel their momentum inside of her, pushing her further, harder, she wanted to match them, wanted to surpass them, wanted to be at their side and bring all of her might to the table. Out of the corner of her eye, Marc had drifted up to hover in the air briefly next to her as they began to fall back down. The dragon threw its head up in a roar as light billowed in its mouth. It spread across its body in a brilliant barrier, preparing for what they had in mind. A flash of long blonde hair and silver metal slammed into the beast. Cass letting out a bellow of challenge as she collided with it, her hammer crashing into the barrier it had just formed and shattering it with a single blow. Crusader drew her sword back and it exploded with golden flames, more burning from her lips and catching on her brows. It was an impromptu move, but she didn¡¯t care. She was feeling creative. Her eyes sparkled as she threw herself forward into a spin, mimicking Cass¡¯s own favored move. Alongside her, Marc drew his weapon over his head and let himself fall, yellow-white light blooming from it. So much energy! She thought, feeling the power rippling off of his weapon as he plummeted with her. So this is what a mythic¡¯s power is like? I¡¯ve felt teacher¡¯s power but she¡¯s always kind of held back around me. The next instant, she was standing on the ground, her weapon burning bright as the massive weight of the dragon''s head landed on the stairs with a resounding boom. She glanced over her shoulder at Marc and Cass and nodded before they turned their attention on the horde below. The three of them charged. We¡¯re all getting out of here, alive! Crusader swore and threw herself back into the thick of it. Her steps came easier, each movement was almost enough to build momentum for First March. She barreled through the dire elves, each swing releasing enough heat and fire to blast any behind those who were up close away. Beside her, Marc brought his weapon down and sent a streak of light in a line ahead of him, clearing a path. He turned and punched one of the monsters in the face, crushing its head with a single blow. A hoot of elation rose up over them and Cass collided with the crowd just past them. She stood to her full ten feet of height, golden scales glistening on her skin as she raised her hammer and swung, knocking more and more of them away.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Marc turned next to her and spun his sword once, slamming into the ground by its point with a grunt, he bore his teeth and a sheet of golden light rushed up from the spot, spreading out and blocking a volley of arrows and spells that were aimed at the two of them. He hunched his shoulders and whipped his head to the right, swinging hard again and releasing another arc of gold that cut clean through a pair of sword wielding dire elves that were racing towards Val in the distance, already engaged with a small group. Val glanced at him, surprised, and shot him a thumbs up before rocketing into another group. The massive shape of Alex launched past her, crashing into more and even swallowing a few whole. He reared his body up and stood tall, wrapping his long body in a ring. Val landed on his head, John flipping over to land on one part of his body. Cass joined them, standing with the others as Crusader charged, shouldering her way through the thinning crowd of enemies. She hopped onto the tail as well, Marc joining her a moment later. They stood together, looking around at the remaining army of monsters that had finally, finally, started to turn into a trickle. She felt a lump in her throat as she pointed her sword towards a cluster of them. Snow falling around her head. She smiled to herself just as a bright purple glow washed over everything. She looked back to see Greg at the foot of the steps, his hand on the ground. Illusory copies of snow standing around him with knives in their hands. From her feet, the world began to change. The breath caught in Crusader¡¯s throat as the false ice on the ground began to jut up in hundreds of spikes that spread out in a wave. The snow fell faster, harder, it whirled around them, making visibility for anyone not on the composer¡¯s side even more difficult. The spikes stretched and morphed until dozens of copies of snow rushed out into the mass of enemies, crashing into them. Some shattered on impact, but many landed on their targets and brought their knives down with ruthless precision as Snow sowed even more chaos. At the foot of the stairs, Greg looked up and nodded to her in gratitude. The violet light that had begun to blossom across the field built and built and built. What came next, he threw his entire being into. WHOOSH! Screams and cries of anger and bewilderment spread across the field. The dire elves floated into the air, kicking and flailing about. Next to her, Marc held his sword over his head in triumph, ¡°Heroes!¡± He shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s finish them off and get out of here!¡± ¨C Ewen hurtled through one of the remaining walls before another block of stone launched up from beneath him and struck him in the chin. He was thrown up into the air just as a large rock caught him in the gut. He let out a cry of pain, catching a bit of air before hurtling back to the ground. He tried to right himself only for Axel to be in his face in an instant, a stoic look in the heroes eyes. Axel brought his fist forward and struck, a burst of force sending Ewen straight back to the ground and embedding him in the topsoil. He crawled out and spat on the ground, red light building on his fingertips. ¡°I should have killed you all sooner!¡± He snarled, ¡°Make a show of it my ass!¡± He tried to get to his feet but a blur of off-white crashed into him. He staggered as a foot collided with his chest and then another with the side of his head. His vision spun and he whipped his hand out to fire off a blast only for it to get knocked to the side. Why is it so fast? I can¡¯t even see- a metallic leg whipped down and crashed into his ankles, driving him back down to his knees. He let out a sharp breath, panting and snarled, drawing on his power for a volley just as a blade pressed against his throat. His chin, swelling from the earlier blow, jutted up and he glanced to the left to see one of those doll-things standing over him. It¡¯s cold eyes watching his every move. He set his jaw, ¡°Fucking doll,¡± He muttered before looking at the trio that approached him. Axel stood in front of him, his shirt torn and covered in blood, but his skin undamaged. A pair of green glowing bugs crawled on his arms, ready to heal him if necessary. Ewen glanced past him towards the man in armor that had come out near the end. Someone new, I need to tell Liberty. ¡°Sir Ewen,¡± Axel grunted and he looked back up at the man as a cold eyed Bedrock approached and stood at his side. Bedrock¡¯s muscles flexed beneath his shirt and several blocks of stone shot up to hold Ewen where he knelt. ¡°You are under arrest,¡± He said as Madame Rouge started a new song. ¨C Ellis tried to get some space, teleporting again through the sound waves. He reappeared a few meters away only for a falcon to screech past him. The birds were even faster now, something was pumping them up. Their eyes all glowed with a golden light as a shriek of some massive bird of prey carried through each of them. One flew past him after another, crashing into him. He waved his hands and tried to bring them together in a clap, one landed at his feet and he whipped his head down to see the chain of his ankle chime get torn. ¡°No!¡± He gasped and snapped his arm down just as something hard struck him in the back of the head. He stumbled forward and sagged, the hook of Crowley¡¯s cane pulling his leg out from beneath him. He rolled onto his back and opened his mouth to shriek at the man only for Crowley to burst into a cloud of birds and avoid it. His eyes whipped around, Where¡¯d he go? He looked back down at his ankle and then tried to find his chime. My chimes, I need my chimes! He panicked, scrambling until a powerful hand grabbed him by the shoulders. He was wrenched to his feet as a drum solo played. He looked up into a pair of burning avian eyes that belonged to a very angry Crowley. There were tears in the hero¡¯s eyes. His lips thinned, ¡°Well shit,¡± he cursed as Crowley pulled him close. Where the hell is that asshole Halloway? He glanced past Crowley to a prone figure on the ground and couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the irate man. ¡°Guess your bugs can¡¯t heal the dead-¡± He was cut off as Crowley''s cane drove into his gut and he was thrown to the ground again. It didn¡¯t take long for the avian wielding hero to secure him after that, delivering a crippling blow to his throat. Without his voice and his chimes, he was helpless. More birds darted past, charging into the scattering ranks of the cultists. Amidst the people who were supposed to be their attack force, Black Lotus moved like a wraith in the night. She danced and spun and flipped, glints of silver flickering through the air as each blow landed to incapacitate and disable. She landed in front of a small group and threw her hand forward, the force from the movement enough to send them all bowling over. She drew her weapon back, her blade aligning with her face as her eyes glowed. The scent of blossoms filling the air as she began to spin. The wind picked up, and pink petals exploded into a storm that washed over the cultists in a wave. They fell in droves as she spun like a hurricane, dust and grass and dirt coiling around her. Lightning flashed overhead as she built up speed. She was like a force of nature, roaring through the ranks with nothing to stop her and not an ounce of reservation in her steps. Kant watched all this from afar, on her knees, her hands at her sides. Three of the dolls stood around her, their weapons at the ready in case she so much as blinked. She chewed her lip and one of the blades pointed at her shifted. A few meters away, the man in armor held out his hands as more insects floated out from beneath his armor plates. They swarmed out, one even landing on her knee. It was made of metal and it was the stinger that glowed with that eerie green light. She wrinkled her nose at it. They¡¯re even getting ready to heal us, She thought bitterly. She looked up at the horizon, the color was starting to change. Damn it, Liberty would have come if things had gotten this bad, but she wasn¡¯t there. She hadn¡¯t come. ¡°We lost,¡± Was all she could say as the ground shook just ahead of her and something made of smooth stone began to rise out of it. ¨C Halloway dragged himself across the ground. He had to get back, he had to get back to Liberty. He had to warn her, he had to deliver the information he¡¯d acquired. He still wasn¡¯t sure where the thumb drive had come from, but it was far less of a concern now. Every bone in his body ached, he barely had enough concentration to use a simple rift let alone suppress teleportation. What is that woman even doing here? I thought she was away! That¡¯s what all our intelligence said, my spies! Idiots! He thought angrily, his ribs creaking. He leaned against a tree and let out a shuddering breath. He grinned to himself, ¡°At least I chased her off, after she got a swing in. I¡¯m lucky to be alive, though,¡± He murmured and glanced down at his fingers. A bit of his power was coming back after expending it in the initial tussle. ¡°She grew her head back, it was so fast,¡± He rumbled. First that Gravitic boy blocking my powers and now Handmaiden is practically unkillable. Why do I keep running into people who are functionally immune to me? He felt his body go slack for a moment and he lowered himself to his knees, catching his breath. He grit his teeth and concentrated, feeling for Liberty¡¯s presence. She wasn¡¯t far. Just a few miles, he could manage that. He focused on his powers and ripped the largest rift he could open and fell through. He landed amongst trees as the ground shook beneath him. He whipped his head up, adrenaline giving him the strength he needed. He staggered forward only to see two figures clash in the distance. He was too late. Liberty had been intercepted. There¡¯d be no help for the others. Something was wrong, though. That wasn¡¯t Handmaiden. ¡°Cassiopeia?¡± Chapter 159 Sonya crossed her legs and got comfortable. Her eyes swept over the gathered aspirants. There were almost a quarter of them missing and she wasn¡¯t going to get a headcount until they all returned. In particular, her favorites were all gone, including him. She narrowed her eyes a little, Marta had told her that Lillian and the scouts were in the dungeon when everything had gotten started and Amos had seen the Nashville crew race towards the dungeon through his cameras. She still wasn¡¯t sure what Otis had done to the dungeon. Cass was convinced he¡¯d done something, but it was all she could do to hope they¡¯d be okay. She closed her eyes and opened an Astral Eye over the battlefield outside, observing from a well hidden spot. Things were drawing to a conclusion it seemed. Euclidia¡¯s archway had risen in the center of the courtyard, heroes pouring out. She paused for a moment to watch Chunhua step away from yet another cultist who collapsed beneath her overwhelming might. Chunhua turned her head and looked up, meeting her ethereal gaze. Her lips twitched, You¡¯re getting stronger and stronger aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m glad. Finally out of your rut. Chunhua nodded to her before turning back to her work. Sonya set her hands in her lap and turned her attention to the dungeon, the swirling light of the portal bubbling and rippling as Lillian stepped out, sword strapped on her shoulder and an injured aspirant cradled in her arms. Yet another streak in her hair. You fought hard in there, didn¡¯t you? You endured pain and threw your life down to protect someone else. You survived. I¡¯m proud of you, She thought as the others stepped out, talking and laughing. Everyone accounted for. Otis stepped out as well, his appearance flickering through her sight. And it looks like you¡¯ve started using that ability of yours with a bit more nuance, bastard. Couldn¡¯t be so lucky that you¡¯d die in there, but I suppose I should be happy you went in, even if it¡¯s for the wrong reasons. You helped and now I have to pay that debt, she thought before a ghost of a smile widened on her face. Good. I¡¯ll use it as a chance to keep you on a leash until I figure out how to kill you. Keep your enemies close, right? Her sight moved again and she followed her sense of where Marta was. Her smile turned into a grin as her eye opened on the side of a tree and she took in the sight. Should I let it play out a bit longer? Liberty slid across the ground several feet, her sword raised and tilted as the massive hammer swung by the disguised Marta crashed into it. Marta followed through with a grunt, pushing the weapon¡¯s swing into a full arc that attempted to knock Liberty into the sky. The future herald snarled and pushed back, her body glowing with coppery light and Marta was forced back, her weapon moving in the opposite direction as Liberty swung again, aiming for her throat. Marta whipped her body backwards in a backflip, hopping off the ground twice before landing and readying herself. Liberty was the first to move this time, kicking off the ground and hurtling like a meteor towards Marta as her blade glowed brightly. Glowing? Sonya sat up a bit in her seat, ignoring the looks a few of the aspirants gave her. Her senses picked up on every movement around her even as her eyes were shut. She pressed her lips together. I know that sword. She resisted every instinct to break into a manic grin, I found you! I found you Craftsman! Looks like you¡¯re playing house with Liberty! Two for the price of one? I¡¯ll take it! She thought as Liberty collided with Marta with a howl of fury. A thunderclap sounded that Sonya could even hear from where she sat. The aspirants sat up in surprise. Marta was thrown into the sky, white streaks whipping off of her body as her power continued to build with the length of the fight. Liberty said something but Marta didn¡¯t react. Hm? Liberty tilted her head and then narrowed her eyes, pointing her weapon at Marta and shouting something else. She looked angry, furious even. She lowered her weapon as Marta landed on the ground and Sonya watched as Marta¡¯s arm, which had been broken by the exchange, set itself. Liberty turned her attention towards the trees where Sonya¡¯s eye lurked and she said something else. Sonya¡¯s eyes narrowed, She figured it out, it looks like. Oh well. Time¡¯s up. You lose this time, Liberty. She used technopathy to access her earpiece and sent a voice message to Marta. <¡°Marta dear, looks like she figured it out. Deliver a message for me¡­¡±> ¨C The thunderclap shook the earth, the ground trembling beneath Liberty¡¯s feet as she launched her sister into the sky. Something felt off though, Is Cassiopeia really this strong? Still not a match for me, but¡­ She thought as the woman hurtled into the air, higher and higher. She followed the arc of her sister¡¯s flight and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Bonnie!¡± She shouted at the girl. There was a pause and then¡­ no reaction. Liberty¡¯s lips formed a thin line as rage bubbled in her gut. She bore her teeth at the person masquerading as her sister. No reaction to the name of her beloved childhood stuffed toy? The one I tore to pieces to send a message? No, this isn¡¯t my sister. ¡°Who are you?¡± She demanded, pointing her sword at the person. ¡°Why are you wearing my sister¡¯s face?¡± The person landed and Liberty watched as the woman¡¯s arm, which seemed to have been broken, set of its own accord. She scowled and turned her gaze towards the woods. A regenerator disguised as my sister, sent to block my progress. Underhanded, mischievous, and reeks of one particular person who played similar games during Vegas according to my intelligence. A faint pink light glowed in the trees that she couldn¡¯t get a fix on and her lips set thinner. I knew it. Her eyes cast down towards a figure sitting in the trees, beaten to hell from the looks of it. Halloway. If you¡¯re here- She scoffed and turned her gaze back towards the person wearing her sister¡¯s face. ¡°Are you Ishtar?¡± She demanded, ¡°Interfering on behalf of the heroes? Seems beneath you.¡± The false Cassiopeia flipped her hair and lowered her hammer, she tilted her head as if she was listening to something before smiling. ¡°My mistress has a message for you,¡± The fake said, ¡°You lose this round, Liberty. I¡¯m coming for you. You wanted a war? You have one.¡± Liberty bore her teeth with a snarl, ¡°Just a henchman then,¡± She bit out before smiling. ¡°A war it is, then,¡± She said and stood up straight before pulling a needle from her pocket and snapping her arm out, whipping it towards Halloway¡¯s chest. It dug into his flesh and he let out a cry of pain before his body began to heal. The fake turned in surprise towards the spot as Liberty barked out a laugh, ¡°The heroes won¡¯t take my best people so easily,¡± She said and raised her head, ¡°Halloway! Gather the round table, I would have words with them back home.¡± Several rifts opened in the air around Liberty. Kant and Ellis fell through. Their bodies were bloodied and beaten from the vicious fighting. No Ewen? They must have grabbed him before he fell through, no matter. He failed. Halloway appeared next to her, blood dripping from his nose as he staggered a little. She grabbed him by the back of the neck as the fake readied her hammer. ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± Liberty snarled and pushed power into Halloway. He grunted and seized for a moment before a silvery multicolored line stretched out beneath her and the others. She tilted her head towards the fake, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to our battle, Ishtar and¡­ I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Companion.¡± The fake didn¡¯t react, but it did lower its weapon and glare back at her. ¡°Good to know you¡¯re a shapeshifter as well, I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± She said as the rift yawned open and she fell through with her battered lieutenants. ¨C Marta watched them go, her arms shaking. She let out a shaky breath. Sonya had warned her that Liberty was strong, but she was absolutely monstrous. She took her hit like it was nothing, even swinging her hammer with all of her strength. What¡¯s more, Marta¡¯s arm broke from the impact, not the other way around! She looked down at her wrist and flexed her fingers. If that turned into a protracted fight, I would have been turned into paste. I¡¯d have come back, but¡­ Her thoughts trailed off as she reached for her earpiece. ¡°Some of them got away,¡± She said. <¡±It¡¯s fine, we have one at least, thanks to Chunhua. The Committee will lock him up, but I¡¯ll pull some strings for an interview. I want his power regardless,¡±> Sonya said to her. <¡±Come on back and well done. She¡¯s not an easy opponent.¡±> ¡°That¡¯s putting it mildly, she¡¯s stronger than I estimated,¡± Marta said as she turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I went all in on that last swing, not trying to emulate Cass.¡± There was a long pause, <¡±So she has more followers than I expected, understood. That doesn¡¯t change much. This war won¡¯t come to blows for a while yet, we have time. Propaganda will sap some of her strength.¡±> ¡°So we¡¯re following through with the original plan?¡± Marta asked. <¡±With some minor alterations, yes,¡±> Sonya said, <¡±Kingshark is ready. Blackrazor is pulling his people out of her camps for now and purging traitors. I¡¯m also sending Mephisto to South America. The young heroes will be ready and I have some apparent worshippers to meet and see if I can¡¯t leverage in Japan. We have a lot to do before the final confrontation and I want to make you stronger, dear. Just in case.¡±> Marta clenched her fist, it trembled again, an aftershock of the impact. ¡°Yes, mistress. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± ¨C Sonya strode down into the depths of her beach house. Her arms crossed behind her back. Her eyes glowed in the dark, the faint ticking louder than ever in her head. She hadn¡¯t heard it in a while. She strode past one of the glass cases containing a decorative knife and looked back at Ishtar who nodded to her. She set her jaw. I need to do this myself. She¡¯s right. I can¡¯t keep hiding behind her. In the end, this is on me. She thought as she walked into her office. Her mind reached out and the screens came on in the dark. She didn¡¯t need lights, after all. She stood in the middle of the room and took a steadying breath.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Ewen has been secured and is being transported by the Pandora Committee to a new prison. She thought as her eyes swept over the screens. The surviving aspirants are better off than I expected, driven even. Her lips dropped into a frown. Ten died, not including Canis. Crowley said she bled out while being held hostage by the enemy. Her heart felt heavy in her chest and she let out a sigh as a flare of anger rose in her chest. Those two aspirants in particular, left hanging from trees like that¡­ disgusting. Liberty¡¯s people are warped beyond anything I had considered. She shook her head only to pause as a presence made itself known in her home. She glanced up and narrowed her eyes before smiling and turning around to face the door. The door opened a few moments later and Chunhua stood at the threshold. She tilted her head to the right, a gesture of invitation, and Chunhua stepped through. ¡°You did well out there.¡± ¡°Carla came through,¡± Chunhua said quietly, she¡¯d been a little morose after finding out that she hadn¡¯t been able to save Canis but had recovered, the strength of a real hero, ¡°She¡¯s¡­ pretty great. Am I talking to Sonya right now?¡± She asked. Sonya¡¯s eyebrow rose, ¡°Sure are.¡± Chunhua hesitated, reaching up and brushing her dark hair back, ¡°Can I¡­ talk to her? For a moment?¡± Sonya raised an eyebrow but felt Ishtar¡¯s presence at the back of her mind give her assent. She felt her arms go slack as her eyes went unfocused. Her breathing eased as she floated up to sit casually in the air, resting her chin on her palm and looking down at Chunhua. Ishtar smiled cooly, ¡°You called, little hero?¡± Chunhua squared her shoulders and looked up at Ishtar, meeting her gaze and setting her jaw tightly. ¡°I have only one thing to say to you,¡± Chunhua said, ¡°Out there, out in the world, no matter what you do. No matter what your goals. If you are there, I will stand against you. I will stop you from hurting people, no matter what,¡± She let out a breath, ¡°But-¡± She closed her eyes and nodded to herself, ¡°I will help Sonya, I will be there for her. Not because of her past or mine, not because of the last timeline, but because of who she is today. I hate Ishtar, and I will never, ever, forgive her for the things she¡¯s done,¡± She said and exhaled, ¡°I want to talk to Sonya now.¡± Ishtar returned her stare for several heartbeats, her expression complicated. She felt Sonya¡¯s presence wriggling at the back of her mind but didn¡¯t let go just yet. She leaned forward and grinned, ¡°You¡¯re playing a dangerous game, hypocrite.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say the same to you two,¡± Chunhua shot back. Ishtar barked out a laugh, ¡°And how do you plan on doing this? A noble heart like yours? How can you rationalize it all?¡± ¡°Let me talk to Sonya,¡± Chunhua insisted. Ishtar¡¯s brows furrowed and she canted her head to the right, ¡°Very well,¡± She said and drifted back to the ground. Her eyes softened a little and her shoulders sagged before straightening up. Sonya brought her hand to her lips for a moment before looking away, clearing her throat. ¡°That was¡­ quite the speech.¡± Chunhua stepped forward, ¡°Sonya,¡± she said, ¡°Your memories may have set me down the path to trying to figure out how to reconcile with you. I don¡¯t know what this is, I don¡¯t know how I feel, I don¡¯t know any of it. I can barely function some days, but¡­¡± She looked down at her hands, ¡°You are so¡­¡± She clenched her fists and looked up at her, ¡°...you can set conditions in your deals, right?¡± Sonya felt her heart clench a little, ¡°What kind of deal?¡± She asked. ¡°I want to be the hero that you need me to be, that the world needs me to be,¡± Chunhua said with a shaky voice. ¡°You were right that day. I regret what I did, what I asked for, what I got out of it. That was the most painful kiss of my life.¡± Sonya looked away, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I forced it on you, all of it,¡± She said soberly. ¡°You may have, but I wanted to know,¡± Chunhua said and looked up at her. ¡°I want to make a deal.¡± Sonya looked back at her and brought her hand to her chest, their eyes meeting, ¡°Name your terms.¡± ¡°When I am on the field, when I face Ishtar or her agents, when I am fighting as a hero,¡± She said, ¡°I want you to lock those memories away. I want to fight unrestrained, unchained. I want to face her with my full might, not knowing who she is under that mask.¡± Sonya frowned, ¡°You want me to go against a previous deal,¡± Sonya said even as her heart rate picked up, ¡°That¡¯s quite the ask, and what are you going to give in exchange?¡± ¡°When I am at rest, when I see your face, those memories come back and I suffer through them all over again,¡± Chunhua declared, ¡°I will never kill you, but I will try my best to stop you when the time comes,¡± She touched her chest and looked Sonya in the eyes, ¡°I want to suffer like you are, I want to experience it, every day if I must, if that means being the hero the world needs me to be. Just like you¡¯re the villain the world needs most.¡± Sonya swallowed hard, ¡°I still love you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Chunhua said, ¡°I¡¯m not deaf. You told Carla.¡± Sonya snorted, ¡°Eavesdropper.¡± ¡°Just spying on a known supervillain,¡± Chunhua snarked back even as the agony lingered in her eyes. Sonya let out a shaky breath, ¡°Are you sure you want this? I¡¯m never going to force a deal on you again. That is a promise. It broke me to do it to you the first time.¡± Chunhua gave her the gentlest smile in the world, it made Sonya¡¯s heart ache. She wanted to run to her, hold her, kiss her, comfort her, to ease her pain in any way she could. But she held her ground, her lips trembling as Chunhua gave her assent with a nod, ¡°Yes. I want to fight Ishtar, but I want to be your friend and whatever the hell else, I want to be there for you if I can.¡± Sonya swallowed and held out her hand, ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± ¨C Liberty landed on her feet as the others collapsed onto the cold floor beneath them. She paid them no mind for the first few moments, her eyes fixed on the wall ahead of her, her thoughts roiling. The room was dark, only faint lights providing minimal illumination to allow someone to navigate if they needed to. She felt him approaching before he even stepped through the door, the cropped brown hair shimmering a bit in the light that framed his body. Orange eyes glowed brightly as he stepped inside with nonchalant grace. ¡°Craftsman,¡± She bit out. ¡°Looks like things went about as well as I expected,¡± He said, ¡°They should have taken the tools I made for them.¡± She snorted and glanced down at the sword on her hip, ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree,¡± She said sourly, ¡°Your toy is powerful, it withstood quite a hit, it seems like you¡¯re the only person working for me in this room with a mind,¡± she added, her voice dripping with venom. Ellis, who as shifting to his feet, glanced at Kant and scowled. He said nothing and she noticed the injury on his neck. They silenced him, amusing, she thought before looking to Dame Kant who was sitting on her knees, a mixture of shell-shock, grief, and rage warring on her face. She drew Black Lotus out, then, too early. She failed. It will take time to piece her ego back together. Now is not the time for that though. She reached down and grabbed the woman by the shirt and pulled her to her feet, looking her in the eyes, ¡°Did you enjoy your duel?¡± She demanded. Kant¡¯s eyes seemed to waver for a moment before they fixed on Liberty. Distant. ¡°M-my lad-¡± Liberty snarled and pulled her close, ¡°You are fortunate I did not cast you aside like Ewen,¡± She growled in a low voice. ¡°All that planning, wasted, to soothe your precious ego. If you weren¡¯t useful to me still, I would kill you now,¡± She rumbled and the room shook. The faint coppery light that glowed in Kant¡¯s eyes began to fade and her body seemed to wither a little under her touch. Kant¡¯s eyes went wide and she struggled for a moment. ¡°P-Please! Don¡¯t-¡± ¡°You will earn your place all over again,¡± Liberty hissed, ¡°Struggle well, Kant,¡± She dropped Kant to her knees and the swordswoman groveled. ¡°Please!¡± She begged and sat up, whipping her head towards Halloway and opening her mouth. Liberty kicked her in the chest and sent her careening to the far wall. She struck it, hard, and lost consciousness. ¡°Lip service,¡± She spat before finally turning to Halloway. ¡°You.¡± Halloway seemed to fight down his terror as he looked up at her, ¡°It was-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses!¡± She snarled, ¡°I trusted you with this operation! I gave you more than enough power and put you in a position to succeed! It was your responsibility to keep Kant reigned in, even if she is your peer!¡± She bellowed and grabbed him by the throat, ¡°Give me a good reason not to crush your throat now and save myself the trouble of enduring your pathetic groveling!¡± He wheezed and coughed, but didn¡¯t struggle with his body as she held him aloft. ¡°You¡¯re hard on them,¡± Craftsman commented at her side. ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± she said cooly, ¡°Well? Do you have anything to show for this failure?¡± she demanded. Halloway reached into his pocket, his face going red, then purple, he pulled a small object out and held it out. She snatched it from his fingers and examined it before letting him go. He coughed painfully on the ground as she turned it over in her hand. ¡°A drive?¡± She held it out to Craftsman who shrugged and took it from her. He pulled a thin rod looking device out of his own pocket and pulled on it, stretching out what looked like a screen made of fabric. He slid the drive into a slot on the side and began to read after tapping the fabric screen a few times. ¡°That¡¯s all you have?¡± She asked. ¡°The aspirants are far more powerful than we suspected, well trained,¡± He gasped as he pushed himself up, ¡°A boy named Gravitic had abilities that countered mine and enough skill to hold his own.¡± ¡°A boy?¡± Liberty asked, frowning in thought, ¡°So she could get such training as well, I see. So many camps manufacturing heroes just like that.¡± ¡°Liberty,¡± Craftsman said and held the screen out to her. She turned and frowned at him before looking down at the screen. Her eyes sweeping over the text slowly. At first her face contorted with rage before it began to relax as she read more and more of it. She took the scroll-like object from Craftsman and kept reading, pacing back and forth for several minutes before she finally handed it back over to him. Her gut was doing backflips. Who is this person? They somehow manipulated Halloway into delivering this to me. It¡¯s¡­ magnificent. She rubbed her chin and glanced at Halloway. He has no idea. Even so. He was loyal enough to bring it to me without hesitation. ¡°I will stay your punishment, Halloway. You brought me something good,¡± She said with a cold smile before turning to Ellis. ¡°You will oversee Kant¡¯s training and recovery until she is worthy of rejoining the Round Table ranks, Ellis. Do this and I will forgive you as well. I¡¯m suddenly feeling very generous.¡± Ellis dropped to the ground and pressed his head to the floor. ¡°-ank -ou,¡± He wheezed. ¡°May I ask what was on the device, ma¡¯am?¡± Halloway asked. She turned to him and rest her hand on the pommel of her sword, ¡°A new strategy, and a new standard to adhere to,¡± She said, ¡°My path to glory.¡± BROKER SEASON 2 PART 1: FOG OF WAR END Chapter 144 v2 This wasn¡¯t a trap, this wasn¡¯t a space created by liberty¡¯s cronies, this wasn¡¯t some trick or nonsense or anything like that. This place was very, very real. What¡¯s worse, Sonya knew exactly where she was. She hadn¡¯t wanted to believe it for the first few minutes of wandering the endless halls, running at top speed. Yet the more she traveled and the stranger this place became to her eyes, the more she had to accept it. I¡¯m in the Backrooms, the place that Non-Euclidian travels through. Whatever happened, it happened while I was in the process of teleporting. No other explanation. A god damned coincidence. She wasn¡¯t even sure if it was possible to leave even if the cooldown on her disabled ability ended. That thought alone drove her to keep looking, to keep searching through the endless blank halls that changed every time she turned a corner. Sometimes they looked like the corridors of an office building, other times they were that eerie white-gray stone, and others they looked like something far older. Something ancient. Ancient and empty. Not a soul, not a trace of anything living. She was alone here and with Ishtar silent and resting she didn¡¯t even have anyone to bounce her ideas off of. So she ran, and ran, and ran, flying where she could. Every ounce of power put into speed to explore every inch she could traverse, searching for something more than the tireless madness of this place. Tch. Sonya clicked her tongue as she rounded another corner and found nothing but a seemingly endless hallway stretch out ahead of her. She hovered in the air for a moment, fuming, and glanced back over her shoulder. Do I double back? She swore and checked the clock on non-Euclidians reactivation. Only an hour had gone by since the power had been shorted out by whatever the hell kind of force had acted upon it. Like hell I¡¯m staying here for twelve fucking hours. I need to get back. She looked up at the ceiling and held her hand out, a steady beam of hardened light lancing out from her fingertips and crashing into the surface. She held it for several seconds, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration before she released it and dropped her hand to her side. She spat on the ground. No damage whatsoever. Whatever this place was, it was resilient. It was also impossible. The angles, the shapes of the rooms, where the rooms led. None of them made any sort of rational sense. She could walk into one room, turn a corner into another, and then again and find herself in a space that was entirely different from the one she¡¯d started in. And everything is just¡­ white stone. If I wasn¡¯t pressed for time I¡¯d appreciate the post-modern aesthetic but seriously! I can barely make heads or tails of where I¡¯m going. She pressed her lips together, I could call up a few Legionnaires, send them out in different directions. But would I be able to get to them if they found an exit? She scratched her head. She¡¯d heard of some pretty impressive abilities but this was far beyond that. The world around her was vast and painfully real and she got the sneaking suspicion that the backrooms were some kind of dungeon. Which also doesn¡¯t make any sense, I didn¡¯t enter a dungeon portal, I entered my portal. She drew herself up and zipped down the new hallway, her eyes scanning her surroundings for anything that seemed even reasonably like an exit or a new sort of path. She was only half-way down when something else caught her attention, a feeling of something else moving in her immediate vicinity, and moving fast. She snarled and spun, throwing her hands out and forming a panel of light just in time for claws to snap out in her direction. The bladed limbs collided with her barrier and instead of stopping, pushed. She let out a gasp as the force of the collision sent her hurtling through the air before crashing into a wall. ¡°G-ah!¡± She gasped, pain racing up her spine. She created a berry in her mouth and quickly chewed as she scrambled to her feet. Her eyes snapped around, searching for the source of the attack but there was nothing there. What? A thrill of sensation spiked in her mind and she threw herself forward, spinning and blocking with both arms as a pair of scythe-like limbs swept together, spindly arms extending out from within the white plaster-like wall. The surface of the wall rippled like water while something inside it shrieked in displeasure before retracting stick limbs ending in dozens of long thin blades. She panted and wiped her upper lip before examining her arms. Small cuts adorned her usually impervious skin. Sonya swore, ¡°I can¡¯t be wasting my time here!¡± she shouted and lifted herself off the ground with her flight power before resuming her charge down the hallway. ¡°What if something happens at the camp? They¡¯ve got to be in deep shit by now.¡± She felt another rush of movement and dove this time, sliding across the ground and rolling once before hopping to her feet, the claw-like limb of whatever it was had reached out of the ceiling this time and was already retreating. She threw her hand out and a chain of light attached itself to the creature''s wrist. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± she bellowed and pulled, yanking it and the rest of the monstrosity out of the wall. It slipped out and¡­ kept slipping out. Soon a creature so large it barely fit in the hallway was crammed in there with her. It had long, spindly legs and a tube-shaped body that was about as long as a man was tall. The legs were so grotesquely long that they bent at several segments as it struggled to right itself in a space that was too small for its limbs. Its forearms were those same bladed hands while its face was nothing more than a lamprey head, rows of razor sharp teeth in rings. Her lips curled back in disgust. Definitely not some kind of ability. Is this really a dungeon? This place just doesn¡¯t feel like a dungeon. It¡¯s like a real place. Can they be one and the same? ¡°Anyway,¡± she rumbled, setting aside the existential confusion this place was causing and pointed her finger at the creature, ¡°Now that I can see you¡­¡± It coiled its limbs just as she gestured at it, the folding segments making its body small enough to get into some modicum of a standing position. It let out a shriek of rage just as she released a narrow ray of light, the beam puncturing it from mouth to end. For good measure she created a dozen blades around it as well, clenching her fist and carving it to pieces. The meaty chunks landed on the ground in a stinking pile as black ichor spilled out around it. She wrinkled her nose at the remains and turned away, gotta keep moving. Hang on guys.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Another half-hour went by without any good fortune, she was attacked twice more by creatures much like the first before she finally stumbled upon something new. An archway that led into an open space filled with, for lack of a better word to her mind, junk. Old wooden tables and chairs were scattered about everywhere and chunks of wood were piled up in corners. There were a few bits of stone furniture as well but it looked like it was made of something that had been dug up rather than out of the same material the place was made from. She counted the furniture, ¡°Some kind of dining hall?¡± she said aloud, walking inside. She rubbed her neck as she looked around, ¡°Dammit Ishtar, would you wake up already?¡± she grumbled only to get that same cavernous silence in response. She sighed and marched over to one side of the room, lifting up one of the tables and peeking at the wood. Her senses and cybernetic brain told her that the wood had to be ancient but somehow it was still intact, if not completely unweathered. She sniffed and tasted the air. No humidity at all, no wind, nothing. I suppose it makes sense that this stuff would take forever to decay. More importantly, the wood was pine. Genuine pine wood. Not some strange alien species of tree. Someone¡¯s been here before? Who? She shook her head, Stop getting distracted. She walked past the table and searched for something, anything else to give her an idea of how to get out of here. She needed a route to take. She searched the piles of wood and bits of stone furniture until she stumbled upon the sole piece of metal present besides the nails that held the tables and chairs together. It was a disk, smooth as a pearl and perfectly round. It was just an inch or so smaller than a compact disk. She turned it over in her hand and tried to examine it with her senses but got nothing out of it save for a familiar feeling. ¡°It¡¯s receptive to mana,¡± Sonya said thoughtfully and frowned, ¡°Great, I¡¯m talking to myself again,¡± she tilted her head up, ¡°Ishtar I could really use some company here!¡± Still nothing, damn it, she thought, scratching her head and turning the disk over. There was no way of knowing what the thing did, it could be a bomb for all she knew. On the flip side it could just as easily be some manner of clue to help her navigate this maddening place. She¡¯d been flying at breakneck speeds for almost two hours now and she was growing tired of the maze. She needed to take drastic measures if she was going to get back before things grew any worse. She steeled herself, Nothin¡¯ to lose, everything to gain. Using magic tools wasn¡¯t difficult, she¡¯d used plenty in her past life and had a few eclectic items she¡¯d acquired from a small selection of dungeons either she or the ASTA guild had conquered. One in particular was a doll from a cavern filled with goblins. The doll was capable of creating a temporary illusion of oneself that would move freely in one direction while rendering the user invisible and allowing them to move elsewhere. The illusion was simple and could break down easily, but even seconds could save a life. It was a shame it would only respond to mana once a week otherwise she¡¯d keep it on her person more often. Also it¡¯s kind of ugly and hard to hide, she thought with mild irritation. Regardless, she held out the disk and concentrated. The most basic instinct of using ones abilities was the innate knack for drawing mana into the body to supplement the use of ones powers. Normally it was just a matter of using ones ability and the draw would happen naturally, acting on one¡¯s stamina. It was involuntary. The trick to using an object like this was to, essentially, breathe manually. It wasn¡¯t the same as Chunhua or Lillian¡¯s cultivation methods where they could pull it in, store it, and convert it into growing power though. That required a deeper framework and an innate ability as far as she was aware. Draw it in, push it out, she thought as she felt mana move through her body like an odd tingling through her muscles. It exited her fingers and the sensation faded. For a moment, nothing happened. Hmm? Oh come on- The disk flashed, light rising from its surface in a narrow disk of its own before slowly parting at one side. The ribbon that formed slowly shrank until it was the width of her finger, pointing back towards the door she¡¯d entered through. ¡°Aha!¡± She laughed, ¡°A compass! Woo! Go Sonya!¡± she shouted, throwing a fist into the air. She stopped half-way through her celebration and sobered herself. If I have time to be joking around, I have time to be moving, she grumbled as she made her way to the door. She hurried out and checked the light hovering over the disk again, it had clearly moved to point in a new direction. I wonder where it¡¯s taking me. She kicked off the ground and pulled herself into the air, levitating once more before launching down the hallway with renewed vigor. Every thought in her head was focused on the camp, on getting back, on doing anything she could to throw a wrench into what Liberty had come up with. Her immediate instinct was to just show up and start blasting things, but she knew better. If she suddenly showed up in full regalia that would raise a lot of questions. It wasn¡¯t like the location of the camp was a big secret anymore, but why would someone like Ishtar bother to get involved? Just to interfere with Liberty? She shook her head, No, if I need to come up with a logical explanation for her to be there then it¡¯s better that Ishtar remains in the background, she tried to think rationally even as tiny moments of panic kept worming their way into the back of her mind. What if her people are too much to handle for them? What if Chunhua holds back too much, what if- she grit her teeth, her heart pounding even faster than before. I am never letting myself get in this kind of shit situation again! She promised herself as she accelerated down the latest hallway. The hallways wound and twisted, she passed more strange rooms that she ignored in favor of expediency. She needed to follow this arrow to its destination and make new plans from there. She didn¡¯t know when whatever Liberty was scheming would take place but the longer she spent in here the less time she would be with the others and offering what aid she could. She needed to move, faster, faster! She was like a streak of form rather than a person as she darted around one corner after another, sometimes quite literally smashing through one of the spindly monsters that appeared to attempt to entrap her. She ignored them, solely focused on her destination. Come on, come on come on come on! She thought, trying harder and harder to quell the rising panic. Give me something! She furiously pushed harder, wishing she could turn into a streak of light like Marta, wishing she could teleport, wishing there was some way she could- She paused. There. She felt it but she couldn¡¯t believe it for a moment. She needed to be sure. She darted around the latest in a thousand corners. Up a set of stairs and panning to the right. The strange hall opened into another passage. She slid to a stop, catching her breath and waited to feel that sensation one more time. Her hair shifted a little, a fragment of movement, a breeze. Wind. Chapter 145 v2 He lowered his hand and examined the readout from the dungeon, the changes were starting to take effect. It was so interesting. He had only used a few of his cheats and the features of his ability. They were all he needed and the others seemed so pointless when he¡¯d first acquired them. What more did he need than to be invincible? He frowned a little, Clearly much more, he thought as he remembered the pain of being blown nearly to pieces by a self-destructing An Set. He raised the hand that had regrown and flexed it a little. He glanced up at the dungeon again, The monsters will respawn faster now and its drawing in more mana. I¡¯ve uncapped it so it shouldn¡¯t burst at least. He chuckled, he didn¡¯t really care whether or not it was forcibly altering a ¡®natural¡¯ process of the dungeon. In fact, I wonder what could happen if it just keeps filling up. Maybe the reward will get better? He paused, Oh, weren¡¯t the scouting trainees inside? Oh well. He snorted and turned away to look at the young woman leaning against a tree nearby. She frowned at him and sighed when he gestured for her to come to him. ¡°Jessica,¡± He said with a wide smile, ¡°How have your powers been developing?¡± She stared deadpan at him, ¡°Well enough, I¡¯ve kept pace with the Nashville team,¡± She said and crossed her arms, ¡°Why?¡± He pursed his lips, ¡°That¡¯s not good enough,¡± He said and she narrowed her eyes before taking a momentary step back, ¡°I want to try something, if you¡¯ll indulge me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t,¡± She said, pulling her arms closer to her chest only to freeze when he leveled a cold stare on her. Her face went pale and her knees buckled once, ¡°Please?¡± She asked, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be your guinea pig.¡± ¡°That ship has sailed,¡± He said with a his and snapped his arm out, grabbing her by her throat. He tilted his head to the right, ¡°I¡¯m going to make you strong enough to deal with that Cassiopeia girl, whether you like it or not. Liberty has the right idea in this case, surprising for an idiot like her,¡± He said with a snarl as she coughed and squeaked, trying to pry his fingers off of her throat, ¡°Stop struggling, it¡¯ll only hurt for a moment.¡± He drew on his powers, his eyes widening as a smile cracked his face in half. ¡°Let¡¯s try it out!¡± He cackled and activated the cheat. She let out a scream of anguish as pale white shocks of energy ripped through her body. She convulsed, her arms falling limp and her head bucking as the energy tore through every cell in her body. When he was done, he let her go and she collapsed face-first to the ground. He tapped the side of her head with his boot but she didn¡¯t stir. Still breathing though, I suppose that¡¯s good enough. He scoffed. He glanced towards the trees, ¡°Not watching today either, probably preparing for the exam ahead. Ignorant thing,¡± He muttered only to pause as two presences approached. He narrowed his eyes until two of the aspirants he had brought in as lackeys came into view. They paused when they saw Jessica. His eyes narrowed. And this is what I get for being careless. He grumbled, ¡°What is it?¡± They blinked a few times and looked away from her. The first opened his mouth and was about to say something when the second cut in, ¡°We spotted a group of people wearing masks heading this way, sir,¡± He said, ¡°They¡¯re heavily armed.¡± ¡°Isaac tried to teleport to you but his ability¡¯s on the fritz,¡± The first added quickly. ¡°He¡¯s unconscious.¡± He frowned at them for a moment before glancing over at Jessica, ¡°Ah, I see what¡¯s happening. It looks like she took too long,¡± He tilted his head, ¡°The camp is under attack. That works for me,¡± He said with a smirk. ¡°Sir what happened to¨C¡± Otis accessed his cheats and called a gun to his hand. He turned his weapon on the two young men and fired off two quick shots. Both of them dropped like sacks of meat to the ground. He wrinkled his nose and walked over to them, he kicked each to make sure they were dead. Stupid things, shouldn¡¯t ask questions like that. More trouble than your pathetic abilities were worth. He thought before pausing and chuckling, Oh, Liberty, now look what you did! He turned towards Jessica, ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t have time to rest,¡± He said aloud and walked over to her, kneeling down and grabbing her by the face. ¡°Let¡¯s try stat modification next,¡± He chuckled, ¡°Rise and shine!¡± Golden energy crackled across her body as all of her muscles contracted once before she threw her head back in an anguished scream. He released her face and got to his feet, brushing his hands off, ¡°Get up,¡± He snarled. She stared up at the canopy of trees for a moment, tears in her eyes as her chest rose and fell. She looked at him, her pupils tiny with terror. He sneered, ¡°The camp is under attack, we¡¯ve lost two already,¡± He said, mocking sympathy and gestured to the two corpses behind him. She sat up and brought her hands to her mouth before retching and looking away, he sniffed, ¡°Come on now, you¡¯re a killer aren¡¯t you?¡± He said and took a step towards her. ¡°But they-¡± ¡°Were loose ends and unreliable,¡± He corrected before she could continue, ¡°Now, as I said, the camp is under attack, by your old owner if I had to guess,¡± He said with a shrug. She coughed and looked up at him, ¡°B-but I- I haven¡¯t had enough time to get close! I finally set up my cover and-¡± ¡°And there¡¯s your problem, glacially slow,¡± He said with a shrug, ¡°You forget that winter can onset suddenly,¡± He continued, ¡°Now get up, we¡¯re going to join the others back at camp.¡± She pulled herself up, stumbling a little at how fast she rose. She blinked and looked down at her hands, ¡°What did you do to me?¡± ¡°Made some improvements,¡± He said callously, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± She bowed her head, ¡°N-no sir.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think so,¡± He said, ¡°You and I are going to pretend like we know nothing about the attack and return separately. Follow any orders given,¡± He said and waved her away. She straightened a little before nodding and darting into the trees. He watched her go before turning back to the corpses, ¡°A little close to the portal,¡± He said thoughtfully and walked over to grab both of them, ¡°Lets put you somewhere a bit more entertaining, might as well get some use out of you. A good timewaster before my heroic arrival.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He snickered, ¡°Today¡¯s the day! I gotta hand it to you, Liberty! You really do make an excellent unwitting subordinate!¡± He laughed as he walked into the trees and disappeared. ¨C ¡°Everyone! Please remain calm and move in an orderly fashion!¡± Chunhua shouted, waving her hands towards the common building. ¡°Please follow Miss Chernovna, she will lead you to the bunker! The security force will be occupying the bunker, make sure to listen to their instructions!¡± She continued as aspirants raced past her. She was counting them as fast as she could but even with those she likely missed there were far too few accounted for. She turned her attention to the small gathering of instructors who had moved to line up in front of the common building. Axel isn¡¯t back yet, she thought and glanced over her shoulder towards the common building, Madame Rouge hasn¡¯t come out either. What is she waiting for? She frowned as she looked back to those who remained. There were three of them. Bedrock was a peak-epic earth elementalist, a solid combatant but better with creating defenses than direct attacks. He¡¯d been brought in alongside Axel from Marion Corporation. Next to them were Crowley and Canis, both of them utilized animals and animal-like abilities. They¡¯d come from ASTA. It irritated her that instructors of actual consequence hadn¡¯t shown up from the other corporations who had insisted on poaching students from the camp at the beginning. She let out a sigh and spotted a pair of familiar faces. ¡°Alex!¡± she shouted over the din of confused aspirants. Some were loudly wondering where reinforcements were. The hero-in-training ran up and slid to a stop alongside his friend, Greg. The gravity using aspirant who had been distinguishing himself a lot over the past few weeks. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of your group?¡± she asked quickly. ¡°Snow is right behind us,¡± he said, ¡°Val is grabbing John.¡± She furrowed her brows, ¡°Where¡¯s Lillian?¡± ¡°Lillian is still in the dungeon,¡± A new addition to their conversation said. She turned to see the young mentee of Madame Rouge rush over. Ollie¡¯s chest was heaving. This is why you don¡¯t skip conditioning, kid, she thought, ¡°The entire scout team is with her.¡± Alex and Greg stared at him before turning to Chunhua. She frowned and looked back at the three heroes who were lined up. She could already hear gunfire in the distance. Lillian, damn it. How many aspirants are still out there? She reached up and tapped her earpiece, ¡°Amos?¡± <¡°I¡¯m here, you staying put?¡±> he asked. She clicked her tongue, understanding what he was getting at, ¡°I¡¯m going to make a move if necessary, suspension be damned,¡± she said, ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m contacting you.¡± <¡±Sonya won¡¯t like that,¡±> Amos said. ¡°Sonya isn¡¯t my boss, Amos, she¡¯d do the same anyway so I don¡¯t want to hear it from her,¡± she growled, ¡°How are we doing?¡± <¡±...I¡¯ve set plenty up, but no one anticipated whatever the hell this is interfering with getting reinforcements. The guards at the gates were hit with a surprise attack too, pretty sure they¡¯re all dead at this point.¡±> She swore and rubbed the bridge of her nose, squinting over her fingers at the pair of young men who were staring at her intently. She knew what they were thinking and it was stupid and reckless. They weren¡¯t licensed. She shouldn¡¯t allow it. She should send them back but¡­ Damn it, Sonya, you¡¯re rubbing off on me. She looked past them towards the other members of their little group that had gathered, a little surprised to see Cassiopeia among them, ¡°I¡¯ve got orders for you guys,¡± she said, ¡°Do you think you can make it to that dungeon in one piece?¡± Alex and Greg both visibly relaxed before nodding to her, determination in their eyes. ¡°We¡¯re on it. We¡¯ll get her out of there,¡± Greg said. She returned his nod, ¡°Get moving and-¡± BOOM! She threw up her arms just in time for a wave of dust and debris to wash over her and the others, she raised her head, ¡°Go! Now!¡± she bellowed as the steady pops of automatic weapons began drawing nearer. She squinted through the cloud and spotted a solitary figure kneeling amidst it all. As the young aspirants raced off, she hurried over to the man¡¯s side and dropped to a knee. ¡°Axel!¡± she grabbed his shoulder, ¡°Axel are you alright?¡± He looked up at her wearily, bags under his eyes. Blood dripped from his lips and nose. His skin looked rippled in places as if he¡¯d been hit by some kind of wave. He coughed and doubled over, his chest heaving with the effort. He looked like he was about to say something when a flash of red light caught her attention. She moved on instinct, whipping out her sword to deflect the incoming attack. The luminous arrow struck her sword with a crack of sound before darting off into a distant tree, rending in half. She pulled Axel to his feet and he slumped onto her shoulder, more arrows came from across the field, bolts that she quickly parried. Soon they came in like a storm and she threw her head to the side, ¡°One of you three get him inside, now!¡± she bellowed. He¡¯s not breathing. Shit! With a quick flash of movement, Canis, a woman in her twenties with a mess of brown hair and lupine yellow eyes darted in and scooped Axel up into her arms. Just as quickly she raced away and Chunhua got into a fighting stance, taking a moment to tap her earpiece again as she watched a small horde of mask-wearing cultists race in her direction. Some distance behind them she saw a trio walking at a much slower gait. One held a glowing red bow in his hands. Her lips thinned and dipped into a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m getting out of helping, Amos.¡± <¡°I¡¯ve got some dolls on your way and I¡¯m activating the turrets. I don¡¯t see any more aspirants coming in,¡±> he said quickly, <¡±It¡¯s bad, besides the scout kids and the nashville brats, we¡¯re still missing a good number of them.¡±> She clicked her tongue and shot a glance towards the other two heroes who were standing at the ready. Crowley can control birds. ¡°Crowley! Bedrock! Get over here!¡± she shouted as she moved over to stand dead center in the courtyard. The two of them ran over and she gave them only a cursory look before speaking, ¡°Crowley, you¡¯re on task to find the missing Aspirants. I told Greg¡¯s group to get to the dungeon and help secure it. They¡¯re some of the best we¡¯ve got so they¡¯ll be fine.¡± Crowley, a thin man with a bowler cap on his head leaned on a heavy-looking cane and nodded sharply. She turned to Bedrock, ¡°You¡¯re our wall. If they¡¯re strong enough to deal that kind of damage to Axel then putting you out on the frontlines is pointless. No offense. I want you to turn the common building into a fortress and stay put,¡± she commanded, ¡°No one gets in without Doctor Carter confirming them, understood?¡± He hesitated, ¡°...aren¡¯t you suspended? That just leaves you.¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s what they want. They¡¯re bringing this much force to bear to force me to act,¡± Chunhua said and drew her sword, ¡°I suppose I should accept their invitation.¡± ¡°They¡¯re trying to get you expelled from the committee!¡± the dark-haired elementalist shouted. She rounded on him and scowled, ¡°Damn the license,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m a Hero not a functionary! I will do what I have to. If it means losing my license to protect those kids in there, so be it,¡± she rumbled and pointed towards the common building, ¡°If you stay out here, you¡¯re going to get killed. Go.¡± He clenched his fists but nodded and the two men darted off. Crowley raced towards the trees in the opposite direction of the path leading towards the dungeon while Bedrock raced through the doors and into the common building. A heartbeat later the ground began to shake beneath her feet and walls of stone began to rise up around the building, encasing it in literal bedrock. She let out a sigh and drew her sword, pointing it in the direction of the oncoming crowd and their agents. She set her jaw and readied her sword. No backing down now. Chapter 146 v2 Chunhua took each breath slowly, power rising up through her nostrils and spreading out into her body. She felt it gather at her core and spread back out into the cycle of internal energy within her meridians. Each pathway carried strength where it needed to go, each passing second she felt her power build. She let the breath out and her strength stabilized. This will do for now, she thought before tapping her earpiece. ¡°Amos.¡± <¡±I¡¯m ready,¡±> he said, <¡±Do me a favor and drag it out a bit, will you? Those three are probably part of her inner circle or whatever she calls it. Sonya and the Pandora Committee are gonna want footage of their powers. Might give us an idea of what we¡¯re dealing with if there¡¯s more out there.¡±> She lowered her hand to her side and focused on the approaching force of masked soldiers, ¡°Understood.¡± A storm of footsteps came to a stop, the sounds of guns arming as hundreds of barrels were pointed her way. She stood up straighter, keeping her sword at her side. Instead of attacking right away she drew in a breath and used an insignificant portion of her internal energy to broadcast her voice even as she focused her senses on her surroundings, listening for any idle chit-chat that might give her an edge. ¡°I am Black Lotus!¡± she shouted, ¡°You are trespassing in a restricted area! Lay down your weapons and submit to arrest!¡± No one moved. She frowned, ¡°Worth a try.¡± Amos chuckled in her ear, <¡±You heroes are hilarious.¡±> Your inner villain is showing, she thought darkly. Fixing her gaze on the trio that was approaching from the rear. She readjusted her grip on her sword as a portion of the attackers spread out down the middle, making way for the three suspected members of Liberty¡¯s inner circle. Two of them appeared to be dragging some kind of load behind them, she couldn¡¯t quite make it out with the dimming light. Her eyes narrowed, what are they dragging- She clenched her teeth. <¡±...Hey, take a breath,¡±> Amos said quickly. ¡°You¡­¡± she snarled. <¡±...easy, you know they¡¯re doing it this way on purpose. Calm down, Black Lotus.¡±> She felt tears sting her eyes as rage tried to create a cavern in her chest. It took every ounce of training and self discipline not to lash out, not to explode, not to set aside all compunctions and turn this campground into a bloodbath. Even so, mastering herself in that moment was one of the hardest things she had ever done in her life. The trio came to a stop just at the edge of the crowd of masked men and women who formed back up behind them. She looked at each of them in turn, barely able to contain herself as she memorized their features. A thin man was on the left, his lanky frame adorned with what she could only describe as monks robes or an exercise outfit. He had bells tied to his ankles that rang with each step. His eyes were wide, manic, and his smile dripped with barely suppressed desire for violence. Opposite him was another man, he carried a bow slung over his shoulder. His expression was a bit more relaxed, his eyes glowing with ruby-red light. In the middle was a young woman, while the other two were relatively clean, she was haggard and withdrawn, her eyes sunken and her face filled with scorn. Yet that wasn¡¯t what arrested Chunhua about her. She was a cultivator. Chunhua could feel it. The internal energy cycling in the woman¡¯s body. She finally forced herself to turn her attention to what they had been dragging with them. Bodies. The thin man tilted his head a bit, bending at the waist so he could meet her gaze as she looked down at the ankle gripped in his hand. ¡°See something you like?¡± he snickered. He looked down at the anke in his hand and the foot attached to it before looking up at her. He held his hand over his mouth as if to say ¡®oops!¡¯. ¡°Oh! You want this?¡± he asked and wrenched the body up before hurling it to her feet. The corpse of an aspirant rolled across the ground before stopping, lifeless. She looked down at the bloody face, stricken with horror, the wounds were terrible. Like the poor thing¡¯s flesh had been rippled and torn, the chest caved in. ¡°Well, well, well, well, WELL! Isn¡¯t this a goddamn flip!¡± the thin man laughed, slapping his thigh and sauntering a few steps forward as she stared at the body, ¡°Here I was thinkin¡¯ we¡¯d have to fight our way through those nobody prick instructors to get to you. You owe me money, Sir Ewen.¡± She flicked her gaze up at the kempt man with the red eyes. Her pulse pounding in her ears. He didn¡¯t have the temerity to toss a corpse at her feet, instead he simply dumped it on the ground next to him as if forgetting to toss out a wrapper. ¡°It seems I do, Sir Ellis. I¡¯m sorry to have doubted you,¡± he said and walked up to stand next to his compatriot, ¡°You know, if word gets out that you were the one who blocked our path, that could land you in some hot water, Black Lotus. Aren¡¯t you suspended? Did you get a taste of rebellion back at the Hague or something?¡± She ground her teeth, ¡°You¡­ killed them.¡± Sir Ewen furrowed his brow, ¡°Obviously. That¡¯s what we were sent here to do after all,¡± he said with a shrug. He paused and scratched his nose, ¡°Oh, actually, we¡¯re really only here for one person. I suppose if you hand them over then we could just leave?¡± The haggard woman scowled at him, ¡°That wasn¡¯t the plan,¡± she hissed. He turned and frowned at her, ¡°Learn to read the room a little. You know Liberty really just wants her sister back, the rest of ¡®em will die sooner or later anyway. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Chunhua closed her eyes, willing herself to find some measure of calm. She opened them and looked down at the body at her feet. There were fifty young people who signed on to become heroes at this camp. Fifty. She sheathed her sword and the two men took a step forward just as she vanished. She appeared next to Ewen and turned to look him in the eyes before reaching down and picking up the boy he¡¯d tossed to the ground. Before he could react she was back where she had been standing before. She picked the other boy up and slung both of them over her shoulders before vanishing again with a push off the ground. She returned only after leaving them laying next to the doors of the main building. ¡°Ryan Stone, Darell Knight,¡± she said, the names sending an ache through her chest. It didn¡¯t matter if they weren¡¯t the most famous of the aspirants or the most distinguished. It didn¡¯t matter at all. They¡¯d stepped up, signed on, and even as things got tougher at the camp they¡¯d stayed on. They were prepared to put their lives on the line to do some good in this world. To her, it was all that mattered. Ellis tilted his head to the right, his wild eyes staring at her in confusion even as Ewen¡¯s expression went dark. ¡°...who?¡± Chunhua exploded into motion, a single step carrying her the brief distance between herself and the robe-wearing maniac. She brought her sword up in a diagonal arc, intending to cleave him from hip to shoulder if she could. Her capacity for mercy was gone. Here, they¡¯d find none. A sudden gleam of red light from below preceded a physical column of red light that absorbed the force of her strike, a shock racing through it that nearly shattered the construct as Ellis took a startled step back. She took another step and was behind him, driving a foot towards his spine. The wild man whipped his head towards her with a laugh and vanished as her foot passed through where his body should have been. ¡°Fire! Open fire! She¡¯s a Mythic, don¡¯t hold back!¡± Ewen shouted as Chunhua kicked off the ground again, darting towards the main building as the rapid cracks of automatic weapons going off began to fill the air. She landed half way between the main building and the dojo, darting towards her on-again-off-again home and around it, looking to disappear for a moment from their sight. ¡°Amos?¡± she called. <¡±All systems go!¡±> A loud mechanical whirring rose up from the main building. She turned in time to see parts of the roof rise up in the form of cylinders that sprouted long metal tubes. The turrets swiveled and leveled their cannons on the gathered cultists before unceremoniously returning fire, a hail of bullets raining down on the raiders as Chunhua rounded the back of the dojo. Shouts and screams joined the chorus of gunfire. Now. She pushed off the earth into a leap, hurtling into the sky and pivoting her body, internal energy gathered at her feet and she pushed again the air becoming momentarily solid beneath her feet. She drew her sword once more only to spot the tell-tale flash of red light from Ewen¡¯s ability, an arrow of red light already moving to intercept her. Tch, she spun, flipping over once before landing on the ground and kicking off again. She ignored the bullets flying over her head, paid no mind to the scattering cultists as they sought cover. One hundred- Ding~ Ding~ Bells? The impact was so sudden that Chunhua barely had enough time to even comprehend what hit her. The palm-strike sending a rippling wave of sonic power through her side and chest before lifting her off the ground and sending her sprawling. Her head hit the ground and her vision swam just long enough for her to roll onto her back. When it cleared the wild eyes of Ellis were looking down at her, palm already moving down to follow up his attack. She cursed and rolled again, dodging a blow that left a crater in the ground beneath his palm. In the distance she heard something pop, a briefly lived flash of light following it. She didn¡¯t have time to think about it, though.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He barked out a laugh and she pushed up with her hands, twisting her body once into a sweeping kick that he leaped over. He drove his palms down at her again and she shoved against the ground, this time with enough force to get her to her feet. She swayed left and right, avoiding his next two palm strikes before he took another step and the sound of bells filled her ears again and he vanished from sight. She spun, letting instinct guide her and raised her sword, catching his next strike as a flare of red bloomed in the corner of her eyes. She threw her head back, the arrow scraping across the tip of her nose as Ellis took a step backwards and disappeared again with that tell-tale chiming of bells. Sound based move- she didn¡¯t even have time to think as he came in again, laughing wildly as palm-strikes were traded out for a series of kicks, her sword moved in response. Head, kidney, knee, shoulder, shoulder, head, she gave ground, letting him push her back. He¡¯s moving me towards Ewen. A thrill went up her spine, an instinctive reaction she¡¯d felt only during one other fight. An image popped into her mind of the roots of a massive tree in the desolated remains of Las Vegas. She clicked her tongue and disengaged, pushing back even further with a snap kick in Ellis¡¯ direction as spines of red light erupted from the ground and crisscrossed the spot where her heart had been just moments before. Another arrow lanced in her direction and she whipped her sword out and to the side, sending the missile into the ground. She leveled Ewen with a stare before glancing towards the scattering mob. Some were trying to find cover to use to shoot back at the turrets Amos had unleashed while others were just fleeing into the trees or dropping dead. In the brief heartbeat of stillness, she heard the chime of Ellis¡¯ bells as Ewen drew his hand back, conjuring a new arrow that grew larger than the others. She felt Ellis appear above her at the same time a storm of red streaks exploded from Ewen¡¯s bow. She clicked her tongue, pivoted, and spun. She swept her attacks around herself in a spiral, Cyclone of Rose Blooms! Each strike collided with red arrows as her attacker from above was flung back up into the sky, pealing with laughter. She shot herself upwards, charging towards him and he turned to look at her, snickering before vanishing with a crystal clear chime of the bells on his ankles. I need to get rid of those bells, she thought and turned again, sweeping aside another series of frantic blows from the martial artist. This time she managed a good kick in the chest, sending him back to the ground. She went in for a landing herself, turning her focus towards the archer. She gripped her weapon with both hands as she neared him. He met her gaze, red eyes burning. His lips spread into a cruel sneer and he raised his right hand, sweeping it to the left with a callous gesture. Red chains ripped up out of the ground but they weren¡¯t aimed at her, instead, shouts of surprise and confusion rose up amongst the mob as several of this bastard''s own men were dragged straight into her angle of attack. One of them had the presence of mind to turn and point his gun directly at her. Shit! She swore, throwing her internal energy into a sudden change of direction. The abrupt forces acting on her body made her muscles ache as she hurtled away, her new trajectory ended as she slid to a stop among a small cluster of the masked soldiers. The turrets that had been firing in that direction immediately changed targets and the soldiers didn¡¯t miss a beat, they opened fire. She took a slow and deliberate breath in the heartbeat it took them to adjust their aim, a scowl forming on her face. You should have kept them out of this. She thought angrily. She let her inner energy cycle faster, moving it to her limbs as the scent of blossoms filled the air. ¡°Scatter!¡± A woman¡¯s voice called out just as Chunhua charged, diving into the small army that had gathered and unleashing on them, one cut became thirty in an instant as she revved up, letting her momentum build. Screams of surprise and pain joined the chorus of gunfire. A flash of red in the corner of her eye drew her attention and she turned to block as a large arrow punctured two of the masked men in order to get at her. She snarled and swept it down to the ground with a bang, the energy it released sending more of the masked soldiers to an early grave. ¡°THEY¡¯RE YOUR MEN!¡± She bellowed, hopping back to avoid another hail of gunfire as two more arrows launched in her direction. She swatted them away, retreating a bit more to get some distance and noticed that the shooting had stopped. Ding ding. Her lips curled into a snarl as she turned around, faster this time, and found Ellis staring wide-eyed at her incoming fist. She drove her fist into his nose and sent him careening through a dozen of the masked soldiers. She launched herself forward and grabbed him by the shirt in mid air, dragging him with her as she slid across the ground before hurling him to the dirt. He bounced off the ground once, grunting painfully and the bells on his ankles chimed again. His eyes opened only to widen as her sword turned into a blur. The chains holding the bells on snapped. She met his gaze, her eyes hard. She saw panic followed by mad excitement as he clapped his hands and vanished. They¡¯re going to start shooting, she realized. She went to jump and found herself held fast, she looked down and spotted red chains wrapping around her ankles, burrowed up from the ground. She scowled and slammed her fists together, pushing her internal energy out and to her skin as she furrowed her brows in concentration. She felt the first bullet strike her cheek before bouncing off of her hardened skin. Another hit, then another, soon automatic weapons were emptying themselves as she burned through power to defend herself. Golden Scale Technique! It was a not-insignificant drain on her resources but as she wasn¡¯t going full tilt yet, even so, they kept firing until there was nothing left in their magazines. A hail of gunfire that didn¡¯t just hit her, but the soldiers around her as they wildly sprayed bullets in her general direction. When the shooting stopped she lowered her arms and turned to look in the direction where she felt the two men, both standing next to one another and watching as their men literally killed one another to get at her. She spat on the ground, ¡°Done playing tricks?¡± she demanded and pointed her sword at them, ¡°Is this all Liberty¡¯s people have to offer? I¡¯m surprised anyone¡¯s even worried,¡± she said and swept her blade down, cutting through the chains around her ankles. They dissolved only for a pillar of red light to shoot up towards her face. She threw her head back and kicked away as spikes exploded from the earth, red edges looking to tear through her flesh. Her lips twitched down into a frown as she reached the edge of the treeline wrapping around the camp. Her eyes shot towards the building, wait a minute. Her eyes widened, NO! The woman, the cultivator, was moving towards the common building. She¡¯d drawn her sword and was flicking it left and right as the turrets fired down at her, casually sending the incoming fire away. <¡±Hey hey hey, Chunhua! Get over here!¡±> Amos shouted. Internal energy turned into fire in her veins, the trees behind her exploded as she pushed far beyond what limits she¡¯d set for herself in this fight. She rocketed across the gap, her eyes burning with power. A mocking face appeared in her way, both hands outstretched. She snarled as he brought both hands together. Her weapon rose and fell, the sound wave he created colliding with an arc shaped flash. She split the wave in half and pushed through, her hand grabbing his face before he could react. ¡°OUT OF MY WAY!¡± she roared and hurled him at Ewen. The woman had drawn her sword at this point, raising it up over her head only to whip around just as Chunhua neared, she snapped her foot out and it collided with Chunhua¡¯s jaw. Chunhua felt a bone creak under the force of the blow as she was sent skipping across the ground. She landed in a heap, pulling herself up quickly to block the follow up strike from the woman who jumped out of the way just for a barrage of red arrows to come raining down. Chunhua leaped out of the way and in a flash of movement landed in front of the building again, breathing hard. The trio approached, all eyes on her. ¡°Not bad! They say you¡¯re the world''s strongest, gotta admit, I am impressed,¡± Ewen said. She whipped her blade out and to the side, catching her breath and immediately beginning to cycle power again. I understand their abilities now. That man with the red light can create constructs and beams, like Bluestar. Similar power? She flicked her gaze towards Ellis, He teleports with sounds and can use sounds to attack, the teleportation depends on a distinct noise though. If it can¡¯t be heard by his target, basically, it¡¯s of no use to him. But if it¡¯s a scattered sound like gunfire, he can¡¯t take advantage of it. Or maybe he has to make the sound himself. ¡°Working out our abilities?¡± Ewen asked. ¡°I think you three know you¡¯re outmatched,¡± she growled, ¡°Stow the bravado and leave before I am forced to kill more of your men.¡± ¡°How generous,¡± Ewen laughed, ¡°Thoughts, Ellis?¡± ¡°Pretty sure Liberty would tear us to pieces if we did that,¡± Ellis said, ¡°Besides, she¡¯s already winded.¡± ¡°She¡¯s holding back,¡± the woman cut in with a terse snap of her voice. The two men glanced at her but her eyes were fixed on Chunhua, ¡°Restraining yourself to epic-tier, right? Against two Heroics? It¡¯s insulting.¡± Chunhua stood up straighter, meeting her gaze as her fingers tightened around her sword, ¡°You have good senses.¡± The two men scowled but Chunhua ignored them, ¡°What about you?¡± she asked the woman. ¡°I think you know,¡± the woman said and rest her hand on the hilt of a sworn on her belt, ¡°But I don¡¯t think you need to worry about me right now. My friends are angry now that they know the truth.¡± Chunhua glanced at the two furious men, ¡°Anger is false strength.¡± The woman¡¯s lips parted in a wicked smile as she leaped backwards to get some distance, ¡°Strength from Liberty isn¡¯t.¡± Chunhua¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, ¡°What-¡± ¡°STRENGTH FROM LIBERTY! I am Sir Ellis of the Round Table!¡± ¡°STRENGTH FROM LIBERTY! I am Sir Ewen of the Round Table!¡± Both men bellowed their declarations at the same time, a copper column of light slamming down from above as if sent down from the heavens. Their bodies glowed, their skin tensing, muscles expanding, their eyes gleamed as renewed vigor flooded through their bodies. She could feel power raging beneath their skin, waiting to be unleashed. Did they just¡­ jump a tier? She thought as the two men moved. A pillar of red light erupting from the ground beneath his feet and sending him flying backwards for distance as Ellis darted in with a blur of attacks. She blocked each one, but the gap had narrowed significantly. Flashes of sound were hitting her body, leaving small spots of pain here and there. She hissed and snapped out a kick that he twisted around like a snake, moving into her guard to try to land a strike with his palm. No choice. She pulled her body back around his extending arm, the world around her slowing down as her senses went into overdrive. The internal energy pouring from her core turned from a stream into a river as she responded to their spike in strength with her own. The words spilled from her lips as she took a step forward. One-hundred eighty petals! The jabs came out like a blur, a ripple of strikes that caught the man and sent cuts across his tough body before throwing him back towards Ewen. She entered her ready stance once more, ¡°Find all the fake power and false might you want,¡± she declared, her weapon gleaming, ¡°You will not pass me!¡± Chapter 147 v2 A bullet whizzed by Alex¡¯s ear, his head whipping forward in response to the sound. He dove forward and kept running, pushing off the ground with his hands to get a little acceleration before he leaped into the air and whipped his arm out, covered in scales. The massive limb that grew from his body crushed a pair of trees before colliding with one of their attackers. He landed and kept moving, patting his waist to check that the pair of small legs were still wrapped around him. He glanced back at Snow who gave him a determined look before he turned back and kept running. ¡°Move! Move! Move!¡± Greg shouted behind them, the heady buzz of his powers activating rattling Alex¡¯s senses for a moment as a hail of bullets was deflected. Alex darted around another tree and made for the path again, they couldn¡¯t be much farther, could they? How long had they been running? He pressed his lips together, Hang in there Lily! He thought, ducking beneath a branch and alighting on the path. He turned and his eyes widened at the sight of a pair of gun barrels pointed at him. ¡°Shit!¡± He threw up his arms. ¡°Got it!¡± A voice called from above. He whipped his head up to see a streak of gold and pink collide with the ground, there was a noisy crash and when the dust cleared Cass was standing there with the biggest hammer he¡¯d ever seen slung over her shoulder. She glanced his way and gave him a nod before moving away from the small crater she¡¯d created, racing towards their destination. He shook his head after a testy poke from Snow brought him back to his senses and he followed after her. ¡°I see it!¡± Came another voice from ahead, Val, the lights of his rockets guiding them through the trees, ¡°Someones there!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t engage!¡± Greg shouted, ¡°We¡¯re coming!¡± Off to the left Alex saw John and Ollie hurrying along. Ollie looked pensive while John had a scowl of absolute focus on his face. Alex had never seen the guy frown so hard. Alex hopped over a low hanging branch and picked up his pace, whipping his arm out to grab the next one and snapping towards it like a rubber band, ¡°Hold on Snow!¡± He called as a tiny squeak sounded behind his head. He pulled himself forward, one branch at a time, Come on, come on, come on! He willed himself to go faster, if he could turn fully into a serpent he could just move around everything. Nothing could get in his way. He pulled himself forward again and launched into the air, kicking his feet slowly as he caught a bit of air time. He glanced down and spotted the clearing. The pillars of the dungeon were in plain view as was a man standing off to the side with his hand extended towards it. Reddish bolts of ¡®something¡¯ were darting from his fingertips and striking the portal. What the heck his that guy doing? ¡°Mana levels skyrocketing!¡± Snow said quickly behind his head. He glanced back at her as they descended, ¡°How do you know?¡± He asked. ¡°My implant, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± She said quickly, ¡°We got a problem. He¡¯s trying to trigger a break!¡± Her voice seemed to echo for him and he realized it was the after effect of her broadcasting her voice to the others as a series of curses answered her immediately. Just as Alex landed at the edge of the trees another shape came racing out in the form of Cass, her weapon raised and a snarl on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± She shouted, her body picking up tremendous speed as her head tilted forward. Something on her head- Is that a crown? No, Horns? The man spun and his eyes widened, ¡°Cassiopeia!¡± He gasped, breaking into a wide smile, ¡°You came to me!¡± He laughed. He pivoted away from the portal and threw out both hands, he held them together for a moment before spreading them open in quick movement. Between his palms a glossy surface that looked remarkably like that of a bubble appeared. She kept moving, her legs pumping against the ground and leaving deep holes with each step. He took another step back and opened the bubble wider as Greg let out a shout, ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± Cass didn¡¯t hear him or didn¡¯t listen, her eye burning with fury as she crashed into the bubble. It popped and she vanished. What? A cry of surprise and alarm filled the air and Alex looked up in time to see Cass falling from the sky. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Move!¡± Cass shouted as she threw herself forward in a sommersault in the air, gripping tightly to her weapon as she spun towards the ground like a blunt chainsaw. Alex looked to the portal, ¡°Just go in?¡± He shouted to Greg. ¡°Everyone get inside, we need to get Lily and the others out before anything worse happens!¡± Greg called back. John didn¡¯t need to be told twice, he was darting towards the portal the moment Greg gave the order. Val rocketing off next. The man whipped towards the two approaching him just as a screaming Cass came down towards him with the force of a small meteor. Her hammer aimed at his head. The man let out a gasp of alarm and for a moment he flickered before appearing a few feet to the right of where Cass had intended to hit him. Cass hit the ground and the whole area shook. She stood up and Alex darted forward as Ollie hurried behind them, ¡°You still good Ollie?¡± He called. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± His friend said, ¡°Just get in the portal, you too Cass! Hand to hand isn¡¯t going to work with him!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just leave him!¡± Cass shouted back, pointing her weapon at the man as he took a few steps back, holding his hands up. ¡°I oughta-¡± ¡°You oughta follow orders!¡± Greg barked behind the lot of them, ¡°Get in there Cass! I already know what his power is, you aren¡¯t a good match!¡± Cass clicked her tongue and doubled back, hopping backwards through the portal with a glare aimed at the man. Val and John raced through next. To Alex¡¯s surprise, Ollie barreled bast him and literally threw himself through the portal. Alex was next, he glanced at Greg as they got close, ¡°What would be a good match?¡± He asked, ¡°I¡¯m ready to-¡± Greg frowned at him and slapped the air to his right, just behind Alex. Alex blinked and felt himself get lifted off the ground and thrown forward towards the portal. He looked back at a grim-faced Greg and his eyes widened in horror. ¡°Are you fuckin- GREG!¡± He hit the portal with a splash and stumbled onto the grass and roots of the undergrowth, hitting the ground with his shoulder and scrambling to his feet. He quickly pulled Snow off of him and turned around, racing back towards the portal only to hit it and something else on the other side that sent him stumbling backwards. ¡ª Greg stared at the portal and sighed. He walked slowly over to it and tapped the surface, a wall of purple light forming over it before wrapping around the entire structure. He glanced over his shoulder at the man who stood there, hands on his hips, with an amused look on his face, ¡°You aren¡¯t getting past me.¡± ¡°Courageous!¡± The man laughed. ¡°Sir Halloway. I used to go by Rift though.¡± Greg nodded and turned to face him, his fingertips blazing with violet light, ¡°Gravitic,¡± He said even as the butterflies in his stomach screamed at him to retreat. He clamped it down, that wasn¡¯t battle instinct, it was cowardice. He straightened his shoulders and clenched his fists, raising them up in a fighting stance. Halloway tilted his head, ¡°Gravitic?¡± He asked before his expression fell and his eyes narrowed, ¡°Oho, you¡¯re a smart one. They¡¯d just get in your way, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Sad to say, but yeah,¡± Greg said as he started walking forward, ¡°Just you and me, Halloway.¡± ¡°Bravely said, but I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re up against a professional killer, it¡¯s over,¡± raised two fingers, he whipped them across his field of view and released an arch of that same bubbly substance outlined with red snaps and crackles of electricity. Greg threw his hand out and formed a claw shape with his fingers, he twisted his hand to the right and pushed. A small cone of purple light pushed out from his palm and split the incoming ¡®blade¡¯ in half. The two halves raced past him and cut through half a dozen trees on the other side of the clearing before stopping. Halloway frowned and looked down at his hand in confusion, ¡°What?¡± He looked up at the young man for a moment and raised an eyebrow, ¡°What just happened?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t play a lot of games as a kid,¡± Greg quipped, tilting his head up, ¡°Gravity bends space, dumbass. I have the advantage here,¡± Greg said before stomping his right foot and launching almost horizontally across the ground. Halloway snarled and moved his hand to the right before it vanished into a red rift in the air. The next thing Greg knew, he was face to face with the man, his shirt held tightly in his grip. Halloway sneered at him and pulled his hand back, red arcs dancing on his fingertips just as Greg shot him a smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± He said and slapped the guy on the abdomen. Halloway jerked back before abruptly lifting off the ground with a start. He snarled a curse as he spun helplessly for a moment. Greg threw himself forward, rearing back and driving a fist into the side of the man¡¯s head. Just before the moment of impact, two flashes of violet appeared, on his knuckles and the other at the impact point. Halloway¡¯s eyes widened and he tried to turn away just as the punch came. Greg felt his knuckles shudder a little but it was far worse for Halloway who was sent flying across the clearing, striking a tree and knocking it over with the impact.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Super effective,¡± Greg said with a smirk, shaking out his hand. He took a few steps to the right and watched the tree, trying to keep himself between the man and the portal. ¡°Whatever you were doing, it stops here,¡± He said with a growl. The feeling of the air shuddering was his only response, a dozen blades of spatial rifts launching out in all directions and striking anything nearby, disintegrating the tree that had fallen on the man. He staggered to his feet and bore his teeth, ¡°That was a mistake,¡± He snapped. A moment later light blossomed in the distance, pillars that came down from the sky and struck the ground. Halloway watched them for a moment and smiled, ¡°Good,¡± He said, ¡°All according to plan.¡± Greg glanced at the light, ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out if you do well enough,¡± Halloway said with a hiss as he stepped out of the trees, space rippling around him, bits of wood and ground gouged out around him with every step. Greg opened his right palm and held it out, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was over earlier?¡± Greg goaded, pulling on a bit of Alex¡¯s antics, ¡°Come on, that kind of phrase loses its impact the first time it flops.¡± Halloway¡¯s face fell and he dove forward, his body vanishing through a rift. Greg turned and threw up both arms, blocking the rippling strike that came out of thin air to his right. He slid back a few paces as Halloway vanished again and he ducked down, Halloway¡¯s attack coming from behind. Greg rolled onto his back and snapped his foot out, catching the man on the chin. Halloway snarled at him and vanished again, Greg rolling to the right on the ground as the man came up from beneath him. ¡°How are you doing that?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re predictable,¡± Greg said as he got to his feet, ¡°Miss Chernovna fights better than you do.¡± Halloway¡¯s eyes widened and his nostrils flared as he pulled himself out of the rift in the ground. Greg positioned himself again to riposte an attack only to hesitate when the man didn¡¯t move. Halloway chuckled and glanced in the general direction of the fighting near the main building, thunder like clashes sounding from that direction. ¡°Alright, fine, you¡¯ve earned it,¡± He let out a sigh and shook his head, ¡°Oh well, as long as I kill you, no one has to know.¡± Greg clenched his fists and got ready to slap his own chest in defense if he needed to. The man threw his head back and opened his arms, ¡°Strength from Liberty! I am Sir Halloway of the Round Table!¡± He declared and a pillar of light slammed down from above, infusing him with a copper-gold glow. It turned orange and then almost golden as his body seemed to expand, his muscles growing larger and the red glow around his fingers intensifying. He lowered his hands and looked down at Greg before he abruptly vanished. Greg blinked, he¡¯d lied a little about the guy being predictable, he could feel the spatial bends from his rifts. Three? Three fists collided with Greg¡¯s head, two on either side of his face and one to the back. Pain lanced through his skull, his brain shaking in its casing. Blood streamed from his nostrils as he tried to steady himself. He staggered forward and slapped his chest just as two rifts appeared on either side of him and blades of rippling spatial might swung forward to try to carve through him. Greg threw up his arms and kicked off the ground, one of the blades catching him on the knee. It dissolved but not before leaving a gash of torn and ripped flesh. Greg let out a cry and staggered, He¡¯s taking the momentum from me! Greg landed on his bad leg, wincing and throwing himself down to the ground as two rifts began to form above and below. He looked down into the cold eyes of Halloway and slapped the guy in the face just before he could get off another strike. Both Halloways let out a grunt of pain and pulled away. Not real copies, just him repeating himself somehow. One rift going to multiple places? He turned and struck out at another rift and blasted through it with purple lined fingertips. ¡°You little shit!¡± Halloway snarled and reappeared off to the side, he reached into his coat and drew a gun. ¡°Die!¡± He raged as a rift appeared to his right. He fired several rounds into it as an equal number of rifts appeared in the air around Greg. Shit! He intensified the repulsive force around his body, More! He pushed harder. The close range and sheer number of projectiles digging into his reserves. He felt his body tense and his stomach flip as the nausea finally began to hit him. Not now! He pushed it down and felt the bullets catch in the field around his body. One two- an explosion of pain ripped through his leg. Missed one! He winced and bit his lip, concentrating with everything he had. Nine, ten, got ¡®em! They floated there for a moment as he traced an imaginary line from each of them with his thoughts, pointing them back to the man who had fired them. His vision blurred for a moment and he looked down at his leg. Lot of blood, isn¡¯t it? He thought weakly before shaking himself out of it. Focus! Come on, come on, come on! Do it this time! He ground his teeth together and pushed every ounce of will he had through the movement. Curving gravity like a ribbon. He created new trajectories that peeled away from him. Slugs of metal changed course and launched themselves in Halloway¡¯s direction as Greg¡¯s arms went slack, he coughed and felt some bile rise up in his throat as his leg gave out under him. Halloway let out a scream and he looked up to see the man gripping his side. Blood dripped from his arm and his waist. ¡°You rancid little brat!¡± Halloway bit out, ¡°How are you more competent than a licensed hero?¡± He raged and stalked forward as Greg tried to get to his feet. He had nothing left and this guy, full of bullets, was still walking around like it was just an annoyance. ¡°I went to school for it,¡± Greg bit out, grinning up at him, ¡°Learned a lot here. So did they,¡± He glanced back at the portal. ¡°They¡¯ll get out just fine.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Halloway hissed. ¡°You don¡¯t know that yet,¡± Greg said as both of his palms glowed purple. The man stood over him and created another curved spatial rift. ¡°I got one more trick left. It¡¯s a bit stupid though!¡± Halloway rolled his eyes and swung down, aiming for a killing blow as Greg pulled his hands back. With all his might brought them together in a thunderous clap that shook the earth. I¡¯m right behind you guys, I won¡¯t fall behind! He swore as purple light enveloped him. ¡ª Alex got to his feet and marched towards the portal again, ¡°Son of a-¡± A hand wrapped around his wrist and he whipped his head towards Val who was looking him dead in the eyes. ¡°Let go.¡± Val gave him a hard look, ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot man,¡± Val said. Alex tugged his arm from Val¡¯s grip and turned on him, ¡°What¡¯d you call me?¡± He barked and pointed at the portal, ¡°Greg is out there, he needs us!¡± He shouted, ¡°We can¡¯t just leave him behind!¡± Val frowned at him, ¡°Dude, you gotta chill-¡± ¡°Chill?¡± Alex threw up his hands, ¡°Greg was the planner! He was the voice of reason, are you seriously expecting me to just- He¡¯s our fucking friend! I¡¯m not gonna leave him out there!¡± He barked. ¡°Alex, don¡¯t take it out on him, Greg gave us a chance, we need to take it,¡± Another voice chimed in and Cass stepped in behind Val. Alex¡¯s lips twitched, ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? You just get inserted into our group like you¡¯ve always been here and expect me to listen to a word you say? I¡¯ve known Greg since we were in middle school! I don¡¯t know a damn thing about you!¡± He shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving him behind!¡± He immediately regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth, his pounding heart stuttering once in his chest as he caught the pained look on the young woman¡¯s face. Cass looked away and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ fair,¡± She said quietly and turned away, ¡°Do what you want. I¡¯m going to find Lily.¡± John, off to the side, frowned at Alex and shook his head while Ollie pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Alex clenched his fists, ¡°I-¡± He ground his teeth. Damn it, why don¡¯t they understand? I don¡¯t get it! ¡°Alex,¡± A small soothing voice rang in his ear and he turned to see Snow looking at him with a sad look in her eyes, ¡°What would Greg do right now?¡± Alex looked away, ¡°How should I know? I¡¯m not Greg,¡± He grunted petulantly before glancing back into those pearlescent orbs. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sigh, Damn it. He looked up at Val who held his gaze while Ollie and John moved to follow Cass. ¡°He¡¯d finish the mission if one of us was covering the rear. He doesn¡¯t do self-sacrifice. He¡¯s confident, but he doesn¡¯t want us wasting time,¡± He said hollowly, he didn¡¯t like saying it, he wanted to fight at his friend¡¯s side. Val reached out and squeezed his arm, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll see him in no time, yeah?¡± Val said with a smirk and pat his arm before turning away. Alex didn¡¯t move for a moment, staring at his feet, ¡°Val, sorry about-¡± Val snorted, ¡°Dude, we go back too, I get it,¡± He said as his steps moved further away, ¡°I¡¯m not the one you should be apologizing to.¡± Alex winced and glanced up at the back of the blondes head as she dipped under a branch and stepped onto the path leading into the first ¡®passage¡¯ of the dungeon beyond what the scouts had started to call the ¡®lobby¡¯. She didn¡¯t look back. Ollie caught up to her and said something with a smile on his face and she glanced at him, returning the expression. Alex let out another sigh, Shit, I fucked that up, He thought and scratched the back of his head before moving to follow the others. Val, his hands up behind his head, tilted a bit to listen to something John had to say and raised his voice, ¡°Yo, we need a fuckin¡¯ formation. We don¡¯t got any heals right now, right?¡± Alex chewed his lip, ¡°I can regenerate a bit, I¡¯ll take rearguard.¡± Val glanced back at him and met his eyes. Alex looked away and felt his stomach twist. I just don¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m not good at that kind of stuff. ¡°Alright, Alex is on rear guard, Cass you got the front?¡± Val called out. ¡°No problem,¡± Cass said, ¡°Nothing will get past me.¡± ¡°Cool, John and I have flanks, Ollie and Snow should stay in the middle,¡± Val said as they fully stepped into the open path. Alex had been given the small opportunity to peek into the dungeon a little while back so he¡¯d seen the eerie circular clearing surrounded by a literal wall of tree trunks that made up the lobby. The trees went way up into the sky and made it a crazy thought to try to go over them to do anything. Apparently one scout had tried and had gotten attacked by something though they¡¯d had a hard time describing it. He had not, however, seen the actual ¡®operating¡¯ parts of the dungeon. They didn¡¯t have anyone who¡¯d been memorizing the paths either. They were flying blind. That didn¡¯t make it any less breathtaking. Chapter 148 v2 Halloway¡¯s eyes shot open as a sharp pain rushed up his side. He coughed, wincing against the blazing heat that had begun to pool around his right side as his skin sizzled and burned. His vision swam and he forced himself to look down at the injury. A shard of wood was sticking out of his waist, the long branch stretching out another foot and a half and saturated with blood. His eyes fluttered as he reached for it, snarling against the pain. As an assassin he had specialized in the sudden attack, a quick strike with a knife thrown at the throat. He had adapted that strategy to his spatial powers, his first refinement of his ability had been the rift blade. He hadn¡¯t needed much more than that. Nothing could block it. No armor, no shield, even power barriers were functionally useless against it. Liberty had even deigned to allow him to test it against her impregnable body. The wound he had carved into her skin had been enough to earn his life; his efforts to bring numerous members of the night society over to her side had earned his position. It was only after he had begun working under her that he had considered other avenues for his ability. Creating a zone of stable space was one of them. He coughed again and tried to put some force down to break the stick at a joint, at least it would be less to pull out when the time came. His abs recoiled from the effort, screaming in protest while every inch of the skin on the front half of his body practically cracked under the strain. He grunted and took a shuddering breath. Calm down, you got too riled earlier. He reprimanded himself and pointed his finger at the branch. He cut through it with a sharp release of his ability before pulling himself off and collapsing to his knees. With a monumental effort of will he lifted one of his hands and examined it, the skin had turned almost black and cracked in several places. The sheer pressure of whatever that boy had done to him had pulverized his flesh. He was lucky to be alive. He brought the hand gingerly down to his wound and pressed against it. It was fruitless with another hole on the other side but it was all he could do. His other mangled hand slipped down to his belt. Where is it? He wheezed, his fingers slipping through a hole in the base of the pouch. He grunted and whipped his head around, searching. A small glimmer on the ground a few feet away drew his eye and he let out a ragged laugh. With every muscle in his body screaming at him to stop he crawled towards it, his shaking fingers reaching out until they wrapped around what appeared to be an extremely thick metal needle with a razor sharp point. Etchings ran down one side of the object and glowed with a faint green light. He fell onto his side, his vision darkening as he pulled the implement to his chest and jabbed it in with the last fragment of strength he had left. A low hiss followed by an explosion of torturous agony racked through his body. His flesh sizzled, his eyes burned, his bones creaked, everything twisted and warped as the object given to him by Liberty and created by that madman went to work. He screamed, convulsing on the ground as blackened and pulverized skin smoothed and cleared, knitting together. Bones set, wounds closed, and his body began to take on the general appearance of a living thing rather than the incinerated corpse he resembled moments before. It was only when the process was complete, a minute of agony that he would never forget, that he lay there on the ground, breathing hard. He closed his eyes and focused on the space he had created around the camp. Miles upon miles of spatially neutral terrain. Anything teleporting within it would be blocked and the user of the ability ¡®reprimanded¡¯, either by pain for the weaker powers or even having their ability disabled for the more powerful teleporters. Still there. Still working. Good. Glad it didn¡¯t drop when I lost consciousness. He thought and forced himself to sit up. He turned his head towards the prone form of the boy that had nearly killed him. He may very well be the only person on this planet I can¡¯t hurt, he thought sourly. Bad match-up indeed. He got to his feet and started to walk, at first gingerly before his body moved with purpose. He came to a stop over the youth, eyes shut with a smile on his face and his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. His hands were mangled terribly and his wounds were still seeping blood, but he was still very much alive. Halloway narrowed his eyes, I can¡¯t suffer you to live, Gravitic, you are my natural enemy. He thought and conjured up another rift blade. The rippling edge pointed down. ¡°I was getting bored of waiting for you to get up,¡± A new voice said behind him. Halloway¡¯s entire body tensed and he brought the weapon up anyway, he wasn¡¯t about to get distracted from his task, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that. I need him alive, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Tough,¡± Hallway snarled and brought the rift blade down only for a hand to grab his wrist. He glanced at it just in time for his eyes to bulge as he was pulled away from Gravitic and thrown several feet. His rift blade flying off to one side and digging a five foot divot in the ground before it exploded and left a crater in its wake. He hit the ground and hopped back to his feet, creating another weapon as he stared down his new adversary, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for chil-¡± He paused as he met those glowing blue eyes. They weren¡¯t the eyes of a child. Not a bright eyed aspirant. He felt his stomach churn a little as a cold smile curled on the boyish face of the youthful pretty-boy. A killer. One who does it for pleasure. Pure psychopath. He kept his guard up but lowered his hands, ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked, ¡°A villain?¡± The boy blew out an obnoxious sound between his lips and burst into laughter, ¡°Me? No way, I¡¯m the hero of this story,¡± He said and put a hand on his hip and rested a glowing golden sword on his shoulder. He tilted his head up and looked down his nose at Halloway. Arrogant. ¡°And you work for that piece of work Liberty, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯d refrain from insulting her if I were you,¡± Halloway snarled. ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll kill me? That would be a neat trick,¡± The boy said and took a step before appearing in Hallway¡¯s face. Halloway froze, He teleported? No. He just- what? What just happened? The boy looked him up and down, ¡°You got potential man, I like you, but you¡¯re pretty hung up on that self aggrandizing bitch still, shame. Once she¡¯s dead I¡¯ll pick you up if you like,¡± He said with a grin, ¡°What do you say?¡± Hallway snarled and whipped his hand out, edging his fingers with a rift and digging it into the young man¡¯s side. He felt flesh give way and blood dribbled down the young man¡¯s mouth. The boy blinked once and looked down at Halloways hand as if confused before looking up at him and grinning a bloody grin. ¡°Nice! Real nice! Got through my skin! That¡¯s impressive. You know,¡± He said as if he hadn¡¯t just been stabbed, ¡°I¡¯ve been starting to think a lot more about how valuable some of you things are. Maybe some of you are actually people, with brains and shit. You know? Neat powers too,¡± He said with a sagely nod as if he had the entire world figured out now. ¡°People can be useful. A good lesson. Miss Chernovna is so smart. That¡¯s why I want to sign up with her.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He¡¯s insane! Halloway thought as he pulled back, his fingers dripping with blood. He took a few steps away and watched with mute horror as the wound just started to close on its own, the young man not even blinking or even reacting. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet, man, Halloway right? Cool name. I like nicknames better though, you got one of those?¡± He said and lowered his weapon from his shoulder, waving it up and down with clear intention to use it. ¡°What are you? A mythic?¡± Halloway demanded. The youth blinked at him and tilted his head, ¡°Obviously,¡± He said with a snort, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re slow, that would be disappointing,¡± That last word, the way he said it, the inflection¡­ it sent a chill down Halloway¡¯s spine. It felt, for just a moment, like the very specter of death was looming in front of him. ¡°R-Rift, I go by Rift,¡± Halloway said quickly. ¡°On the nose! Good stuff,¡± The youth said with a nod, ¡°You may call me Otis, consider it an honor to know my name,¡± He said and the waving of his weapon eased a little. He searched Halloways face and pouted, ¡°You¡¯re not gonna even consider joining up till she¡¯s dead, are you?¡± He let out a heavy sigh and shrugged, ¡°Alright fine. I¡¯ll make it happen if that¡¯s what it takes.¡± Halloway squared his shoulder, ¡°You may be powerful but-¡± ¡°Blah blah blah, dialogue,¡± Otis waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Go on with your little scheme or whatever you have planned here, I couldn¡¯t care less, it¡¯s going to fail anyway,¡± He said with a shrug and slipped his hand into his pocket, he pulled out what looked like a thumb drive and tossed it to Halloway who caught it on instinct. ¡°That¡¯s for your boss. Maybe with it she can actually accomplish something meaningful instead of flailing around like an idiot. It¡¯s really annoying watching her,¡± He said with a sigh. Halloway had just about enough of this arrogant little- ¡°I used my ability to divine a course of action she could take that would really hurt her enemies and get what she wants. If she follows it, she might do well enough that I¡¯ll reconsider what I have planned for her,¡± Otis continued, before looking Halloway dead in the eyes, ¡°My sword can cut through anything, Rift, and I like taking my time with things that annoy me.¡± With that, Otis seemed to decide the conversation was over. He turned away to walk over to Gravitic and knelt next to him, holding his hand over his chest. Halloway wasn¡¯t done, though. If he could just get one quick blow in at the neck he could separate- ¡°My head will reattach,¡± Otis said as he tilted his neck forward, ¡°Or grow a new body, not sure, but it will,¡± He said, ¡°You¡¯re starting to annoy me, Rift. Run.¡± ¡°I could just tell her about you, about what you look like. She could tell the world what kind of monster you really are,¡± Halloway pointed out as he backed up, glancing around for the perfect route away from this place. ¡°No you won¡¯t,¡± Otis said and glanced back to smile at him, ¡°Once you leave, you¡¯ll barely remember me. I¡¯ve decreed it so.¡± Fucking lunatic! Halloway thought and darted away, racing towards the trees before leaping into the foliage. He stopped there, watching from afar as Otis did something to Gravitic that caused his hated enemy to twitch and writhe before picking him up and throwing him over his shoulder. He walked over to the portal into the dungeon and without looking back, walked on through. Halloway watched the disappearing form of Otis and frowned. Like I¡¯d forget someone like you. He thought and hopped down to the ground, approaching the portal and holding his hand out. You¡¯re going to die in there, just like the rest. Now that I¡¯ve opened more pathways for mana to get into the dungeon, it¡¯ll overload any time now and this entire region will be a wasteland. He thought before focusing on the portal itself, wrapping a wreath of crackling red lightning around it to seal his enemies inside. He turned away and glanced down at his shaking fingers. Gravitic had done a number on him. A worthy adversary. A nemesis even. A small part of him was sad that he had to die so ignobly inside of a breaking dungeon, but that was the way of things. He would rather be rid of such a dangerous opponent than let him live out his life. He marched towards the edge of the trees. I need to get back to the main camp and gather up the others, the damage has been done. It would be best if we weren¡¯t present when the dungeon went critical, He thought with a wry smile and stepped into the trees. He slipped his hands into his pockets and let out a sigh before blinking as his fingers wrapped around something metallic. He pulled it out and examined the thumb drive that had appeared there in confusion. Huh? What¡¯s this? He thought for a moment. Odd. I don¡¯t remember. He blinked again. I¡¯m supposed to give it to Liberty, it will be useful to her, right, right. He reassured himself as he tried to remember where he¡¯d gotten it from. His stomach churned and he scratched at his neck, ¡°Who was it again?¡± ¨C Otis stepped through the portal and dropped Greg on the ground. He didn¡¯t need to carry him anymore. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as the portal was wreathed with red lightning, blocking his return. He could cut through it but there was no reason to do so. This is where he needed to be, after all. He glanced down at the healed aspirant and nudged him once with his foot. Not waking. Whatever he did burned through a lot of his internal energy. I can see it. He¡¯ll recover quickly in here though, no worries, he¡¯ll see me as his savior, that¡¯ll be good enough. Otis scanned his surroundings. The forest was thick ahead of him with a single path leading out of the clearing. The space had an odd headiness to it, as if a powerful presence had been here at one point but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. The guide told him nothing either. How strange, he thought with mild amusement before tilting his head to listen. Something exploded and shook the distant trees. Ah, there we go. He snickered and turned back to Greg, nudging him again as the sounds of distant fighting filled the air. The young hero-in-training groaned and his eyes fluttered open, squinting before locking on Otis. ¡°Marc? Where-¡± ¡°Got you away from that psycho out there, he was about to kill you,¡± Otis said and held out a hand for him to take. He pulled Greg to his feet, ¡°You¡¯re lucky I got there when I did but you sure did a number on him. He was half-dead before he used some odd metal thing to heal himself.¡± Greg blinked, ¡°I-I did? You did? I-¡± He blinked and looked down at his hands, ¡°My hands.¡± ¡°I fixed you up, new trick of mine,¡± Otis said with a shrug, ¡°Got a whole bag of ¡®em.¡± Greg let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you, Marc. You¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°Thank me when we save the others, we¡¯re stuck in here,¡± Otis said, keeping up the act and nodded towards the portal before turning to the trees. ¡°Ready to go save the day?¡± Greg grinned at him, ¡°I was born ready.¡± Chapter 149 v2 The trees that hung over the initial passage out of the lobby made it impossible to see the sky while the path itself bent just slightly to the right in a lazy curve to block anyone standing in the lobby from seeing further inside. At the end of the passage, though, it was like they¡¯d stepped into something out of a dream. He nearly walked right into Ollie¡¯s back, the others standing in mute fascination at the awe inspiring view. They were standing before a vast forest with tall trees that spread out wide throughout a vast area of beaten undergrowth. Thousands of pillars of wood interspaced among one another with cascading beams of sunlight piercing between breaks in the foliage. He glanced up to see a blue sky overhead, a few clouds drifting past. The trees themselves were a rainbow of colors, mostly green leaves and brown wood but interspersed were whites and reds and even some greens. The leaves were anything from the brightest gold to various shades of purple. The air smelled so¡­ clean. ¡°Found the path,¡± Cass said a few feet ahead, pointing at the ground, ¡°Lily said that they had been taking the leftmost route mostly and that the right path led to a dead end.¡± Alex looked down at his feet and noticed that amongst the undergrowth there was a clearly marked path of dirt that split off in several directions before leading off into the multicolored forest beyond. The leftmost path looked the most well worn, from the looks of it. He looked up from the path to Cass and opened his mouth. She glanced his way and he shut it, looking down at his feet again, Damn it. He thought as she turned her focus on what she was doing. He fell back a bit, taking his spot at the rear as he tried to work through the roiling emotions in his chest. It still didn¡¯t sit right with him that they¡¯d gone on ahead. They should have waited for Greg. The others were right, though, on a logical level anyway. He exhaled through his nose and glanced over his shoulder, scanning the area for a moment. Focus on what you¡¯re doing, you can worry about it later, he chastised himself. You¡¯re gonna fuck up again at this rate, what happened to promising to do better? He grumbled as they walked along the path, the forest at their right while they hugged the thick wall of trees to their left that made up the boundary of this area. He clenched his jaw as scales formed along his neck, face, arms, knuckles and legs. Don¡¯t get caught off guard, be ready for anything, breathe. He took another steadying breath and glanced back over his shoulder, examining the path behind them for any sign of creatures moving to follow them. ¡°Do we have any intel on the monsters here?¡± Val asked. ¡°No, unfortunately, tonight was going to be their first mission where enough time had passed between the last culling and the next to see a few,¡± Ollie said, ¡°I was really looking forward to Lily¡¯s report.¡± ¡°First hand is better anyway,¡± John said grimly, twirling a knife between his fingers. Leaves falling now and then among the trees to their right. Cass glanced back over her shoulder, ¡°Snow, can you use your illusions to give us some cover as we walk?¡± She asked as Alex continued to turn his head from where he had been looking back to her. Snow was nodding and raising her hands to craft her illusion when a bad feeling began to wriggle up in Alex¡¯s gut. He couldn¡¯t see it, but his instincts told him that something was off, it was like a tightness in his legs, an instantaneous flight response. He flicked his tongue out and tasted the air and his eyes went wide. ¡°Everyone duck!¡± He shouted. In the same moment as the others reacting to his command, the leaves that had been falling from the trees to their right pivoted in the air and darted in their direction. Fragile falling fragments became as solid as steel, blades that ripped through the air and embedded themselves in the tree-wall to their left. Behind them, appearing as if out of thin air, were a trio of figures that stood a head and a half taller than even himself. All three had eerie skin that seemed to be both flesh and wood, their faces stiff as boards even as their blazing green eyes all turned to look at him. Two of them carried bladed weapons in their hands while the third was unarmed and seemed more frail than the others. It threw its hand out in Alex¡¯s direction with a barely audible hiss of unintelligible words and vines ripped from the ground at his feet. He threw his arm forward on instinct, extending it and grabbing onto the tree nearest to the group of three as the hard wood began to wrap around his legs and pulled. The force of the movement snapping the vines before they could harden into restraints and carried him across the distance on a collision course with the three. The two blade wielders raised their weapons, ready to intercept him and he released his grip on the tree, throwing both arms up to defend himself as his feet went out for a skidding landing. Somewhere off to the side he heard an explosion of sound. His feet hit the ground and he braced himself, setting his jaw. CLANG! A pair of blades clashed against his arms and he glanced up into the eyes of one of the two blade wielders. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of yellow and the gleam of a long metal haft as the other blade wielder was pushed back and away from him. Cass whipped her leg out and kicked it in the chest before driving her shoulder forward in a tackle, pushing it further onto the backfoot. He turned his attention back to the one engaged with him and pushed up and away with a grunt, sending it stumbling back as well. ¡°Val! John!¡± ¡°Right!¡± The two called at the same time. The sudden blast of a rocket engine activating as a red blur crossed his vision. He ducked beneath Val¡¯s speeding body, his friend whipping his entire body around in a tremendous kick that collided with the blade wielder¡¯s head, pulverizing it. At the same time, John closed the distance like an olympic sprinter, his knife at the ready as he swept towards what Alex assumed was a ¡®caster¡¯ type whatever-the-hell these things were. His knife moved so fast it left behind rigid lines of light for a heartbeat before a low croak of pain sounded, the frail monster dropping to its knees and gaping at its missing hands. Just as John swiped his knife across it¡¯s throat, the other blade wielder came soaring through the air to crash at Alex¡¯s feet, its body covered in crater-like wounds that looked eerie on its wood like body. It didn¡¯t get up. Alex let out a sharp breath, it had happened so fast. If he¡¯d been a few seconds slower, who knows what those leaves would have done to the others. They weren¡¯t as durable as he was, save maybe for Val and his armor and Cass in general. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. He glanced up at Cass as she approached from where she¡¯d engaged the blade wielder, her hammer slung over her shoulder. He met her eyes and she looked away from him, a frown on her face. Damn it. I gotta do something about this. ¡°Cass,¡± He said, clearing his throat. She looked up at him with a stony stare and he rubbed his neck, ¡°I- I shouldn¡¯t have said that. You¡¯ve been really trying to fit in and I was just-¡± He groped for excuses but found none, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what I said. You¡¯re one hell of a badass, thanks for coming with us.¡± She stared back at him for several heartbeats, the others getting out of the way. She walked over to him and he realized for the first time that she was just as tall as he was. Was it her ability? He¡¯d seen her get bigger at one point but- she flicked him in the forehead and he nearly fell onto his back, a smarting spot forming at the point of contact. He reached up and grabbed his head, ¡°Ouch! What the-¡± ¡°Now we¡¯re even,¡± She said with a smile and reached down. He squinted at her and then at her hand before grabbing it. She pulled him to his feet. ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly friendly to start with either,¡± she admitted. ¡°You guys have made this¡­ better, and you haven¡¯t said anything about, you know¡­¡± She trailed off. He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head, What is she talking about? He blinked, ¡°Oh right! You¡¯re related to Liberty or something, yeah? I completely forgot!¡± The others blinked in unison and their eyes went wide before Val barked out a laugh, ¡°Who the fuck cares? You aren¡¯t her, obviously.¡± Cass looked at them all in bewilderment, ¡°You¡­ forgot?¡± Her shoulders sank and a look between weariness and relief washed over her face. It was Snow¡¯s turn to laugh, ¡°Well! At least this heroic rescue mission won¡¯t be awkward anymore,¡± The small girl pointed out, ¡°We should get back to that by the way.¡± They all exchanged a look and nodded. Alex clenched his fist and gave Cass a nod while the blonde gripped her weapon tightly and returned the gesture, marching back to her spot in the lead. Alex set his jaw and firmed up his resolve, this wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but if anyone could do it, they could. Hang on Lily, we¡¯re coming. ¨C Hang on guys, I¡¯m coming. She chased the wind, followed the feeling even as she kept an eye on the compass, she had to get back. Marta¡¯s hands are tied. I have no idea of Liberty herself is there. If she is, with how long I¡¯ve been gone I- she swallowed hard, Chunhua will hold the line. The instructors are stronger than they think. Amos will come up with a plan. Carla, be brave and do what you need to. Marta, guard them for me. I won¡¯t let you down. She grit her teeth as the wind began to pick up, she could hear it howl in the distance. I¡¯ll be there to turn this story on its head! A ripple of light carried out behind her as she sped up, she didn¡¯t notice it, didn¡¯t feel it, but it was there. Her eyes were fixed on the next corner where the wind was even stronger. She rounded it and stopped, looking up the passage at a bright opening in the distance and a dark figure standing in front of it. She drew her knife and charged, she wasn¡¯t about to waste time right now. She¡¯d let her enhanced mind take in everything in the time between her movement and connecting. It looked like a man but its body was gaunt and weathered, flesh decayed and partially frozen, eyes like burning motes of flame in black holes. Its skin glittered in the light behind it. It was gray, with its jaw hanging open in a silent scream and marred with a patchy beard. It wore ill-fitted leather armor designed for a much more muscular figure. In its right hand it held a heavy metal axe, in its left, a circular shield. Wait, where have I seen- She collided with it and instead of digging into flesh the blade of her knife clashed against steel as it held its axe up to block her blow. Fast! She gasped just as it pushed her back with all its might, throwing her clear to the end of the hallway and crashing into the wall. She coughed up blood and created a berry in her mouth, chewing it before getting to her feet. And strong too, it pushed me away. Mythic? How? What the hell is this place really? She clicked her tongue and drove forward again, putting on more speed, she darted low before zipping up high with a horizontal movement. It swung its shield down to block her feint and she whipped her leg out, willing a shin-guard of light and spikes to form on her limb. It crashed into decayed flesh and a cloud of glittering dust erupted from it¡¯s body in a rainbow of colors as it¡¯s head whipped to the right a few inches. She squinted and threw her arm over her mouth, Dust? Poison? The moment she recoiled, it brought its axe up in a movement so fast even her enhanced brain took a heartbeat too long to register. Blade bit into skin just as she started to form armor around her body to protect herself. Pain seared across her waist, and she pulled herself away, spinning and throwing a dozen spears of light in its direction. It raised its shield lazily and blocked the ones aimed for its vitals only for the others to pierce through leg bone and feet. She slid to a stop, breathing hard and created a berry in her mouth. She chewed and felt¡­ nothing. She looked down at her side at the bloody wound that was struggling to heal. Suppression? She whipped her head up at the creature as it tried to take a step forward but it¡¯s pinned legs and feet wouldn¡¯t allow it. She pressed her hand to her side, shuddering once from the pain. Two can play at that game. She snarled and brought out a small fragment of the Visage. Just a little. It was overwhelming using it, like it was resisting her somehow. Pale white vines wrapped around her waist and she felt the healing finally start to kick in. She darted at it again, this time watching its movements carefully before retreating from each strike. She spun and weaved, diving about and taking a few hits as she did. Each wound didn¡¯t heal properly at first, it¡¯s the weapon not the dust. She thought, It had a power suppressing property. This has to be some kind of Mythic dungeon. She watched every swing, every move of its shield, drank it in, understood it, processed it. Where is your weakness? Where do you hesitate? Where- there! Just as it shifted stances between an uppercut and a horizontal swing there was a moment where it paused. Her eyes flared with light as she brought Imperious down on it with all of her might in that heartbeat. She bore her teeth and flashed forward, extending the edge of her knife with an edge of light. She landed a few paces past it, her body bloody and aching, the healing still slowed by its weapons power. She panted and turned back to see its head fall to the ground, its grotesque body following it. Her chest heaving, she turned away from it as her eyes clicked, adjusting to the sudden bright light. Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart stilling for just a moment. The compass that had guided her slipped through numb fingers. Her eyes went wide as she stepped out onto the platform and looked out over the enormous empty void. Beneath her, a shattered bridge of rainbow glass glittered and sparked, beyond it, far, far away, a gleaming city of silver spires and towers vaster than any she¡¯d ever seen before. ¡°What is this place?¡± Chapter 150 v2 Sonya found a set of stairs that led down from the platform she¡¯d come in on. She winced as she stepped down and glanced down at her body, dismissing her regalia so she could herself. The healing is going so slowly, she thought as she alighted on the lower platform that turned out to be some kind of landing. It was also way larger than it looked from above, deceptively so. She turned on the spot and glanced back where she¡¯d come from. There was something mounted to the wall directly across from where the rainbow glass started. A metal ring that shimmered with the same multicolored hue. She narrowed her eyes and walked up to it, running her fingers over the surface. She felt one of her instincts rise up in response, resonating, a thrumming rhythm vibrating through her fingertips and down into her chest. Non-Euclidian? She reached up and touched her heart before looking up at the ring, A portal? She turned back to the bridge that lay shattered just a few feet out from the edge of the landing. She followed its direction with her eyes all the way to the vast city miles and miles away. Her eyes focused and she zoomed in at the spot that it was reaching towards. There was another end to the bridge, it sparked and sizzled at the end where the city began. Power source? She thought before walking over to the bridge itself and crouching down. She ran her fingers over the bridge, It¡¯s not rainbow colored, it¡¯s optic fibers. She thought, surprised. Millions upon millions of tiny threads of crystalline glass woven together to create a solid platform. The light shining through created the multicolored effect. A rainbow bridge, she let out a shaky breath and looked up at the city in the distance again. It couldn¡¯t be¡­ She moved forward a bit to the edge and found where the break began. She squinted at the cracked and torn edges of the fibers and watched in real time as they slowly grew before dimming and cracking off, falling into the abyss below. That¡¯s when she saw something else, something that made a hole form in her stomach. A root. No, a vine. She thought as she reached down to touch it. She wrapped her fingers around the plant that seemed to be wrapped around the underside of the bridge and snapped off a piece. It regrew immediately as she got to her feet and rubbed it between her fingers. Pale white. She thought and looked down at the bridge that was struggling to restore itself. Suppressed. She held out her hand and willed Visage of Titania to create a vine in her palm. She compared the two and swallowed. Impossible¡­ was she real? Was she here? Did¡­ did she do this? Why? Sonya looked down at the vines growing over the broken piece of bridge and held out her hand. It¡¯s my power now, she thought and concentrated. She felt the instincts of the ability rise up in response and she reached out through it towards the plants only to meet resistance. It felt as if she was reaching across centuries, across millenia, touching something that shouldn¡¯t be touched. But if that¡¯s a portal, I need to get it working. She thought as she grit her teeth and pushed only for the vines to push back with their own suppressive force. She let out a gasp and stepped back, sweat dripping down her temple and felt Visage retreat. She panted, ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± She held out both hands this time, fingers curled like claws as she pushed harder, her expression grim faced. Tension burned in her muscles as her eyes focused on the vines. This time Visage barely responded at all, only a flicker of its power rising up to greet her. She cursed and dropped her hands to her sides, letting out a groan of frustration. ¡°Damn it! Work!¡± She snarled and turned around to pace, It¡¯s a mythic power, they respond to mindset more so than other abilities. She thought and rubbed her chin, I had an easier time back in Pakistan, why? No, that was Ishtar. Damn it, what does she do differently? She sighed and sat down on the ground, ¡°I need to get back! Ishtar, wake up, please. I need advice.¡± Silence. Utter silence. She pushed forward and planted her hands at the edge of the bridge. She could see the vines, she could feel them distantly. She knew at the depths of her soul that she could grab hold of them and wrench control of them. It was like they were the only thing standing between her and coming home. Just some tiny plants. She slammed her fist on the bridge, cracking some of the filaments. They wriggled before regenerating and she looked down at bloodied knuckles. She tried again, and again, and again, blood dripping from her nose as she threw all her focus into forcing the vines to obey. Please. Let me go home! She let out an exhausted gasp, her heart pounding and she threw her head back and screamed out her frustration. ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± She repeated, ¡°Ishtar, please!¡± She begged, her hands falling to her sides. ¡°I need you. Please, just talk to me!¡± She croaked. A sigh rang out in the back of her mind. You¡¯re becoming too dependent on me. She sat up wiping the blood from her nose, ¡°Ishtar?¡± You know what to do, you¡¯re just unwilling to admit that it¡¯s so simple, Ishtar said cooly. I told you, you¡¯ve been coasting, Sonya. She got to her feet and clenched her fists, ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I-¡± No, you aren¡¯t. Her shoulders sank and she looked down at her feet. She felt that hollow spot in her gut grow larger, like a yawning chasm in her spirit. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes as she felt Augmented Reality activate of its own accord. She opened her eyes and looked up as she saw her own face take form across from her, a wisp of smoke that drifted back before standing a few feet away. Ishtar¡¯s expression was stoic but relaxed, her arms crossed and her head tilted as she regarded Sonya with a thoughtful gaze. ¡°You¡¯re doing better, I will concede that point,¡± She said and checked her nails, ¡°You¡¯ve internalized what we talked about in The Hague. It¡¯s not enough, though, your mindset is still off and that¡¯s why you¡¯re struggling here.¡± Sonya threw out her arms, ¡°What mindset? Explain it to me!¡± She said, she was so tired of hearing these indirect responses from Ishtar.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Ishtar frowned, ¡°Sonya, you know I can¡¯t give you the answers,¡± She said sadly before glancing back at the bridge, ¡°You need a Villain¡¯s mindset. A real villain¡¯s mindset. You¡¯re missing something, that one internalized belief above all others,¡± She looked back at Sonya and fixed her with a stare, her eyes glowing with fiery intensity, ¡°Until you can make that a part of who you are, we won¡¯t ever get anywhere near becoming whole,¡± Ishtar said before letting out another sigh at the desperate look in Sonya¡¯s eyes. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand what you mean,¡± Sonya said. ¡°You will,¡± Ishtar said with a small smile, ¡°For now,¡± she pointed at the vines on the bridge, ¡°Who was Titania?¡± ¡°Myth says she was the queen of the fae,¡± Sonya said frankly, ¡°I researched her after I got the power I know all-¡± ¡°Clearly you don¡¯t know anything about her,¡± Ishtar clipped back, ¡°Do you honestly think a fae queen would frantically approach this? Tense muscles, desperate thoughts, forcing her power to work?¡± Ishtar barked out a laugh, ¡°You were doing so well when it came to letting it all roll off of you. Do you have that little faith in those you left behind? Do you not think they can handle it?¡± Sonya bit her lip, ¡°But if Liberty-¡± ¡°Answer the question,¡± Ishtar said firmly. Sonya let out a breath and slowly began to nod. ¡°Chunhua is strong, powerful, she can keep Liberty at bay. Marta can help if she¡¯s forced to, even if it means blowing our cover a bit,¡± Sonya said with a sigh, feeling tension leaving her muscles, ¡°Amos can come up with a back-up plan, and I invested steelblood into Da-som to make his healing power more easy to use.¡± Ishtar titled her head, ¡°And?¡± ¡°The kids are ready,¡± Sonya said, looking up and returning her stare. She clenched her fists and felt her lips tremble a bit. ¡°I¡¯m proud of what they¡¯ve grown into,¡± She squeezed her eyes together, ¡°Even that bastard is there, he doesn¡¯t want something bad happening to the camp, it would be disadvantageous for him. I hate it, but I can count on him to act as well if need be. Even if it¡¯s just to make himself look good,¡± She said with bile on her lips. ¡°Those two Bluestar sent over, Crowley and Canis, they¡¯re better than they know,¡± Sonya said, ¡°Axel and Rouge are outstanding heroes,¡± She sighed again and felt a pressure in her lower back ease that she didn¡¯t even know was there. ¡°Carla knows what she¡¯s doing too, they don¡¯t need me even if they don¡¯t realize it.¡± Ishtar tilted her head and nodded, ¡°Feel better?¡± Sonya exhaled and threw her head back, ¡°Yes,¡± She said as her fingers twitched at her side. She bounced a bit on the balls of her feet. ¡°Much better,¡± Her eyes fluttered as she let the ease wash over her. There was nothing to worry about. Nothing she couldn¡¯t overcome. Even if she had to turn the world on its head, she would do what she set out to. She just had to let the inconveniences wash over her and past her. She exhaled again and looked into her hud, pulling up some dance music. She smiled mischievously to herself as Ishtar gave her a grin. ¡°That¡¯s the way,¡± Ishtar murmured as she began to vanish, ¡°Have fun with it. Enjoy it. Revel in it like a Faerie.¡± The music started to play in Sonya¡¯s head, a jaunty beat that thrummed through her chest and into her limbs. She swayed a little on the spot and hummed, taking a step to the left, and then the right, and then she rose off the ground and spun in the air. She felt something bubble up inside of her chest that burst out in a tittering laugh like falling glass. She did a flip in the air, a loop, she spun and laughed and giggled as she felt those instincts roar back up into the back of her mind. Stronger and louder than ever before. Her lips parted as white light began to gleam on her bare skin, her hair became like filaments, blazing with a cascade of pale light. She threw her head back and let out a howl of delight and exaltation as a thrill went through her entire body. She twirled, streamers forming on her arms and legs, her clothing vanishing in blue sparks only to be replaced by a flowing white gown. She let the instinct guide her, followed them, danced with them. She let the stressed and fears and worries wash away. She would pass through them or over them, around them, dancing with them and using them to her advantage. That¡¯s how she worked, thats what she did. That was her modus operandi, she was the force that would intercede and break the storyline, turning it in whatever direction she wanted. Her lips parted and a song rose up from within her, words in a language she did not know but that felt so deeply bound to her heart. The words were sorrowful, filled with regret, even as she danced with lively abandon. She let the world pass her by as her mind drifted into the power. Her skin glowed as something metal rose up and formed over the upper half of her face. She spun again and held her hands high, floating over the bridge as she smiled down at the plants that had been suppressing it for aeons. ¡°It¡¯s time to rest, go back to where you came from,¡± She whispered, her voice a melody on the wind as her glowing hair danced about her serene face. Petals exploded into the air around her that condensed into flowers. They drifted out and around her, glowing with that eerie pale white light. A bloom of illumination that spread out to fill the void that surrounded her, that cast out and reached towards the distant city. Below her, those vines that had held fast for time immemorial began to glow, life and power flooding into them. At first they began to squeeze down on the broken bridge, trying to strangle the last mote of life out of it. She chuckled and shook her head, ¡°No no, go to sleep now,¡± She cooed, lowering her hands, ¡°Come home.¡± The vines writhed and then slowly, slowly, began to retract back down beneath the bridge. She felt them recede all the way back to a spot just beneath where she had been standing before. A single flower hanging upside-down that slowly began to dissolve into motes of light that drew up into the air and joined the other petals. More motes raced across the vast void from the city, tiny balls of light that arrived at her side like children eager to see their mother once more. She caught one over her hand and admired it as she drifted back down to the ground. She landed on heels made of glass that shimmered as the bridge trembled beneath her feet. She smiled to herself and stepped towards the edge only for it to begin growing at a rapid pace, the suppression gone, the filaments grew and grew and grew. They raced out ahead of her as she walked, sauntering across the bridge towards the distant city. Her hair flowed behind her as she reached the middle point of the void and watched the two ends of the bridge collide with one another. In an instant a deep glorious rush of power flooded across it, flickers of light that raced down the innumerable paths as the entire bridge glowed with restored life and power. She looked up at the city in the distance and smiled at it, observing the gaunt figures that stood on its outer walls, waiting for invaders. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, and then I¡¯ll claim you for my own,¡± She giggled and waved at it, turning away as the light reached the landing. She strode back across the bridge as the ring against the wall flared to life, multicolored light radiating from its metal surface as a pool like a dungeon portal began to form within its bounds. It swirled and undulated as she drew closer, stopping before it and drawing her eyes across its rippling surface. Once again, her instincts guided her; ¡°Take me where I need to go,¡± She said casually, her fingers brushing the metal ring. The rippling portal went still like a sheet of quiet water in an instant, responding to her words. She stared through it and grinned, ¡°Sounds like fun,¡± She chuckled and stepped on through. ¨C Ishtar lingered there, the illusion pulling itself back together as she stared at Sonya¡¯s back. She let out a breath and shook her head, ¡°That was quite the sad little song, Sonya,¡± She said and looked back at the city, humming to herself. She walked towards the bridge and admired the pulsing mana that passed through it. ¡°A villain¡¯s mindset,¡± She chuckled and crossed her arms behind her back. ¡°You¡¯re so close, little sister,¡± She said with a sad smile. ¡°I wonder what will happen when you figure it out. It¡¯s so simple, you¡¯ll be mad at me, will I disappear? I suppose I¡¯m okay with that, as long as it makes you strong.¡± She laughed and let out a sigh. Her body began to disappear as she strode towards the distant city, a song on her lips. ¡°From behind my mask of iron, for each wicked sin I atone. I gaze upon the world once more, from atop my lonely throne.¡± Chapter 151 v2 Sonya felt euphoric. It was unlike anything she¡¯d ever experienced before. Tiny motes of power burning in her body like little stars. She raised her hand up and examined her fingers, flexing them experimentally as a wave of giddiness washed over her. Her lips twitched up in a smile even as her mind recoiled slightly. ¡°S-so this the aftermath of Visage of Titania,¡± she laughed, her words and thoughts felt misaligned, off kilter. It¡¯s subjecting me to mania, she thought, I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised given what the ability can do. There had to be a serious drawback. She took a deep breath and tried to relax her heartbeat, pushing her amusing new surroundings out of her mind for a moment. How long will the effects last? She wondered, fighting down another wave of giggles. She held her hand up over her mouth and stumbled, placing her hand against a nearby tree. She heaved out a breath and laughed again, turning her eyes towards the sight she¡¯d seen through the portal in the Backrooms. A massive compound spread like a slovenly beast in the humid woodland. Paved paths connecting over a hundred buildings that surrounded a single massive structure. She tilted her head and rested her hand on her cheek, admiring the sight, ¡°Wow,¡± she crowed, ¡°Looks like Liberty really knows how to live it up.¡± Are you alright? Sonya tensed, that disconnect flickering in her mind again before she righted it and identified the source of the voice. She raised a hand to her heart and let out a breath, ¡°Ishtar, right, you¡¯re here with me.¡± You didn¡¯t recognize me? Sonya huffed, ¡°They say the old queen of the fae was mad,¡± she said hesitantly, ¡°Every ability has rules or a price.¡± I seem to be doing nothing but bringing you harm every time I make a suggestion, Ishtar said morosely. Sonya shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m just glad to hear your voice, you¡¯ve been quiet,¡± she pressed her lips together and looked down at her feet. The euphoria fading even more into the background, ¡°Thank you, for helping me earlier. If it wasn¡¯t for you I¡¯d be still trapped in there.¡± Then take advantage of the reclaimed time, your people can hold their own but they can never be without too much help. A proper villain does not abandon their subordinates, Ishtar instructed. She smirked, ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that!¡± she laughed and gestured to the remarkable view beyond, ¡°Besides, It looks like I¡¯m going to get to have a little fun as well!¡± she declared before leaning up against the tree she had steadied herself on earlier. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, sending her senses out and activating Astral Eye. She had spent more than enough time in the camp to be able to form one within its vicinity at any distance. She allowed her sense of sight to travel to that place and looked down on it from a distance, a tiny pink twinkle in the nights sky. There, far below, she saw the common building almost entirely encased in stone. Bodies were strewn everywhere amidst the courtyard. The turrets Amos had installed were sweeping viciously left and right while Black Lotus danced between two men whose bodies were glowing with a coppery light. They must be members of her inner circle, she panned her view, there¡¯s a third one there. She¡¯s dressed a bit like Chunhua, a cultivator-type ability? She doesn¡¯t seem interested in participating in the fight. Maybe she¡¯s waiting for Chunhua to get worn down. Now that won¡¯t do at all. <¡°Amos?¡±> she called out through her technopathy, sending the signal through her phone. <¡±Sonya?! Where the hell have you been?¡±> he demanded, <¡±Shit¡¯s bad over here!¡±> <¡±I can see that, I was stuck in the Backrooms. Something interfered with my portal and it broke down as I was returning,¡±> she explained, <¡±What¡¯s the situation?¡±> <¡±Some kind of ability is blocking any sort of teleportation ability within a huge area around the camp. The Pandora Committee is trying to get people there but every time a plane gets close it gets torn to shreds. That do-it-yourself hero of yours and her friends are in the dungeon with Otis and¡­¡±> he trailed off, <¡±We¡¯ve already lost a few aspirants, Sonya. I¡¯m sorry.¡±> She set her jaw tightly, <¡±I see,¡±> She looked down at her feet and felt the euphoria from her power wane even more. The mood swings were becoming intense. She reached up and rubbed at her temples before she started to pace. Sadness and Rage competed with the lingering amusement making her feel nauseous. She wanted to ask how many young people had already lost their lives, how many had been unlucky enough to be too far away from the common building when the chaos started. She ground her teeth and forced herself to focus, pushing the delightful tingle of those stars in her body out of her mind. She turned her sight back on Chunhua¡¯s battle. The hero snapped out a kick, driving it into the abdomen of a thin looking man who vanished and turned into a blur, afterimages left behind as he surrounded her. They all clapped at once and Chunhua spun into a tornado of motion that sent the afterimages scattering only for spears of red light to appear above her, falling down like the sword of damocles. Chunhua stopped her spin and swung upwards, destroying the spears with a ribbon of white-pink light. Sonya focused on the woman¡¯s face, She¡¯s bleeding. <¡±Why is she holding back? Those two can¡¯t be more than heroic-tier,¡± Sonya growled. <¡±You know her, she isn¡¯t going to go all out without permission, she¡¯s already doing this expecting to get expelled from the Committee, though, so I don¡¯t really get it either,¡±> Amos said. Sonya rubbed her chin, <¡±The dungeon, she¡¯s afraid her fight will influence the dungeon while the aspirants are inside,¡±> Sonya said, <¡±Stupid! It¡¯s not that high level of a dungeon, if it¡¯s Lillian¡¯s group they can handle it.¡±> she scowled, <¡±Any word from the Chairman?¡±> <¡±Oh¡­ right, forgot to mention, Liberty had him blown up. His house is basically rubble by now,¡±> Amos said awkwardly. Her expression went deadpan, <¡±Great, just fabulous,¡±> she muttered, <¡±Seems I really have underestimated that brute of a woman,¡±> she said before turning to look towards the compound. I know she¡¯s down there, she¡¯s got to be, I could try to fight her but I still don¡¯t know the full limits of her ability. I know the basics but, it¡¯s too risky to face her now and I promised Cass a chance. I can¡¯t go back on my word. She sighed, At least I can try to sneak in and cause a bit of trouble. <¡±So what¡¯s the plan?¡±> Amos asked, <¡±Your pretty knight is putting in the legwork.¡±>You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. <¡±The other heroes?¡±> Sonya asked. <¡±The instructors are with the students and Marta who¡¯s still wearing your face. Axel is in pretty bad shape, Da-Som is working on him right now. Madame Rouge is being herself, she won¡¯t move unless its absolutely necessary. Since Black Lotus is out there, she probably doesn¡¯t see any real need to intervene,¡±> Amos said, <¡±God she annoys me.¡±> Sonya shrugged, <¡±She¡¯s just eccentric, she¡¯ll take action if it comes to it, like you said,¡±> she said before rubbing her chin, she turned her gaze back towards Chunhua and watched her fight for a few more heartbeats, <¡±If she¡¯s not going to kick it up without orders, then let¡¯s give her orders. I¡¯m calling in those favors, connect me with Carla.¡±> Amos hesitated, <¡±Didn¡¯t you want to wait for that move?¡±> She snorted, <¡±What better time for a leader to step up than during a crisis?¡±> she said, <¡±Now that the Chairman¡¯s dead, my hand has been forced. I¡¯ll just have to pay Liberty back later for activating my little contingency.¡±> <¡±My dolls are ready too, I can send them out if-¡±> <¡±No.¡±> <¡±No? But what about Black Lotus? She could use the backup until things got settled with Carla,¡±> he protested, <¡±A vote like that won¡¯t be quick.¡±> <¡±Yes it will,¡±> Sonya said, <¡±Don¡¯t take away from her achievement here. It¡¯ll add to her fame.¡±> <¡±Even if that woman with the sword joins in?¡±> Amos pressed. <¡±She won¡¯t, I have a feeling she¡¯s waiting for a one on one,¡±> Sonya said, <¡±Now get me Carla.¡±> <¡±On it, boss,¡±> he said. The sound in her head popped once and a new voice joined their conversation almost immediately, <¡±Sonya? Sonya are you okay?¡±> <¡±I¡¯m fine, love,¡±> she said with a laugh, <¡±No worries, just had a bit of an unexpected interdimensional detour. It happens.¡±> <¡±Interdimen- WHAT?¡±> Sonya snickered, <¡±Calm down, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m back. I need you to call a remote emergency session of the committee.¡±> <¡±It¡¯s already about to start,¡±> Carla said grimly, <¡±Sounds like you heard about what happened¡­¡±> she trailed off, <¡±...wait don¡¯t tell me.¡±> <¡±Yup!¡±> <¡±B-but I¡¯m not- Sonya, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready, you¡¯re not serious are you?¡±> <¡±Yup!¡±> <¡±I¡¯m not gonna win this argument, am I?¡±> Carla sighed. <¡±Nope!¡±> <¡±...Sonya, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±> Carla asked. Sonya¡¯s expression fell, her eyes turning back towards the compound. All of her good humor evaporated as she thought about the two shapes she¡¯d seen laying on the ground next to the front door of the main building. No one could safely go out and retrieve them. Left there to wait. How many more were laying in the trees? How many more hadn¡¯t made it back? Did any of the scouts lose their lives while trying to get out of a dungeon that she knew was swarming with monsters as the ambient mana levels spiked in the area. The harder Chunhua fought, the harder things were going to be in there. I invested a lot into you, Lillian, you better not die young lady, she growled as her nails dug into her palms, <¡±Carla,¡±> she said soberly, <¡±I¡¯m going to repay Liberty for this. You just focus on that vote while Amos and Chunhua handle things. Understood?¡±> she said as she weaved an illusion around herself, masking her appearance and darting through the trees. She knew she was letting her anger get the better of her, a measured response would be better, more in-line with Ishtar. She knew that. Maybe it was the lingering effects of Visage, or maybe she just wanted to feel like she did back when she¡¯d first come back. Powerful. Untouchable. A lesson needed to be taught. <¡±Where are you?¡±> Carla asked after another brief pause. Sonya dove beneath a tree limb, spotting a guard tower through the foliage. Her eyes lit up as she pulled Amethyst Sorceress from her warehouse, flashing the minds of those present long enough to leap over a tall metal gate and land on the other side in an alley between the outer wall of the compound and what looked like a storage building. She took a glance out into the paved road and spotted a few of the cultists darting about in a flurry of activity, eyeing their clothing for a moment before retreating again. She adjusted her illusion accordingly before nodding to herself. <¡±Sonya?¡±> <¡±About sixty miles north of the gulf coast,¡±> she said. <¡±Oh my god,¡±> Carla breathed, <¡±S-¡±> Sonya ended the call as she stepped out onto the road, walking past a small group of cultists who nodded at her in greeting. She smiled back at them, Stop fretting, Carla, do what you need to do. I¡¯ve got it from here. She thought as she dialed a new number. <¡±Miss Chernovna?¡±> a man answered. <¡±Representative Harman!¡±> she crowed merrily as she stalked past another cluster of cultists, many of them speaking in low tones or even sitting in prayer. Their conversations were varied and largely mundane so she filtered them out, focusing on getting down the path as quickly as possible and getting as near to that main building as she could. <¡±I hear you¡¯re in a meeting.¡±> The US Representative to the Pandora Committee cleared his throat, <¡±This isn¡¯t a good time, Miss Chernovna,¡±> he said soberly, <¡±The Chairman-¡±> <¡±Is dead, I know,¡±> she said as two cultists approached her. One of them wore some sort of odd mini-cape around his shoulders. He looked at Sonya''s disguised form; she''d picked her old look from the previous timeline, black hair and blue eyes. He nodded brusquely before gesturing towards the main building, ¡°You don¡¯t look busy. We¡¯re short staffed at the Main Building, come with me,¡± he growled, ¡°No questions.¡± She inclined her head, ¡°Yes sir,¡± she said demurely. <¡±I want you to support Carla Mint¡¯s proposal.¡±> <¡±Mint? She¡¯s a regional administrator, she can¡¯t just make a proposal to the Committee like that,¡±> the representative said. Her lip twitched as she sent out similar messages to others who she¡¯d made contact with, mostly those in Europe. It was a lot of political capital spent but she could recover it when it became necessary through the club. They would fall in line, but this guy¡­ <¡±Representative I don¡¯t have the time to argue with you. The situation is bad at the East Coast Camp and the Committee needs to restore its leadership. I will return the favor, just do the right thing here and support the measure,¡±> she clipped as the two men escorted her to a small set of doors set into the side of the main building. She glanced over at a pair of huge doors that loomed over the paved road, Must be the main entrance, this one is for work staff. <¡±Chernovna¡­¡±> he trailed off, <¡±I think I know what you¡¯re planning. You¡¯re going to get a lot of flack if that¡¯s the case, but it¡¯s not my problem. You owe me.¡±> <¡±Yes yes,¡±> she said dismissively as the two men opened the door and she was ushered inside. <¡±Just make sure that measure passes.¡±> <¡±Understood.¡±> The call ended as the din of people working in what appeared to be something between a warehouse and a supersized kitchen nearly bowled her over. A thick set woman in a white button up shirt hurried over. She looked Sonya over once before nodding, ¡°She¡¯ll do. Sir Phillip is getting more and more particular these days,¡± she pointed at Sonya, ¡°You, girl, hurry up and take that cart up. Security will escort you.¡± Oho? She restrained a smile, I wonder who this Sir Philip guy is. She nodded sharply, trying to look more obedient than excited. The woman scowled at her, ¡°Wipe that smirk off your face, he doesn¡¯t like women who seem too eager. Just bring the food up, pay your respects, and get back down here. Got it?¡± she barked before rounding on the two men that had led her in, ¡°You two, lead her up, I don¡¯t have any security to spare right now with half our good men on the mission.¡± Sonya let herself get pulled away in the rush, hurrying over to a hand cart laden with food and drinks. All the while, her mind went to work on what would come next. TICK ¡­ TICK ¡­ TICK Chapter 152 v2 You know, you could have just snuck in completely unnoticed, Ishtar pointed out. Sonya smirked to herself as she wheeled the hand cart out of the rather cramped elevator, the two men who had ushered her inside the building walking on ahead. They were walking along some kind of catwalk overlooking a larger room that also seemed to be for storage. Is her base made entirely out of warehouses? Preppers, I swear, Sonya thought as something caught her eye. She squinted down at the distant shape, a mass of something misshapen and off-gray lay on the ground amidst a small crew of men and women who were disassembling it. ¡°What is that?¡± she asked. One of the men glanced over the rail of the catwalk towards what she¡¯d been looking at and sniffed, ¡°You didn¡¯t hear? Liberty slew Oscar the Golem, a mythic cut down in a single swing,¡± he said, ¡°It was pretty big gossip around the compound.¡± She played up her best sheepish expression, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not exactly in the loop these days.¡± The two guards exchanged a look before one of them shrugged, ¡°If you¡¯re being bullied, that¡¯s your problem. Might makes right, if you can¡¯t put them in their place then you¡¯re where you belong,¡± he said and turned his attention back to the path ahead of them. She¡¯s stronger than I thought, Sonya mused, eyeing the corpse for a heartbeat longer before turning her attention to the backs of the two guard¡¯s heads, Also, that¡¯s some interesting insight into her little cult. That¡¯s how they see one another, mm? Her lips curled upwards, I wonder what that means if I put Liberty down? The two men opened another set of doors and ushered Sonya through into a much larger hallway that wrapped around the upper level of the enormous building. They hung a right as Sonya glanced left, spotting an odd orange glow coming from one of the rooms. She frowned a little, something in her guts twisting as she turned to follow them. They made their way up the hall and around one more corner in silence and arrived at the heaviest looking door she¡¯d seen in the entire facility. One of the guards approached and knocked twice as the other rounded on her, ¡°Say nothing, serve their meals, and stand to the side and try to look pretty or something. I don¡¯t know what Sir Phillip is into these days.¡± Man, this guy sounds like an asshole, she grumbled but nodded anyway. The door opened with an angry hiss and she pushed her way inside past the two men who looked very relieved not to be joining her. The room was just large enough to allow for a conference table and a large screen on one end of the room. The lights were dimmed and two figures sat at the table watching it carefully. She felt every muscle in her body scream at her, every instinct turned to rage as she hastily tried to catch her breath. The first was a man with a clean cut head of wavy dark hair and a smug smile on his face, leaning on his knuckles as he watched the screen with cold eyes. The other was Liberty. The name above her head confirmed it. She¡¯s right there! Sonya screamed into her head. You¡¯ve already accepted you can¡¯t beat her in a head to head fight, not now, focus on what you can get out of this, Ishtar reminded her. Sonya took a steadying breath as the doors shut behind her and pushed the cart over to the table. She glanced at the dishes, two sets of each pile of hearty meats and other delicacies. She picked up a plate and walked over to Liberty, her heart pounding in her ears as she set the dish down in front of her hated enemy. Liberty clicked her tongue, ignoring her as Sonya moved back to pick up a glass and set it next to her. Sonya flicked her gaze up towards the man in the room who was likely this lecherous Phillip character. Phillip eyed her with amusement as Sonya poured out some wine into the glass before returning to the cart to move it around and serve him. She glanced his way and saw his name floating over his head. Wayne? As in Jessica Wayne? I had my suspicions, but there are plenty of Waynes out there. I¡¯ll look into it later. ¡°Getting antsy?¡± Phillip asked as Sonya set a plate in front of him. She flicked her gaze up towards the screen and forced herself not to pause. Keeping her movements fluid. Chunhua was face to face with that woman Sonya suspected was a cultivator. The two of them were squaring off, it was only a matter of time before they came to blows. Look at all those wounds. She should have gone all in, I understand her reasons but¡­ she trailed off as she poured wine into the glass she provided for Philip. He reached out and grabbed her arm, ¡°Hey beautiful, what¡¯s your name?¡± Sonya looked down at his hand and nearly blew it off before flicking her eyes up at him. She forced a demure smile, ¡°Sonya,¡± she said, letting her illusion alter the sound of her voice. She felt another pair of eyes on her and resisted the urge to meet them, ¡°Surname?¡± Liberty growled. Sonya stood up straight and inclined her head, ¡°Lee-Anne,¡± she said, intentionally mispronouncing Chunhua¡¯s last name. She kept her eyes downcast, not meeting the woman¡¯s gaze. There was silence for a few heartbeats before Liberty scoffed and Phillip released his grip. She took a few steps back and stood next to the cart, surreptitiously glancing up at the screen. ¡°They¡¯re just playing,¡± Liberty muttered, ¡°What is Halloway doing?¡± ¡°This could have gone more smoothly if we¡¯d called the other members of the Round Table in,¡± Phillip pointed out. The Round Table. Is her ability Authurian or is it just eccentricity? Liberty rounded on him and scowled before letting out a sigh, she nodded and rubbed her temple before shooting a glance at Sonya. She turned her attention back to the screen, ¡°Ito is still working on the project and I would rather her stay focused. It¡¯s too valuable to leave unguarded so we¡¯ll have to do without Conway and the others.¡± A project? Phillip shrugged his shoulders, ¡°So what are you going to do?¡± Liberty got to her feet, glowering at the screen, ¡°I¡¯m tired of watching Kant play with her food and Ewen¡¯s performance has been nothing short of atrocious. Even while channeling my powers he¡¯s only done superficial damage,¡± she muttered and turned towards the door, stalking past Sonya with a lumbering gait. Sonya watched her closely, taking in every detail of the way she moved. ¡°Meaning?¡± Phillip asked, not moving from his seat. He snapped his fingers and Sonya turned to him, he was holding up an empty glass. She restrained her irritation and moved to fill it again. ¡°I¡¯m going to deal with it myself,¡± Liberty growled and opened the door. She reached through the door and grabbed one of the guards, dragging him inside and lifting him off the ground, ¡°You,¡± she snarled, ¡°You have a teleportation ability, correct?¡± The man blanched, shocked by the turn of events even as Sonya felt a chill run up her spine. She dialed out quickly and a breathless voice answered her just as the man nodded a frantic affirmative, <¡±Sonya?¡±> Marta gasped, <¡±Are you-¡±> <¡±No time!¡±> Sonya hissed, <¡±Liberty is heading your way. Find an excuse to dip from wherever you are. I need you to be ready to fight if anything happens to Chunhua, don¡¯t worry about our cover. Be ready,¡±> she said as fast as she could, pulling away from Phillip as he took another sip from his glass. ¡°Told you, you should have just gone with them, it¡¯s gonna take a while for that guy to get you over there, even with your enhancements,¡± Phillip said before reaching for his plate and taking a lazy bite. Liberty turned her glowing blue eyes on him but could only frown in response, she nodded sharply before turning her attention back to the man hanging in her grip. She tilted her head, ¡°Well?¡± she growled, ¡°Take me to West Virginia, now.¡± A pop of rushing air later, and Liberty was gone. Just like that. Sonya stared at the spot where she¡¯d been standing as the doors slid closed again. She looked from the spot to Phillip who was also staring at the door. He huffed out a breath, ¡°This is what I get for being number two,¡± he sighed and scratched his head. She searched his face, He looks familiar, she thought as he got to his feet and frowned at the screen. ¡°You have any siblings, miss Lee-Anne?¡± he asked.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of,¡± Sonya said flatly. Is he all that¡¯s left of her ¡®round table¡¯ here? She decided to hazard a question, ¡°Shall I serve the others, sir?¡± she asked. He glanced at her and scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m it today, babe,¡± he said with a smirk, looking her up and down, ¡°Not bad, picked a good one today,¡± he said and picked up his glass of wine. He sipped from it again and turned to look at the screen. He raised the glass to it, ¡°Welp, with Liberty on her way, Jessica is as good as dead, nice knowing ya sis.¡± And there it is, he¡¯s the big brother, she thought with a small smile. Though from the sound of it, she¡¯s been set aside. She¡¯s of no use to me then, pity. Not that she¡¯s done much, I wonder if she¡¯s of a similar mindset to Cass. Should I foster her instead of suppressing her? She pushed the thoughts aside for now, Lets deal with this guy. I can worry about that later. ¡°Sir Phillip?¡± she said invitingly, immediately drawing his attention. He turned to face her in that dark room as a small smile spread on her face. She opened her warehouse and drew out Amethyst Sorceress. He returned her smile only for it to falter slightly when he saw the look in her eyes, ¡°I have a message for Liberty that I didn¡¯t deliver while she was here,¡± she said sweetly, taking a step forward, ¡°Would you please deliver it for me, sir?¡± His eyebrows furrowed, ¡°...what message?¡± She broke into a manic smile, ¡°Ishtar sends her regards.¡± ¨C Carla leaned forward in her desk, she was standing, her eyes fixed on the screen. Still nothing but inconsequential bickering. Her lips trembled. When should she speak up? When did she make her move? She glanced at the camera monitor again, Chunhua was standing at the steps again. A brief lull in the fighting. The two glowing men had backed off. Chunhua¡¯s posture was as proud as ever but even Carla could see the blood on her clothes and the wear in her shoulders. She¡¯s getting tired, she looked at the men bickering over pointless things again. Do I do it now? She wondered, What if it fails? Does Sonya have enough political capital to make it work? She looked at her phone and closed her eyes tightly, She¡¯s trusting you, Carla. Stop doubting. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough!¡± She barked at the screen, the faces all whipping up to look back at her, startled. She slammed her fist on the table, ¡°We are an organization dedicated to supporting the heroes! To making sure this world is safe from people like Liberty! If there aren¡¯t regulations in place to handle the situation then damn the regulations!¡± She said and stood up straight, her stare cold, her jaw set, her fists clenched. ¡°I¡¯m taking over,¡± She declared, ¡°I am hereby tendering a proposal to the committee. I will serve as acting Chairwoman of the Pandora Committee until this crisis is over, after which we will hold an election,¡± She scanned the faces on the screen that had gone pale. None of them wanted the job. Not after what had happened to the Chairman. They knew the kind of danger she was inviting on herself. She just didn¡¯t care. Even more, to them anyway, she¡¯d spoken out of place. A general proposal wasn¡¯t something she was allowed to tender, she was just an administrator. Even if they allowed it, she¡¯d need at least five votes in favor for it to nominally pass with those present. Please. ¡°The United States endorses the proposal,¡± Representative Harman said and gave her a small nod and she nearly felt her knees give out beneath her. ¡°All in favor?¡± ¨C Chunhua held her ground, her eyes fixed on the woman as she stalked forward with her weapon drawn. She shot a glance towards Ewen and Ellis who were licking their wounds. Their abilities had been more potent with that glow around them but in the end it was more of the same. Power didn¡¯t override experience and the injuries she¡¯d sustained after their ¡®power up¡¯ had been largely superficial. ¡°A duel,¡± The woman said, pointing her sword at Chunhua¡¯s heart, ¡°You and me, ¡®World¡¯s Strongest¡¯. I want to know who¡¯s better.¡± Chunhua gave her a flat stare, ¡°After I¡¯ve fought your friends? Hardly sporting,¡± she bit out. The woman smirked, ¡°That was your choice,¡± She said with a snort, ¡°I was standing there the whole time, you could have come at me.¡± Chunhua glared at her but didn¡¯t dignify her with a response. So long as the woman didn¡¯t make a move she didn¡¯t have the attention to spare for her. Now it was just the two of them. She let out a sigh through her nostrils. ¡°Your name?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m not usually in the habit of giving dead people my name,¡± The woman said, checking her nails, ¡°But if you must know, it''s Dame Kant, a member of Lady Liberty¡¯s Round Table. Though you can call me Heavenly Demon.¡± Chunhua¡¯s shoulders stiffened, Worse than just a cultivator-type. I¡¯ll take her measure first. She thought before taking a fighting stance. Her weapon held up before her as she shifted her weight. Dame Kant held her own weapon out lazily, her head tilted as her eyes began to glow with a dark red light tinged with orange. She sneered before kicking off the ground in a flash of movement. One moment she was there, the next she was- Chunhua spun, raising her weapon and bracing herself as an attack came from behind and to the left. The strike pushed her back, her feet sliding against the ground as she met a pair of burning crimson eyes with her own black stare. Dame Kant glared at her, ¡°What? No powers?¡± she demanded, ¡°Am I not good enough for you?¡± Chunhua returned her accusation with a deadpan stare, ¡°Earn it, cultivator, you asked for a duel.¡± Dame Kant snarled and her body moved impossibly, her waist twisting before she whipped her leg out to catch Chunhua on the shoulder. Chunhua pulled her arm back and pivoted, avoiding the strike as something wet struck her in the eye. Spit? She blinked, her eye stinging just when a fist drove up and into her gut. She was launched up a foot and a half before she came back down, rolling out of the way and whipping her leg out to strike at the woman¡¯s ankle. The woman hopped back lightly, laughing, her feet stepping on thin air as she got a little distance before launching herself forward with a snarl. She can air-step too. Chunhua flung herself to her feet with a quick kip up, turning as fast as her body would allow, pushing down every instinct to amplify her reflexes and speed with her abilities. She brought her sword up just in time, the two blades clashing as she was driven back. ¡°I hate you,¡± Dame Kant snarled, ¡°You and your pretty ability, it even smells nice,¡± The woman pushed hard, shoving Chunhua¡¯s sword back. ¡°You talk too much,¡± Chunhua bit out through the sword lock. Dame Kant¡¯s lips curled into a sneer before she punched Chunhua in the mouth, her fist as fast as lightning. Chunhua saw stars as she staggered, training the only thing that caused her to pivot just as a stab snapped out to catch her in the abdomen. ¡°I could have been a hero too,¡± Dame Kant continued despite Chunhua¡¯s earlier comment. ¡°But my powers, my ability, they thrive on suffering.¡± A blow came from above, and then to the left, and then the right. Chunhua blocked, pivoted, redirected, taking step after step backwards as she looked for some kind of opening. Every stance was perfect, every movement practiced. She¡¯s trained hard, kind of sad really. Chunhua thought as the woman bore down on her. She deflected each attack as she followed the woman¡¯s movements, picking up on tells from her style. Next will be a retreat and then a jab. ¡°Who needs a hero that needs people to be in pain to grow?¡± Kant growled before leaping back several meters, leveling her weapon with the ground. Blood-red light began wrapping around it as her eyes grew dark. The wind up happening in the span of seconds. ¡°Liberty gave me purpose and the chance to kill the person who has everything I ever wanted!¡± Chunhua didn¡¯t respond, she set her jaw as she judged the distance in a heartbeat. Too far to interrupt her, she figured and readied to defend. The first couple of jabs came in fast but manageable. She turned them away as more and more red streaks began to dart in her direction. Soon, though, her vision turned red, so many strikes coming at once that there was just no way. A crash rang out behind her, crumbling stone. Bedrocks walls! She shifted from a total defense to protecting her vitals, deflecting blows aimed at her torso, head, and thighs, while strikes glanced off and cut against her arms and calves. She pushed through the pain, her eyes fixed on the woman¡¯s face, unblinking. When the strike ended the woman was just¡­ there. Dame Kant swung down with a powerful blow that Chunhua could only block, throwing her weapon up and planting her palm against it to hold it off. She winced as her knee buckled and bore her teeth at her enemy. She shifted her right hand up, letting Dame Kant¡¯s weapon slide down and to the left, she snapped her knee up and into the woman¡¯s gut. Dame Kant let out a gasp as Chunhua stepped past her, swinging her sword down hard. Kant was fast, though, and she rolled out of the way to avoid a fatal blow-not without her side getting cut in the process. Chunhua panted as she turned to face the woman spitting at the ground, ¡°How shameful, what happened to all your bravado?¡± She rumbled as blood dripped from every limb, from her lips, her nose, her bones creaked and groaned under her own weight. She¡¯d already been fighting for so long. She raised her free hand up in a gesture, two fingers pointed to the sky as she cycled her internal energy. A low breath coming out of her as her wounds began to glow and the scent of blossoms filled the air. Across from her, Kant tilted her head and looked down at her injury, she stood up straight and laughed before making a similar gesture followed by a sweep of her hand. Somewhere behind her, one of the cultists that had survived Amos¡¯ turret onslaught let out a cry of pain and collapsed. Chunhua¡¯s eyes widened in horror as the wound on Kant¡¯s side healed. Fast. I don¡¯t think I could match that healing speed even if I was at full power. Kant threw her head back in a peal of laughter, ¡°You were saying?¡± She snarled before pointing her sword at Chunhua. ¡°You don¡¯t think I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re doing? Quit testing me, Black Lotus. I¡¯ve put up with your game long enough, fight me properly,¡± she growled. Chunhua cracked a savage grin, ¡°Make me.¡± Chapter 153 v2 One had been scary, they moved like ghosts. When more came, it was a nightmare. Lily raced down the stone-paved street-if you could call it a street-that stretched between two rows of the eerie buildings that made up the ¡®city¡¯ nestled within the largest section of the dungeon. Her heart pounded in her chest as she hopped up and cleared another fallen piece of a building, pushing her palm against the surface and launching herself further along while the monsters continued their pursuit. They were relentless, leaping into the air and reaching heights that no normal human could ever hope to achieve. She spun on her heel as she felt the mana shift behind her again, whipping her sword across the path of the incoming projectile. The arrow split down the middle across the edge of her blade, scattering as she continued her spin and resumed her flight. I gotta get back! She thought, forcing down the rising panic in her gut. I wasted too much time out here and there¡¯s so damn many of them! Everything had gone downhill just a short while ago. They had been exploring the dungeon as usual, mapping out this larger section and studying the structures that made up the city. The scouting party¡¯s numbers had dwindled as the camp had dragged on, either through drop-outs or aspirants deciding that it wasn¡¯t for them. Now there were only five of them together. While the town they¡¯d found the other day had been impressive to say the least, this place was practically a metropolis. Sure, none of the buildings went over three stories in height for the most part, but the few that did struck quite the chord with the scouts. They had taken up camp in what appeared to be some kind of large religious building, there were murals everywhere and it had captured the imagination of several of the more academic members of their group. It was a good four hours into their research and cataloging when they showed up. The first two had been scouts, it seemed. Just like the one they¡¯d been followed by the other day, they had bark-like skin and vine-like hair. They had ¡®elvish¡¯ appearances but they could hardly be compared to the pretty creatures that they¡¯d all heard about in myths and legends. The initial surprise had nearly been catastrophic, but they¡¯d decided to go for Lily first. The cuts and scrapes had healed quickly. They should have been on high alert at that point, but the mystery of the murals had become even more intriguing. There were two kinds of ¡®elves¡¯ on the walls. One set looked beautiful and were often seen positioned above the other set who looked very much like the monsters they¡¯d encountered. There were even a few depictions of elves turning into these things after some kind of calamity. None of them were sure exactly where reality began for the murals and where some manner of fiction ended, crafted by the dungeon. There were even theories tossed around that the dungeon was just filling in details to add atmosphere. They should have paid more attention. She should have considered how strange the mana felt in the dungeon. She should have given it more thought. Instead, all they concerned themselves with was patting themselves on the back for ¡®discovering¡¯ the ¡®Dire Elves¡¯ as they decided to call them. That was when Nina got hit with an arrow right below the shoulder blade. She was laid low in an instant, some kind of poison on it paralyzing her before she¡¯d had a chance to react.The healer had frantically done his best to get her stabilized and had succeeded but only as Lily and the others were beset by dozens of attacking dire elves. By the time the fighting was over, three of their group had been seriously injured and now the healer was working double-time to get them back on their feet. Without much choice, they fortified the temple using the nearby rubble and ruins for materials and Lily had been sent out to get a better idea of how bad the situation was and figure out a route to take out of the city and back towards the previous parts of the dungeon. They needed to reach the portal. It was worse than they could have imagined. She raced around another corner before pivoting a second time into an alley just as the three pursuing dire elves followed her. They ran past her position, gleaming eyes blazing with bloodlust. She grit her teeth and shot forward like a rocket, cleaving across their backs with her broadsword in one quick movement. When she slid to a stop she turned to see them drop to the ground, their faces hitting the broken stone pavement. She panted, sweat dripping down her face as she turned in a circle before spotting the rising shape of the temple. Almost there, please be okay, please be okay! She didn¡¯t hear any fighting, at least, but that could mean one of two things and she didn¡¯t want to even consider one of them. She raced down the nearest alley, leaping and springing, grabbing onto whatever she could to get higher before finally alighting on a rooftop. She squinted, peering at the distant building as she nearly turned into a blur, her legs pumping with mana as she used her internal energy to enhance herself. Faster! She willed, begging her body to move beyond its limits as she hopped from one building to the next. Ahead of her, she could make out the distant shapes of dire elves marching up the steps in columns. There had to be dozens more, Where are they coming from? She thought frantically, The mana¡¯s coming into the dungeon way too fast! Still, it was almost a relief to see them crowding around the walled-off entrance to the main part of the temple. Even as several robe wearing dire elves began blasting it with bursts of verdant green energy. That just meant that the others were still alive. She hopped another gap and landed, spotting the end of this cluster of buildings and the beginning of the plaza that surrounded the temple. She slid to a stop and crouched, peering over the side. Holy shit, she breathed. There were at least a hundred of the damn things, all formed into neat columns. They looked more like footsoldiers rather than monsters. I¡¯d heard that monsters could speak on occasion, especially the humanoid ones but- ¡°Ik Th¡¯aahht!¡± A raspy voice croaked so loudly she nearly jumped out of her skin. She whipped her head in the direction of the sound and saw the strangest thing. It looked like a palanquin but it didn¡¯t have any curtains or roof, instead it looked like the cutting of a massive tree-trunk that had grown out four roots to be used as handles. Four dire elves were carrying it on their shoulders. Atop it, the ghostly visage of a dire-elf stood. Unlike the others who wore tattered robes or odd wood-metal armor, it wore finery and jewels embedded in its long fingers. Its face was more natural too with the ability to make expressions despite otherwise clearly being one of the plant-like monsters. It raised a finger and pointed at the temple, ¡°Ik Th¡¯aahht asa am!¡± It commanded, bearing its needle-like teeth and gesturing wildly. Is that the boss? Looks like he¡¯s projecting himself rather than being here, that¡¯s good. She wondered as more robe wearing dire elves ran up the steps, already weaving their verdant green spells. Not the time to gather intelligence, Lillian! She gripped the hilt of her sword and froze, a tremor going through her hand. She felt her heart leap into her throat as she took in the sheer number of them down below. There¡¯s so many. She closed her eyes, Fuck, I¡¯m so scared!This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Her knee shook as she rest her hand on the roof beneath her. She couldn¡¯t move. A couple monsters was one thing. Sparring against teacher was a controlled situation. This was- Stop! Right now! She clamped down on the terror with a snarl, biting her lip so hard it bled. A blast rang out and a portion of the wall erected to protect the others crumbled. They need you! What would Firestorm do right now? He wouldn¡¯t hesitate, that¡¯s what! Didn¡¯t you make a promise to Miss Chernovna that you would be that kind of person too? How is this any scarier than facing down Ishtar someday? She snarled at herself, gripping her weapon tighter. It¡¯s now or never, Lillian! Do it! With every ounce of strength she had to throw into it, she kicked off the roof, leaving a small crater behind her as she hurtled through the air at the heart of the columns of dire elves. She took a deep breath and exhaled through her nostrils, setting her body ablaze with golden fire. A shriek of anger rose up from her right just as she completed her arc; ¡°Th¡¯aahht!¡± The boss shrieked furiously as she shifted forward, her arms crossed in front of her. Her eyes blazed, light flaring up in them as the tattoo on her neck began to glow in concert. Her muscles tensed and in the heartbeat between her landing and the dire elves rounded on her, she swung in a wide arc, her free hand whipping out as well. A short range burst of flame erupted around her, catching a dozen of them ablaze while the handful in front of her were cut down in short order, their bodies incinerated as they crumbled to pieces. She rose and pushed forward, catching the hilt of her weapon with her free hand and adjusting her grip. She brought the weapon down and to the left, cutting through another pair as she stepped forward. ¡®Our martial arts are about momentum,¡¯ Black Lotus¡¯ voice rang in her head. ¡®How momentum is defined is based on our styles of combat.¡¯ She took another step forward and carried through with the momentum of her swing, spinning her body around and cutting through a trio that raced up to catch her from behind. Her foot landed hard and cracks formed in the ground, golden flames bursting up from them. She set her jaw, her eyes focused on the stairs leading up to the temple and shifted the trajectory of her weapon, changing her grip again as she followed through with another horizontal swing. Two steps¡­ come on¡­ ¡®Mine is more about fluid motions and grace, taking advantage of quick stabs and powerful finishes,¡¯ Black Lotus¡¯ voice continued, ¡®Despite or perhaps because of your preferred movement style, who you are, your strikes are powerful and direct, a clear goal in mind. You don¡¯t stop pressing forward for anything.¡¯ Lily took a third step, her muscles bulging on her arms as she bore her teeth, flames dancing on the edge of her blade. She felt the mana and internal energy cycling through her body, mingling, spinning, rotating. Her skin felt energized as she threw her back into the next stroke, she didn¡¯t feel the arrows peppering her skin. She didn¡¯t pay any mind to the knife that struck her in the shoulder, she kept moving. Diving low beneath a particularly deadly swing from a warrior behind her and spun again, catching another dozen up in a whirlwind of steel and fire. She landed, still facing forward as the hissing screams of the dire elves winked out as suddenly as she ripped them from their lungs. Three steps, don¡¯t stop moving, she ordered herself. She cut through two more and blocked another strike, catching it on the blade of her weapon and letting it slide down to the hilt as she passed by, finishing a swing and bisecting the warrior before it had a chance to react. Block, uppercut, block, block, horizontal slash, block, she snapped out a kick, gold flames beginning to burn around her eyes as she caught one in the abdomen and sent him flying. ¡®You push through any obstacle, over, around, or through. A juggernaut. A force of nature. Burning bright with golden flames, even as your foes desperately flow around your implacable form, a Leader,¡¯ Black Lotus continued to push her, just as she always had, no matter how hard it got, no matter how much it hurt. Five steps, six steps, seven steps! She felt the momentum build to a fever pitch as more and more of them came running at her. A big one charged from the front, holding a longsword over it¡¯s head. It swung down and she threw her weapon up, grabbing the blade with her armored hand and pushing with all her might. She bellowed, shoving the dire elf back as she brought her leg up. Weeks spent perfecting the first technique of her martial style. Days of trial and failure, frustration, fatigue. Now! Do it now! She grit her teeth and felt the instincts blaze through her body, every muscle triggered, every neuron fired, every sense exploding with clarity. ¡®A Crusader¡¯ ¡°AAAHHHHH!¡± She screamed in challenge, the fire bursting from her lips and catching in her hair. First March of the Golden Crusade! In an instant her movements became a flickering blur. Her weapon coming up in a right-to-left diagonal slash. Heat erupted from her weapon, the air shuddering for a moment from the force. The big dire elf was blown away by the strike, the flames so intense that he was turned to black ashes in an instant. She stepped down and swung again. BOOM! More of them were thrown about like ragdolls as Lillian brought her sword down in an impossible vertical stroke. The sudden shift in position almost impossible for a normal human to pull off. Step after step came with a thunderous boom and more dire elves falling in her relentless path of destruction. Her foot work was slow, but her blows came in faster, harder, crashing into anything in her path and leaving gilded cuts and carvings in the stone beneath her feet. Firestorm was the spark! She grabbed a dire elf by the face and threw them to the side, bowling over its compatriots. She took another booming step and swung again, I won¡¯t stop, not for anything, not until the people of this world feel safe! I¡¯ll protect them! I¡¯ll give everything! All of it! She cut through a set of robes as a caster turned at her, eyes wide with confusion and fear. ¡°GET OUT OF MY WAY!¡± She bellowed as she took the final step of her march, swinging with all her might as the golden flames began to stutter and die on her shoulders. Blood dripped from her arms and legs, from her chest and side, some of the wounds started to close faster than others as clumps of cloth and incinerated monster flesh collapsed to the ground around her. She panted, turning her back to the wall guarding the entrance to the temple. She pointed her weapon down the steps, not knowing how or when she¡¯d ascended this far. It didn¡¯t matter. She was here now. ¡°I AM CRUSADER!¡± She roared even as her entire body ached and her vision swam. Beneath her, a horde of dire elves raced up the steps, weapons drawn. A sea of bodies that seemed endless. She breathed hard, she was in so much pain, but she pushed her blazing aura out as far as she could, letting it wash down the steps and into the temple interior behind her. ¡°AND I AM THE HARBINGER OF THE HEROES BEHIND ME!¡± ROAAARRRR She didn¡¯t budge, even as a chill spiderwalked down her spine as something terrible began to push its way up the stairs and through the crowd of dire elves. It was a creature out of books, it¡¯s body wasn¡¯t especially big, about the size of a school bus. Not as massive as she¡¯d imagined they¡¯d be. It had a feline gait, languid and slow as it prowled between the gathered dire elves. Its scales were green and gleamed angrily in the ambient light. It had a reptilian head with a long snout filled with terrible teeth that it showed as it let out another bone chilling roar. She glanced up at the blue glowing figure of the dungeon boss pointing at her with rage in his malformed eyes. The sub-boss? She thought as her heart clenched in her chest. She squared her shoulders and glanced at the other scouts who returned her stare. If any of you guys are coming, I sure hope it¡¯s soon. Until then¡­ Her broadsword ignited. ¡­looks like I¡¯m fighting a dragon today. Chapter 154 v2 A sea of dire elves ran up the steps towards her. There was no running from this fight, even if she wanted to. With several people behind her that needed protection and no other routes, it was either down and through the enemy or die trying. She took a few steps to the left and put herself firmly between the doors and the approaching enemy, the dragon stomping and roaring as it marched its way towards the base of the steps. She wrapped her fingers around the grip of her sword and took a stance, weapon outstretched in front of her as the first group drew nearer. They raced up the stairs, their wild eyes blazing with bloodlust. Lillian¡¯s nose flared and she bent her knees, letting the internal energy and mana in her body blend together again. She started the cycle up, feeling the swirl as it looped through her body like blood, cycling down until it reached her navel before spreading back out again, refined and filled with power. She set her jaw and took a step forward, sweeping her weapon in a wide arc. Golden flames danced off of its surface in a short wave that crashed into the incoming enemy. Her powers ripped through the ranks of the incoming dire elves, the burning wrath of her sword turning the ones that had gotten too close into ash. There were still more on their way, though, and that dragon right at the edge of the stairs. For some reason it wasn¡¯t using those massive wings to gain air superiority. She squinted at its form, trying to figure out the reason as the dire elves regrouped from their first failed assault. The dragon lumbered forward, whipping its paw at any of the dire elves that got in its way. They were sent flying, crashing into the others and sending them sprawling. It whipped its wings out now and then, flapping them angrily before throwing its head back in a roar and trotting forward with purpose. She focused on the wings, What- there! Tears in the leathery portions of the wings, damage from some previous attack or another. The dragon roared again when a dire elf got directly in its path and it slapped it down with its massive paw. In one quick movement it snapped its head forward and ate the dire elf whole. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s their friend, She glanced up at the cuts in its wings, No, those are purposeful. They need it to obey. She set her jaw as the next group got closer, more dark shapes flying past her to crash into the oncoming ranks of the enemy. More explosions sending them flying off the steps and down to the ground far below. The sheer number of bodies being thrown at them were the only reason any of them were getting past her relentless assault. She swung again and again, shifting stance to simulate steps as she built up her momentum. The little pauses between each group cooled it down a bit, but that was okay, she was making up for it in spades. It was just as she felt like she had momentum to pull off march again when the dragon decided that it had waited long enough. With a terrible roar that rattled the air and sent a chill running up Lily¡¯s spine, it raced up the stairs, plowing its way through the remaining bulk of the attacking dire elves. Lily¡¯s eyes went wide as it fixed its own blazing gaze on her, racing through the clouds of black smoke left behind as it opened its jaw to consume Lily with one quick snap. Not gonna happen! She took a step forward, down closer towards the beast as it drew closer and let her instincts carry her through the motions of her technique. She swung up just as it lowered its head down towards her and caught it on the chin, the impact causing a golden flare to ripple out between the two of them and send the dragon¡¯s head whipping upward with a shriek of pain and confusion. She exhaled and flames billowed out, taking another step and swinging again, this time catching it on the shoulder as it pivoted to avoid her cutting it¡¯s head right off then and there. Tch. She grit her teeth and pushed forward anyway, her next blow going up towards its wing and it snapped its jaws at her blade. She caught it on the side of the head instead and it stumbled before righting itself. Blow after blow rained down on the dragon, each one following in with explosive force as she tried to destabilize it, knock it off, hurt it, do something to it. She pushed forward and it fell back, small explosions raining down on the horde below rather than the dragon as to not catch her as well. She steeled her focus, hit it harder! She thought, swinging up again to bat its head away and get to its neck. Step after step pushed it further back, her movements a blur, the world around her blending away as she let out a roar, ¡°STAY DOWN!¡± She bellowed, her muscles burning. She swung with all of her might, a muscle felt like it tore in her shoulder only to immediately start trying to heal itself again. She let out a gasp just as the swing struck and she felt the resistance of its hard scales give way a bit. She followed through, despite the pain, and completed the swing with a scream of pain and fury. The dragon whipped its head away, stumbling back a dozen steps as black blood oozed from its neck. She panted and looked up to meet its eyes. The pupils were tiny now and they seemed to glow. ¡°Oh shit, now it¡¯s mad,¡± She bit out as it reared back on its haunches and tilted its head towards her. Her eyes went wide as a verdant green glow rose up its throat. She turned, pivoting away and racing up the steps. A gurgling sound proceeded a sudden surge of mana in the air, she spun around when she reached the top of the steps, she saw two of the scouts inside dive for cover. The others can¡¯t move! Shit! She snarled, glancing back over her shoulder and meeting the healer¡¯s frantic gaze. She looked back at the dragon as the light blossomed in its mouth. Damn it. Fine! She set her stance and held her weapon up, golden flames wrapped around it. She squeezed them tighter, tighter, tighter, pushing down and applying pressure with her will as the incoming attack reached its zenith of charge. She grit her teeth. I am Crusader. I will not let you get past me! She swore. ¡°Not in this life and not in the next! I won¡¯t budge an inch!¡± She roared, ¡°Bring it on!¡± Verdant light flared and a cone of emerald energy lanced out from the creature¡¯s maw and slammed into her blade. The golden flames burned bright as the attack split around her, corroding and annihilating the stone at her back. She felt her arms groan with the strain, her muscles screaming in protest. She felt her feet dig into the ground beneath her as the wave of raw power roared around her. Her skin flaked, her armor burned, the pain was more than she¡¯d ever felt in her entire life. Like shocks of electricity beneath her skin eating away at her flesh even as her power steadily healed her body. She was in a suspended state of breaking down and recovering and it never seemed to end. She clenched her teeth. I¡¯m not dying here! She swore, I¡¯m going to win, I¡¯m going to get out of this place, and I¡¯m going to become a hero! She raged, her eyes itched, her neck ached, every strand of hair on her head felt like it was on fire. The ground shook beneath her feet, the shuddering and crashing growing more and more intense, closer. Was it walking towards her while it did this? How much energy did it have to keep this up? She felt her knee buckle beneath her and she shifted her weight slightly, forcing herself to stay standing as the constant pressure weighed down on her. She felt her eyebrows singe and the vision in her left eye started to fail her. She screwed up her face in an expression of fury and defiance, a sound keening from her throat. She couldn¡¯t hear anymore, but she could feel it, something welling up inside of her chest. I need more! More! Just a little-Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. With a thunderous boom the blast from the dragon winked out of existence and she felt all of her strength leave her as she hit her knees and nearly fell face first into the stairs beneath her when something moved in and caught her. She blinked, her vision swimming, as she turned her head and looked up into a pair of pearlescent eyes. ¡°Damn you¡¯re a pretty hallucination,¡± She mumbled, and reached up to touch Snow¡¯s face. Snow gave her a big smile laced with worry and tears. She ran her fingers through Lily¡¯s hair and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m as real as it gets, babe,¡± She said as Cass collided with the dragon¡¯s head, screaming at the top of her lungs just over Snow¡¯s shoulder. Another shape dipped in and pulled her to her feet, throwing her arm over a broad shoulder. She had to turn her head to see Alex¡¯s focused face as she ran up the steps to get her inside the building. Snow hustling next to them. The sound of a rocket went off behind her and she heard a terrible impact followed by a howl of pain from the dragon. She shook her head, trying to shake off the hallucination one more time. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing even as Alex set her down next to the healer.. He crouched next to her, ¡°How fast can you get back on your feet?¡± He asked. She blinked at him in confusion again, ¡°You¡¯re really here,¡± She said with a smile, delirious. ¡°Alex! Get your ass out here!¡± Val shouted, ¡°Could use a little reptile v reptile if you don¡¯t mind!¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy!¡± Alex barked back before looking down at her. Next to him, Snow looked over her face and reached out to brush back a bit of her hair. Her lip trembled a bit and she glanced at Alex who gave her a hard look. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± He said and got to his feet, ¡°Won¡¯t you?¡± Lily stared up at him as confusion gave way at last to clarity, the pain muddling her thoughts easing off as her ability got right to work, soothing the injuries first before it started to heal. She coughed, ¡°Right as rain in no time,¡± She said with a grin, ¡°Now go.¡± He nodded and scales spread across his neck and jawline in an instant, his eyes turned to slits and his nostrils flared. He whipped his head around and charged, fangs bared as he leaped through the air and tackled the face of the dragon that was now frantically fighting off a whole new host of enemies. John clung to its back and stabbed it over and over while Cass struck it in the side with her hammer. She panted and looked up at Snow who was still examining her face. ¡°How bad is it?¡± She asked with a lazy grin, ¡°Any good scars in my future?¡± ¡°Pretty sure those¡¯ll heal,¡± Snow said softly, ¡°Though I don¡¯t think your mom is going to like the new color added to your hairstyle, or the eyes, or the updated tattoo,¡± Snow quipped, ¡°You sure you weren¡¯t a scene kid or something in your past life?¡± Lily barked out a laugh, it hurt, so much. She kept laughing anyway even as her body started to feel numb. ¡°My eyes changed now? Great!¡± She chuckled sarcastically and leaned her head back with a groan. She watched the remaining scouts get out from their hiding spot and race over to resume his support of the others. Good, she thought, relieved and glanced at the healer who had a bit more color in his face. The others laying on the ground did too. Her head swam a little and she frowned, she glanced down at her feet, the numbness had given way to¡­ nothing, stiffness. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my feet,¡± She mumbled. Snow looked down at her feet and reached for her boots, she tugged for a moment and with some difficulty managed to get them off. They both stared in rapt amazement and alarm as something green had spread across her skin. It¡¯s not the color of that magic but¡­ She blinked slowly as she felt the emptiness creep up her leg. It¡¯s spreading. ¡°Is that jade?¡± Snow whispered, panicked, she looked over at Lily, ¡°Lily, what¡¯s happening?¡± Lily¡¯s eyes fluttered as the feeling spread up further. Despite every rational thought telling her she should be panicking, her instincts said something else. Let it happen. Just let it happen. She let out a shaky breath, the fear warring with her instincts as her heart raced. She reached up to take Snow¡¯s hand and squeezed it before nodding towards the others still engaged with the Dragon. ¡°Get going, I¡¯ll be back in no time.¡± ¡°What do you mean, back?¡± Snow asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lilian closed her eyes and searched her instincts, the manual of her powers, every time she accessed them it felt like they grew more and more detailed. She grinned a little to herself. That¡¯s a pretty long cooldown, she thought with amusement. Not a bad trade-off though. I can live with that. She opened her eyes and just nodded, ¡°Just a quick power nap,¡± She said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Focus on supporting them, okay? Follow Greg¡¯s lead.¡± She didn¡¯t see Greg or the usual tell-tale purple hue of his powers but he had to be somewhere nearby orchestrating the fight. Snow forced a smile onto her face and reached up to stroke Lily¡¯s chin as the jade spread up to her waist. She nodded and kissed her forehead before getting to her feet and racing out, drawing that funky pistol from her thigh. Lillian let her head fall back as she breathed, ¡°Just hang in there for five minutes guys,¡± She muttered as she felt the jade reach her heart. Her breathing began to slow. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in five minutes,¡± She mumbled as her vision swam and the spread reached her throat. ¡°Just hang in there¡­¡± She whispered as her vision went dark, her body falling utterly still. ¡ª This was taking too long, they¡¯d been delayed. The mana pouring into the dungeon had caused the monsters to respawn faster and faster. Otis chewed on his lip, rage boiling beneath his skin. How am I supposed to save the day and come out the hero if I can¡¯t get there in time? He thought, racing across the latest stretch of path between the trees. We have no idea where we¡¯re going either! Damn it! He spat on the ground in frustration as he raced on ahead. That guy, Greg, was close behind. If only we had a map or- he cursed again to himself. Miss Chernovna was right! Scouts! I need a scout for my heralds! Everything wouldn¡¯t be going wrong if I had a scout! ¡°I told you we should have gone this way!¡± Greg shouted. Otis bit his lip, ¡°Yes! You were right!¡± He said, ¡°We need to hurry, they need us!¡± That seemed to mollify the guy, no, the thing, no- he squeezed his eyes together. He¡¯s useful, powerful, he has potential. He counts as a person, right? He wondered when he had started attributing personhood to more and more people. It seemed like the number was growing each passing day, ever since Ishtar, ever since Sonya, ever since that day in Vegas and that night at the Beach. He pumped his legs harder. I¡¯m not wrong! He thought. Humanity deserves death! Just because there¡¯s a few good ones doesn¡¯t mean a damn thing! He pushed forward, he needed to get there, to be the hero, to save the others from whatever fate awaited them. He needed them to worship him. He glanced at the profiles screen, pulling up his bookmarked tabs. That girl that kept growing stronger, the impressive one. She was weakening, struggling, she was going to die. The agent of Ishtar, that girl with the hammer, she was fighting for her life as well. No! If they die then everything will be ruined! The guide says so! I can¡¯t let that happen! I need to be faster! Is there a cheat I can use? A power? Something! He snarled, reaching into the depths of the instincts that governed his ability. He barely touched them, barely considered them, but right now if he wanted his way he needed to look past the stats screens, the guides, the menus, he needed something more. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed hold of Greg¡¯s arm. Greg shouted something but he ignored him. He let the feeling take him, his bloodlust, his greed, his hatred, his desire, he let all of it push him. I will be a King, I will be the one to rule this world and destroy it! He felt his body lift off the ground as streaks of gold slipped past his body. The world turned into a blur around him and in an instant, he and Greg were gone.