Chapter 6


    Anomalies


    (Two Days Later, Wednesday)


    Squeak.


    One of the great things about being what is collectively referred to as a second-class citizen is that no one bothers you. At least, that is how Sarina has taken to handling me.


    If I am here, within the confines of the manor, I can go out, explore, and investigate. There is just one caveat, do not get in trouble. What is trouble? Well, I don’t know, but I can’t get into it.


    With the discovery of Auntie being so many generations old, it came to my understanding that I knew relatively little about this world and how it functions.


    This of course sparked my first and likely worst mistake. Knowing that I had no reference to go off of, and no one else to really turn to, I made the mistake of asking Sarina a question.


    A simple question.


    One that even now two later, I am regretting ever having asked.


    “How is Auntie so old?” I asked, as I wanted to know what her secret was, because logically I wanted to look that good when I was nearing a hundred, let alone the two hundred plus that Auntie was at right now.


    A simple question, and while I realize there were likely a lot of possible reasons why this was not the time, nor place. Sarina chose this as her moment to address multiple issues that she somehow thought related to this one question about how Auntie could live to be well past two hundred years old.


    “Oh, thank goodness. I am so glad you asked,” she began.


    Hearing her initial reply, I realized I might have messed up. Then her next comment all but confirmed my suspicions.


    “See right now, you are at that age when you can grow and mostly keep up with maturing women,” Sarina began. “Thus, how you were able to somehow beat up that third-year girl in your school.” What she didn’t know, what I didn’t know was that most of that was ingrained mental training from my past life coming out. Ingrained training and pent-up rage at constantly being told I couldn’t do things, because I was a boy.


    “That said, while you can and likely will be able to keep up with women. You will eventually hit a plateau. At the age of legal maturity, also called the age of awakening for females, we undergo a vastly different change. That is when we first gain access to the system.”


    Hearing this wild tangent, I took in a deep breath, as I hoped this would eventually get to the original question I had asked. I knew that asking a second question now would only confuse her, as such I decided to sit through this and see if she would finally get to the point.


    “Once we first awaken, we are often sent into little pocket dimensions where monsters appear. In these pocket dimensions you can see everything from regular animals seeking to flee their planet. Or you can see truly monstrous beings and creatures bent on destroying all other life forms. In fact, the mission where I proved my worth to your mother was the one where I went through what is called my first awakening. This was where my powers were awoken. Had I been pregnant at the time, I would have been able to achieve a second awakening. Though when you do both at the same time like your mother did, it is called a double awakening as the bonuses are fifty percent more for the second awakening.”


    At that comment, Sarina’s eyes went distant as she looked off into the distance, apparently remembering a moment, something that only she could see. Realizing that I likely needed to push this conversation along, I realized now would be a time when I could clarify something that I had been wondering about.


    “Can you still achieve a second awakening?” I ask.


    “Yes, I can. The only problem is that right now, if I want the largest increases. Then I need to find a realm all but saturated with mana, like the one where you had your shared indoctrinated.”


    A shared indoctrination, that was the term used to describe what an impregnated zygote undergoes while partially absorbing some of the energy and achievements of the mother. Had I been a girl, when my first awakening happened, I would likely have several major achievements already unlocked. Or shared from grandmother, to mother, to me, the disgrace.


    Having heard all about shared indoctrinations and how it would have set one of my sisters up for success for life, I couldn’t help but understand the contempt that mother had for me. Even now I wonder if she regrets not forcefully purging the male offspring first, when she had the chance.


    While I myself wouldn’t ever get to see those shared achievements that my mother earned and would share with me. I can’t help but think they are still there, just somehow hidden from me.


    I do feel stronger, not just from working out. But I recover faster, and am able to do more than I could in my past life. Though this might just be the effects of living within a mana rich environment. No, wait. Sarina said my old world was a mana rich environment?


    “So the planet where mother came from was mana rich?”


    “Yes, there it was almost like the planet itself had never experienced true mana users. When I was there, I could easily take out a whole city grid with my electric bolts,” Sarina sighs in reminiscence at the apparent surge of power she had while there.


    “I take it, you don’t feel that same level of power here?” I inquire.


    “No, here I am sad to say I am about a tenth as powerful as I was in that world. It was a perfect first awakening spot. Those like your mother who achieved a double awakening while there were instantly pushed to the heads of their families due to how much more powerful they had become. Even now, at a tenth of her power there, your mother is more than two and a half times as powerful as other heads of households. That is mostly thanks to you.”


    “Me?”


    “Yes, had you not been born at that time, gestating within her womb, she would not have come back nearly as unstoppable. While I was ten times more powerful there, your mother and the few others like her were on a completely different level. Capable of burning the that damnable world down and ending the corruption in a matter of days.”


    Hearing her get nostalgic for destroying my home world caused a few emotions to flare up within me. Everything from rage, to understanding, to sudden clarity all sparked in my mind as I remember that time myself.


    Rage occurred at the apparent lack of concern. We were just there, and they were power hungry monsters who were given the powers of Gods and began destroying the world, just because they could. Comprehension came from the fact that I now understood how we lost so quickly. While I was part of a psionic research team and far removed from everything going on, I heard everything was going well.


    Then the next thing we knew, we were dying and then the methods used to survive were not as important. Rather than surviving ethically, it became more prudent to just survive, and that is what I did. There was an awkward silence that filled the room as both Sarina and I were lost in our own thoughts, for vastly different reasons. Sarina was no doubt reliving her glory days of destroying the connected power grids of our planet, while I was remembering my own horrors of survival.


    “Well, I hope that answers your questions on why you shouldn’t fight with girls, as eventually they will get much stronger and they will remember these slights,” Sarina concludes.


    “Wait what?” I ask, completely confused.


    “You question, about why you shouldn’t get into fights, even if you think you can win, I hope I answered it well enough?” Sarina replies standing up and acting like she is about to leave for the evening.


    “That wasn’t my question at all,” I demand. With my statement a confused look crosses her face as she looks at me, “what was your question?”


    “I asked how is Auntie so old?” I repeat my question from the very beginning of this maddening conversation.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    “You did?” Sarina asks confusion clearly evident on her face.


    “Yes,” I reply frustration filtering through my word as I sat through all of that nonsense about not fighting girls because they will eventually be far bigger and stronger, for nothing.


    “I don’t know, you should ask her,” Sarina responds as she turns about and then leaves quickly.


    Glancing at the wall clock, it is clear that it is now seven in the evening, and Sarina’s shift is well over, especially for a Wednesday. Which of course gives me a lot of time to work out and explore on my own.


    Squeak.


    That is when I first heard the odd echoing sound coming from somewhere deep within the abandoned wing of the mansion. Having been a former scientist, I knew the sound quite well. It was the sound of a large mouse.


    Yet, the reason why it drew my attention was the fact that such an animal should not be here. In fact, from my understanding, the life repellant wards that Auntie allegedly set up, along with other natural magical barriers would keep pests away. That was why the sound seemed so out of place.


    Gnawing.


    The closer I got, the more I could also hear the unmistakable sound of gnawing. Gnawing on what I didn’t know, but I knew full and well what a mouse or other rodent could do to the wood paneling of an old manor like this one. Had I not been completely alone, I’m certain a maid, or maybe even Sarina would already be out investigating the sound.


    Yet they weren’t. Possibly a girls night? Or maybe some odd planetary holiday?


    Maybe it was just how this planet dealt with Wednesdays, but for whatever reason I was alone in my wing. No doubt my younger sisters had their maids still with them on their wing. But mine was empty. Which was why the sounds of the creature going to town on wood and other items sounded so crisp to my ears.


    Munch, munch, munch.


    Squeak.


    Only once I got closer to the sound did I realize that the magical wards and traps were in fact working. The room that was closest to the sound was the west end back room facing the garden.


    I knew the area quite well, as it was built in the shade, where many of the staff would go to relax during their time off. Or maybe even while they were supposed to be working. I didn’t care, mainly because everyone that went there made no comment about my coming or going. It was an unspoken truce, I didn’t inform anyone of the lack of productivity, and they didn’t comment on my activities.


    The staff also seemed to know that this room was the only room with a window facing the lounging area, as they purposefully put a large wooden writing desk right by the window. No doubt if anyone asked about the placement of the desk, it would be so that the lady who used said desk could use the sunlight while looking out over the garden.


    What wasn’t said was that, in order to see the resting benches, one would have to climb over the desk and then look down through the window at the ground, which is exactly what I did.


    Munch, munch, munch.


    There at the base of the window were creatures that caused my skin to crawl. For there were giant rat like creatures with six appendages desperately clawing at some type of invisible barrier. Seeing their actions, I realized that this was likely their attempt to tear through the protective wards that had been placed.


    For a moment, I thought about calling for help, to do something. But I realized that most would be on the other wing, and who knew where or how far these creatures would have moved by then.


    Also, another part of me realized that this was exactly what I had been planning for.


    Seeing the giant rat like creatures, all with glowing purple with pink streaks, I realized that their eye color likely reflected the light of the odd visual apparition behind them.


    A visual apparition that even now let more of the large six-legged rodents come through.


    SQUEAK!


    There was moment, where I just stared, but somehow I got too close to either the window, or the rats just had that good of senses. Either way, one of the larger creatures noticed me staring through the window, which caused a strange red rage to fill their eyes as those that had only been casually clawing at the wards suddenly began clawing with fury.


    Seeing their rage, I began reacting on instinct.


    Reaching out with my Intermediate Telekinetic arms, I struck out with invisible hands. Finding soft spots just beyond the base of the skull, where the skull intersected the spine. There with one quick strike down, I slammed my invisible arm down pushing the monster down to the ground. It twitched, showing that it was still alive, but unable to move.


    That’s when the true horror of the moment hit me, as the other rats who saw their fallen comrade, just climbed over the still twitching corpse and began clawing at the same spot where the previous rodent had been digging.


    Seeing that this wouldn’t be easy, and that they didn’t care about their fallen brethren and would likely do far worse to me I did the only thing I could. I defended my home. Yes, this was my wing.


    No one else cared about it, save for me, that was why I knew it was up to me to defend this place. Not that I could call for help, not that anyone would come when I complained about there being a large next of rodents that suddenly appeared.


    Knowing the culture, it would likely be laughed at, claiming childish male exaggeration of the size and scale of the threat. By then it would be too late. That is why I acted. Lashing out with invisible tendrils of Telekinetic power, I struck at the creatures.


    Chopping, snapping, and throwing I did it all.


    Striking down or incapacitating a front line rodent, only for it to collapse and be trampled or otherwise suffocated by the next wave of monsters that came. This was where my relentless training paid off.


    While I should have been tired, I felt nothing but adrenaline. Adrenaline and the certainty that I needed to continue crushing these monsters until Sarina returned. She did live here somewhere, one of these rooms along with a few others were claimed and occupied by the staff. Staff members who all went out on Wednesdays.


    Sweat.


    I had been focusing for so long on these precise strikes that I was now sweating. From what I could tell there were apparently three types of rodents here.


    The diggers, those that blindly surged forward and attempted to claw at the walls. These were the easiest to deal with, a quick strike to the base of the neck and they were paralyzed and left to rot. Then there were the sergeants, these were tougher and required one entire Intermediate appendage to find the trachea and slowly suffocate the creature to death. Those were annoying as they could still cause the diggers to flip out with rage and continue digging faster.


    Somehow those sergeants were smarter as they were the ones that first noticed my appearance and apparently began directing the workers towards me.


    Workers that were climbing over the bodies of their fallen members to climb up higher so that their bodies were in front of the window and all but blocking my view. Fortunately, once I had a Telekinetic hold on an object, I no longer needed to see that object so long as they were within my mental range.


    With a joined Telekinetic push, I would push the bodies of the stacked high diggers down, causing many to trip and stumble backwards. This in turn allowed me to snap the necks of the first to recover and once again slow the progress of the diggers.


    For each sergeant it took at least five minutes to ensure they were dead. In combat such a time sink is death. At least it should have been death.


    But I refused to die here.


    Well, I was still protected, the wards were still up, and I could begin to see the barrier that separated the rodents from actually destroying my house. That knowledge that a slight slip up, or minor mistake wouldn’t lead to my immediate death was the reason that I continued.


    Finally, after dealing with the third sergeant rodent, that’s when I saw the rift in space pulse with violent waves of energy as the leader came through. A queen.


    Seeing that the final boss was a queen was not surprising. Somehow I just expected that a female would be the root of the trouble with this alternate world, and I was apparently not mistaken. The rodent was visibly pregnant, as her rotund stomach scraped over the ground. Ground that was now covered in rodents in different states of death and paralysis.


    Working quickly, I focused on taking out the last of the diggers. By now all of the sergeants had been handled, leaving just one Telekinetic arm to try to strangle the queen, like I had managed to do to all of the others.


    Only the choking didn’t work, not for the queen as her neck was apparently far stronger and more capable than the sergeant’s throats had been. While their necks were too muscular to snap with one decisive strike, they had been collapsible enough to cause strangulation from prolonged states.


    KA-ZAPP!


    Even from inside a sealed room, I could smell the intense fragrance of ozone that was released after the now enraged pregnant queen let out a bolt of powerful lightning.


    “Shit,” I hissed as I quickly began using each and every one of my free Telekinetic limbs, hands, and even the fingers to claw and strike at the queen.


    Four Intermediate arms all grabbed and attempted to strangle the queen. That was four hundred pounds of force being applied to constrict the neck of a monster, and to try to wrestle the monster away.


    Unfortunately, that was not enough force as the queen just reared back on her hind legs and attempted to battle the invisible appendages. Her claws slashing through air that contained nothing for her to defend against.


    Flashing purple.


    Realizing the futility of her attempts, she then attempted to lower her head and face me. Of course, I was not going to let her do anything so easy.


    Instead, I used two of the appendages to push her head up and straight back, while the other two desperately tried to continue to strangle her.


    Still even from this angle, I could see the darkness of her lateral round eyes that helped her peer over and around obstacles.


    Even now, I could feel the intensity of her focus on me, as even that slight bit of black sliver of her eye was enough for her to see me.


    Static.


    With that gaze, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. There was even the faintest scent of ozone that began to form. It was that smell that caused my body to move on impulse.


    Fall, tumble, shatter.


    Shatter-Zzapp


    A burst of lightning crashed through the last bit of the barrier, a barrier likely not meant to protect against supernatural lightning bursts. Then through the window that I had been peering through.


    Fortunately the frame was wooden, as I think that helped dissipate a bit of the burst, then I could feel the tendril of energy reach for me, but found the wooden desk instead.


    A wooden desk that I now hid under.


    With my mental limbs already activated, I knew exactly where the rodent queen was. From there, I just began strangling, clawing, and scratching at the beast. Using my Beginner’s Telekinesis, the relative hands of my Telekinesis, I began clawing and ripping at the large black eyes that desperately tried to look for me.


    “What was that?” The voice of Sarina called out over the grounds. I was never so excited to hear her voice as I was right then and there.


    “We lost track of the last special anomaly that was recorded for the town. Allegedly it is here, but I don’t see it.” A second, familiar voice calls out.


    Hearing that second voice, I realize she is like a maid or someone I likely heard.


    Rage Squeak!


    Hearing the new voices, the queen lets out a deep squeak. Or at least as much of a squeak as she is capable of given her condition.


    “There it is, in the lounge area,” Sarina called out. “Wait, what is that?”


    Zzapp---fry-hiss.


    Sarina true to form, asks a question and then begins to blast away before an answer can be rendered.


    “There’s the anomaly,” the second voice cries out.


    “What’s with these rodent corpses?” Sarina asks.


    Zzapp---fry-hiss.


    Once again, Sarina rather than stopping to investigate electrocutes first, then waits for an answer second.


    “Wait they were already dead, I got no experience from them,” Sarina stated. Experience? What is that? I wonder to myself, but I quickly dismiss that thought as I realize I might soon be caught if I stay around her for too long.


    “I need to check the house, the young master,” Sarina cries out.


    “Wait, help me close this dark portal first,” the second warrior maiden cries out.


    Realizing that I only have a few moments before Sarina comes to check on me, I quickly crawl my way out of the door, not wanting to be seen through the now open window and then go out the door, into the hallway. Only once I am in the hallway do I get up and sprint to my bedchamber.


    Quickly sliding under the covers as I force my mind and body to slow down the last of its adrenaline fueled high. I am sweating. Now that I am on my clean sheets, I can feel just how much I sweat from the mental exertion. I had been foolish, but I couldn’t help but feel a slight tingle as my body and mind both felt alive.


    Clip-clop.


    Then my heart froze as I heard the unmistakable walking sound of a focused Sarina all but running down the hallway to check in on me.


    Phew.


    As soon as she comes in and sees me sitting still on the mattress she lets out a big sigh of relief.


    Apparently, she saw the open window and thought the worst and came to check on me immediately. Well almost immediately, she did waste a few seconds working to close the spatial anomaly, but that might just be how the world works here. Close off the immediate threat, then perform clean up. Sarina quietly walks over to me.


    Clip, clip.


    Well, silently for Sarina. Then she places one hand on me to make sure I am real. And is about to leave, before she reaches down to brush away my damp and matted hair.


    “What?”


    And like that, I know this terrible night has only just begun, as I try to think of an excuse for why I was suddenly sweaty in my bed.